What immediately comes to mind when you think of “Eastern Europe”? Your impressions might be shaped by pop culture or literature, which could lead to a perception like this:
A scene from “Eurotrip” (2004).
There’s some accuracy to that image! However, actual conditions are often not quite as stark. Our ambition was to incorporate every essential element to emulate a typical Eastern European city within the game: an abundance of panel houses and a variety of service structures crafted from similar panels.
The largest panel district in Eastern Europe – Saltivka, Kharkiv, Ukraine.
A touch of historical architecture and some traditional village homes were included to ensure players could construct an authentic Eastern European cityscape!
Another perspective of Saltivka, Kharkiv, Ukraine.
We faced hurdles during the initial planning stages of our pack. The scope was significant; my reference files alone reached nearly 1.5 GB.
The PureRef document where we consolidated our primary references.
I concentrated on several elements, including:
Various low-cost residential buildings.
- All categories of Residential – Medium, High, and Mixed Density.
- Low Density Commercial buildings
- A wide array of service facilities.
This reference file already consisted of more than a hundred assets, excluding the Low Density Residential buildings, the rest of Commercial and Service structures, plus the Signature category from fellow creators.
Spoiler alert: the final asset list boasts over 300 entries, and when accounting for levels and styles, the total assets in the compilation approached a thousand.
The concluding row of the Eastern Europe asset list.
One of the greatest technical challenges involved adhering to Colossal Order’s meticulous model specifications. Unlike conventional workflows, where tiled textures are prevalent, Cities: Skylines II mandated each building fit a texture no larger than 4096×4096 pixels.
Previously, many modders resorted to utilizing textures mapped to smaller resolutions, where UV islands would extend significantly beyond the 0,1 UV boundaries.
Here’s an example from one of my old models that illustrates this technique. However, in Cities: Skylines II, all UV islands needed to fit within the 0,1 UV boundary, necessitating stacking rather than extending beyond the boundary.
My task was to create over 100 structures, and I couldn’t employ 100 distinct 4K textures. This made the planning phase of the pack critical.
Optimization emerged as the guiding principle.
Our primary goal became optimization. It was vital to maximize the reuse of details and textures whenever possible. The inherent efficiency of Eastern European architecture played to our advantage, with many buildings designed to be assembled swiftly and in varied configurations using the same panels. This ethos transferred seamlessly to game assets.
And it worked beautifully!
Medium and High density panels and the details comprising them.
The UV map for Medium + High Density residential properties.
In these images, you observe buildings mapped to a single texture, even leaving some space! Here’s their appearance with textures applied:
This leads us to an integral aspect of our pack:
This takes us back to the initial associations with “Eastern Europe.” People from the former Eastern Bloc countries (and beyond to East Berlin) might relate instinctively. In more recent times, outdated gray panel buildings have either been rehabilitated or are undergoing significant renovations, evolving into attractive, comfortable dwellings.
We aspired to capture this evolution within the pack. As your city advances and prospers, it will become more visually appealing! The neighborhoods, initially bleak and somber, will thrive over time.
The following screenshots showcase how this transition unfolds within the game:
- Level 1-2: Gloomy, repetitive exteriors.
- Level 3-4: Bursts of color and added personality.
- Level 5: Fully refurbished, vibrant structures.
An in-game test layout during the pack’s development.
As previously mentioned, this pack comprises not only numerous panel buildings but also includes historical structures.
A unique characteristic of many Eastern European cities is how these panel housing zones envelop their ancient historical centers. Meanwhile, older, historical structures have often been converted for commercial or business purposes.
Therefore, we chose Low Density Commercial in our pack to represent the historic, low-rise buildings.
Additionally, there are Low Density Residential structures, including vibrant historical wooden houses widespread in Post-Soviet Eastern Europe, presenting colorful facades against the typically gray environment.
Colorful Low Density Residential reaching their final propping stages.
Examples of Low Density Residential and Commercial properties.
Naturally, we had to develop a comprehensive range and assortment of service edifices. The Eastern Europe Region Pack encompasses:
- Elementary Schools
- High Schools
- Medical Centers
- Hospitals
- Police Stations
- Police Headquarters
- Post Offices
- Welfare Offices
- Research Centers
- Disease Control Facilities
- City Halls
- Water Towers
- Firehouses
- Fire Stations
As you can see, it’s an extensive and varied inventory.
The service buildings are merely a segment of what the Eastern Europe Region Pack delivers!
But I must shine a light on one particular service building, envisioned during the 2019 COVID-19 pandemic.
The impressive façade of the Disease Control Center.
In-game, the Disease Control Center stands as a stark representative of Brutalist architecture. The building inspiring this structure is an oncology center.
Despite its austere exterior, this edifice symbolizes hope and healing—demonstrating that internal content is what truly holds value.
Concluding Reflections and Screenshots
Creating the Eastern Europe Region Pack was a significant endeavor that tested our capabilities and ingenuity. From navigating technical challenges to authentically capturing the essence of a region, this pack has been an affectionate and dedicated project.
Much has changed since we began in early 2020, yet our dedication to crafting immersive, authentic experiences for Cities: Skylines players remains undiminished. We hope you enjoy exploring and crafting with the Eastern Europe Region Pack as much as we enjoyed developing it!
Now, enjoy some screenshots!
