Labeling areas!

[rgcanedo]

I'm not sure if this already exists, or if somebody knows how to adress this, but I think it would make it easier for us in the late game if we had a tool to label blocks of areas where we stuff factories or R&Ds, or whatever, to make for better visualization when the map is full of stuff. Example:

[Leduc]

I would like to share my thoughts about labeling, with three main goals in mind:
1) Improving aesthetics on the map,
2) Reinforcing the sense of order and urban structure,
3) Helping the player navigate more easily by quickly identifying where specific building types are located.
Looking at the map I attached as an example, what strikes me is not so much the density itself, but the fact that very different building types end up side by side: R&D facilities, commercial buildings, residential buildings, and factories all mixed together. In real life, these categories are usually more separated, and labeling would help structure the city visually while making it easier to understand at a glance where each type of activity is located.

Regarding labeled areas and competition, my point is slightly different from simply blocking a specific tile. Since each city in the game comes with a population that has specific R&D skills, the key issue is that losing a strategic labeled zone could mean losing your chance to establish yourself properly in that city. If a key area is already fully taken AI player or the player, a company might effectively lose its opportunity to set up the right kind of buildings in that city, which would have real strategic consequences.

I know there is already a kind of parcel “labeling” when a player becomes mayor, but pushing this idea much further, as the original poster described @rgcanedo, could add an extra layer of competition both at the start and throughout the game. It would create more meaningful choices around where to build, when to expand, and even when it might be worth buying an unprofitable factory or R&D building from a competitor simply because it is located in a highly valuable labeled area.

Earlier this morning I posted on suggestion related to new DLCs : Entertainment industries and cross compatibility with Digital Age and Urban economy simulation, the idea behind mentioning building a cinema hall or a performance hall... these can be modules added to a football/soccer stadium, in the same spirit, we could also imagine adding R&D modules directly to the HQ building, and using labeled zones in other cities where we want to build R&D facilities. to improve aesthetics and keep the map airy, instead of overcrowding it with many small separate buildings.
I personally believe that a well‑designed and airy city map, with a clear urban organization logic, would greatly enhance immersion and give the game much more character.

[rgcanedo]

Loved your ideas @Leduc! I wonder if you could start a poll to suggest the ideas that I and you have suggested. Polls are more effective to attract attention from the devs so they can implement these ideas.

One of the things that bother me a bit in the late game is the aesthetics. The map becomes too overcrowded.

[Leduc]

Loved your ideas @Leduc! I wonder if you could start a poll to suggest the ideas that I and you have suggested. Polls are more effective to attract attention from the devs so they can implement these ideas.

One of the things that bother me a bit in the late game is the aesthetics. The map becomes too overcrowded.

Thanks a lot for your follow‑up, your initial idea about labeling areas is really powerful for both clarity and game aesthetics.
I’m thinking of creating two separate polls: one focused on labeled/strategic areas and city structure, and the other specifically about modular buildings and aesthetics, so we can better gauge how interested the community really is in each aspect and the devs can clearly see how many of us care about this.