Cities: Skylines Tips

How to get Cities Skylines running on Mac (including with most common mods)

1. Install Steam bottle using "Install an Windows Application"

After installation in Advanced Settings activate 'Esync"

2. Fix TMPDIR environment variable preventing saving games or mod settings. 

You can verify if you have the problem by running in Crossover (Wine) a command prompt -> Run Command -> cmd
After that running the following:

c:\>echo %TMP%
C:\users\crossover\Temp

c:\>echo %TEMP%
C:\users\crossover\Temp

c:\>echo %TMPDIR%
/var/folders/mr/zg_k08jj6wg17k6slvd7tlbw0000gn/T/

In MacOS open Terminal and run 

% getconf DARWIN_USER_CACHE_DIR
/var/folders/mr/zg_k08jj6wg17k6slvd7tlbw0000gn/C/

% echo $TMPDIR
/var/folders/mr/zg_k08jj6wg17k6slvd7tlbw0000gn/T/

To solve this we will set in the registry the TMPDIR environment variable:

First we update the environment in case there are no user specific environment variables

Run Crossover -> Run Command button, type regedit, click on Run.

System variables are under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Environment

It should already have: 
* TEMP REG_EXPAND_SZ %SystemRoot%\temp
* TMP REG_EXPAND_SZ %SystemRoot%\temp

Add the key
TMPDIR REG_EXPAND_SZ %SystemRoot%\temp

Additionally we update the user specific environment. There should only one (which is linked to (user crossover) under HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Environment

It should already have
*TEMP REG_SZ C:\users\crossover\Temp
* TMP REG_SZ C:\users\crossover\Temp

Add
* TMPDIR REG_SZ C:\users\crossover\Temp

3. To get the Patch Loader mod to work (needed for FPS Booster and Skyve)

We need to add a DDL override for winhttp if not patch loader cannot make outside connection and fails

Go to Wine Configuration -> Tab Libraries

In New override for library type
winhttp

Click add

Then select winhttp and Click Edit, it should set to Native then Builtin, if not change it

4. To get Skyve mod to work you need to install .NET 4.7. 

Select Steam bottle
Select "Install Application into Bottle"
Search for "Microsoft .NET Framework 4.7.2"
Click Install
This will run multiple installers

5. Close and reopen Crossover, this ensures all previously made settings are used

Crossover -> Steam bottle -> Quit all applications
Close Crossover
Reopen Crossover
6. Adjust Steam to use a Steam library. This is an optional but recommended step so that you can reinstall/update Crossover without needing to reinstall all Steam Games

Add an additional drive Y: if it doesn't exist (In past Crossover versions this mapping was auto generated) pointing to your Mac home directory

Crossover -> Steam bottle -> Wine Configuration -> Drives -> Add
Select drive letter: Y:
Click Browse and Select Users and then your Mac Username. 
Click Apply

PS You can use the existing Z: drive also the path in the next step will be slightly longer but then you can by accident start creating folders in the root folder of your Mac which is not recommended

Open Steam ins Steam bottle

Go to Steam Menu
Steam -> Settings -> Storage

You should have default your Local Drive C: 
Click + (plus) to Add a new Steam Library Folder
It should be default suggest Local Drive Y:
Click Add

If you go in your Finder on your Mac you should find now a folder SteamLibrary under "Macintosh HD -> Users -> <Your Username> 

7. Install Cities Skylines
In Steam go to "LIBRARY", select Cities: Skylines and Click Install

8. Configure Cities Skylines to run without Paradox Launcher

After Cities: Skylines is installed 
In Steam go to "LIBRARY", select Cities: Skylines and Click on Manage (Gear Icon)
Properties -> General

In launch options add the following
"Y:\SteamLibrary\steamapps\common\Cities_Skylines\Cities.exe" %command%

In Steam go to "LIBRARY", select Cities: Skylines and Click "Play" to launch Cities: Skylines for first time

9. Install Skyve mod and adjust paths in Skyve Mod

If everything went well and the Cities Skylines opens then go to Content Manager and add

Harmony Mod
Patch Loader Mod

It will force a restart of Cities: Skylines. If not close Content Manager and Exit 

Start Cities: Skylines again by clicking "Play""

 Go to Content Manager and add

Skyve

Exit Content Manager, now Skyve should appear in menu

Click Skyve

Skyve should open

Go to Other -> Options 
Folder Settings (you might need to use scrollbar to scroll down to see the Folder Settings).

Verify if path settings are as follows, if not adjust:

Cities: Skylines Steam Folder: 
Y:\SteamLibrary\steamapps\common\Cities_Skylines\

Cities: Skylines App Data Folder:
C:\users\crossover\AppData\Local\Colossal Order\Cities_Skylines

Steam Installation Folder
C:\program files (x86)\steam

Add an application launcher to run Skyve without running Steam or Cities:Skylines

Crossover -> Steam Bottle -> Run Command 
Y:\SteamLibrary\steamapps\workshop\content\255710\2881031511\App\Skyve.exe

PS if you have an issue adding launcehr you can also use: /Users/<Username/SteamLibrary/steamapps/workshop/content/255710/2881031511/App/Skyve.exe

Click Save Command as a Launcher


PS If you used Skyve Beta the path is 
Y:\SteamLibrary\steamapps\workshop\content\255710\2953447919\App\Skyve.exe

/Users/<Username/SteamLibrary/steamapps/workshop/content/255710/2953447919/App/Skyve.exe



9. Play Cities: Skylines

Most common used mods have been tested with this setup and don't require additional setup. On M1 Mac with 64 GB with this setup Cities Skylines runs with an average fps between 25 and 40

by Marc van Driel on 2023-08-17 18:52:59
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