Pharaoh Housing Tutorial

[@ebayrak]

2021 and still watching this after I reinstalled Pharaoh :D

[@XfStef]

There is a newer version with better block types and in 1080p.

[@mzjoe2705]

@@XfStef is it available on steam?

[@bluntzdaduck]

@@mzjoe2705 not yet but im here in 22

[@Dahakra]

@@bluntzdaduck SAME ! :D

[@Crockett987]

2022 and I even play this!

[@jasond.valentine5931]

man for some reason a flashback of this game came to me today. and i looked up if it had some sort of alive comunity. this video is 10 years old, but still needs a like. have a nice day sir.

[@XfStef]

Hi. I have newer ones about Pharaoh and other Impressions City Builders. Check out my city builders playlist ;) Thanks for the like!

[@rivalx288]

Remake has been confirmed!

[@therasco400]

@@rivalx288 Yea looking forward to it.

[@kartikm24]

And after many years this game is still golden , thanks for the video , purchased the game. Time to finish it for real this time.

[@EduardoSevero]

what route did you take first?

[@mesofius]

Wow, this is a far more impressive / strategic housing block than any of mine. I'm at level 8 currently and will try your block for greater stability / control. I've just started playing Pharaoh after giving up on it about 15 years ago, realizing that it's more fun than the new games :) Thanks!

[@XfStef]

mesofius thanks for liking it, I have some newer videos for pharaoh and elite housing, if you're interested

[@mesofius]

XfStef I'll check those out too, thanks! BTW, tried your housing block and it has worked wonders for me. Brought my city to complete stability. It never crossed my mind to build have two lines of roads surround my housing blocks for desirability improvement.

[@brainwasher9876]

After reexamining this block after years of playing Pharaoh, I conclude that you can make this much larger and also save a small amount of money and space by not building that double-road you have going on. A larger loop has a couple of advantages: 1) you're using fewer services-people, so you're being more efficient with your workforce 2) you're saving space ultimately by cramming larger populations into each block 3) you can fit more of one amenity into a block if it needs it (i.e you're playing on a map with lots of gods, or you want a block to evolve faster and more consistently so you build two bazaars). One more thing: you are building bandstands and pavilions inside a block in a way that introduces more intersections in your block, thereby increasing walker variability. On a smaller block and on lower difficulties this should be ok, but it's more efficient to build a block without variation.

[@XfStef]

Andrew Wang Thank you for your thoughts. If you would have seen other (newer) videos from my channel, you would have noticed that this is not the most efficient way of building housing blocks that I propose. This is just one variant. Feel free to inspect some of my other designs.

[@Jimty]

Thank you sir. Came here with the release of Pharaoh A New Era

[@XfStef]

I know it's out there, I just can't make the time for it right now.

[@acrock21]

i played this game a few times when i was a young and i hated it never could figure out what the heck to do... now thanks to youtube posters and a recent excitement to play more RTS i went back and now being able to understand this game more is awesome... now that im 30 lol... thanks to tutorials like this is people talking about different strategies i am able to learn so much more and make it fun to play.

[@XfStef]

Thanks for watching! Enjoy Pharaoh!

[@stickerhppy]

Bought this game at GOG alongside with Zeus during a sale. I've been a Zeus player for the longest time and I thought this was gonna be a walk in a park. I was very wrong. Got kicked in the ass very hard in the first two chapters. And I love it!

[@XfStef]

Zeus was arguably the easiest of the whole series.

[@stickerhppy]

Yeah, I just realized that after failing miserably in the first monument stage. Zeus really streamlined many things in Pharaoh such as labor force, religion among many things. But the next one, Emperor: the Rise of the Middle Kingdom complicated the series in its own way, the Feng Shui mechanic, revamp food and military subterfuge. Anyway, great channel! Subscribed!

[@XfStef]

stickerhppy thank you although I'm currently not making any new videos since I'm developing a game but I have plenty videos for you to watch until I start gain :)

[@jessicasmith5529]

I played this alot when I was young. I've been itching to play it and I've finally ordered it. Now I'm jumping up and down waiting for it to get here.

[@XfStef]

hope you'll have fun!

[@lyricbot8513]

I had difficulty getting it to play on windows 10 at first until I remembered to run it as Xp

[@7ishke]

Guys Ive played this mission using this tutorial but with SINGLE road and I found out that DOUBLE road are important to allow the "outer" priest temple to patrol all around the whole housing area. (but of course u need to add the Firehouse and Architecture post for the temples and the Granary) You need the 4 temples in the start to gain the Gods' appeal, and the houses cannot evolve with access to ONE God

[@XfStef]

thank you ! I love them too, developers nowadays have lost their touch when it comes to citybuilders

[@catimakittycat3849]

my man!! the game drove me crazy with the house positioning and this one fixed it

[@XfStef]

I'm glad it's still helpful after all these years!

[@el-tioz]

Note on ferries: The feeder and slip must be in line no matter how much space there is between them or if islands or land obstruct the path. When I noticed that... 🤯 2022, I still love the game! ❤️✌🏼🕊️

[@sowa-fg2vg]

I played this game when I was small now it came back to me. I love this game :D

[@reginaldturner1669]

Throughout this year trying to figure out how to create a different kind of housing block but this method always work I just want to expand my city like you did in the past

[@reginaldturner1669]

Yeah I just wish I can do it in a very hard difficulty like you said it's going to be a really big problem trying that

[@XfStef]

@@reginaldturner1669 Have a look at my newer video where I cover an ever better housing block style. Just search for Pharaoh in my channel ;)

[@reginaldturner1669]

@@XfStef well so far I only see five videos pertaining to pharaoh

[@TheRealAssix]

The very best layout I've seen so far

[@XfStef]

Check out my newer video on the subject. I have an even better worker housing layout and an example for elite housing block.

[@JohnJ469]

If you do use the road to join the inner and outer loops then just put a roadblock in to stop the walkers. In general this arrangement means you have room at the end for the Pavillion with Firehouse and Architects Post on the outside of the inner loop with 2 Bazaars on the inner part of the inner loop. Place a second entrance at the far end and block with roadblocks. Granaries and Storage Yards are placed at the Pavillion end and training for entertainers is placed at the other end.

[@armadildo6475]

google: pharaoh flexiblock lenght 19x6 + special road inside for pavilon + special (20 for bandstand, and corner - after put cornenr remove 20 road block) granary / storage have 4 block negative effect on the house, in any direction also diagonally, so dont build to close

[@XfStef]

correct that is why I have developed new types of blocks in some of my newer pharaoh videos these actually don't incorporate the entertainment show venues, but rather send those walkers along side the outer roads, thus allowing houses to get their entertainment without wasting space in the inner road

[@JohnJ469]

This way the Jugglers etc walk past the houses to get to the Pavillion. This arrangement has enough room even in later games for the Palace and all Civic building + 4 Temples + Senet House all inside the inner ring. Make roads at right angles to outer ring 21 spaces long and 6 apart, cap each with FH and AP and 2 Storage Yards. This gives masses of room for industry. 1SY with clay and 1 with straw allows for 8 potters and 8 brickyards on the same road. Production is easy.

[@dersteppewolf]

The walkers from pharaoh spawn at predetermined locations, which depend on the roads that the buildings is touching. If the road network is unchanged, a walker will always appear at the same road tile. The double road work here because this design doesn't need a lot of precision in the walkers walk, so it doesn't matter if once in a while they go nuts.

[@JohnJ469]

Nice to see others still playing. I do blocks similar to Stef but larger. The internal loop is wide enough for the City Palace + 2 spaces. So you can place the Palace and have room for the Water Supply, Doctor and Tax Collector beside it. The internal loop is 21 spots long. The outer loop has 2 space clearance except at 1 end which has a 4 space clearance. You make a path from the middle of the end of the inner loop which is where the Pavillion goes with 1 space clearance.

[@wanderingnomad1]

Just watched this in 2022 and re-playing this game : )

[@XfStef]

Thank you! Have fun playing!

[@imperialwhovian3461]

This is a great tutorial, the only thing I add is a second bazaar as sometimes it takes too much time for one to handle everything

[@XfStef]

Yes, that can help. Have a look at my newer video where I present an advanced version for this as well as Elite Housing blocks.

[@imperialwhovian3461]

Yeah I’ve been going through them, definitely improving my gameplay and it just makes things look neater and less jumbled up

[@XfStef]

@CrimsonRefractions yes I did, I think it's like 22 spaces, the main point is to make your industries along straight lines that lead all the way back to the housing block, if you start putting in twists and road crossing you'll get in trouble, I usually put down between 8 and 14 buildings on a single road leading straight away from the block, and make more of those roads, if you really need to connect them, use roadblocks to funnel in the walkers all the way back to the houses

[@XfStef]

@Moriggia roadblocks are needed to keep the walkers only within range of the houses, where they should be, and not wonder off in the industrial areas where they are not needed

[@XfStef]

@Kenz305 yes, desirability is not affected by lack of grass, you can actually plant gardens in the middle of the desert ;)

[@XfStef]

@7ishke you are correct, of course the tutorial only lasts 9 minutes so I didn't get to talk about religion more thoroughly, ALSO ! the double road is needed in order for plazas to give enough desirability to the houses, also very important

[@XfStef]

place your granaries and storage yards closer to the housing block exit, so that bazaar buyers have less to walk to for buying stuff

[@XfStef]

@MrSirmain there is a big difference between sandbox mode and the last level of the game, also this is just a type of housing blocks that I recommend to people, it isn't the biggest that someone can make, and it isn't made for last lvl houses (which cost triple the space to build and only give you a few people more), but when regarding workers needed and workers given, it is the most efficient

[@Kelgrafar]

Work camps don't need architect posts, only fire posts, not all buildings have risk of collapse... Pharoah Heaven has a useful index for that.

[@XfStef]

@Defiiiance the amount of temples and shrines that gods need is directly proportional to your population, you might be fine at first with just one temple for each, but if your houses evolve to their best 2x2 form then it's pretty safe to assume that you'll need at least 2 temples for each god

[@XfStef]

thanks, and yes, they do reduce desirability, but in this video the main point was to show how the housing block itself should look like

[@XfStef]

@Pupil0fGod the devs did program the workers to spawn on the roads with access to industry, if a house was connected on more points with different roads

[@XfStef]

@HirachieOfSociety you can't use shrines as a substitute for beautifications, you can stack them to please the gods, however houses do not consider shrines as giving religious access, I prefer temples since I can also use them to dump some of my unemployment in them if things get out of hand ;)

[@NoshuHyena]

I've seen a few relatively efficient housing blocks, but none with an internal loop just for roaming walkers. That's pretty clever.

[@dersteppewolf]

3x3 and 4x4 houses do not provide worker supply; as you play the game more and more, you realize that unemployment is often a worse problem than worker shortages, and that 3x3 houses are a good way to ged rid of unemployment

[@harrywilson9956]

This is nice, but I have been looking everywhere for a guide on how to make palatial estates, the highest level of housing. I know they are not possible with this build as you need a 4x4 house area to make them... anyone know a good layout for palatial estates?

[@XfStef]

I actually have a video on palatial estates :) just search for it with my name ;)

[@harrywilson9956]

Okay thanks i found it!

[@brainwasher9876]

This block is wonderful because it is very compact and space efficient. However, one minor complaint I have of it is the fact that the pavilion and bandstand are integrated into the block. This means that the block is not a perfect rectangle, and that there are two intersections within it, messing up the random walkers. This is especially likely to be an issue on harder difficulties.

[@XfStef]

it's not about mission objectives, it's about building a big and powerful city with 20k population you start making so much money, and you have so many resources, that playing becomes kind of a sandbox mode + having a lot of extra workers helps you when you need to build monuments or pyramids faster

[@RolandTemplar]

WTF, that 2x2 plazas ways, i never imagined that could use that way

[@lyubomir.sotirov]

I don't know if somebody has alrady mentioned this but you can put raodblocks right before the flood area so no unnecessery people wander around the farms.

[@XfStef]

@Defiiiance the double road is needed to be beautified with pavilions so that desirability goes up, you may make it a single road however, if you don't put any industry, military or commercial buildings on the other side of your houses

[@StormieMcTrooper]

It's good to see that someone playing this game. Oh nostalgia Nice video man, keep it up.

[@vladimirtiron9461]

one of the best games in history i built an incredible town in this one

[@MagikGimp]

This and Caesar III are so frustrating and unapproachable if you started out on Emperor. Similar games but entirely different systems which gradually migrate to the one employed in Emperor over the course of the Impressions series. You have to know exactly how to proceed in all of the games but most so in the early ones like Pharoah. As perfectly exampled here!

[@BcroG11]

I would usually take care of that problem by having a few huts near to my ''industrial zone''. But doing it your way is better, you don't have to stand watching those sturdy huts poke your eyes... :)

[@thomasakinola7872]

I would recommend, especially on a map like that, to increase the length by 2 (19 across instead of 17) so the you can but a bazaar and water supply on both ends so that they is a better distribution of food and is quick to serve the housing as the bazaar is the key building for housing evolution

[@dersteppewolf]

Court houses raise desirability, low desirability is only important if it does not allow your houses to evolve; XfStef houses are at the maximum posible level for the space available, so I don't see why he might want to put the granaries and SY farther.

[@XfStef]

yes that's just to make sure, although if you're running on a budget you won't need all of them

[@XfStef]

I find the need to have enough workers for my industries much more important than getting 3x3 or 4x4 houses (which have far less population per square than the biggest 2x2)

[@XfStef]

@MrSirmain this tutorial was done on the last map of the original pharaoh, and it works for both big and small cities, also it's a very economic build, if you take into consideration the fact that all houses get to fancy residences, which is the best type when regarding workers / space plots, the fact that my saved game had lots of gardens was due to this map having you import both barley and beer, making it VERY difficult to go above 20k pop with a decent lvl of high tier houses

[@Haconen96]

Thank you so much, I have been using this design for so many years, it is an amazing housing design. Thank you again

[@XfStef]

@BeefyCrackers1 during gameplay... no, you can only remove the construction bar... wideing the view a bit

[@XfStef]

thank you, if you watch some of my newer Pharaoh videos you'll see how can someone improve on that design, since the entertainment venues don't necessarily need to be placed inside the loop ;)

[@XfStef]

That is also true, sadly I barely have the time to make any new videos anymore, but something along those lines would be a great idea ! However it might take away some of the joy that new players would have to discovering each map and working their way to completing it. When I first made this vid my goal was to show people an efficient way of building their housing, the game however relies on much more than that, and it would spoil the fun if I'd give everything away :)

[@XfStef]

go to the world view and click on different cities until you come across one that has the option to open a trade route with, afterwards go to your goods menu and either set export/import settings to the ones that you want.

[@bryanzettler9998]

Way to go Buddy! I've been playing this game for a long time, but never streamlined housing advancement as well as this. Now I'm a little ticked off I didn't figure this out myself. But hey! at my age you know modesty gets you further than cockiness... Cheers Dude!

[@XfStef]

Glad I could help. I have a newer version where I show an extra way of building the blocks.

[@XfStef]

@Hystericals that would also work, but you need to take into consideration the fact that 2 bazaars will store much more food, and if you are on a map that has scarce resources of food, that extra quatity who is just sitting there could mean that one of your other housing blocks won't get as well supplied as it should be. Inventory management in Pharaoh is a problem, since the game starts freaking out if there are more then 2 locations that are set to "get" a certain resource, in my experience

[@XfStef]

@333kaike depending on what you place next to it, it can provide de necessary desirability for your houses, that was a basic tutorial for casual players who have problems building their cities, I for example use a different bigger and more efficient version of what I have shown you, trouble is, it requires more attention and care

[@Pupil0fGod]

does the double road really work? I always assumed the workers would go around like crazy in circles.

[@XfStef]

@CrimsonRefractions roadblocks do what their name says... they block the road access to everyone except for goods transportation and military units

[@baverdi]

Roadblock your farms!

[@isenhertor]

my words exactly.

[@lohnjloydkros9715]

@@isenhertor why?

[@XfStef]

@lem2910 you can see how to work with roadblocks in my numerous pharaoh videos, while a temple needs workers and spawns walkers, compared to the shrine which can be used to beautify and raise the appeal of a certain god ;)

[@XfStef]

@Thoraxe000 I used fraps, but there are lots of programs out there that can handle recording games. About the strategy, if you play it long enough, it usually comes to you. This is not the only way I build my towns, although it is arguably the most efficient ;).

[@legionary000]

@griderkg there is the upper bottom of the screen: "options"... click there, and in the menu->speed.. and there :D

[@TheDealer91]

Absolutely incredible tutorial. I hadn't thought of separating industries and housing essentials like that. Cheers.

[@Kusunoky]

Thanks for the video I will try it today Wish to see more part of you! Great Help!! =)

[@TheMrRoar]

Using the outer 2 road lines for plazas and service is a strategy that has not occured to me, for which i congratulate you. But as I have seen you eated up those debens really quickly, mostly to plazas which were not needed at the moment, but, i personallly prefer differen styles for worker blocks and "elite" blocks. Either way, nice video, good to see such people out there.

[@XfStef]

Well obviously the plazas are not needed at that time, but I did it so that the people get to understand why the road needs to be double. Thanks for your feedback !

[@CrimsonRefractions]

@XfStef Roadblocks are still arcane magic to me, not quite sure about what it exactly is they do. And placing industry closer to housing blocks tends to make them less desireable, but like you I often tend to correct that by blocking the view on them with huge statues.

[@XfStef]

@k3nt0456 you can actually lose the exterior roads in zeus, thing is in zeus your industry doesn't need to be close by to your houses, so it's much easier to build compact neighborhoods, maybe I'll make something similar for it

[@Zwei4815]

The housing plan I have been experimenting with in Pharaoh and Zeus involves 16x4 blocks of houses surrounded by service buildings and links to industry and distribution. Usually my city needs no more than four or five work camps for farming or monuments and maybe four stonemason guilds. The problem with having too much population is that buyers only buy so much each year, so I have to find stuff for excess workers to do. It's fine if you can get monuments done but prosperity takes a beating.

[@Stovetopcookie]

Good tutorial. Makes me want to pick this game up again!

[@XfStef]

What's stopping you?

[@XfStef]

@TheDealer91 glad you enjoyed it, if you are interested in more pharaoh related content, just search for xfstef and pharaoh ;)

[@981Tree]

Who's here with me in 2023? 😀I'm struggling with housing on normal and this video seems to be what I need lol

[@XfStef]

I'm glad I could help! I have some newer ones as well ;)

[@XfStef]

great advice ! I would like you to also see some of my newer Pharaoh housing guides, in which I discover that the entertainment can easily be placed on the outer ring, thus giving more space for the whole block within its interior.

[@OssesTheDiscoKing]

I've recently started Pharaoh all over again,on very hard.I've stumbled on this video accidentally,and i wonder,why so many work camps ?One takes 20 workers,and for that amount of farms i thinks 2 will do...

[@XfStef]

OssesTheDiscoKing the tutorial was meant to showcase the building of the housing block itself, not how to properly run a city afterwards I made so many so that the people don't get angry because of the lack of jobs

[@OssesTheDiscoKing]

I see,that's my way to deal with it too..I wonder what is your way to finish level 12.Imho its one of the most annoying levels..It's the level with 3 islands,no clay,no gold,just exporting and sending goods to pharaoh...hate that level.It's always a nightmare for me,especially on very hard.

[@XfStef]

OssesTheDiscoKing I honestly don't remember. What is the name of the City map ? Maybe I'll take a look at it this weekend.

[@deejeemadrox1866]

+OssesTheDiscoKing Two will do, but more camps produce more farm-workers faster and thus production of the your fields will rise. Ever noticed the latest files occupied by a farmer produce less food ? With more workcamps you prevent that, so all fields produce 100% or close to that number. Also more camps means more free hands to work on your monuments.

[@XfStef]

Well, yes. These games are not very easy. But that is where all the fun of playing them lies ;) I love this series and I believe that pharaoh is almost the best from all of them.

[@FidoZip1988]

I loved Caesar 3 so I buy this game, but I suck at it, thanks for the tips

[@XfStef]

There's a newer version of this video with better graphics where I explain a couple of other strats as well.

[@XfStef]

@HOMM5 really, I always thought having neighborhoods and industry in separate parts of the city as being nice for the overall look of the city

[@XfStef]

@yellowswan1000 library and tax office, if I remember correctly, if the tax office is already in it, you could use a second bazaar to speed up food distribution ;)

[@BULLSHXTYT]

This tutorial makes this game much easier to finish

[@-RockOn-]

Hey if you need to upgrade dwelling to spacious Manor you need Gardens around the house.

[@XfStef]

indeed, BUT the whole idea of this housing block is to keep the houses in a 2x2 format, that way you get the highest population density ;)

[@XfStef]

@MrSirmain I knew all that, you haven't seen all my videos, I suggest you do, but I am still curious to seeing how you would build more efficient

[@Th3Black0men]

Just one thing, some buildings like granaries, storage yards, or even courthouses can reduce desirability, so might wanna put them a little farther. Overall though, this is a very effective strategy, really cool vid.

[@XfStef]

@Wykletypl I don't remember that mission, but I can answer your questions: First ... no palace residents work like everybody else ;) the thing is, that I've already explained in the tutorial, is that you have to watch out for your population not to age too much, else you will run out of workers, even though your houses remain the same for 10-20 years. Second question, when your culture stagnates because of the lack of buildings is because you for example don't have enough dentists, or jugglers

[@XfStef]

your prosperity takes a beating because you probably use small huts to power economic buildings which are too far away from the housing blocks with the housing block in my video(s also see some of my newer vids on pharaoh/emperor) you can easily get worker access to your industry, thus you won't need to have some extra lvl 1 huts in between your industry

[@Tetrix0]

I haven't figured how the bandstand can be built yet. Seem hard.

[@XfStef]

It's very simple. Just put down a 4 way crossroad and try to place each of the stands down. You'll figure it out.

[@Uzbug]

Played this game before but found this clip very enjoyable and useful! Might try it out now.

[@XfStef]

@Apollyon511 @Desirability: Yes, the exterior double roads generate enough so that you don't have to add any gardens or statues. @ Economy: This housing block is meant to give just enough workers and good tax money to a lot of industry and agriculture, basickly if you don't have a monument project on the way, you can get away with supplying your city with everything its inhabitants need off of just this one block. If you have tried building this block and had economical problems with it....

[@gutenman7112]

Im still using this design . Imma finish this game for real this time before 2020 , I've never get far until cleopatra 😭

[@XfStef]

I have a newer video with some other designs. Good luck with finishing the game!

[@KiljiArslan]

I try something similar, but with the 2 by 2 roads being replaced by gardens for desirability.

[@Sereniama]

@XfStef Dad got the game in 1999. I got the expansion in 2006. It probably had the patch on there.

[@XfStef]

I know perfectly what pharaoh heaven is and I can say for sure that some of my newer videos contain a feature of construction that I've taken from there. As to most pharaoh players having unemployment troubles, I'm not like most, I rely on heavy industry and a complex commercial distribution matrix, so as I said, I only had workers needed

[@XfStef]

@Proboi91 thank you, I honestly feel like a pharaoh 2 would be jaw dropping, if any developer out there tries to do it

[@ea5120]

Thank you, very interesting designe. How many slaves of Mighty Pharaoh can live in block like this? 1K?

[@XfStef]

You're welcome. I sincerely have no idea now, this video is quite old. You should check out a newer one in which I give updated designs and I think I mention the amount of population you can have in those.

[@BcroG11]

lol... I always did it opposite to this... I'd put the houses in the middle and the supporting buildings around them. The effect was almost the same, this is a little better though

[@heatherduke7703]

How does creating a massive road entirely made of intersections not cause problems?

[@XfStef]

The roadblocks make sure walkers don't lose time in the intersections. Also check out the newer version of this video at better resolution and even better housing blocks.

[@heatherduke7703]

@@XfStef Thanks for the explanation!

[@Raggsy_The_Wire]

i have been looking for something exactly like this thank you!

[@XfStef]

@flortrupp I have never encountered such problems, try restarting the mission from scratch and using a different save game name, if that also doesn't work then you need to check the forums for possible patches