Cities in wrong countries

GeeMike · 03-23-2021, 01:51 AM

Hi!

I've been playing a few custom games and noticed cities (mostly from "unusual" places, like Oman) have cities apparently listed in the World Data as being in that country, but in real life they are in another place. For example, the city of Hafar Al-Batin is listed as being in Oman, when it's actually in Saudi Arabia. Are there ways to correct this? How many other places have been found to be incorrect locations?

JeffR · 03-23-2021, 07:46 AM

Looks like it and an number of other Saudi cities are assigned to a region in Oman with the same name as the Saudi province it's in, and the Saudi province in question is entirely missing. I'll fix that, I just did the same for a similar issue in Pakistan and India.

We share the world database with OOTP, and whoever created that in the first place used some data set that has many odd quirks; stuff like the above problems or using archaic placenames (we found some Russian cities using names that haven't been in use since the Tsarist era.) No idea where that data came from in the first place, just that it's likely been like that since the beginning of the world database in the early 2000's. So I just fix things when I find them. If you see anything else wrong, let me know.

GeeMike · 03-23-2021, 12:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JeffR

Looks like it and an number of other Saudi cities are assigned to a region in Oman with the same name as the Saudi province it's in, and the Saudi province in question is entirely missing. I'll fix that, I just did the same for a similar issue in Pakistan and India.

We share the world database with OOTP, and whoever created that in the first place used some data set that has many odd quirks; stuff like the above problems or using archaic placenames (we found some Russian cities using names that haven't been in use since the Tsarist era.) No idea where that data came from in the first place, just that it's likely been like that since the beginning of the world database in the early 2000's. So I just fix things when I find them. If you see anything else wrong, let me know.

Thanks!
There is one more - there's a Mahaut that's listed as being in Antigua and Barbuda, when it's actually in Dominica. If I find anything else, I'll let you know.

GeeMike · 03-23-2021, 12:05 PM

I'm also wondering if there are ways to add to the database?
My brother wanted to create a team in Dawson City, Yukon, but it wasn't available.

Danielg342 · 03-23-2021, 07:19 PM

Considering that we can begin our sims in 1917 I'd say we should keep those historical cities (and maybe add some), at least how they were in 1917. It would not make sense to have a Russian-born player in 1917 and list his date of birth as "Leningrad" since it was known as St. Petersburg then. Likewise, Constantinople ("Konstantinopolis") should be an option (if it isn't already) since that was the name of the city until 1930, when it officially became Istanbul.

I'm pretty good with geography so, JeffR, if you need help fixing the database, let me know.

JeffR · 03-23-2021, 10:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GeeMike

Thanks!
There is one more - there's a Mahaut that's listed as being in Antigua and Barbuda, when it's actually in Dominica. If I find anything else, I'll let you know.

Fixed. Same type of thing, it had it's region set to St. Paul (Antigua and Barbuda) instead of St. Paul (Dominica).

JeffR · 03-23-2021, 10:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GeeMike

I'm also wondering if there are ways to add to the database?
My brother wanted to create a team in Dawson City, Yukon, but it wasn't available.

Added, along with a few other Yukon towns and cities, it only had Whitehorse and Haines City.

03-23-2021, 01:51 AM	#1
GeeMike Minors (Rookie Ball) Join Date: Mar 2021 Posts: 43	Cities in wrong countries Hi! I've been playing a few custom games and noticed cities (mostly from "unusual" places, like Oman) have cities apparently listed in the World Data as being in that country, but in real life they are in another place. For example, the city of Hafar Al-Batin is listed as being in Oman, when it's actually in Saudi Arabia. Are there ways to correct this? How many other places have been found to be incorrect locations?

03-23-2021, 07:46 AM	#2
JeffR FHM Producer Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Kelowna, BC Posts: 17,224	Looks like it and an number of other Saudi cities are assigned to a region in Oman with the same name as the Saudi province it's in, and the Saudi province in question is entirely missing. I'll fix that, I just did the same for a similar issue in Pakistan and India. We share the world database with OOTP, and whoever created that in the first place used some data set that has many odd quirks; stuff like the above problems or using archaic placenames (we found some Russian cities using names that haven't been in use since the Tsarist era.) No idea where that data came from in the first place, just that it's likely been like that since the beginning of the world database in the early 2000's. So I just fix things when I find them. If you see anything else wrong, let me know. Last edited by JeffR; 03-23-2021 at 08:08 AM.

03-23-2021, 07:19 PM	#5
Danielg342 Minors (Rookie Ball) Join Date: Jan 2021 Posts: 32	Considering that we can begin our sims in 1917 I'd say we should keep those historical cities (and maybe add some), at least how they were in 1917. It would not make sense to have a Russian-born player in 1917 and list his date of birth as "Leningrad" since it was known as St. Petersburg then. Likewise, Constantinople ("Konstantinopolis") should be an option (if it isn't already) since that was the name of the city until 1930, when it officially became Istanbul. I'm pretty good with geography so, JeffR, if you need help fixing the database, let me know. Last edited by Danielg342; 03-23-2021 at 07:53 PM.

03-23-2021, 12:05 PM	#4
GeeMike Minors (Rookie Ball) Join Date: Mar 2021 Posts: 43	I'm also wondering if there are ways to add to the database? My brother wanted to create a team in Dawson City, Yukon, but it wasn't available.