No fresh water? Broken City Placement Algorithm

[civtrader6]

Ever since the summer update the city settlement algorithm has been totally broken - consistently recommending settling tiles without fresh water even when superior location with fresh water is available just one tile further.
In the screenshot, I used one of the GOTM games where I had ~turn 20 save before the summer update to compare. Just compare the AI city placement. Effectively, it leaves AI with a number of cities that will never grow.

Not sure why this issue is not getting any attention (and thus, I'm fearing it will not be fixed with the next patch).
In addition, patch notes states that AI will now have an increased tendency to build districts - and sadly this very often translates into starting by building 3x entertainment districts early on...

 

[Tech Osen]

The Roman example, Cumae I assume, can build an aquaduct. The screenshot for the Indian city doesn't show tiles to the east.
Not saying there isn't an issue but you need beter, clearer, examples.

Edit: you meant Madurai for the Indian example, I was just looking at Patna. But Madurai can also build an aquaduct.

 

[isau]

It considers Aqueducts when determining city placement. Its perhaps a bit idealistic. But it does make some sense for Rome since at least their ducts are half price.

 

[bbbt]

Aquadeucts are pretty expensive - better to be settling in fresh water if possible.

Though if this results in the AI having more densely packed and less scattered city layouts, that could be a plus defensively.

 

[kaspergm]

What bugs me most is not so much the fresh-water in this case, as both cities can have aqueducts, but rather that AI seems to have returned to a dumb fixed-distance scheme with 4 hexes between cities like we saw in Civ5. Not only does this lead to stupid city placement, it's also making it harder to fit in districts and maintain growth.

 

[agonistes]

I don't mind the 3 hexes between as much as I mind them settling right on my border. I wish they had a rule that maintained at least one hex between a city and a border when settling.

 

[stinkubus]

Lack of fresh water doesn't really concern me for most cities. The most pervasive development pattern in my games is a large, central hub cities which are surrounded by "suburbs". The hubs are usually my capital and those I've conquered. These suburbs I almost always settle at minimum distance so as to pack as many into as small an area as possible.

The suburb cities never need more than two districts. Most often a campus and either a commerce hub or a harbor, but sometimes I will do encampments instead. Between buildings (granaries, barracks, lighthouses) and tile improvements the needed housing to get to 5-6 pop is trivial to acquire. Diminishing returns on excess food make it so that it's not really worthwhile to grow these cities any larger.