Jim's City Tiers

A contained area with nothing inside, not even a bed, just a torch or sign to mark its location. Handy in a pinch, but you won't be spending much time in here. Put these in areas where you are likely to be attacked.
 * Tier 0 (hidey hole)

Jim's Tips: "If you live here for more than one day, you suck." This shelter is essentially 4 walls, a roof, a bed, possibly a crafting table and a furnace, and a small area with torches in surrounding areas. Good for spending a single night. Build these en route to points of interest in case you are delayed.
 * Tier 1 (rest stop)

Jim's Tips: " Great job, you've made a dirt shack. A winner is you." This shelter should be at least 3×3 inside, and contain a crafting table, chest (not necessarily with things in it) furnace, and a bed. Build these at points of interest, but not at places you are reliant on.
 * Tier 2 (shack)

Jim's Tips: " Great job. You've made an slightly bigger dirt shack. The improvement is unimaginable." This shelter should be 5×5 inside and have either another room or another floor. Contains Tier 2 items and at least one chest, with basic supplies in it. Useful as a temporary base of operations when you are out of your home base, or when building a larger colony.
 * Tier 3 (cottage)

Jim's Tips: " Well kid, i guess you've finally realized you aren't a mole." This one should contain a home, food and wood supplies, and a Mine. Can also include a fishing harbour with preferably 2 or more boats, a chest to store all the things you have caught, and a furnace to cook fish. A colony should also have a set perimeter. These will typically be permanent, and should have sufficient resources for you to stay as long as you want. These will generally be used to deliver where your home base cannot.
 * Tier 4 (new colony)

Jim's Tips: " Can I stay here? For about 10 years? I'm just getting my footing." All the Tier 4 features, but better furnished inside and with fortifications on the edge of the perimeter. Put these where you would put a colony, but it should have rails to nearby colonies, and be capable of independent function. Use them when it is very far from home, or connection to your home base is impractical (i.e. it's separated by an ocean).
 * Tier 5 (established colony, starter base)

Jim's Tips: " Who do you think you're defending from with those walls? Cows?" Like a secondary base, but with better fortification, a large mine and storage, and better furnishings. Should have rails to the other places. This base should be central to all others. Generally this will evolve from your starter base, but if it turns out you have a bad starter base then you should find a suitable spot and build there, then destroy your home base. If you have already developed enough to have several colonies then you may as well stay in your best colony and downgrade your starter base into a railway station.
 * Tier 6 (main base)

Jim's Tips: " Now you might be able to defend from the cows." Usually a permanent location which, at the centre, looking all around, nature is no-where to be seen for about 4 chunks. This settlement is usually end-game and would've taken months even with help (in survival mode). This settlement must contain: remarkable fortification and guaranteed safety almost 100% of the time, at least 5 furnished structures each one being 12x12, quick and nifty transportation (maybe saddled animals or a rail system), all of tier 6 requirements and a storage structure at least containing 432 slots of storage (8 large chests).
 * Tier 7 (established main base)

Jim's Tips: " Ever heard of Arbor Day? Well you just murdered it." Large population with Medium sized buildings
 * Tier 8 (established town)

Jim's Tips: " I guess it's somewhat decent. Good job." Large population with tall buildings, monuments, etc. like an actual city similar to Rome or Constantinople
 * Tier 9 (established city)

Jim's Tips: "You know, i'm starting to like you. Which means you have to give me a free house." Population of at least 3 people, an area of 500X500 of desolation/cleared land around, Contains a huge cave system. At least 2 monuments, valuable materials are showing off on one Monument, The town hall is at least 15x15. Usually the center of a prominent faction or civilization that has been in one place for quite some time.
 * Tier 10 (huge city)

Jim's Tips: " Ever heard of Arbor Day? Well there's not point to it anymore because you've wiped out all the nature in a tree genocide." Population of at least 4 people, an area of 500X500 of desolation/cleared land around, Contains a huge cave system. At least 2 monuments, valuable materials are showing off on both Monuments, The town hall is at least 15x15, all buildings have 2 or more stories, at least 5 other 2 story buildings other than town hall. Must have at least one skyscraper (40+ blocks) or more. This is usually the center of a large faction or civilization that has been in one place for months.
 * Tier 11 (metropolis)

Jim's Tips: " I'm gonna stop being a cynical bastard now. That's actually pretty impressive." Population of at least 5 people. In addition to all the requirements of the Tier 11 city, must have multiple districts, skyscrapers, and commercial areas. This can either be on ground level or in multiple levels of said skyscrapers.
 * Tier 12 (Megacity)

Jims's Tips: " You had to add another one of these? Jeez, you people are crazy."