SimCity
A SimCity 4 high-rise
SimCity is a real-time strategy/simulation computer game (or "software toy"). It is game developer Maxis' flagship product. There are four versions; the original SimCity (later, SimCity Classic), SimCity 2000 (1993), SimCity 3000 (1999) and SimCity 4 (2003). All of the games were re-released with various add-ons including extra scenarios. In addition, SimCity Classic is available for a Palm Connected Organizer, and on the SimCity.com website as "Classic Live". SimCity 2000 is also available for handheld organizers running Microsoft's Pocket PC OS, and there is a Game Boy Advance version. Also, SimCity and SimCity 2000 were released for the SNES.
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2 Objective 3 SimCity 2000 4 SimCity 3000 5 See Also 6 External links |
SimCity was originally developed by game designer Will Wright. The inspiration for SimCity came from a feature of the game Raid on Bungeling Bay that allowed players to create their own maps. Wright soon found he enjoyed creating maps more than playing the actual game, and so began creating SimCity.
The game sparked off a new paradigm in computer gaming by creating a game that could neither be won nor lost. This did not bode well with the game publishers at the time, who did not forsee the possibility of successfully marketing and selling such a game. However, the success of SimCity speaks for itself: "Sim" games of all types were spawned—with Will Wright and Maxis developing a myriad of titles including SimEarth, SimFarm, SimTown, Streets of SimCity, SimCopter, SimAnt, and SimMars, which was never released. They also obtained licenses for some titles developed in Japan, such as SimTower and Let's Take The A-Train (just called A-Train outside of Japan). The most recent development is The Sims, which has since gone on to become the most successful computer game of all time.
SimCity is predominantly a single-player game (the exception being a "Network Edition" of SimCity 2000).
The objective of SimCity, as the name of the game suggests, is to build and design a city, without specific goals to achieve (except in the scenarios, which typically require the player to achieve a certain population or bank balance in a given period of time). The player can mark land as being zoned as commercial, industrial, or residential, add buildings, change the tax rate, enact city ordinances, connect to neighbouring cities, build a power grid, build transportation systems and many other actions, in order to enhance the city. Also, the player can face disasters: flooding, tornadoes, fires, riots, earthquakes, etc. Later disasters included lightning strikes, volcanoes, meteors and attack by extra-terrestrial craft. In the Nintendo version one can also build rewards when they are given to them, like the mayor's mansion and the casino for gambling sims.
The unexpected and enduring success of the original game, combined with the relative lack of success with other Sim titles, finally motivated the development of a followon, published in 1993 as SimCity 2000. SC 2000 was a major extension of the concept; the view was now isometric instead of overhead, land may have different elevations, and underground layers were introduced for water pipes and subways. New types of facilities included hospitals, prisons, schools, libraries, museums, parks, marinas, zoos, and stadiums. You could build highways, roads, bus depots, and seaports and airports. The budget and finance controls were much more elaborate. SimCity 2000 was quite successful.
SimCity 3000 is essentially SimCity 2000 with several small features added and graphics updated to a standard appropriate for when it was published (1998). Some people consider SimCity 2000 to be a better game than SimCity 3000 since the two are essentially the same and because of SimCity 3000's greater system requirements, bugss and game-play issues. For example, SimCity 3000 Unlimited occasionally gives the player the option of hosting a parade, which gives a boost to your city. The animation for the parade lasts a long time, the game pauses during the animation, and you do not have the option of skipping over the animation. Critics note other similar flaws. While some users have managed to run SimCity 4 on Linux, 3000 was the first, and only version, however, to be specifically released for the operating system.
An expansion-like add-on, SimCity 3000 Unlimited, was released in 2000. It was not an expansion pack per se, as it did not require the original SimCity 3000 for use. Unlimited added, among other things, Asian and European building sets, a snaphot feature, an improved version of the Building Architect Tool, and scenarios (along with a creator).
Description
Objective
SimCity 2000
SimCity 3000
See Also
External links