Thread: My experiments at building a city

Simcity 4 is an interesting simulation game wherein you build a city of your dreams. You can do anything you like in the city - you can make it the best in the region or the worst.

Introduction/Concepts:
The game starts with a large plot of land that can accomodate a city. In the beginning you are "God" and you can create a terrain like you want - create mountains, tableland, pleteaus, rolling hills, rivers, forests, etc. And then you start.

- When you start you get an initial startup capital
- Anything you build/develop costs money
- Destroying something you built also costs money
- You must build infrastructure first before citizen move in
- Citizens pay taxes and that is main source of income
- Citizens need place to work, their children need schools, they need good roads, parks to relax, etc.
- All infrastructure not only needs initial building cost they also require annual maintenance costs
- Better facilities = more citizens, more citizens = more money (taxes), more citizens = more demands
- Industries and Commerce also pay taxes

Tips and tricks:
- Do not start ambitiously
- start small, no need to plan for high density residential zones at start up because only low wealth citizens will move in from neighbouring towns - those who cannot find jobs there
- the more opportunities you create, more people will be attracted
- you are not alone; there are neighbouring cities nearby. You must interact with them. For example, you need not build a big power house in your own town when the neighbouring town has one. Simply buy power from that city. It is economical that way in the beginning when your needs are low.
- people do not like to live near - power houses, garbage dumps, polluting industries, water treatment plants, etc.
- people like to live in areas that are quiet, peacefull, close to nature, unpoluting, etc. Parks, sea shores, etc. are prime candidates to bring high wealth citizens.

There are so many tips and tricks that there are full fledged web sites and forums dedicated to Simicity 4. It is a very addictive game - so addictive that I forced myself to uninstall it. It is a game of planning, strategy, aptitude, execution and patience.

Hope you will enjoy this thread. If the thread is not of much interest, we can delete it. Please note that it will be a long post but I hope to make it as interesting as possible.

- just4kix.

Phase 1: Foundations of the City

Once upon a time, there was a sleepy town called Bartholomew-on-sea. Nothing existed in this town except a few local tribesmen and a railroad running through it:

image001.gif

The Regional Development Authority handed over the area to the Mayor for him to develop it as he pleases. The Mayor sat with his advisors and chalked out the following development plan:

image002.gif

A power plant was setup at a remote corner of the town away from planned residential zones:

image003.gif

A massive terra-forming exercise was started near the north-west shoreline. The first residential zone was planned near the shoreline.:

image004.gif

And streets were laid out. The main shoreline was given the name 'Corniche Road':

image005.gif

*** Sincere request: Please do not "quote" this post in your replies because your reply will contain all the images. ***

What exactly is that you asked for...
Sorry unable to grab...

I am inviting comments on my city project. Just some fun and entertainment.

Phase 1 - Continued

The Mayor hired a helicopter to get a bird’s eye view of the current development and he took the following picture. And this is what he observed:



New residents were quick to seize the opportunity:



Zoning and development also started at the proposed Central Business District (CBD):



A small railway station was put up near the CBD:



And a commuter station near the residential zone:



--------------------------------
Please let me know whether you like my concepts of a good city.

A circular city.

These have the most benefits.

What do you mean by "circular city"?

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Phase 1 continued...

Dunkin Donuts was quick to realize the enormous potential of morning commuters wanting to board their train with a hot cup of coffee and freshly baked donuts:



But the pace was too slow for the liking of the residents. Unemployment followed and caused the Mayor some sleepless nights while reflecting on his ratings:



The Mayor realized that no one wanted to employ uneducated people and hence he put up a small school:



Employment picked up soon. Denys put up their classic diner opposite to the railway station next to the Dunkin Donuts:



The citizens rejoiced and handed the Mayor a wonderful memento on his birthday. The Mayor, not to be undone, developed a trail park of his citizens to relax:

Around the world, any new developments happening are preferred to have circular approach.

Ex - a city that has a circular ring roads.... (and not square or linear).
This is in order to facilitate the developments as well as transport, approach planning.

Second key is that a ciy always should be zonefied in terms of SEC (Socio-economic class affordability).

I played Simcity 1 long time back... Seems it has taken giant leaps... is Simcity 4 the latest one?

Reply by just4kix

I wanted my next post clean of replies. Hence editing your post with my reply.

Simcity 1 was game of 1992. Simcity 4 was released by the same maker (Maxis). Maxis was purchased by Electronic Arts (EA) in late 90's. Simcity 4 was release around 2002 end.

Sadly there does not seem to be a Simcity 5.

The trail park caused immediate up-valuation in the nearby residential areas and high wealth citizens appeared:



End of Phase 1. Next: Phase 2

Phase II

Business started booming and the need to put up a bigger (and better) rail station was necessary. TGV increased the frequency of its trains:



McDonalds was the first to strike gold at the CBD:



Denys also grabbed the opportunity to setup its diner right opposite the new railway station. After all commuters might choose to drop in for a bit of breakfast before proceeding to work…



New areas were identified for next phase of the residential development:



The city’s principal architect, Jeroni, designed the walls for the city:

The Mayor gifted the citizens with a Cathedral on the 10th anniversary of the town:



The Mayor now decided that commuting from the nearby town was enough and as the citizens had already paid for his sprawling villa, he decided to move in on the seafront on the Corniche Road.



Garbage was growing and the Mayor realized that it was high time that he put up a landfill zone to cope up with the town’s problem:



Health was a concern too and a local hospital was built:



On the 15th anniversary, the Mayor decided to put up a park in the honor of the unknown soldier.

A house of worship soon followed near the Cathedral:



Soon it was time to upgrade the local commuter station:



Burger King thought that if they do not move in now, they may not get ideal sites in future. They put up their restaurant in the premium area near the railway station and the trail park.



Meanwhile commerce was booming:



The first high rise buildings arrived at Bartholomew-on-sea:

And the town was built a Luxury Yacht Port:





The Mayor was told by his chief architect and advisor (Jeroni) that CBD lacked character and was dull and boring. He immediately agreed and put up a big park. This would help for citizens to relax during lunch time and evening:



Where there are parks and business offices, can Starbucks be far away?



End of Phase II. Next Phase 3.

I am going to get simcity 4 today I love these kind of games

Phase III - The Accelerators for the Growth

Meanwhile quietly at another corner of the town yet another development of entirely different nature was happening. Some local farmers purchased some agriculture plots for their industries:



And at the South Side of the town, new industries were mushrooming:



Work started on the development of the proposed Seaport:



But before that Oil was struck on West side in the sea:



Which naturally required a refinery:

The Mayor now had his own helicopter and he decided to take a ride and take some photographs. He was particularly proud of the CBD:



And then its time for him to “hit the hut”:

Where exactly are the Helipads, Airport, Defence base stations, local transport hubs, Agri (residences) etc.

--------------- Reply by just4kix ----------------
Replying in-line the post to keep the next post clean.

1. I built another city in the vicinity of this city which had a huge airport. I provided airport link. Story coming in next phase.

2. I started working on another map in which I tried to build the concept of SimNation. One town was kept as a town with low density but high-wealth dwelling and only space for hi-tech industries. The low tech/poluting industries were driven out by high taxation.

Other surrounding towns/cities had only Agri-farms or high rise buildings, sea ports, airports, ferry service or Heavy industries, etc.

Unfortunately I did not build a story on the same. But I have the city backed up somewhere. As I said, I have uninstalled the game because it was consuming too much of my time.

3. Wait for next phases.

Phase III - The Spurt of the Shopping Malls

Residential growth was surely growing and high wealth citizens purchased their properties on the Corniche Road and the Mayor gifted an even more impressive villa than his own to Jeroni for his services to the town:



A local resort company decided to invest in the shoreline with a small yachting club:



New area for outlined for the next phase of residential development:



The population has just hit the threshold that Tesco required to set up its supermarket in town:



And Wal-Mart decided likewise but it thought big as always and opened its super center:

Phase III - The Spurt of the Shopping Malls

The booming population also brought the first shopping mall into Bartholomew-on-sea:



To highlight this event, the Mayor built the Chessboard Park:



Soon departmental chains opened near the new shopping mall converting it into a super mall:


.................Sears............................ ...................................Nordstrom

I cant wait to play simcity 4 ... my type of game I have sent a guy to get it for me and he should be back in an hour or so

I like your city but you dont seem to have many hospitals.

I've to check my dvd folder of games... I feel, I have it... Thanx j4x for igniting the old passion in me again... This thread will surely serve as a wonderful guide to me...

Originally Posted by Admin

I cant wait to play simcity 4 ... my type of game I have sent a guy to get it for me and he should be back in an hour or so

I like your city but you dont seem to have many hospitals.

There are lots of surgeries (dispensaries) in the town and a large hospital. One should build the facilities based on demand. Also all facilities require money to build and maintain. Simcity 4 provides stats on all aspects of the city - how happy they are, how wealthy, unemployment, traffic, how healthy, etc.

I did not complete the entire city, unfortunately. Maybe I will start once again.

Also let me tell you that the base SimCity 4 is not good. You should ask for Simcity 4 Deluxe which contains the Rush Hour pack. Even then that is not good enough. Simcity enthusiasts have created a lot of 'Mods' that make the game more realistic.

For example, the Sims in Simcity always take the shortest route to work and not the fastest. There exists a Mod called "Network Addon Mod" that fixes this issue and provides more facilities. But all mods start consuming a lot of memory. So have a 1 GB (min) machine ready.

Mods are available as free downloads here: Simtropolis - Online Community for SimCity 4 , SimCity Societies and Cities XL

Originally Posted by itsmemad

I've to check my dvd folder of games... I feel, I have it... Thanx j4x for igniting the old passion in me again... This thread will surely serve as a wonderful guide to me...

You are welcome.
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Phase III - Continued ...


.............Circuit City.............................................. ........Toys-R-Us and Best Buy

And that was followed by a frenzy of eateries - Denys, Dairy Queen, Taco Bell, Burger King, McDonalds and Pizza Hut, to complete the picture:



Highways arrived in the town:



Bartholomew-on-sea had indeed hit big time.



End of Phase III - Next Phase IV

I read your advice about delux rush hour just in time Thanks

High population demanded high capacity learning:



The Drive-In cinema arrived in town:



And the Mayor added more parks:





With the population high enough, it was time for the Marina to be established in the town. First the terra-forming:

And the Marina was constructed:



A sea-front resort hotel came up soon:



At the other end of the town (slowly but surely qualifying for a city status), amusement parks came up:



Arrival of the super high rise buildings

Bartholomew-on-sea heralded the arrival of its own radio station:



Now the city was being sprawled by High Rise Buildings:

No Comments. I's much infatuated by the Photographs itself.
Wud just want to know... now that you yourself go thru the story more ..what exactly are the mistakes you identify as being commited...