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On
loading Sim City you are confronted with an options screen where you must make
your first major decision. There are two ways in which Sim City may be played.
You may decide to take on the challenges of the scenarios, with each having a
win condition. If you meet this condition within a specific time, you will be
allowed to continue your job as mayor, but if you fail then you will be taking a
stroll down to the Sim City unemployment bureau. If you prefer, you can choose
to build a new city from the ground up, providing the essential services that
will entice the sims to settle within your boundaries.
The scenario
screen allows you to select a pre-built town that is about to befall a disaster.
You must call out the city emergency services to regain control of the area ,
then implement a rebuilding program that will return the city to its previous
condition. There are 18 different scenarios available from an earthquake in San
Francisco and a nuclear device in Barcelona to monsters roaming Hollywood and an
Alien Invasion over Atlanta.
Although the scenarios are fun to play,
you will soon learn that it is a lot more challenging to build than destroy,
therefore I would recommend that your first experience of Sim City should be a
visit to the Edit New Map screen. Here you can adjust the terrain to suit your
needs, free of charge. Reducing the level of the land will save you a fortune
in demolition works while setting the position of the rivers and lakes can avoid
a constant problem of water shortage. Once your terrain is set out correctly
you may begin your construction program.
Sim City will offer you the
opportunity to name your city, decide the year you will commence your program
from 1900 through to 2050 and your opening capital , which in effect is the
difficulty setting.
The controls are quite user friendly with the
screen displaying a fast access menu for your immediate tools. Move the cursor
with the directional buttons to highlight your selection of tool, then press
the choose button to use the item. An ever present message bar at the top of
the screen will keep you informed of your cash balance, population, hints and
messages from your sims while in the lower right of the screen is a demand
indicator which lets you know what kind of zones the sims need.
A
little thoughtful planning is required before you begin laying roads and water
pipes as a misplaced road to nowhere will cost a fortune to maintain with little
or no benefit to the community, while a bridge across a river will be a wasted
expense during your cities early growth.
The demand indicator will
display a request for a power station as your first investment, so choose wisely
from the nine available power sources. An expensive nuclear power station will
provide ample electricity but will use a large slice of your allowance much too
early in your career (and be warned about the threat of a radioactive leak),
while a cheap coal fired plant will save you money short term but the pollution
brigade will soon be knocking at your door.
Power and water installed?
Then its time to allocate zones of land that will entice those little sims
within your domain. The demand indicator will show that your city requires an
input of industry. Heavy or light? It's your decision. Once you have allotted
your building areas the next step is to take one of your roads to the boundaries
of your city and connect it to a neighbors town. Now sit back, wait and watch.
Little cars will appear on your roads as the sims enter your region.
If they like what they see they will begin to build their factories and
businesses on your allocated zones. If you pamper their needs they will even
settle in your city. Hey, this is a great feeling, it's like becoming a parent.
Those lovely cute little sims are your children. Ah, isn't that nice, they are
now building a pretty house with a garden at the front. What's this, you need
more water to sprinkle your lawns, no problem my cute little sims, here have a
water pump, in fact why not have two. Money in the bank and the sims are doing
all the work, easy life.
My sims are requesting more building land for
their little friends, isn't that nice, they must like my town. Okay, have some
more land, after all I have plenty to spare. "Water shortage!" Have
another pump. "Police station!" "Fire Brigade!" Fair
enough, I'll place it quite near your homes to protect you all, my lovely little
sims.
"Water shortage!" In a minute, I'm in the middle of a
budget with my council who are advising me to cut back on public services so I
will have to trim the police and fire service's funding. "Water shortage!"
All right, but it's your last. "Hospital!" "Schools!"
Bloody hell, the coffers are bare so I had better take out a bond at 4%
interest. My adviser recommends that I increase property taxes to pay back the
deficit, fair enough and while I'm at it I'll install parking meters and
implement a 1% sales tax. Hang on, my sims are booing me and some are even
leaving town. Ungrateful little gits, after all I have done for them. "Water
shortage!"
My sims are requesting a debate on the pollution in the
atmosphere, I wish I had installed an electric power station instead of that
smelly coal fired plant. "Water shortage!" Get stuffed. "We
want a park!" Up yours, in fact UP taxes. My adviser recommends cut backs
on public services, so I reduced the road maintenance allowance. "You'll
regret that" claims my chancellor. I did, the roads began to crumble
before my eyes and the sims could not get to work, unemployment rose, offices
were vacated, stores were closed. Water shortage! Piss off!
"Your
town requires a new power plant to meet demands!" is the message that hit
the screen. I know, I'll just take out another 10,000 bond against the cities
assets, it was only 4% the last time. How much? 8%, daylight robbery. Well
I'm not paying that, we will just have to make do. "The residents are
demanding a Zoo". Fat chance. The power plant is breaking down and there
are areas of my city without electricity. "We need more firemen". "We
need more hospitals". "The residents are demanding a marina".
Right, that's it. I promptly borrowed 20,000 against the cities assets, built a
small airport, climbed aboard the first long distance flight and skipped town.
Sim
City is about real life, that includes real problems with real people. It
wasn't easy playing God, perhaps next time I would prefer to be one of the
Disciples.
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