Information AboutSimcity |
''SimCity'' is a Simulation and City-building Computer And Video Game first released in 1989 and designed by Will Wright . ''SimCity'' was Maxis ' first product, and has since been enhanced into several different versions including '' SimCity 2000 '' in 1993, '' SimCity 3000 '' in 1999 and '' SimCity 4 '' in 2003, while the original ''SimCity'' was later rebranded as ''SimCity Classic''. Until the release of '' The Sims '' in 2000, the ''SimCity'' series was the best-selling line of computer games made by Maxis. ''SimCity'' was originally released for several Video Game Console s and Computer Platform s, including the Commodore 64 , Amiga , DOS and Macintosh . ''SimCity'' was the first commercially successful simulation video game, spawning an entire series of ''Sim'' games and thus popularizing simulation games. Since the release of ''SimCity'', similar simulation games have been released focusing on different aspects of reality such as empire-building in '' Civilization '' and business simulation in '' Capitalism ''. DESCRIPTION ]] ''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 ''SimCity'' was born. The game sparked a new paradigm in computer gaming by creating a game that could neither be won nor lost. This was not immediately recognized by the Game Publishers , who did not foresee the possibility of successfully marketing and selling such a game. Brøderbund declined to publish the title when Wright proposed it, and he pitched it to a range of major game publishers without success. Finally, founder Jeff Braun of then-tiny Maxis agreed to publish ''SimCity'' as one of two initial games for the company. Wright and Braun returned to Brøderbund to formally clear the rights to the game in 1988 , when ''SimCity'' was near completion. Broderbund executives Gary Carlston and Don Daglow saw that the title was infectious and fun, and signed Maxis to a distribution deal for both of its initial games. The subsequent success of ''SimCity'' speaks for itself: "Sim" games of all types were developed — with Will Wright and Maxis developing a myriad of titles including '' SimEarth '', '' SimFarm '', '' SimTown '', '' Streets Of SimCity '', '' SimCopter '', '' SimAnt '', '' SimLife '', '' SimIsle '', '' SimPark '', '' SimSafari '', '' Sim Theme Park '', '' The Sims '' and '' SimMars '', which was never released. They also obtained License s 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 '', and its sequel, '' The Sims 2 ''. An upcoming release, '' Spore '', was originally going to be titled ''"SimEverything"'' - a name that Will Wright thought might accurately describe what he was trying to achieve. Three ''SimCity'' sequels were also spawned - '' SimCity 2000 '', '' SimCity 3000 '' and '' SimCity 4 ''. ''SimCity'' is predominantly a single-player game (the exception being a "Network Edition" of ''SimCity 2000'', and an obscure Unix port of the original ''SimCity''). ''SimCity 4'' also makes an attempt at multiplayer gaming with the ability to share regional maps and cities with other players, allowing players to collaborate, but not play in real time. In 1990 , ''SimCity'' won the Origins Award for "Best Military or Strategy Computer Game" of 1989. OBJECTIVE 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, see below). The player can mark land as being Zoned as Commercial , Industrial , or Residential , add buildings, change the Tax rate, build a power grid, build transportation systems and many other actions, in order to enhance the city. Also, the player may face ing, Tornado es, Fire s, Riot s, Earthquake s, etc. Later disasters included Lightning strikes, Volcanoes , Meteor s and attack by Extra-terrestrial craft. In the SNES version and later, one can also build rewards when they are given to them, such as a mayor's Mansion , Casino , etc. Scenarios The original ''SimCity'' kicked off a tradition of goal-centered, timed scenarios that could be won or lost depending on the performance of the player/mayor. The original cities were all based on real world cities and attempted to re-create their general layout, a tradition carried on in ''SimCity 2000'' and in special scenario packs. While most scenarios either take place in a fictional timeline or have a city under siege by a fictional disaster, a handful of available scenarios are based on actual historical events. The original scenarios were:
The Amiga version includes two additional scenarios:
In addition, the later edition of ''SimCity'' on the Super Nintendo (SNES) included two new, more difficult scenarios that were made available after a player had completed the original scenarios:
PORTS AND VERSIONS All of the games were originally released for the Personal Computer . They have since been re-released with various add-ons including extra scenarios, and some versions have been ported to other platforms.
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For other Sim games, see the List Of ''Sim'' Games . PARODIES '' Sim Brick '' was an extremely simple parody of ''SimCity''. Developed by Sensible Software , it was only ever distributed on a Cover Disk with an issue of '' Amiga Power ''. The game play consists of an ant wandering around the screen, until players press the mouse button, at which point a brick falls down and squashes the ant. The writers of '' The Simpsons '' also lampooned Maxis around the time when they were releasing a plethora of "Sim" titles. ''Virtual Doctor'', a program used in an episode, was cited as "from the creators of ''SimSandwich''…" In the computer game '''', the main character, Roger , has the opportunity to look through the bargain bin of a software store. Among the titles is ''SimSim'', a simulator where players get to design simulators. LEGACY ''SimCity'' inspired a new genre of video games. "Software toys" that were open-ended with no set objective were developed trying to duplicate ''SimCity'' The ideas pioneered in ''SimCity'' have been incorporated into real-world applications as well. For example, VisitorVille simulates a city based on website statistics. A notable catch phrase of ''Sim'' games was "Reticulating Splines," a phrase that was mentioned upon opening a game file or creating a random map in ''SimCity 2000'', with certain versions featuring a voice of an unknown female reading the phrase. It appears again in word form in ''SimCopter'', ''The Sims'' and ''SimCity 4''. SEE ALSO
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