City-Building Games Joseph Mirabeau

General Features Game goals focus on building a strong economy and high quality of life There is not necessarily always a winner of the game Players can only indirectly influence individual citizen activities Players focus on city level management and economics The needs and wants of the citizens must be met in order to succeed

Game goals focus on building a strong economy and high quality of life

There is not necessarily always a winner of the game

Players can only indirectly influence individual citizen activities

Players focus on city level management and economics

The needs and wants of the citizens must be met in order to succeed

Utopia Released 1982 on Intellivision The first simulation game Laid down the foundation for games like SimCity and Civilization

Released 1982 on Intellivision

The first simulation game

Laid down the foundation for games like SimCity and Civilization

Utopia Gameplay Put gamer in charge of an island Each player chose how long each turn would take and how many turns in total

Put gamer in charge of an island

Each player chose how long each turn would take and how many turns in total

Gameplay (cont) Controlled all aspects of the economy and military Fort: Prevent rebel units from appearing within 1 square Factory: Generate income at beginning of each turn, but with a side effect of lowering population through pollution and disease. Farm: Feed 500 people, and provide income when rained upon School: Increase well-being of people and factory production Hospital: Boost factory production and increase population growth Housing project: Increase well-being of 500 people by housing them Rebel soldier: Randomly place a rebel upon the enemy island, possibly destroying a building PT boat: Sink enemy fishing boat or tie up a computer-controlled pirate ship Fishing boat: Feed 500 people, generate income at beginning of each turn, and earn continuous income when positioned over a school of fish

Controlled all aspects of the economy and military

Fort: Prevent rebel units from appearing within 1 square

Factory: Generate income at beginning of each turn, but with a side effect of lowering population through pollution and disease.

Farm: Feed 500 people, and provide income when rained upon

School: Increase well-being of people and factory production

Hospital: Boost factory production and increase population growth

Housing project: Increase well-being of 500 people by housing them

Rebel soldier: Randomly place a rebel upon the enemy island, possibly destroying a building

PT boat: Sink enemy fishing boat or tie up a computer-controlled pirate ship

Fishing boat: Feed 500 people, generate income at beginning of each turn, and earn continuous income when positioned over a school of fish

Strategic Elements Strategy Goal of the game was to earn more points than your opponent at the end of the designated number of turns Points reflect the well-being of your people, and gained by spending income on improving the living conditions of those living on the island Earning money Build farms which collected income when randomly generated clouds rained on top of them Placing fishing boats over a school of fish

Strategy

Goal of the game was to earn more points than your opponent at the end of the designated number of turns

Points reflect the well-being of your people, and gained by spending income on improving the living conditions of those living on the island

Earning money

Build farms which collected income when randomly generated clouds rained on top of them

Placing fishing boats over a school of fish

SimCity Released 1989 by Will Wright Began a new precedence in video games that could neither be won or lost The main objective is to build and maintain a city as the mayor of your city

Released 1989 by Will Wright

Began a new precedence in video games that could neither be won or lost

The main objective is to build and maintain a city as the mayor of your city

Jay Forrester’s Urban Dynamics A computer engineer and systems theorist graduating from MIT Made discoveries in modeling growth process of corporations Forrester’s designs and equations were completely numerical Will Wright took his approach and turned it into a virtual city environment

A computer engineer and systems theorist graduating from MIT

Made discoveries in modeling growth process of corporations

Forrester’s designs and equations were completely numerical

Will Wright took his approach and turned it into a virtual city environment

Basic rules and considerations when designing a (sim)city Human factors -- residential space and amenities, availability of jobs and quality of life. Economic factors -- land value, industrial and commercial space, unemployment, internal and external markets, electric power, taxation and funding of city services. Survival factors -- strategies for dealing with disasters, crime and pollution. Political factors -- zoning and keeping residents and businesses satisfied with your city and your performance.

Human factors -- residential space and amenities, availability of jobs and quality of life.

Economic factors -- land value, industrial and commercial space, unemployment, internal and external markets, electric power, taxation and funding of city services.

Survival factors -- strategies for dealing with disasters, crime and pollution.

Political factors -- zoning and keeping residents and businesses satisfied with your city and your performance.

SimCity All SimCity’s begin by selecting a terrain Land alterations Allowed you to raise, lower and level terrain Raise sea level, lower sea level, place streams, trees

All SimCity’s begin by selecting a terrain

Land alterations

Allowed you to raise, lower and level terrain

Raise sea level, lower sea level, place streams, trees

SimCity Buildings Roads- allows sims to travel, causes traffic congestion and pollution from cars Mass Transit Power lines Power Plants Coal power- cheap power source, but causes high pollution Nuclear power- does not pollute, however melt downs can occur Parks

Roads- allows sims to travel, causes traffic congestion and pollution from cars

Mass Transit

Power lines

Power Plants

Coal power- cheap power source, but causes high pollution

Nuclear power- does not pollute, however melt downs can occur

Parks

SimCity Buildings (cont) Police department Fire department Stadium- causes residential value to raise Seaport- Boost productivity of industrial sector Airport- boost productivity of commercial zones, but pollutes heavily

Police department

Fire department

Stadium- causes residential value to raise

Seaport- Boost productivity of industrial sector

Airport- boost productivity of commercial zones, but pollutes heavily

SimCity Buildings (cont) Residential Zones Commercial Zones Industrial Zones

Residential Zones

Commercial Zones

Industrial Zones

SimCity Budget Displays how your city is performing financially Set tax rates Set funding for fire, police and transportation departments

Budget

Displays how your city is performing financially

Set tax rates

Set funding for fire, police and transportation departments

SimCity Maps Power Grid Displays the power grid of your city Orange lines show that there is power, green displays that there is no power Road Map Displays where the roads and rails run around your city Population Map Displays population density of your city Dark green displays lowest concentration density, while red is the highest Traffic Density Displays traffic density of green to red scale Pollution Displays severity of pollution in areas Crime Rate Displays areas in which crimes are most often committed Land Value Displays where the level of value is the highest Department Statistics Displays the coverage of your police, fire and hospital departments Comprehensive view Shows map of all zones

Power Grid

Displays the power grid of your city

Orange lines show that there is power, green displays that there is no power

Road Map

Displays where the roads and rails run around your city

Population Map

Displays population density of your city

Dark green displays lowest concentration density, while red is the highest

Traffic Density

Displays traffic density of green to red scale

Pollution

Displays severity of pollution in areas

Crime Rate

Displays areas in which crimes are most often committed

Land Value

Displays where the level of value is the highest

Department Statistics

Displays the coverage of your police, fire and hospital departments

Comprehensive view

Shows map of all zones

SimCity Disasters Fire, floods, plane crashes, tornado, nuclear meltdown, ufo attack

Fire, floods, plane crashes, tornado, nuclear meltdown, ufo attack

SimCity Strategies Build industrial zones on the edge of the map, so that pollution will have less of an impact on residential and commercial zones. Parks near industrial zones will keep land values high and reduce pollution. Try to avoid having heavily traveled roads next to residential zones. Sims love railroads. Use them wherever possible instead of roads. Try building power plants on the edges or in the corners of your map. Lower taxes when you can

Build industrial zones on the edge of the map, so that pollution will have less of an impact on residential and commercial zones.

Parks near industrial zones will keep land values high and reduce pollution.

Try to avoid having heavily traveled roads next to residential zones.

Sims love railroads. Use them wherever possible instead of roads.

Try building power plants on the edges or in the corners of your map.

Lower taxes when you can

SimCity 2000 Released 1993 on Mac and MS-DOS Introduced isometric view rather than the overhead view for more visibility Land now had different elevations

Released 1993 on Mac and MS-DOS

Introduced isometric view rather than the overhead view for more visibility

Land now had different elevations

SimCity 2000 Building Upgrades Museums Parks Marinas Zoos Arcologies Highways Bus depots

Building Upgrades

Museums

Parks

Marinas

Zoos

Arcologies

Highways

Bus depots

SimCity 2000 Power System Now included- Hydro-electric- generate no pollution Oil- Pollute half as less as coal plants Gas- fairly clean, but produces little power Wind- They last long, but generate very little power Solar- Environmentally friendly Microwave- Pollution free Fusion- Provides the most amount of power with the low amount of pollution

Power System

Now included-

Hydro-electric- generate no pollution

Oil- Pollute half as less as coal plants

Gas- fairly clean, but produces little power

Wind- They last long, but generate very little power

Solar- Environmentally friendly

Microwave- Pollution free

Fusion- Provides the most amount of power with the low amount of pollution

SimCity 2000 (more features) Water System Pipes to provide water for buildings to become functional Roads Highways/ramps Tunnels Bus depot Subways

Water System

Pipes to provide water for buildings to become functional

Roads

Highways/ramps

Tunnels

Bus depot

Subways

SimCity 2000 Education- Without education Sims will not be able to build low-polluting, hi-tech industries. School Educates sims from 5 to 15. Colleges Educates from 15-25 Library Museums Prison Houses criminals police capture Has negative effect on land value

Education- Without education Sims will not be able to build low-polluting, hi-tech industries.

School

Educates sims from 5 to 15.

Colleges

Educates from 15-25

Library

Museums

Prison

Houses criminals police capture

Has negative effect on land value

SimCity 2000 Budget System Property Taxes- Direct taxes on the sims. You can tax sims from 0% to 20% based on the needs of your city. City Ordinances- displays the costs and profits depending on the various ordinances that the player chooses to enact. Legalized gambling, parking fines, CPR training, volunteer fire department etc. Bond Payments Police/Fire/Health/Education/Transit Departments Displays the percentage of funding for departments on scale of 0-100%. Lower funding results in lower capacity.

Property Taxes- Direct taxes on the sims. You can tax sims from 0% to 20% based on the needs of your city.

City Ordinances- displays the costs and profits depending on the various ordinances that the player chooses to enact.

Legalized gambling, parking fines, CPR training, volunteer fire department etc.

Bond Payments

Police/Fire/Health/Education/Transit Departments

Displays the percentage of funding for departments on scale of 0-100%. Lower funding results in lower capacity.

SimCity 3000 Released January 31, 1999 on Windows and Mac Graphical Changes Landscape no longer a dirt brown but a colorful green Colors representing changes in height from beige of beach sand, to brown, and white snow. Different type of trees- Land value effect Areas of higher land value produced wealthier looking houses, creating a lower, middle, and high classes graphically

Released January 31, 1999 on Windows and Mac

Graphical Changes

Landscape no longer a dirt brown but a colorful green

Colors representing changes in height from beige of beach sand, to brown, and white snow.

Different type of trees-

Land value effect

Areas of higher land value produced wealthier looking houses, creating a lower, middle, and high classes graphically

SimCity 3000 Upgrades Waste Management After population reached 1000, garbage would accumulate Farms and agriculture land types Grew on low land values and produced little pollution 3 Levels of each zone Neighborhood system Players could sell or buy water, electricity, or waste management services with neighboring cities.

Waste Management

After population reached 1000, garbage would accumulate

Farms and agriculture land types

Grew on low land values and produced little pollution

3 Levels of each zone

Neighborhood system

Players could sell or buy water, electricity, or waste management services with neighboring cities.

SimCity 4 Released January 10, 2003 on Windows and Mac Allowed users to create cities within a region

Released January 10, 2003 on Windows and Mac

Allowed users to create cities within a region

SimCity 4 Upgrades Taxes SimCity 4 implements a class system, so now you can taxes for poor, middle-class and wealth residents; poor businesses etc. Local Funding Player no longer changes funding for all buildings of one type. You can now individually adjust funding of individual buildings in a certain part of town.

Taxes

SimCity 4 implements a class system, so now you can taxes for poor, middle-class and wealth residents; poor businesses etc.

Local Funding

Player no longer changes funding for all buildings of one type. You can now individually adjust funding of individual buildings in a certain part of town.

Impact of SimCity series "The CIA, Defense Department, Canadian Lumber Association, and the Australian Tax Board, among others, all contacted us" – Will Wright Broad appeal among gamers Educators used SimCity as a teaching tool among 10,000 different schools Went on to design similar simulators systems produced a prototype refinery sim for Chevron called SimRefinery Sim Health for the Markle Foundation in New York. It was a simulation of the national healthcare system. "SimCity was a revelation to most of us game designers. The idea that players enjoyed a game that was open-ended, noncombative, and emphasized construction over destruction opened up many new avenues and possibilities for game concepts.” – Sid Meier

"The CIA, Defense Department, Canadian Lumber Association, and the Australian Tax Board, among others, all contacted us" – Will Wright

Broad appeal among gamers

Educators used SimCity as a teaching tool among 10,000 different schools

Went on to design similar simulators systems

produced a prototype refinery sim for Chevron called SimRefinery

Sim Health for the Markle Foundation in New York. It was a simulation of the national healthcare system.

"SimCity was a revelation to most of us game designers. The idea that players enjoyed a game that was open-ended, noncombative, and emphasized construction over destruction opened up many new avenues and possibilities for game concepts.” – Sid Meier

Sid Meier’s Civilization Turn-based strategy game developed by Sid Meir The main objective is to build a great empire from the ground up to stand the test of time The player acts as ruler starting only with one settler The player must compete amongst other civilizations ranging from 1 to 6 others

Turn-based strategy game developed by Sid Meir

The main objective is to build a great empire from the ground up to stand the test of time

The player acts as ruler starting only with one settler

The player must compete amongst other civilizations ranging from 1 to 6 others

Civilization City Building aspects Build roads and railways Building fortresses Growth Recycling Center Nuclear Plant Government Despotism Anarchy Monarchy Communism Republic Democracy

City Building aspects

Build roads and railways

Building fortresses

Growth

Recycling Center

Nuclear Plant

Government

Despotism

Anarchy

Monarchy

Communism

Republic

Democracy

Impression Games Founded by video game developer David Lester in Cambridge, Massachusetts Impression Games is most notable for its titles comprising of its city-building titles Described as “SimCity in past civilizations with military and economic micromanagement"

Founded by video game developer David Lester in Cambridge, Massachusetts

Impression Games is most notable for its titles comprising of its city-building titles

Described as “SimCity in past civilizations with military and economic micromanagement"

Caesar Released 1993 on pc and Amiga with Caesar II in 1996 and Caesar III in 1998 Places player in the role of a Roman governor Combines many elements from SimCity and other strategy games Objectives- player can choose to undertake a campaign or simply run a city

Released 1993 on pc and Amiga with Caesar II in 1996 and Caesar III in 1998

Places player in the role of a Roman governor

Combines many elements from SimCity and other strategy games

Objectives- player can choose to undertake a campaign or simply run a city

Caesar City Building Aspects Housing starts out as Dwells and huts To upgrade housing the player must raise land value Water resources Sanitation Bath Houses- improves land value Entertainment Theatre, coliseum Educational buildings Security Wall, tower, gateway Worship shrines Industry Provides tax revenue Employs citizens Farms, mines, quarry, warehouse, work camp, shipyard, port Sets up system of supply, demand and distribution

Housing starts out as Dwells and huts

To upgrade housing the player must raise land value

Water resources

Sanitation

Bath Houses- improves land value

Entertainment

Theatre, coliseum

Educational buildings

Security

Wall, tower, gateway

Worship shrines

Industry

Provides tax revenue

Employs citizens

Farms, mines, quarry, warehouse, work camp, shipyard, port

Sets up system of supply, demand and distribution

Pharaoh Released 1999 Based on the Caesar III game engine and operates on the same principles Objectives are mission based

Released 1999

Based on the Caesar III game engine and operates on the same principles

Objectives are mission based

Pharaoh City Building Aspects Housing levels Huts, shanty’s, cottages, apartments to residences Entertainment buildings Three main types of entertainment: jugglers, singers and dancers Education Allows for an educated class, who live in higher class homes and hold higher class positions Industry Agricultural system is built around the Nile River The river floods certain areas of the map where farms and roads are built The amount of the flood determines the fertility of the land Storage yards/Granaries- store excess food imported or grown in city Wood cutter- Creates wood for products such as chariots Clay pit- creates clay to create pottery and bricks Flax farm- creates linen Henna farm- creates paints Oil- creates lamps Gold mine- delivers gold to city treasurer

Housing levels

Huts, shanty’s, cottages, apartments to residences

Entertainment buildings

Three main types of entertainment: jugglers, singers and dancers

Education

Allows for an educated class, who live in higher class homes and hold higher class positions

Industry

Agricultural system is built around the Nile River

The river floods certain areas of the map where farms and roads are built

The amount of the flood determines the fertility of the land

Storage yards/Granaries- store excess food imported or grown in city

Wood cutter- Creates wood for products such as chariots

Clay pit- creates clay to create pottery and bricks

Flax farm- creates linen

Henna farm- creates paints

Oil- creates lamps

Gold mine- delivers gold to city treasurer

Pharaoh City Building Aspects Civil Service buildings- provides needed service to keep city running Palace- Where all city management is handled Where the player can set the salary of each of its workers Bazaar- Supplies the citizens with needed supplies such as food, jewelry, and linen Service Posts- Sends out fire marshals, provides architects, and provides policemen Tax Collector- simply collects taxes from the people The tax rate can be adjusted from 9% Healthcare System Depending on the number of health buildings the general health of the people is adjusted accordingly Wells- provides water for those in immediate area Physician’s Office- Keeps healthcare up in the city Apothecary- Raises healthcare and prevents malaria Mortuary- Keeps healthcare up by disposing of dead bodies

Civil Service buildings- provides needed service to keep city running

Palace- Where all city management is handled

Where the player can set the salary of each of its workers

Bazaar- Supplies the citizens with needed supplies such as food, jewelry, and linen

Service Posts- Sends out fire marshals, provides architects, and provides policemen

Tax Collector- simply collects taxes from the people

The tax rate can be adjusted from 9%

Healthcare System

Depending on the number of health buildings the general health of the people is adjusted accordingly

Wells- provides water for those in immediate area

Physician’s Office- Keeps healthcare up in the city

Apothecary- Raises healthcare and prevents malaria

Mortuary- Keeps healthcare up by disposing of dead bodies

Master of Olympus- Zeus Released 2000 on Windows Built off of the Caesar III engine Distribution of goods handled by agora A plaza-like road where goods are sold Schools Colleges- train philosophers Gymnasiums- train athletes Stadiums/Theatres- entertain citizens

Released 2000 on Windows

Built off of the Caesar III engine

Distribution of goods handled by agora

A plaza-like road where goods are sold

Schools

Colleges- train philosophers

Gymnasiums- train athletes

Stadiums/Theatres- entertain citizens

Criticisms of the City-Building genre Games cannot be made without its set bias’s Assumes that low taxes will encourage growth and high taxes will bring about recessions Discourages different aspects of technology such as nuclear power in SimCity “ And most fundamentally, it rests on the empiricist, technophilic fantasy that the complex dynamics of city development can be abstracted, quantified, simulated, and micromanaged” Game no longer becomes interesting once its secrets and limitations have been exposed

Games cannot be made without its set bias’s

Assumes that low taxes will encourage growth and high taxes will bring about recessions

Discourages different aspects of technology such as nuclear power in SimCity

“ And most fundamentally, it rests on the empiricist, technophilic fantasy that the complex dynamics of city development can be abstracted, quantified, simulated, and micromanaged”

Game no longer becomes interesting once its secrets and limitations have been exposed

A glimpse into the future… Spore Allows players to control life beginning on the cellular level up to the galactic level

Spore

Allows players to control life beginning on the cellular level up to the galactic level