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SimCity 3000 Advisor and Ordinance FAQ ver.1.0
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author : Hafiz Rahman
e-mail : notinmybackyardplease@yahoo.com
first started : 23 May 2003
last updated : 29 May 2003
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0. Table of Contents / Version History
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0. Table of Contents / Version History
1. Advisor
1.0. Financial Advisor: Mortimer Green
1.1. Transportation Advisor: Moe Biehl
1.2. City Planner: Constance Lee
1.3. Environment Advisor: Karen Frawl
1.4. Public Safety Advisor: Maria Montoya
1.5. Health, Education and Aura Advisor: Randall Shoop
1.6. Utilities Advisor: Gus Oddman
2. Ordinance
3. Miscellaneous
3.0. In-game tips, "The Llama suggests..."
4. Endnotes
4.0. Credits
4.1. Author's note
Version 1.0 ~ initial release.
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1. Advisor
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1.0. Financial Advisor: Mortimer Green
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Welcome from Mortimer Green \_________________________________________________
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Welcome, Your Honour. I am Mortimer Green, your Financial Advisor. It's my job
to keep a close eye on the treasury and the tax rates.
Building and running a city is very costly. Especially now, before the city
starts collecting tax revenues, you may run out of cash before you've
finish(ed) setting up the essentials of a new city. Without the essentials --
zones, transportation, and power -- your city will never grow.
You can take out a loan whenever you need more money. Find out how loans work
by reading the briefing called "Loans" -- it's in my files.
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Simoleons \___________________________________________________________________
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Simoleons are the currency of SimNation. Each city maintains a treasury of
simoleons to pay of city operations and growth. When the treasury is empty,
you will not be able to zone or construct new buildings. However, expenses
from city departments, ordinances, neighbor deals, and outstanding loans will
continue to accrue, sending the treasury into debt.
A city can carry debt up to a point, but if a city gets so deep in debt
there is no hope for escape, Sims will start looking for a new Mayor. Your
Financial Advisor will warn you when things start looking grim.
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From the book, "Simoleons and Treasury," by Albert Volkspan, Chairman of the
SimNation Federal Reserve Board
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Setting Tax Rates \___________________________________________________________
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Contrary to popular belief, there is no ideal setting for tax rates. Succesful
mayors continually review and adjust tax levels to influence how their city
grows.
Tax rates have a strong effect on the demand for certain land types. However,
conditions in the city such as availability of jobs and current land values
can counteract the effect that tax rates have on demand for land.
LOWERING TAXES
Lowering taxes in a particular sector will spur growth in that sector, other
things being equal. For example, cutting Residential taxes will attract Sims
to the city. There are risks to lowering taxes. The total number of taxpayers
may increase, but total revenues collected may fall. Also, a growing
population requires more city services, and that costs money.
RAISING TAXES
Raising taxes can increase the amount of tax revenues collected, allowing the
city to accumulate more funds to pay for city services growth. There are risks
to raising taxes. High tax rates encourage Sims or businesses to move away,
leaving the city with fewer taxpayers. Also, Sims don't like tax hikes and
will complain.
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Abstract from "Economic Hokum and Conceptual Profundity: A Tax Primer for
Mayors" by Dr. Crendel Hildenbraut, Academy for Justified Redistribution
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Funding City Departments \____________________________________________________
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Drafting a budget means deciding how much money from the city treasury should
be spent on each city department.
Each department requires a minimal amount to pay for salaries and capital
equipment. If you give a department additional funds, the department becomes
more effective -- up to a point. When departments receive far more than they
need, departmental employees have a tendency to waste extra funds on
unnecessary "luxury" items such as cappuccino machines and visits from pet
psychics.
So how much money should you allocate for each department? There is no one
answer to this question. Departmental needs change as the city grows.
Your advisor will offer their opinions on how much money to allocate. Be
aware, though, that they are sometimes biased in favor of their own
departments and may ask for more than they really need. And your Financial
Advisor will normally argue against spending money for anything that is not
an absolute necessity.
If you have seriously underfunded a department, you can be sure your Sims will
let you know. And unless you increase funding, the department may retaliate
with a strike.
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Class notes from "Budgeting for Mayors 101," Beezletown Community College,
M-W-F, 9:00-10:00 A.M.
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Budget Window \_______________________________________________________________
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The Budget window has two different views; one view shows city expenditures
and the other shows city income.
EXPENDITURES VIEW
The view shows the aggregate outflow your city pays for Ordinances, Neighbor
Deals, or outstanding loans. In addition, you'll see the current funding level
for each city department. You can adjust the funding by moving the
departmental slider to the right or left. The light blue marker on the budget
slider shows the amount of funding the department has requested, though you
may allocate any amount.
INCOME VIEW
This view shows the aggregate income your city receives from any money-
generating Ordinances, Neighbor Deals, or Business Deals, or from Disaster
Relief. In addition, you'll see current tax rates for each of the three city
main sectors (Industrial, Commercial, and Residential), and may adjust them
if you like.
The city's estimated annual profit or loss is displayed at the bottom of the
window. If the total is displayed in black, you're in good shape and should
make money at the end of the year. If the total is in red, you are projected
to lose money. That means you have more expenses than income for the year,
and will have to use cash reserves in the treasury just to make ends meet. If
you don't have enough cash, you'll start accumulating debt. When you're in
the red, it is best to start looking for ways to increase your income or
decrease your expenditures.
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Excerpt from the user's guide, "Budge-It," Financial Software for Mayors,
Version 1.1
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Neighbour Deals \_____________________________________________________________
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From time to time, Mayors from other cities may offer you deals to trade
power, water, or garbage disposal services. Each deal must be reviewed on its
own merit -- some deals are very advantageous, others potentially damaging.
The value of a deal depends on how you wish to operate your city.
You cannot initiate a deal directly. But when you build a connection to a
neighboring city, it signals that city's Mayor that you are interested in
trading a certain commodity. Power deals require a water pipe connection, and
garbade deals require either a road, rail, or seaport connection.
When you accept a deal to sell to a neighbor, you'll receive monthly income
from the contracted neighbor, money which is automatically added to your
treasury. When you accept a deal to buy from a neighbor, a monthly charge will
be deducted from your treasury.
Makre sure to read and understand the terms of a deal before you accept it.
Once you accpet a deal, you are obligated to fulfull the contract and will be
charged a penalty for canceling. If you destroy the connection between cities,
or run out of the commodity you're selling, the deal will be automatically
cancelled and you'll be charged a penalty fee.
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Inter-Urban Regulatory Guidelines for Neighbor Deals
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Business Deals \______________________________________________________________
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From time to time, you may be asked for permission to construct certain
buldings in your city. If you grant permission, your city will receive a
monthly fee for as long as the bulding stands.
All Business Delas may sound attractive, but be aware that these buldings
always bring problems to the city such as high crime, or pollution. The
presence of these buildings in the city will cause Sims to complain,
especially if they are constructed near Residential neighborhoods.
Think carefully before agreeing to a Business Deal. They are only worth the
trouble if you really need the cash.
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Inter-Urban Regulatory Guidelines for Business Deals
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Loans \_______________________________________________________________________
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When times get tough, or you are looking for rapid growth, you may want to
take out a loan.
Loans provide a quick infusion of cash to the city treasury. This cash can be
used for any purpose -- it can pay for improvements such as new schools, or it
can pay off existing debt. In short, loans stimulate growth in cities that are
robust but not wealthy, or can save from bankruptcy cities that have suffered
loss from disasters or fiscal mismanagement.
Loans are expensive, so don't take one without considering the consequences.
Interest costs are equal to approximately fifty percent of the loan; therefore
if a city takes a 10,000 simoleon loan, the city is obligated to pay back
nearly 15,000 simoleons.
FACTS ABOUT LOANS:
You may have up to ten loans outstanding at any dime.
A loan can be taken for any reason, and at any time (unless you have ten loans
outstanding).
Loans are available in 5,000 simoleon increments.
Each new loan is extended from ten year, and cannot be paid off early.
The city must make annual payments on each loan for ten full years.
Annual payment amounts are based on principal and interest.
When the final payment is mande in the tenth year, the loan is repain and
comes off the books.
Total payment made will equal approximately 150% of the original loan amount.
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Government Publication 10546\A-2F "Taking Out a Loan"
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Strategies for Increasing Cash \______________________________________________
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HOW TO CUT EXPENSES
Stop Construction!
Zoning and building use up your cash reserves faster than you'd think. When
cash reserves are low, build up your treasury before you build anything else.
Cut Budgets!
A quick way to cut expenses is to lower the budgets for some or all of the
city departments. Be careful though, as the departments will not run very
well without adequare funds and this may cause problems in your city. If you
cut the budget too far, you may end up with a strike on your hands.
Repeal Ordinances!
Most ordinances, when enacted, will cost the treasury a certain amount each
month, usually based on population. If the ordinance in repealed, the monthly
charge will stop. You can see all your current ordinances by going to the
Ordinance window. Click the box to remove the checkmark and repeal the
ordinance.
Review Neighbor Deals!
If you're spending money each month to buy a commodity from a neighbor, decide
if it's best for the contract to continue. If you think it is best to cancel
a contract, try to wait for an opportunity to cancel without paying the hefty
penalty.
HOW TO RAISE INCOME
Raise Taxes!
It will lower demand for real estate, but without cash to build, you don't
need high demand. Watch that taxes are not so high that everyone leaves town,
or you'll be in real trouble.
Enact Money-Generating Ordinances!
A small percentage of ordinances bring monthly income to the treasury. This
money comes from groups in the city affected by the ordinance, and they will
not be pleased when forced to pay.
Look for Moneymaking Neighbor Deals!
If you have excess water, power, garbade disposal capacity, check in the
Petitioner window for neighbors who will pay you to supply these commodities.
Take out a Loan!
Even though you have to pay back the money, plus interest, loans are a quick
way to build up the treasury. If you use the money wisely, paying back the
loan shouldn't be too painful.
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Advertising supplement, "Eight Ways to Increase Your Cash Flow"
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Petitioner Files \____________________________________________________________
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FISCAL WATCHDOGS
Proud to be called bean counters, the Fiscal Watchdogs keep a close eye on how
the public's money is spent. This loosely-organized group of concerned
accountants, bursars and cashiers volunteer their time and training to make
sure the city is not frittering away taxpayer money. Phyllis Denning, the
group's figurehead, claims never to have met a city expenditure she liked.
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Ordinances \__________________________________________________________________
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Legalised Gambling
Legalized Gambling allows the establishment of casinos offering card, table,
and mechanical games of chance as defined by the State "Right To Be Stupid
Act" of 1895 and ammended the following year.
The city regulates the vigorish and takes a percentage of profits from all
city gambling establishments each month. Even though gambling boosts the
treasury, it attracts unsavory types prone to petty crime.
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1.1. Transportation Advisor: Moe Biehl
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Welcome From Moe Biehl \______________________________________________________
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Hello, Mayor . Moeh Biehl is my name, and I'm very pleased to make
your acquaintance.
I don't mean to start off making too many suggestions, but you need to build
some roads. WIthout roads or rail the city will never develop. Sims need a
way to get around a town is all.
Make sure the roads you build connect all the different types of zones. It
might be nice to build a road around the borders of each zone too.
If you need help, check my files. I have a briefing called "Building A
Transportation System" that should give you a few tips.
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Building A Transportation System \____________________________________________
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ROADS vs. MASS TRANSIT
A transportation system can be based on roads, mass transit, or some
combination of both.
Most Sims prefer to drive their cars, so if roads are plentiful, more Sims
will want to live in your city, especially when the city is small. But if you
rely solely on roads you'll find that as the population grows, traffic
problems become horrendous.
Mass transit gets cars off the street and keep sthe air cleaner. It's one of
the best thing you can do for your city. In fact, it's difficult to build a
large city without using any mass transit at all.
When planning your subway, rail and bus routes, be sure that they are
convenient, or your Sims won't use them. Certain ordinances provide incentives
for Sims to forego their cars in facor of mass transit.
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Free Government Handout, "The Importance of Infrastructure"
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Roads, Intersections, and On-Ramps \__________________________________________
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ROADS and HIGHWAYS
Roads are two lane paved routes that Sims like to drive on. Highways are
elevated, high capacity roads. They allow Sims to travel more efficiently
over long stretches of terrain, so if you want to connect two very distant
zones, highways are a good choice.
INTERSECTIONS
Intersections allow your Sims to drive off of one road an donto another. They
are usually trouble-free, though if traffic is heavy, intersections can become
bottlenecked with Sims trying to merge.
When you build a road that crosses an existing road, city engineers will
automatically create an intersection for you.
ON RAMPS
Highways may be built over roads, but if you want your Sims to be able to get
from one to the other, the intersection requires an on-ramp. On-Ramps allow
your Sims to get on and off Highways. To build an on-ramp, select the On-Ramp
tool and click on the tile at the corner of the intersection of a road and
highway, or of two highways. The city engineers will construct the on-ramp.
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Endnotes from the poem, "The Road More Traveled" written by Moe Biehl
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Bridges \_____________________________________________________________________
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You can build roads, highways, and rails across water.
When you build over water, your city engineers will automatically be notified
to build a bridge for you. They will build causeways over short spans of
water and suspension bridges over large spans.
When building, don't be disheartened by the red drop shadow that appears as
you move the mouse over water -- just keep dragging until you reach dry land
again. When you release the mouse button on dry land, the city engineers will
notify you of the cost of the proposed span. If you accept, the bridge will be
built.
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Why Engineers Love Toothpicks and Duct Tape: Part 1 - Bridges
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Tunnels \_____________________________________________________________________
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When you're building a road, highway, or rail over mountainous terrain, your
omnipresent team of city engineers may insist you to bore a tunnel if the
incline is too steep.
This happens automatically if you try to build a route a steep incline. Your
team of city engineers will inform you of their ability to construct a tunnel
and the cost. If you accept, they will bore the tunnel for you.
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Why Engineers Love Toothpicks and Duct Tape: Part 2 - Tunnels
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Petitioner Files \____________________________________________________________
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MASS TRANSIENTS
This group is commited to the expansion, enhancement and use of public transit
throughout the city. Organized by Kara Barkley, estranged daughter of
car-mogul Ben Barkley, the group's expressed purpose is to remove automobiles
from all city streets. While they accept the futility of this position, they
nevertheless believe any victories, no matter how minor, are steps in that
direction.
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Ordinances \__________________________________________________________________
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Alternate Day Driving
The Alternate Day Driving Ordinace asks Sims to limit the number of days they
drive each week. Sims with even numbered license plates are encouraged to
drive only on even days and those with odd numbered plates only on odd days.
Drivers with vanity plates are asked to stay off the roads completely.
Global traffic in the city is reduced when this ordinance is in effect. The
monthly cost of this ordinance, based on population, is used to promote
voluntary compliance. Sims who violate the odd/even rule are frequently
ostracized by friends and co-workers, and can become angry enough to call for
its repeal.
The Carpool Incentive helps encourage drivers to have passengers in their
cars. Drivers with three additional passengers are not required to stop for
toll plazas. All "No Left Turn" signs may be ignored by drivers with seven
additional passengers. A driver with nine or more passengers receives free
all-day parking in most city garages.
This ordinance has a monthly cost based on population to pay for
administration of the program. The main benefit of this incentive is that it
reduces traffic in the city, although at times tempers can flare.
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Parking Fines
The Parking Fines Ordinance gives the city a small but steady source of income
from parking violators. Dedicated city employees, who meet minimal standards
for penmanship and congeniality, patrol the streets and issue tickets to Sims
who stop their cars without regard to safety factors, posted regulations,
common courtesy, or civic pride.
This ordinance tends to improve traffic flow in the city. However, most Sims
don't like the measure, and receiving a parking ticket fuels the fire of Sims
with latent anger issues.
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Shuttle Service
Sims will normally walk only short distance from their homes or offices to
reach a road or mass transit stop. Enacting the Shuttle Service Ordinance
sets up free shuttles around the city, increasing the distance Sims can travel
to find other sources of transportation.
The monthly cost of this ordinance is based on city population, and monies are
spent on repair and maintenance of a fleet of shuttles.
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Subsidised Mass Transit
The Subsidized Mass Transit Ordinance cuts subway, rail and bus fares by 50%,
providing an incentive for Sims to forego their cars for mass transit
alternatives. City funds provide the subsidy, and an amount based on
population is calculated and deducted from the treasury each month.
This ordinance reduces traffic congestion and air pollution in the city.
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1.2. City Planner: Constance Lee
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Welcome From Constance Lee \__________________________________________________
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Let me introduce myself. I'm Constance Lee, your City Planning advisor.
I have some advice for you right off -- start zoning. You must designate zones
in the city to let the Sims know where they can build.
If you lay down zones and make sure they have power and trasportation, it
won't be long before you'll see Sims construct new houses and businesses right
before your eyes!
The city will never start to develop until you have at least one Industrial
zone and one Residential zone, so place them first. Later you can add more
zones of all types.
If you need help placing zones, read the briefing in my files called
"Understanding Zones."
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Types of Zones \______________________________________________________________
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Zones are areas of the city that a Mayor designates for specific uses. There
are six types of zones.
RESIDENTIAL ZONES
Residential zones are where Sims live, in structures ranging from single
family homes to exclusive high rise condominiums.
COMMERCIAL ZONES
Commercial zones are where Sims shop, and where some of them work. Buildings
in these zones range from mom-and-pop shops to towering office complexes. The
demand for Commercial zones typically rises as a city gets larger.
INDUSTRIAL ZONES
Industrial zones define areas where manufacturing, agriculture, and high-tech
enterprises can do business. Younger cities normally attract polluting
industries, and can even attract farms in low density areas on the outskirts
of the town. As the education level of Sims rises, cities start to attract
cleaner, high-tech industries.
AIRPORT ZONES
Airport help Commercial and Industrial districts to grow by bringing in
tourists and workers. Airports must be fairly large in order to develop, and
require power and transportation.
SEAPORT ZONES
Seaports help Industrial and Commercial sectors to grow by providing a means
to transport goods to the outside world. Seaports must be fairly large in
order to develop, and require power and transportation. They must be located
on a seacost.
LANDFILL ZONES
Landfills are areas where city garbage is dumped, buried, and left to
decompose. When zoning landfill, remember to extend a road or rail from the
city to the landfill site so that the garbage can be transported there.
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Excerpt from the program "Location, Location, Location," broadcast on KSIM
98.1 -- SimNation Public Broadcasting Service
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How To Zone \_________________________________________________________________
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Zoning a city is both a science and an art. It is a science because demand
dictates when new zones are needed. It is an art because new zones may be
placed anywhere, allowing you to design any kind of city you like.
The RCI Demand Indicator is the tool that tracks the demand for Residential,
Commercial, and Industrial zones. When demand for a particular type of zone is
high, provide more of that zone.
Your decision on where to place a new zone, and what a density to zone for,
will influence how your city develops. Zone density determines the maximum
number of buildings that can occupy a zone and how tall those buildings can
be. In high-density zones, buildings may start small (low density) but will
be replaced with larger buildings as land becomes more valuable.
When placing different zone types next to each other, consider the impact of
adjacent zones. For example, a low-density Residential area placed next to
arge high-density Commercial towers might be a hard sell.
Even though you designate zones, the Sims will ultimately decide what to
build there. Sims are fussy and fickle and often contradictory. They want to
live close to the place where they work, but not too close since businesses
create pollution and traffic. Finding a balance between Sims' wants and needs
is key to the art of zoning.
In summary, there is no one right way to lay out the zones of your city.
Zoning is a process of estimation, and trial and error. Your Sims will let you
know when something is amiss.
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Editorial from Zone Quarterly, Volume 23, Issue 3, Section 21, Upper Left
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RCI Demand \__________________________________________________________________
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Cities, particularly young cities, tend to exhibit similar growth trends
because demand for specific land types follow a predictable pattern.
Early on, Industrial demand is high because outsiders want cheap land to
build new industries. Once industry is established, Residential demand grows
becase Sims who work in industry need a place to live. Gradually, these Sims
need Commercial services so, over time, demand for the Commercial sector
grows.
Residential demand is usually equal to the aggregate demand for Industrial and
Commercial, or simply stated, R = C + I. Younger cities demand more Industrial
than Commercial, while in mature cities the opposite is true. Industrial
demand comes from outside the city, while Commercial demand is primarily
internal -- as the city grows, it creates more and more internal demand for
Commercial.
Each sector has growth "caps" where growth cannot continue without
intervention. Certain buildings such as airports, seaports, amusement parks,
or sports stadiums can "lift the cap" allowing additional growth in the
sector. Listen to your Sims -- though the won't talk about caps, they'll let
you know when a sector stops growing and will suggest things to encourage
growth.
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Government Pamphlet 2352-4S (rev 1.2) Patterns and Trends of RCI Demand
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When Zones Fail to Grow \_____________________________________________________
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There are five primary reasons why some zones will not develop:
1. LACK OF UTILITIES: Zones must have power before they will start to develop,
and need water to develop to full density.
2. INADEQUATE TRANSPORTATION: And area will not develop unless Sims can drive
to that area, or get there using some form of mass transportation. Any areas
located more than a short walking distance from a transportation route is of
minimal interest to Sims.
3. OVERSUPPLY OF ZONE TYPE: If there is not sufficient demand for a particular
type of zone, that zone will not develop.
4. EXTREMELY HIGH OR LOW LAND VALUE: Industrial zones will not develop in
areas where the land value is too high, even if there is a demand for
Industrial zones. Residential and Commercial zones will not develop in areas
where land value is too low, even if there is a demand for such zones. Low
land value is caused by factors such as high crime, high pollution, or
proximity to certain structures like garbage incinerators, high-tension wires
or even buildings like jails.
5. RADIATION: If a zone has been contaminated with radiation, it will not
develop.
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Conclusions of the 11th Annual Conference of Zone Failure
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Petitioner Files \____________________________________________________________
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INDUSTRY FOR A BETTER TOMORROW
These dedicated plant managers and factory owners work to bring peace and
justice to the industrial sector. The organization has no written by-laws, as
this would fly in the face of the group's contempt for needless regulations.
Taxes are another concern; members believe governments tend to balance the
budget on the backs of rich industrialists. Fred Honker, the chief executive
of the group, enjoys skeet shooting-and canasta.
MALCOLM LANDGRAAB INDUSTRIES
Malcolm Landgraab Industries, the sole employee of which is Malcolm Landgraab,
owns a controlling interest in many of SimNation's large-scale real estate
projects. By advancing the interests of all developers throughout the city,
Landgraab Industries earns a small commision at both ends of all transactions.
Mr. Landgraab divides his time between his condo in the city and his hacienda
on the resort island of San Cordelia.
BUREAU OF OVERSIGHT
The Bureau of Oversight is the federal Watson to city government, operating
under the juridiction of the SimNation Department of Obscure Intentions. With
bureaucrat Fred Smith at the helm, the Bureau of Oversight has enjoyed higher
funding and lower responsibility for twenty-two consecutive years. Fred enjoys
coin collecting and television game shows.
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
The Chamber of Commerce works on behalf of the local business community.
President, pro tem, Prunella Penny is considered quite forceful in her pursuit
to make the city a business and commercial leader in the region.
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Ordinances \__________________________________________________________________
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Earthquake Resistance and Retro-Fitting
The Earthquake Resistance and Retro-Fitting Ordinance requires that money be
spent on design, engineering and construction of earthquake-resistant
buildings, and also on retro-fitting older buildings constructed before the
advent of modern techniques.
When this ordinance is enacted, building are better able to withstand tremors
and shaking, and will sustain less damage during an earthquake. It can be
pricey, though, since the monthly cost of this ordinance is based on the
number and types of buildings in the city.
The Homeless Shelters Ordinance pays for shelters, soup lines, and basic
infrastructure to aid the city's less fortunate.
The ordinance incurs a monthly cost based on city population. The money seems
well spent, as the city's overall land value actually increases, perhaps
because doing something positive for the least of people is uplifting.
The Tourist Promotion Ordinance uses tried-and-true advertising techniques to
attract visitors to town. It also establishes a Welcome Center where guests
receive maps, brochures, and discount coupons that can be used at numerous
retail establishments in the city.
When enacted, the treasury takes a monthly hit to pay for advertising
expenses in an amount based on population. Sims benefit from a stronger
Commercial demand, though they gripe about the traffic that the shutter-happy
tourists bring.
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Conservation Corps
The Conservation Corps is an organization responsible for maintaining the
natural beauty of the city. Armed with litter-stabbing sticks and plastic
trash bags, Sims of the Corps patrol city highways, streets and coastlines
hunting down unsightly trash.
This ordinance is funded through a monthly fee based on the number of
polluting factories in the city. In addition to reducing pollution and helping
to attract clean industry, the Conservation Corps keeps teenagers busy with
positive activities and a sense of purpose, helping to reduce crime.
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Clean Industry Association
The Clean Industry Association is a consortium of cities that promote clean
industry throughout SimNation. A small monthly fee supports the association's
efforts to attract non-polluting industries, conduct research in waste
management, and act as a watchdog over polluting industrial sites.
Many a new mayor has welcomed high-polluting industries into city, only to
regret the eventual costs to the quality of life. Enacting this ordinance will
please ecologically-minded residents, but when polluting industries start
feeling the pressure, they may pack up their bags and leave -- which may be
just what you're after.
The Electronic Tax Incentive Ordinance is designed to attract electronic
companies to your city by subsidizing some of the taxes those companies would
otherwise pay. For cities only mildly attractive to the electronics industry,
this tax break gives high-tech firms reason to take a second look.
The monthly cost of this subsidy can be pricey, as it is based on the number
of non-polluting manufacturers in the city. But if moving toward cleaner
industry is on your agenda, the financial hit may be worth it.
The Aerospace Tax Incentive Ordinance is designed to attract developers of
aerospace materials to your city by subsidizing some of the taxes those
companies would otherwise pay. This may encourage demand for clean industry in
your city, depending on the growth of the aerospace industry.
The monthly cost of this ordinance is based on the number of clean industries
in the city.
The Eletronics Job Fair Ordinance pays for an annual city-sponsored job fair.
Electronics companies view the job fair as a valuable way to find an educated
and experienced employee base, and are more likely to set up in cities that
hold one.
Demand for clean industry increases when this ordinance is enacted, but the
city foots the bill which is a monthly fee based on population.
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Biotech Tax Incentive
The Biotech Tax Incentive Ordinance is designed to attract biotechnology
companies to your city by subsidizing a portion of the taxes those companies
would otherwise pay. This may encourage demand for clean industry, depending
on the growth of the biotechnology industry.
The monthly cost of this ordinance is based on the number of clean industries
in the city.
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Public Access Cable
The Public Access Cable Ordinance pays for free local use of media facilities
by members of your community. Media companies are more likely to see your city
as a place where telecommunication skills are highly valued, and may be more
likely to move in, hoping to find an experienced employee base.
Each month a fee is deducted from the city treasury, an amount based on
population. Its effect is an increase in demand for clean industry.
The Farmer's Market Ordinance, the brainchild of the Urban and Rural Resource
Sharing Committee, asks the city to allocate a parcel of land where farmers
can sell fresh fruits and vegetables to the public at wholesale prices.
There are no costs to the city for enacting this ordinance, and all its
effects are positive. It encourages farm development in nearby areas, and
gives Sims a place to go on Saturday mornings.
The Industrial Pollutant Impact Fee Ordinance assesses a monthly fee to each
polluting factory in the city. Fees are deposited into the city treasury with
the understanding that some day they may be needed to clean up dangerously
contaminated sites.
Industry seems to resent government regulation in any form and some factories
may respond by moving to less restrictive cities. As long as the ordinance is
in place, it may be difficult to persuade new industries to move in, replacing
those that leave.
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1.3. Environment Advisor: Karen Frawl
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Dealing With Refuse \_________________________________________________________
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Trash happens. You simply can't stop Sims from generating it. There are ways
to reduce the amount of trash that Sims produce, but you can't eliminate it
completely. You must find a way to dispose of the trash in your city. Your
disposal alternatives are to dump it in landfills, burn it, or ship it out of
town.
Don't put off this chore. If you don't provide a means for your city to
dispose of garbage, Sims will be forced to dump their trash right out their
window and you'll be able to see it pile up. It isn't pretty.
When garbage levels get very high, health levels drop dramatically as will the
overall happiness of the Sims. It won't take long for everyone to find a
cleaner city in which to live.
-----
Public Education Brochure 12C-2, "Don't Let Garbage Become A Mess"
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Landfills \___________________________________________________________________
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LANDFILL ZONES
If you want to bury your city's garbage, you must zone an area for landfill.
Choose a site carefully. Landfills don't make grand neighbors -- they stink
up the air and cause surrounding land values to plummet -- so pick a spot far
from Residential and Commercial zones or Sims will complain.
All landfills require road or railroad access so that garbage can be
transported there. Without a transportation route, the landfill will be
unusable.
HOW LANDFILLS WORK
Landfills slowly decompose garbage, but they are not black hole; overused
landfills will reach a point where they can't handle any more trash.
Eventually, a landfill will decompose all of its accumulated garbage, at which
time it can be rezoned.
If you want to get rid of a landfill and you think bulldozing it will solve
the problem, think again. You can't bulldoze over landfills; however, you can
decommision them by removing road or rail access.
-----
Government Pamphlet 102-C "Landfills Are Everybody's Business"
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Incinerators \________________________________________________________________
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Incinerators dispose of garbage by burning it. Unfortunately, they are nasty
metal monsters that spew out lots of air pollution and ash. Sims don't like
them, and they especially don't like them build in their backyards.
Waste-to-energy incinerators are not any kinder to the environment. They have
a greater disposal capacity and actually create electricity by burning garbage
that can be used for supply power to your Sims.
Incinerators should be placed near a road or railway so garbage trucks or
trains carrying garbage can get there. But because of all the pollution they
create, incinerators should not be placed near Residential or Commercial zone
or Sims will complain.
Incinerators have a set lifespan. As they age, their capacity is significantly
reduced. There will come a time in the life of an incinerator when its
capacity drops so low, it is preferable to bulldoze and replace it.
Government Pamphlet 102-D "Insights on Incinerators"
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Recycling Centers \___________________________________________________________
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Recycling Centers can significantly reduce the amount of trash that Sims
produce.
It's much cheaper to recycle trash than it is to dispose of it, so build a
Recycling Center as soon as they become available. These centers pay for
themselves quickly, and no city should be without one.
Each Recycling Center can onlye deal with a limited amount of garbage, so
large cities should have them in multiple locations for maximum effectiveness.
Enact the Trash Presort Ordinance and you'll raise the efficiency of all
Recycling Centers.
Recycling Centers have a fairly long lifespan, but as they age, their capacity
diminishes so periodically these buildings will need to be replaced.
-----
Government Pamphlet 102-E "Recycling Centers: Where Sims Return Again and
Again"
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Neighbour Deals for Refuse \__________________________________________________
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Mayors from neighboring cities may come to you with offers to buy or sell
garbage disposal services.
Garbage deals are only available if you have built road, rail or seaport
connections to a neighboring city.
EXPORTING GARBAGE
An easy, but sometimes expensive, way to dispose of garbage is to pay a
neighbor to haul it all away.
Each month, a contracted neighbor will take all your excess garbage (meaning
all garbage that your city's landfills and incinerators cannot handle); and
each month, funds are deducted from your treasury based on how much garbage
they took.
If you don't generate any excess garbage, you still have to pay a minimum fee.
There is a large penalty for canceling the deal.
IMPORTING GARAGE
If you have excess landfill space or incinerator capacity, you can make a deal
to dispose of a neighbor's trash.
Each month, a set amount of trash will be added to your city's garbage and
each month, you'll receive a cash payment.
If your garbage disposal services become overloaded and you want to cancel
the deal, you'll be charged a large penalty.
-----
From the Circular Files of Inter-Urban Council On Trash Exchange
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Air Pollution \_______________________________________________________________
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Air pollution lowers land values and health levels in your city, making your
Sims quite distressed.
While many things contribute to air pollution, the two biggest culprits are
heavy traffic and smokestack industries. If you can encourage mass transit and
clean industries, you are well on your way to solving your city's air
pollution problem.
Adding trees and parks to your city helps to clean the air, as well as
enacting any of the clean air ordinances.
-----
A Skunkworks Team Report, "Air Pollution"
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Water Pollution \_____________________________________________________________
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Water pollution can devastate a city. It threatens the health of residents,
makes the drinking water smelly and unpalatable, and clogs pumps and pipes.
Water treatment plants can purify small amounts of dirty water, but it is far
too expensive and time consuming to keep a city's entire water supply
treated.
The best defense against water pollution is to stop it at the source. That
means preventing garbage from accumulating and attacking older, smokestack
industries. Enact clean water ordinances to encourage non-polluting, high-tech
industries to replace heavy manufacturing firms.
-----
A Skunkworks Team Report, "Water Pollution"
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Petitioner Files \____________________________________________________________
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GREEN GAIANS
Named after Gaia, the Greek goddess of the earth, the Green Gaians have been
instrumental in spearheading legislation to insure a clean environment for
all Sims. Spokesman Eugene Banks, and eco-biologist and former motorcycle
enthusiast, is SimNation's foremost authority on pollution and the lost art
of tie-dying.
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Ordinances \__________________________________________________________________
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Industrial Waste Disposal Tax
The Industrial Waste Disposal Tax levies a tax on all Commercial and
Industrial interests doing business in the city to pay for special disposal of
Class 3 Refuse. To "share the burden," a flat tax is assessed to all
businesses regardless of the actual amount of Class 3 Refuse they produce. All
companies dislike this tax, particularly small business owners who feel the
flat tax structure is unfair.
This ordinance brings monthly revenue into the treasury, an amount based on
the number of Commercial and Industrial in the city. It tends to lower
Commercial and Industrial demand.
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Mandatory Car Smogging
The Mandatory Car Smogging Ordinance requires that any car driven comply in
principle with clean emissions standards as set by the SimNation Geo-Physical
Council of 1979.
When this ordinance is enacted, air pollution levels drop. The city spends
money each month for administration of the program, an amount that varies
based of population. Since the cost of non-compliance falls upon the car
owners, a few Sims are always royally cheesed by this ordinance.
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Clean Air
The Clean Air Ordinance promotes techniques to reduce air pollution reduction
in all homes and businesses. Industry sees itself as the victim of this
measure, feeling pressured to clean up its own mess.
This ordinance has a monthly cost, based on population. The overall effect is
to lower citywide air pollution.
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Leaf Burning Ban
The Leaf Burning Ban Ordinance asks the residents to refrain from setting
outdoor fires to dispose of piles of leaves.
The result is a reduction of citywide air pollution and a lowering of
flammability. There is no cost associated with this ordinance, and it does
not ban Sims from burning leaves in their living rooms, should they choose to
do so.
The Trash Presort Ordinance encourages Sims to separate their garbage for
more efficient recycling. Individual bins are provided for each of
ninety-five refuse types, including toxic waste and syntethic plastics
numbered one through seventy-eight. Sims caught tossing trash into the wrong
bin must attend a six-week course, "Olfactory Identification of Trash Types."
When this ordinance is enacted, the city pays a monthly cost, based on
population, but efficiency in Recycling Centers goes up considerably.
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Lawn Chemical Ban
The Lawn Chemical Ban forbids the use of any fertilizer that contains
Triphenel-Bichloral-Monodioxide, a compound that has been found to contaminate
the city's ground water. Although the chemical ban hinders agricultural
development, most Sims believe the reduction in water pollution is for the
greater good.
Each month the city is charged a fee (based on population) to pay for
research and development of safer fertilizers, a move to appease farmers and
persnickety gardeners who rely on the 3P-2B-1D compound to control weeds.
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Landfill Gas Recovery
The Landfill Gas Recovery Project instructs the city to use available
technology to recover the natural gas that is a by-product of garbage
decomposition in a landfill. The city may, at its discretion, build and
maintain its own recovery plants, contract such recovery to local businesses,
or both. Any recovered natural gas will revert to the Utilities Department for
inclusion in the city's general power production, although the amounts are not
expected to be significant.
When this ordinance is in effect, the city incurs a small monthly cost that
fluctuates with population. However, air polution will be reduced by this
project, making the whole thing worthwhile.
The Backyard Composting Ordinance establishes periodic neighborhood workshops
to train citizens in the techniques of composting, a process that converts
organic home refuse into a useful fertilizer.
The monthly cost of this ordinance, based on Sim population, helps cover the
granola budget for workshop participants, and pays for tour guides at local
manura farms and worm ranches. It benefits the city by reducing citywide
garbage and by letting Sims experience the good feeling that comes when one
works with the soil.
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Paper Reduction Act
The Paper Reduction Act reduces garbage levels in the city by calling
attention to the vast amount of paper wasted in the normal course of running
a business. It requires all production managers to file a fifty page report
whenever paper usage at their business or factory exceeds, by then percent or
more, the previous month's levels. These reports are to be typed on the
Standard Form 23/6-A (rev. 2), and must provide written justification for the
paper usage variance.
The monthly cost of this ordinance, based on Sim population, pays to bind and
store these reports in public reading rooms. The ordinance if found to be an
effective means for reducing garbage production, because managers will do
"whatever it takes" to avoid writing a report.
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Tyre Recycling
The Tire Recycling Ordinance requires that all discarded vehicular tires be
pulverized and incorporated into asphalt, in accordance with common road
engineering practices. This ordinance reduces both garbage production and the
cost of building new mads.
A monthly fee, based on Sim population, is deducted from the treasury when
this ordinance is in effect. Funds pay for pulverizing the city's old tires,
and for delivery of the material to the Transportation Department for use in
road construction.
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1.4. Public Safety Advisor: Maria Montoya
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__________________
Police Protection \___________________________________________________________
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Crime is a fact of life in any city, but it can and should be kept to a
minimum. High crime in a neighborhood lowers land values and makes law-abiding
Sims very unhappy.
You can deal with crime from several angles. First, build more police stations
in your city. Second, take steps to make your city a nice place to live
(SimCriminals tend to avoid nice places).
POLICE STATIONS
Police stations provide protection in a radius around each station called a
"precinct." The size of a precinct expands as you raise the police budget.
Criminals can roam free in any area that is not covered by a precinct, so try
to place police stations in strategic areas around your city.
Funding not only affects a precinct's size, but also its effectiveness. Police
effectiveness is the likelihood that a criminal who commits a crime within a
precinct will get caught. Effectiveness is always highest in a small radius
around the police station, and starts to face farther away from the station.
As police funding increases, police effectiveness throughout the precinct
rises. Police stations placed near one another may have precincts that
overlap, and effectiveness in these overlapping areas is addictive.
The Crime Data map shows the location of police stations and the effectiveness
within the precincts, as well as showing areas of high crime in the city. Use
this map to find the best spots to place new police stations. You can use the
query tool to get details on how any individual station is doing.
-----
Classnotes from the Police Academy, "Protecting Your Sims"
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______
Jails \_______________________________________________________________________
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Jails are where convicted criminals are put to pay their debt to society. If
you do not have enough jails in your city, the police will be forced to
release any new criminals they catch back onto the street. Keep enough jails
around or your police effectiveness will drop.
Sims don't like living near jails, so build them away from Residential
neighborhoods.
-----
SimNational Report on Criminal Housings Alternatives
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Lowering Crime \______________________________________________________________
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The best way to lower crime is to build more police stations and raise the
police budget. But there are additional measures you can take.
High land value goes hand in hand with low crime. The more you can do to make
your city a more desirable place to live, the fewer crimes will occur.
Certain ordinances can reduce crime, though you should weigh the cost of the
ordinance against the cost of providing additional police protection. And be
aware that some ordinances, like some building, tend to increase crime levels.
-----
Proceedings from the Police Commissioner Convention: Making Your City Safer
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___________________
Dispatching Police \__________________________________________________________
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
When an emergency occurs, you may manually dispatch a polce squadron to any
area in the city.
The number of squadrons you can send at any one time is equal to the number of
police stations in the city plus one. You always have at least one dispatch,
even with no police stations.
When an emergency arises in a area with sufficient police coverage, you
probably do not need to dispatch additional police. You still may want to,
though, especially for larger disasters.
Police can help to some extent no matter what type of disaster occurs. Though
they are most effective for dealing with riots, they can be helpful for
dealing with other disasters such as fires.
To dispatch a police squadron, click on the Dispatch Police button within the
EMERGENCY button menu and then click on any location in the city. The officers
arrive immediately and go straight to work. A police dispatch pylon will mark
their location.
-----
Excerpt from The Police Office"s Handbook, "Getting the Most Out of Your
Patrol Car"
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________________
Fire Protection \_____________________________________________________________
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FIRE STATIONS and FUNDING
Fires occur at random, though they are more likely in areas of high
flammability. If Fire Stations are placed strategically throughout the city,
you can rest easy knowing that if a blaze does break out, you have everything
set up to solve the problem without your intervention.
Each fire station you place provides a radius of fire protection around it.
The size of the coverage area expands up to a limit as you raise the fire
budget. Though a fire is just as likely to break out in an area with fire
protection as in one without, fires in protected areas are less likely to
do any damage because firefighters respond immediately.
Funding not only affects the size of the coverage area, it also influences the
effectiveness of firefighters within a covered area. Firefighter effectiveness
is the likelihood that a fire that breaks out in a protected area will get put
out before damage occures. Effectiveness is always highest in a small radius
around the fire station, and starts to fade farther away from the station. As
fire funding increases, firefighter effectiveness rises.
Fire stations placed near one another may have cover areas that overlap, and
effectiveness in these overlapping areas is additive.
The Flammability Data map shows the location of fire stations and their
coverage areas. It also shows areas at high risk of fire. Use this map to find
the best spots in your city to place new fire stations.
WHEN A FIRE IS OUT OF CONTROL
When a fire occurs in an area not served by a fire station, you can dispatch
firefighters to the scene. You might even dispatch police, though they don't
help much. Or you can bulldoze a firebreak around to blaze to try and contain
it. What you cannot do is turn off "disasters" when a fire is already in
progress.
-----
Tips from Dotty the Dalmatian: Protecting Your City Against Fire
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Flammability \________________________________________________________________
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Flammability is a measure of how easily something will burn. All buildings in
your city have an inherent flammability rating, which you can see if you query
the building. The higher the rating, the more like that building well be
consumed by fire if one occurs.
The most effective way to reduce the flammability of a building is to make
sure it is watered. To be watered, a building must be located within seven
tiles of a water pipe that is supplying water. Try to see that all buildings
in your city are hooked to the water system. The reduction in potential fire
damage is significant.
Certain ordinances can reduce the global flammability level in your city.
-----
From Dotty the Dalmatian's Collection of Favorite Quotes: Don't Let the
Flammability Dog Wag the Fire Hose Tail
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_________________________
Dispatching Firefighters \____________________________________________________
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
When an emergency occurs, you may manually dispatch a unit of firefighters to
any area in the city. The number of units you can send at any one time is
equal to the number of fire stations in the city plus one. You always have at
least one dispatch, even with no fire stations.
When an emergency arises in an area with sufficient fire coverage, you
probably do not need to dispatch additional firefighters. You still may want
to, though, especially for larger disasters. Firefighters can help to some
extent no matter what type of disaster occurs. For example, they are very
effective dealing with fire, but not so great at quieting riots.
To dispatch a fire fighting unit, click on the Dispatch Firefighters button
within the EMERGENCY button menu and then click on any location in the city.
The unit arrives immediately and firefighters go straight to work. A fire
dispatch pylon will mark their location.
-----
From the inspirational papers of Dr. Bernie Upman, "Responding to the Mayor's
Call"
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Disasters \___________________________________________________________________
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PREDICTING DISASTERS
Disasters occur at random, but sometimes you may see hint that they're coming.
Keep your eye on your News Ticker.
WHEN DISASTERS STRIKE
Fires and riots are the only disasters where you can make a difference by
dispatching police and fire units. It doesn't matter how many police officers
you send to an earthquake or alien attack, it won't make any difference once
the disaster hits, though the Early Warning Siren helps if activated
beforehand.
If, for some reason, you actually want a disaster to occur, select CREATE
DISASTER and pick your means of destruction. You may avoid disasters
altogether by unchecking "Disasters" in the Preferences window.
-----
Recovered page from Mrs. O'Leary's diary entitled, "I could Kick Myself for
Not Seeing That Disaster Coming"
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____________________
Early Warning Siren \_________________________________________________________
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When it comes to disasters, all cities are at risk. Though you can hope for
the best, it always best to prepare for the worst.
If you can get your Sims off the streets and inside before a disaster strikes,
the damage from the disaster will be much less. Activate the Early Warning
Siren and they will heed your warning and take cover.
You are the only one who can control this siren, and you should not abuse the
privilege. If you activate the siren when no emergency is imminent, Sims will
start to doubt you and may not respond when a the need is real so tease with
caution.
-----
Government Pamphlet #108B\4, Misuse of the Early Warning Siren is Cause For
Alarm
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_________________
Petitioner Files \____________________________________________________________
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SIMS ACTING FIRMLY IN EMERGENCIES (S.A.F.E.)
S.A.F.E. works closely with local authorities to help neighborhoods fight
crime and prepare for emergency situations. "Neighborhoods are the collective
family," says Drill Sergeant Kurt Kahonis. "When the neighborhood works
together, the city works -- period." Sims don't argue with him.
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Ordinances \__________________________________________________________________
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Crossing Guards
The Crossing Guard Ordinance puts highly-trained crossing guard at some of
the more challenging intersections of the city. This ordinance carries a
small monthly cost, based on population, to pay the salaries of these fearless
public servants.
Crossing guards help prevent pedestrian accidents, increasing the overall
health of Sims in the city. However, traffic becomes more congested at these
intersections, causing a slight increase in citywide traffic.
The Neighborhood Watch Ordinance encourages Sims to volunteer for duty and
crime-watch teams in their neighborhoods. Team members patrol the streets and
report any crimes or suspicious activities to a designated "block captain"
who in turn contacts a police rapid-response unit.
Though this ordinance has a monthly cost based on Sim population, it is highly
effective in lowering citywide crime levels.
The Mandatory Smoke Detector Ordinance requires that all buildings in the city
be equipped with smoke detectors. These battery-powered devices emit a
piercing sound whenever smoke is present. As irritating as the noise is, Sims
prefer this harmless annoyance to the alternative -- being unaware a fire has
broken out.
This ordinance has a monthly cost, an amount based on the number of buildings
in the city. When it is enacted, citywide flammability is significantly
lowered.
The Youth Curfew reduces crime by requiring the all youths be off the streets
by 10:00 PM every night. Violators are escorted to the nearest police station
where they must wait for their parents or guardians to take them home.
This ordinance has a monthly cost, based on city population. Funds are used to
pay for the additional police patrol needed.
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1.5. Health, Education and Aura Advisor: Randall Shoop
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_____________________
Improving Sim Health \________________________________________________________
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How long do you expect to live? If you're an average Sim living in the
average city, you'll probably live fifty-nine years. At least that's what
insurance actuarial charts tell us. But there is new scientific proof that we
can increase our life expectancy to as high as ninety years.
No, it's not a miracle drug. The secret to longevity is living a healthy life.
This is easier said than done, and despite the claims made by militant vegans,
broccoli alone is just not enough.
So what can we Sims do to increase our own longevity? We demand that more
hospitals be built in the city, and ask for higher healthcare funding. We can
take public transit to reduce smog levels. And we can lobby for health-
improving ordinances, including measures that ensure a healthy, pollution-free
environment.
-----
Transcript of a Channel 12 "Viewer Perspective." The speaker is Dexter
Filbert.
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How Sims Learn \______________________________________________________________
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Young Sim brains are like sponges, soaking up and learning everything they are
exposed to. But their uncanny ability to learn is fleeting. By the time Sims
reach adulthood at age twenty-two, they have learned all they will learn in
their lifetime.
Sadly, adult Sims must work to merely retain the education level they achieved
in their youth. If they aren't continually exposed to educational environments
such as museums and libraries, their accumulated knowledge starts to decay.
-----
From the article, "The Myth of Adult Education -- A Meta-Analysis Of Sim
Learning Trends With Implications for Policymakers" by Harcourt Nosetip, Ed.D.
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Raising Education Levels \____________________________________________________
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Education levels determine a city's potential. High education levels in a city
mean less pollution, less crime, and happier Sims. Also, high-tech industries
are only attracted to cities that have a pool of educated workers.
If you want to raise education levels in your city, concentrate on educating
the children. Build enough schools and colleges in your city so that every
young Sim has a place to learn. The quality of education that young Sims
receive in school will affect them their entire lives.
Schools require funding to be effective. If education funding is very low for
an extended period of time, teachers and/or college professors will go on
strike.
Do not neglect the educational needs of adult Sims. Build museums and
libraries to halt the natural decay of knowledge in adults -- it's a smart
move for your city.
-----
Letter to the Editor, Simville Picayune, "Fallacies in The Analyses of
Harcourt Nosetip, Ed. D."
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Keeping Sims Happy - Aura \___________________________________________________
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Aura means happiness and feelings at well-being -- the general ambience of the
city. A city with high Aura is home to happy Sims, and happy Sims give high
approval ratings to the Mayor. Sometimes they even bring gifts!
You can raise the Aura in your city by keeping education and health level
high. Also, a growing economy and the presence of desirable buildings such as
parks and zoos can raise Aura. Aura is tied to land value; the higher the
aura, the greater the land value.
Pollution, crime, traffic, high tax levels, and the presence of undesirable
buildings such as landfills and prisons can lower Aura.
Do not neglect or pooh-pooh the Aura rating, as only cities with high Aura
will achieve full success and become eligible to receive gifts and special
opportunities.
-----
From the self help book, "If I Had Only An Hour To Live, I Would Continue
Playing This Slot Machine," by Marcia Q. Boggle, Certified Aura Specialist
offering aura readings and photographs at reasonable prices.
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______________________
Petitioner Files - 1 \_______________________________________________________
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GRATEFUL CITIZENS COMMITTEE
Grateful Citizens Comittee members are, in the words of its founder, Beverly
Overly, "so dang happy to be Sims that we could just spit." The main function
of this group is to present awards to city officials for outstanding work.
When there are no awards to be presented, Beverly devotes her time and
energy to recruiting new committee members.
"HAVE A NICE DAY" CLUB
Originally a divorce support group called Dumped and Desperate, the "Have A
Nice Gay" Club was renamed when several members remarried but didn't want to
break ties with the group. This is a social organization, not a political
group, though members speak out occasionally on city Aura issues. Suzanne
Pleasant, the committee's Executive Secretary, is an unflagging optimist who
searches for the good in any situation. She has not remarried.
GRAY LLAMAS
Eighty-eight year old Beatrice Meffelwhim started the Gray Llamas when her
husband, Jervis, was recovering from a broken hip. "The poor dear," Bea
remembers. "Seeing him hobbe after busses as they pulled away from the curb
gave me the idea." She does not think of the Gray Llamas as a "senior
citizen's lobby," but as a group of older Sims who have ideas for everyone.
BENEVOLENT AND PROACTIVE ORDER OF LLAMAS
The BPOL is one of the oldest, most revered civic organizations in the city.
Its stated purpose is to "gently remind the Mayor from time to time of certain
obligations inherennt to the office." The spokesperson is Fred Clockson,
Regional Coordinator. When not attending to organizational duties, Fred ties
flies at Miller's Trap'N Trout.
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______________________
Petitioner Files - 2 \_______________________________________________________
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SOCIETY OF THE EXCESSIVELY CULTURED
This elite organization works to enrich the city by promoting education and
the fine arts. Members also do charity work. Each holiday season, the group
delivers baskets of classical music CDs and domestic Pinot Noirs to needy
families in the city. Mrs. Harold Crebs assumed leadership of the group when
her husban, Harold Crebs, was killed in a golf cart accident.
BELOW AVERAGE BOWLERS LEAGUE
B.A.B.L. members have learned political activism can bring almost as much
excitement into their lives as bowling does. This group of third shift
millwrights have little reason to complain to the mayor, but do so at every
opportunity because they enjoy hearing their voices echo in the office
rotunda. "Besides, it gets us out of the house during the day," says current
Exalted Poobah and thirty pin handicapper Lenny Striker.
MRS. FARSHEIM'S 10th GRADE CIVICS PROJECT
Established by the school board, this experimental group of high school
sophomores gives the voice of youth open access to the Mayor's office. Civics
teacher Peg Farsheim hopes that showing young Sims the inner workings of city
government will help prepare them to be citizens and lead more productive
lives. Rodney "Boss" Jones, the group's teen leader, has already expressed an
interest in becoming an alderman.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
___________
Ordinances \__________________________________________________________________
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Free Clinics
The Free Clinics Ordinance uses city funds to establish and maintain low-cost,
high-efficiency clinics. Although they are open to the entire citizenry, these
clinics are generally frequented by members of the lower economic strata, and
thus treat a wide variety of ailments which would otherwise go untreated.
The monthly cost of this ordinance is based on population. It results in a
general rise in the city's health, and the sense of having done something
worthwhile.
The Junior Sports Ordinance organizes after-school team sports for youths.
Uniforms are provided by various companies in the city in a spirit of co-
operation with local government. Still, the ordinance costs the city a small
amount each month based on city population.
This ordinance lowers crime in the city by giving young troublemakers a
positive outlet for impertinent creativity. All students in the league show a
marked increase in standardized test scores thanks to strict academy
requirements.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Nuclear Free Zone
The Nuclear Free Zone Ordinance spends a small amount of money per Sim to
promote alternatives to nuclear applications and to encourage replacement of
existing nuclear facilities. Politically charged and occassionally effectual,
this ordinance raises a city's aura by providing Sims with a feeling of impact
in an otherwise uncaring world.
The Pro-Reading Ordinance promotes reading and writing in the city through
the use of tutors, special programs and other learning resources. All Sims,
but especially younger Sims, may take advantage of these free extra curricular
classes to imporve reading skills, learn new skills, or just get out of the
house on occasion.
The Pro-Reading Ordinance has a monthly cost based on city population. It
brings positive effects to the Sims including an increase in the city's
education level, and the ability to discuss Proust.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Public Smoking Ban
The Public Smoking Ban outlaws smoking in and around all public buildings. The
city must pay money each month, an amount based on population, to equip local
merchants with plastic water buckets. Patrons, customers or just passers-by
are then able to dump water on anyone caught smoking in a public area.
When this ordinance is in effect, the result is an increase in the overall
health of city Sims.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Community CPR Training
The Community CPR Training Ordinance establishes a small fleet of mobile
medical training vans that travel throughout the city offering courses in
cardio-pulmonary resuscitation. Conducted by local chapters of the Junior
Llama League, these courses teach Sims how to respond in an emergency,
increasing survival rates for Sims stricken with cardiac arrest.
This ordinance costs a small amount each month, based on population. The
program raises general health levels of the populace and gives all Sims peace
of mind.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
1.6. Utilities Advisor: Gus Oddman
//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
________________________
Welcome From Gus Oddman \_____________________________________________________
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Glad to meet you, Mayor . I'm Oddman -- Gus Oddman. I see you're
starting to build your city and thought I'd remind you about the importance
of electric power. Without a source of power, your city will never develop.
I recommend you construct a power plant immediately. If you build one close to
your zones, they'll get power automatically. You can build a power plant far
away if you like but you'll need to lay power lines to connect the power
plant to your zones that need power.
If you need more help understanding how power works, I have several briefings
in my files that could help you.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
___________________________
Getting Power To Your Sims \__________________________________________________
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Due to major advances in power transmission, power plants can transmit power
effortlessly across zones. Electric energy from power plants radiates out two
tiles in all directions. Every zoned tile or building that lies within that
two line radius will be powered. But that's just the beginning.
Every powered tile or building acts like a power relay station, transmitting
power for an additional four tiles. Powered tiles use what they need, and
deliver any remaining power to surrounding zoned tiles and buildings. As long
as power flows to a zoned tile or building, it will just keep going.
Thoughtful zoning makes it feasible to create a chain of power, enabling you
to power an entire city without ever placing power lines!
But there may be cases when laying power lines is a better option. For
instance, if you place a power plant in an unzoned area on the far outskirts
of the city, there may not be enough zoned tiles to relay the power where it's
needed. In this case power lines are needed to transmit the power to the
zones. Power lines allow you to place heavy polluting, undesirable power
plants far from your developing zones.
-----
Utility Billing Insert #24, "Recent Advances in Power Delivery"
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
_________________________
High-Tension Power Lines \____________________________________________________
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
High-tension power lines carry power any distance over zones or unzoned tiles.
Power lines do not need to originate at a power plant -- they can be built
anywhere. As long as part of the power line touches a powered tile, the entire
power line will be powered. Power is conducted through the lines to the end
point, and also radiates out two tiles along the path of the power line.
Power lines can cross most types of terrain, though if the terrain is too
mountainous, you'll need to find another path. You can even build power lines
over water if you are willing to pay your city engineers to construct
platforms to stabilize the power lines.
Sims do not like living near high-tension power lines, and Residental land
values near them will never reach their peak.
-----
Utilities Billing Insert #59, "The Angst Over High-Tension Power Lines"
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
_____________
Power Plants \________________________________________________________________
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SimCity 3000 offers nine types of power plants, though not all of them are
available all the time. (They must be invented first!)
Each power plant varies in cost, useful lifespan, amount of power it can
generate, and amount of pollution it produces. You need to decide which is
best for your city's needs. If you can afford it, it's worth spending the
extra money for lower-polluting power plants, but there may be times when you
have no choice but to cover your Sims in black spot.
Power plants lose capacity as they age and will explode when they reach the
end of their useful life. It is a good idea to bulldoze and replace older
power plants with new plants before they explode to prevent any unexpected
power losses. It is especially important to bulldoze nuclear plants before
they reach the end of their life. If a nuclear plant explodes, it releases
dangerous radiation that will devastate the surrounding area.
-----
"Power Can Neither Be Created Nor Destroyed -- The Debunking of a Theory,"
unpublished paper by Gus Oddman.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
________________________
Blackouts and Brownouts \_____________________________________________________
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A power loss, called a blackout, occurs when a building or zone that normally
receives power is not receiving enough power to operate. Most blackouts occur
when a power station can't generate enough power to meet the demands of the
area it serves. Power will radiate as far as possible from the power station
and then will just stop, leaving structures farthest from the plant without
power.
Another cause for blackouts is when a "break" in the grid occurs. This can
mean that a power line was destroyed, or that the established path where the
power radiated was disrupted through unzoning of powered tiles, or when a
powered building on an unzoned tile was destroyed.
A lighting bolt symbol will flash when a structure is not receiving power. For
a complete view of the powered and unpowered ares of your city, check the
Power Data map.
-----
Utilities Billing Insert, Flyer #87, "What Causes Power Loses?"
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
______________________
Your City Needs Water \_______________________________________________________
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sims need water. Zones that are not watered will never reach full development
and are at high risk for fire disasters. If water to a developed zone is cut
off for too long, Sims will pack up and leave.
It's not always easy to tell if a tile is watered just by looking at your
city. Slow (or no) development is an indication, but the only sure-fire method
is to query the time, or switch to the underground view where watered tiles
are easily distinguishable by their bright blue color.
-----
Excerpt from "The Universal Solvent: What Every Mayor Should Know About Water"
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
___________________________
Getting Water To Your Sims \__________________________________________________
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Though you may have natural water sources like lakes and rivers in your city,
you must build pumps to pump the water out, and build a network of pipes to
carry this water to your Sims.
Water from the pumps will flow through the pipe network toward the city until
the water supply is exhausted. You may have tiles that are piped from water,
but unless your pumps can generate enough water to fill all the pipes, some
areas won't get the water they need. Build more pumps and connect them to the
pipe network to increase the flow.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
_____________________
Three Types of Pumps \________________________________________________________
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
There are three kinds of water sources in your city and, not surprisingly,
three kinds of pumps. All pumps have a limited lifespan. As they age, their
capacity to pump water decreases. It makes sense to bulldoze and replace older
pumps with new pumps.
PUMPING STATIONS
Regular pumping stations pump water from fresh water lakes and rivers. Like
all pumps, they require electricity to operate. Pumping stations, though, can
pull up more water than any other kind of pump. They must be built very near a
fresh water source, or they won't work. Pay attention to water pollution
levels, as high pollution really slows down the efficiency of pumping
stations.
WATER TOWER
Water towers pump water from hidden underground springs. These springs exist
everywhere, so water towers can be build anywhere. The problem with water
towers is that they don't pump very much water. Water pollution can slow them
down even further.
DESALINIZATION PLANT
Desalinization plants pump water from the sea and convert the salt water into
fresh water. They do their job amazingly well, but they do come with some
potential problems. These pumps must be built on a seacoast to be of any use,
they are less efficient than a pumping station, and they lose efficiency when
water pollution is present.
-----
Article from Pump Weekly, "Three Common Types of Pumps"
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
____________
Water Pipes \_________________________________________________________________
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Water radiates out along pipe routes, watering all areas within seven tiles of
a pipe that carries water. Unlike power transmission, watered tiles do not act
as relay stations. For a tile to be watered, it must be above or near a pipe,
not just near another watered zone.
To get water to the Sims, you must lay water pipes from a water pump to the
city and construct a pipe network under all zones.
When you choose the pipes from the Main Toolbar, the city view will
automatically change to an underground view. Roads, zoned areas and developed
areas are visible in this view so you can orient yourself. You can also see
the underground components of water facilities so you can make the connections
with ease.
-----
Article from Pipes 'n' Wires, "Pipes: A Network Connection That Needs No
Computer"
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
________________
Water Pollution \_____________________________________________________________
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pollution can really gum up the waterworks. Pumps lose efficiency when they're
pumping polluted water. You can add more pumps to increase the supply in the
short term, but don't forget to clean up the pollution.
WATER TREATMENT PLANTS
One way to help clean up the water supply is to build water treatment plants.
They must be connected by pipes to the water grid in order to be effective.
ORDINANCES
If water pollution in your city is severe, or you don't want it to become
severe, consider enacting ordinances to reduce pollution. They cost money, but
they make a real difference.
-----
Excerpt from The Little Book of Daily Affirmations: Clean Words on Dirty Water
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
_______________________
Buying Power and Water \______________________________________________________
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If you don't want to clutter up your city with unsightly and expensive
facilities, you can purchase power or water from a neighbor. You must have the
proper utilities connection in place before a deal can be made.
Each month, a contracted neighbor will look at your city's power or water
needs at the connection point, and will supply enough to cover the deficit.
The connection point is critical. Any area of the city that you want to
supply with purchased power or water must be able to be served from the
connection point. If no pipe network or power transmission path exists
between the connection and an area that need utilities, the neighbor will not
recognize the deficit and will not sell you enough power or water to cover
that deficit.
Each month, funds are deducted from your treasury based on how much power or
water you needed. If you didn't need any during the month, you still have to
pay a minimum fee. You should also take into account that there is a large
penalty for canceling the deal.
-----
Inter-Urban Council Proceedings on Buying Power and Water
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
________________________
Selling Power and Water \_____________________________________________________
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If you are generating excess power or water and you have the appropriate
utilities connection in place, you may be approached by a neighbor looking to
purchase these resources.
If you make a deal to sell power or water, each month you are responsible to
supply the contracted amount to be delivered through the connection point.
The connection point is critical. If you're generating excess power or water
in areas that cannot serve the connection point, you may not be able to
fulfill the contract. Make sure there is a clear transmission path (pipes for
water, zones or wires for power) from the source at your excess utilities to
the connection point.
If conditions change and you can no longer provide the power you promised, the
deal is canceled and you'll be charged a large penalty.
-----
Inter-Urban Council Proceedings on Selling Power and Water
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
_________________
Petitioner Files \____________________________________________________________
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CHANNEL 12's "IF YOU HURT, WE GET THE DIRT"
Neighbors helping neighbors -- that's the philosophy of the Channel 12
Consumer Action Team. Led by investigative reporter Allie Wong, this group
brings hard-hitting local stories to the public. Allie recently won the
acclaimed FACE award for her ability to feign compassion when interviewing
victims of catastrophes.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
___________
Ordinances \__________________________________________________________________
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Stairwell Lighting
The Stairwell Lighting Ordinance requires all high-occupancy buildings be
equipped with small automatic devices called "minuterie" in public stairwells.
These devices detect movement and turn off lights when the stairwell is not in
use, saving energy.
The ordinance has a small monthly cost based on number of buildings, but it
benefits the city by reducing overall power consumption.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Water Conservation
The Water Conservation Ordinance funds citywide programs to educate Sims
about methods to reduce residential water consumption. In addition, it sets
restrictive standards for business water usage, and a governing board issues
penalties for non-compliance.
The monthly cost for maintaining this ordinance is based on city population.
When enacted, water consumption in the city drops by several percentage
points.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Power Conservation
The Power Conservation Ordinance funds programs to teach Sims about methods
for reducing power consumption at home, including turning off air conditioners
and cable TV sets. Residents are asked for voluntary compliance, but
bussinesses must adhere to mandatory power restrictions and are assessed
penalties for non-compliance.
The monthly cost for maintaining this ordinance is based on city population.
When enacted, power consumption in the city drops by several percentage
points.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mandatory Water Meters
The Mandatory Water Meter Ordinance requires that water meters be placed in
all buildings within the city limits. Building owners are assessed water usage
fees based on actual water consumption for that building. Up to half of this
assessment may be passed on to building tenants.
A monthly fee, based on the number of buildings in the city, is deducted from
the treasury when this ordinance is in effect. Funds are used to pay for meter
installation and periodic meter readings. Its effects are to significantly
reduce citywide water consumption.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
==============================================================================
2. Ordinance
==============================================================================
(Note that the most common risk for enacting most ordinances is the fact that
there *will* be a part of your population who asks for the repealing of that
ordinance. It's so common that I won't include it again within the
ordinance's data. Another risk is, of course, losing money. I won't include
it again as well. Also remember that the better a factor is, like the
decrease in pollution or traffic, will obviously have an effect to increase
land value and aura, so it's not necessary to remind you again and again.)
//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
Financial
//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
00. Legalised Gambling
Type : Income
Base : Population
Risk : Increase in crime
Feat.: Invites Casino business deal
Legalised Gambling is usually younger cities' early breath. It provides
quite some steady amount of income and the crime it comes up with isn't
all that damaging due to the currently small city size. Also, if the
ordinance alone can't help you and your money keeps on free-falling, you
may be asked to agree the Casino Business Deal which, despite the lowering
Aura thing and all, will give you another fresh money. You will see that
the income from this ordinance rises as your population grow, but it is
suggested that you take a point in time to stop this ordinance for once
and ever. If you can live through without it, better live through without
it.
//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
Transportation
//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
00. Alternate Day Driving
Type : Expense
Base : Population
Risk : -
Feat.: Reducing traffic
Alternate Day Driving probably is not a good way to reduce traffic.
People generally dislike the idea, and the cost seems to be a bit high.
01. Carpool Incentive
Type : Expense
Base : Population
Risk : -
Feat.: Reducing traffic
Carpool Incentive is also generally disliked, and while the cost is lower,
the effect doesn't seem to come by much. Try this if you want to help but
is on a budget.
02. Parking Fines
Type : Income
Base : Population
Risk : -
Feat.: Reducing traffic
While Parking Fines give less than that of Legalised Gambling Ordinance,
it's a good source of money as well. There will be time when people will
complain about it, but as the advisor says, it is their own fault to
disobey the parking rules in the first place. This is a recommended one,
since it does reduce traffic too (although money might be the first reason
after all).
03. Shuttle Service
Type : Expense
Base : Population
Risk : -
Feat.: Reducing traffic, helps farther Sim's travel
Shuttle Service, while seems to be more effective, costs a whooping amount
of Simoleons. If that's fine with you, then go all the way with this.
04. Subsidised Mass Transit
Type : Expense
Base : Population
Risk : -
Feat.: Reducing traffic, air pollution
This ordinance, of course, is meant to go with a city with decent mass
transit system (or else it'd be meaningless, duh). This may work okay if
you've spent your time building railroads or subways or even bus stops
and want to make use of them all to their very best.
//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
City Plan
//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
00. Earthquake Resistance and Retro-Fitting
Type : Expense
Base : Number and types of building
Risk : -
Feat.: Decreases damage by earthquake
Since some of us might play a city with Disasters turned off, this would
be a useless ordinance. However, more as a prevention than anything else
for a city that braves the possibility of disasters, this ordinance may
be of a help. Think again, though, because earthquake only rarely happens,
and when you have a large-scale map, it may just hit undeveloped areas.
01. Homeless Shelters
Type : Expense
Base : Population
Risk : -
Feat.: Increase in land value
Homeless Shelters helps reduce the city from unsightly, uh, homeless Sims
and its kind. This gets more expensive later when population blooms, and
when population *does* bloom, you might have done some other thing to
increase the land value anyway. This means that you may just want to
enact this early in the game, and stop it as it becomes cheaper just to
put another park each month rather than keeping this on.
02. Tourist Promotion
Type : Expense
Base : Population
Risk : Increase in traffic
Feat.: Increase in Commercial demand
An increase in Commercial demand is very likely to be quite enough early
in the game, no matter what you do with your city (including enacting this
ordinance). Like it is said, Commercial is more stimulated by "inside"
factor, that is the population of your city than anything else. Once you
get enough people, Commercial demand will grow on its own. Ignore this,
except you want the demand altogether with the traffic risk as well.
03. Conservation Corps
Type : Expense
Base : Population
Risk : -
Feat.: Reducing pollution, crime, and increasing clear industry demand
While the feature is very nice, this ordinance is a bit pricey as well.
The time you will want all those features is later on through your game,
but you will also have quite a number of population by that time, which
explains the high cost of the ordinance. Check this if it's okay for you
to lose some money to give your Sims a better life.
04. Clean Industry Association
Type : Expense
Base : none (?)
Risk : Dirty industry may leave
Feat.: Clean industry may come, reduce in pollution
On the bad side, if the dirty industry leave, they may cause quite a punch
into your city income. Also, clean industry might not replace them as fast
as it is expected, because usually they also demand a better educational
levels and such. On the good side, though, the reduce in pollution can be
dramatic, and if you actually want hi-tech industrial parks, this is the
ordinance to go with.
05. Electronic Tax Incentive
Type : Expense
Base : Number of clean industries in the city
Risk : -
Feat.: Attracts electronic industry
Electronic Tax Incentive should only be enacted when you already have a
population with high enough Education levels (around 120 or more). This
way you will be able to provide smart enough workers for the industry,
because otherwise they may not come. Also remember that since the cost is
based on the number of the clean industries in the city, while electronic
industry is one of them, it means that the more they come, the more you
pay.
06. Aerospace Tax Incentive
Type : Expense
Base : Number of clean industries in the city
Risk : -
Feat.: Attracts aerospace industry
Aerospace Tax Incentive should only be enacted when you already have a
population with high enough Education levels (around 120 or more). This
way you will be able to provide smart enough workers for the industry,
because otherwise they may not come. Also remember that since the cost is
based on the number of the clean industries in the city, while aerospace
industry is one of them, it means that the more they come, the more you
pay.
07. Electronics Job Fair
Type : Expense
Base : Population
Risk : -
Feat.: Reducing traffic
Naturally, if you enact the Electronic Tax Incentive, you shouldn't have
to enact this one, because they seem to do the very same thing (although
it may be accumulative). However, should you choose one of them, pick
the cheaper one.
08. Biotech Tax Incentive
Type : Expense
Base : Number of clean industries in the city
Risk : -
Feat.: Attracts biotech industry
Biotech Tax Incentive should only be enacted when you already have a
population with high enough Education levels (around 120 or more). This
way you will be able to provide smart enough workers for the industry,
because otherwise they may not come. Also remember that since the cost is
based on the number of the clean industries in the city, while biotech
industry is one of them, it means that the more they come, the more you
pay.
09. Public Access Cable
Type : Expense
Base : Population
Risk : -
Feat.: Attracts telecommunication industry
The industry demands high educational level as well, so enacting this
alone will not guarantee them to come in. Wait until later and when the
industrial demand isn't already high on its own.
10. Farmer's Market
Type : Neither (costless)
Base : none
Risk : -
Feat.: Increase in Land Value
So, the real question is, why not? Just enact this all the way down, even
though your city has no farm whatsoever, or it's year 2053 already. Who
cares? Nothing's can be wrong with free stuff like this. While the effect
may not seem to be significant, you don't have a reason to complain
anyway, no?
11. Industrial Pollutant Impact Fee
Type : Income
Base : Number of polluting industry
Risk : Polluting industries leave, replacement industry may not come
Feat.: -
Dirty industries completely hate this ordinance. Unless hi-tech industry
is blooming and you actually want them to leave, don't put this much
pressure on the rest of the industries. You need them to provide the tax
as well. Remember that if you time it wrong, there may not be another
industry that comes to replace the already gone dirty industries.
//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
Environment
//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
01. Industrial Waste Disposal Tax
Type : Income
Base : Number of Industry and Commerce
Risk : Reduce in Industrial and Commercial demand
Feat.: -
The income is nowhere near dependable, and it is generally disliked by
everything but the Residential area. So why the bother? This may get you
the money, but if taxpayers leave for better places, who knows what might
happen to your (much bigger) income tax...
02. Mandatory Car Smogging
Type : Expense
Base : Population
Risk : -
Feat.: Reducing air pollution
This reduces air pollution on those road areas. While it won't be much
help if you can't control the traffic, you may want to try it anyway. Sims
dislike living around pollution, while that's exactly what those non-
smogged cars do all around them.
03. Clean Air
Type : Expense
Base : Population
Risk : Dirty Industry may leave
Feat.: Reducing air pollution
While this has good effect on Residential areas, it would exactly be the
opposite on the specifically dirty industrial areas. If you actually want
them to leave, though, this is a good ordinance. In fact, it seems like
there aren't that many dirty industries willing to leave because of this,
so in overall this is a must-have ordinance what with the positive impact
in Residential areas and all.
04. Leaf Burning Ban
Type : Expense
Base : Population
Risk : -
Feat.: Reducing air pollution
The cost is usually pretty low and it helps reducing pollution around the
Residential area, although maybe for a little bit. Enact this, though.
Legalised Gambling or even Parking Fines should be more than enough to
cover its cost.
05. Waste Presort
Type : Expense
Base : Population
Risk : -
Feat.: Helps effectiveness of Recycling Centers
Waste Presort is good when your waste processing system depends heavily
on Recycling Centers. Generally, though, it's also quite helpful even if
you also have Landfills, Incinerators, and it may even reduce cost if
you export your trash. Anything that reduce trash, I say. Go with it.
06. Lawn Chemical Ban
Type : Expense
Base : Population
Risk : Kill agricultural industry
Feat.: Reducing water pollution
Aside from the look, agricultural sector is near worthless in SimCity.
They pay little to nothing tax (which is a bit okay, they even take
enourmous space as well as paying exactly *nothing* in SimCity 4), are
very picky about pollution (they hate even the slightest hint of smoke),
plus they pollute the water. So, not having an agricultural sector is
probably a smart move. Pick this up.
07. Landfill Gas Recovery
Type : Expense
Base : Population
Risk : -
Feat.: Reducing air pollution; slight power addition
Pick this for the pollution reduction, not the power addition. I believe
that Landfill Gas Recovery ordinance won't cost you much, and aside from
traffic, air pollution is your biggest nightmare. Pick this unless you're
on a budget.
08. Backyard Composting
Type : Expense
Base : Population
Risk : -
Feat.: Reducing waste
Backyard Composting reduces general city waste, which is always a good
thing. As I said earlier, pick everything that reduces waste. Unless, of
course, you don't have the money. Even so, I think it's better to raise
tax a bit so you can use that money to teach your Sims how to do much more
with their waste. That way, their money returns to themselves, so you
don't really have to feel guilty about it.
09. Paper Reduction Act
Type : Expense
Base : Population
Risk : Disturbs commercial
Feat.: Reducing waste
This Act may cause a hit to the Commercial districts, because they are the
part of the city who need papers the most. Also, it is better to just use
the Backyard Composting or Waste Presort ordinance, as they are more risk-
free.
10. Tyre Recycling
Type : Expense
Base : Population
Risk : -
Feat.: Reducing waste, lowering Road price from 10 to 9 Simoleons
Okay, so 1 Simoleon doesn't mean anything. However, the waste reduction
factor is what you should chase the most. And in this case, just choose
it if you think Waste Presort and Backyard Composting aren't enough.
//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
Public Safety
//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
01. Crossing Guards
Type : Expense
Base : Population
Risk : Increase in traffic
Feat.: Increase in general health and (therefore) life-expectancy
Listen, you don't want to increase traffic. For whatever the exchange is.
You can help your Sims better by placing more hospitals, not this way.
Maybe you can use this early on when cars are scarce and there aren't
that many roads laid down your city. But later on, you'll usually have
enough traffic already without this ordinance. So don't.
02. Neighborhood Watch
Type : Expense
Base : Population
Risk : -
Feat.: Reducing crime
The way placing hospitals is always better than Crossing Guards ordinance,
so is placing police stations to enacting Neighborhood Watch ordinance.
Of course, there might be places where your police just can't cover. You
will not be able to kill all the crimes there even with this ordinance on
for years, so maybe another station is a better answer. Unless you're on
a budget, of course, in which case you can temporarily resort on this.
03. Mandatory Smoke Detectors
Type : Expense
Base : Number of buildings in city
Risk : -
Feat.: Reducing risk of fire
With decent fire station covering, there is no absolute need to reduce the
risk of fire. However, if you have holes in your city, maybe smoke
detectors can help. Sims may feel a bit more secure too with this.
04. Youth Curfew
Type : Expense
Base : Population
Risk : -
Feat.: Reducing crime
This emphasize more on the youth of the city, so it may not work
efficiently if there are only a few number of them in the city. That's
highly unlikely to happen, though, so Youth Curfew may be an answer. Only
that, if reducing crime through ordinances is what you really seek, choose
Neighborhood Watch instead. Expensive as it may be, the result is much
better than this.
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Health, Education and Aura
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01. Free Clinics
Type : Expense
Base : Population
Risk : -
Feat.: Increase in health
Free Clinics is probably good when the city is young with little to no
hospital around. However, as you're able to afford it, Free Clinics may
have less effect. Pick either way you want, although you will of course
need to emphasize more on the hospital.
02. Junior Sports
Type : Expense
Base : Population
Risk : -
Feat.: Increase in educational levels, decrease in crime
Giving kids something positive to spend the time is always good.
Everything good comes with good education, so pick this if you have the
money.
03. Nuclear Free Zone
Type : Expense
Base : Population
Risk : Can't place Nuclear Power Plant when this ordinance is on
Feat.: Increase in aura
I find Nuclear Power Plant quite useful due to their large power capacity,
but then again, my Sims happiness is much more important. Therefore, I
enact Nuclear Free Zone and go all the way with the Fusion Power Plant.
Okay, maybe later on in the game...but you get my point. If your Sims are
afraid of the nuclear risk, then they shouldn't complain as you place more
polluting Coal Power Plants instead, right?
04. Pro-Reading
Type : Expense
Base : Population
Risk : -
Feat.: Increase in Educational levels
Educational levels are important. They attract clean industry, bigger
commercial areas, and so on and so on. This may get a bit expensive in
time, but as long as you feel okay with the budget, choose it.
05. Public Smoking Ban
Type : Expense
Base : Population
Risk : -
Feat.: Increase in health
Making your SimCity a better place to live in should be your first goal.
Me, I don't smoke and therefore I always have this ordinance on. It may
sound too subjective, but I don't care as the overall Sims' health is
what I look for the most. You, you decide for yourself.
06. Community CPR Training
Type : Expense
Base : Population
Risk : -
Feat.: Increase in health
This unfortunately don't increase crime (if you know what I mean) and
the cost is not too high as well. However, I prefer Public Smoking Ban to
this. Maybe you should only choose either one. Pick both if you have money
to burn.
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Utilities
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01. Stairwell Lighting
Type : Expense
Base : Number of building in city
Risk : -
Feat.: Decrease in power consumption
All utilities ordinances, I believe, is not the final answer to any of the
power/water problems. When your city asks for more power, you have to give
her power plants. For a short while, you can enact this (like when your
power plant starts to age and can no longer fulfill faraway buildings'
need) so there's a little decrease. You should use that little time the
most to save up money, though, because you will still need to buy a new
power plant.
02. Water Conservation
Type : Expense
Base : Population
Risk : -
Feat.: Decrease in water consumption
You know that water pollution can decrease overall water production, and
therefore you might experience that your city gets perfect water coverage
last year, but needs for more the next year although you haven't really
build anything else that might increase water consumption. Well, it's
either that, or because your pumps age. Water pollution takes long time
to take care of, and the instant solution (i.e. the water treatment plant)
can be really expensive at times. So, until you get enough cash, you will
have to help it a bit via the Water Conservation ordinance. When things
are finally solved, though, don't waste more money and stop the ordinance.
03. Power Conservation
Type : Expense
Base : Population
Risk : -
Feat.: Decrease in power consumption
I don't know the real difference between this and the Stairwell (in
effect, that is). Between this and the Stairwell, the only difference is
that their cost is based on different things. So, if you have more
population than buildings, the Power Conservation may be more expensive,
and vice versa. As to the effect, I think both have equally the same
effect (or maybe not, don't take my words for that). I think
non-residential areas may not feel okay with this ordinance, though, since
they consume power the most.
04. Mandatory Water Meters
Type : Expense
Base : Number of buildings
Risk : -
Feat.: Decrease in water consumption
Another water-saving ordinances. I really haven't been experiencing much
with these, so I can't really say much. All I know that if your city needs
water, it's not like water pumps are too expensive to purchase anyway.
If you can save the money you would otherwise use to enact this ordinance,
I think it's enough to afford water pumps for your city. If you only need
it temporarily, then it's fine, but maybe you should think twice if you
want to keep it a long time. However, though, there may be exception like
when you run out of water source, or space to put pumps, desalinization
plants or anything. In that case, maybe the ordinance can help a bit.
The Llama suggests...
- Experiment to your heart's content, and save often.
- Recycling is a great idea, a city that recycles has less garbage to dispose
of in landfills or incinerators.
- Each game tile represents an area 64 meters on each side. The largest
SimCity you can build has 256 x 256 tiles, repsresenting a city of
approximately one hundred square miles.
- Sims will travel only a few blocks to a road, stop or station, or any other
place they want to go.
- "NIMBY" stands for "Not In My Backyard." A NIMBY building is one that might
benefit the city as a whole, but no one wants to live near it because it
pollutes or attract crime.
- If you zone Residential and Commercial near water or hills, they will have
higher land values than other areas because Sims find these area scenic and
desirable.
- The best way to increase land values in your city is to keep pollution and
crime under control.
- Ordinances can help improve education and health levels, and lots of other
good things.
- Pollution can enter your water supply and reduce available water. It also
lowers the capacity of pumps.
- High-tech industries pollute less than traditional industries, but require
highly-educated workforce.
- Refer to your city maps to see the status of pollution, health, education,
flammability and crime in your city. Select "View Data" from within the
Adjust & Review button menu.
- Buying power from a neighbor is expensive, but you won't have to deal with
pollution from power plants.
- If you place polluting power plants and landfills on the edge of the city
map, half of the pollution will go to your neighbor.
- Raise the education level of your Sims by building schools and colleges.
- A low unemployment rate helps reduce crime.
- You can build a city without roads, but it requires lots of mass transits
with closely-spaced stations.
- Larger cities typically need more Commercial and fewer Industrial zones.
- Sometimes petitioners ask you to make a decision; other times they complain
about something in the city. Once in a while they'll compliment you for
doing a good job.
- You can import garbage to earn money for your city, but it's smelly and
polluting.
- When trouble arises in a neighborhood that does not have a police station,
you should dispatch a mobile police unit to the scene.
- Without jails, police must let criminals go because there is no place to
put them.
- Hospitals that are well-funded help raise the life expectancy level for
Sims.
- Young Sims need schools and colleges to get smarter.
- Libraries and museums help keep adults Sims sharp as they get older.
- Use the Query tool to find out information on individual buildings.
- If taxes are too high, your Sims will vote with their feet and leave your
city.
- When Sims want something badly enough, they will ask for it, but you don't
have to give them what they ask for.
- There's always something going on at the SimCity website: www.simcity.com.
Check it out!
- Plant trees and parks in your city. Not only do the look nice, they help to
reduce pollution.
- Sims can always find something to complain about, buy you can ignore what
they say.
- Farm's won't develop if pollution levels are high.
- You cannot make all your Sims happy at the same time.
- Check in with your Advisors on a regular basis.
- Seaports must be build on a coastline, and won't grow if they're too small.
- To save money while your city is small, lower the budgets for city
departments such as police, fire and education. Just be careful -- it is not
wise to underfund any department for very long.
- Reducing traffic congestion can help reduce pollution.
- When you use the Raise Terrain tool, every time you click, the land rises
thirteen meters.
- Look in the SimCity 3000 manual for short biographies on your Advisors.
- Sims eat their broccoli, and so should you.
- Whenever you start a new game, the simulator is paused. Use this time to
lay zones and set up an initial infrastructure of roads and utilities. If
you're ready, unpause the simulator and your city will come to life.
- If you are a new SimCity player, check out the tutorial in the SimCity 3000
manual.
- Watch the news ticker for important information and interesting tidbits.
Click on underlined headlines to open messages from Advisors and
Petitioners.
- Watch the RCI Demand Indicator. A tall bar on the indicator means that the
Sims want more of that type of zone.
- Make sure all zoned areas have power and transportation or else they won't
grow. Zones must have water to reach their maximum density.
- Zone density sets the maximum number of Sims that can occupy a zone. It is
less expensive to zone low density than high density. A good strategy is to
zone for low density in young cities and then rezone when land values rise.
- There are no cheat codes for this game. Yeah. That's it. No cheat codes.
Sure.
- Loans can infuse a city with quick but expensive cash.
- Roads bring cars to your city -- and cars bring traffic and pollution.
Minimize these problems by giving your Sims mass transit (bus stops,
subways, and trains).
- Bus stops must be placed next to road tiles or buses won't stop there.
- As power plants age, they produce less power. Older power plants run the
risk of exploding and should be replaced.
- Some players find that laying water pipes directly underneath the city's
road is a good strategy for ensuring that all buildings in the city receive
water. Of course, the water pipes must be hooked to pumping stations to be
of any use.
- If your Sims are very happy, they will give you gifts as your population
grows.
- Build pumping stations near water, and make sure they have power or they
won't work. As pumps age, their capacity drops until finally they turn to
rubble and must be replaced.
- Make road or rail connections to your neighbors to open up opportunities
for trade.
- Ordinances can help reduce pollution and crime, and lots of other bad
things.
- Do you want to live near a landfill or polluting industry? Neither do your
Sims.
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4. Endnotes
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3.0. Credits
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Thanks to...
Allah SWT, The Beneficent, The Merciful
CJayC, for what would otherwise be ungrateful for me not to do so
Maxis, for the amusement
Ta2K, without whom I wouldn't have the chance to play SC3K
...and to you, for keeping up this far! Thanks!
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3.1. Author's note
//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
This FAQ is my own damn work, most of which are composed from a *whole* lot of
PrintScreening, Pasting, Alt-Tabbing, and running out of my room hysterically
after what seemed to be endless streams of in-game texts, more and more and
more again. There is no copyright notice in this FAQ. Not that I'm being
sceptical, but I'd rather label it it as an open-source. You want it, you can
take and modify as you want. You may do that without asking my permission,
although doing otherwise would be more than welcomed. Thank you.
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