Sim compile section b v01

SIMCITY4 MANUAL AND WALKTHROUGH BOOK
SECTION B: STRATEGY GUIDE
This SECTION will provide you with an extensive range
of strategies to deal with almost any situation in your
city. Each part of this section deals with a different
time frame of the city and regional development.
From founding the first city in the region to turning
cities into gleaming a metropolis, pride of the entire
Sim Nation. Then after you have achieved a gold
standard in metropolis construction, the guide will
focus on cities built for special purposes. This is how
the PARTS are split up.
Part 1: Universal Strategic
Doctrines (USD)
Part 2: City Layout and Plans
PART 3: 0 - 40,000: 1st City or
Dirty City
PART 4: 0 - 40,000: 2nd City or
Manufacturing City
Part 5: 0 - 40,000: Subsequent
Cities or High Tech City
Part 6: 40,000 - 100,000: For all
cities
Part 7: 100,000 - Millions and
Beyond: For all cities
PART 8: Specialised Cities

B1.02.1: Poor to subsidise the rich
While Adam Smith advocated for taxes "in proportion
to the revenue which they respectively enjoy under
the protection of the state," this is not so in the game.
It is often the poor that subsidises the rich. This is
especially more so later as your city develops.
The reason for this according to Adam Smith is
because he felt that the "chief enjoyment of riches
consists in the parade of riches, which ... nobody can
possess but themselves." Well then, if that is the case,
then we would not have a problem if the city only
consists of the rich right? The advantage of a primarily
upper class city is, that since a city can only hold a
fixed amount of people, it is for the better that the
city's inhabitants are rich Sims rather than the poor.
Since the tax rate is based on percentage, it means
that the rich are taxed more than the poor. The
corollary of this simple means that the rich give you
more even though you might tax them less. Therefore,
to prevent the poor from flooding the city, you will
find yourself raising taxes to prevent their entry.
B1.02.2: Neutral tax rate: Laffer Curve

PART 1: UNIVERSAL STRATEGIC DOCTRINE (USD)
GENERAL APPLICATION
This part will provide you with strategies whose
powers and usage apply throughout the game. As
these strategies stated here are of general application
I will also provide customised USD for the later parts
of the guide.
B1.01: Primeval Land: Forest, Mountains and Water
Prior to starting the city, it is advisable to create a
lush, dense forest blanketing the entire map. It helps
reduces pollution. Also to increase land value, you
could place bodies of water in the map and raise the
land. But do not raise it too high as after a certain
height the land value falls. You may also create a
mountain range around the area your power plants
and garbage disposal facilities are. It will block the
pollution.
This is the best time to attempt to create a straight
coast if you plan to build a beach later as they can
only be built on straight coasts. When you are building
terraforming the land, make sure to hit pause unless
you want to start your city years after the Year 0.
B1.02: Taxes
You should alter or change the tax rate in every city to
best suit your needs. Your needs should be
determined by the circumstances of the situation such
as RCI demand and also your vision for your
city.Change the tax rate before you start the game to
minimise any negative effects.

Whether or not you agree with this former Reagan
adviser, Professor Laffer's theory provides for an
optimum tax rate whereby any raising of taxes would
result in a drop of total tax collected and any
reduction of taxes would also reduce tax revenue. The
graph below is an illustration of this effect. "O"
represents the neutral tax rate or the optimum.
Tax Revenue
^
|
_
|
/.
|
/ .
| / .
| /
.

|------------>
O
Tax Rate
In this game the optimum tax rate at the beginning I
believe is at 9%. However, the important thing is that
this optimum tax rate falls as your population
increases. So you have to reduce tax rates as your
population increases.
B1.02.3: No supply side taxation economics
While I did state above that taxes may be reduce
slightly over the years, I am not advocating the
position whereby tax rate is used as a primary
economic policy to drive the economy. I am sorry to
disappoint those supporters of George Bush's tax cut
policy, for it does not work in this game.
The policy of cutting taxes when population rise is not
so much to increase demand, but rather to prevent

SECTION B PART 1 UNIVERSAL STRATEGIC DOCTRINE (USD)

45

taxes as acting as a negative effect on growth.
However, while a downward drop in taxes may not
really increase demand that much, a huge increase
will definitely destroy demand.

You should take note that its capacity falls as you
approach its 'use by' date. So prepare for an earlier
replacement. Sometimes it is cheaper in terms of
maintenance to replace them before their expiry due
to its falling capacity. Do not wait until its expiration
Please do NOT play around with your tax policy unless you wish to see an explosion.
frequently. Raising taxes will have a negative impact
on the city lasting for several months. This is even if B1.04.1: Power
you raise it for one day and then drop it back to the
original level or even drop it to a lower level.
Make sure that your power plant has road access. You
REFER: A1.09.1: Options: Tax Rates
would not want to run the risk of it catching fire and
REFER: A2.05.2: Perfect Mobility of Labour
your fire-fighters having no means of reaching there.
Set funding all the way down such that capacity used
B1.03: Tight Fiscal Controls
should ideally be around 70%. If you make the plant
operate at a higher % your plant will age faster. Try
Save money by reducing funding such that output is not to use any poles at all.
slightly above usage. This applies almost everywhere,
from public services to utilities, except water, and to a But if funding, is below 50%, the rate of decay is
certain extent recreational structures. Take full of greatly increased. Note that I am talking about
control your budget. Do not create an over supply, as funding as a whole rather than capacity.If you choose
that will only bleed your budget and not contribute to on building a highly polluting power plant, place them
anything in the city.
in a corner so that at least the pollution is confined on
two sides as pollution cannot cross city boundaries.
Be mindful as to not over cut funding to the point Also keep all non-dirty industry zones or buildings
where your infrastructure starts breaking down for away from this area.
that will only cost you more money in replacing
everything. However as with everything, always adopt B1.04.2: Water
a cost-benefit analysis.
1) Utilities:
1) Water Tower then Pumps
With regards to utilities, the main focus is on the Use TOWERS rather than pumps initially. This is
power plant you operate. While lowering funding will because it has a lower maintenance cost. Although
result in faster deterioration, the effect is not that the pumps are more efficient, because there is no
great. Furthermore, the result of lower funding would means to reduce water budget except through the
be sparking poles. But a simple solution is simply not budget screen, which I strongly advice you not to
to build them. Use zones every four tiles to transfer unless you want to have burst pipes all across your
electricity.
city. Therefore your only hope of saving money is to
REFER:
A1.05.3:
Maintenance,
Decay
and build a water tower, which has a lower operating cost.
Overcapacity
You should continue building water towers until 5th
However, you should NOT reduce water funding one, as by then a pump would produce more and cost
because the effect of burst pipes will cause more less. After building a pump remember to destroy the
damage and cost more money then if you leave rest of the towers.
funding as it is.
2) Placement
2) Public Services:
Do not build pipes to power plant and landfills. It
The same concept applies to them with the exception pollutes the water supply thus demanding that you
of police and fire fighters since you would not want buy a treatment plant. Build your water system on the
them to be incompetent when disaster breaks out.
opposite end of your industrial / power plant / landfill
3) Recreational services
side.
Personally I feel that you should not reduce funding An alternative approach, is to have separate water
for recreational services. Place them only when you supply, pumps and pipes, one for residential and
can afford them. Reducing their funding like all commercial the other for industry. Although this will
reduction lowers their positive effects.
cost more. Unless of course your pollution is so bad
B1.04: Utilities
that you require the water treatment plant. This
There are three simple needs, power a must, water, a however does not mean that you place the towers or
must for better development and garbage disposal a pumps for the industrial area at the industrial site. For
must too. Both water and power plants decay over the pump will be shut down due to polluted water.
time and they have a limited life span. You could
3) Pipes
rename the utility to the date which is built so that Since the water area is six on each side, you should
you can know when is it time to replace it. That way leave twelve tiles in between the pipes for the most
you would make sure that in the years leading up to efficient layout as pipes cost money to maintain too.
its demise, you can start saving money to replace it.

46

B1.04.3: Landfills and Waste Power Plant
1) Landfills or Waste to power
Personally, I prefer just building a waste to power
plant right at the start and lower its funding to zero. It
will act as an incinerator destroying garbage but you
will not get any power out of it. I also suggest that you
use the waste to power plant as a stop gap measure
for producing energy. That is at the point where your
existing power plants are close to capacity but
building another would result in a lot of idle power.
You can use the waste to power to generate energy
and build a new power plant only when there is not
that much spare capacity.
2) De-zoning landfills
Landfill clears over time. It is in my opinion that while
there is no need to demolish the roads leading to it, it
may be in your interest to do so. Let me present to
you the argument for not demolishing the road access
first. If you have a waste plant, garbage would not be
dumped onto the landfill. If it is being dumped, it
means that your waste plant is over capacity.
Removing the road will only lead to garbage appearing
in your city. With a waste plant, the city garbage
should be at zero or if you just install it then the
garbage level should be going down.
However, based on my calculations, it seems that
since decay is based on percentage, it means that if
for a month your waste to power cannot handle the
garbage due to increase usage, it will be dumped at
your landfill. And even if the amount is small, it may
add years to the decomposition time. I will now
retract my earlier statement that the rate of decay
will increase as garbage will be sent to the waste to
power plant to be destroyed.
REFER: A1.05.5: * Bio degradable landfills
B1.05: Connections
If your industry is next to a connection to a
neighbouring city then the freight time will be
lowered. Furthermore, it will reduce traffic as the
trucks do not have to drive all the way through your
city to the connection. Even if you have no neighbours
at all, make connections. No only will it reduce freight
time, which increases desirability, but it also means
that you have only to worry about one side of the
pollution.

build farms or should you just build industries or both.
1) Farms
I would not recommend just building farms alone. This
is simply because they do not offer any tax revenue at
all. The advantage of a farm is that its demand initially
when you start a city will be very high. That way you
can build quite a bit of them and hence generate jobs
which in turn attracts residents to move in.
By the way if you are wandering why agriculture does
not produce taxes, think of the EU's Common
Agricultural Policy, CAP, and also countries like the US,
Canada or Japan. You should be happy that the farms
in your city do not demand massive subsidies from
you. A second advantage is that it does not take up
that much power, and water is not required. Also it is
not as flammable as the dirty industries.
With relation to pollution, I am undecided as to which
is really worse at the start, water or air. Also like all
industries it requires connections, so build it near the
edge.
2) Industry
Focus exclusively on this if you want accelerated
growth. It gives you money but has some
disadvantages as stated above. However, the amount
of jobs it generates is so much more than the farms,
even if in comparison, its demand is lower.
3) Farmer's Market
The main and only proper reason I feel one should
build a farm is to get the farmers' market reward. This
structure helps increase health slightly but more
importantly it is a great residential demand buster.
Therefore if you wish to have a farmer's market, zone
a huge tracts of farm to get 600 jobs. Then build the
market and clear the farms. By the way, each farm
does NOT provide only the amount of jobs stated
when you click on it. Size does matter. Do NOT build a
farm then demolish all the farmland leaving only the
barn/building. Check you Job & population chart to
see how far you are proceeding.
Another thing with regards to the point when you get
the reward. Place it immediately or as soon as
possible and definitely before you start demolishing
the farms. If not when you reload, the computer will
see that you no longer satisfy the requirements and
remove the option to build.
REFER: A1.07.5: Disappearing Rewards

Also it helps bust the demand caps thereby allowing
greater growth. This is even if you have no neighbours
because Sim Nation is considered as a neighbour.
Note that the land connections also provides demand
busting powers for commercial demand. So do build
connections even if you have no industry in the city.
Besides as is free, make as many of them as possible

If you are building farms to get the farmer market, I
suggest you do it quickly and at the start because as
more industrial jobs are created, there will be less
demand for farms
REFER: A2.02.2: Inherent capacity

B1.06: Animal Farm or Great leap forward

1) Business Deals
I do NOT recommend accepting any of these 'business
deals' which are no more than sugar coated poison

Often the question one ask at the start is should you

B1.07: Begone evil business deals and loans


47

pills. As Hamlet stated "it appeareth nothing to me
but a foul and pestilent congregation of vapours." The
negative effect it brings is worse than the benefit.
Although, there is an argument for an army base as it
is a demand cap remover but that does not convince
me. If you do place it for whatever reason, try to place
it at the far corner of the map away from residential
area. Although the Casino and the Army Base should
be placed near commercial area but still away from
residential area. Even if you place the rewards at
some corner, some of its effects are city wide such as
mayor rating.
REFER: A1.07.2: Options: Reward and Business Deal
Types
If you have been following my guide, you should not
even be offered any of this as you will be making
money.
2) Loans
Patience is a virtue, there is no need to borrow money
especially when you are still making money. There is
only one scenario where it is acceptable to borrow
money when you are about to go broke.
a) If you are losing money.
b) If the economy or demand is either
stagnating or falling.
c) If cost cutting measures simply further
reduces demand.
d) If you have no neighbours to help you
increase demand
Only if conditions (A-D) are satisfied should you take
out a loan. But it is unlikely for that to occur.
Another acceptable situation to borrow money and in
fact should be done is when you are almost out of
money and your power plant is about to explode. If it
is not feasible to make a business deal, you need to
borrow the money. However, this situation can simply
be avoided if you keep a certain amount of cash in the
bank such as $20,000 to $30,000, enough to replace
your aging utilities.
One not acceptable situation is to borrow money to
build that new transit system or highway. Do it only if
you satisfy (A-D).
B1.08: Pollution and Solutions
1) Remove Sources
The most obvious solution to pollution is simply to
remove the sources of pollution. If you do remove the
source, all you have to do is to wait a month at the
most for the pollution to disappear. These are the
following things that you may do:
a) Raise taxes to drive out polluting dirty and
manufacturing industries.
b) Enact clean air ordinance or any other
pollution reduction ordinance.
c) Start to demolish abandon (black) industrial
buildings for they pollute even if they are
abandoned and vacant.
d) Mass transit if you can afford it and actually
need it. Pollution by itself should not be a
reason for construction of a mass transit.
SECTION B PART 2 CITY LAYOUT AND PLANS

If you are not too sure about the source or effects of
pollution simply look above at the (OM).
REFER: A2.04: Pollution
2) Reducing Impact
since in most cases removing the source is impossible.
There are several methods to best deal with the
situation. This relates to air pollution.There are 3
solutions on how one should deal with pollution.
a) Concentrate it at the edge of the map.
As long as you concentrate and confine you pollution
to one part of the city, the residents will not be
affected. And high-tech industries can easily come
into a city even if there is a large dirty industry
present. This is provided that the high-tech is zoned
away from the pollution. The problem is that
sometimes the pollution is so strong due to the
concentration that your green belt of trees is simply
overwhelmed. This method is not particularly useful
for transport pollutions.
b) Spread it out.
The primary advantage of spreading it out is so that
you would not get the strongest type of pollution, as
pollution is cumulative. Thus perhaps at most this is
somewhat useful for manufacturing, but personally I
do not see why cannot you just concentrate it on one
part of the map where there are no nearby residential
area.
c) Counter it.
This relates mostly to transport created pollution.
Since these methods can be overwhelmed by the
stronger pollutions. A green belt of trees along the
roads or other structures such as parks and open
spaces can also help reduce road pollution. Use it
around the highway. That way, you also reduce noise
pollution.
REFER: B2.02.1: Green Belt
PART 2: CITY LAYOUT AND PLANS
GENERAL APPLICATION
These tips are again of general application and show
you various successful city layout. Also it provides you
with tips as to what to look out for if you wish to
create your own layout. Again, I will provide
customise plans for the later parts of the guide.
B2.01: Basic RCI layout
1) Suggested layouts
There are multiple means you can build your city.
Thus the following structures are not by all means the
only way to build a city. In fact, in my later cities, I
sometimes deviate from these.
2) Planned v Sprawl
Basically main debate of which layout one should
select is very much based on whether should one
have a planned grid like city or should one just build a
city as it sprawls out without any plans. The planned
grid system calls for a very fixed, box like, straight
roads, manner of organised construction. The sprawl
48

method simply means that you can build wherever
you want based according to what is around it. It may
have diagonal fanciful roads and is not organised in
the sense of a defined layout.
Each method caters for a different sort of a city. It is
my advice that you start off your first few cities under
the planned format for that is the most efficient one.
The main advantage of a planned layout is that
commute time would be much lower or at the very
least, it is easier to get a lower commute time. The
advantage of the sprawl method is that you have a
non-generic unique city. It is not much fun if all your
cities look alike.
However, given that the first few cities are the hardest
to start out, I again reiterate my point, use the
planned grid system for your first few cities.
B2.01.1: Death to the auto-roads
Set up the road structure first rather than use the
auto streets. In other words, I have no streets at all. If
you have the patch, both 1 or 2, use the shift key to
prevent streets from appearing.
Make sure that the arrows (<) in the lots face the
roads, if not you will get the no connection sign. If a
particular lot is not facing the road then you should
zone in parts rather than zoning the entire area with
one click and drag, thus making sure all of the (<) also
face the roads. Alternatively, hit [alt] for a different
zoning pattern to see if that helps.
B2.02: Industrial zoning
There usually is no fixed planning for industry since
there are not many services that is needed. Only a fire
and police station is required.Set industry at the edge
of the map to take advantage of the connections thus
you will have shorter freight time. And also it helps to
contain the pollution that you will get from dirty
industries. Leave a space in between each zone but
there is no need to build a road. The plan is to place a
rail, subway, bus stations or a highway later on in the
city's development game. By the way this is proper
industry not agriculture. The following is just an
illustration of the layout taking into account the above
mentioned ideas.


49

Diagram B2.02: Industrial and Green Belt
I: Industry
-: Road
.: Gap/space
R: Residential
1
2
3
4
1234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789
1------------------------------------------------2-IIII-IIII-IIII-....-IIII-IIII-IIII-....-CCCC-.-R
3-IIII-IIII-IIII-....-IIII-IIII-IIII-....-CCCC-.-R
6-IIII-IIII-IIII-....-IIII-IIII-IIII-....-CCCC---7-IIII-IIII-IIII-....-IIII-IIII-IIII-....-CCCC-.-R
10------------------------------------....-CCCC-.-R
6------------------------------------------------7-....-....-....-....-....-....-....-....-CCCC-.-.
8-....-....-....-....-....-....-....-....-CCCC-.-.
9-....-....-....-....-....-....-....-....-CCCC-.-.
5-IIII-IIII-IIII-....-IIII-IIII-IIII-....-CCCC---6------------------------------------....-CCCC-.-R
5-----------------------------------------------<----------->
|
|
/
B2.02.1: Green Belt <-----------------------

1) Suggested Green Belt
It is advisable to leave a gap
between an industrial zone
and a residential zone. This is
so that trees may be planted
in this gap and to reduce the
amount of pollution leading to
the residential area. Of course
if your industry is high tech,
there is no need for this green
belt.
Leave a 3 tile gap not including
the road (including it would
make it 5 tiles) and have
another strip of 4 blank for
future commercial expansion.
Whether
you
want
commercial or not is up to you
but you still should not build
any residential area there. In
other words there should be
10 tiles from the last point of
industry to the first point of
residential.

This is because even after the
green belt, there still will be
pollution spilling out. A
commercial zoning is used is
because if you place a
residential area there their
health would be affected. Of
course you could plant trees
across the entire space but
that would mean losing
valuable space.
REFER:
Diagram
B2.02:
Industrial and Green Belt,
above
2) Saturation Point
How long your green belt is
really depends on what is on
the polluting side. If the
source of pollution is very bad
such as a waste to power plant, then you will need a B2.03.1: Original Residential Superstructure (ORS)
thicker belt. If the source was not as bad such as
manufacturing, then the belt such as above would be This was the residential superstructure that I find used
good. Remember if the pollution on the other side is and struck gold meaning, having a profitable city. It is
really high, the trees will be quite ineffective. It has still good after all this time. I shall thus refer this as
the possibility of just spilling over. You might see a fall the (ORS) from now on. The empty spaces in between
in pollution above the trees but after that pollution the residential area is meant for construction of
picks up again.
future amenities or mass transit stations. If you place
an elementary school in the middle its default
B2.03: Residential Superstructures (RS)
coverage will just fit the entire RS.
Residential superstructures are more fixed and
organised since they have to cater for more services. I
will give a few of them which are useful. However, as
you play you may find it best or more fun to create
your own.

For those of you who have read the previous edition
of this guide, you will notice that I have increased the
gap such that there is a 3 tile gap on all four sides. This
is because I realised that the elementary school can
still cover the entire RS.
50

Diagram
B2.03.1:
superstructure

Residential B2.03.2: Local Effect Residential Superstructure
(LERS)

R: Residential
-: Road
.: Gap / empty space
E: Future development
Elementary School

1) Concept of Walking to School and Hospitals
The (ORS) is based upon the DEFAULT bus coverage
of an elementary school. An alternate method of
location of
zoning is based instead on the idea of zero funding
bus or ambulance coverage. This zero funding is
practical because cutting funding for bus coverage
1
2
3
would not drastically reduce the radius the school
12345678901234567890123456789012345
serves. The cut refers to BUS or AMBULANCE and
1----------------------------------NOT funding for the teachers or doctors.
2-RRRR-RRRR-RRRR-...-RRRR-RRRR-RRRR3-RRRR-RRRR-RRRR-...-RRRR-RRRR-RRRR2) Advantages:
4-RRRR-RRRR-RRRR-...-RRRR-RRRR-RRRRa) Save over $100 monthly on bus funding
5-RRRR-RRRR-RRRR-...-RRRR-RRRR-RRRRor $200 on ambulance fees.
6----------------------------------b) This plans ahead into the future when
7-RRRR-RRRR-RRRR-...-RRRR-RRRR-RRRRpopulation grows greatly. Therefore
8-RRRR-RRRR-RRRR-...-RRRR-RRRR-RRRRovercapacity will be less of a problem.
9-RRRR-RRRR-RRRR-...-RRRR-RRRR-RRRRYou will not need to find a place to build
10-RRRR-RRRR-RRRR-...-RRRR-RRRR-RRRRa new school, so as to satisfy the growing
1----------------------------------population.
2-RRRR-RRRR-.............-RRRR-RRRRc) Since funding can be individually
3-RRRR-RRRR-.............-RRRR-RRRRdetermined, you will not lose any money.
4-RRRR-RRRR-.............-RRRR-RRRR3) Disadvantages:
5-RRRR-RRRR-.............-RRRR-RRRRa) You need to spend more space placing
6----------------------------------7-....-....-.....EE......-....-....schools and hospitals
8-....-....-.....EE......-....-....b) Therefore residential areas are more
9-....-....-.....EE......-....-....spread out. Hence you may then need
20----------------------------------more amenities.
1-RRRR-RRRR-.............-RRRR-RRRRc) Also as residential area is spread out,
2-RRRR-RRRR-.............-RRRR-RRRRcommute may become longer.
3-RRRR-RRRR-.............-RRRR-RRRR4) Illustration
4-RRRR-RRRR-.............-RRRR-RRRRThe following is just an illustration of how to set up
5----------------------------------this system. In actual fact the main idea of the
6-RRRR-RRRR-RRRR-...-RRRR-RRRR-RRRR(LERS) is the zero funding rather than the layout
7-RRRR-RRRR-RRRR-...-RRRR-RRRR-RRRRper se. Thus just set the residential zoning
8-RRRR-RRRR-RRRR-...-RRRR-RRRR-RRRRaccording to your desire. As long as all residential
9-RRRR-RRRR-RRRR-...-RRRR-RRRR-RRRRarea is covered, any zoning layout is fine. I have
30----------------------------------1-RRRR-RRRR-RRRR-...-RRRR-RRRR-RRRRlisted where you might place a whole host of
2-RRRR-RRRR-RRRR-...-RRRR-RRRR-RRRRamenities, but of course, you need not place them
3-RRRR-RRRR-RRRR-...-RRRR-RRRR-RRRRimmediately.
4-RRRR-RRRR-RRRR-...-RRRR-RRRR-RRRR5----------------------------------This method takes into account, the elementary
school, high school and hospitals. The placement of
the workplace is just a suggestion and you may adopt
a (VLB) system. Also if you do have industrial in the
LERS, make sure that it is only high tech and not any
others. You should also note that one of the W zones
is about 8x8. Therefore if your region is not developed
enough your commercial zone will not extend more
than 3 tiles. So change that layout if you are using this
for your first city.
A placement of a police at the centre and a fire station
just a bit off the centre will lead to coverage of the
entire LERS.


51

Diagram B2.03.2: LERS
R:
-:
E:
H:
.:
S:
P:
C:

Residential
Roads
Elementary School
High School
Gap / Empty space for other amenities or Stations
Bus or Subway Station
Parks, Gardens or rewards. Or if need be public transport stations.
Tennis Courts of Basketball courts. But any recreation facility will
suffice
M: Hospital
W: Workplace: Commercial or Industrial.
1
2
3
4
5
6
123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456
1-----------------------------------------------------------------2-PPP-WWWWWWWW-WWWWWWW-..PPP-RRRRRRRRRR-PPP..-WWWWWWW-WWWWWWWW-PPP3-PPP-WWWWWWWW-WWWWWWW-..PPP-RRRRRRRRRR-PPP..-WWWWWWW-WWWWWWWW-PPP4-PPP-WWWWWWWW-WWWWWWW-S.PPP-RRRRRRRRRR-PPP..-WWWWWWW-WWWWWWWW-PPP5-----------------------------------------------------------------6-WWW-WWWWWWWW-WWWWWWW-.-RRRRRR-RRRR-RRRRRR-.-WWWWWWW-WWWWWWWW-WWW7-WWW-WWWWWWWW-WWWWWWW-.-RRRRRR-RRRR-RRRRRR-.-WWWWWWW-WWWWWWWW-WWW8-WWW-WWWWWWWW-WWWWWWW-.-RRRRRR-RRRR-RRRRRR-.-WWWWWWW-WWWWWWWW-WWW9-WWW-WWWWWWWW-WWWWWWW-.-RRRRRR-RRRR-RRRRRR-.-WWWWWWW-WWWWWWWW-WWW10-WWW-WWWWWWWW-WWWWWWW-.-RRRRRR-RRRR-RRRRRR-.-WWWWWWW-WWWWWWWW-WWW1-WWW-WWWWWWWW-WWWWWWW-.-RRRRRR-SEES-RRRRRR-.-WWWWWWW-WWWWWWWW-WWW2-WWW-WWWWWW-------------RRRRRR-CEEC-RRRRRR-------------WWWWWW-WWW3-WWW-WWWWWW-S-.......-S-RRRRRR-CEEC-RRRRRR-S-.......-S-WWWWWW-WWW4-----------------------------------------------------------------5-WWW-WWWWWW-.-PPP-RRRRR-RRRRRR-HHHH-RRRRRR-RRRRR-PPP-.-WWWWWW-WWW6-WWW-WWWWWW-.-PPP-RRRRR-RRRRRR-HHHH-RRRRRR-RRRRR-PPP-.-WWWWWW-WWW7-WWW-WWWWWW-.-PPP-RRRRR-RRRRRR-HHHH-RRRRRR-RRRRR-PPP-.-WWWWWW-WWW8-WWW-WWWWWW-.-------RRR-RRRRRR-HHHH-RRRRRR-RRR-------.-WWWWWW-WWW9-WWW-WWWWWW-.-RRR-S-RRR-RRRRRR-MMMM-RRRRRR-RRR-S-RRR-.-WWWWWW-WWW20-WWW-WWWWWW-.-RRR---RRR-RRRRRR-MMMM-RRRRRR-RRR---RRR-.-WWWWWW-WWW1-WWW-WWWWWW-.-RRRRRRREE-RRRRRR-MMMM-RRRRRR-EERRRRRRR-.-WWWWWW-WWW2--------------RRRRRRREE-RRRRRR-....-RRRRRR-EERRRRRRR-------------3-..S-......-S-RRRRRRREE-RRRRRR-....-RRRRRR-EERRRRRRR-S-......-S..4-...----------------------------------------------------------...5-PPP-RRRRRRRR-RRRRRRRRR-RRRRRR-....-RRRRRR-RRRRRRRRR-RRRRRRRR-PPP6-PPP-RRRRRRRR-RRRRRRRRR-RRRRRR-....-RRRRRR-RRRRRRRRR-RRRRRRRR-PPP7-PPP-RRRRRRRR-RRRRRRRRR-RRRRRR-....-RRRRRR-RRRRRRRRR-RRRRRRRR-PPP8-----RRRRRRRR-RRRRRRRRR-RRRRRR-....-RRRRRR-RRRRRRRRR-RRRRRRRR----9-RRR-RRRRRRRR-RRRRRRRRR-RRRRRR-....-RRRRRR-RRRRRRRRR-RRRRRRRR-RRR30-RRR-RRRRRRRR-RRRRRRRRR-RRRRRR-....-RRRRRR-RRRRRRRRR-RRRRRRRR-RRR1-RRR-------------------------------------------------------------2-RRR-RRRRRSCC-HHHHMMM..-......-....-......-..MMMHHHH-CCSRRRRR-RRR3-RRR-RRRRREEE-HHHHMMM..-......-....-......-..MMMHHHH-EEERRRRR-RRR4-RRR-RRRRREEE-HHHHMMM..-......-....-......-..MMMHHHH-EEERRRRR-RRR5-RRR-RRRRRSCC-HHHHMMM..-......-....-......-..MMMHHHH-CCSRRRRR-RRR6-RRR-------------------------------------------------------------7-RRR-RRRRRRRR-RRRRRRRR-RRRRRRR-....-RRRRRR-RRRRRRRRR-RRRRRRRR-RRR8-RRR-RRRRRRRR-RRRRRRRR-RRRRRRR-....-RRRRRR-RRRRRRRRR-RRRRRRRR-RRR9-----RRRRRRRR-RRRRRRRR-RRRRRRR-....-RRRRRR-RRRRRRRRR-RRRRRRRR----40-PPP-RRRRRRRR-RRRRRRRR-RRRRRRR-....-RRRRRR-RRRRRRRRR-RRRRRRRR-PPP1-PPP-RRRRRRRR-RRRRRRRR-RRRRRRR-....-RRRRRR-RRRRRRRRR-RRRRRRRR-PPPSECTION B PART 2 CITY LAYOUT AND PLANS

52

2-PPP-RRRRRRRR-RRRRRRRR-RRRRRRR-....-RRRRRR-RRRRRRRRR-RRRRRRRR-PPP3-...----------------------------------------------------------...4-..S-......-S-RRRRRRREE-RRRRRR-....-RRRRRR-EERRRRRRR-S-......-S..5--------------RRRRRRREE-RRRRRR-....-RRRRRR-EERRRRRRR-------------6-WWW-WWWWWW-.-RRRRRRREE-RRRRRR-MMMM-RRRRRR-EERRRRRRR-.-WWWWWW-WWW7-WWW-WWWWWW-.-RRR---RRR-RRRRRR-MMMM-RRRRRR-RRR---RRR-.-WWWWWW-WWW8-WWW-WWWWWW-.-RRR-S-RRR-RRRRRR-MMMM-RRRRRR-RRR-S-RRR-.-WWWWWW-WWW9-WWW-WWWWWW---------RRR-RRRRRR-HHHH-RRRRRR-RRR-------.-WWWWWW-WWW50-WWW-WWWWWW-.-PPP-RRRRR-RRRRRR-HHHH-RRRRRR-RRRRR-PPP-.-WWWWWW-WWW1-WWW-WWWWWW-.-PPP-RRRRR-RRRRRR-HHHH-RRRRRR-RRRRR-PPP-.-WWWWWW-WWW2-WWW-WWWWWW-.-PPP-RRRRR-RRRRRR-HHHH-RRRRRR-RRRRR-PPP-.-WWWWWW-WWW3-----------------------------------------------------------------4-WWW-WWWWWW-S-.......-S-RRRRRR-CEEC-RRRRRR-S-.......-S-WWWWWW-WWW5-WWW-WWWWWW-------------RRRRRR-CEEC-RRRRRR-------------WWWWWW-WWW6-WWW-WWWWWWWW-WWWWWWW-.-RRRRRR-SEES-RRRRRR-.-WWWWWWW-WWWWWWWW-WWW7-WWW-WWWWWWWW-WWWWWWW-.-RRRRRR-RRRR-RRRRRR-.-WWWWWWW-WWWWWWWW-WWW8-WWW-WWWWWWWW-WWWWWWW-.-RRRRRR-RRRR-RRRRRR-.-WWWWWWW-WWWWWWWW-WWW9-WWW-WWWWWWWW-WWWWWWW-.-RRRRRR-RRRR-RRRRRR-.-WWWWWWW-WWWWWWWW-WWW60-WWW-WWWWWWWW-WWWWWWW-.-RRRRRR-RRRR-RRRRRR-.-WWWWWWW-WWWWWWWW-WWW1-WWW-WWWWWWWW-WWWWWWW-.-RRRRRR-RRRR-RRRRRR-.-WWWWWWW-WWWWWWWW-WWW2-----------------------------------------------------------------3-PPP-WWWWWWWW-WWWWWWW-s.PPP-RRRRRRRRRR-PPP..-WWWWWWW-WWWWWWWW-PPP4-PPP-WWWWWWWW-WWWWWWW-s.PPP-RRRRRRRRRR-PPP..-WWWWWWW-WWWWWWWW-PPP5-PPP-WWWWWWWW-WWWWWWW-s.PPP-RRRRRRRRRR-PPP..-WWWWWWW-WWWWWWWW-PPP6-----------------------------------------------------------------B2.03.3: Sharr's Residential Superstructure (SRS)
1) Sharr's creation
This plan is created by Sharr, yes, she is the avatar of
the goddess Shar, that Viconia from Baldur's Gate
worships. No just kidding, she is just Sharr, the Alias
fan and model, brain surgeon, tango dancing and
hippy chic from the Simtropolis forum, who has
graciously allowed me to use her idea. The beauty of
this idea is that it is all part of a larger plan for the
entire city.
REFER: B2.06.3: Sharr's City Masterplan (SCM)
2) Amenities and Rail
I shall refer to this as Sharr's Residential
Superstructure (SRS) from now on. The empty spaces
can be filled up with mass transit station or
recreational facilities. Her plan calls for the placement
of rail throughout the city and through the SRS.
However, its placement is dependent on where you
place the SRS, and the rail runs through the residential
but I believe there is no specific layout for it just what
you think is right. If you want to use rail just leave
adequate spacing for the rail and its turning.
3) Internal park
The empty spaces in the residential area is used to
place parks, which does not require road access. I did
not follow the empty spaces as she presented it, since
it is based on partially on a Variable Layout Building
(VLB) system as mentioned above. Note that, the one
tile empty space in the SRS among the residential area
(#) is the place where there will be no road access, so
do not build anything there except, a park. You can
obviously place a larger park, as Sharr has done so, or

increase the internal road system.
REFER: B2.01.2: Coverage: FLB and VLB systems
4) Streets or Roads
Another is that you can select whether or not to use
streets which she did. While I prefer not to use them, it
is up to you to decide the pros and cons of it. Higher
traffic capacity and speed versus higher traffic noise
and a wee bit higher maintenance.

53

Diagram B2.03.3(1): Sharr's Residential superstructure
(SRS)
R: Residential
C: Commercial
-: Road
$: Streets
E: Future development location of Elementary School
H: High School
M: Medical Facility, Large, Hospital
F: Fire Station, Large
P: Police Station, Large
L: Library
#: Build only parks here as there will be no road
connection

5) Preventing no road
zot
Another thing to note, is that
make sure the lots (<) points
to the road. You may have to
zone bit by bit, use the [shift]
or [alt] key to prevent auto
roads from appearing. The
diagram below gives an
example of the direction the
Residential zones should
point to, to get road access.

1
2
3
4
5
12345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890
1-------------------------------------------------2-.....................-CCCC-.-...................3-.-------------------.-CCCC-.-------------------.4-.-RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR-.-CCCC-.-RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR-.5-.-RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR-.-CCCC-.-RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR-.6-.-RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR-.-CCCC-.-RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR-.7-.-RRR#RRR$RR$RRRRRR-.-CCCC-.-RRRRRR$RR$RRR#RRR-.8-.-RRRRRRR$RR$RRRRRR-.-CCCC-.-RRRRRR$RR$RRRRRRR-.9-.-RRRRRRR----RRRRRR-.-CCCC-.-RRRRRR----RRRRRRR-.10-.-RRRRRRR-EE-RRRRRR-.-CCCC-.-RRRRRR-EE-RRRRRRR-.1-.---------EE------------------------EE----------2-.-RRRRRRR-EE-RRRRRR-.-....-.-RRRRRR-EE-RRRRRRR-.3-.-RRRRRRR----RRRRRR-.-....-.-RRRRRR----RRRRRRR-.4-.-RRRRRRR$RR$RRRRRR-.-....-.-RRRRRR$RR$RRRRRRR-.5-.-RRR#RRR$RR$RRRRRR-.-....-.-RRRRRR$RR$RRR#RRR-.6-.-RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR-.-....-.-RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR-.7-.-RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR-.-....-.-RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR-.8-.-RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR-.-....-.-RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR-.9-.-------------------.-....-.-------------------.20-.....................-....-.....................1-----------------------....----------------------2-CCCCCCCCCCCC-.........HHHH.........-CCCCCCCCCCCC3-CCCCCCCCCCCC-.........HHHH.........-CCCCCCCCCCCC4-CCCCCCCCCCCC-.........HHHH.........-CCCCCCCCCCCC5-CCCCCCCCCCCC-.........HHHH.........-CCCCCCCCCCCC6-----------------------....----------------------7-.....................-....-.....................8-.-------------------.-....-.-------------------.9-.-RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR-.-....-.-RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR-.30-.-RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR-.-....-.-RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR-.1-.-RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR-.-....-.-RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR-.2-.-RRR#RRR$RR$RRRRRR-.-....-.-RRRRRR$RR$RRR#RRR-.3-.-RRRRRRR$RR$RRRRRR-.-....-.-RRRRRR$RR$RRRRRRR-.4-.-RRRRRRR----RRRRRR-.-....-.-RRRRRR----RRRRRRR-.5-.-RRRRRRR-EE-RRRRRR-.-....-.-RRRRRR-EE-RRRRRRR-.6-.---------EE------------------------EE----------7-.-RRRRRRR-EE-RRRRRR-.-CCCC-.-RRRRRR-EE-RRRRRRR-.8-.-RRRRRRR----RRRRRR-.-CCCC-.-RRRRRR----RRRRRRR-.9-.-RRRRRRR$RR$RRRRRR-.-CCCC-.-RRRRRR$RR$RRRRRRR-.40-.-RRR#RRR$RR$RRRRRR-.-CCCC-.-RRRRRR$RR$RRR#RRR-.1-.-RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR-.-CCCC-.-RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR-.2-.-RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR-.-CCCC-.-RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR-.3-.-RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR-.-CCCC-.-RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR-.4-.-------------------.-CCCC-.-------------------.5-.....................-CCCC-.-...................6-------------------------------------------------SECTION B PART 2 CITY LAYOUT AND PLANS

54

Diagram B2.03.3(2)

Diagram: B2.04

R: Residential
-: Road
$: Streets
E: Future development location of
Elementary School
#: Build only parks here as there
will be no road connection

C: Commercial
P: Plaza, reward or any commercial
boosters
.: Free space for commercial boosters,
mass transit stations or amenities
-: Roads

1
2
123456789012345678901
1--------------------2-....................
3-.------------------4-.-/
/ / / /5-.-||
|| || || ||6-.-||
|| || || ||7-.-<<<#>>>$>>$<<<>>>8-.-||
||$<<$|| ||9-.-||
||----|| ||10-.-/
/-EE-/ /1-.---------EE-------2-.-/
/-EE-/ /3-.-||
||----|| ||4-.-RRRRRRR$<<$RRRRRR5-.-<<<#>>>$>>$<<<>>>6-.-||
|| || || ||7-.-||
|| || || ||8-.-/
/ / / /9-.------------------B2.04: Commercial Zoning
Again much like industrial zoning, there is not
much fixed layout for this as, there is no much
services demanded. It is up to you to use
whatever size zoning you prefer, although I do
like a 6x6 zone. You can have a smaller one or
even a larger one. It does not matter, as long as
you leave spaces in between for future
expansion of either mass transit, or plazas to
improve the desirability.

1
2
3
12345678901234567890123456789012345
1----------------------------------2-CCCCCC-CCCCCCC-...-CCCCCCC-CCCCCC3-CCCCCC-CCCCCCC-...-CCCCCCC-CCCCCC4-CCCCCC-CCCCCCC-...-CCCCCCC-CCCCCC5-CCCCCC-CCCCCCC-...-CCCCCCC-CCCCCC6-CCCCCC-CCCCCCC-...-CCCCCCC-CCCCCC7-CCCCCC-CCCCCCC-...-CCCCCCC-CCCCCC8----------------------------------9-CCCCCC-CCCCCCC-...-CCCCCCC-CCCCCC10-CCCCCC-CCCCCCC-...-CCCCCCC-CCCCCC1-CCCCCC-CCCCCCC-...-CCCCCCC-CCCCCC2-CCCCCC-CCC-------------CCC-CCCCCC3-CCCCCC-CCC-PPP-...-PPP-CCC-CCCCCC4-CCCCCC-CCC-PPP-...-PPP-CCC-CCCCCC5-CCCCCC-CCC-PPP-...-PPP-CCC-CCCCCC6----------------------------------7-......-...-...-...-...-...-......8-......-...-...-...-...-...-......9-......-...-...-...-...-...-......20----------------------------------1-CCCCCC-CCC-PPP-...-PPP-CCC-CCCCCC2-CCCCCC-CCC-PPP-...-PPP-CCC-CCCCCC3-CCCCCC-CCC-PPP-...-PPP-CCC-CCCCCC4-CCCCCC-CCC-------------CCC-CCCCCC5-CCCCCC-CCCCCCC-...-CCCCCCC-CCCCCC6-CCCCCC-CCCCCCC-...-CCCCCCC-CCCCCC7-CCCCCC-CCCCCCC-...-CCCCCCC-CCCCCC8----------------------------------9-CCCCCC-CCCCCCC-...-CCCCCCC-CCCCCC30-CCCCCC-CCCCCCC-...-CCCCCCC-CCCCCC1-CCCCCC-CCCCCCC-...-CCCCCCC-CCCCCC2-CCCCCC-CCCCCCC-...-CCCCCCC-CCCCCC3-CCCCCC-CCCCCCC-...-CCCCCCC-CCCCCC4-CCCCCC-CCCCCCC-...-CCCCCCC-CCCCCC5-----------------------------------

The following is an example of a commercial
zoning that is of the same size as the (ORS). Of B2.05: Plan for future development
course you could always change the road layout
1) Future Highway and Mass transit
at the centre to incorporate a larger reward
Also after each residential or industrial superstructure and
other than a 3x3 one.
before the next industrial strip or residential area, you
should leave a gap (G) of six including the road (R) thus
making it like this (RGGGGR). This is for future mass transit
expansion or large amenities such as hospitals, although I
recommend leaving it for highways and stations. Remember
if you wish to use the cloverleaf, you must leave the
requisite space for it.
Whether you chose to initially build large amenities there or
not I strongly advice you NOT to build your rewards here.
Building an amenity may be acceptable since the cost to
build a new one is low unlike a reward. This diagram is a
small middle cross section taking into account the industry,

55

breathing space, commercial district and the gap
down for when using the (ORS) layout. If you are
confused, look at the numbers at the side and
compare it with Diagrams B2.02 and B2.03.1. The
lower residential area refers to another RS rather than
the same RS.
Diagram B2.05:
perspective
I:
-:
.:
R:

Middle

section

Industry
Road
Gap/space
Residential

Diagram B2.06.1

R: Residential Zone. This represents
not one just one tile but an entire
block of maybe 4x4 or 6x6, up to you,
surrounded by roads.
C: Commercial Zone. Again this does
not represent just one tile.
for
CRCRCRCR
RCRCRCRC
CRCRCRCR
RCRCRCRC
CRCRCRCR

30-....-...------.----------1-IIII-...-CCCC-.-RRRR-RRRR2-IIII-...-CCCC-.-RRRR-RRRR3-IIII-...-CCCC-.-RRRR-RRRR4-IIII-...-CCCC-.-RRRR-RRRR5--------------------------6.........-....-.-....-....7.........-....-.-....-....8.........-....-.-....-....9.........-....-.-....-....40--------------------------1-IIII-...-CCCC-.-RRRR-RRRR2-IIII-...-CCCC-.-RRRR-RRRR3-IIII-...-CCCC-.-RRRR-RRRR4-IIII-...-CCCC-.-RRRR-RRRR5---------------------------

B2.06.2: McFadyen's Strip City Master-plan (MSCM)
This is a full city master-plan created by Chris
McFadyen. These do not letters in the diagram does not
represent single tiles but a 6x6 zone with surrounding
roads. You may use the paternalistic approach to traffic
to design your highway system in this city. Also you do
not need to build a highway immediately, just leave the
space for it in the future.
REFER: B7.08.3: Paternalistic Approach to traffic

2) Borders
I also left three tiles between the edge of the map and
any roads or structures I built. The first reason is for
mass transit expansion and the second is to prevent
accidental destruction of buildings through the
creation of connections in the other cities.
B2.06: City Master-plans (CM)
It is up to you whether you want to create a
masterplan for your entire city laying out where each
and everything will go. It does have its advantage but
also it is quite tedious.
B2.06.1: Grid Unlock City Master-plan (GUCM)
1) Concept
This idea was first suggested to me by Chris McFadyen
a long time ago. Rather than splitting up the various
zones, they are placed near each other. As the name
suggests, it is a city layout to reduce commute time
since people do not have to go across the city to get
to their work place. This layout may however have
problems with industry. Even assuming it is a hightech non-polluting industry freight trips will be long.
Therefore it might still be advisable to place the bulk
of the industries at the edge of the map. Of course
you could use freight stations but that will only take
up valuable space and create traffic.


56

Diagram B2.06.2

Diagram B2.06.3

R : Residential
S: SRS
C : Commercial
=: Highway
I : Industry
R: Reward quad
= : Highway
a: Airport which is in Reward
. : Amenities
quad
* : Cannot remember what this stands for but I think it is I: 4 tiles of industry
most probably government facilities. Unlikely to be an C: 4 tiles of commercial
airport since he does not believe in them. Or rather since +: Rail Tracks
the highway serves the same function as the airport.
---=----1
2
3
-III=III123456789012345678901234567890123456
-IAA=CCI1====================================
-IRR=SCI2IIIRRRRRCCIIICCRRRRRRCCIIICCRRRRRIII
=========
3IIIRRRRRCCIIICCRRRRRRCCIIICCRRRRRIII
-ICS=SCI4IIIRR.RRCCIIICCRRR.RRCCIIICCRR.RRIII
-ICC=CCI5====================================
-III=III6IIIRR.RRCCIIICCRR.RRRCCIIICCRR.RRIII
----=---7IIIRRRRRCCIIICCRRRRRRCCIIICCRRRRRIII
9====================================
10IIIRRRRRCCCCCCCRRRRRRCCCCCCCRRRRRIII
PART 3: FIRST CITY, A SLUM FOR ALL
0 - 40,000 (1st City + Dirty)
2IIIRR.RRCCCCCCCRR.RRRCCCCCCCRR.RRIII
3====================================
This part will give you a range of basic tips for
4IIIRR.RRCC***CCRRR.RRCC***CCRR.RRIII
building your first city in the region. It may also
5IIIRRRRRCC***CCRRRRRRCC***CCRRRRRIII
be used if for some reason you wish to build a
dirty industry city only. And if you find yourself
7====================================
still unsure as to how to start simply proceed to
SECTION C: ADVANCED TUTORIAL, where I have
crafted a detailed step-by-step, year-on-year
20IIIRR.RRCC***CCRRR.RRCC***CCRR.RRIII
walkthrough. Think of it as your advanced
1====================================
tutorial.
2IIIRR.RRCCCCCCCRR.RRRCCCCCCCRR.RRIII
But if you are stumped by a certain problem and
5====================================
do not wish to follow the advanced tutorial, then
go to SECTION E: Checklists, where I have listed a
range of common problems and a checklist as to
8IIIRR.RRCCIIICCRR.RRRCCIIICCRR.RRIII
what you can do to resolve them.
9====================================
30IIIRR.RRCCIIICCRRR.RRCCIIICCRR.RRIII
B3.01: Customised USD for Slum City
Read the USD above if you have not done so. I
3====================================
will customise them for better application to the city.
B2.06.3: Sharr's City Master-plan (SCM)
B3.01.1: Primeval Land
Sharr's city wide master-plan is a continuation of her
residential plan above, (SRS). Industry of 4 tile length This is more of a suggestion but for your first city you
is placed by the side. The 4 SRS fits into one map and should select to play a mid-sized map. That way you
they are divided by two highways, and a cloverleaf are not overwhelmed. A second reason is that it is
meeting at the centre. However, while 4 SRS could be easier to fill it and have connections on all four sides
placed in the map, she chose to use the fourth quarter and take advantage of any constructed cities over
as one for her rewards, airport also some commercial there.
zones. The following diagram is obviously not to scale
nor proportionate at all. It is simply meant to Even if you do not want to place trees on the entire
illustrate. All four quads are of equal size.
map, place it around the area where you intend to
build your power plants. Also pause the game when
terraforming.

SECTION B PART 3 FIRST CITY, A SLUM FOR ALL

57

B3.01.2: Taxes
Before the game even starts set your taxes to:
------------------| $ | $$ | $$$ |
--------------------|R| 8.3 | 8.0 | 7.5 |
|C| 7.0 | 7.0 | 7.0 |
|I| 9.0 | 8.0 | 7.0 |
--------------------Feel free to play around with the tax to determine
your optimum. The optimum tax rate at the beginning
is at 9%. Thus even though you are raising taxes, you
still would receive a positive boost from the tax rates
as it is below the norm.

funding to zero. However if you choose to use a
landfill, build only 4 tiles at a time. And try to switch
to a waster to power by the time you reached 16 tiles
unless you want a good part of your map to be filled
up with garbage.Place these next to the power plants
and do not connect water to it.
B3.01.4: Connections
Make as many connections as possibility even if it is to
Sim Nation.
REFER: B1.05: Connections
B3.01.5: Farmer's Market

B3.01.3: Utilities

I prefer to get the population up as fast as possible for
my first city. Spending on zoning on farms will slow
1) Power: Coal Plant
down my development. However, it is up to you as to
I suggest that you build a COAL power plant rather
whether or not to slow play down a bit, build farms
than those pathetic but environmentally friendly wind
and get the farmers market before clearing them.
power plant. It is the cheapest both in terms of
REFER: B1.06: Animal Farm or Great leap forward
building it and maintaining. Of course it is pollutes a
great deal. So place it with your garbage disposal
B3.02: Customised City Layout and Plans
facilities all at one corner. It is near the industrial site
I strongly recommend that at least for the first city
but I don't think it should be that close. Maybe 15 - 20
you follow the suggested layouts.
tiles away. You should leave spaces around this
power generating area both to act as a buffer to the
B3.02.1: Industry and Green Belt
spread of pollution and also to allow for future
expansion. By the time you move on to your second
Use the layout discussed above in PART 2. Place your
city you would have built a few more power plants.
industry on the edge of the map. For your
Remember to adjust its funding.
convenience, I have reproduced the diagram here.
REFER: B1.03: Tight Fiscal Controls
Obviously you do not need to fill up the whole thing
2) Water
immediately.
Use a Water tower until the fifth one then a water
REFER: B2.02: Industrial zoning
pump. Do not adjust its funding.
REFER: B2.02.1: Green Belt
REFER: B1.03: Tight Fiscal Controls
There are some people who advocate not placing
water until your population hits about 5000 I believe.
But personally, you can hit 5000 so fast, at least with
water coverage, that I do not think this is too good an
idea. However, MDMUFF sent me a mail telling me
that he "have gotten a population of 50,000 without
water facilities..." That most probably refer to a large
map where you can spread out the population.
Basically the lack of water has an effect on:
a) Stopping Denser buildings from being built
b) Increased risk of fire
c) Possible prevention or at least a slow down on
$$$ moving in. But since the main idea of not
have water is to save money, it most probably
mean that this city by itself is not very attractive
to the $$$. So not much harm done.
You should be cautioned on the point that while
people may not mind moving in despite the lack of
water, the cutting off of water will result in people
actually leaving. So the moral of the story, if any, is if
you wish to treat the population badly do so
consistently and at the start of your inauguration.
1) Landfills and Waste Power Plant
I prefer using a waste to power plant and reduce its


58

Diagram B2.02: Industrial and Green Belt
I:
-:
.:
R:

Industry
Road
Gap/space
Residential

1
2
3
4
1234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789
10------------------------------------....-CCCC-.-R
6------------------------------------------------7-....-....-....-....-....-....-....-....-CCCC-.-.
8-....-....-....-....-....-....-....-....-CCCC-.-.
9-....-....-....-....-....-....-....-....-CCCC-.-.
5-IIII-IIII-IIII-....-IIII-IIII-IIII-....-CCCC---6------------------------------------....-CCCC-.-R
5------------------------------------------------B3.02.2: Residential Superstructure
Again use the layout discussed above in PART 2. I
recommend using the (ORS) at least for your first city
since the SRS has too much space given to commercial
zones which are not very in demand for the first city.
Place it at the middle of the city or after the industrial
zones. If you look at the industrial zoning and green
belt diagram above, you will see that the last row to
the right is a row of residential area. That is where the
(ORS) should go. You should count from the industry
side. Don't be afraid to build a long stretch of road
and to make some markers through the creation of
junctions in case you lose count.
But do NOT place a school at this point. For your
convenience, I have reproduced the diagram here.
REFER: B2.03: Residential Superstructures (RS)


59

Diagram
B2.03.1:
superstructure
R: Residential
-: Road
E: Future development
Elementary School

Residential create a cloverleaf. If you wish a cloverleaf
remember to leave the space for it.
B3.02.5: City Master-plan
location

of

1
2
3
12345678901234567890123456789012345
1----------------------------------2-RRRR-RRRR-RRRR-...-RRRR-RRRR-RRRR3-RRRR-RRRR-RRRR-...-RRRR-RRRR-RRRR4-RRRR-RRRR-RRRR-...-RRRR-RRRR-RRRR5-RRRR-RRRR-RRRR-...-RRRR-RRRR-RRRR6----------------------------------7-RRRR-RRRR-RRRR-...-RRRR-RRRR-RRRR8-RRRR-RRRR-RRRR-...-RRRR-RRRR-RRRR9-RRRR-RRRR-RRRR-...-RRRR-RRRR-RRRR10-RRRR-RRRR-RRRR-...-RRRR-RRRR-RRRR1----------------------------------2-RRRR-RRRR-.............-RRRR-RRRR3-RRRR-RRRR-.............-RRRR-RRRR4-RRRR-RRRR-.............-RRRR-RRRR5-RRRR-RRRR-.............-RRRR-RRRR6----------------------------------7-.........-.....EE......-.........8-.........-.....EE......-.........9-.........-.....EE......-.........20----------------------------------1-RRRR-RRRR-.............-RRRR-RRRR2-RRRR-RRRR-.............-RRRR-RRRR3-RRRR-RRRR-.............-RRRR-RRRR4-RRRR-RRRR-.............-RRRR-RRRR5----------------------------------6-RRRR-RRRR-RRRR-...-RRRR-RRRR-RRRR7-RRRR-RRRR-RRRR-...-RRRR-RRRR-RRRR8-RRRR-RRRR-RRRR-...-RRRR-RRRR-RRRR9-RRRR-RRRR-RRRR-...-RRRR-RRRR-RRRR30----------------------------------1-RRRR-RRRR-RRRR-...-RRRR-RRRR-RRRR2-RRRR-RRRR-RRRR-...-RRRR-RRRR-RRRR3-RRRR-RRRR-RRRR-...-RRRR-RRRR-RRRR4-RRRR-RRRR-RRRR-...-RRRR-RRRR-RRRR5----------------------------------B3.02.3: Commercial Zoning

This was how I lay out my city when using the
above system. This is not to scale nor
proportionate at all it merely illustrate the
placement.
Diagram B3.02.5:
I : Industrial Zone
RR: Each of this R represents one
quadrant of the (ORS)
RR: Thus the four together makes
one (ORS).
G: Green Belt
C:
Commercial
Zones
or
some
rewards
=: Future planning of 4 tiles
P: Power plant and waste disposal
area
PGIGCRR=CC
G=IGCRR=CC
==========
I=IGCRR=RR
I=IGCRR=RR
==========
I=IGCRR=CC
I=IGCRR=CC
==========
B3.03: Slum Town
Education, health, recreation, hi tech industry all
sound wonderful but really which nation in the
world went immediately from third world to first.
Well actually one did, at least according to the
book written by the leader whom George Bush
calls "one of the brightest, ablest men I have ever
met." Anyone knows or wishes to hazard a guess?

But that is beside the point. In this game, treat the
Sims as mere chattels, whose only purpose is to bring
you money. So what if they live in a bleak house and
have a bleak existence. With the exception of those
messages warning you that you are running out of
capacity, Treat the rest of the messages your advisors
give you as how you would treat spam.

The initial commercial zones should be placed just
beside the green belt and the (ORS) as seen above. I
will further talk about commercial zoning slightly later
under commercial development. For now the amount
of commercial you produce at the founding of the city
is very minimal. A few tiles would satisfy demand.
The only time when you start building these facilities
is when population hits a barrier of some sort.
B3.02.4: Plan for future development
Remember and I cannot stress this enough, your
purpose is less of a mayor, at least at the start, and
You should leave 4 tiles in between each (ORS) for more of an evil industrialist bent on chaining and
highway development. Although for the (ORS) facing exploiting the masses.
the industrial side there is no need unless you so wish.
But on the other three sides of the (ORS) and that
industrial zone too, you should leave 4 tiles. It is up to
you whether should your highway just criss-cross or to

60

B3.04: Density: Slum town expands outwards not sizeable amount to spend. By spending, I am referring
upwards
to wealth levels.
1) Mid Density
Use mid density for industry and residential at the
start, forget about low density. However, commercial
zoning should be kept at low density at least until you
reach 20,000 population.

B3.07: Commercial Development

1) Low Commerce
Since any developing nation is an export-oriented
economy rather than a consumer based one, there is
really no need to build that much commercial zones at
the start. A few tiles here and there would be
sufficient. Take note that in the beginning the only
desired commercial area is the low density one, that
of small shops rather than offices. Therefore I would
advice zoning light density rather than medium at the
start.
2) Low Customers
The reason for low commerce is due to low
customers. But it is not as simple as trying to make
the road congested around your commercial area. You
need to have a sizeable amount of people with a

But when the commercial area and the benefits starts
kicking in, the surplus started increasing again. As
stated earlier, ignore the population's request for
water treatment and all other stuff other than the
basics needed to expand. Water treatment is not
needed unless your pumps stop from pollution which
should not happen since you put it away from the
industries, power plants and their water pollution.

I started producing large areas of commercial tiles
around 20,000 pop. You can see its demand rising. I
think that my population growth from 20000 to 30000
was fuelled by the commerce because by then I ran
After zoning mid or low density and if you wish to out of places for industry, the left side of the map is
increase the density later on, all you have to do is drag used up. My commerce is on the right.
the higher density zone over the area. There is no
need to demolish any buildings whatsoever. However, It is IMPORTANT to take note that if your education
since the higher density only develops if there is the system is up to the task, you may face a decline in the
demand and that your city is of a sufficiently high dirty industry as more people choose not to work
population, you may not see immediate changes if the there. This commercial development is to provide the
city is not ready.
newly educated with alternative employment.
2) Outwards
Remember as long as there is space on the map. Zone While I sometimes use a 4x4 sometimes 4 x 5
and expand sideways. This means zoning more rather structure. A 6x6 commercial structure is now my
than zoning denser. If you are starting out with the preferred placement. Make sure that if you do use the
largest map, you obviously do not need to fill up the 6x6, all the lots have road connections. I placed both
entire map before zoning denser. But that is a long mid and high density zoning at this point. I do not
way from now. And when you do zone denser later have any fixed structure for it, simply because the
on, I suggest you start off with the area that is the map does not allow any more huge superstructure
most central in your development.
areas. The main thing is to make sure that it is built in
a place where it is desirable to commerce.
An interesting thing that I noticed, is that if you zone REFER: A2.01.1: Concept of Desire
high density at the start when your city is not ready
for it, it will barely develop past the tiny single houses. B3.08: Budget
In fact if you zone high density on areas with
apartments, if the city is not ready, the houses there At the peak of my surplus for this first city, which is
will become smaller. Therefore my advice is do not around the time before I built any amenities I was
zone for high density until your city is ready. Build pulling in as much as $4000 surplus a month.
high density around 40,000 population.
REFER: A2.03.2:
Residential and Commercial The lowest point would be during the time the pop
skyscrapers
was between 18000-24000 when you will have most
of the amenities lower end amenities, such as full
B3.05: Jobs from industry
elementary coverage, partial high school and hospital
coverage and some recreational facilities. The reason
The reason why people come to a city is to find jobs. for the low point is that the full effects of these
So zone as much industry as possible when there is amenities which you just placed have yet to be
demand. This is especially so since with the exception reached. However, I was still making about $800
of jobs there is nothing attractive in your dismal slum. surplus. So the low point does not mean you are close
B3.05.1: Export oriented economy
to making a loss.


B3.08.1: Ordinance
Tourism ordinance: It costs only $50 and increases
commercial demand. This is helpful since this is the
first city and there are no neighbours to aid your
demand.
61

Smoke detector: After getting a ridiculous amount of
outbreaks of fire and getting irritated with dispatching
them, I enacted this. Remember you should pause
after the fire crew put out the fire to allow them to
return. Because I did not and as often will be the case,
Murphy's Law will strike such that another fire will
start at a position far, far away from the fire crew.
B3.08.2: Rewards
1) Government buildings: Yes, the mayor’s house,
three statutes and the town hall all look very
nice but I did not build them in the slum town
for quite sometime because they require
maintenance. However, if you are skilful
enough you will be making enough money to
build some of them. Use your discretion to see
whether is it an affordable luxury.
2) University: As both a university and a college
can be scaled according to usage, you may if
you can afford it chose to build it. But I would
advice holding them off until your city is more
well developed.
3) Free upkeeps: Of course feel free to place the
worship sites, graves, radio station down since
they cost nothing to maintain.
You can place your cemetery my cemetery next to the
power plants. Or if you have a landfill next to it since
after all, they both serve the same purpose of putting
things into the ground. The reason why I placed them
there instead of it near my residential zones is
because I felt that using a simple park is more
effective given the huge size of the cemetery. It is up
to you to decide.

especially if you start off with a medium or small map.
But because this is your first city, you do not have the
population to allow high density buildings to appear.
B3.9.1: Potential Solutions: I will love you ...
Sometimes, the song "Love is all you need," is not
always true. So here are some solutions but I will be
talking about them in more detail in the later parts of
the strategy guide.
Create New Neighbouring City:
Creating another city in the region will help.
Additional cities helps to increase demand and also
spur the growth of the population thereby increasing
the demand and income of this first city Do not worry,
the second city is always easier to turn a profit.
PART 4: SECOND CITY, MANUFACTURING GROWTH
0 - 40,000 (2nd City + Mfg.)
I have had several attempts on the creation of a
second city. I was hoping to create a completely hitech hub for the second city in the region where the
first was a medium sized map. But it was not
successful to a significant extent that I hoped it to be.
However, if you started out with the large map you
should be able to have the demand to create a hi-tech
city immediately.

Therefore the object of this PART is to give you hints
to create another city to further add to the high-tech
demand and to increase the economic growth of the
Alternatively, if you want the best of both worlds, you region.
can place the cemeteries at the area where the
industry ends and residential begin as the cemetery B4.01: Customised USD for Mfg. City
helps reduce air pollution of the industrial zone and
also increase the desirability of the nearby residential I again use a middle sized map. It is up to you to select
houses.
which map you want to use. But for optimal use in
conjunction with this guide, select a map to the left of
B3.9: Future problems: Come what may...
your first city. That is the map nearer to the industrial
side of the first city.
Industrial changes: Despite still not having a college in
the slum town version, your demand for high tech will B4.01.1: Taxes
be increasing while that of dirty is falling.
Furthermore, the slightly better educated people are As usual before the start, raise your taxes to:
------------------not that keen on working in a dirty industry.
| $ | $$ | $$$ |
Pollution: This relates to the clearing of the huge --------------------brown cloud over the industrial area so that the high |R| 8.3 | 8.0 | 7.5 |
|C| 7.0 | 7.0 | 7.0 |
tech can move in.
|I|11.0 | 8.0 | 7.0 |
--------------------Urban renewal: For further increase in population you
The aim is to discourage dirty industries not kill them.
have to put more facilities, which might add greater
Most probably a combination of the tax and the clean
pressure on the budget. But properly managed it
air would kill of dirty demand. But do not worry as
should not be a problem
manufacturing can pick up the pieces.
Falling Demand and Space constraints: Demand may
be falling or that you are running out of space,
SECTION B PART 4 SECOND CITY, MANUFACTURING GROWTH

62

B4.01.2: Utilities
There may be times where you will find it to your
advantage to purchase either power or export
garbage. However, I find any such deals, at least in
this stage, to be merely transitional since you do not
have that much cash.
1) Power:
Again I used a coal power plant. I did this because it
eventually will be cheaper and the amount of power
needed would be more than what my first city can
offer at this point. I did do one power deal when my
coal plant was near capacity but I did not want to
construct another. However this deal did not last long,
especially when my power demands kept rising.
2) Water:
Since in my first city I continuously had this message
that green stuff was coming out of the water, I choose
not to make any water deals. But again build four
towers before the pump.
3) Garbage:
Again I recommend using the waste to power. But if
you choose not to then again build no more than 16
tiles of trash. If you build a waste to power than there
really is no need to make any deal concerning garbage
with the first city.
4) Tight Fiscal Control
Remember everything that I stated relating to tight
budget controls still applies.

c) should not build too many industrial zones at
the start. Thus farms may provide some extra
jobs and attract more people and hopefully
make up for the lack of industrial zoning.
Remember do not put the farms close to your water
pumps or towers.
Everything that I stated in relation to auto-roads,
residential areas and leaving breathing space for
future development still applies.
However, as I have stated earlier, since industrial and
commercial zones requires less structures, it really
does not matter what layout you choose as long as
you leave space for future development such as mass
transit. It is up to you to decide whether is a 4x4 zone
for commercial and industrial area is better or a
(S)x(S) zone better. Where (S) represents the
maximum length you can drag the zone before a no
road zot will appear. I now favour a 6x6 zone for
commercial.
B4.02.1: Initial Setup

1) Taking advantage of your first city:
Taking into consideration that people can travel
between cities for work. You should plan your city as if
it was like an extension of the first city or any
B4.01.3: Connections
neighbouring city such that the Sims of the
neighbouring city can say lovingly to your city "You
As I stated earlier in PART 1, the benefits of complete me."
connections are immense. To take full advantage of
the fact that you now have two cities in the region, Thus if there is a workplace such as industry or
make sure that you have connections not just on the commerce on the edge of the neighbouring city, then
side with the Slum City but also with the other sides you should build a residential area on the edge of the
that connects to Sim Nation.
city closest to the neighbour city and vice versa. Do
not start of a new city right in the middle of the map.
This will mean that your connections are now double If you recall in the first city, I placed my industry on
the effectiveness then when you only had connections the left side of the map. Therefore since the second
to Sim Nation in your first Slum City.For added city is to the left of the first city, it obviously means
effectiveness, you may even include one or two rail that what is on the right of the map is closer to the
connections. They need not be hooked up for it to first city. Thus I started my residential zones on the
provide some demand cap busting for commercial right of the map. That way the people can go to the
demand.
first city to get jobs. After all you are not building that
much industrial zones at the start.
B4.01.4: Farmer's Market
2) Confining pollution:
However, for the first industrial zone and the power
It is in my opinion that there is more reason to build a stations and other polluting contraptions, I placed
set of farms to get the farmer's market right now than them on the top right hand of the city.
in the first city. There are two reasons
a) Middle class ($$) demand buster. Since you are This little diagram below, which is not representative
hoping to attract them to your city but the of the actual proportion I used, illustrates what I
limiting factor is that the initial capacity for the meant by placing the residential area to the right of
middle class unlike the poor is only a few the city. Please note that each R represents one
thousand. So a farmers market is quite useful.
residential super structure akin to the one I
b) Industries built at the start would most mentioned in Part I relating to my first city. However, I
probably result in dirty industries. So you
do not have specific structure in mind for the industry
and the commercial areas since they do not require
that much services.

63

Diagram B4.02.1

H : Free space left to start your
first hi-tech zone.
I: Industrial zone, Power plant and = : Future planning for highways.
waste to power
R: Residential zone
2nd City | 1st City
II=II=GP|P
2nd City|1st City
II=II=II|I
I|I
GG=GG=GG|I
R|I
========|=
R|I
RR=CC=RR|I
RR=CC=RR|I
B4.02.2: City Master-plan
========|=
1) Commercial:
CC=RR=RR|I
I placed a whole strip of commercial zone in the
CC=RR=RR|I
middle. It is about 17 tiles wide. You should be able to
build three residential super structures and the
commercial zone across the map. My placement is
RCRR.
2) Industry:
I did create another two more industrial zones but
they are much smaller and consists of manufacturing
mainly, which though polluting is not as polluting.
Therefore, you should further raise $I taxes at this
point so instead of dirty manufacturing coming into
this new zone, manufacturing would enter. Try to fine
tune the raise such that it merely causes dirty demand
to stagnate but not so much that is causes it to go into
the negative. You do not want them to leave your city
as of yet.

B4.03: A town in development
Your goal, I assume, would be the eventual creation of
the hi-tech industrial park. So that means while
budget control is still the number one priority,
education should not be overlooked. Remember while
deficit spending may be the American way, this is not
the Sims way.

What changes is that, instead of waiting until you hit a
barrier to build schools, you should start earlier. It
should preferably be before your population hits
10,000. I started mine at about 8,000. Some may state
that this is too late, but I placed four elementary
Remember the raise of taxes is a delicate process schools and one high school down all at the same
because the reason for the additional manufacturing time. Anyway, I suppose it is your preference.
zones was to bring in more cash, which I needed. So
an increase of $I taxes might backfire on my financial B4.04: Residential over industry
plans. It takes about one financial quarter or three
months for taxes to have its full effect. You may if you I do have one initial industrial park filled with dirty
industries but since our goal is for hi-tech, we should
wish load and try again to get the perfect mix.
restrict our construction of dirty industry for the
3) Green Belt:
It is up to you which configuration you wish to adopt. moment. This first industry is to serve as a means to
A pure trees approach, or a trees in combination with increase the population and provide some income. I
zoned 30 4x4 mid density industry. You may of course
commerce method. I prefer the commerce one.
zone more or less depending on your discretion and
4) Future planning
Remember to leave space for future transit. It is up to vision for the city. Anyway I placed these near my
you whether should your highway just criss-cross or to power plant and landfill, so no harm done.
create a cloverleaf. If you wish a cloverleaf remember
However, subsequent industrial parks should result in
to leave the space for it.
mostly manufacturing. I suggest you hold off creating
5) Master-plan
Again the little diagram below merely illustrates the more industry at the start for two reasons:
a) By allowing time for the city to develop, it
layout of this second city and is not proportionate.
ensures that the next time you build your
The layout of the 1st city as seen here is merely
industrial park, mostly manufacturing would
representative of the industrial side rather than being
appear.
accurate with respect to the first city.
b) Furthermore, if you wish to achieve high tech
with this city, it means reserving space for
Diagram B4.02.2
them. Since high-tech usually do not appear in
polluted areas, if you zone too much, you may
I : Industry
have to demolish some industrial buildings.
p : Power plants and waste disposal
RR:
Original
Residential However, if you do not wish to obtain high tech from
Superstructure (ORS)
this city yet, you may carry on zoning.
RR: Again each R represents one quod
C : Commercial zone
B4.05: Mid density to High density
G : Green Belt
M : Manufacturing
Again I used mid-density for all my residential areas.

64

But I have tried placing high density zoning for
industrial and commercial areas when the population
reaches about 20,000. I had cash to spare at this point
so I had no problems zoning high density even if the
high density effect have yet to kick in.

manufacturing. Therefore to save money on
demolishing these polluting factories, you may want
to leave space for your high-tech.
B4.08.1: Budget

B4.06: Amenities

Peak profits:
The peak profits for this second city, is again prior to
Fire Station:
any amenities construction. However since I started
Again it should be the first structure you build
on education expenditure faster, my top profits is only
about $3,000. It fell to about $600 after the first wave
Education and Health:
of construction, 4 elementary schools and one high
The time you build these facilities should be earlier school.
than the first town. It is important to build them as
you do not want another slum town. Of course you Close to the edge:
need not build them all at one go. I suggest a library Because I was less patient, I started on my second
first as it is quite cheap and helps to prevent Sims' EQ wave of city improvements, which included the
from atrophying. You can lower its funding quite low hospital, library, garbage to power plant, sooner
because usage is often not that high. You should at rather than later. What this means is that at this
least provide elementary schooling for all.
point, I was only making less than a $100 profit a
month. So do not panic when you see your profits
Hospitals not clinics:
falling drastically. Although, I advice you to be more
Personally, I feel that you should always build a patient unlike me.
hospital rather than a clinic and then scale
accordingly. I find the clinic reaches its maximum You should realise by now, by the number of times I
capacity too fast thus resulting in strikes. Thus unless have repeated this, the way out of this is the
you wish to build other nearby surrounding clinics, it construction a new commercial zones. My population
seem more suitable to build a hospital and have a was also close of the 20,000 at this point. Because of
larger service area. Furthermore a hospital treats the close budget call, there are three important things
more patient for every dollar spent on its upkeep. you have to take note of during or rather before this
Since you can scale its usage most of the time the phase development.
initial upkeep is less than the default. I suggest you
place one in each (ORS) and reduce coverage such (1) Save game:
that is covers only that (ORS)
Remember to save before this second wave of
expansion. Try not to save over this until you start
Higher Education:
seeing clear and rising profits, preferably several
Because they are city wide, I suggest placing the hundred dollars of profits. This is just in case things do
college and also the university as soon as you can not go as planned. And just in case for some reason
afford it.
you click on the save and exit rather than exit, which
for some reasons seem to be a complaint that appears
Recreation and Rewards:
too often on the message boards, do a backup save of
You should build more of these to attract wealthier your city.
people to come to your city. So plazas for commercial
districts, parks for residential areas and private (2) Large reserves:
schools and the mayor house in your wealthy area. I Because there might be a possibility of loss making
suggest placing those cheap $5 flower park in each coupled with the need for the expenditure of large
(ORS) to help increase desirability. Finally, build only cash to develop large commercial zones, I used hiwhen you can afford it. And by afford I mean still have density zoning, you need to have a large reserve.
at least $500 profit each month. This city will make $70,000 to $80,000 in the bank should be more than
more money but not that much to go crazy.
enough. At the lowest point, my reserves hit $39,000
but prior to hitting that amount, I already was starting
B4.07: Commerce as a vehicle of transition
to make a few hundred dollars profit. I just wanted to
Again I only started commercial construction when accelerate the rate of increase in profitability.
the population went close to 20,000. It really does
spur new population growth. Also at this point, your (3) Timing:
hi-tech demand while present may not be high Try not to start the second wave too early. Wait until
enough. Therefore you need to bid your time and your population reaches a sizeable amount. That way
build commercial zones to bring in the cash. Another you can use the commercial demand increase
reason for zoning more commerce is that you should method. Also your education policies might start
try to hold off zoning for industry since what would kicking in. But you do not need to worry too much
most probably appear would either be dirty or
about this since by the time you accumulate the

65

requisite amount of reserves, your population should
be at the very least in the 15,000.
Note: If you are willing to wait for you reserves to
build up greatly and more people to move in after the
first wave, the second wave improvements will not be
as dicey.
B4.08.2: Ordinance
Clean Air:
I checked this box immediately after starting the city.
It reduces general pollution and also the amount
specifically produced by dirty industry, $I. Also it acts
as a check on dirty industrial demand. Finally,
checking it at the start means that all those that come
in can tolerate the ordinance. Often when one checks
a clean air ordinance in the middle, some dirty
industry will be abandoned.

Country Club:
I got this slightly after the creation of my hi-tech
industry. Often according to the data map, the
country club is a den of crime. This has nothing to do
with police stations by the way, if you are wondering.
In my opinion, the country club do not generate that
much crime but merely attracts the criminals to that
area. After all why rob the poor folks when there is
rich pickings here.
B4.09: Potential Problems and Solutions

Again there is the issue of pollution. But because of
confinement of the dirty industry, it should only affect
a small portion of the city. The other two smaller
industrial zones are manufacturing areas. So while
there is pollution, it should not be as bad. While a
neighbouring city is not a panacea for all city
problems, what it does do is help increase demand
Smoke detector:
greatly. That is also another reason why I could reach
I got a bit irritated at the number of times that I, as a a higher population with greater desirability and have
mayor, had to double as dispatch for the fire fighters. more profits on hand in a shorter amount of time as
compared to my first city.
Tourism ordinance:
This will not result in a huge commercial boom. The
growth of commerce is related to the size of the city,
PART 5: HIGH TECH ARRIVES
its education and the amount of wealthy people in it.
0 - 40,000 (Subsequent Cities + High Tech)
Logically, the wealthier you are the more you would
spend, thus the increase in commerce. However, The instinct to improve, control and grow in inherent
another reason for not placing the ordinance was that in us all and reflect in this poem by T.S. Eliot. Hence in
my commercial demand seems to be quite high. So I this part I will show you three methods to improve
did not see a point in increasing demand further at your industry and bring about your first high tech
this point.
industry. The first two shows you how to get your
high tech in the second city talked about in Section B,
B4.08.3: Rewards
Part 4. I prefer method 3 but it is slower and you will
Even in my second city, at the year 16 where my not really get your high-tech industry now. high tech
profits is at $2,200, I still have yet to build the mayor’s appears only in the third new city.
house. Actually, this has more to do with finding a
nice location. But remember build only if you can B5.01: Expand (Method 1)
afford the upkeep.
The method is obviously only possible if you still have
space left in your second city that is undeveloped.
Private School:
Place it wisely to relieve the burden of your education B5.01.1: Raise taxes again
system. Taking into account that since only the As you should realise, high tech abhors pollution.
wealthy goes there, it should be placed where it is or Therefore the key is not to let the dirty industries
it is very likely to be a somewhat desirable location. At enter the high-tech park. You should only raise the
the very least it should be away from the polluting taxes for dirty industries. This would be somewhat
industries.
delicate as you have two manufacturing parks which
you would not want them abandoned at this point if
While it may increase desirability, I do not think an not your budget will really take a big hit.
--------------------entire neighbourhood will become wealthy upon
| $
| $$ | $$$ |
placement. Therefore, it is in my opinion that if you
----------------------place it in an undesirable location, you will have very
| 8.0 | 7.5 |
little students in the school thus defeating its purpose. |R| 8.3
|C| 7.0
| 7.0 | 7.0 |
I placed it near the centre of my four residential super
|I| 11 > | 8.0 | 7.0 |
structures because that offers the best coverage and
----------------------also my wealthier residents are there and it is also
Dirty taxes should be raised until the industry is
very likely that further improvements would cover
slowing getting abandoned. Keep on raising until they
these areas.
get your point. Until then, enjoy the massive amount
of tax revenue coming in.
SECTION B PART 5 HIGH TECH ARRIVES

66

B5.01.2: Placement at the free space
This is the alternative to raising taxes. Remember me
telling you to hold off on industrial construction in,
B4.04 and B4.07? Well this is the reason for doing so.
In my city, I left one very large free space to the
bottom left of the map. You can if you still have not
any developed area away from pollution place your
high-tech over here.

----------------------| $
| $$ | $$$ |
------------------------|R| 8.3
| 8.0 | 7.5 |
|C| 7.0
| 7.0 | 7.0 |
|I| 12.5-13 | 8.0 | 7.0 |
------------------------One might ask why do not I raise taxes for the
manufacturing even higher. Getting rid of two entire
industries immediately will result in a drastic fall in
population. Remember not everybody can work at
your hi-tech park at the moment. You need to be
patient and take things slowly.

Since Hi-tech does not pollute you can place this
industry nearer your residential areas. An added
advantage of this is that the land nearer your
residential area would, I hope, have a higher
B5.02.2: Upgrading: Creative Destruction
desirability value, the other industries would not want
to move in. This is to a certain extent is a means of
The industry on the top right should really now look
building hi-tech without actively raising taxes to kick
like an abandoned industrial park. You however, have
out the polluting industries.
to demolish all the pre-existing buildings, wait for a
few months for the pollution to clear before Kane and
To further ensure only high tech comes in, you could
his hi-tech Tiberium brotherhood moves in. Before
build a park or two in the industrial area as high-tech
actually beginning on the tax increase and change
is positive affected by structures with good positive
remember the golden rule of saving and having a
residential effect.
large bank reserve.
REFER: B4.08.1: Budget
B5.01.3: To dump or not to dump the Dirty industry
Do not destroy your dirty industries as of yet unless:
a) You are out of space
b) You want a pure high tech city
And even if you select (2), you should not at this point
destroy your industries unless (1) applies. This is
because your city might experience a fall in profits
due to the dirty industries leaving but demand for
high tech is not high enough to give you enough
money to turn a profit.
c) Short of cash for full demolition and
reconstruction
If conditions (1) and (3) are satisfied, do not go all the
way out and demolish the entire industry at once. You
can make a gradual demolition as you build moving
out from one part. If the above conditions are
satisfied, proceed on to method 2, reconstruction on
how to best proceed.
B5.02: Reconstruction (Method 2)
This method is used if you are out space and wish to
build a high tech in that city. It primarily involves lots
of demolition.
B5.02.1: Raise taxes to crazy European levels
As the key to this method is the building of hi-tech
industries on old polluting grounds, your first task at
hand is to kick the polluting industries out and make
sure they stay out.


1) Creative Destruction
Joseph Schumpeter stated that there are several
stages of the business cycle that comes into being
when new technology is introduced. And that cycle
exactly shows you what you can expect in the game
when you are upgrading your old industrial zones with
high tech.
a) Installation and Implementation
This occurs when you have risen taxes and started on
some demolition but the benefits of the high tech has
yet to appear while the loss in the old industries are
most keenly felt. Your income will fall and there is a
possibility of making a loss. Coupled with the money
need for demolition, and people leaving the city due
to the fall in jobs, this is the period of the crash.
b) Golden Age
This occurs after the turning point where sufficient
high tech has appeared and that you are starting to
reap the rewards of the new technology.
Furthermore, your old industries is completely
moribund by now thus, income should no longer drop
as it has already fallen to its lowest level. Also the fall
in pollution and the rise in wealth level means that
commercial and also residential areas become more
desirable and more people moves in.
c) Maturity
This occurs when you have completed the upgrade.
The growth has stabilised and you are out of space for
more high tech. Congratulations, you have created a
high tech city.
2) Fire Disaster demolition:
This seems to me like a cheat of some sort but as long
as you enjoy the game which you bought with your
own money, who am I to say anything. Since it is going
to cost quite a bit to demolish the buildings, this
67

method simply requires you to go into god mode,
select the fire disaster button and click on the desired
building. You have to click and hold on the same
location, especially if you have smoke detectors and
fire coverage. The longer you hold, the more deadly
the fire is. By the way ever wonder why when you try
to set fire to your own city the fire gets extinguished
so fast yet when a real fire breaks out nothing like
that occurs.
B5.02.3: Pollution
However, if the pollution from the power plants is too
strong, then you may have to do something more
drastic such as rising manufacturing taxes too. That
way your high tech can move into another zone other
than the one next to the power plants and waste to
power.
Generally, as long as the source of the pollution is not
around the smog will disappear. Remember an
abandoned vacant building still produces as much
pollution as if it was fully active.To deal with pollution
if you do not have money to demolish all the industry
in the area is to do a gradual movement. The diagram
below represents an industrial park
1: 1st to demolish
2: 2nd to demolish
3: 3rd to demolish
111122223333
111122223333
111122223333
111122223333
Therefore the pollution will clear up a bit in area one
thus allowing high tech to move in. Remember to
remove any polluting structures that appear in that
area. Then you can move on to area (2) and (3) when
you have the cash for demolition.
B5.03: New city called patience (Method 3)
This method calls for the setting up of a third city. I
chose to set up another mid sized map at the bottom
of the first city. To get the best out of your two cities,
make sure you go and play the slum city for a while so
that demand from your second city can register. Make
sure when you leave the second city, you have
positive demand.
B5.04: Customised USD for High Tech City

B5.04.1: Taxes: Raise taxes with a vengeance
Before the city even starts set your taxes to:
--------------------| $
| $$
| $$$ |
----------------------|R| 8.3 | 8.0 | 7.5 |
|C| 7.0 | 7.0 | 7.0 |
|I| 18.0 | 18.0 | 7.0 |
----------------------Basically, raise taxes for dirty and manufacturing until
demand becomes negative. Could believe it that even
at 18% some dirty and manufacturing came in? But do
not worry as, only at most one or two will come. Thus
they will not pose that much of a problem. And they
will leave soon. Make sure that when you change to
the data view of air pollution, they are not generating
any.
B5.04.2: Utilities: Plan for low pollution
Power: That means using natural gas plant and
placing the structure at the furthest possible end. I
created a small island of sorts and placed it here. Later
on, I replaced it with a solar plant and sadly, an oil
plant.
Waste: Initially I exported it to my first city until it
started costing over a $1000. I simply cannot waste
such money. So I built a Waste to power plant. Again,
place it in an island on the far side of the map.
Trees: Remember to fill the little dirty island with as
much trees as possible before starting the city. Fill to
the point where when you click the mouse you no
longer see any more difference in foliage.
Ordinance: Enact the clean air act.
Deals: Again I stick to my original statement that for a
city at this point of time, all deals are merely
transitional.
There is no need to leave a green belt for this city
since, you are not expecting to produce polluting
industries. Although a blanket of trees around the
power plants and waste disposal is still
recommended. Place your city in a way to take
advantage of the neighbouring city. Also do not forget
to make connections.

Perhaps you can try your hand at some terraforming.
Creating a some island for your power plants and B5.05.1: Selection of Setups
waste disposal. Also a river front for your commercial
areas would be nice.
It is up to you which selection you choose, but I
continued with my (ORS). This is so that it will fit into
the plans of my first city. If you wish to get the
farmers market, I advise you to get it as soon as
possible since the level of education in this city will be
moving up quite fast.


68

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