SIMCITY 3000 U.S. $19.99 Can. $27.95 U.K. £12.99 Electronic Entertainment Platform: PC and Mac PRIMA’S OFFICIAL STRATEGY GUIDE ™ Covers both SimCity 3000 Unlimited ™ and SimCity 3000 for PC and Mac UNLIMITED Exclusive advice from the Electronic Arts testers Secrets for novices and seasoned Mayors alike Detailed instructions GUIDE STRATEGY OFFICIAL PRIMA’S for earning all rewards Tips on dealing with natural disasters Strategies for new scenarios Graphic directory of North American, AND 3000 EDITIONS! Asian, and European building sets COVERS UNLIMITED Comprehensive appendices including all buildings and landmarks Greg Kramer © 2000 Electronic Arts Inc. SimCity 3000, Maxis, the Maxis logo and Electronic Arts are trademarks or registered trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries. All rights reserved. Maxis™ is an Electronic Arts™ brand. The Prima Logo and Prima Publishing ® are Registered Trademarks of Prima Communications, Inc. PRIMA’S OFFICIAL STRATEGY GUIDE GREG KRAMER Prima Games A Division of Prima Communications, Inc. 3000 Lava Ridge Court Roseville, CA 95661 (916)787-7000 www.primagames.com The Prima Games logo is a trademark of Prima Communications, Inc. Prima Publishing® is a registered trademark of Prima Communications, Inc., registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. © 2000 by Prima Publishing. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or trans- mitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage or retrieval system without written permission from Prima Publishing, except for the inclusion of quotations in a review. Senior Product Manager: Jennifer Crotteau Senior Project Editor: Christy L. Curtis Editorial Assistant: Caspian Theal ©2000 Electronic Arts Inc. SimCity 3000, Maxis, the Maxis logo and Electronic Arts are trademarks or registered trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries. All rights reserved. Maxis™ is an Electronic Arts™ brand. All products and characters mentioned in this book are trademarks of their respective companies. Important: Prima Publishing has made every effort to determine that the information contained in this book is accurate. However, the publisher makes no warranty, either expressed or implied, as to the accuracy, effectiveness, or completeness of the material in this book; nor does the publisher assume liability for damages, either incidental or consequential, that may result from using the information in this book. The publisher cannot provide information regarding game play, hints and strategies, or problems with hardware or software. Questions should be directed to the support numbers provided by the game and device manufacturers in their documentation. Some game tricks require precise timing and may require repeated attempts before the desired result is achieved. ISBN: 7615-2984-5 Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 00-10491 ii primagames.com P RIMA’ S O FFICIAL S TRATEGY G UIDE ACKNOWLEDGMENTS A book of this complexity and volume is impossible without the dedication of many. Thanks first and foremost to Christine McGavran for making me feel at home at Maxis and for demanding so much of me. Thanks also to Joseph Knight for his suggestions, insights, and dedication. Special thanks to Maxis’s Mike Lawson: the man who sifted through every manuscript page, answered every question, knew so much, and tirelessly researched anything he didn’t. Thanks also to Joe Bird for taking up the slack when Mike was needed elsewhere. To the EA testers, Syruss Flyte and Dan Roisman, thank you for reaching so far back in your memories for the great tips. Thanks to Jenna Chalmers for her wonderful contributions to the Scenarios and Scenario Creator sections. To my team at Prima (Jennifer Crotteau, Christy Curtis, Caspian Theal, Cinamon Vann, and Asha Johnson), thanks for your usual best and for everything above and beyond it. Sorry about all the capitalization! Thank you Cathi Marsh for making me look good. Thanks to Adam Kroloff for taking time out from being a rock star to lend a hand. As always, thanks to Dee and Adam for getting me through this. For their help and support, much gratitude goes to Mel, Jackie, Lloyd, and Carol for lightening the load. Finally, thanks to Will Wright for his creation and the loss, over the course of my life, of several hours of sleep; not to mention turning my Mac into my favorite toy. I’m sure I’m not alone. DEDICATION To D, without SimCity and Mighty Jack, where would we be? simcity.com iii TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION . .1 PART 1: INTRODUCTION TO CITY CREATION . .7 Chapter 1: New City Options . .8 Chapter 2: Basic Landscaping . .12 Chapter 3: Basic City Building . .18 Chapter 4: Vital Information . .51 Chapter 5: Causes and Effects . .62 Chapter 6: Summary of Quick Trips . .83 PART 2: PREPARING FOR YOUR CITY . .89 Chapter 7: Landscaping . .90 Chapter 8: Getting Information . .98 Chapter 9: Budgeting and Finance . .112 Chapter 10: Zoning . .127 Chapter 11: Demand . .151 Chapter 12: Development . .174 PART 3: STRUCTURES AND EFFECTS . .196 Chapter 13: Land Value . .197 Chapter 14: Pollution . .214 Chapter 15: Crime . .236 Chapter 16: Aura . .249 PART 4: DEPARTMENTS AND OTHER MAYORAL CONCERNS . .263 Chapter 17: Utilities . .264 Chapter 18: Transportation . .293 Chapter 19: Public Safety . .319 Chapter 20: Health . .334 Chapter 21: Education . .343 Chapter 22: Recreation . .355 Chapter 23: Ordinances . .359 Chapter 24: Neighbors . .363 Chapter 25: Business Deals . .378 Chapter 26: Disasters . .386 Chapter 27: Rewards . .408 Chapter 28: Landmarks . .421 Chapter 29: Timeline of All Date-Activated Events . .430 Chapter 30: Special Report: Attracting Clean Industry . .432 PART 5: UNLIMITED CITY CREATION . .442 Chapter 31: New Features of SimCity 3000 Unlimited . .443 Chapter 32 Scenarios . .447 Chapter 33: Making Your Own Scenario . .478 Chapter 34: Building Architect Plus . .488 Chapter 35 The SimCity Community . .502 Appendix A: Cheats and Secrets . .505 Appendix B: Building Directory . .510 iv primagames.com P RIMA’ S O FFICIAL S TRATEGY G UIDE INTRODUCTION INTRODUCTION This guide is intended for all players of SimCity 3000 ™. Whether you play the standard version on your PC or Mac, or have just purchased a beautiful new copy of SimCity 3000 Unlimited; whether you’re a first time Mayor, an experienced 3000 player, or a battle-hard- ened veteran of previous SimCity™ games, there’s something here for you. WELCOME, YOUR HONOR Since 1989, millions of ordinary people have tried city management thanks to Will Wright and his educational gaming milestone: SimCity. It seemed the most unlikely of game concepts, but its appeal was instantaneous and knew no boundaries; for many nongamers, it’s the only game they know. In 1993, Wright and his company, Maxis, took the addictive but unglamorous original concept, exponentially increased its complexity, and harnessed the power of early ‘90s computing power to give birth to SimCity 2000. So glorious, rewarding, and beautiful was it that it seemed impossible to top. Then, after much work, it was topped by SimCity 3000. With even greater complexity, increased citizen interaction, remarkable beauty, and elegantly streamlined controls, the latest and greatest installment has been a chart topper since its release in 1999. With the new millennium dawning, it seemed time to do even more. In early 2000, Maxis announced the development of SimCity 3000 Unlimited, an all-new, enhanced, and expanded multinational version of its latest urban simulation masterpiece. It was a momentous oppor- tunity to reward the legions of loyal SimCity fans, to put in their hands the features so many had desired, and to give them the tools to make SimCity 3000 their own. For us at Prima, the time seemed right to do even more ourselves. We went back to the drawing board to create our most comprehensive SimCity guide ever. We totally reconceived and rewrote our guide for the core simulation and introduced a new section for beginners and another for the added needs of SimCity 3000 Unlimited players. Nowhere will you find more information about the inner workings of this extraordinary game. So, slide into the leather chair and wood-paneled office of the urban chief executive. The world is yours to mold into the most efficient and beautiful creation you can conceive. This guide exposes the rules and mechanisms that underlie your city, allowing you to harness their power to your own glorious purpose. simcity.com 1 HOW TO USE THIS GUIDE This guide is specifically designed and organized for easy use by players of all levels. Consult the outline below (or the index at the back) to find whatever information you need. In general: • Beginners: thoroughly study Part 1 •Veterans: consult Parts 2–4 • Unlimited owners: read the sections corresponding to your experience level and check out Part 5 for details on SimCity 3000 Unlimited. PART 1: INTRODUCTION TO CITY CREATION.