Depth of Simulation

• Overview

  The new SimCity delivers unprecedented depth of simulation thanks to the new GlassBox engine, where everything you see is simulated – from city-wide systems all the way down to the individual Sims in your city. View the consequences of your actions and dig in to see how the systems work. See the impact of your decisions by clicking on individual Sims to learn about what they’re doing, their wealth and happiness. Manipulate power, water, taxes, pollution, education, unemployment and much more! New data visualization tools add incredible depth that is quickly accessible to the player -- click on the power layer for an instant snapshot of how electricity is distributed throughout your city.

  
• GlassBox Simulation Engine

  GlassBox is the revolutionary new simulation technology behind SimCity, giving you the power to impact Sims lives, manage city-level simulation, and balance multiple cities at once. Every Sim, every car, every building has a purpose in SimCity. Sims go to work, purchase items, consume goods and live in a home (unless they’re homeless). Even buildings are dynamic simulation objects - each building is a character, with its own behavior. GlassBox simulates real city behavior: Cars exhibit authentic traffic patterns, water actually travels down pipes, and fire spreads in realistic radiuses. Everything you see is simulated. Your decisions affect the future of the city and the Sims living in it.

• Data Visualization

  See the consequences of your actions and dig in to see how the systems work. With new data visualization layers, you can look under the surface for deeper clues about how your city is functioning. Click the power layer for an instant snapshot of how electricity is distributed throughout your city. Access the water layer to find the best location to plop a water tower. Discover where your criminals cause crime by clicking on the crime layer, then plop a police station to protect your Sims! All of this is done through a unique graphic interface, which replaces charts and numbers with the experience of actually manipulating the city itself and seeing how it responds in real time.

  
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  Detailed and Responsive Simulation

  The model-like world and detail of the simulation make this the most responsive and personal SimCity ever. Poke, prod, tinker and destroy a visually engaging world unlike anything you’ve seen! Through SimCity’s new model-like aesthetic, building a small town or thriving city is more tactile and intuitive than ever before. Just click and drag to draw new roads, designate industrial, commercial or residential zones and watch your Sims construct buildings then move in. Drop in a power station and see the lights come on in your Sims’ homes and businesses. With a click of the mouse you can shape and mold the physical world in which your Sims live, work, and play.

• Cities Push Back

  Your city and the region responds to the decisions you make and its success will depend on how you respond. Factories won’t open on time if Sims can’t get to work because of heavy traffic due to roads you placed. Click on individual Sims to learn about their wealth and happiness. Increase taxes from 7 to 8% to make more simoleons, but this might cause unhappy Sims might move out of your City. If there isn't enough fire coverage to go around, a meaningless spark may burn your city to the ground. Without a strong police force your city could be full of abandoned slums and unhappy Sims. Weigh the benefits of powering your city with dirty power like coal or oil, green power such as wind or solar, or advanced nuclear power.
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  Intelligent Sims Matter

  The Sims in SimCity aren’t shy about letting you know how you’re doing as mayor. Manipulate power, water, taxes, pollution, education, unemployment and much more! Whether you are meeting Sims' basic needs, building them the best parks and schools, or ignoring them completely, you can see the consequences of your actions reflected in the look of your city. Happy Sims might earn a high Mayor rating, while disapproval may trigger a protest in front of city hall. Failing to meet the demands of your citizens can cause abandoned homes and graffiti-riddled slums, but improved conditions will bring a string of moving vans as Sims flock back to your town!

• Customizable Buildings

  Ploppables are incredibly detailed 3D buildings you can upgrade with modules to extend the functionally of your city. Plop a health clinic then add extra patient rooms to cure more Sims and an ambulance bay to extend your paramedic coverage. Upgrade your fire station by adding an extra garage for more fire trucks and a dispatch tower to respond to fires and emergencies for quickly. Or, send trucks to neighboring cities by plopping a fire headquarters. Unlock additional modules for police stations, college dorms and much more. The more successful your city, the more ploppables you unlock.