Rivercity (A SimCity City)

[BRoss]

I've been working on a city in SC4 now for at least the past three years off and on. The city is loosely based on Omaha, but I have decided to some things differently.

So without further ado, here's a map of my entire region at this point (click the images for larger views):


Downtown looking southeast:


Downtown looking southwest:


South downtown looking northwest:


South Rivercity looking northeast:


Midtown looking northwest:


Westroads / Regency looking southeast:



There are much more areas and angles, so if anyone wants to see more, let me know I can post more images.

[Brad]

Thats cool. I played the heck out of sim city back in the day. What's the newest edition of sim city called these days?

[nebugeater]

Nice! If you had to guess how many hours do you have invested in that? If you even want to think about that.

[Garrett]

Sim City 4 was the last good edition, and a new one is coming out in March... which will hopefully be good...

[jessep28]

I think I've spammed this before, but this is what happens when one takes the game to its extremes

[youtube][/youtube]

[Brad]

I think I've spammed this before, but this is what happens when one takes the game to its extremes

[youtube] [/youtube]

I have this feeling you watch more youtube than anyone on this forum...

[jessep28]

Probably.

[MadMartin8]

Do developers demand TIF with each commercial development? Are projects announced in your city about 4 to 5 years before they are developed, with sometimes not being developed at all? What about when apartment complexes are announced....are residents living nearby rioting?

More importantly, what about Wall Street Tower?






In all seriousness, this is absolutely awesome. I've tried to replicate the city many times, but each time come up short because the zoning never works out correctly.

[S33]

Probably.

I don't know, I might give you a run for your money.

[S33]

Do developers demand TIF with each commercial development? Are projects announced in your city about 4 to 5 years before they are developed, with sometimes not being developed at all? What about when apartment complexes are announced....are residents living nearby rioting?

More importantly, what about Wall Street Tower?






In all seriousness, this is absolutely awesome. I've tried to replicate the city many times, but each time come up short because the zoning never works out correctly.

So this Sim City game, it actually requires some level of real-life city planning? i.e. rezoning, and etc?

[Garrett]

Zoning, transit systems, schools, police stations, utilities, parks etc. Basically, it takes everything. And a form of TIF does exist in game, actually.

[Brad]

So this Sim City game, it actually requires some level of real-life city planning? i.e. rezoning, and etc?

I haven't played the game in years, but in the old versions, if you zoned some residential next to a factory or power plant it would turn in to the ghetto real quick.

This sounds evil, but its just a game... Back in the day, I would bulldoze all the churches because they don't give you any property taxes.

[jessep28]

It's too bad there can't be little details in SimCity like a virtual Pete Festersen complaining that whatever improvements you try to make will blight a neighborhood in his district.

[S33]

Back in the day, I would bulldoze all the churches because they don't give you any property taxes.

lol!

[BRoss]

Thanks everyone!

Nice! If you had to guess how many hours do you have invested in that? If you even want to think about that.

I'd have to say I've spent thousands of hours working on this city.

My city is currently:
8 large tiles
20 medium tiles
2 small tiles

In my scale:
One large tile = 4 sq mi
One medium tile = 2 sq mi
One small tile = 1 sq mi

The city currently only goes past 144th around the Millard area, but because of how dense I made the city, I have 1.5 million people.

Something that I'm sure everyone would like is that I have light rail running throughout the city:


One line currently runs from the east end of Council Bluffs along Broadway, then runs along where Douglas would be* throughout downtown, then finally along Dodge to Boys Town. There is another line that runs from Offutt along Fort Crook to 13th Street, then along the same path where Douglas would be between 13th and 30th, then 30th to where I-580 (North Freeway) curves west to 48th St. Then there is one more running along 72nd St from Papillion to I-680. If you look at the overall map of the city in the first post, the light rail lines are red.

*In my city, the hwy 6 one way pairs running downtown are Dodge and Farnam. I originally decided on making Douglas just a side street, but eventually removed it when I put in the elevated rail throughout downtown.

As for TIF - yes, in fact I use it plus way more. The taxpayers in my city entirely paid for the FNB tower:

I found this landmark lot someone made a few years ago and just plopped it.

As Axel said, the current version is 4, but I have a ton of mods that makes it so you can do things you would have never thought of. I'm going to get 5 when it comes out and depending on how it is, I may finally retire this city.

Sometime when I get more time, I'll post more pics.

[nebugeater]

Lest see the zoo and the Blatt area if you have that and time to post it at some point.

[MadMartin8]

Thanks everyone!

Nice! If you had to guess how many hours do you have invested in that? If you even want to think about that.

I'd have to say I've spent thousands of hours working on this city.

My city is currently:
8 large tiles
20 medium tiles
2 small tiles

In my scale:
One large tile = 4 sq mi
One medium tile = 2 sq mi
One small tile = 1 sq mi

The city currently only goes past 144th around the Millard area, but because of how dense I made the city, I have 1.5 million people.

Something that I'm sure everyone would like is that I have light rail running throughout the city:


One line currently runs from the east end of Council Bluffs along Broadway, then runs along where Douglas would be* throughout downtown, then finally along Dodge to Boys Town. There is another line that runs from Offutt along Fort Crook to 13th Street, then along the same path where Douglas would be between 13th and 30th, then 30th to where I-580 (North Freeway) curves west to 48th St. Then there is one more running along 72nd St from Papillion to I-680. If you look at the overall map of the city in the first post, the light rail lines are red.

*In my city, the hwy 6 one way pairs running downtown are Dodge and Farnam. I originally decided on making Douglas just a side street, but eventually removed it when I put in the elevated rail throughout downtown.

As for TIF - yes, in fact I use it plus way more. The taxpayers in my city entirely paid for the FNB tower:

I found this landmark lot someone made a few years ago and just plopped it.

As Axel said, the current version is 4, but I have a ton of mods that makes it so you can do things you would have never thought of. I'm going to get 5 when it comes out and depending on how it is, I may finally retire this city.

Sometime when I get more time, I'll post more pics.

There is entirely too much density here to be Omaha.... you need to bulldoze about 3/4ths of those Tall buildings in North Central Downtown and either replace them with parking lots. You can even call them "The Yards"

[almighty_tuna]

The new version comes out in mid-March. First new version in quite a long time since the SimCity franchise was set aside because of all the success with The Sims. Looking forward to its release!

[jessep28]

People will probably hate it since the game will require a constant internet connection for DRM purposes.

[BRoss]

Lest see the zoo and the Blatt area if you have that and time to post it at some point.

(Click for larger view)

[guy4omaha]

Like that RiverCity. I have often done the same thing with SimCity in making an Omaha. Well the same thing except yours is cool and all of mine have sucked. I don't have enough patience.

This reminds me, though, I have been meaning to ask those of you who do this sort of stuff either with SimCity type apps or with photoshop or whatever . . .

What if we took all the tall buildings in the metro and placed them in the downtown skyline. What if all of our tallees we're actually downtown. If you think it would be fun to build downtown this way, go for it. I know I would find it interesting to see your creations.

Buildings to move downtown . . .

Blue Cross Blue Shield
Mutual of Omaha,
the UNMC campus tallies
the Masonic Manor
the Travel and Transport Building (or whatever it is called these days)
Ameritrade
any and all others you would want to put downtown

What would our downtown look like? You build it and decide!

[TitosBuritoBarn]

'I wouldn’t be where I am today without "SimCity"': Video game inspired a generation of city planners

https://www.chicagotribune.com/business ... story.html

I was definitely one of these players.

[GenX]

I’ve been playing SimCity BuildIt the past few years, and it’s one of the only mobile games I play on a regular basis. So much fun!

[BRoss]

If I had not been a software developer, I would have become a city planner. And mainly because of SimCity. I still play the game to this day. That said, I haven't played the region in this thread in years.

[GenX]

If I had not been a software developer, I would have become a city planner. And mainly because of SimCity. I still play the game to this day. That said, I haven't played the region in this thread in years.

Software development is the field to be in. I’m a developer also.

[RockHarbor]

Darn, I wish I could see the city you developed that looks like Omaha. (I've actually thought about doing that before, so I'm really curious how yours turned out.) I never knew this thread existed, until it was revived recently.

SimCity4 was the best $20 I ever spent (on entertainment). That game is so addictive -- especially when you first get it. It almost took over my life back then...

I would mainly create cities like Chicago and Toronto (on a lakefront). One time I did a massive city, with Tokyo in mind. I eventually started cities that were smaller and more quaint, with downtowns on a river, surrounded immediately by steep hills (like Portland, Cincinnati). Lots of fun...

[BRoss]

Darn, I wish I could see the city you developed that looks like Omaha. (I've actually thought about doing that before, so I'm really curious how yours turned out.) I never knew this thread existed, until it was revived recently.

I'll have to see if I can find it again. It wasn't an exact clone though - only the same basic layout.

[RockHarbor]

Darn, I wish I could see the city you developed that looks like Omaha. (I've actually thought about doing that before, so I'm really curious how yours turned out.) I never knew this thread existed, until it was revived recently.

I'll have to see if I can find it again. It wasn't an exact clone though - only the same basic layout.

I would love to see it! (Funny, I found the manuals to SIMCITY4 and SIMCITY3000 at a used bookstore last weekend, or so. So, I got 'em. I'm not the type to go out & buy those type manuals, but since they were so cheap... It is kinda nice to have the "Tell All" book on those games.)

I hesitate getting involved in SIMCITY4 again, because it is so time-consuming. I also know there is a new game "CityXL" (or something) that's pretty amazing -- especially the newest version. I question which one is better. That SIMCITY4 is tough to beat, imo.

[BRoss]

Darn, I wish I could see the city you developed that looks like Omaha. (I've actually thought about doing that before, so I'm really curious how yours turned out.) I never knew this thread existed, until it was revived recently.

I'll have to see if I can find it again. It wasn't an exact clone though - only the same basic layout.

I would love to see it! (Funny, I found the manuals to SIMCITY4 and SIMCITY3000 at a used bookstore last weekend, or so. So, I got 'em. I'm not the type to go out & buy those type manuals, but since they were so cheap... It is kinda nice to have the "Tell All" book on those games.)

I hesitate getting involved in SIMCITY4 again, because it is so time-consuming. I also know there is a new game "CityXL" (or something) that's pretty amazing -- especially the newest version. I question which one is better. That SIMCITY4 is tough to beat, imo.

Cities: Skylines is the big one today. But I still stick with SC4 because there's things I like better about it. But I've heard C:S has gotten a lot better than the last time I played. I may need to take that up again once I'm done with Starcraft again.

I did find my old city the other day. When I get some time, I'll have to get some screenshots again.

[RockHarbor]

Darn, I wish I could see the city you developed that looks like Omaha. (I've actually thought about doing that before, so I'm really curious how yours turned out.) I never knew this thread existed, until it was revived recently.

I'll have to see if I can find it again. It wasn't an exact clone though - only the same basic layout.

I would love to see it! (Funny, I found the manuals to SIMCITY4 and SIMCITY3000 at a used bookstore last weekend, or so. So, I got 'em. I'm not the type to go out & buy those type manuals, but since they were so cheap... It is kinda nice to have the "Tell All" book on those games.)

I hesitate getting involved in SIMCITY4 again, because it is so time-consuming. I also know there is a new game "CityXL" (or something) that's pretty amazing -- especially the newest version. I question which one is better. That SIMCITY4 is tough to beat, imo.

Cities: Skylines is the big one today. But I still stick with SC4 because there's things I like better about it. But I've heard C:S has gotten a lot better than the last time I played. I may need to take that up again once I'm done with Starcraft again.

I did find my old city the other day. When I get some time, I'll have to get some screenshots again.

Awesome. Would love to see it.

I honestly feel since Google Maps 3D became so amazingly detailed & realistic, I think I have less desire to play SIMCITY4 and games like Flight Simulator (which I hope incorporates Google Maps 3D someday, btw). Sure you cant design your own city on Google, but looking at cities in Google Maps 3D at any angle is tough to beat. Plus they have 100% realistic street layouts & uncountable number of different houses/buildings. (For example, you couldnt recreate Regency in SimCity4 very accurate at all.) I guess its also about what your motives are playing it. I never cared about all the "mayor duty" stuff. I just cared about city layout, design, and look.

[Coyote]

Does anyone still use SimCity? My IPad happens be in Swedish!

[thenewguy]

i play the one on android a lot. it's pretty good, but i always liked the one on PC best

[GenX]

I still play every now and then

[ita]

I still play simcity 2000 for the playstation every now and again.