SimCity (2013)

For other uses, see SimCity (disambiguation).

SimCity
Developer(s)	Maxis
Publisher(s)	Electronic Arts
Producer(s)	Kip Katsarelis
Release date(s)	Windows NA March 5, 2013 EU March 7, 2013 JP March 7, 2013 GB March 8, 2013 OS X WW August 29, 2013
Genre(s)	City-building simulation, massively multiplayer online game
Mode(s)	Single-player, multiplayer
Platform(s)	Microsoft Windows, OS X
Media	DVD, Digital download
Input methods	Mouse, keyboard
Ratings	ESRB: E10+ PEGI: 7
Series	SimCity
Cheats

Sim City (also referred to as SimCity 2013 or SimCity 5) is the reimagined version of the SimCity series, developed by Maxis and published by Electronic Arts (EA). The game was released on March 5, 2013 for Windows PCs. An OS X version was also announced and subsequently released on August 29, 2013.

SimCity began development in the spring of 2009. It is the first Maxis-developed main series SimCity game since SimCity 4, released a decade prior. The game brought back the zoning feature, as well as a new multiplayer mode where a group of cities work together or compete in an online region. The new agent-based city simulation (based on roads, agents, and units rather than grid-cells) and city regional play was proclaimed the heart of the game by SimCity 2013 Creative Director, Ocean Quigley.

SimCity received positive reviews prior to release; however, as a result of widespread technical problems such as difficulty connecting to the game's always-online servers, many reviewers lowered the game's review score significantly. EA offered early buyers a free game from Origin as apology. Update 10, released March 18, 2014, introduced an offline mode toggle, allowing the player to play in single-player whenever.

Features

Every individual Sim has their own job, personality, education, life expectancy, etc., as part of the of the agent-based city building introduced to the franchise through SimCity 2013. One unit's behavior, such as moving into a new home and blocking the street with a moving van, could ripple out and cause a traffic jam, that in turn delays the response time of a fire truck attempting to put out a fire, which can result in a swath of the city burning.

There is no terraforming in this game, although the player can raise and lower land surrounding roads to a limited extent as of Update 7. The environmental consequences of running a city are also explored, focusing on global warming and other environmental issues such as air, water, and ground pollution due to resource extraction and non-renewable services.

Finite non-renewable resources (coal, oil, ore) means players overconsuming these resources too quickly can backfire, collapsing their city's economy and employment makeup. However, players can trade resources with other players online; since the demo shown at E3 (2012), a mayor from Stoneslow was able to pipe electricity into Taylor City.

Like other aspects of the game, crime is also more detailed. When a Sim commits arson, the player will hear gasoline being poured and a match being lit, as well as panicked Sims running from the building, some of them on fire. Further, the idea of "gateway crimes" is explored, where a criminal sim not caught for shoplifting will soon escalate to more extreme crimes (at worst murder) until caught.

Online multiplayer means regions can house multiple cities from a variety of players or "Mayors". Mayors can work together, possibly collaborating to build great works. These mega-projects can benefit the region, such as bringing in more tourists via the international airport or allowing the purchase of solar power at a reduced cost. To access online features, players must be logged into an EA account.

The feature of zoning residential, commercial, and industrial zones return. However, players can no longer zone in different densities. Rather, densities are designated based on road upgrades and happiness effecting the zoned area.

Disasters

In SimCity 2013, disasters can occur randomly, though Update 8 allowed players to "Disable Random Disasters" in the settings menu.

Like SimCity 4, the player can summon disasters by using the disasters tab. In multiplayer mode, the 7 disaster options have to be unlocked by completing achievements. In single player mode, disasters are unlocked automatically, as achievements cannot be earned offline.

The disasters in SimCity 2013 are:

• Meteor strike
• Earthquake
• UFO encounter
• Big lizard
• Tornado
• Zombie attack
• Outworlder 6 (requires Cities of Tomorrow)

Notable gameplay differences

Note: Italics denote former gameplay differences.

• Always online connection to the EA app (EA servers, formerly Origin)
• Multiplayer is supported and is provided as invite only or public/free join.
• Cloud saving allows the player to pick up their game from any computer, but not able to load an earlier version of the city in case of disasters.
• No industry types in RCI meter. Industry types are determined by separate "Industrial Tech" level.
• Absence of terraforming.
• Absence of agriculture.
• Absence of subways.
• Addition of streetcars, dirt roads, and free-form roads.
• Pre-designed maps and population road connections.
• Zoning density is no longer controlled by zoning, instead controlled by the road type.
• Modular utility buildings that can be physically improved with additional functionality ploppables.
• Player doesn’t have direct control over a civic building's funding.
• Player can turn a whole building on/off and/or add/remove Modules.
• Size of the maps is limited to 2 km by 2 km (Comparable to SimCity 4 medium size).
• Any player can join into a public region, from 2 and up to 16 cities in a region at a time.
• Players can engage in six main City Specializations: Mining, Drilling, Gambling, Electronics, Trade, and Culture.
• Players can compete on global leaderboards.
• Players in online mode can earn achievements.
• Players can trade resources (import/export) on the global market.

Releases

Limited edition cover of SimCity (2013)

There are four versions of SimCity (2013) available:

• Standard Edition: The base game with all the features listed above.

• Limited Edition: Only available through pre-order. Included the Heroes and Villains Set. Players who pre-ordered on Origin also received the Plumbob Park set.

• Digital Deluxe (Origin/EA app only): Includes the Heroes and Villains set found in Limited Edition as well as three European City packs: British, France and German. Players pre-ordering on Origin also received the Plumbob Park set, as with the Limited Edition.

• Collector's Edition: Contains the British set (UK only), France set (France only), German set (Germany only), and a steelbook.

Downloadable contents

Main article: Downloadable content

• Heroes and Villains Set (Included with the Limited and Digital Deluxe editions)
• Plumbob Park (Only available during Origin's exclusive bundle for pre-ordering)
• British City Set ($9.99, included with the Digital Deluxe edition)
• French City Set ($9.99, included with the Digital Deluxe edition)
• German City Set ($9.99, included with the Digital Deluxe edition)
• Amusement Park Set ($9.99)
• Nissan Leaf Charging Station (Currently available free of charge on EA app)
• Attractions Set (Was available for free from release through Update 9)
• Airships Set ($8.99)
• House of Worship Set (Free through Update 7)
• Roman Casino Set (Free through Update 8)
• Progressive Insurance Set (Once free, no longer available as of 2015)

Country-specific downloadable contents

These DLCs are only available in specific countries in Europe.

• Media Markt Set
• Metro Set
• Telia Set
• Play Set
• Micromania Set
• Red Cross Set ($9.99, only available to players located in Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom, and the United States)

Expansion packs

• SimCity: Cities of Tomorrow ($19.99, paid expansion, released on November 12th, 2013.)

Compilation packs

• SimCity: Plus Edition (Includes the main game and the expansion pack. No longer available through Origin.)
• SimCity: Complete Edition (Includes the main game, expansion pack, pre-order and digital deluxe content and all paid DLCs. Free DLCs, such as promotional content are not included, however.)

Trial version

Formerly, a paid by the hour trial version of SimCity 2013 was offered starting August 5, 2014. This was exclusive to the PC version, would last for four hours, and began counting whenever you first launched the game. It provided two save slots (as opposed to ten in the regular game), two regions (Cape Trinity and Reflection Atoll), and was playable only in single-player mode. Save files in the trial version are still transferable if the player chooses to purchase the full version of the game, as save files are stored locally.

Patches and updates

Main article: SimCity (2013)/Updates

Reception and Legacy

SimCity received mostly mixed-to-negative reviews on release, mostly due to the always online requirement, severe technical issues at launch, and the lengthy delay between server restorations.

Almost every review of the game had negatively reviewed the game's always online requirement, most citing that taking an offline single player series and forcing players to play online whether they wanted to or not was not a good idea.

Currently, the game is the lowest rated SimCity title to date, even behind SimCity Societies, which was noted for its negative reception from fans.

Due to the severe backlash and negative reviews about the always online requirement of SimCity 2013, On May 6th, 2013, EA and Maxis revealed The Sims 4, released on September 2, 2014. Maxis stated in a video that the reason The Sims 4 will not require internet and will not have online features is to avoid further fan backlash, a reaction EA and Maxis did not anticipate over the online requirement of SimCity 2013. They also revealed in a video that The Sims 4 will use the same engine Sim City 2013 uses, GlassBox, and hinted at the possibility of a feature SimCity 4 and The Sims 2 had, where the player could make a city layout in SimCity 4, and use it in The Sims 2. They hinted that may be implemented at a later date. 

Videos

Sim City Limited Edition Pre-Order Trailer

Pre-Order Trailer

SimCity 5 Official Announcement Trailer HD

Announcement Trailer

SimCity Beta - 1 - Part 1

Beta Gameplay

Gallery

See also

• Interface (SimCity (2013))

External links

• Title at Bitchass Games
• Title at Gamefaqs