Tips for SIM City 3000

• "SimCity 3000" is an environment construction sim in which players develop and maintain a modern city. A player must manage resources and people accordingly, as many challenges such as overpopulation or pollution can bring the metropolis into chaos and ultimately destruction. Several strategies and basic principles can help a player to achieve success in "SimCity 3000."

Beginning

• When choosing how to construct the fundamental aspects of an early city, you must stick to a simple blueprint. Ignore initial land value, as this will always be minimal, and instead focus on developing in areas with a nearby water source and flat terrain. Decide early where you will position the industrial zones and the residential areas, as these should not be in close proximity. Any power plant should also be well out of the central area, preferably on the outskirts of the city. Make sure roads are connected to each other and run along power lines, as this make the urban plan easier to modify later.

Residential

• Keep your residents happy. Maintaining residential areas is hugely beneficial, so build lots of schools, hospitals and parks in the zone. Keep a low level of pollution by constructing highways and busy intersections far away from residences. Develop carefully thought out suburbs outside the central districts, but keep an eye on commute times, as residents will become unhappy quickly if they have to commute across the city to get to a business district. Hover your mouse over a building with a Query Tool to ascertain the happiness level of its residents. Do this regularly before drastic action has to be taken.

Commercial

• A good commercial area should be in close proximity to large pedestrian and traffic flows. This area needs customers, so nearby tourist sites and business districts should be constructed and linked. Keep commercial areas central, but far away from industrial zones. Commercial areas can be as sensitive as residential spaces, so make sure trash is off the streets by providing landfills and keeping pollution down with local parks.

Land

• Increasing your land value is an obvious way of attaining funds and making a more successful city. To do this, avoid building near hills, as these limit how many parks you can create. Build a police station and waterfronts to keep crime down while providing a pleasing environment. The most direct way of creating valuable land is by creating a museum surrounded by a park. Build these in areas where land value is low to boost property prices.