Learn how Residential, Commercial, and Industrial zones work in SimCity 1989. Understand power, transit, land value, pollution, and population density requirements for city growth.
Alright, let's break down the three main types of zones in SimCity: Residential (R), Commercial (C), and Industrial (I). Understanding how these work is key to building a thriving city!
Basically, all three zone types need a few things to get going, but they have some unique quirks. Think of it like this:
| Influences | Residential | Commercial | Industrial |
| Power Requirements | Required | Required | Required |
| Transit Requirements | Special Rules | Access | Access |
| RCI Meter | Growth | Growth | Growth |
| Land Value | Growth AND Class | Size Limit AND Class | Ignored |
| Pollution | Growth AND Class | Class | Ignored |
| Population Density | Need to reach Class rating | Ignored | Ignored |
First off, Power is a must for any zone to grow. No power, no buildings!
Next up is Transit. Commercial and Industrial zones are pretty straightforward: they just need to be connected to a road or rail. If they have that, they're good to go. Residential zones, though? They're a bit pickier and have a more involved process to get them growing.
Residential Zone Transit Requirements Explained
For Residential zones to grow, they need to be able to 'travel' via roads or rails to a valid destination. Here’s the breakdown:
- The zone first checks if it's connected to a Road or Rail.
- Then, it follows that transit line (it doesn't matter if it switches between roads and rails) to see if it can reach a valid destination. The game picks paths randomly, so if it hits a dead end, it'll stop searching that path.
- The journey needs to be at least one tile away from the zone's starting point to count.
- Residential zones start their search from the top-left tile of the zone itself, checking the tile directly north, then moving clockwise around the zone's perimeter.
Valid Destinations for Residential Zones:
- Commercial Zones
- Industrial Zones
- Police Departments
- Fire Departments
- Open Stadiums
- Coal Power Plants
- Sea Ports
- Airports
- Presents (Yes, really!)
Non-Valid Destinations for Residential Zones:
- Empty tiles like Parks
- Other Residential Zones
- Nuclear Power Plants
- Domed Stadiums (These weren't in the early prototype, so they don't count.)
Keep these requirements in mind when you're laying out your city. Getting the right mix and placement of zones, power, and transit is what SimCity is all about!
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