Sim City was one of the very first simulation programs available and has proven to be one of the most continuously popular simulation software ever created. SimCity4 is the most recent evolution of Sim City

If you are not familiar with Sim City, here are the basics. You are the chief architect and mayor of a city that you are responsible for building and managing. As you build your city, you will attract SIMs (simulated citizens) who decide to come and live in your city. These SIMs have a life of their own and their activities - building houses, stores, factories - generates a tax base, that funds your city's coffers and that, in turn, allows you to further develop your city.

If the SIMs like what you are doing, more will come to your city. Your tax base will grow, enabling you to further develop your city. Conversely, if the SIMs do not like what you are doing, (i.e. inadequate infrastructure or your taxes are too high), they will leave.

So how does this work? When you open the program, you have a view of a large track of land and have access to 16 function buttons on the control panels around the edge of the screen. These allow you to do your work as architect and mayor. You start by building roads and divide your land into residential, commercial and industrial areas. You then install power stations and lines to supply the city with electricity.

Once you have installed these basics, you bring the city to life by running the simulation. (It's is like watching a movie). When SIMs move in, they build houses, stores and factories. This creates a growing need for residential, commercial and industrial land. And you find out what is happening as a result of this activity, including emerging issues of growth. (water shortage, inadequate number of hospital beds, rising crime rates, etc.)

Next, you will be installing other essential services such as water, garbage disposal, police and fire departments, as well as responding (or not, as you choose) to emerging issues in your city. You will notice all kinds of demands for schools, zoos, farmland and other elements of the infrastructure which you can add. You also have a budget to manage. You make choices and see what happens.

You have advisors (city councillors) telling you what is happening in your city and what they think needs to be done. You make decisions. Remember you don't have unlimited funds. (See "Managing" screen shot to the above right) And so you make decisions and see the results.

There is more - floods, fires, pollution, visits from UFOs, to mention a few. Much like real life, this program truly has no end. You are succeeding if your population (and tax base) is growing and you are effectively responding to the challenges that are coming up.

Simcity4 is a major enhancement to the earlier version Sim City 3000. The graphic detail (see "Rich Detail" screen shot to the right) is significantly improved, enabling you to zoom in and see the fine detail of your city at work. Simcity4 also allows you to connect cities enabling you to build what will become interdependent cities. You can also now track the lives of individual citizens (yes SIMS) and import SIM characters if you have The Sims program.

The program has many layers of engaging complexity. It also has a tutorial to lead you through the basics of building a city to get you going. Do the tutorial. Invest the time to learn the how to operate the program. You also have the option to start with a pre designed city rather than starting from scratch.

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