In this episode of SimCityVersity, I talk about how to generate hundreds of thousands of simoleans via the building of cultural buildings -- specifically a stadium -- and how there's more to consider than just the listing price of the building.
SCV on YouTube, Episode 11
In this video, I take you through how to maximize the amount of cash that you get at the start of your game at the expense of Sim comfort since there's no penalty for treating them poorly and they have short memories anyway.
New YouTube Channel and Blog
Today was a long day, but it was really productive. Firstly, I want to let you all know that I have upgraded my YouTube page and if you could have a look and let me know what you think, that would rock. You can find it here:
But... the big reason why today was so crazy and hectic is that I launched a brand new blog to help me become raise some good revenue so I can continue to maintain this and other blogs that I own. The new site is called Today in Gaming and is all about video games. I'm posting articles and videos to my blog as well as to my YouTube page. The first video when up today.
You can find the new blog at: http://tignews.blogspot.com
Thanks for stopping by the site and I hope to have more great SimCity 5 content for you just as soon as I can.
SimCity 409: Solving the Water Crisis
Water does return to the water table when it rains or if you are near a river. However, the rate at which the water table replenishes is nowhere near the rate at which your people drink/bathe in it. So what you need to do is to create a closed loop system that keeps water flowing in your city forever.
The way that you do that is you build a sewage treatment plant -- which will pour dirty water back into the ground after "treating" it. You then plop a water treatment plant right next to it with a tank that cleans the water directly next to the sewage plant. This cleaning tank will suck the dirty water back out of the ground, clean it, then distribute healthy, clean water back to your Sims perpetually.
SimCity Site & Map: Yorkshire Cliffs
A very scenic waterfront cliff community reminiscent of Dover.
Elevation and Terrain
Flat as flat can be. Only a few spits of trees.
Water Table
Drowning. The northeast and southeast corners are your best bet for limiting pollution, but otherwise it's all deep blue.
Resources
The north end of this map has a fairly large though spider-web metal ore vein that could become quite valuable. Across the rest of the board, you're going to find some really nice coal deposits.
Usable Land
There's no waterfront, mountains, or anything -- so this map is wide open for development. The cliffs of which they speak are on the coast outside of the city's borders, so you'll have nothing to worry about from them. The highway entrance comes in on the eastern border and the rail line runs in along the north.
SimCity Site & Map: Wrangler's Rest
This might be a restful place for Wranglers, but don't think for a second that you're going to be able to sit back and enjoy this one.
Elevation and Terrain
The majority of the board (especially in the south) is flat and unremarkable. However, there is a massive cliff-strewn hillside that juts into the area, disrupting the northern border.
Water Table
The big question mark on this site is going to be the water. There is almost no deep blue and what little there is has drained into pockets in random places all over the site. It's going to be really tough to get a cohesive water plan going and it may come to either keeping this a small mining town or shipping in water from someplace else.
Resources
You're going to find plenty of metal on this one as well as a fairly large chunk of coal.
Usable Land
There is a tiny twig of rail access on -- of all places -- the top of the hill in the northern part of the map. The highway entrance is much more reasonable, located in the southwest corner of the map.
SimCity Site & Map: Willow Woods
Many many trees on this one, as you might expect. Wide open and great for beginners.
Elevation and Terrain
Flat, but the really interesting part is the waterfront that consumes bits and pieces of the southern and western borders of this site. You'll have plenty of opportunities to try different layouts on this one.
Water Table
There's one major blob of dry spot in an otherwise waterlogged site. You'll find some good places for your pollutables and still have plenty of clean water left over for your citizens.
Resources
The eastern half of the map is absolutely lousy with metal ore and coal. You're going to make some serious cash on this one.
Usable Land
There is a rail entrance along the northern border and the highway introduces itself in the east.
SimCity Site & Map: Whitewater Crossing
Whitewater Crossing sits in a strategic location in terms of transportation -- which gives it it's name. This city site is a fine site, but doesn't have a whole lot of room.
Elevation and Terrain
The southern portion of the map is sacrificed to the river and the northeastern corner of the map sits upon a high steppe that is not going to do you any favors in terms of laying out your grid.
Water Table
The river provides plenty of water for this city while the high plateau gives you some dry ground upon which to base your industrial center. It's the best of both worlds.
Resources
There are three pockets of deep metal ore as well as a medium-sized coal deposit on top of the steppe.
Usable Land
The most remarkable part of this map is that -- in order to accommodate the needs of the river crossing, the rail line runs straight through the middle of the board, hangs a left inside it's tunnel, and exits from the northwest corner. As a result, it's already set up for multiple train stations including one by the river that could really do well for your tourism. The highway entrance in the east is less remarkable. All told, it's going to be tricky getting roads up to the steppe without bridges, but there are some ramp options you can utilize if you experiment.
SimCity Site & Map: Wessex Bend
Elevation and Terrain
Flat, with waterfront along the entirety of the southern border.
Water Table
The river provides plenty of deep blue water sources all along the southern end of the map. Up north, there is a nice little spot for industrial right where the highway pierces the border.
Resources
There is a large, bold metal ore deposit taking up most of the middle of the map. Beyond that, two tiny oil fields could also bring in a trickle of revenue before or after you work on the metal.
Usable Land
There's no rail entrances on this one, so you're going solely roads -- which will emanate from the highway entrance in the north. All told, you'll have plenty of opportunities to decide what to do with this one.
SimCity Site & Map: Washtub Fields
The hedgerows are the only thing that are visually interesting about this one. It clearly doesn't look like a washtub, but from the ground, the view of the nearby keys more than makes up for the bad name.
Elevation and Terrain
No elevation, but the nearby waterfront intrudes on both the eastern and southern borders. There are a series of hedgerows, though nothing to write home about.
Water Table
The nearby body of water saturates this water table. However, in the north there is a considerable dry spot that could accommodate a major industrial center.
Resources
There is a deep, peanut-shaped sea of oil under this one -- one of the biggest in the game. Beyond that, there is the cutest little coal deposit ever. You won't get a dime out of it, but you can't just leave him there.
Usable Land
Rail and road entrances are both on the western border. The rail can easily be routed over to the waterfront to meet up with a ferry, so that's good. Overall, you don't lose too much land and zero elevation changes means you'll have a lot of options when zoning.
SimCity Site & Map: Twain
Twain is the bane of my existence. No matter how many times I try this one, I'm thwarted by the absolute void of resources. I've deemed this the hardest level to play for more than three hours.
Elevation and Terrain
Perfectly flat. The river has taken a bite out of the northwestern corner and intrudes slightly to the east as well. There are plenty of trees to the south.
Water Table
There's about an even split between deep blue and bone dry. You'll have plenty of spots to isolate your industry to prevent pollution -- especially the southwest corner below the rail line.
Resources
None. Not even wind!!!
Usable Land
The rail and highway connections both come in on the west -- neither near any water. It's going to be tricky getting the rail around to anywhere useful. The vast amount of open land is the only good thing about this city site.
SimCity Site & Map: Tudor Isle
Tudor Isle sits in the middle of a river and conceals a deep oil field. While not particularly lucrative or easy, this level is a nice challenge for people who have mastered the easier levels.
Elevation and Terrain
No elevation changes, however the major attraction is the isle in the middle of the river. The resulting deformation of the river has left you with two very narrow river branches that are easily crossed with inexpensive bridges.
Water Table
Soaking. There is no really good place for industry, save the island since you're going to have your oil pumps there anyway, you might as well pollute the whole thing and then pump water from the two sides for drinking.
Resources
A large oil deposit sits on the isle in the middle of the river.
Usable Land
There is a rail entrance in the northwest corner. While it is near water, it's hell and gone from the highway entrance which sits on the far border two river crossings away. The river that intrudes on this level will limit you enough to keep this challenging, but there's no elevation or other serious concerns.
SimCity Site & Map: Triton Valley
Triton Valley is a craggy and disturbing site not meant for the faint of heart.
Elevation and Terrain
There are numerous steppes in the area that are going to limit what you can do in terms of zoning. Plenty of trees and an overall scenic location make this visually interesting but difficult in practice.
Water Table
Patchy but workable. The deep water here is streaky, so you're going to have to move your water towers around a little more often than you're probably used to. But you can make it work. The biggest fields are in the northeast and southwest corners.
Resources
Not much. One large and one small coal deposits.
Usable Land
Rail in the east, road in the west. You're going to find few ramps to ascend from your starting location. Also, there's no water by the highway connection, so you're going to have to solve that problem sooner than later. No waterfront, so really only the cliffs are a consideration to your designs.
SimCity Site & Map: Trinity Point
My old friend. Trinity Point gives you a nice sweeping beachfront at the cost of usable land. It's a scenic tradeoff, but don't expect to top the leaderboard here.
Elevation and Terrain
None. Your focus should be entirely on maximizing your land density to accommodate the vast shoreline that comes with this map. This would make for a good "casino" town.
Water Table
Vast. There are no "dry" spots, but you can still handle some industry if you're careful.
Resources
None.
Usable Land
The highway cuts across the northwest corner, giving you plenty of connection points. The rail is perfectly placed to accommodate tourism -- which again makes a casino town a good option for this one.
SimCity Site & Map: Traviata Knoll
The big visual draw of this city site are the monster hedgerows that devour the map and the potential for the most successful mining town you can have.
Elevation and Terrain
There is the tiniest grade to the land -- technically making this a knoll. But you're not going to need to worry about that. No waterline or rocky issues make this a very plain spot.
Water Table
There is a vast deep water flow that runs across the map from east to west. However, in the south you'll find lots of dry land for industry and other pollutables.
Resources
While there is some coal, the most important thing to know about this area is the massive metal ore vein that runs the length of the map north/south and then bends back for an even more dramatic formation. This thing is huge!
Usable Land
Sucking all of the metal out of this one is going to be tricky. It's going to require you to rezone and such, so spend most of your time looking at your metal map (shortcut key: press "6") and less time with the water table. The road comes in via the eastern border and the far side of the map plays host to the rail line -- both in perfect spots to take on the mining needs of your city.
SimCity Site & Map: Trader's Ridge
Trader's Ridge is the perfect name for this location. It's a combination of a major waterfront from which you can launch trade ports with a mountainous ridge full of resources.
Elevation and Terrain
The ridge itself juts well into the map and it's wide cliffs take up lots of space. This, combined with the major coastline that also accompanies this site will severely limit your options in terms of layout. In fact, three of the four borders supply you with a plethora of waterfront.
Water Table
Soaking, yet still a huge dry spot on top of the ridge to accommodate both industry and your coal mines.
Resources
The ridge contains several nice pockets of coal, while the beach hides a small, yet deep field of oil and a shotgun blast of metal ore veins.
Usable Land
The highway actually loops around the ridge and then back out of the site. The rail, on the other hand, also enters on the south border but just ends near the water. Normally, this would signal a nice tourism setup, but I don't think you could get that to pay off on this particular level. Three borders full of water and a huge rocky outcrop leave you little room for experimentation. This is a perfect spot for manufacturing and mineral extraction; a lousy spot for a megalopolis.
SimCity Site & Map: Toyokuni Strand
I'm going to be honest: I have no idea what a strand is. When I look at the map, I get even more confused. So, let's move on.
Elevation and Terrain
No mountainous elevation changes or anything, but clearly the northern and western borders lose large quantities of land to the bay. You'll need to pack them in tight if you decide to go megalopolis.
Water Table
Deep blue as far as the eye can see. There are three blotches of dry and they are small and oddly shaped. Keeping an eye on pollution is going to be a thing on this one.
Resources
There is a humongous oil field on the northwest shoreline that is gorgeous. But, sadly, it's not as gorgeous as the humongous metal deposit that's sprinkled around the whole of the board. Between these two, you're going to have your hands full extracting and then rezoning.
Usable Land
Rail in the east, highway connection down south. The rail drops you near the coast, so if you're interested in ignoring the mineral deposits, you could make a very nice tourism town here. Just be careful with your planning because the waterfront has taken a lot of land and you have precious little to work with.
SimCity Site & Map: Tosca Cliffs
Well, Tosca Cliffs is obviously named after it's most prominent feature: the cliffs of a collapsed plateau. It's going to be a tough one to zone, but very scenic.
Elevation and Terrain
This map is all about elevation, though it does give you a grand ramp to get to and from the river. The area is lined with thick hedgerows and forests, which add to the visual splendor of the area.
Water Table
Along the riverfront to the east and the on top of the plateau on the west, you'll find plenty of places to set up your water towers. The tricky part is going to be the dry spots, which sadly run in some cases directly through the cliffs.
Resources
Four small, yet deep pockets of metal ore. In addition, there's a really nice coal deposit.
Usable Land
Those cliffs are monstrous and the waterfront factors in too -- leaving you with precious little room. Concentrate on balancing the top of the plateau with RCI and then leave the riverfront for trade ports and whathaveyou. Oh, and by the way, as if all that wasn't enough, there's ZERO rail access. This is a tough one.
SimCity Site & Map: Thatcher Overlook
An overlook implies some sort of high elevation that allows you to "look over" a nearby feature or geography. This area is a beach-front flatland with a mild steppe. Some of these names just kill me.
Elevation and Terrain
This area has actually actually two steppes: the major one that crosses the midsection of the site and then a tiny one in the northeast corner that technically can be built on -- though I'm not sure what would go there.
Water Table
The south end of the map at the bottom of the steppe around the waterline is full of deep blue. However, the rest of the map is bone dry -- meaning you're going to have to focus on water conservation and keeping the pollution contained above the cliff line.
Resources
There are two resources here: a large patch of coal on top of the steppe in the northern part of the board and then a very light hunk of metal ore that probably won't sustain you for too long.
Usable Land
The steppe is very mild, so it doesn't take too much of your zoneable areas away. The northeast corner is a little tricky and the southwest corner has a chunk dedicated to the lake. You have many choices when it comes to rail access, as the line runs across the northern border, through a tunnel, and then down the eastern border. All told, this level won't be too great a challenge as long as you protect your water.
SimCity Site & Map: Summit Vista
I'm assuming that Summit Vista implies that you can somehow see a nearby summit. Of course, every view on the whole of the Earth has a sight line to the "summit" of that local area, but we'll skip that. It's a pretty name -- if you don't think about it.
Elevation and Terrain
Only a mild grade on the ground, no hills, cliffs, steppes, or valleys. You do have a long line of waterfront on the eastern border of the map and there's a really nice forest that runs up to the river's edge.
Water Table
Tons. The areas immediately around the entrance and exit points of the main highway have tiny voids in the water level; everywhere else is deep blue.
Resources
None.
Usable Land
The highway loops through the northwestern corner of the map. The rail line runs along the northern border of the site and bridges over top of the highway. You can easily extend the rail line to make it to the eastern waterfront. Overall, there is plenty of room and good options, though clearly water pollution is going to be an issue.
SimCity Site & Map: Straussburg Isles
The Isles have a large variety of options available to you, with plenty of water and oil to diversify a well-designed tourist destination.
Elevation and Terrain
This city is one of the most visually interesting maps compared to most of the others. This site features a three-island group out in the river and, of course, a section of the mainland which is where you start. Having three islands is a great opportunity to segregate trade, tourism, and other such industries into self-contained units that don't interfere with each other -- even if the land space available to you is limited.
Water Table
This spot is absolutely drenched with water. There are very few dry spots and none of them are really big enough to warrant an industrial zone, though clearly dedicating one of the islands to industry wouldn't be such a bad deal.
Resources
Oil, oil, everywhere! This is going to be a fantastic place to produce some plastics or to run an oil-fired power plant operation that sells power to your surrounding cities. The largest of the three islands has a huge field and there are two more on the mainland.
Usable Land
With the western facing highway dumping you off on the mainland, you have some nice space to start off with and the rail access in the north dead ends at the river -- which is perfect for bringing in tourism.
SCV on YouTube: The Garbage File
What's crackin' people. Another episode of SCV on YouTube has just launched. You can watch it here and see all of my videos in the video section above or on my YouTube page. Be sure to subscribe so you can get informed whenever I post new SimCity content.
In this video, I talk about managing your city's garbage using incinerators and how to turn problems into profits.
SimCity Site & Map: Stackolee Ravine
A branching stream has cut it's way through this lovely site. Short bridges will make quick work of these inconveniences and leave you with a challenging but scenic city.
Elevation and Terrain
It's hard to tell whether the water is flowing from the river into the lake or vice versa. However, the fact remains that the fast-moving streams running through this area have gouged deep ravines into the landscape. There is a steppe elevation here -- the cliffs of which further limit your options.
Water Table
The deep water is almost entirely contained within the bottom of the
Resources
This is a great spot for coal, though there are four deposits and they're spread out all over the board. So to capitalize on all of them, you'll have to relocate your mines occasionally.
Usable Land
All told, the many changes in elevation make for very little flexibility in city design. The rail line runs along the eastern side of the map, so crossing the map to get to your lakefront is going to be a test. More importantly, however, because of the location of the highway entrance, you're going to be stranded on the eastern side of the map until you make enough money to afford at least one bridge.
SimCity Site & Map: Spooner Plains
While Spooner Plains does have promise as a tourist trap, you could also lean toward a life in plastics.
Elevation and Terrain
Flat, but there is a nice stretch of beach here in the northwest corner. You have just enough room to fit in a ferry and a trade port.
Water Table
There is lots of water; deep blue all around. There is a dry spot that runs the length of the board from north to south straight down the middle.
Resources
There is a huge oil field in the southern part of the map and a small coal deposit that will keep the streetlights lit for a little while.
Usable Land
There is no rail access on this one, so you'll have to make do with the highway entrance coming in on the east side of the map. Plenty of space and lots of zoning options on this one.
SimCity Site & Map: Souchong Summit
This site is built on the flat top of a fat peninsula. I'm not sure about the summit to which they were referring, but it's nowhere to be found.
Elevation and Terrain
It's all flat with plenty of trees.
Water Table
The water is deep blue in several areas, but they're not really together in one area. There is a really large dry patch in the northern part of the map that would be perfect for a grand industrial zone.
Resources
Coal and metal are both represented here. The coal here is actually quite large.
Usable Land
No water access on this one. The train and the highway both come in near each other in the southwest corner.
SimCity Site & Map: Soirée Sands
You may have expected a desert, but instead there's a grand beach. How delightful!
Elevation and Terrain
This is a little shoulder that sticks out into the bay. There is plenty of waterfront along the northern and eastern borders. The site as a whole is quite flat and there's even a tiny forest that stretches along the western border.
Water Table
Tons. There isn't really any dry spots on the whole of the map.
Resources
None.
Usable Land
The western border plays host to both the highway entrance and the rail line, the latter of which ends at the waterfront making this the perfect site for a tourism industry.
SimCity Site & Map: Settler's Rest
In order to pad the bill, the construction company that built the highway built a huge looping monstrosity instead of simply pulling to the left. Typical bilking of the government. Still a nice spot, though.
Elevation and Terrain
A river cuts through the southwest corner. As a result, there is a tiny nip of the far shore within the border. I'm not sure it's worth building a bridge to get, but it could be a great spot for a power plant. The city site as a whole is very flat, so no problems with mountains or cliffs.
Water Table
Near the river is all deep blue, but the northwest corner is a great spot for your pollutables. You'll have no trouble finding a spot for your water towers.
Resources
There are tiny deposits for each of the three resources.
Usable Land
The rail comes in up north, which is no where near the water. This is problematic for those looking to do tourism. Due to the insane nature of the construction company, this site has a large portion of the highway looping through the northwest corner.
SimCity Site & Map: Sawyer's Crossing
This is a beautiful little spot right next to a huge river.
Elevation and Terrain
This site borders a massive river and includes a nearby ait (river island).
Water Table
The river feeds the water table on this one, so your only shot at dry is going to come on the extreme western end of the map.
Resources
The western border has a huge cache of metal ore just in case the whole tourism thing doesn't work out. There is also a tiny coal deposit on the island.
Usable Land
The highway connection and the rail line both come in right next to each other (on the southern mainland border) and also right next to the river -- which is crazy convenient.
SimCity Site & Map: Rousseau Flats
It doesn't get much plainer than this. Rousseau Flats -- is well named.
Elevation and Terrain
Yeah, they weren't kidding when they named this place: it's flat and vacant. You can count the trees if you like; it won't take long.
Water Table
Most of the water can be found on the eastern half of the map. The western half of the map would be a great spot for an industrial powerhouse.
Resources
Coal and metal in large deposits in the middle of the site make this a good spot for some mining and manufacturing.
Usable Land
No mountains. The road comes in through the eastern border and the rail sits up north. No water access, though.
SimCity Site & Map: Riverbend
There are actually two bends in the river here, but the citizens only really cared about the first one. Oh well. Better luck next time.
Elevation and Terrain
Not much in the way of elevation -- though the southern border does have a few nicks out of it due to a nearby mountain. Your primary concern is going to be the river that cuts across the northeast part of the map. It leaves a chunk of the map all alone and only accessible via bridge/ferry.
Water Table
There is plenty of water on this level. The river is bordered by thick blue fields. In the south below the highway, industry will fit in perfect with the metal ore.
Resources
The roadway cuts through the board in such a way, it separates a large metal vein from the others.
Usable Land
The highway conveniently cuts straight through the middle of the map. Between that and the river, your options are going to be a little limited. The railway sneaks into the map through the northwest corner.
SimCity Site & Map: Rising Sun Valley
Rising Sun Valley doesn't really sit between any mountains or anything. And since the sun rises almost everywhere, one can only hope that these people have a second job to support their nomenclature business.
Elevation and Terrain
There are some hedgerows and a nice forest in the northwest corner. However, the board is flat.
Water Table
There is a lot of deep blue water in this level. The only real gaps in the field are a handful of spots along the western and southern border. This is actually good, because if you faithfully develop industry above them, it will spread out the air pollution keeping your city healthier than average.
Resources
There is a fairly sizable oil field in the southern portion of the map. There is also a smaller coal deposit of note dead center.
Usable Land
The highway access is in the northeast corner. The railway comes in on the western border.
SimCity 5: Free Game Offer
What's crackin', people. So, I just wanted to put together a little video to let everyone know that Maxis has graciously offered us a free game as a mia culpa for the server/bug issues in SimCity 5. According to their FAQ (see link below), EA is offering a free digital download game to anyone who purchases and authenticates SimCity by March 25, 2013 at 11:59pm PDT.
You DO NOT have free reign over the entire EA catalog -- the games that you have available to you are as follows:
- Battlefield 3 (Standard Edition)
- Bejeweled 3
- Dead Space 3 (Standard Edition)
- Mass Effect 3 (Standard Edition)
- Metal of Honor: Warfighter (Standard Edition)
- Need For Speed: Most Wanted (Standard Edition)
- Plants vs. Zombies
- SimCity 4 (Deluxe Edition)
SimCity Site & Map: Prospect
Of all the sites, I think this one is the most adaptable for mining.
Elevation and Terrain
This is a very barren, hilly terrain with no water access. The southern part of the map near the highway entrance shouldn't be a problem, but as you progress north your planning options are going to be limited.
Water Table
Water at this site is incredibly sparse. You're going to have to plan very carefully where you put everything and from where you get your water. Your best bet for providing your own water is to colonize the southeast corner and the northern border with water towers. Then pray for rain.
Resources
There is a large coal deposit in the northwest corner, then two overlapping deposits -- one metal and one coal -- right where the highway exit lets people off. Given how dry this area is, you should probably consider making this a mining town.
Usable Land
The hills that streak through the map are a huge pain, but the most limiting factor is going to be the water table. Follow it carefully.
SimCity Site & Map: Plunder Point
Plunder Point is an odd sort of peninsula -- full of steppes and cliffs. It's tricky, but quite scenic.
Elevation and Terrain
This peninsula site is bordered by water on three sides. While three of the four corners have water visibility, only the southwest corner is truly suited for ferries and trade ports. This site also features a double-steppe system and some steep inclines.
Water Table
The deep water swirls through the site in a way that's hard to describe. However, the area immediately to the east of the highway entrance is going to be a great spot for your water towers.
Resources
The lower step on the eastern side has a spotty oil field and there is a nice metal vein and a small coal deposit all available. I'm not sure about the long-term usefulness of these resources, but the oil is especially convenient and could be a good source of bonus power/revenue.
Usable Land
Road access is from the north and is the only way into your city until you build a ferry. There is no train access. The rounded cliffs of this site consume a pretty hefty chunk of usable land, so don't expect to launch a megalopolis from this site.
SimCity Site & Map: Placer Vista
Even though you have a lot of room to work with, Placer Vista is going to be a huge pain. Lack of water and limited options set this up as a good mining town -- but nothing more.
Elevation and Terrain
There's no water access for this one, and the site has a major depression in it that is just deep enough to cause some problems with your roads.
Water Table
Water on this site is at a premium. Don't waste even a drop of it. The northeast corner has a small reserve, but the primary squirt will be just south of dead center. No water towers in the corner on this one.
Resources
There is a significant metal vein and two small coal deposits on this site. I would highly recommend digging up the metal on this site.
Usable Land
The road entrance -- which is in the southwest corner -- lands you next to a deep depression whose jagged features are going to be trouble. The rail line, on the other hand, comes in on the south side onto a wide-open field. This could be useful. A tiny chunk of the northwest corner is unusable, but overall you're in good shape.
SimCity Site & Map: Pioneer Plains
This site screams, "beginners come and play me".
Elevation and Terrain
No changes in elevation; a tiny hunk of the southwest corner is unavailable. There is no water access, but other than that it's flat and boring.
Water Table
The eastern and western borders are covered in deep water. The south side of the map has a huge empty spot perfect for industrial zoning.
Resources
There is a humongous oil deposit and an embarrassingly less impressive metal deposit that's not even worth digging up.
Usable Land
At the end of the day, you are lousy with room to build. Combine that with well-placed road and rail access and you've got the makings of a beginner level du joir.
SimCity Site & Map: Pinewood Hills
If ever there was a mining town, Pinewood Hills is the place to dig for your money.
Elevation and Terrain
The site is consumed by a vast, cliffy hill extending into the map from the south. It's going to make any grid-based city unrealistic.
Water Table
This water table is a tough one. You're going to have to be careful how you use it. The good news is that there is plenty of space for industrial zoning.
Resources
There is a large, blotchy series of metal deposits that are going to be tough to cash in on. However, the huge cash-cow of this area is the absolutely mammoth oil field that sits right next to the lake consuming the northwest corner. Combined, they equate to a South African gold mine.
Usable Land
The hill will give you some pause when it comes time to zone this beast. The road comes in up north to give you a good start and the rail line is in the southeast corner. Neither should present any problems. The waterfront is great for a series of trade ports, making this an industrial powerhouse -- provided you get your water from someplace else.
SimCity Site & Map: Petrol Bay
True to it's name, Petrol Bay can be a fantastic place to start your life as an oil baron. But it has potential to be so much more. That makes it perfect as a site for people who are new to the game.
Elevation and Terrain
Flat. This city site is intruded upon by a lake to the north. Other than that and a few trees, you'll find nothing to stop you from building the city of your dreams.
Water Table
Tons and tons of water. In fact, you could supply the entire region with water from here if you chose to. Realistically, any industry at all is going to pollute the table.
Resources
The biggest oil deposit in the game -- this thing is monstrous. If you can't make money with this, you might as well pack it up and open a graveyard.
Usable Land
Rail access is inconvenient when compared to the lake front, so if you plan to try for tourism, there are easier sites. Especially given all the oil that is here, the north of the map is going to be your primary drilling center with water and residential probably to the south.
SimCity Site & Map: Palomino
This is a site with little to talk about and would be a beginner level if it weren't for the water shortage.
Elevation and Terrain
Flat as a board. No waterfront access.
Water Table
The water situation on this one is sporadic and leaves a lot to be desired. There are two primary water sources -- one in the northwest corner and another in the southwest corner. The highway runs through both of them.
Resources
The southern portion of the map has a sizable metal deposit and a small bit of coal.
Usable Land
The stretch of highway that runs north/south through this site is slightly inconvenient. The rail line comes in from the south and crosses the highway.
SimCity Site & Map: Painted Point
Elevation and Terrain
There is a slight hilly area on the north side and a small piece of the northeast corner is depressed.
Water Table
The water on this one is patchy and hard to explain. There isn't really any one place that I would set up water towers, so you'll have to decide based on how you want to lay out your city.
Resources
The center of this map has a nice sized metal ore vein and a few small areas of coal. Their location leaves the eastern and southern sides of the site devoid of resources. These would be good spots to set up industrial.
Usable Land
The railroad comes in on top of the hill in the north side of the map -- opposite the highway entrance.
SimCity Site & Map: Oolong Peak
For those interested in making their first attempt at mining, Oolong offers the kind of flexibility that a beginner needs.
Elevation and Terrain
A dense forest covers the north and east sides of the map. This site is very flat, save a tiny chunk of the southeast corner. You'll have a lot of options in terms of layout on this one.
Water Table
Good coverage: about half the map. North and east is where you're going to find all the water. In this case, the trees show you where to go to drop your towers. There is also a tiny patch of deep blue in the southwest corner, but it's little more than a reserve.
Resources
Yes, there are some small, patchy metal spots on this one, but the big draw here is the huge coal deposit that consumes the middle of the map.
Usable Land
Very scenic and wide open, this one gives you a lot of options. The train comes in out west and the highway ramp drops people off in the south. Sadly, the only thing missing from this city site is a waterfront.
SimCity Site & Map: Nugget Plateau
I'm not sure that this one qualifies as a "Plateau", but it certainly qualifies as a "Nugget". This is a good chance to top the leaderboard with your Metal HQ.
Elevation and Terrain
Mostly flat, there's a slight grade in the northern part of this site. In fact, the northwest corner has surrendered a small chunk of land to depression. There is a nearby mountain range that may cast some interesting shadows, but nothing will inconvenience your layout plans.
Water Table
The southern half of the map has a nice sized water patch, but it's not a lot. I recommend conserving your water as best you can on this one.
Resources
There's a sizable hunk of coal and two separate medium-sized veins of metal ore. Combined, these two blotches of red represent one of the highest concentrations of metal in the game.
Usable Land
No waterfront is a bummer on this one. The train comes in along the eastern border and the highway entrance is in the southwest corner.
SimCity Site & Map: Norwich Hills
Norwich Hills is another one of the levels we had played during the beta. The ramps up to the second level and the lack of resources in either of the two other city sites gives Norwich a strategic advantage.
Elevation and Terrain
The entire site is situated along the edge of a huge land shelf. There are two natural ramps that run to the top of the shelf, so you won't have to bridge it. The parts that aren't taken up with cliffs are flat, so it's not a bad level when it comes to layout. In fact, this is a great spot to have sewage treatment plants and a slew of refineries and mines.
Water Table
Yes, the southeast corner of the map has lots of deep blue, but I wouldn't use that. The good water is in the north of the map. There is plenty of water here, so you could conceivably pump it out and sell it to the other two sites if they start to run out.
Resources
The big money on this one is going to come from selling resources. In addition to water, you've got four oil fields right at the entrance from the highway in the south, a large sprawling field of metal ore that covers most of the top shelf, and a nice sized coal deposit in the north.
Usable Land
The rail access, which -- because it comes in along the northern border -- is hell and gone away from everything of value. Also, the cliffs do take up a fair amount of space, so this site will never be a megalopolis. But given the amount of resources that are here, you probably shouldn't have been shooting for that anyway.
SimCity Site & Map: Nautilus Plateau
Despite what the name would suggest, this site is not a plateau. It's a plain surrounded by cliffs that drop off into the water.
Elevation and Terrain
This area is completely covered in a medium-density forest and is almost perfectly flat save a small nick in the southwest corner and a gnarled depression along the northern border.
Water Table
There is some really good water on this one with a wide variety of spots to drop your water towers. In terms of no water, you're looking at the areas immediately to either side of the highway entrance on the east border and the area on the west border you'd connect with if you extended the highway entrance straight across the board.
Resources
Though they're very blotchy, there are some really nice metal and coal deposits on this site.
Usable Land
Even though it's nearby, there's no water entrance. The eastern border is home to both the highway entrance as well as the rail connection. The depressions in the north are an inconvenience, but hardly disruptive. You'll have plenty of room to roam on this one.
SimCity Site & Map: Mustang Run
A very bland level, but with plenty of options.
Elevation and Terrain
Flat with a shotgun blast of trees.
Water Table
Light and sporadic. There's no one area that will be your water area. Be ready to move your towers.
Resources
There is a large coal deposit on the western side of the map. It makes up for an otherwise bland city site.
Usable Land
The northern border is the rail line and the highway enters from the east. There are no real considerations or problems with finding land. In fact, with no waterfront, you'll be landlocked. This site won't give you any layout troubles.
SimCity Site & Map: Monet Plateau
Named after the artist, Monet Plateau is a rocky little spot has great potential -- both because of what you can build and also because of what you can dig up.
Elevation and Terrain
There's an arrowhead-shaped plateau running cattycorner down the middle of the map. A small forest in the southeast corner and highway access in the northeast corner. This site lacks rail access, so this should concern you if you were planning to build a resort town here.
Water Table
This site is blessed with some serious water. In fact, only a small bald spot on top of the plateau is dry enough for your pollution-causing ploppables.
Resources
The resources individually are small -- meaning you're going to lose money in the demolition/reconstruction phase. But all together, the patchy blotches of oil, ore, and coal all collaborate to give you a great source of revenue, provided you can balance all three and maintain your sanity.
Usable Land
This plateau is more forgiving than some of the others when it comes to zoning options, but it's still taking up lots of valuable land space. Don't expect this site to become the next London. You have water access on both the western and southern borders -- one for the ferry and the other for the trade ports.
SimCity Site & Map: Mesquite
If you're looking for a challenging level that leaves you with little room to operate and some tough choices early on in the game, then this is the site for you.
Elevation and Terrain
There is a forked river running through this level. Because of the layout and the position of the highway entrance in the northwest corner, your opening game is all about weathering the construction costs of your first bridge. No hills or cliffs, so once you get over to the mainland, you can expand at will.
Water Table
This site is blessed with water -- probably the most water of any city site. In fact, I'm pretty sure this place is a delta and truthfully you're going to need to plan on water pollution because there are no safe spots for industry.
Resources
You're looking at some small coal deposits, but really there are two large oil fields that will be the source of some good income. The first is under the highway entrance, so don't go nuts designing that area until after you've extracted all the oil. The second, larger field is on the main hunk of land at the bend in the river.
Usable Land
The river soaks up huge amounts of space. This is going to deprive you of population down the road. But at the start, your only consideration should be how do you span the river to get to the important chunk of land.
SimCity Site & Map: Matisse Plains
I can't imagine what about these plains encouraged the local citizens to name them after Matisse. It's like standing in an art gallery staring at a painting of a black dot; sometimes, you just don't see it.
Elevation and Terrain
None.
Water Table
There is a thick streak of dark blue that runs from the northern border to the eastern border and a smaller patch in the southeast corner. There is also plenty of dry land to absorb your pollution.
Resources
Metal and coal, two of each. They'll make you some cash, but don't plan on them being around for too long.
Usable Land
The western border is the rail line, but the eastern border extends just beyond the highway, making things quite convenient when it comes time to zone that area.
SimCity Site & Map: Magnolia Wetlands
Beautiful to look at from both above and at street level, Magnolia Wetlands is my #1 choice for tourism. You can't ask for better here and given how little land you have to work with, expecting any other type of city to flourish would be fantastical.
Elevation and Terrain
Luckily, the majority of the map is open to you at the beginning of the game. There is only a small island that you'll have to build a bridge to someday if you care to zone it -- though I would leave it as a nature reserve. But that's just me. Without question, it's the most interesting city site, visually speaking.
The huge amount of coastline on this one is going to be a pain to zone and leaves you very little creative license and no chance for a grid layout.
Water Table
Tons of water. You'll find a nice break in the soggy in the southeast corner.
Resources
None.
Usable Land
Highway entrance comes in along the south border right where I would plop my industry to take advantage of the break in the water table. Believe it or not, they found a way to sneak a rail line out here, though it does intrude into the middle of the map. However, that's not so bad because it's very, very close to a fantastic ferry point.
SimCity Site & Map: Lapsang Landing
Looking at it from above, you can see that Lapsang Landing was clearly once a logging town.
Elevation and Terrain
You've still got plenty of trees on this site, but they are in streaky clumps. This area is board flat and offers no obstructions.
Water Table
Plenty of water with several well-defined empty spots for industry. You'll have a variety of creative options in terms of laying out your city.
Resources
The tiny coal deposit isn't really worth talking about, but there is a vast quantity of metal ore on this level that makes it a top prospect for Metal HQ glory.
Usable Land
Entrance from the highway is in the northwest corner and the rail line constitutes the eastern border. Wide open with no changes in elevation, this one is a cake walk.
SimCity Site & Map: Lancaster Pointe
Beautiful to look at, this arrowhead-shaped peninsula is a beast to develop. The terrain of Lancaster Pointe dictates a very specific way of zoning.
Elevation and Terrain
The prominent plateau in the middle of the map grabs your attention. Zoning around this thing is crazy. You have some very specific places to drop your zones unless you plan on spending some serious cash on ramps.
Water Table
The good news about this level is that there is water almost everywhere. On top of the plateau is a dead spot perfect for your pollution-causing buildings. I recommend setting up industry zones alongside your metal ore extraction equipment.
Resources
Collectively, the two oil deposits on this level place it near the top of the list in terms of quantity. There is also a smaller but still impressive metal ore vein running down the center of the peninsula.
Usable Land
Wow, are you ever restricted. In addition, there's a lot of water. I only recommend this one for advanced players looking for a serious challenge. I'd place my ferry against the south border to make the commute to the mining/drilling rigs as short as possible.
SimCity Site & Map: Kazoo Pass
This is one town that knows how to make an entrance.
Elevation and Terrain
This cite has two large plateaus (henceforth known as the Twins of Kazoo) bordering the highway entrance you find in the south. No pondering where to run your first road in this one. The northern border is almost entirely covered with waterfront at the end of a wide-open plain. It's the south side of the map that's a cluster of cliffs.
Water Table
In between the Twins and all along the beachfront you're going to find plenty of water. The plateaus and the metal mine are all conveniently devoid of water.
Resources
The Twins both contain large coal deposits -- so don't think they're just there for eye candy. However, the main draw of this level is a vast, web-like metal deposit that stretches east/west across the middle of the map. Very profitable.
Usable Land
Rail access is on the western border and incredibly convenient to the waterfront if you chose to go tourism. The cliffs in the south of the site are a serious consideration and they severely limit what you can do with half your map. This one is a tricky one.
SimCity Site & Map: Jugband Hills
Jugband Hills isn't all that hilly -- which is a good thing because the people who want to come and visit a town full of jugbands probably don't have the metabolism to traverse mountainous terrain.
Elevation and Terrain
Aside from the light hedgerows and the little plateau in the southwest corner, there isn't much in the way of elevation. However, the water that consumes the north and east borders shrinks this site down a bit.
Water Table
The deep parts of the water table basically follow the lakefront -- with a large dry patch on top of and around the plateau. The northwest corner is not only convenient to the road but full of water. Not a bad spot for some towers.
Resources
There's a splotchy metal deposit in the middle of the map, but the top of the plateau is filled with coal. Clearly a coal-fired power plant would do well here.
Usable Land
Rail access (southeast corner) right next to a waterfront area perfect for a ferry makes this a fantastic tourism town. The main road comes in cattycorner onto a wide-open plain. You should have no problems building whatever you want here.
SimCity Site & Map: Ingot Landing
Ingot Landing is full of -- well -- ingot!
Elevation and Terrain
This is a three-steppe city site. The northwest corner is lousy with cliffs and crazy plateaus.
Water Table
On the south side of the map near the lake, it's all pure blue. The further north you go, the spottier the water table gets. There is a nice dry spot against the western border just above the highway entrance that might be of interest for those who are industrial minded.
Resources
Who says there's no truth in advertising? The middle of the map is covered in metal. Go get it!
Usable Land
The rail access runs right along the eastern edge of the map and down toward the lake -- which makes this a good level for, of all things, tourism. The cliffs in the north present a design challenge and the cliffs separating the first and second steppe are just high enough to cause a problem. Still, given the resources here, you're probably not looking for a box-grid city anyway.
SimCity Site & Map: Huckleberry Island
Huckleberry Island sits just off the mainland. Rich in resources and scenery, you have several options and a good amount of room to work with.
Elevation and Terrain
The southwest corner as well as small pieces of the north and east borders are lost to water. Aside from this, there is a three-steppe rock formation and a piece of a hill in the bottom right-hand corner that take a little bit more.
Water Table
The steppes naturally drain all their water down to the beach which is pure blue. I highly recommend industrial up top at the highway entrance and then residential/commercial mixed with tourism down the bottom of the hill.
Resources
The steppes conceal a large coal deposit and a smaller companion that can't be properly mined. Down the bottom, however, is a deep, contiguous metal ore vein that is just ripe for the pickings. This would not be a bad place to set up an alloy manufacturing operation.
Usable Land
Surprisingly, there is rail access to the island. Even though the island itself is quite small, the amount of land that you have to work with is greater than some of the other site maps you can find in this game. Both the rail and the road come in on the western border.
SimCity Site & Map: Honeysuckle Marsh
Without question, the big draw of this particular city site is the scenic view.
Elevation and Terrain
The site is mostly flat; you're basically going to be dealing with the nearby river. In the river -- and technically part of the city site -- is a tiny island. I'm not sure connecting to it would be worth it, though.
Water Table
The northwest corner has a huge dry area; the rest is deep blue with only tiny blotches of dry. The island is pure blue, which makes me think that if you did connect to it that it would make a great spot for your water towers.
Resources
Yes, there is a tiny coal deposit, but the impressive resource available is the large oil field in the southwest corner. I highly recommend developing this.
Usable Land
You lose about a quarter of the board due to the river that cuts through the map. Aside from that, no considerations. Rail access is on the west and easy to cut across to the river for tourism; highway entrance is in the southwest corner near the oil field.
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