While efficient, this technique wasn't exactly realistic, nor did it give the game a very personal feel. For example, in SimCity 3000, placing a school anywhere within your city would satisfy your entire metropolis' need for education. That means that your actions as mayor will have more of a local effect than a global one. 'We're doing more than just giving SimCity 4 an updated look.' For starters, the game's econ engine will be brand new, and it will focus on the needs of the individual inhabitants of your city-of your individual sims-and not of the city as a whole. 'SimCity 2 and SimCity 3000 have basically been elaborate revisions of the first game,' said Maxis producer Kevin Hogan. In true Maxis form, the entire SimCity formula is being rebuilt from the ground up for this sequel. Fire trucks scamper to reach a blazing inferno. Maxis plans to unveil SimCity 4 at E3 in a few weeks, but we have some early details on this truly impressive game right now. Now, well over a decade a later, Maxis is preparing the fourth installment in the SimCity franchise, a game that the company hopes will have the same effect today that the original game had in its time. In the years since, Maxis has released a pair of follow-ups to SimCity, but while they were quite fun and very successful, neither of them caused as big a splash as the original game did. Sure, it may not seem like such a big deal now, but in 1989, SimCity was nothing short of groundbreaking. Originally released some 13 years ago, Will Wright's SimCity offered eager players an opportunity to build a city from scratch in their own image. After years of banking on the success of the immensely popular The Sims games, Maxis is finally returning to the series that put the company on the map.

Simcity 4 rotate building