Editing SimCity 4 (section)

==Gameplay==
{{in-universe|date=September 2024}}
===Regional gameplay===
[[File:SimCity 4- Rush Hour region view.jpg|thumb|300px|A collection of neighboring cities, as seen in the game's regional view]]
As with previous ''SimCity'' titles, ''SimCity 4'' places players in the role of a [[mayor]], tasked with populating and developing tracts of lands into [[City|cities]], while fulfilling the needs of fellow [[The Sims (video game)|Sims]] that live in the cities. Cities are located in regions that are divided into [[wikt:segment|segment]]s, each of which can be developed. The player has the option of starting the city in a segment of any of three area sizes. In real measurements, the smallest has a length of one kilometer on a side, and the largest has a length of four kilometers on a side.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sc4ever.com/knowledge/showarticle.cfm?id=1103|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080220175230/http://www.sc4ever.com/knowledge/showarticle.cfm?id=1103|url-status=dead|archive-date=2008-02-20|date=2003-06-17|access-date=2008-06-18|title=Creating regions in ''SimCity 4''|last=Quigley|first=Ocean|author2=Robinson, D.B. |publisher=SC4EVER.com|work=Knowledge Base|quote=A small city is a kilometer on a side}}</ref> The size of a region and its layout of segments can be changed in a [[Raster graphics|bitmap]] file provided for each region.

Neighbor cities play a larger role than in the previous versions of the game. Neighbor deals can be established where a city can exchange resources such as [[water]], [[electricity]] and [[Waste management|garbage disposal]] with other cities for money. Players may develop several inter-dependent cities at the same time, eventually populating the entire region.

===Game modes===
Upon selecting a specific segment in a region, the gameplay is divided into three "modes": god mode, mayor mode, and MySim mode. Mayor and MySim modes become available after establishing a city. God mode is available before establishing a city and afterwards, albeit with fewer functions. Obliterating the city resets the map and reactivates all functions in God mode.

====God mode====
God mode allows players to design or [[terraforming|terraform]] a selected tract of land where the city will be built and permits players to trigger [[disaster]]s, including [[tornado]]es and [[earthquake]]s among several others. Players can select an area where a disaster will occur and even control the direction of certain disasters. Most terraforming tools are disabled after the city is named and founded. The player still has some terraforming tools made available in mayor mode, although they become very limited and expensive, and they can still trigger disasters at will.

In addition to these abilities, god mode also gives the player tools to reconcile the borders of the cities, so as to fix any discrepancies created during the terraforming process, and a day/night cycle adjustment, so that one can make it always day, always night, or alternate between day or night in accordance with the in-universe game clock. Both the ability to reconcile the city edges and the ability to modify the day/night cycle are available even once the city has been established.

====Mayor mode====
[[File:EntireSimcity4.jpg|thumb|300px|A densely populated city, including third-party modifications]]

In mayor mode, city building is conducted. Several advisors may give advice to the player on how to best manage a city. Players can build [[Transport|transportation networks]], which include [[road]]s, [[street]]s, [[Avenue (landscape)|avenues]], [[highway]]s, [[railway]]s, [[Rapid transit|subway lines]], and [[bus station]]s, draw out building zones, construct civic buildings, and adjust city funding and tax rates. Players can also terraform and plant trees in this mode, but in a much smaller scale than in god mode and costing money.

Zones are planned building plots that are empty at first but then populated by buildings depending on the type and density of the zone.  Areas of land can be [[Zoning|zoned]] as [[Residential area|residential]], [[Commerce|commercial]] or industrial areas in various densities where the city will begin to grow. [[Agriculture]] is a separate industrial zone-type, unlike previous versions of ''SimCity'', enabling farms to grow regardless of high [[Real estate appraisal|land value]], so long as demand exists for agriculture and agricultural zones have been provided. Zones are now automatically aligned towards roads and most buildings must be adjacent to a road in order to function properly; streets are automatically created when zoning on large tracts of land.<ref name="Kramer 55">{{cite book|last=Kramer|first=Greg|title=SimCity 4 Deluxe Edition: Prima's Official Strategy Guide|chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/simcity400greg/page/55|chapter-format=PDF|publisher=[[Prima Games]]|date=2003-08-31|page=[https://archive.org/details/simcity400greg/page/55 55]|chapter=Chapter 7: Developer Types and Occupancy|isbn=978-0-7615-4328-2|access-date=2008-10-28}}</ref>

Buildings are classified into several [[wealth]] levels, zone types, and building size stages, which are affected by the region's population and the city's condition. The game simulates [[urban decay]] and [[gentrification]] with buildings deteriorating and refurbished accordingly. Buildings originally constructed for occupation by higher wealth tenants can now support lower wealth tenants in the event surrounding factors forces the current tenants to vacate the building; this allows certain buildings to remain in use despite lacking its initial occupants.<ref name="Kramer 55"/> Buildings and lots can be constructed on [[slope]]s.

Civic buildings can be constructed that need constant funding to work properly, such as [[school]]s, [[hospital]]s, [[park]]s, [[police station]]s, [[jail]]s, and [[fire station]]s. These buildings come in two or more sizes compared to the single, universal types that were used in previous games. Settlements also need [[Public utility|public utilities]] such as electricity with more or less polluting and more or less expensive types of power stations, water pumps, water purification plants, and [[waste management]] services. Facilities that had previously provided citywide coverage, such as [[Education|educational facilities]] and [[Medicine|medical facilities]], have been modified to provide more limited coverage, as it has been with police stations and fire stations in previous ''SimCity'' titles.<ref name="Kramer 200–203">{{cite book|last=Kramer|first=Greg|title=SimCity 4 Deluxe Edition: Prima's Official Strategy Guide|chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/simcity400greg/page/200|chapter-format=PDF|publisher=[[Prima Games]]|date=2003-08-31|pages=[https://archive.org/details/simcity400greg/page/200 200–203]|chapter=Chapter 17: Utilities|isbn=978-0-7615-4328-2|access-date=2008-10-28}}</ref>

Funding can be adjusted for individual buildings rather than having to change the funding to all buildings, allowing users to specify how much money should be spent to supply a service in accordance to the local population. Maintenance expenses for public utility facilities will increase as they age. The maximum output of facilities also decreases as they get older, with the rate dependent on the facility's percentage of its capacity being used and level of funding.<ref name="Kramer 200–203"/> <!-- To fit into the article's topic, these statistics refer to the original SimCity 4 release only, this does not include Rush Hour. -->
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====MySim mode====
MySim mode enables players to create user-defined Sims, who will live and work in the city the player has created. When moving a Sim into a city, the player can choose from a selection of characters or import others from ''[[The Sims (video game)|The Sims]]''. Sims can be killed by certain disasters or catastrophic events, leave the city if conditions are unfavorable, or die of old age.  After they die, their "child" sometimes takes over for them by taking their name, house, and job.

===Building designs===
Buildings in ''SimCity 4'' are based on four distinct architectural styles, which can be selected individually or simultaneously for buildings to be built from. The earliest era is based on early office towers from [[Chicago, Illinois]], in the 1890s, the second era    encompasses an [[Art Deco]]-based set from [[New York City]] based on the 1940s, the third includes a modernist/international style based on buildings from [[Houston, Texas]] in the 1990s, and the final is a modern European architecture based mostly around Germany in the 2000s. There are a number of buildings based on those found in [[San Francisco, California|San Francisco]], including the [[Shell Building (San Francisco, California)|Shell Building]] (appearing as "Wren Insurance"),<ref name="Shell Building">{{cite web | url = http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/?id=118743 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20040617153345/http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/?id=118743 | url-status = usurped | archive-date = June 17, 2004 | title= Shell Building | publisher = [[Emporis]] | access-date=2008-06-18}}</ref> [[450 Sutter Street]] (appearing as "Vu Financial"),<ref name = "450 Sutter">{{cite web | url = http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/?id=118820 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20040618050417/http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/?id=118820 | url-status = usurped | archive-date = June 18, 2004 | title= 450 Sutter | publisher = [[Emporis]] | access-date=2008-06-18}}</ref> and the Pacific Telephone & Telegraph Building also known as [[140 New Montgomery Street]] (as "The Galvin Corp").<ref name="140 New Montgomery">{{cite web | url = http://www.emporis.com/buildings/118764/140-new-montgomery-street-san-francisco-ca-usa | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150221001829/http://www.emporis.com/buildings/118764/140-new-montgomery-street-san-francisco-ca-usa | url-status = usurped | archive-date = February 21, 2015 | title = 140 New Montgomery | publisher = [[Emporis]] | access-date=2008-06-18}}</ref> The May Company store (now [[Los Angeles County Museum of Art|LACMA]] West) in Los Angeles appears as "Dennis Department Store." The game also includes famous landmarks from various cities, such as the [[Empire State Building]] from New York City.