SimTower
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| SimTower {{#if:{{{image|}}}|<tr><td colspan="2" style="text-align: center;">{{{image|}}} | |
|---|---|
| Developer(s) | Openbook Ltd. {{#if:{{{publisher|}}}|<tr><th style="background-color: #ccccff;">Publisher(s)<td>{{{publisher|}}} |
| Release date(s) | 1994 |
| Genre(s) | Simulation |
| Mode(s) | Single {{#if:{{{ratings|}}}|<tr><th style="background-color: #ccccff;">Rating(s)<td>{{{ratings|}}} |
| Platform(s) | MacOS 9, Windows 3.x {{#if:{{{media|}}}|<tr><th style="background-color: #ccccff;">Media<td>{{{media|}}} |
SimTower is a 1994 real-time strategy/simulation computer game (or "software toy"). Published by Maxis, it is a spin off game from the popular SimCity.
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Description
SimTower was spun off shortly after the release of SimCity 2000. Although published by Maxis, the game was originally developed in Japan and its license was acquired by Maxis. In Japan, it was published under the name of The Tower, and developed by Yoot Saito's company OPeNBooK.
A sequel to SimTower, Yoot Tower was also developed by OPeNBooK and was published by SEGA in the U.S. in 1999.
A clone of SimTower for the PocketPC developed by eSoft Interactive was released in 2004 under the name of Tower Mogul.
In 2006 the game was ported to the Game Boy Advance under the name The Tower SP.
Gameplay
As the name suggests, the objective is to construct and manage a towering skyscraper and keep its occupants happy. Offices, hotels, and condominiums give tenants places to live and work, while shops and restaurants provide commercial balance. Utilities such as hospitals and recycling centers become necessary as the tower grows in size. The player's progress is based on a star system, similar to how hotels are ranked, with new stars awarded for meeting population milestones and other conditions. Population is measured by the number of individuals currently in the tower; many hotel rooms will cause population to soar during the night. As the tower's rating improves, more facilities can be built by the player, such as a cinema. Like other Maxis games, gameplay is not designed linearly, and SimTower does not have a specific end point; however, the primary goal is a population of 15,000, which rewards the player with 'Tower' status. Another goal is to build a cathedral at the top of the tower and have a marriage ceremony take place there.
One of the key activities of the game is effectively managing and building elevators in order to allow occupants to move between floors efficiently. In fact, the original game was a program to test effective elevator layouts. Many users felt a more appropriate title for the game would have been SimElevator. Waiting for an elevator for too long would cause the residents stress (indicated by a black, pink or red colour as they become more stressed). Too much stress would cause them to permanently leave the tower.
Fires, cockroach infestations in uncleaned hotel rooms, thefts and bomb scares were the main challenges besides the financial aspect.
Differences with The Tower SP
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In the Game Boy Advance version, perhaps due to the limitations of the Gameboy Advance's system, the 'Tower' status is obtained with a population of 2,000 people; a goal which is quite hard considering the office building is limited to 45 floors and a certain foundation width. However, reaching that population is not enough. The 'Tower' status is only awarded when the wedding takes place, which only happens when the cathedral can be reached without any stress, when it is full, and when there are 2,000 people in the building at that moment.
Image:Tower SP.PNG Achieving the 'Tower' status with the Office Building, unlocks the possibility of building a so called "Com. Bld." This has a taller lobby on the ground floor; doesn't give the option of building offices, condominiums, hospitals, security offices, nor recycling centers; allows having up to 3 cinemas (whereas the Office Building only allowed one), a SPA with water from a hot spring, and hotel suites, once the apropriate star rating is reached. A building built in this mode, ends up looking much like a mall with a hotel above/below it.
Other features are taken from Yoot Tower, while some are new. Restrooms must be built. Security must check your tower nightly. Housekeeping cleans offices weekly, and the infamous cockroach has three phases: one (bug bomb), two (costly exterminator), three (condemned). Like Yoot Tower, you must use different shops and stores to satisfy everyone.
External link
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