Save a few bucks on technicalities in SimCity 3000

Contributor/author(s): Anthony Coulter

I've come across a few methods that can save you a bit of cash when you're straining for every last Simoleon. This isn't technically "cheating," but it's close.

If you want to keep a deal with a neighbor that is trying to renegotiate, just close out of the negotiation box and ignore them. After a year or so, they'll go away and force you to keep the new price, but there's a delay before they charge their higher rate (the delay comes because they don't charge their high rate until they go away, as opposed to them charging it as soon as you agree with them).

When placing trees, only put one tree in each square. I've noticed that the help files mention land value and pollution being based on "the number of squares with trees," not "the number of trees in each square." If this holds true, you can save a dozen simoleons or so by only plopping down one tree per square. You can always go back and fill the square if you don't like it but finally have money.

Terrain edits: If you form your terrain one square at a time, you can sometimes save money. Try to get 6 and 12 Simoleon increments whenever possible. Six is cheaper than the usual 6.25 that would be charged if you're working with a lot of terrain (the game will round down for you, however, if you work one square at a time), and 12 is cheaper than 12.5.

Pipelines: Put out your pipes in rows with 14 squares between them. Have a single pipe running perpendicular to the others to connect them.

Power lines: Instead of building an entire chain, just set down a single tile of power lines every five tiles (four tiles in between each power line square). The power still transmits, but you cut costs by 80%.

Roads: Enact the tire recycling ordinance when building roads and turn it off when you're done. You can save 10% on roads and highways.

Most importantly of all, know what you're doing before you do it. If you want to save money, make sure you don't plop down that fusion plant until you are absolutely certain you want it there. Don't put down the bus stop only to bulldoze it. Measure twice before laying out your roads. You don't want to find that they were supposed to be one tile away. Don't zone any tiles that you plan to build something else on. It's a waste to zone an entire 9x9 block with dense commercial (50 Simoleons per tile and then plop a police station in the middle. You just wasted 450 Simoleons on a zone that you never did intend to develop.

In the end, you may save no more than a few hundred Simoleons in a year by trifling with these technicalities. Don't consider the stress to be a waste, though. One hundred Simoleons can place a tree in each of thirty-three tiles. Land values and pollution control both profit from this. Or, if you have the money to burn, enjoy yourself.

See also
Making money in the beginning
Increasing land value: more than just trees
Funds: tax commerce without them leaving
Money making strategies
Taxes: making money fast
Increase your city's kitty
Getting out of a deep debt
Making the most of neighbor deals
Land value calculation bug
Eliminate traffic and mass transit costs