Best PC Simulation Games

[OldSchool_Boy]

I wanted to know where is a good place to start when it comes to the genre.

Edit: More interest in Sim City type of games

[Erik_Twice]

Are you looking for economic simulators or software toys like SimEarth? There's quite a bit of good stuff in both genres and yes, there's quite a bit of an overlap.

If you want to build stuff, there are two games to play. The first one is the freeware OpenTTD, an open version of Transport Tycoon Deluxe, which adds a lot of amazing stuff to the game. You build a transport network down to the signals and seeing how you start connecting everything is really great. Money is not really a concern and the economic snowball soon makes it irrelevant but the building is really great.

The second one is, Rollercoaster Tycoon 2 with all the original Rollercoaster Tycoon maps. This is a great building game, with the rides and layout being very fun and surprisingly meaningful because the availble space, kinds of rides you already have and everything leads to fun gameplay. Money matters but not enough that you can't build fun rides, a great experience. The reason why I think you should go with RCT2 and RCT maps is because 2 has a lot of small improvements but has very poor maps while the maps and scenarios included in RCT are simply amazing so mixing both is a very good idea. You can find them for download without any problem, just google "RCT2 original maps" and you will find some websites.


Then you have Railroad Tycoon 3, which is the best game in the RT series. It has a quite thoughtful economical system where cargo slowly moves around that makes networking not a matter of getting more trains but about linking industrial nucleus with each other and keeping the mainline working by small branch railroads. It's not a building game, for that you should stick to OpenTTD, this is a game about development and the track options are simple as a result.

Simcity 4 is the best Simcity game. You should get the expansion because I think it fixes the deadly bug where traffic gets trapped going in circles and sims never go anywhere. The reason this game is the best one of the series is that it's not just about plonking down as many zones as you can but a game where you actually need to give the city more stuff in order for it to grow.

You may want to check out Maxis' output because they were focused in these kinds of games

[sabrage]

This might be of interest to you.

[alienjesus]

OpenTTD
Rollercoaster Tycoon 2
Railroad Tycoon 3
Simcity 4

I was disappointed you didn't have a game ending with 5 to follow this up with.

[sabrage]

Civ 5. (Though I hear 4 is better, anyways)

[MrPopo]

Civ 5. (Though I hear 4 is better, anyways)

I personally think 5 is better. The combat is a completely different animal between 5 and all the previous Civs and I can understand people preferring 4 as a result.

[Nemoide]

SimAnt
Easily the best ant simulation program out there.

On a more serious note, I'd recommend the Caesar series. I played the most of Caesar II but I really liked the expansions made in Caesar III, I haven't tried Caesar IV. (Skip Caesar I, it's too primitive to be much fun IMO). But the series works very much like an ancient Roman SimCity. The big difference is that you have to defend your cities against barbarian invaders and in the Caesar III, you also have to appease a pantheon of deities who can cause problems for you.

Now I want to re-install Caesar III.

[J T]

SimAnt
Easily the best ant simulation program out there.

[AznKhmerBoi]

This for war sim....

[OldSchool_Boy]

Thanks for the suggestions.

OpenTTD
Rollercoaster Tycoon 2
Railroad Tycoon 3
Simcity 4
Caesar III
Romance of the 3 Kingdoms XI

and for the link Sabrage.

Concerning the Civilization games, What's the main appeal to each one? I'm assuming that their has to be some significant difference between them and personal opinion to each one. Any thoughts and examples would be greatly appreciated.

Related: this guy has been playing the same game of Civ. II for 10 years.