Economic strategies review and description. Creating your own city planning stimulator How to create a city planning simulator

Hello friends! Here I decided to describe the best and most popular economic strategies for PC. For reference, a city planning simulator is a game in which you can build one or more cities, or even entire planets, various buildings in it, and so on. The economic strategy of the German school is a game genre in which there is a large production chain. There are primary, secondary and tertiary resources. For example, having collected wheat, you must create flour from it, and create bread from flour.

Most city planning strategies have an economic component; you constantly need to monitor the income and expenses of your city. settlements or planets. If you have other games of this genre in mind, write in the comments, I will definitely add them to the list if they are interesting.

SimCity 2000

Release date: 1994

Genre: City planning simulator

SimCity 2000 is the second part of the SimCity series. The first part of the game was released on the console in 1989 and marked the beginning of a new genre - a city planning simulator. The game gained great popularity and therefore a sequel was released. In SimCity, the player usually does not have a specific goal, upon reaching which the game ends. The player controls the city, acting as the mayor. He is given the opportunity to collect taxes, build city buildings and pave roads.

Of course, not all aspects of city life are in the hands of the mayor - he cannot, for example, order where to build private buildings, but can only plan the territory, dividing it into commercial, residential and industrial zones. These zones are subsequently built up by city residents. If the attractiveness of a given zone in the eyes of urban residents is low (which may be due to high taxes in this area or insufficient development of other urban zones), it will not be developed.

The mayor has the ability to construct city-owned buildings, primarily power plants, police stations, fire stations, hospitals, schools and colleges, as well as buildings related to the city's water supply system, and so on.

SimCity 3000

Genre: city ​​building simulator

SimCity 3000 is the third part of the series that has undergone major changes in terms of landscape graphics. The player, as the mayor, has more troubles than the first two parts. Now, in addition to solving issues of taxes and population satisfaction, there are problems with city pollution and garbage disposal, power plants lose their usefulness with age. The number and complexity of urban services increased, and agricultural and industrial structures appeared.

Distributing and earning money is an important part of the game. When constructing new buildings and areas in the city, it is worth considering the cost of land or land. The game now offers the opportunity to make commercial transactions not only in your own city, but also with neighboring cities. The worries of the townspeople and natural disasters will constantly distract you from the construction and development of your city. It is necessary to increase the salaries of teachers, otherwise child crime will increase, to provide doctors to avoid an epidemic in the city. And police firefighters and other city employees will not allow you to wastefully use the city budget. The game SimCity 3000 can be called a complete simulator of city development.

SimCity 4

Genre: City planning simulator

The game allows players to use map modification to create a more convenient building site or to create a beautiful and unique landscape. Players can divide the city's land into special zones: residential, commercial, industrial, as well as create and maintain social security, transport, and utilities. In order for the city to develop successfully, players must manage finances, monitor the environment, and maintain the necessary quality of life for its residents.

SimCity 4 introduced a day/night cycle and other special effects that were not present in previous games in the SimCity series. There are also external tools that allow you to modify buildings. As in previous games in the series, the player plays the role of the mayor, who is tasked with the settlement and development of cities, which in the regional viewing mode act as individual sections or districts of the region. The player can choose any site to develop a city on.

The game also has three modes: God, Mayor, and Sim. In god mode, the player can completely change the landscape on which the city will be built and cause natural disasters. In mayor mode, the player is engaged in building the city and managing its economy and population. In Sim mode, the player creates characters in a rebuilt city who go to work, study, give birth to children, and so on. The game has additions SimCity 4: Rush Hour, SimCity Societies.

SimCity 5

Genre: G joy building simulator

As in previous versions, the key task of SimCity is city building. The player acts as a mayor - he is determined by his specialization and acts in such a way as to create a successful metropolis with happy residents. The game begins with the construction of infrastructure, zoning and provision of resources: Electricity, water, waste removal. As the population, capital, and construction of certain types of buildings grow, new opportunities will open up for the player.

The new version of SimCity is distinguished by deep elaboration: Curved roads, district zoning, visual and audio effects. Zone types will include residential, commercial and industrial. In addition, they created so-called constructed worlds. They allow you to plan your city and provide flexible settings for special buildings due to their modularity.

Anno 1602: Creation of a New World

Release date: 1998

Genre: Economic strategy of the German school, urban planning strategy

From the very name of the game it should immediately become clear that the actions take place starting in 1602. The player must expand the possessions of a European nation and to do this, he must first colonize the island by rebuilding on it and developing the economy. As players progress, they are given the opportunity to colonize more and more islands.

Anno 1602 has the ability to create cities to your liking. The game is mostly economic, but sometimes you have to fight to defend your colony. As the population increases, new opportunities open up. Buildings and ships can be graded to improve their characteristics. The main task is to completely colonize the islands and increase the population.

Anno 1503: The New World

Genre:

Continuation of the Anno game series. The same gameplay remains. The player first looks for a small island, then looks for resources for the development of the state, and only after all this the development starts, houses are built, then districts, then entire cities. Created trade routes, established economic and military ties - all this will increase the chance of final victory. The population segments are the same as in the 1602 version: townspeople, merchants, aristocrats, settlers and pioneers.

The player will find authentic buildings of the 16th century - more than 350 different buildings. Detailed development of cities and infrastructure. Many different climatic zones with unique characteristics and features - from chilly tundras to hot tropics and deserts. Trade and diplomatic relations: from peaceful economic cooperation to military expansion. 4 types of combat units and 26 upgrades. The player can choose the path of economic or military development.

Anno 1701

Genre: economic strategy of the German school, urban planning simulator

Anno 1701 is the third part of the series. As in the first two parts, we land on the island, begin to extract resources, build a village and develop the economy. A wide variety of buildings and combat units. Diverse multi-level production chain of resources (there are primary, secondary and tertiary resources).

The graphics have been improved and the economic component of the game is developed by achieving certain goals in your state. To ensure the transition from one level to another, it is necessary to create comfortable conditions for residents of the current level, as well as to reach a certain number of residents. Comfortable conditions are created by providing residents with a full range of goods, the construction of public buildings (such as schools, churches, theaters) and a reasonable level of taxation.

Anno 1404

Genre: Economic strategy of the German school, urban planning simulator

As in previous parts, the main thing in the game is construction, economic development, increasing and pleasing the population. An integral part is also trade, through which funds and missing raw materials are obtained. A large production chain of resources, a large selection of buildings, beautiful graphics and voluminous cities. The deferred cities amaze with their beauty.

The game world is divided into two culturally distinct zones. In Anno 1404, these zones were inspired, although without any claim to historical accuracy, by northwestern Renaissance Europe and the medieval Middle East, referred to as Europe and the Orient respectively. The most important difference from previous parts of the series is the need to build European and Eastern settlements simultaneously in order to ensure the progress of the population and expand construction capabilities. However, despite the ability to directly control the creation and development of Eastern settlements, the focus of the game remains on European settlements. The East remains Europe's trading partner, allowing its population to rise in class.

Anno 2070

Genre: Economic strategy of the German school, urban planning simulator

Anno 2070 - takes us into the future to 2070, which has its own alternative history of human development. Human influence on nature has caused climate change on the planet, which is why the seas began to flood the land. The player will have to build huge megacities on the remnants of the earth's land, economically using the planet's natural resources.

Build giant cities on huge islands and explore new possibilities of the underwater world
Industry or ecology? For the first time, you can choose between two unique playable factions: Tycoons and Ecos. Endless game mode without ending, you can tirelessly improve your creation.

Caesar III

Release date: 2003

Genre: Economic strategy, City planning simulator,

A mixture of economic strategy and urban planning simulator. The game takes place during the dawn of the Roman Empire. The player takes possession of a small plot of land and begins to develop his own civilization, which will be able to compete with neighboring city-powers.

The game provides wide political and economic opportunities, and each new task can be completed in two ways - using diplomacy or brute military force. Caesar III is a classic city-planning strategy that stood at the origins of the genre.

Industry Giant II

Release date: 2003

Genre:

The second part of a business and logistics simulator. The game is set in a time frame from 1900 to 1980, and the player plays the role of a young businessman who must develop his production, using limited capital and being in a compressed time frame.

During the passage, the player will develop his own business: expand production, build new stores, look for new markets, build logistics routes, etc. As incomes rise and the output of goods increases, the surrounding cities will also develop.

Cities XL

Genre:

Cities XL is a city planning simulator similar in gameplay to the games described above: regulate the economy and take care of the needs of residents, engage in construction and improvement. The player's main task is to create a successful metropolis. The game combines elements of economic strategy; it will be necessary to control the expenses and income of the city, which are constantly in short supply.

An interesting feature of the game is the division of the population of your city into social strata. There are rich, poor, and middle peasants. Each social layer has its own needs. The rich can live only in elite areas of the city, so in order to increase taxes and the budget it is necessary to create an elite area and create all the conditions for this. Support for the poor is needed, for example, the availability of work for them.

Cities XL 2011

Genre: Economic strategy, city planning simulator

Cities XL 2011-the second part of the series, as in the first part, you need to build a successful metropolis and satisfy the city residents. Just like in the first part, much attention in the game is paid to the social strata of society. There are 4 classes: unskilled workers, skilled workers, administrators (service personnel) and elite.

Different social strata themselves decide where to live, it all depends on whether you have created comfortable conditions. For example, if there are not enough security, police stations or other buildings in an area, then the elite will never settle in it. Among other things, you will need to deal with the city’s economy, monitor production, agriculture, and commerce in the city. Provide citizens with sports and
cultural leisure.

Cities XL 2012

Genre: Economic strategy, city planning simulator

Cities XL 2012 - continuation of the series. Made on the engine of its predecessor and has undergone very minor changes. New buildings and maps appeared, and some influences on the social strata of the population changed. But overall it's the same game with the same gameplay.

The game allows you to feel like a real city manager, balancing the economic and energy development of cities, forming transport infrastructure and planning housing construction, providing services and recreational opportunities to all residents. Cities XL 2012 features over 1,000 unique buildings across 60 massive, stunningly detailed 3D maps, making it the world's most realistic city builder.

Release date: 1994

Genre: E economic strategy of the German school

The Settlers - released back in the early 90s, gained great popularity and marked the beginning of the Settlers series of economic games. Already in those distant times, a simplified system of self-sufficient farming was born. In the game you will have to create an economy based on a closed society, providing itself with all resources and products.

At first glance, the economy in the game is simple. For example, to get logs, you just need to build a woodcutter's house and build a road to it. However, two problems arise here. First, the trees are running out. And secondly, the logs themselves, it seems, are not used. The first problem is solved by installing a forester’s house, which will plant new trees. And the second is the construction of a sawmill. And such problems with all industries (and there are many of them).

Genre: E

The Settlers II is all about resource gathering and settlement building; creation of an army and expansion in order to capture new sources of resources; attacking the enemy with the goal of intercepting access to resources or destroying his army and camp. The game has both economic and military components.

One of the most favorite strategy games. It won’t be possible to rivet more troops and destroy the enemy base here. Very thoughtful gameplay with many dependencies. German pedantry raised to the absolute level. Despite the fact that the game is not boring, but on the contrary, interesting. A carefully thought-out system of increasing difficulty smoothly leads to enlightenment, creating a competent game balance. Think, think and think again. Well, enjoy the beautiful, somewhat childish and cartoonish graphics.

Genre: Economic strategy of the German school, real-time strategy

As in the second Settlers, in Settlers III the goal of the game comes down to building a functioning economy aimed at producing soldiers and further capturing enemy territories with their help. A serious difference from its predecessor is the lack of roads. The player is asked to lead one of three nations: the Romans, the Asians (actually the Chinese) and the Egyptians on the path to world domination.

A significant part of the game is occupied by the construction and arrangement of buildings. To produce all buildings, stone and wood are required, as well as special construction units. All buildings in the game are divided into industrial and mining, agricultural, military and general. The first group includes buildings that extract natural resources, such as, for example, building materials or minerals (iron and coal) needed in the future for the production of troops.

Agricultural buildings include buildings used to produce food for miners, as well as alcoholic beverages sacrificed to the gods. The group of military buildings includes watchtowers, barracks, a shipyard, and a siege weapons workshop. The fourth group includes: residential buildings used for the production of porters, temples, a market and docks.

Genre: E economic strategy of the German school, real-time strategy

There are four races in The Settlers IV: Mayans, Vikings, Romans and Dark Tribe. In a single player game, you can go through the game campaign for each of the nations and play against the computer on a single map. Multiplayer allows players to fight each other, or play in the “free settle” mode, where you can develop your settlement without the threat of attack from the enemy.

The largest Russian game portal Absolute Games gave the game 90%. The reviewer noted the game's high-quality gameplay and beautiful graphics. Verdict: “As a result, we have Settlers 4 - an excellent, insanely playable, graphically perfect project. “Our Choice”, we highly recommend.

The Settlers: Rise of an Empire

Genre: economic strategy of the German school, real-time strategy

The player's goals in The Settlers: Rise of an Empire are the following: development of the economic infrastructure of a medieval settlement (construction of roads and buildings, extraction of raw materials, production of goods), strengthening and protecting fortress walls, caring for residents. The settlers have various needs that must be met or they will go on strike. The new world is divided into four climatic zones, where seasons and weather conditions change, which affects the efficiency of resource extraction and the speed of expansion of the empire.

Rise of an Empire introduced female settlers for the first time in the series. The population of cities directly depends on the number of marriages. Fairs are the best place to find brides and grooms; They also maintain trade relations with other countries, bring in substantial profits and entertain people. For the first time in the series, the Knight unit appears, reflecting the player’s leadership level. As a military unit, the Knight becomes a key condition for the development of the settlement and the completion of quests.

The Settlers 7: Paths to a Kingdom

Genre: German school economic strategy, real-time strategy, city planning simulator

The game has the same gameplay as presented in the latest 3D parts of The Settlers series. The player starts with a simple village and expands it sector by sector to eventually create his own kingdom. During this process, the player must organize production chains and build transport systems as correctly as possible.

In the game, the player is given the opportunity to choose between three unique development paths through which he can achieve victory: military, scientific and trade. Taking the traditional RTS military path of development, the player creates his own army and then, with the help of military might, defeat and destroy his enemies. Following the scientific path of development, the player must focus on researching technological improvements. And finally, following the trade path of development, the player will have to build his economy and try to capture the best trade routes that are on the world map. Whatever development path is chosen, unique units and capabilities will be available on it.

Tropico

Light of Altair takes us into the distant future. Planet Earth was destroyed after the third world war. The surviving countries concluded a truce agreement, but when the exploration of the planets of the solar system began, conflicts began over the colonies. Humanity is divided into several factions. The player will have to begin the exploration of the Moon, building power plants, hydroponic farms, and a laboratory. To extract minerals, improve the operation of buildings, and improve the fleet, it is necessary to master new technologies.

In addition to the construction and management parts, the game also has a combat component; orbital battles will occur regularly, as other factions will constantly try to recapture your colonies. Only you can decide to conduct diplomatic negotiations more often or conduct military operations. Light of Altair is a colony building simulator. The player will be entirely responsible for the construction of the colony, from landing to the complete settlement of the planet.

East India Company

Genre: Economic strategy, economic simulator

In economic conditions close to real ones, players need to establish trade in tea, porcelain and silks. You have to take on the role of a British merchant (merchant) who is busy with the difficult task of increasing trade between Britain and India. In addition to speculative relations, the player will need to compete with competitors from other countries, periodically turning relations into a state of war. The game is suitable for those who like to engage in constant barter in games, increasing wealth and using economic leverage over competitors.

The game is somewhat reminiscent of Anno. True, in order to rebuild the city you need to capture it. The game is suitable for those who love trading and sea battles. Overall the game is not bad, the slightly monotonous gameplay gets boring over time. Graphically beautiful and pleasant, but at the same time it incomprehensibly heats up the video card, although it does not shine with technological perfection.

Cities: Skylines

Release date: 2015 Latest version 2016

Genre: City planning simulator

City construction simulator. The game is a modern city planning simulator with special attention to small details. In addition to the standard construction of main buildings, Cities: Skylines will require laying communications, creating roads, electrifying buildings, etc.

The game has great capabilities in construction and infrastructure development. Initially, the player begins his journey from a small quarter, which can later grow into a multi-million metropolis. Also, the player must constantly monitor the parameters that affect the city residents and their mood.

Transport Fever

Release date: 2016

Genre: Economic simulator, management,

Economic strategy with elements of a logistics simulator. The game covers a wide time frame - from 1850 to 2050. During this period, the player will be able to go through a long journey from a simple steam locomotive and horse-drawn carriages, to high-tech hovercraft and modern electric vehicles.

In Transport Fever, the player will be able to fully build railway connections between cities, organize cargo transportation, and also manage public transport. Among the key advantages, it is worth noting the wide opportunities in the development of the transport business, excellent graphic design and generated cities.

Banished

Release date: 2014 Latest version 2016

Genre: City planning simulator

Strategic city planning simulator. The game offers you to take control of a small settlement of people who are cut off from the whole world. Since there is no way to return to civilized society, the settlement begins to develop, turning into a new city.

The player’s main task will be to constantly monitor the condition of the residents. They have many parameters that are responsible for happiness, health and hunger. Each resident can die or get sick, so in addition to building the city and developing infrastructure, the player must take care of the surviving settlers.

Railroad Tycoon 3

Release date: 2003

Genre: Economic strategy, train games

Economic strategy in railway business networking. The player takes control of a small railway company that has a tight budget and minimal income. To correct the current situation, the player must become a real businessman.

The game touches on many economic details. In addition to the usual progress in the development of the railway, the player will be able to invest money in other companies or receive third-party investments. The game will delight you with a large number of real-life trains, as well as great opportunities for developing your own enterprise.

Offworld Trading Company

Release date: 2016

Genre: Real-time strategy, economic strategy

Urban planning strategy in a sci-fi setting. The game takes place on colonized Mars, which has become a profitable place for extracting valuable resources. Several mining companies are in constant competition, and the player will be able to choose one of them and try to completely oust competitors from the planet.

The main goal of the game is to develop the extraction and processing of valuable resources as quickly as possible, and then absorb smaller companies. Since the action takes place on an uninhabitable planet, the player should take care of life support systems and connecting communications between processing buildings and mining installations.

Forge of Empires

release date: 2012

Genre: Browser MMO

A multiplayer browser-based military-economic online game, the gameplay of which is based on the development of your settlement, starting from the Stone Age and ending with the oceanic future. And although the territory available for construction is initially very limited, it will gradually expand, giving the player the opportunity to build more and more new buildings and decorative elements.

PLAY

Despite the heavy emphasis on economics, the game contains battles. For example, on the global map you can capture new provinces, expanding your empire, negotiate and interact with your neighbors, bargaining with them or fighting. There are also guilds (unions) in the game that allow players to help each other.

What do I need to do to run the program?

Unity 4.5 or Unity 5
Version 2D Toolkit 2+
NGUI Standard 3.5+ version, not the free legacy NGUI version

Doesn't Unity 5 have an nGUI?

Yes, Unity 5 includes 2D and UI support, but this is not enough for a complete software package. You still need further improvements to the 2D Toolkit NGUI.

Can I improve my software package?

Yes. You can upgrade the Gaming Software Package from Professional to Full Strategy for $100. Improvements are available in the download center for users.

Is it possible to change something in the software package?

Yes. You will receive the full Unity 3D source code with your purchase. Add/remove settings, scripts or characters as you wish. There is nothing hidden in the DLL and you will have access to all the code needed to create a working version.

Is the same software package responsible for attack and defense settings, like in Battle of Clans?

The complete Strategy Kit contains attack and defense settings, plus server-side helper scripts for player control of the village, exactly like in Clash of Clans, Game of War and other mobile real-time strategy games. This is more of a massively multiplayer game than Clash of Clans, but it’s not quite an MMORPG either.

What devices does the software package work on?

The package works on all devices - Apple, PC/Mac, web applets and Android devices. In addition, the game is optimized for mobile devices with Unity 2D touch controls. Export directly to Xcode for games in iOS8.

How can I set up in-app purchases of virtual goods?

The existing payment scripts inside the application are already configured, so all you have to do is connect any purchases to your payment system.

Am I getting a UI error?

When you try to create a game in Unity 3D and receive UI errors like these, we always recommend double-checking that you have imported NGUI version 3.6.8 and 2D Toolkit 2.4. They are needed for the normal launch of the software package.

So everything is already configured and ready to use?

Yes, all settings are ready. Simply import the NGUI and 2D Toolkit to create a game scene in Unity and actually play. (We recommend building and running in XCode for Apple and SDK for Android)

How can I get the latest version?

Click on the download link at the top of this page and register with your purchase details; Downloads, guides and special offers are only available to owners of the Unity 3D City Builder Pack.

Why should you choose the Unity 3D engine?

Because the Unity 3D engine has more than 2 million developers worldwide and powers the games preferred by more than 600 million gamers. Unity 3D also offers an extensive collection of advanced resources and free tutorials for creating games.

Hi all!

In Unity3D version 5.0 (now in beta state), the developer company officially announced the possibility of using its product not only for game development, but also for something no less pleasant - for business.

A video was released to inspire the audience:

The video consists entirely of references to implemented projects (no one has ever banned non-game applications before), but it seems that only now a critical mass of such reference projects has accumulated, and version 5.0 (in combination with other auxiliary products) has reached the level of solidity that is widely the approach in the industry justifies and justifies. Here you have a multi-platform development environment with an even more multi-platform publishing and deployment system, support for all mobile platforms, a cloud platform, a developed asset store for quickly sharing best practices, and knowledge sharing tools through forums and knowledge bases. A whole world has been created and the chances of further expansion of the boundaries of this world are really high.

So, what do they do useful in Unity3D (except for games, of course) and what new features of Unity 5.0 will be especially useful in non-gaming areas?

1. Architectural visualizations, interior modeling

These are mainly public projects accessible via the Internet; they are divided into 2 subtypes:

1.1. Interior designers

1.2. Demonstration of interiors in objects under construction

How relevant this is in Russia is difficult to say (here the walls would need to be handed over). There are still very few qualified designers; every client wants something exclusive. In general, Russia is not America - it’s a fact. But, given that the cost of real estate in some cities of the Russian Federation is already ahead of America, and it is quite difficult to move around in these cities - investing $2-3 thousand in 3D visualization of an object for the purpose of selling it may be a completely acceptable option. Unions of realtors and designers can work here - a beautiful model is made from bare walls (that’s how it can be in this apartment), the realtor first shares a little commission on the sale, and if the project burns out, the design studio shares its income back with the realtor. Similar schemes are practiced, and the visualization tool is preferably simple (so as not to invest heavily in work that may not be sold) and accessible (so that you can quickly open the interior on the Internet, and not transfer CDs with 3DS files). The Unity platform is just right.

2. Product configurators and animators

Unity's tricks are applicable here in all their glory - spin the product (3D model) as you want, zoom in, zoom out, turn on different lights, dress surfaces in different materials (leather, fabric, wood in a car interior - for example). When there are many options for finishing elements, there is a problem of compatibility (it can be worked out in advance, that is, compatible finishing complexes are offered).

An option can be added to the configurator (which is often combined) - select a faucet for the washbasin, if a faucet for $500 is recommended and the client found an option for $300 for 20 thousand - so it paid for his time, and the seller also earned as much as he wanted - and everyone is great.

The animation system is also what you need - how the interior of a car is transformed, or how a sofa is unfolded - having a 3D model, in Unity this can be visualized in half an hour or an hour.

These features ultimately contribute to, if not purchasing, then pre-selecting products online.
For the final decision, a warm client with an already formed opinion goes to the seller, the seller must not spoil this opinion. But for a cold client you still need to form an opinion - a completely different job.

3. Training simulators

Developing a simulator can be a very reasonable solution: a) the consumer can reduce the stress of introducing innovations by getting used to the new technology first in a virtual environment b) using the simulator, you can select the most capable people, who will then be sent for expensive onsite training. The simulator can be adapted to the conditions and features of each technological process, which is not always achievable with real training samples.

Work can be associated with danger and training, accordingly, too. For example, elimination of abnormal and emergency situations, accidents, prevention of safety measures. In this case, the simulator can be more realistic than a real training model, since the creation of some circumstances in reality is impossible in principle, or is irrationally expensive, or exposes students and the environment to excessive risk.

There are now many different peripheral gadgets available - glasses, steering wheels, helmets, joysticks, 3D scanners. Instrument panels and toggle switches are easily drawn in the simulator itself. A good simulator can be made in about six months by a small working group (1-3 developers + technologist in consultation mode + 1-2 equipment manufacturer specialists in consultation mode).

4. Education

5. Visualization of business data

But imagine Drill-Down the management balance to the level of three-dimensional models - especially the Assets section: clicked on the Assets line - first a list with numbers appeared, then clicked on “milling machine” - a model of the machine in the workshop appeared - you can turn it on and off, see how works, assess the degree of wear (rendering can age surface textures depending on the degree of depreciation shown in the report) - finders will especially like it. In general, the topic of Business Intelligence is wide and vast, and only 3D is not enough there yet, Unity is already coming to you, move aside your Cognoses and Business Objects and tremble, gentlemen BI people!..

You can come up with other areas of application, but I can’t continue to come up with them without banter.

Now a little about the new version - Unity 5.0. As already mentioned, it is still in the open beta stage, but the free beta version of Unity is never available for download, so you can only get up close and personal with the current version 4.5 (which is also not bad), or wait for the official release of 5.0.

What's so cool about 5.0? There have already been some reviews, in particular on Habré -. A lot has been written and told by Unity itself. I will focus only on the most interesting.

1. WebGL support for online applications

The Unity blog has an excellent article about implementation details for WebGL.

It is also important to say that many browsers (in particular Chrome) plan to significantly reduce the capabilities of plugins over time, thereby stimulating the use of html5. Switching from Web Player to WebGL may be vital. Many questions remain with the transition - feature support, behavior, performance - but, as always, victory will be ours!

2. Rendering Materials

3. Light

5. Even better animation

May the force be with you, WebGL and Chuck Norris!

Thanks in advance for continuing the topic and comments.

Tags:

• unity3d
• object visualization

To the delight of all strategy lovers, we are publishing another TOP, this time dedicated to such a rather narrow topic as urban planning simulators or city building strategies!

10. Banished

Tenth place was taken by a relatively recently released construction simulator. In a sense, the game can be called the smallest city planning simulator in our TOP. After all, we are not dealing with a city, but rather with a village.

You control a group of exiled migrants starting a new life in the picturesque taiga wilderness. There are 18 different crafts in the game, from farming and hunting to blacksmithing, training and healing.

There is no universal strategy in the game; the number and ratio of resources on the maps is generated randomly. Surviving cold winters is one of the main and most difficult tasks for a player. To keep the settlers warm, your tailors will have to sew a lot of clothes, and your builders will have to build houses and prepare firewood.

You also have to constantly keep in mind many small details and nuances that determine whether your settlement will survive or die.

Although the game ranks last, it is an excellent example of a fairly complex simulator, especially considering the fact that it was made by one person - programmer Luke Hodorowicz. Although the gameplay Banishd Over time it begins to become boring, you will definitely experience the pleasure of another winter you have experienced.

9. Emperior – Rise of the Middle-Kingdom

One of the representatives of the so-called city building series, which began back in 1993. Since then, ten games have been released, including expansions.

"Emperor: Dawn of Heaven"- is the only representative of the series covering the territory of ancient China, which is already interesting.

However, the rest of the difference between "Emperor" and the rest of the strategies in the series are not so great - we make sure that the residents are well-fed and employed, and the gods are satisfied with alms.

You will also have to deal with the production of resources and trade, as well as lead the defense in the event of an attack by invaders.

8. City Life

A game that is quite often compared to the well-known Sim City 4, and not just compare, but even call him the offensive word “clone”. However, this is not quite true.

The development of the French company Monte Cristo, although it repeats the concept of other games in the city-planning simulator genre, is an absolutely independent project.

In addition to the presence of an extensive social system of socio-cultural groups and relationships between them, City Life can offer players a standard set of production infrastructure tasks. As always, we will have to satisfy the whims and needs of citizens while trying not to empty the city's treasury ahead of time.

In general, this is another entertainment for more than one evening for lovers of construction and management.

7. CivCity – Rome

Imagine what could happen if the authors of the cult Civilization and no less cult Stronghold will team up to create a crossover between Stronghold And Civilization.

So, from Stronghold the game got the surroundings, the scale of the maps and the choice of military or peaceful missions. Inheritance from Civilization CivCity wonders of the world and a whole palette of features, including 75 unique units, 115 buildings and 70 technologies available for research.

And although the game did not receive solid ratings, many still liked the idea of ​​such a mix.

6. Caesar

Another series of games in the style of city building. Third Caesar is an excellent example of how a game series, having squeezed the most out of a concept, is content with only cosmetic changes. At the same time, it cannot be said that the game turned out to be mediocre - on the contrary, despite many shortcomings, the feeling of managing an ancient Roman city is incredible.

One of the disadvantages of the game is the small size of the map - from a certain point there is simply nowhere to build, all that remains is to observe the stagnation of the city and improve the attractiveness of already attractive areas. The second disadvantage is the military component, although on some maps it is the threat of invasion that forces you to completely reconsider the course of development of the settlement. Finally, trade was not always adequate.

The rest of the game is simply awesome. Here you have both religion with blessings and curses of powerful gods, many resources, goods and buildings. After all, where else will we be entrusted with the management of the Roman colonies, entrusted with the mission of making a city worthy of Caesar out of a deserted plain?

The fourth part of the game came out more impressive in terms of graphics, but the features remained the same.

5. Tropica

According to the plot, the player takes control of a small island state somewhere in Latin America. Everything happens during the height of the Cold War.

The game has economic, political and urban planning components, as well as interesting companies and multiplayer.

The addition of innovations such as random events that influence the course of events and additional industry sectors gave the series the opportunity to breathe new life into the series.

Your construction begins with an empty plain and almost zero plot. At first there will only be enough money for the most necessary things for the country, and even the people will have to live in makeshift shacks for some time.

You can earn money by selling valuable natural resources left and right and receiving handouts from the USSR or the USA, depending on which country you politically support. Over time, tourism and infrastructure will be possible.

Recently released Tropico 5, offering many innovations and a modern graphics engine.

4. Cim City

A representative of perhaps the most famous series in the urban simulator genre, which determined its high place in this TOP. It was Sim City, released by Maxis in 1989, that shaped the classic look of city-planning simulators and a number of mechanics that later became standard.

The fourth part brought true success to the game. The game turned out to be a rather complex and detailed strategy with very sketchy but nice graphics.

You have three modes to choose from, including god mode, which allows you to transform a selected area of ​​the region where a city will later be built. This mode also allows players to create natural disasters, such as a volcanic eruption and several others. Even in the first games in the series, players were amused by the opportunity to send a gadzilla or an earthquake to an unwanted city and watch how everything collapses and dies.

In the mayor's mode, planning, construction and management of the city are carried out. The construction of roads, streets, subway lines, bus stops, and railway stations will fall on your shoulders. You will also have to deal with the exchange of resources with neighboring cities, garbage removal, medicine, and so on.

However, the fifth part of the game came out damp and in many ways did not live up to the expectations of fans.

3. ANNO

The first game in the series called Anno 1602 was published back in 1998 / The series also includes Anno 1503, Anno 1701, Anno 1004, Anno 2070.

The first game in the series takes place in modern times. The construction of colonies and management of resources on an archipelago of small islands of the new world is under your control.

There is the opportunity to conduct research, trade, diplomacy, but the game is largely focused on the economic component, and you won’t have to fight much there. But you will have to constantly increase your income and expand to neighboring islands. What did you expect? Enemies are not asleep, and the faster your colony reaches a certain population level, the more opportunities and unique tasks will open up for you.

These and other features made the game memorable and unlike other representatives of the genre, which allowed Anno acquire an army of loyal fans and pave the way for the game in the now popular online game.

The latest part of the game, which moved online and became completely free, uses the concept of the classic first part. But thanks to the Internet, the possibilities of the game have increased - now players can wage trade wars among themselves, compete in the level of development of their colonies, and much more.

The game is now completely free and you can play it directly in your browser. More about the game Anno Online read my review.

2. Settlers

In the second part of the most popular series of city-planning simulators, the authors polished the gameplay and greatly improved the graphics compared to the debut project, which was released many years earlier.

The game created a sensation thanks to several innovative gameplay elements. Units don't need to be told what to do. Instead, the player's task is to provide the necessary number of buildings and resources.

Needless to say, the economic model in Settlers is many times more detailed and deeper than that of other representatives of the genre, providing multi-level production chains made with German pedantry. Settlers' game even laid the foundation for the so-called economic strategy of the German school. It also includes "Anno" And "Patrician".

All this, as well as multiplayer battles, make this meditative strategy worthy of your attention and guarantee its place in the hall of heroes of fame.

Read more about the game Settlers Online in my review.

1.Stronghold

In addition to the obvious military component, an important part in the games of the series Stronghold is the economy and the balance of many factors. So popularity is very important in the game. The higher the settlers' trust in you, the faster the number of peasants increases. When popularity drops below half, your residents begin to run away, and there is no one to work in the fields. Popularity can be increased by reducing taxes, expanding the diet, and building temples and taverns.

Almost all of these actions have at the same time a negative effect - emptying the treasury, barns, and even drunkenness, which reduces labor productivity. Of course, you can always build a gallows and other visual structures to motivate the population to work better and faster. But then the popularity will fall, so a dilemma arises that can be solved in various ways.

But still, the game is not about that, but about the garden and defense. Troops can take up positions on towers and move along walls, firing at the enemy below.

The player can also organize a fire or epidemic in the enemy’s country. Thus, we have at our disposal the widest arsenal of tactical and strategic possibilities. How to achieve victory is up to you!

Not so long ago, following modern trends, Stronghold moved online, becoming shareware. Read more about this game in my review.