DIGIT-ARC read-only archive · snapshot: July 23, 2026

Simcity Code Released Under GPL

9 posts · originally from https://geek.digit.in/community/threads/simcity-code-released-under-gpl.78241/

Dark Star
Dark Star Original post #1
Jan 14, 2008 at 10:26 PM
Don Hopkins has released the original SimCity source code under the GNU General Public License (GPL). The source code contains no references to the original SimCity game, as it will be renamed to Micropolis. This was the original working title, and some work had to be done to the code so that the open source version will not use copyrighted elements.

The original system got modified, featuring a new splash screen, removal of the plane crash disaster as a result of the event that took place on September 11, 2001, etc. The initial release is the Linux version based on Tcl/Tk, adapted for the OLPC.

The "MicropolisCore" project includes the latest Micropolis (SimCity) source code, cleaned up and recast into C++ classes and integrated into Python using the SWIG interface generator tool. A Cairo-based TileEngine and a cellular automata machine CellEngine were included, so the tile engine can display cellular automata cells, as well as SimCity or other simulation game tiles.

*www.imgx.org/pthumbs/large/4576/1989_simcity_large.jpg​

SimCity was created before 1983, so Don Hopkins had a lot of work to do with cleaning the code up – ANSIfying and reformatting it, optimizing and bullet-proofing it – and he did a good job. This game has been a model used for urban planning, thanks to the complex business rules, ecosystem modeling, social dependencies and some other interesting aspects.

Releasing Micropolis under the GPL license could make developers invest their time and coding skills in it, to replace the very old graphics with new ones, to rewrite the graphic routines with modern code, etc.

Source and Download : SimCity Source Code Released to the Wild! Let the ports begin... - Fear and Loathing
praka123
Jan 15, 2008 at 2:29 AM
gr8!let more games too be here to be open ;)
x3060
x3060 #3
Jan 17, 2008 at 6:57 AM
i wonder if we can get simsity 3000 and simcity 4 to play in linux...:)
Dark Star
Jan 17, 2008 at 8:53 AM
^^ Just wait like Open Arena we are going to get new stunning games :D
Rahim
Rahim #5
Jan 23, 2008 at 8:19 PM
I downloaded this deb from getdeb.net but when i run the game it runs in way higher than my default 1024x768 resolution and 1/4 of the game window is out of sync with my monitor. This problem was reported in UF but no solution right at this moment.
Anybody here had the same problem?
MetalheadGautham
Jan 23, 2008 at 9:19 PM
we already got lincity, so its a waste that simsity instead of The Sims was released under GPL.
Rahim
Rahim #7
Jan 23, 2008 at 9:26 PM
Ya Lincity is great.
Are they similar, apart from the obvious CIty Buliding games?Which one is more deep?
MetalheadGautham
Jan 23, 2008 at 9:54 PM
Ya Lincity is great.
Are they similar, apart from the obvious CIty Buliding games?Which one is more deep?
never played simcity, but I guess its in legue with lincity, but Lincity-NG will be much better.
Faun
Faun #9
Jan 23, 2008 at 11:43 PM
time to see the new borns =D