Welcome to SimTools
05/05/2025Bridgeport - More Than Just a Neighborhood
TL:DR - While developing v4.0.1 of SimTools, I had a "today I learned" moment.
TIL Bridgeport is more than just a neighborhood in The Sims 3. Bridgeport, alongside Isla Paradiso have long been my go-to neighborhoods for many a families. They also just so happen to be the two neighborhoods in the game with the most issues and bugs, but that is beside the point in regards to this article.
While researching new tools for the various games that are added in the new version of SimTools. I made a startling discovery. This was not the first time Maxis included Bridgeport in one of their games.
While researching new tools for the various games that are added in the new version of SimTools. I made a startling discovery. This was not the first time Maxis included Bridgeport in one of their games.
While I was testing out SC2000X by Krimsky, I was going through all the features in the game and when I went to load up one of the cities included, I spotted a file named BRIDGEPO.SC2.
I thought to myself, "Really? Could it be?" and so I loaded it. It looks substantially different in SC2000 than it does in The Sims 3, but I could see some similarities. The landmass in SC2000 looks very similar, but that's where the similarities stop.
The city in Simcity 2000 is far more developed than what is presented in The Sims 3. Obviously in an effort to scale it down to fit a different map and engine, and eliminate a tedious workload otherwise. If we got something closer to what was presented in SC2000, the amount of bugs would be astronomical, not to mention the increase in loading time.
I thought to myself, "Really? Could it be?" and so I loaded it. It looks substantially different in SC2000 than it does in The Sims 3, but I could see some similarities. The landmass in SC2000 looks very similar, but that's where the similarities stop.
The city in Simcity 2000 is far more developed than what is presented in The Sims 3. Obviously in an effort to scale it down to fit a different map and engine, and eliminate a tedious workload otherwise. If we got something closer to what was presented in SC2000, the amount of bugs would be astronomical, not to mention the increase in loading time.
I've been playing sim games made by Maxis for going on three decades now. Not even joking, my first game was in fact the original SimCity and while "Raid on Bungeling Bay" was in fact Will Wrights first game, I still haven't played it. Playing for going on 30 years, this is just one of those things I didn't really notice in my youth, and just strikes me as remarkable in how Maxis often left nods in their future projects that reflected on their past projects.
If you are interested in giving Simcity 2000 a go, you can find it on EA Play, or GOG. It can also be played online for free.
If you are interested in giving Simcity 2000 a go, you can find it on EA Play, or GOG. It can also be played online for free.
David Brown
Developer of SimTools. Long standing fan of Maxis and the sim-style franchise. First game ever played was the original SimCity on DOS. I work full-time as an Armed & Unarmed Security Officer, going where clients need me most.