In playing SimCity, I seem to have fewer "random" disasters (Tornadoes, Earthquakes, Meteors, Big Lizards, etc…) than my friends. This makes me think that they must not be truly random, but that there is some sort of trigger. Are there specific triggers for each disaster? Or are there certain statistics that increase the likelihood of a given disaster? Or is it truly random and I am just looking for patterns where none exist?
What triggers disasters in SimCity
simcity-2013
Related Solutions
http://store.origin.com/store/ea/html/pbPage.SimcityNA
From the link above
Origin Exclusive Item—Plumbob Park: Just drop this scenic park anywhere in your city and watch your Sims revel in the great outdoors! Make your Sims happier, entice more to come to your city and improve your rating as Mayor.
Get access to world famous landmarks including the Eiffel Tower, Big Ben or Brandenburg Gate! Placing landmarks will improve your land value and attract tourists to visit, bringing more Simoleons to your city! These landmarks transform the businesses, homes and vehicles in your city to adopt the style and architecture of France, Great Britain and Germany! Receive new missions and earn unique achievements!
MORE TOURISTS Place the Eiffel Tower, Big Ben or Brandenburg Gate and attract tourists to visit, increasing your land value and bringing more Simoleons to your city!
MORE TRANSPORTATION Transport your Sims more efficiently with an exclusive Double Decker Bus station in Britain and high-speed rail in Germany!
MORE SERVICES Protect your Sims and increase your police presence with an exclusive French police station!
The British, French, and German "extras" (Eiffel Tower, Big Ben, Brandenburg Gate, double-decker buses, high speed rail, French police station) are only available in the digital deluxe edition.
Plumbob Park and Heroes and Villains are included if you pre-order the normal edition (in other words, the "limited edition"). They are also included as part of the digital deluxe edition.
Only way you can disable disasters if you are playing in Sandbox Mode. Sandbox Mode is dependent on the region. The person creating the region has the option to make it Sandbox Mode.
This allows:
- All Buildings
- Limited Cheats
- No Random Disasters
Note: Sandbox cities are ineligible for achievements, challenges, or leaderboards.
Here is a picture showing you how you can do it.
Best Answer
The achievments which unlock disasters seem to point to particular city conditions that may make a disaster more likely. For example, here are the achievements that are earned which unlock the player ability to trigger a disaster.
However, I can say from personal experience that I have had every one one of these disasters happen without any of the potential conditions listed by the achievement in play. I've had an earthquake with no mine, a meteor strike with no airport, a zombie attack with no Lab, etc.
This leads me to believe that disasters are truly random, and that you may just be luckier than your friends.
Without an official post from EA/Maxis we will never truly know. As I said earlier, I have experienced disasters of all types in small or large cities, dirty or clean cities, cities of different specializations, without a discernible pattern.