City Improvements Sid Meier's Civilization 1

City Improvements Civ1

Not including Wonders of the World, there are 24 City Improvements in MicroProse's TBS Game of 1991, Sid Meier's Civilization.

Each City Improvement has an Initial Cost, an Upkeep Cost and (in almost all cases) an Advances prerequisite.

Don't build City Improvements "just because" they are available to be built: their upkeep will drain your cash reserves and keep your civ sitting well and truly on the poverty line for decades, centuries and millennia. Only build what needs to be built. Often, it is best to build nothing at all for extended intervals. Over-building is one of the biggest mistakes you can make in Civ1.

The best City Improvement in Civ1 is the Granary. No other building is as useful as the Granary. Next would come Library and Temple.

On Emperor difficulty level, Temples and Cathedrals are extremely important due to the "happiness" penalty.

Aqueduct

Aqueduct is one of 24 City Improvements in MicroProse's TBS Game of 1991, Civilization 1. Aqueduct allows cities to grow beyond 10 population units.

• Aqueduct Cost: 120
• Aqueduct Upkeep: 2
• Aqueduct Prerequisite: Construction

A major obstacle to growth in early cities was the scarcity of water. The answer to this problem in many cases was an Aqueduct: a large, elevated stone "canal" that brought water from nearby hills directly into the city. This assured a convenient and dependable supply of fresh water to the city. Aqueducts allowed cities to grow to unprecedented size, while at the same time they reduced the incidence of water-borne disease. Not only were larger cities now possible, but cities could be placed in otherwise inhospitable places, such as Los Angeles, which is located in a desert.

Bank

Bank is one of 24 City Improvements in MicroProse's TBS Game of 1991, Civilization 1.

Bank increases tax and luxury output by an additional 50% (cumulative with Marketplace).

• Bank Cost: 120
• Bank Upkeep: 3
• Bank Prerequisite: Banking

A highly developed banking system is one of the hallmarks of an advanced civilization. Banks lend money to individuals or groups of individuals, providing capital for industrial and real estate development. Banks contribute to the economic growth of a city or region by stimulating the development of production facilities. In addition, individuals can invest their own surplus money and earn interest on it.

Barracks

Barracks is one of 24 City Improvements in MicroProse's TBS Game of 1991, Civilization 1.

Barracks allows the city to produce Veteran units.

• Barracks Cost: 40
• Barracks Upkeep: 1
• Barracks Prerequisite: None

Warfare has been a recurring phenomenon in the history of civilization and continues to plague the world today. Those unprepared for war, either philosophically, materially, or technologically, soon fall out of the parade. Throughout history, warfare has been a prime agent of expansion. The neighbors of Rome joined the empire in most cases only after spirited hand-to-hand negotiations with Roman legions. When warring civilizations were closely matched in technology and material, victory normally went to the side with the best training, organization, morale, strategy, and tactics. The fostering of these skills and traditions took place in the Barracks.

New units are Veterans when produced at a city containing a Barracks, giving them advantages in combat against similar, non-Veteran units.

Cathedral

Cathedral is one of 24 City Improvements in MicroProse's TBS Game of 1991, Civilization 1.

Cathedral makes four unhappy citizens content.

• Cathedral Cost: 160
• Cathedral Upkeep: 3
• Cathedral Prerequisite: Religion

Through the Dark Ages that followed the fall of the Roman Empire in Europe, a major influence in the revival of civilization was the Christian Church. Elsewhere, other great religions were also expanding their influence. In recognition of the importance of religion in local affairs, the largest European towns built Cathedrals, centers of religious study and worship, presided over by the local bishop. When completed, Cathedrals became the centers of social and cultural activity, as well as religious worship. They brought great pride, stability, and tradition to their community.

City Walls

City Walls is one of 24 City Improvements in MicroProse's TBS Game of 1991, Civilization 1.

City Walls grants a 200% defense bonus to all units within the city. In addition, there is no population loss when the city is attacked.

• City Walls Cost: 120
• City Walls Upkeep: 2
• City Walls Prerequisite: Masonry

Before the development, of large publicly-financed, centralized governments capable of supporting strong national armies, cities were normally left to their own devices for protection. As a result, many civilizations constructed walls around their cities to protect against invaders from other regions, or from bandits and pirates. City walls represented a major investment of resources and required many years to complete. But these walls transformed the city into a fortress, capable of withstanding all but the most determined attack.

Colosseum

Colosseum is one of 24 City Improvements in MicroProse's TBS Game of 1991, Civilization 1.

Colosseum makes three unhappy citizens content in the city in which it is built.

• Colosseum Cost: 100
• Colosseum Upkeep: 4
• Colosseum Prerequisite: Construction

The original Colosseum of Rome presented spectacles intended to entertain and divert the landless, jobless citizenry who were supported by massive handouts. As the Empire declined, the increasing barbarity of the spectacles came to reflect the moral bankruptcy of Rome. In the 20th Century, Colosseums have been revived, again to provide entertainment and diversion. The promotions today are music concerts and professional sports contests. However, the modern spectacles have not exhibited the barbarity of ancient times, with the notable exception of ice hockey games.

Courthouse

Courthouse is one of 24 City Improvements in MicroProse's TBS Game of 1991, Civilization 1.

Courthouse descreases corruption in the city by 50%.

• Courthouse Cost: 80
• Courthouse Upkeep: 1
• Courthouse Prerequisite: Code of Laws

As kingdoms and empires grew, it became increasingly difficult for the ruler to maintain control over the more distant segments of the realm. To insure that the far-flung cities of the empire contributed their expected share to the coffers, local magistrates and courts were established. In the Courthouse the ruler's representatives listened to the grievances of the people and meted out justice. Here the laws that governed social interaction were defined and enforced. The Courthouse reduced crime, and thereby kept the local population productive and content. Unhappy and unproductive citizens were not willing taxpayers.

Factory

Factory is one of 24 City Improvements in MicroProse's TBS Game of 1991, Civilization 1.

Factory increases Shield production in the city by 50%.

• Factory Cost: 200
• Factory Upkeep: 4
• Factory Prerequisite: Industrialization

The development of the Factory evolved from the specialization of labor, where each worker learned only one step in the manufacturing process. When the worker became expert at that one task, the total production of the Factory increased. In Adam Smith's classic example from his book, The Wealth of Nations, a Factory of specialists made many more nails than one where each worker handcrafted nails one at a time. The Factory system was one prerequisite for the Industrial Revolution that soon followed.

Granary

Granary is one of 24 City Improvements in MicroProse's TBS Game of 1991, Civilization 1.

Only 50% of the city's Food store is depleted when the city increases in size. Protects the city against the disaster of Famine.

• Granary Cost: 60
• Granary Upkeep: 1
• Granary Prerequisite: Pottery

Cities became possible only when the development of agriculture made the supply of food more abundant and dependable. However, the new cities needed a way of stabilizing the food supply; seasonal crops had to be stored for later use. The Granary was designed for the storage and protection of food surpluses. The new agricultural techniques and the ability to store food meant that only some of the people had to work producing food for all. The rest could devote their time to dreaming up the alphabet, mathematics, computer games, and other important advances of civilization.

Hydro Plant

Hydro Plant is one of 24 City Improvements in MicroProse's TBS Game of 1991, Civilization 1.

Hydro Plant increases shield production by 50%. In addition, it reduces pollution caused by Shield production by 50%.

• Hydro Plant Cost: 240
• Hydro Plant Upkeep: 4
• Hydro Plant Prerequisite: Electronics

One alternative to fossil fuel power generation is the Hydroelectric Plant. These use the energy of falling water to turn turbines at high speed and thereby generate electricity. Where water flow rates make Hydro Plants practical, they offer safe and clean electricity, free of the pollution and acid rain caused by burning fossil fuels. Hydro Plants are not free of problems, however. They create their own environmental disruptions, flooding large areas behind their dams, interrupting the normal flow of rivers, and destroying the habitats of wild animal species.

cf. Global Warming Civ2.

Library

Library is one of 24 City Improvements in MicroProse's TBS Game of 1991, Civilization 1.

Library increases Knowledge Production by 50%.

• Library Cost: 80
• Library Upkeep: 1
• Library Prerequisite: Writing

The development of Wrting meant that the accumulated knowledge of a society no longer needed to be memorized and passed along orally. It could be written down, stored, and consulted later. This made possible a great body of knowledge in written texts that could be transferred throughout the world. The storehouse for the accumulated texts was called a Library, after the Latin word liber, meaning book. The great Libraries of the ancient world, especially the ones at Alexandria and Pergamum, became leading centers of science and scholarship. The librarians actively collected the books of the world, accelerating the spread of new knowledge.

Manufacturing Plant

Manufacturing Plant is one of 24 City Improvements in MicroProse's TBS Game of 1991, Civilization 1.

Manufacturing Plant increases Shield production by 100% (cumulative with Factory).

• Manufacturing Plant Cost: 320
• Manufacturing Plant Upkeep: 6
• Manufacturing Plant Prerequisite: Robotics

Manufacturing Plants were large industrial complexes that produced goods of all types, but especially durable consumer goods such as the automobile. A Manufacturing Plant was essentially a large, sophisticated factory. In addition to specialization of labor, it employed interchangeable parts, complex machinery, and assembly lines to gain efficiency and economies of scale. The result was highly productive workers and relatively low costs.

Marketplace

Marketplace is one of 24 City Improvements in MicroProse's TBS Game of 1991, Civilization 1.

Marketplace increases tax and luxury output by 50%.

• Marketplace Cost: 80
• Marketplace Upkeep: 1
• Marketplace Prerequisite: Currency

As cities grew and prospered, trade between the farmers, artisans and craftsmen who lived in the vicinity contributed to the economic health of the city. It soon became apparent that the best means for conducting such activities was to have a central location, or Marketplace, where those persons offering goods and services for sale, or seeking to find them, could meet. Here, among the tumult and bustle of the tents and stalls, people, wares, and livestock would all be gathered for display, trade and sale. As the Marketplace grew in importance, so grew the economic vitality of the city itself.

Mass Transit

Mass Transit is one of 24 City Improvements in MicroProse's TBS Game of 1991, Civilization 1.

Mass Transit eliminates the pollution caused by population.

• Mass Transit Cost: 160
• Mass Transit Upkeep: 4
• Mass Transit Prerequisite: Mass Production

Within a few decades of the invention of the automobile, the horse and carriage disappeared from city streets. However, the automobile brought new problems, including air pollution and the release of large quantities of carbon monoxide into the atmosphere. As cities became larger and more crowded, travel around town became difficult and time consuming. The development of Mass Transit, including buses, trolleys, subways, and light rail, led to a reduction in traffic and an accompanying reduction in pollution.

Nuclear Plant

Nuclear Plant is one of 24 City Improvements in MicroProse's TBS Game of 1991, Civilization 1.

Nuclear Plant increases factory production by 50%, and reduces pollution caused by Shield production by 50%.

Nuclear Plants run the risk of nuclear meltdown until your civilization has discovered Fusion Power.

• Nuclear Plant Cost: 160
• Nuclear Plant Upkeep: 2
• Nuclear Plant Prerequisite: Nuclear Power

Nuclear Power Plants burn atomic fuels through the process of nuclear fission to generate the heat and steam needed to produce electricity. Because it doesn't cause the pollution problems associated with the burning of fossil fuels, Nuclear Power is being examined as a possible alternative to these "dirty" sources of energy. However, the extremely dangerous nature of Nuclear Fission creates its own hazards, including the risk of a meltdown of the nuclear reactor. While the future of Nuclear Power is unclear now, continuing research in Nuclear Fusion may result in a safe and cheap source of power.

Palace

Palace is one of 24 City Improvements in MicroProse's TBS Game of 1991, Civilization 1.

Palace marks the capital city of a civilization.

In addition, Palace eliminates corruption and waste in the city, and decreases it in all nearby cities. Each civilization can only have one Palace at a time.

• Palace Cost: 200
• Palace Upkeep: 5
• Palace Prerequisite: Masonry

A center of administration and governmental power. The further cities are from a Palace, the more corruption is likely.

When people began concentrating in cities, their governments became more structured and formalized as well. At an early stage, the ruler of the city established headquarters buildings where the business of running the city was conducted: citizens were interviewed, edicts were issued, taxes were collected and stored, and diplomacy was carried on. In many cases, these seats of governmental power also served as the living quarters of the ruler. In cities that were sufficiently wealthy, these headquarters often became Palaces, immense and imposing structures that were a source of civic pride, and which reinforced the aura of power attached to the ruler.

Power Plant

Power Plant is one of 24 City Improvements in MicroProse's TBS Game of 1991, Civilization 1.

Power Plant increases factory production by 50%.

• Power Plant Cost: 160
• Power Plant Upkeep: 4
• Power Plant Prerequisite: Refining

Power Plants burn fossil fuels, mainly oil and coal, to produce the heat and steam necessary to generate electricity. The importance of electric power is that each factory does not need a steam engine to power its machines. Centrally generated electricity is transmitted throughout the countryside to power machines everywhere. However, increasing demand for electricity requires the burning of ever greater amounts of fossil fuels, and this has led to problems with air pollution and acid rain. Since modern society cannot function without electricity, researchers are working to perfect other methods of power generation.

Recycling Center

Recycling Center is one of 24 City Improvements in MicroProse's TBS Game of 1991, Civilization 1.

Recycling Center decreases pollution caused by Shield production by ⅔.

• Recycling Center Cost: 200
• Recycling Center Upkeep: 2
• Recycling Center Prerequisite: Recycling

As cities grew, they produced more and more refuse, until eventually the traditional dumping sites were filled. As a result, pollution gradually began spoiling the environment. To reverse this tide many cities installed Recycling Centers, where a large percentage of this trash was sorted, melted down, or otherwise reduced to reusable components that could be recycled into the process of manufacturing new products. In this way, much of the city's trash ended up as raw material for production, not waste in a landfill.

SDI Defense

SDI Defense is one of 24 City Improvements in MicroProse's TBS Game of 1991, Civilization 1.

SDI Defense protects the city from nuclear weapons.

• SDI Defense Cost: 200
• SDI Defense Upkeep: 4
• SDI Defense Prerequisite: Superconductor

The history of warfare has been a struggle between offense and defense, with sometimes one side having the upper hand, and sometimes the other. The development of nuclear weapons seemed to demonstrate that for the very first time, an offensive weapon existed for which there was no effective defense. SDI (Strategic Defense Initiative), however, could be the answer. Using either orbital laser weapons, or thousands of missile-launched "Brilliant Pebbles," which are intended to collide with nuclear-tipped missiles in mid-air, SDI Defense offers the real possibility of negating the threat posed by nuclear missiles.

Spaceship Component

Spaceship Component is one of 24 City Improvements in MicroProse's TBS Game of 1991, Civilization 1.

Spaceship Components provide the motive power of your spaceship. There are two types: Propulsion and Fuel.

Propulsion Components are the spaceship engines, providing the acceleration and deceleration needed for the journey.

Fuel Components are supplies of fuel, each sufficient for one Propulsion Component.

The minimum a spaceship requires is one of each Component, but to arrive at the best speed, it requires many more of both.

• Mass: 400 tons
• Maximum Quantity: 8
• Spaceship Component Cost: 160
• Spaceship Component Upkeep: 0
• Spaceship Component Prerequisite: Plastics

For Spaceship construction requirements, refer to Spaceship Structural.

Spaceship Module

Spaceship Module is one of 24 City Improvements in MicroProse's TBS Game of 1991, Civilization 1.

The Modules are the central features of your spaceship. There are three types: Habitation, Life Support, and Solar Panels.

The Habitation Modules each provide living space for 10,000 colonists.

The Life Support Modules each provide the food and other requirements for the colonists carried in one Habitation Module.

One Solar Power Module provides enough energy to run two other Modules.

At the minimum, a succesful spaceship must contain one of each type of Module. To transport more than the minimum number of colonists possible you must build additional sets of Modules.

• Population Module aka Habitation Module (Mass: 1,600 tons)
• Life Support (Mass: 1,600 tons)
• Solar Panel (Mass: 400 tons)
• Maximum Quantity: Four modules of each type
• Spaceship Module Cost: 320
• Spaceship Module Upkeep: 0
• Spaceship Module Prerequisite: Robotics

For Spaceship construction requirements, refer to Spaceship Structural.

Spaceship Structural

Spaceship Structural is one of 24 City Improvements in MicroProse's TBS Game of 1991, Civilization 1.

Spaceship Structural forms the framework of your spaceship.

The Structural parts of your spaceship constitute the frame to which all other parts are attached. There must be sufficient Structure to connect the other parts together or the others cannot function.

A Spaceship Module or Spaceship Component that is not connected by Structural parts appears in a red box in the spaceship display. When enough Structural parts are added, the red box disappears.

• Mass: 100 tons ea.
• Spaceship Structural Cost: 80
• Maximum no. of structural pieces: 39 
• Spaceship Structural Upkeep: 0
• Spaceship Structural Prerequisite: Space Flight

cf. SMAC Guide (Starship Unity).

Temple

Temple is one of 24 City Improvements in MicroProse's TBS Game of 1991, Civilization 1.

Temple makes one unhappy citizen content (two after the discovery of Mysticism).

The effects of Temple are doubled by Oracle.

• Temple Cost: 40
• Temple Upkeep: 1
• Temple Prerequisite: Ceremonial Burial

In ancient times, nearly every city had a Temple consecrated to its own god, as well as those dedicated to other deities. But although today Temples and churches are places of worship, to the Greeks, Romans, and others, Temples were perceived primarily as dwelling places for their respective gods and goddesses. Here the deity was honored and revered, and here the faithful brought gifts of food, rare metals, and spices. Having a Temple in their city comforted the people, and the wise ruler often invested in Temples as soon as a city began to grow.

University

University (building) is one of 24 City Improvements in MicroProse's TBS Game of 1991, Civilization 1.

University increases Knowledge Production by 50% (cumulative with Library).

• University Cost: 160
• University Upkeep: 3
• University Prerequisite: University (Advance)

A University is an institution of higher education, offering courses of study to individuals seeking specialized instruction. In the West, Universities were first founded in the Middle Ages, mostly in cities that had important Cathedrals, to study the matters of interest to church leaders. The curricula quickly expanded to include classical art, literature, and languages. The modern University has become a research powerhouse in addition to being an educational institution. Experiments are conducted in a wide variety of areas, including weaponry, computers, physics, and football.

cf. Civ2 City Improvements --- SMAC Base Facilities.

Back to: Civ1 Guide.