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Electronic Arts today announced an expansion pack for SimCity 4, entitled SimCity 4 Rush Hour. It is being developed by Maxis and will allow payers to control their city's transportation network by taking charge of roads, rail, air, waterways, and vehincles. The expansion pack will be making its debut at E3 next week and will be released on the PC in the Fall of 2003.

Here's more from the official press release:

Players will put their Sims on the road to happiness as they take control of their city's transportation. Players can accelerate their Sims on their way to work or play with a wide variety of new transportation options. They can create the elevated train networks of Boston, the wide avenues of New York, or the winding one-way streets of San Francisco. Players also will be able to develop a seamless mass-transit system including rail, subway, or even a scenic ferry service that connects to a greater regional travel network. With all-new problem-solving maps and tracking tools, players will be able to see the pulsing flow of traffic, map out the most efficient routes, and quickly get Sims from one city to another.

For the first time, players will take charge of vehicles in their cities. Is the fire department stuck in traffic on its way to a four-alarm fire? Players will take direct control of the "hook and ladder" and pursue the quickest route to the blazing inferno. Players will also solve missions such as catching car-jackers and thwarting bank robbers to earn reward buildings and other vehicles. As players gain traction by fixing transportation problems and solving missions, they will watch their mayor approval rating soar and their Sim population grow! They will also be able to put their Sims on the move in new cars, ferries, helicopters, and zeppelins.

New to SimCity 4 Rush Hour are a variety of new bridge options and the ability to create a city based on a modern European building set. Players will also be able to add popular structures to their cities such as historic train stations, classic Americana road marks, or European tourist attractions. They can make their final mark as mayor and personalize their city by labeling street names, mountains, neighborhoods, and points of interest.

True to the SimCity series, the expansion pack will also feature new disasters. Car accidents and train derailments can wreak havoc throughout the city and snarl traffic. Players may test their nerve and stop a car at the intersection of a rail road and watch what happens next. Players also will be able to start a UFO alien invasion and watch the abduction of Sims, the destruction of buildings, and the creation of crop circles. Others may want to take control of their own flying saucer and create mayhem. Players can now put their foot on the gas and get their Sims on the go in SimCity 4 with SimCity 4 Rush Hour.

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