Plan It Green
Platform: Mac, Windows
To celebrate Earth Day (April 22), National Geographic has sponsored Plan It Green, a casual building sim in the style of Build-a-lot that joins the sparsely-populated ranks of "green" games (see Electrocity, Climate Challenge and even Boonka for more examples).
True to its name, Plan It Green focuses on boosting energy credits by designing green buildings and communities using four types of structures: residential, parks and recreation, commercial, and facilities such as power plants. Your goals are structured in a similar manner to most building sims where you must meet certain targets, such as "build a pre-fab home with five upgrades, supply three homes with recycle bins, research eco-industries, etc.". Once you meet the goals, it's on to a new district to make things a little bit greener.
There are just a few things you'll need to pay attention while playing the game, including building materials (which can be ordered via the menu at the bottom), cash flow, and most importantly, district happiness and overall environmental health. In addition to installing Earth-friendly devices in individual homes, you can also upgrade your district with improvements that affect the entire community. Installing a bike path, for example, helps you meet your goals and benefits every structure. You can also turn on a grid to show you which structures are performing the best and which need extra attention. If you demolish structures, you get some of the materials back, which does have economies of scale — the bigger and more valuable the property, the more materials you gain.
As you work through each scenario you unlock bigger, more elaborate ways to save on energy costs, reduce pollution, and make your district as environmentally friendly as possible. Plan It Green doesn't hit you over the head with its cause, opting instead to provide a casual building game with a strong green slant.
Analysis: As you'd hope in an environmental game, the visual setting in Plan It Green is lovely — not as gorgeous and charming as Wonderburg, but pretty in an oddly retro way. The cheaper pre-fab and eco-buildings reminded me of Daly City, the suburb that inspired Pete Seeger's song "Little Boxes". You can build things like soccer fields and swimming pools that don't generate income but help you meet your happiness goals and spruce up the place.
The gameplay is very, very fast — if the Build-a-lot series makes you grind your teeth in frustration ("FINISH THE FREAKIN' UPGRADE ALREADY!!!"), you are going to LOVE the snappy pace of Plan It Green. The speed and simplicity of it all does make Plan It Green fall on the easy side, however. There are no ultimate deadlines as in Build-a-lot (which is ironic given that environmental upgrades would surely be imperative, unlike purely aesthetic ones), and the bonus for meeting the five star rating is so unobtrusive I didn't notice it was there for several levels. The tutorial also continues on a bit beyond what is necessary — I found myself thinking "Yeah, just leave me alone to discover things already".
So how good is the environmental message? Plan-It-Green offers the chance to build "eco-businesses" such as a bike shop, co-op food store and organic coffee shop. Aside from whiffing slightly of exclusivity (surely if we're serious about being green, we need to ensure environmentally preferrable products are in big mainstream supermarkets?), there are tradeoffs involved — your Fair Trade coffee may assist small farmers overseas, which is great... but takes up a decent amount of energy to ship to your suburb. Similarly, the best residential structure you can build is called a Zero-Energy Home — a "three storey family home. 100% self-sustained. They do not use a city's municipal energy", which immediately made me think "Why does a single family need a three storey home???" The whole "reduce" part of the "reduce, reuse, recycle" slogan tends to get ignored by people for whom shopping fills the void, and I say that as someone who very much likes filling the void with a spot of Prada.
The biggest surprise for me is that the best environmental power facility you can get, after you've built wind farms, hydro plants and so on, is... a nuclear facility. I'm old enough to remember when that suggestion would get you hung from the nearest old-growth tree, and not necessarily by the obvious suspects. I trust the developers are already living next to a nuclear reactor, and have the usual amount of eyes.
It may fall short of presenting the ultimate in eco-friendly building, but Plan It Green does its part to raise awareness. Beyond its message, however, is a great-looking casual building sim that shaves off frustration and easily competes with the well-established franchises already on the market.
Windows:
Download the demo
Get the full version
Mac OS X:
Download the demo
Get the full version
Plan It Green is available to download from these affiliates:
Walkthrough Guide
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Plan It Green Walkthrough
General Tips
The walkthrough starts with level 4 as till then all levels are covered by the tutorial
All goals where reached with five stars
A lot of levels do have different ways to solve them - often it will depend on what you did in the levels before in this special district
It is possible, that you cannot reach a level in 5-star time, because you didn't build, additional to your goals,buildings or upgrades in one of the levels before
You cannot replay any level of the levels after you have finished it completely and got the stars for it
You can replay a level by using the menu button and choose "restart" during the game or choosing "replay" right after reaching your goal
Each upgrade has the same costs for all buildings, but some of them do have different effects on the taxes, when used with residential homes or with commercial building
Every building has three different types, from which you have to choose one before it is built
It doesn't matter which one you choose, as they do have no differences in their costs, possible upgrades or effects
While materials get cheaper on average the larger amount you purchase, the average sale price of energy credits stays the same independent of the sold amount
Do not forget to sell your energy credits on a very regular basis. This additional income comes in handy early on, but it is not added automatically like the tax income
Levels
Level 4
Goals: Build 1 recreation facility, apply 3 residential upgrades, build 1 Eco house, raise districts happiness to 25%
After building the recreation facility, tear down the old buildings
As this, you will not only increase the residence happiness, but also get 2.500 units material additional for each house
You can tear down all houses the same time
Build an Eco-house
Upgrade all houses with the green updates, till you reach a happiness of 25%
Level 5
Goals: Apply recycle center district upgrade, add recycle bin to four houses, build one park, raise environment health to 35%
After the tutorial part is finished, build the max. amount of material, you can afford
Upgrade all four houses with the recycle bin
Upgrade all houses with all upgrades
Which upgrades you already have, you can see at the green check mark next to it
Build a park - it does not matter, which park you choose, they all do the same
Level 6
Goals: Research Solar Energy Technology, Build 2 Solar Energy Facilities, Demolish 1 Coal Power Plant, Attain 2.000 daily energy credits
Follow the tutorial
Build your first solar energy facility at the down left with one plot distance to the coal power plant
Tear down the coal power plant at the left side
Place the second solar energy facility there
Level 7
Goals: Research Eco Shop Technology, Build 1 Eco Shop, Apply "Going green" to 2 businesses, Apply "Going Green" to 2 Houses
Follow the tutorial
Choose the free light stone plot on the top and choose the build tab - business - Eco Shop
It doesn't matter, which shop you choose
Tear down in the meanwhile one of the three old businesses. This will give you enough material
Upgrade two houses with "Going Green"
Update the remaining two old shops with "Going Green"
Level 8
Goals: Build 1 Eco Shop, Build 1 Eco Home, Apply 5 Structure Updates, Attain $ 7.500 daily Tax Income
After tutorial build an eco shop on the free plot right down - commercial corner
Buy 50.000 units material and build a Eco-house
Build a prefab house
Update the shops and the houses with structure updates, till you reach your tax goal
When you are short in money, sell 5000 energy credits (use "District-Button) - this are the points you see in the top right corner, next to the lightning bolt
Level 9
Goals: Build 1 Eco Shop, Apply Bike District Upgrade, Build 1 Park, Raise environment Health to 10%
Build first the Eco Shop
Tear down the old shop
Buy 10.000 units material
Get the Bike District Upgrade
Build a park
Buy another 5.000 units material
Upgrade your three houses with the "Going Green" and the "Eco-Garden" Upgrade
Wait, till you have enough money and upgrade one of the houses with the "Water
Level 10
Goals: Raise District Happiness Level to 20 %, Raise environment Health to 20%
After selling the energy credits, build a park (not recreation facility)
Buy 10.000 units material
Upgrade the two old houses with "Going Green"
Upgrade all houses with an Eco-Garden and "thermo paint"
Sell two more times your energy credits and build upgrade to houses with solar-panels
Level 11
Goals: Apply the Bike Path District Upgrade, Attain 2.500 daily energy credits
Buy the bike path district upgrade
Buy 5.000 units material
Upgrade all shops with "Going to work by bike"
Sell energy credits, when you need money
Make energy upgrades at your houses as solar - panels, eco-garden or what else might is missing till you reach your daily energy-credits - goal
Level 12
Goals: Apply Electric Scooter Rental District Upgrade, Raise District Happiness to 40%, attain $ 9.000 daily tax income
Upgrade two of the shops with solar panels
Buy 10.000 units material
Upgrade the third shop with solar panels
Upgrade all shops with paint
Buy material as needed and sell your energy credits
Make three smaller updates for the houses
Wait, till you have enough money for 15.000 units material and $ 35.000 Dollar for the Electric Scooter Rental Update
Level 13
Goals: Raise environment Health to 50%, Attain 3.500 daily energy credits
Pay 25.000 units material
Upgrade the last shop with a solar facility
Upgrade the last houses with solar facility
Upgrade three shops with a wind power facility
Upgrade three houses with a water facility
Use your energy credits to raise enough money
Level 14
Goals: Research Wind Power Technology, build 2 Wind power Turbine Farm, attain 6.000 daily energy points
Get the wind power technology
tear down the three coal power plants
Build one wind power turbine farm down and one on the right side
Use your energy-credits if you are short in money
Level 15
Goals: Apply "Going Green" to 3 Farms, apply "Green Culture" to 3 Farms, raise District Happiness to 15%
Apply "Going Green" to the 3 farms
Apply "Green Culture" to the 3 farms
Buy 5.000 units material
Apply "Going Green" to both houses
Apply an Eco-Garden to one of the houses
Level 16
Goals: Research Organic Farm Technology, Build 1 organic farm, add 2 upgrades to organic farm, attain 5.000 daily energy credits
The technology you will find under "Residential Research"
Build the organic farm
Add all upgrades to the farm
Add solar energy and other updates to the houses or farms till you reach the daily energy goal
Level 17
Goals: Raise district happiness to 35%, raise environment health to 35%
You may click the environment grid, but you do not have to
Just update the shop and the houses till you reach your goals
Buy material as needed
Sell your energy - credits, when you are short in cash
Level 18
Goals: Build 2 Eco - Shops, apply 2 structure upgrades, raise environment health to 15%, attain 1.500 daily energy credits
Build the 2 Eco Shops
Upgrade all old shops with "Going Green"
Upgrade all shops with "Going to work by bike"
Buy material as needed
Sell your energy - credits, when you are short in cash
Upgrade one house additional with thermo paint and a solar facility
Level 19
Goals: Research Eco-Business, raise district health to 20%, attain $ 11.000 daily tax income
Research the eco-business
Build one Eco-Business
Upgrade shops with solar energy till you reach your goal
Level 20
Goals: Build 1 organic farm, build 1 park, attain $ 7.500 daily tax income
Build the farm
Upgrade the farm with "green culture" and other updates
After reaching the tax-goal, wait, till you can afford to buy the park
Level 21
Goals: Research Hydro Power Technology, build 2 hydro power plants, attain 12.000 daily energy points
Research the Hydro Power Technology
Click the solar facility and move it into the middle of the scene
Build the two hyrdo power plants on the two spots at the water
Level 22
Goals: Build 2 pre-fab houses, apply 5 structure upgrades, build 1 recreation facility, raise district happiness to 50%
Build the two houses
Upgrade these and the other houses till the district happiness reaches 48%
Wait, till you can afford the recreation facility
Level 23
Goals: Apply Speed Bumps District Upgrade, build 1 Eco-Business, raise environment health to 60%, raise district happiness to 65%
Get the Speed Bumps Upgrade
Wait till you have the money to build the Eco Business
Build a Pre-fab-house
Use all upgrades for the eco buisness and the houses
Level 24
Goals: Build 1 Eco-Home, raise Environment Health to 25%, attain daily tax income to $ 13.000
Build the Eco-Home
Upgrade the Eco Home with all Upgrades
Upgrade the other shops with solar panels and other upgrades, till you reach your other two goals
Level 25
Goals: Research Eco-Apartment, build 1 Eco-Apartment, apply "Going Green" to the old apartments, raise district happiness to 15%
Research and build the Eco Apartment
Apply "Going Green" to the old apartments
Apply solar panels and eco-garden to the apartments, till you reach your happiness - goal
Level 26
Goals: Build 1 recreation facility, build 1 park, attain 2.000 daily energy credits, raise environment health to 30%
Build a park and a recreation facility
Upgrade the old houses with going green and give all houses updates, till you reach your energy-l and environment health goal
Level 27
Goals: Apply Speed Bumps, raise environment health to 60%, attain 3.200 daily energy credits
Apply speed bumps
Upgrade all farms and houses with the water - upgrade till you reach your goals
Level 28
Goals: Raise district happiness to 85%, raise environment health to 75%
Upgrade all houses and farms till the max
Buy the district upgrade "recycling"
Upgrade all houses and farm with a recycling bin
Level 29
Goals: Research Biofuel Technology, build 2 biofuel power plants, attain 20.000 units daily energy credits
Buy the Biofuel Technology
Build the tow biofuel plants
Place them at the bottom and right side, not in the middle
Level 30
Goals: Build 1 Eco Shop, raise district happiness to 55%, attain $ 16.000 daily tax income
Buy the max of material, you can afford
Go to the district button and buy the recycling facility
Build it
Upgrade all shops with a recycling bin
Upgrade all shops to the max
Build the Eco Shop and go on upgrading till you reach your goals
Don't forget the energy credits, you definitely need them ;)
Level 31
Goals: Build Eco Business, raise district happiness to 70%, reaise environment health to 80%, attain 20.000 daily tax income
Build first the Eco-Business
Wait for a little money, buy the max. amount of material
Start upgrading the Eco-Business and all other houses
Use your energy-credits
Buy the district updates
Level 32
Goals: 1 Eco Apartment, 1 Eco Shop, raise environment health to 40%, attain daily tax income $ 12.000
Build the apartment first
Wait till you have enough money and buy material
Upgrade the apartment complete
If this is not enough to raise the environment health to 40%, upgrade the other apartments, till its done
Use your energy credits
Wait till you have the money to raise your material to 25.000 material
Wait till you have $ 50.000 and build the Eco Shop
Level 33
Goals: Apply mass transit district upgrade, build 1 Eco Business, attain daily tax income to $ 16.000, raise district happiness to 55%
Apply mass transit district upgrade
Buy 25.000 units material and build the Eco Business
Upgrade the Eco Business, the other shops and apartments till you reach your goals
Level 34
Goals: Research Eco Industry, build 1 Eco Industry, apply mass transit district upgrade, attain daily energy credits to 1.000
Research and build 1 Eco Industry
Apply mass transit district
Upgrade shops and houses till you reach the energy goal
Level 35
Goals: Demolish 1 Old Estate, build a pre-fab house, apply recycling center, raise environment health to 20%
Demolish the old estate, its the house on the top
Build a pre-fab house
Upgrade "Going Green" to all houses and the shop
Apply the recycling center
Upgrade the houses till you reach your goal
Level 36
Goals: 1 Eco Apartment, raise district happiness to 65%, raise environment health to 75%, attain daily tax income to $ 20.000
Build 1 eco-business on the empty plot
Start upgrading the eco-business
Tear down one of the old apartments
Update the shops and apartments
Build an eco - apartment
Upgrade the apartments and shops, till you reach your goals
Level 37
Goals:Research Nuclear Technology, build 2 Nuclear Power Plants, attain 30.000 daily energy credits
Research Nuclear Technology
Build 2 Nuclear Power Plants
Level 38
Goals: Demolish 1 Pre-Fab house, build 1 Eco-House, build 1 park, raise environment health to 35%
Tear down the pre fab house (the one on the top)
Build a park
Build an eco house
Upgrade the eco house and the other buildings till you reach your goal
Level 39
Goals: Build 1 Eco - Home, build 1 recreation facility, raise district happiness to 45%, attain 1.500 daily energy credits
Build the eco home
Build the recreation facility
Upgrade the eco home till you reach the goal
Level 40
Goals: Apply charging station district upgrade, build 1 eco business, attain 14.500 daily tax income, raise district happiness to 30%
Apply charging district upgrade
Build the eco business
Upgrade houses and shops/business till you reach your goal
Level 41
Goals:Build 1 Eco Apartment, raise environment health to 50%, attain daily tax income to $ 18.500, attain daily energy credits to 3.500
Build 1 eco apartment
Upgrade the apartment and all other building
Buy a recycling center
Upgrade houses, shops, business with a recycling bin till you reach your goals
Level 42
Goals: Research Zero Energy Home, build 1 zero energy home, apply charging station upgrade, raise district happiness to 70%
Research zero energy home
Tear down the old home and build 1 zero energy home
Apply the charging station upgrade
Upgrade all buildings (except zero energy home, they can't be upgraded) till you reach your goal
Level 43
Goals: Attain $ 8.500 daily tax income, attain 3.000 daily energy-credits, raise environment health to 85%
Tear down the old shop and build an eco - business instead
Tear down the other old shop and build an eco shop instead
Tear down the old house and build an eco home instead
Upgrade shops and homes till you reach your goal
Level 44
Goals: Build 1 Eco Industry, raise $ 24.000 daily tax income, attain environment health to 70%
Buy enough material and build an eco-industry
Upgrade it
Wait till you have enough money and material to build another eco-industry
Upgrade this one as well, till you reach your goals
You will reach your goal also by building a eco - shop, but if you do so, you will have problems reaching the goal of Level 45 in time
Level 45
Goals: Attain 32.000 daily tax income, raise district-happiness to 75%, raise environment health to 96%
Build an eco industry
Tear down your old shop and build another eco - industry
Upgrade the both buildings
Use the district upgrades
In this level it depends a lot, what you have done before
If it seems you can't reach your goal, have a look, if there are old buildings and replace them with the eco-equivalent
Update all buildings to the max
Thanks so much to Kayleigh for getting such a great walkthrough put together so quickly! :D
Posted by: Kero
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April 25, 2009 12:45 AM