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A city-building game in which the city would prefer you didn't
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- DeepHorus
Discretionary Review, a San Francisco housing simulator dated January 2015, is a city-building game in which the city would prefer you didn't. The title signals friction between players and local politics. The game casts users as housing developers navigating a resistant urban environment.
The simulator's interface includes a Rulebook, City Hall, and Log. It also offers a New option, Map, City, and a help button marked with a question mark. Controls include β and +, alongside a Close β button. The question mark likely opens additional guidance.
Players confront height limits, supervisor districts, homeowner politics, coalition politics, and home values. Names and day/night toggles add further detail to the simulation. A Pause for news function interrupts play when events demand attention. The + and β controls adjust settings or time.
The Fog City Ledger serves as the in-game newspaper. It includes βΉ βΊ navigation and a Close β control. The ledger frames housing decisions as public controversies rather than private transactions.
The game matters because San Francisco housing is politically charged. Height limits and supervisor districts shape what can be built. Homeowner and coalition politics determine whether projects advance or stall.
No explicit player reactions appear in the source. The design implies city government and homeowners may oppose development. Players must navigate that resistance through City Hall and the Log. The Log may record decisions and their consequences.
Dated January 2015, the simulator remains a snapshot of urban conflict. Its day/night cycle and news pauses suggest ongoing negotiation. The game's title warns that the city itself is an antagonist.
