Editing SimCopter (section)

==Gameplay==
''SimCopter'' puts the player in the role of a [[helicopter]] [[aviator|pilot]]. There are two modes of play: user mode and career mode. The user mode (free mode) lets the player fly around cities that they have created (which can be imported from ''[[SimCity 2000]]'') or any of the 30 cities supplied with the game. However, user cities sometimes need to be designed with ''SimCopter'' in mind; most of the time, the player must increase the number of police stations, fire stations, and hospitals to allow for speedier dispatches.
The career mode puts the player in the shoes of a pilot doing various [[employment|jobs]] around a [[city]].

While all other criminals roam the streets by foot, burglars drive through the city at high speed and are difficult to catch. All types of criminals can be arrested by picking up a [[police officer]] from the roof of a police station, and then dropping them near the criminal. Police cars can also be dispatched to aid in the arrest of a criminal. Criminals on foot can also be stopped by landing on top of them with the helicopter, which kills them, but also risks damage to the helicopter. Dropped police officers will call out whether or not they see the suspect; the officers need to be guided by the helicopter's spotlight. If a police officer does not find a suspect, it will return to the helicopter. As soon as a police officer sees a suspect, they will remain in pursuit until the suspect is arrested. Criminals can be slowed down by either using the spotlight or calling out the "Stop Criminal" message through the megaphone. Eight jobs are available, namely traffic jams, fires, rescues (which may occur during fire missions), catching criminals, riot control, [[MEDEVAC]], transporting Sims, and speeding cars. Speeders can only be found by looking for a car that is belching exhaust behind it and squeals its tires when making turns. Once a speeder is pulled over, the helicopter must stay with it until a police car arrives to cite them for their reckless driving, or the speeder will take off again. Once the speeder is cited, another car will be selected to become the next speeder.

===Money and points===
Money and points can be earned by completing missions. Money and points can also be lost if the player runs out of time or does not complete a mission. Missions will take points from the player after a set amount of time from the start of the mission while it remains uncompleted. Some missions will eventually be canceled, resulting in a point loss or a forfeited reward after completion. MEDEVAC or firefighting missions will result in large penalties if the victim dies or if the area gets destroyed by the fire. When the player has accumulated enough points, the game lets them move on to the next city. The player then has a choice of going into a new city of the same difficulty or advancing to the next level. There are twelve levels of difficulty, with new types of jobs being introduced and previous types of jobs increasing in difficulty. Jobs will be randomly spawned around the city, but the player's actions can also create jobs.

===Helicopters and upgrades===
The player starts with a small, weak helicopter that comes with just a [[megaphone]] and a [[bambi bucket]]; it can only hold two passengers. As the player accumulates money in the game, they can purchase better helicopters and newer equipment. Some jobs require certain equipment in order to complete them, and better helicopters offer greater speed, smoother handling, and greater passenger capacity. Helicopters have a limited fuel capacity and must return to the hangar about once every half hour to refuel, which costs money. If the helicopter runs out of fuel in mid-air, the player can either attempt to [[autorotation|keep the rotors spinning]] and land it, or just let it fall to the ground and suffer heavy damage. If the helicopter remains intact after falling to the ground, it can be refueled at a highly inflated price.

Crashing the helicopter into a building or slamming it into the ground will not destroy it instantly, but will damage it. The more damage there is to the helicopter, the harder it is to control. Money can be spent to repair a helicopter. If the helicopter is destroyed, it is lost forever along with all of the equipment on board. When a helicopter is destroyed, it may set fire to a nearby building or terrain. If the player does not have enough money to buy a new helicopter, the player is grounded, making it impossible to continue on.

The helicopters in ''SimCopter'' are:
*[[Schweizer 300]]
*[[Bell 206 JetRanger]]
*[[McDonnell Douglas MD 500]]
*[[McDonnell Douglas MD 500|McDonnell Douglas MD 520 NOTAR]]
*[[Bell 212]]
*[[AgustaWestland_AW109|Augusta A109]]
*[[Dauphin 2]]
*[[MD_Helicopters_MD_Explorer|McDonnell Douglas Explorer]]
*[[Boeing AH-64 Apache]]

===UFOs===
Maps that have an Apache in them will also occasionally have a [[Unidentified flying object|UFO]] that flies around. They abduct Sims with a mysterious force (Sims will "dance" while they ascend), and also randomly shoot vertical beams that start fires if they hit trees or buildings. If the beam hits the player, the screen fades to white and the copter is instantly destroyed. If the UFO falls into the water, the player can rescue a surviving abductee for more points. If the UFO is shot down, the player receives 1,000 points.