Columbus life simulator

Columbus sits in Central Ohio at the meeting of the Scioto and Olentangy rivers. It is the state capital and home to one of the largest university campuses in the country. Daily life mixes college sports, corporate work in banking and insurance, and quiet walks in riverfront parks.

Most people in Columbus drive cars on arterial roads like High Street and Broad Street. Drivers also use the Interstate 270 loop, which locals call the Outerbelt. The Central Ohio Transit Authority runs buses, including the CMAX rapid line on Cleveland Avenue.

People walk for daily errands in dense areas like Downtown, the Short North, and German Village. Cyclists ride on flat, paved paths like the Olentangy Trail and the Scioto Trail. In LifeSim, you cannot drive cars or ride buses, so you search for a spot and walk there.

Local food includes Columbus-style pizza, which has a thin crust, edge-to-edge toppings, and rectangular slices. People also eat peanut butter and chocolate Buckeyes, or visit Schmidt's Sausage Haus for a Bahama Mama sausage. Other classic local dishes are Wor Su Gai almond chicken and Johnny Marzetti pasta casserole.

For fresh food, residents visit the historic North Market food hall near the Arena District. At night, people go out along North High Street, Fourth Street in Italian Village, or the Brewery District. In LifeSim, you can plan an outing to these streets, invite friends, and talk as a group.

Maya, 27, starts her life as a nurse at Nationwide Children's Hospital and lives in Victorian Village. She sets two life goals: make close friends in the city and stay healthy. On her first morning, she searches for Goodale Park on the map and walks there.

During the week, a coworker texts Maya on her own to ask about her shift. They start a group text thread with another nurse and plan an outing to North Market Downtown. On the first Saturday of the month, a gallery opening appears on High Street in the Short North.

Maya goes to the event and talks with a local artist in her own words. Each day ends with a recap of its moments, and the artist remembers Maya the next week.

You can search the 3D map for the Ohio Statehouse downtown or the Scioto Mile riverfront park. On the university campus, you can find Ohio Stadium, which locals call the Shoe. You can walk to these landmarks and chat with the people you meet outside.

In German Village, search for The Book Loft, a bookstore in pre-Civil War buildings. East of downtown, you can visit the Columbus Museum of Art or the Franklin Park Conservatory. Across the river in Franklinton, you can walk to the Center of Science and Industry, known as COSI.

Living in Columbus costs less than in major coastal American cities. Housing costs are high in German Village, the Short North, Victorian Village, and suburbs like Upper Arlington and Dublin. More affordable housing sits in working-class neighborhoods like the Hilltop, Linden, the South Side, and the University District.

Major employers include the State of Ohio, Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company, JPMorgan Chase, OhioHealth, and Battelle Memorial Institute. LifeSim does not have rent, mortgages, bills, or a salary system. Your cash changes through your daily activities and your chats with other people.