# SimRefinery > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/SimRefinery > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/SimRefinery.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SimRefinery > Source revision: 1353285852 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) 1992 video game 1992 video game SimRefinery A screenshot of SimRefinery, similar in its user interface to SimCity, but featuring structural elements based on an oil refinery operation Developer Maxis Business Simulations Publishers Chevron Corporation Maxis Series Sim Release NA: October 26, 1992[1][2] Genre Business simulation Mode Single-player ***SimRefinery*** is a computer [management simulation game](/source/Construction_and_management_simulation_games) designed to simulate [Chevron's](/source/Chevron_Corporation) [Richmond refinery](/source/Chevron_Richmond_Refinery) operation. It was developed by the Maxis Business Simulations division of [Maxis](/source/Maxis) in 1992.[3][4][5] John Hiles, who was the head of the Maxis division, was a lead designer on the project.[5] ## Development After the success of *[SimCity](/source/SimCity_(1989_video_game))*, Maxis received numerous requests from various companies to develop simulations for their industries. After rejecting many requests from other companies, the team eventually agreed to make a prototype of *SimRefinery* for Chevron: [*SimRefinery* was] a simulation of their refinery operation, for orienting people in the company as to how a refinery works. It wasn't so much for the engineers as it was for the accountants and managers who walked through this refinery every day and didn't know what these pipes were carrying.[6] — [Will Wright](/source/Will_Wright_(game_designer)) ## Release and rediscovery As a commissioned business aid, it was not made available to the public.[7] Until 2020, little information about the game had existed, though Maxis had discussed its creation and some screenshots existed. Most of the assets stayed with Maxis Business Simulations, which Maxis eventually divested in 1996. The division rebranded itself as Thinking Tools Inc. and continued to develop similar corporate simulations, but eventually had to shutter itself, and most of its assets were destroyed.[4][5] In May 2020, librarian Phil Salvador published a long form [investigative article](/source/Investigative_journalism) about Maxis Business Simulations and *SimRefinery* featuring interviews with Hiles and other members of the division.[5] *Ars Technica* reported on the article, which led to a commenter on the website uncovering a floppy disc that contains an in-development build of the game. The anonymous commenter then uploaded a digital copy to the [Internet Archive](/source/Internet_Archive) to work within its [DOSBox](/source/DOSBox) emulator.[8][9] This emulated version reveals more details about the "gameplay" of *SimRefinery*. The game resembles *SimCity* with different graphics, disasters, and rules, the former to represent oil tanker ports, petroleum storage and piping systems.[10] The user's role in the simulation was the plant manager of a refinery. One of the things the user learned was about [supply and demand](/source/Supply_and_demand) and how it affects the financial situation.[11] The game was not defined to be an accurate representation of the chemical processes of a plant, as it was believed it would be dangerously inadequate if used as a replacement for existing methods of technical education. Instead, it was intended to show how disparate systems of a chemical plant may end up interacting at the larger scale, incorporating the financial, production, and logistics related to operating a plant. The game allowed some "disasters" to be created by creating explosive mixtures of components that set off fires, as well as external events that may disrupt the plant. The game was not considered to be a fully finished product based on the version received by the Internet Archive.[9] ## References 1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** Dyson, Esther (October 12, 1992). "What If?". *Forbes*. Vol. 150, no. 8. p. 142. [ProQuest](/source/ProQuest) [194991294](https://www.proquest.com/docview/194991294). 1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["SimRefinery – Trademark Details"](https://trademarks.justia.com/743/89/simrefinery-74389727.html). *Justia Trademarks*. Justia. n.d. First Use in Commerce Date: 1992-10-26{{[cite web](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Cite_web)}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service ([link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:CS1_maint:_deprecated_archival_service)) 1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** Sharkey, Scott (March 17, 2005). ["When Is A Game Not A Game?"](https://web.archive.org/web/20070927192718/http://www.1up.com/do/feature?cId=3138907). *1up.com*. Archived from [the original](http://www.1up.com/do/feature?cId=3138907) on September 27, 2007. Retrieved June 6, 2020. 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-arstech_2020_4-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-arstech_2020_4-1) Machkovech, Sam (May 19, 2020). ["The sprawling, must-read history of Maxis' former "serious games" division"](https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2020/05/the-sprawling-must-read-history-of-maxis-former-serious-games-division/). *[Ars Technica](/source/Ars_Technica)*. [Condé Nast](/source/Cond%C3%A9_Nast). [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20200519204629/https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2020/05/the-sprawling-must-read-history-of-maxis-former-serious-games-division/) from the original on May 19, 2020. Retrieved May 19, 2020. 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-obscurity_5-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-obscurity_5-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-obscurity_5-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-obscurity_5-3) Salvador, Phil (May 19, 2020). ["When SimCity got serious: the story of Maxis Business Simulations and SimRefinery"](https://obscuritory.com/sim/when-simcity-got-serious/). *Obscuritory*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20210127045304/https://obscuritory.com/sim/when-simcity-got-serious/) from the original on January 27, 2021. Retrieved May 19, 2020. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** [Wright, Will](/source/Will_Wright_(game_designer)) (January 1, 1994). ["Will Wright: The Mayor of SimCity"](https://www.wired.com/1994/01/wright/) (Interview). Interviewed by Kelly, Kevin. Wired. Retrieved June 4, 2020. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-TFL_7-0)** Earth Action Network, Inc. (1994). ["The coming green computers"](http://www.thefreelibrary.com/The+coming+green+computers-a014896038). *[The Free Library](/source/The_Free_Library)*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20141113180632/http://www.thefreelibrary.com/The+coming+green+computers-a014896038) from the original on November 13, 2014. Retrieved April 17, 2007. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** [Scott, Jason \[@textfiles\]](/source/Jason_Scott) (May 20, 2020). ["Update: Someone has found a floppy and will upload to archive.org"](https://twitter.com/textfiles/status/1263309743906529288) ([Tweet](/source/Tweet_(social_media))). Retrieved May 25, 2020 – via [Twitter](/source/Twitter). 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Ars_game_found_9-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Ars_game_found_9-1) Machkovech, Sam (June 5, 2020). ["*SimRefinery*, one of world's rarest PC games, found and uploaded by an Ars reader"](https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2020/06/a-lost-maxis-sim-game-has-been-discovered-by-an-ars-reader-uploaded-for-all/). *[Ars Technica](/source/Ars_Technica)*. [Condé Nast](/source/Cond%C3%A9_Nast). [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20200605055605/https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2020/06/a-lost-maxis-sim-game-has-been-discovered-by-an-ars-reader-uploaded-for-all/) from the original on June 5, 2020. Retrieved June 5, 2020. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** Hopkins, Don (1996). ["Designing User Interfaces to Simulation Games: A summary of Will Wright's talk"](https://medium.com/@donhopkins/designing-user-interfaces-to-simulation-games-bd7a9d81e62d). *Medium* (published April 21, 2018). [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20191002193023/https://medium.com/@donhopkins/designing-user-interfaces-to-simulation-games-bd7a9d81e62d) from the original on October 2, 2019. Retrieved June 6, 2020. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** GVI Security Solutions Inc. (1997). *Form 10-K 1996*. Retrieved from [http://www.secinfo.com/dsVsd.8Ex.htm](http://www.secinfo.com/dsVsd.8Ex.htm) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20141113180525/http://www.secinfo.com/dsVsd.8Ex.htm) November 13, 2014, at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine) ## External links - *[SimRefinery](https://archive.org/details/sim-refinery_202404)* on the [Internet Archive](/source/Internet_Archive) v t e Sim video games Maxis Electronic Arts SimCity Main games SimCity (1989) SimCity 2000 SimCity 3000 SimCity 4 Rush Hour SimCity (2013) Other games SimFarm SimTown SimCopter Streets of SimCity 64 DS Societies Creator DS Social BuildIt Classic Sim games SimEarth SimAnt SimLife SimRefinery SimTower SimHealth SimIsle SimPark SimGolf SimCopter SimTunes Sim Theme Park SimSafari SimCoaster SimsVille (cancelled) Sid Meier's SimGolf SimAnimals People Will Wright Mike Perry Jerry Martin Lucy Bradshaw Jacques Servin Related articles Simlish SimTower Yoot Tower The Tower SP Project Highrise Category --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [SimRefinery](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SimRefinery) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SimRefinery?action=history)). 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