# GTA Mode: reverse-engineering SimCity 3000 Unlimited for a native plugin

> GTA Mode is a native plugin that adds direct control of spawned citizens and cars to SimCity 3000 Unlimited. It uses findings from Ghidra analysis of the game's binaries, GZCOM plugin loading, in-memory city structures and sprite archives. The C plugin runs in the original game, reads city data from its memory and decodes art from the user's installation; MODLOG.md records addresses, formats and dead ends.

- Type: Case study
- Targets: Binary · Game
- Category: Game analysis tools
- Relationship: Learning resource
- Sources reviewed: 2026-11-06
- Added to the catalog: 2026-11-06
- Original resource: <https://github.com/DenisSergeevitch/simcity3000-gta-mode>
- Primary source: <https://github.com/DenisSergeevitch/simcity3000-gta-mode/blob/bb7fcb2106acf51a2bf195de2bab103cb16ff55b/README.md>
- Catalog page: <https://awesomerea.org/resources/simcity-3000-gta-mode-case/>
- Record JSON: <https://awesomerea.org/resources/simcity-3000-gta-mode-case/record.json>
- Chinese version: [简体中文](https://awesomerea.org/zh/resources/simcity-3000-gta-mode-case/index.md)

## Requirements & limits

- **Prerequisites:** A user's copy of SimCity 3000 Unlimited is required; the supported game DLLs are the Steam release's April 2000 builds.
- **Prerequisites:** Building requires a 32-bit mingw-w64 compiler; the HUD uses cnc-ddraw's OpenGL renderer.
- **Limits:** The game's own traffic cannot yet be stolen and its own pedestrians cannot yet be punched; water does not block movement.
- **License:** MIT License.

## Primary sources

1. <https://github.com/DenisSergeevitch/simcity3000-gta-mode/blob/bb7fcb2106acf51a2bf195de2bab103cb16ff55b/README.md>
2. <https://github.com/DenisSergeevitch/simcity3000-gta-mode/blob/bb7fcb2106acf51a2bf195de2bab103cb16ff55b/MODLOG.md>

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## About this entry

The description was reviewed against primary sources.
Original editorial content: MIT. Linked projects, papers and assets retain their own rights and licenses.