I love the Chinese equivalnt of Google Maps - http://map.baidu.com/ It certainly looks like Sim City.. Have a look at some [Shanghai skyscrapers][1] Also [path finding algorithms][2] for games and GIS work in the same way. ![skyscrapers][3] [1]: http://map.baidu.com/?newmap=1&l=17&tn=B_DIMENSIONAL_MAP&c=1076693,8937486&cc=sh&s=cur&curtp=0&wd=%E4%B8%8A%E6%B5%B7&sc=0 [2]: http://www.matthewtrost.org/projects/astar/ [3]: https://i.sstatic.net/R5fzg.png