There could be overlays for many things. Examples are:
- Revenue and profit could be a map overlay, so you can more easily locate affected stores, instead of putting it in the minimap only.
- Resources could show their quality rating and depot size on the map, instead of having to click each depot individually. This could be done by a color graded dot for the quality and the size of the dot indicating depot size).
- Zoning view. It would show the city as if it were a flat or almost flat map of zoned areas only. Zones would show residential, commercial and industrial areas marked as such (as in buildings of these types have been placed here), and areas unavailable for building would also be marked. Separate colors for government buildings or buildings able for purchase could also be implemented.
- Only show "x". Having it only display my own firms or other companies firms could make it so my own firms are highlighted or always in the foreground or the suggestion from above, where every other building would become only a zone view. Could be expanded to only show buildings on sale or other areas of interest.
- An overlay to show customer traffic, combined with the zoning view of showing unavailable area to build as such separately.