The SimCity Thread

I didn't see one of these, so I thought I'd start one.

Betas are going out now and some kind soul has posted a bit of gameplay footage.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-qw9cSI-7M

Anyone get an invite? Anyone else disheartened by the size of the city in the video? Anyone planning on buying this game?

I love the series a lot, but I'm honestly a bit worried about this iteration. A few major improvements, wrapped in some possible dealbreakers.

Also, a plea: it would be nice to talk about more than the blatantly shitty DRM situation in this thread. It's definitely a topic worth discussing, but there's a game here too, and it seems like most of the internet conversations about this game eventually devolve into a DRM shitfit, including supporters and detractors.

The sizes of the cities have been shrinking since SC3000.

Now, I watched this with the sound off, as I'm at work, but just eyeballing it, it kinda seems more like a suburban Settlers (with little cars instead of little people) than a SimCity.

Likes:

• Ability to add capacity to existing buildings
• Granular control over resources

Dislikes:

• No mass transit (tho this may just be added in future implementations)
• Same mid-America/West Coast architecture and land use (freestanding buildings with oceans of parking)
• No indication of the game's ability to deal with awkward building shapes (the plot can fit whatever, but the building just plonks in the center of it)

What's the word on reticulating splines?

From a Maxis employee:

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Always. Seriously though, being the first 3D SimCity (and the first with curvy roads) means there’s some serious spline tech under the hood. We’ve got a few old, grizzled engineers (including some from the SimCity 4 days) making sure your splines are reticulated to perfection.”

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I'd be willing to bet that more public transport options will be added in expansions, that's seemed to work well for them in the Sims. I'd love to lay highway too, but it looks pre-built in the video. Not really concerned about a lack of power lines and pipes, I eventually modded that bit out of SimCity 4 (it's just not fun).

As for the Californchitecture, that's definitely a legitimate criticism.

If this game is mod-able I suspect we'll see the (still thriving) SimCity community solve some of these gripes. If it's not ... may god have mercy on their souls.

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Originally Posted by Smashbox

As for the Californchitecture, that's definitely a legitimate criticism.

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Californitecture. I will use this term in the future. Although it makes me think of Californication, and now I want to listen to Red Hot Chili Peppers.

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Originally Posted by Smashbox

If this game is mod-able I suspect we'll see the (still thriving) SimCity community solve some of these gripes. If it's not ... may god have mercy on their souls.

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I am still downloading BATs hot off the presses from the teams working on recreating NYC and Detroit buildings, and I would be lost without NAM and the mod for pedestrians to walk further than six feet from their homes.

No mass transit is nearly a dealbreaker for me, though it was incredibly irritating to implement well in SimCity 4 so maybe it's for the best?

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Originally Posted by Track

No mass transit is nearly a dealbreaker for me, though it was incredibly irritating to implement well in SimCity 4 so maybe it's for the best?

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You'll be wanting the Roadtop Mass Transit mod for SC4. No more needing to devote map tiles for subway stations and bus stops in build-up areas!

Ooh I haven't played with that before - thanks for the link.

I was kind of hoping that the new game would allow for drag-able highway interchanges (I'm awfully sick of the puzzle pieces in SC4). Alas, they look pre-planned in the video.

Looks great!

I like the idea of been able to run concurrent cities on an area of land and have them interact.

Fires up Sim City 4 (with rush hour).... never leave me!

Notices EA took down the Youtube video. DRM and EA... I should trust these with SimCity in their current for because?

Patrick Swayze I don't think you and me will ever agree. AFAIK Simcity 4 had that, and if you had a large city space, emulated it. ;)

PS, sorry to throw it off track. But my 1 plea would be zero online gameplay (I'd even let the DRM fly!). I just want a single player experience with this. This game is Sudoku, not gin rummy.

You can play completely single player (albeit while connected to the internet) if you choose. That's how I would likely play it.

Well, as it's under NDA, I'll have to wait until release/demo before making a judgement then. Hawken was a great game up until the day of "release" :(

I have seen a couple reports (and some conflicting ones, actually) that there's an open beta scheduled for next weekend.

What happened to Hawken?

They succumbed to the draw of F2P mechanics and both left the gameplay/core netcode fall and added p2w elements. While Sim City stays singleplayer it will lack the "pay £2 to place a better power plant and beat the other players" drive, it might get adds/annoyances else where. The fact they are driving social and monetary elements over a decent product is what concerns me.

I don't want a car with added facebook apps installed to tell everyone when I park or drive through Mcdonalds. I don't want my car to to compete with my friends over how efficient I wipe the windscreen. I just want to drive... or play Sim city!

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Originally Posted by Patrick Swayze

I like the idea of been able to run concurrent cities on an area of land and have them interact.

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Simcity 4 does that. Furthermore, it manages to do so without being perma-online.

Something tells me that this new SimCity is going to have this Diablo III treatment. I could understand some of the complaints that this would have some rather simplified mass-transit, the always online, the save limits and all but I'm pretty sure there will be some more features that would improve (or "dumb down", depending on your mindset) the whole experience. I'm keeping an eye out for it but I won't hold my hopes up either.

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Originally Posted by Nalano

Simcity 4 does that. Furthermore, it manages to do so without being perma-online.

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It's probably because Maxis wants to encourage people to interact with each other building their cities and- oh, who am I kidding. It's probably that they want an excuse to justify their perma-online anyway

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Originally Posted by Smashbox

I was kind of hoping that the new game would allow for drag-able highway interchanges (I'm awfully sick of the puzzle pieces in SC4).

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They're trying to rectify that in the next NAM update.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YJIhHF7mwoc

Beta for next weekend is now available for sign up: http://simcity.com/beta

More information: http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-...ta-if-you-can/

FTA:

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beta builders only get to play a snapshot of game for up to 1 hour at any point between January 25 and January 28.

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So dumbed down and always online DRM........ I don't know why there is still interest.

Yep, always on DRM.

Definitely not going to bother with this one. I wish someone would make Sim City 5 already..