EA Breaks Ground On New SimCity
So while we all already knew, SimCity is back, and it's being spelt like that. No number, no space. It's going to be in 3D, resources are going to be finite, and technology pays a significant part. And it's being made by Maxis, and it's only on PC. More details, and a trailer below.
While EA have studiously avoided mentions of the dreadful Sim City Societies, the phrase, "SimCity is coming home to Maxis" was uttered, with some heavy tone.
The goal is to create a version of the game that has a lot more choice, and yet the most playful and most responsive game in the series so far. It's going to be in 3D, and it's obviously going to feature online components, but the emphasis at this announcement is on how much the spirit of the classic games is important to them.
"What you see is what we sim," were told, stressing that everything in the game is there for a reason, with greater emphasis on detail, and greater impact from your decisions. And it seems that your city will be able to interact with the cities of your friends. For instance, if your city pollutes, you could lower their air quality in theirs.
And it has curvy roads. Which is emblematic of the whole design ethos shown in the few short clips we've been shown. A city not built on a grid. And what was shown looked beautiful, absolutely madly packed with microscopic detail.
This, remarkably, is a PC only game. While I don't doubt for a moment that Facebook, iPhone and Teletext games will appear all around it closer to release, this isn't an attempt to "update the game for the console generation". It's a PC game being made for PC.
I'm quite sure almost intolerable amounts of information about it will come pouring forth very soon, especially with the announcement coming with a 2013 release date. For now, let's enjoy the possibilities that await.
