Cities Unlimited

[Livin in Sim 83]

That was a very informative interview, thanks for keeping on top of this for us, Dirk.  I immediately lost any interest in the SCS buzz when I saw the surreal screen shots, and heard the odd premise.  This sounds much better--I want to see more, and am very interested.  At this point there is a very good chance I would try it.  I just like the idea of more options in building, transportation, and it would be extremely cool to have weather, (could we have breezes?) moonlight, the ability to prepare for disasters.  It sounds like Mr Da Silva really understands why we play the game.  Also, anything that causes DT to BAT again--BRING IT!!

Bye for now.

--Liv

[Cleaner475 150]

of the game has zoning and stuff like sc4 did then i'll get it but id hate if it was too much like city life

[WackoJak 0]

Oh geez! now we might hav to rename the site www.citytropolis-unlimited.com! :s

I hate to turn my back on maxis, i'm a bit of a SCS sympathizer, but this actually looks WAY better.

[TheScarecrow 0]

I see buses, and I see elevated trains.

I see realistic buildings and roads that aren't 5 feet off the ground.

There isn't a gingerbread house in sight.

THANKYOU MONTE CRISCO!

[lacivian 0]

This looks realy nice. But i have a few questions , will there be regions? If yes, how big it will be the terain for constructions? Will there be terain customization?

[hawkpride147 1]

so far looks lots better than SC:S...from initial screen shots, im much more inclined to buy CU over SC:S...

[IonWind 3]

I'm not familiar with City life, but one sure thing is that these first CU pictures gave me a MUCH better impression than SCS. Where the first SCS pics gave me a huge disappointment, the CU pics actually got my attention and I'm actually quite interested in seeing what will this CU become.

If the CU will have as good expandabilty as SC4 and if the community gets inspired by CU and produces as much top-quality add-on content as for SC4, I'd see CU as the best city simulator so far.

Thanks Dirk for the top-class interview

[SimFox 802]

I must say it looks good, but more have to be seen to pass judgment on the graphical side alone... Published shots are cleverly chosen. Much more cleverly than those by SCS team. Edited: It is not necessary to insult people at the company.   But basic mechanism is pretty much same. Also take a look there are no proper shading anywhere. Cars are afloat above ground. I know it may seem like a small thing but it may be indicative of much greater things - limitations or weaknesses of graphical engine game uses. Also all the buildings are pretty much flat - same need for very low poly models. As I've said above, views were very cleverly chosen - hiding, or minimizing visual impact of all those problems, but they are still there and would you move camera just a bit you'll clearly see that those columns are just painted on the box, that shadows are texture backed (most of them) and as such will remain there even if you move to the point where they shouldn't be seen.

Yes the textures and overall styling is far more realistic then that off SCS, but that may play a nasty trick by accenting those limitations.

1.       Shadows of object very near it is much lighter then the shadow of the object far more distant. Physical impossibility.

2.       Still harsh ribs where smooth curves should be

3.       Backed in ambient occlusion shading. Very raff one at that. In this particular spot also a wrong one. Will reveal flatness in a dynamic scene.

4.      

All these surfaces are facing the same direction so shading should be same, but it is rather radically different.

5.       Some object cast shadows and some don’t creates very bizarre, surreal look

At any rate this is significant improvement over the SCS and CL1 and I would be really awaiting more information and shots!! (in case of SCS I don't even bother - nothing will ever save that one!)

There is clear attempt to create realistic looking city environment and that’s great. I just hope that this will be feasible with the methods used and that the game will be as moddable and expandable like SC4 is. And, of course that gameplay will be on the level too…

[catweazle_touchwood 1]

I played City Life. It was OK, but a bit boring compared to SC4.

However, Cities Unlimited looks very promising, I'm curious about the system requirements the new game will have...

[Bandero 5]

Ok, I don't know if there's a thread that compares both SC:S and CU yet, but since I'm going to talk about CU and comparisons are already popping out. Well, here it goes.

First of all, they say first impressions are the most important. SC:S first impression was not very good and TM will have to swim very hard against the current to change views around. MC came 2nd and the first impression was better, so far almost everyone seems to agree that this game could be better than SC:S.

But... Would it be? Let's remember that this 2 games are still being developed and that neither TM or MC have told us everything that this 2 games can and will do. So far, these are earlier screen shots and that the final version could be very different than what we saw so far. On the end we could have 2 great games on our hands or 2 bottom-of-the-toilet pieces of software.

To be honest, I have never played City Life, but from what I saw on previews, comments, etc, left me with no interest to play. I will be more inclined to play CU, but I reserve my judgment until then.

I'd like to know what will be the min specs for both games, that could be a deciding factor for many people.

I did noticed something interesting. A lot of people were flaming TM by saying that they were a mediocre company that shouldn't even attempt to make the next Sim City, yet MC didn't made an excellent game (City Life) and yet everyone is embracing them as the saviors from EA/TM.

On the end, I welcome MC to the next level of city building games (CBG). It is always good to have competition and on the end, it is us, the players, who will benefit.

[megastad 3]

This is good news, it looks much better then SCS.

What I didn't like in City life are the lak of transport options. There are only one or two kind of roads, with that you can't make a real city. The space taken for a big road is the same as for a small streets only the place where people walk is smaller of bigger. I don't like that solution, make wide or small streets like sc4.

And Yes I missed the big highway intersections ect, all the transport optios of sc4.

So I really hope that's all in City unlimited.

[Pyanepsion 0]

It's a very nice game.

However as City Life was too American, the pictures of City Unlimited are too British- As far as streets are concerned,  I wish something more European (roads, people, ads, companies...). Or the possibility to play in many typical towns on the Earth.

Note the dimensions of the buildings arn't proportioned... such as Sim City Societies !

Will the objects of City Life be compatible with City Unlimited ? The French speaking community is making a good job with lots of new free constructions on http://www.generation-city.com/ Web site.

[davidtothej 1]

Well...

First off, I go off and get deployed and upon return home I find that EA has ruined the game I grew up with and Love. I was so saddened by it, but then again, I guess I was expecting it from EA.

Second, I did see the pictures of CU in Philippe's, and they were very uplifting. However there are a couple of reasons for worry, which I hope can be fixed by Monte Cristo.

    -I did not see any resemblance of a public transportation network in any screen shots          released from EA, that doesn't surprise me because they will probably try and squeeze more money off of a terrible game with a terrible expansion pack. However it would be really nice to see some transporatation of some sort in the game. There are a lot of us transit freaks, and I am sure that we would all like to see public transportation in the game. Highways would also be nice.

    -  Sim City has been an staple of the gaming industry for 20 years.  But the reason why the title was so successful for so long is because it offered something that other games did not.  Societies looks as if it is going to be 'dumbing down', changing the formula that has worked for so long for Will Wright and Maxis. Now as this is horrible for us here at Simtrop, it leaves a niche in the market, a niche that Monte Cristo can now fill. But they are big shoes to fill,and they will need to keep improving the title that they have built. Monte Cristo can not make the same mistake that EA did and just assume that their title  (City Life) is accectable by just improving graphics.

I can say for certian that I will be watching CU with great interest . As CU in the early stages of development looks to be far more promising than Societies, in its late stages. As long as they don't go and mess it up.

[toxicpiano 125]

CU looks fantastic right now. BRITISHNESS!!!!!!11111! HOORAY!!11 Lets hope it stays as awesome as it looks. Looks like simcity may be knocked off it's lofty perch.

And look just from those two pictures we can already tell that there are more than 1 types of transport!

[franconipponophile 1]

Does anyone else find it interesting, that we, the SC community are let down by our name sake, and our savior, might be, the competitor whose previous game was horrid? I find it interesting that a game that at least looks better kind of swoops in to the rescue?

[Dirktator 2,320]

Just a friendly reminder to let's keep our comments focused on the games and avoid direct slanders at the companies or their respective staff.

Also, "too British"!? There really is no pleasing any crowd, is there? One would assume that the game would be localized before released, or, better yet, there are distinct options to set the style of your cities. Come on, not all cities have to look like New York!?

cheers!

[bourneid 13]

did you all notice the two famous london buildings in those shots....  turning torso and london eye

[b3rglund 0]

Not to be picky but turning torso is a Malm

[franconipponophile 1]

I think a European style is a lot more fun, plus they did kind of perfect the art of city building first, didn't they?

[toxicpiano 125]

Originally posted by: dirk Just a friendly reminder to let's keep our comments focused on the games and avoid direct slanders at the companies or their respective staff.

Also, "too British"!?

cheers!quote>

If you were reffering to me I was making  my feelings of happiness to there being Britishness heard loudly

[meowza 230]

European, American, Asian, Martian -whatever, as long as it is going to be moddable.

[agswookie 0]

Originally posted by: ilikehotdogsalot well, that isn't a ferris wheel really...it's the london eye, one of the largest observatory wheels in the world lol.quote>

Sorry for the late reply, but it is THE largest!

[ccecill 52]

Okay, this proves that we won't be satisfied with sh*t that comes out. We're trippin over shadows? I turn them off in SC4. Jesus.

I think it'll be an awesome game. I'll probrably buy both SCS and CU. If CU has regions (like SC4) then I'll definately buy it. God I hope it has interstates/highways. 

[Braxton 0]

Just because Cities Unlimited looks better graphically doesn't mean it will have better gameplay. From what I gathered, it'll still have the same social elements and plopping of buildings (they didn't say there would be zoning or other things that have been a staple to SimCity for years). I'm not sold on this game nor on SCS.

[meowza 230]

Nobody really is 100% sure of anything atm. We'll just have to wait until the games are finally released. But currently, my money is on CU.

[Mulefisk 15]

Thanks for a great interview! I was really looking forward to hearing more about this game. From what I can see in the screenshots, this looks incredibly promising. And to those complaining about the game being too british, all of the previous Sim Cities have been based on American cities. It's time for a change.

[edmonton_stinks 5]

Like I said, maybe they'll have a British version and an American version. I don't know if CU will incorporate any Simcity staples, but SCS has already said that they are removing most of the old Simcity things and seem to be making a game for 10 year olds.

At least CU is going for realism in transportation. Even if everything needs to be plopped, it's something.

[Glenni 1,444]

Originally posted by: bourneid did you all notice the two famous london buildings in those shots....  turning torso and london eye

quote>

What?

Turning torso is in Malmø, Sweden, you know

[ILL Tonkso 1,236]

I can see 33 Canada Sqaure and the Lloyds Building!

[ExiL3 10]

Well, the game looks better than SCs, but I will have to wait until we get more info on how the game works, and if the game can give us the same freedom and diversity that we have today with SC4 D /RH

take care,