Just Because It's Different...

[Bookworm 1]

Hello everyone,

I know I've been absent from ST for quite a while now, but seeing a lot of the posts in this forum, I thought I would give my 2 cents. Of course, I will attempt to do so in the most respectful way possible, and I ask that mods please watch this thread so nothing gets out of hand, my behavior not excluded.

Before the announcement of SCS, one of the biggest issues in this community was weather or not there would be an SC5, and if there was, what would it be like. Some people were convinced we'd never get one, some thought EA didn't care about Simcity any more, and some thought that there would be one, and it would be great. Well, now that SCS has arrived, we've got our SC5, in some form at least.

The problem is this: In order to keep a game series exciting, and expand on the people who play it (not just to earn money, but to keep the series alive and well), changes need to be made. Advances in technology, changes in gameplay modes, new and better graphics, things like that. But, for a community that spends most of its time trying to change and improve SC4, we're not being very receptive to those changes.

In fact, I have found only a couple of positive threads about SCS, and they were all met with sarcasm and negativity. Absolutely everything about the game has come under fire, from its gameplay to its graphics to the llama jokes (or lack thereof). Tilted Mill and EA are under fire for changing 'our' game.

Personally, I don't understand it. We should be happy that there is going to BE an SC5, and we should be happy that Tilted Mill seems to be working so hard to make it a good game. True, it may not be the same Simcity we're used too, but I think it is a good game nontheless.

Take, for example, the graphics. Everyone is concerned that the graphics will be too 'cartoonish' for a city simulation. From the screenshots I've seen, that's not the case, but even if it was, graphics can be changed! That's the whole reason that ST is here; we're a community that makes mods and lots and such for a game.

People are also upset that the game will be simpler then SC4. No zoning, no growing buildings, no health or school care. Well, for one thing, we don't know for sure that those things won't be in the game! I don't think the info we've got so far is really enough to totally, positively say that there will be no such things. And if there aren't, that's alright, because it seems to me that the focus of the game is more on the social aspect of managing a city, rather then the monetary and economical aspects. It's still city building, still a simulation, and still requires work and strategy. It just focuses on a different aspect of a city.

From what it seems like to me, the main point of the upsetment is this: Maxis is not handling the development of this game, and it won't be a city sim exactly like SC4, SC3000, and the original SC. Basically, it seems everyone wants a game that is the same as those games, but with different buildings and better graphics. (this is of course only my perspective)

I think we need to lighten up a bit. SCS has a lot of potential, and could still be a great game, even if it doesn't hone in on the traditional Simcity style. It's a good game and has a lot of merets, and deserves at least a chance. It isn't even out yet; no one's actually played it. We don't have the right to be barraging Tilted Mill or EA for not doing things our way, and we certainly should judge a book by its cover, cliched as that may be. I don't mean to sound like a crazy optimist, but considering all the pessimism, and sometimes downright greediness I think we're all displaying (myself included), we could at least give the game a chance.

Thank you for reading,

Bookworm

[KCookies 0]

It doesn't have a lot of potential, it is a ripoff of this game, which is a great game. They are only using the SimCity name because they want money.

[Bookworm 1]

Why dosen't it? It sounds like a good concept, and it is a city sim, being made by the company that owns Simcity. Why not use a good name that people like, and would you buy it if they used a differnt one?

[KCookies 0]

No i wouldn't buy it, because it isn't a proper city planning game. If I wanted a game like it, I'd buy Caesar IV.

Thankfully the vast majority of SimCity players hate it and hopefully they will go back to how SimCity, SimCity 2000, SimCity 3000 and SimCity 4 all were.

[Bookworm 1]

You would prefer EA to ditch a good game and have everyone hate it, just so we can get the game we want? SCS has its merits, even if it isn't a traditional SimCity game.

[KCookies 0]

Exactly, they need to ditch it. If they want to keep it, then they need to give us SimCity 5, and leave Societies as a spinoff. Otherwise, without more games like SimCity 4, SimCity 3000, Simcity 2000 and Simcity, this franchise is DEAD.

I want micromanagement, I want a city council, i want power, I want water, I want roads, streets, avenues, boulevards, highways, railroads, monorail, light rail, parkways, airports, seaports, marinas, parks, a city hall, schools, hospitals, fire stations, police stations.

I want to build a REAL city, I want realistic buildings that are in proportion to everything else.

I want to build a city that looks like a real city, that acts like a real city. Not something that looks and acts like the Sims, or some modern/post-modern fantasy game.

If they keep Societies, and want to keep the rest of us SC fans, then they have to make a real SimCity 5 along with it.

[Bookworm 1]

Maybe Societies is a spinoff? We don't know that it's not. And I think, as I've said, that the franchise will actually do well to have SCS, it will attract more people who will then become players of the other SC games.

[KCookies 0]

Yes we do know bookworm, they said this is the direction they want to go, and they said they will only go back to how it is now if this game is a failure.

[Bookworm 1]

Where did they say that? I'm afraid I haven't seen all the movies on the game yet. And that may only represent Tilted Mill's feelings on the game, and only their feelings at this time in the game's production.

[KCookies 0]

Watch the videos, and read the interviews. That is exactly what they said. They even said that Will Wright is out of the loop on this game, and they won't disturb him because he is working on Spore. (another game I won't buy)

[KCookies 0]

From one of the interviews:

On the question of Will Wrights involvement with SC:S:

"Will's totally out of the loop on this project so I wouldn't like to pin the blame or the credit for this project on him. He's very busy with Spore."

On the future of SimCity:

"You know, if the SimCity player base doesn't like it, for sure they can expect the next iteration will be back to basics, I can assure you. And you know, this could end up being a separate fork. We could end up doing a SimCity Societies line in addition to our regular construction line. "

If the simcity players say they love it, then there won't be a SimCity 5 like the last 4 games. If they hate it, then we will get a game like the last 4.

[Bookworm 1]

"And you know, this could end up being a separate fork. We could end up doing a SimCity Societies line in addition to our regular construction line." - Exactly what I'm talking about here. And just because Will Wright's not totally in control of it dosen't mean that it will be a bad game, or even a bad city sim. Besides, if it fails like people seem to want it too, isn't it better that he dosen't involve himself with it?

And if people love it, why does it matter if they don't make a 'traditional' SC game.

[KCookies 0]

If people love it, then we won't be getting another game like SimCities 4, 3000, 2000 and the original. That is what is wrong with it.

[JanYpe 17]

Originally posted by: KCookies

I want this, I want that, I want, I want.

quote>

There's only one person who cares about what you want.

[smurf 0]

Bookworm, exactly how much research have you done on SCS? You can't really argue about something you know nothing or very little about.

[Bookworm 1]

It dosen't say that. It only says that if SCS flops, they won't make another like it. There is nothing in that quote about not producing another similar to SC4.

I've seen most of the videos on it, and the reviews of what has been seen so far. I haven't yet watched the 19 min video of it, or the 1up things on it.

@KCookies: I also agree with JanYpe. I mean no offense at all, but this does seem to be a lot about what you see a SimCity game as personally. Even if you don't like SCS, a lot of people will.

[KCookies 0]

These are real cities:

http://goonsta.homestead.com/files/chipan.jpg

http://www.new7wonders.com/fileadmin/resources/World_Tour/colloseum/Colloseum_aerial_high_ls_H_.jpg

This is SimCity:

This is Sim Societies:

http://media.1up.com/media?id=3323410&type=lg

See the obvious differences? They NEED to make a game like the last 4 SimCity games.

Without a real SimCity 5, this franchise is dead, and Will Wright's and Maxis' original vision is dead. Then SimCity will turn into a more modern version of Caesar, Pharoah, and into another City Life.

[Krio 624]

Offensive content deleted.  ~zel~

[Bookworm 1]

If you ask me, nither of those pics look like the real cities. Though yes, SC4 is closer. But again, as I have said, the idea of SCS isn't so much the building as it is the social interations that take place in a city. Also, I do not see why those differences mean they need a game like SC4.

@Krio: LOL. I'll try anyway!

The franchise will not die without Will Wright or a 'real' SimCity, it will only change in perspective and style.

Think of it this way: When the American colonists revolted against the british and took control of what became the USA, they didn't die because they weren't relying on Britain. They still existed, but in a different form.

[KCookies 0]

It means that SCS isn't SimCity, it's only a spinoff. They need to make it a spinoff instead of the next game in the series.

SimCity can have the social interactions w/o the unrealistic, cartoony aspects, as well as without the poor graphics, poor architecture, poor proportion etc...

So I guess Bookworm wouldn't care if game like SimCity 4 and the others are never created again... Hmm, if you want something like SimSocieties, then play City Life or Caesar. This is SimCity. Also BTW Bookworm, you are part of the minority here.

[beebs 129]

Originally posted by: KCookies Exactly, they need to ditch it. If they want to keep it, then they need to give us SimCity 5, and leave Societies as a spinoff. Otherwise, without more games like SimCity 4, SimCity 3000, Simcity 2000 and Simcity, this franchise is DEAD.

I want micromanagement, I want a city council, i want power, I want water, I want roads, streets, avenues, boulevards, highways, railroads, monorail, light rail, parkways, airports, seaports, marinas, parks, a city hall, schools, hospitals, fire stations, police stations.

I want to build a REAL city, I want realistic buildings that are in proportion to everything else.

I want to build a city that looks like a real city, that acts like a real city. Not something that looks and acts like the Sims, or some modern/post-modern fantasy game.

If they keep Societies, and want to keep the rest of us SC fans, then they have to make a real SimCity 5 along with it.quote>

EA is doing what it thinks best from a business stand point. What is the goal of any business? To make money. A company doesn't necessarily need to be moral or make the greatest products, so long as it succeeds at what it does. EA, essentially combining the two high selling franchises of The Sims and SimCity, into one game is a smart business move. Even if it only attracts a quarter of the fanbase from each series, and a bunch of new fans the game will still prove very successful.

It's a tough world. You don't always get what you want.. that is quite simply life.

Edit: Yes, the SimCity series might be 'dead' to you. To others it isn't. And the genre isn't dead, by any means.

[Bookworm 1]

I have already responded to the spinoff thing, see my response a few posts up. We don't know it's not a spinoff, in fact, I'd say evidence points towards it being just that.

@Beebs: true. But what we do get may still be good.

[KCookies 0]

beebs, you also have to learn it's ONLY EA and SOE that do that sort of bull. And guess what? They are two of the most hated companies out there. Most small companies give their players what they want, and stay true to their original vision. Not all companies are like this, only the minority of companies like EA and SOE are.

It's becoming clear to me that EA is just as bad as SOE. And that SimCity is the new casualty of big game devleopment companies, just like Star Wars Galaxies and Vanguard were.

Let's just hope EA realizes they are making the same mistakes SOE made and back off.

Also, who cares if what we get is "good"? It isn't SimCity pure and simple, so they shouldn't be targeting us, and shouldn't be calling it SimCity. The vast majority of SimCity players won't be buying or playing SimSocieties, so they just need to start work on SimCity 5.

[Bookworm 1]

Most hated by whom? You may hate them, but I certainly do not hate EA. What they are doing is smart, and will probably net us a good game. Microsoft does it too (think multiple versions of Windows), as does Fraxis Games and several others.

[KCookies 0]

You think it's gonna be a good game, because you love games like CityLife and Caesar. However they are talking to an audience that wants SimCity. This is the EXACT same thing as trying to market WoW to the Battlefield 2142 community.

These are two completely different games, just because it might be "good" doesn't mean it's SimCity. We want SimCity. And yes, I've played multiple EA games, and i've seen many forums and heard many player opinions and they hate EA Games because of what they do. IF EA Games continues down this path, then they will become just as hated as SOE is.

[megalopolitan 0]

Originally posted by: Bookworm 

Personally, I don't understand it. We should be happy that there is going to BE an SC5, and we should be happy that Tilted Mill seems to be working so hard to make it a good game. True, it may not be the same Simcity we're used too, but I think it is a good game nontheless.

quote>

100% wrong.  This is the attitude that EA uses to justify killing games. BTW, SCS will never be SC5.

[patriots_1228 51]

speaking of hated by.....if you dont want to be hated by the rest of the site i suggest you stop argueing, because like krio said, "argueing online is like winning the special olympics, even if you win, your still retard".

Give the game a chance!

[KCookies 0]

Exactly megalopolitan!

No, i'm not giving this game a chance, and I'm never going to buy it. I don't want to even buy Caesar IV because it isn't like Caesar III.

[Bookworm 1]

@KCookies: How do you know I love them? I tried City Life and didn't like it, and have never played Ceaser. I agree that it dosen't make it the same kind of game because they call it SimCity, but not everyone thinks that just because they call it SimCity, it needs to be exactly the same as SimCity has always been. That's like saying Sid Meier's Civilization IV should be like Sid Meier's Golf.

@megalopolitan: I don't think they're killing it, and that is the opinion I hold about SCS. Also, as I've said, this may only be a spinoff - we don't know.

@KCookies (again, for a different post): So if they copied and pasted the SC4 game code, and sold it to you, you'd buy it because it was the same? Just because something is different dosen't mean that it's bad! Just because Canada isn't the United States dosen't mean Canada is a bad country, and just because a CD Player isn't an iPod dosen't mean it's not a good CD player.

[KCookies 0]

It had better be a spinoff, otherwise SimCity is dead to the vast majority of vets.

How would you feel if they turned Civilization IV and made a "Civilization V" and made it a game based completely on fantasy, and removed the need for multiple cities, technologies, resources, and wonders? Then told their fans it was the next game in the series and that is the direction they would take it from that point on?

LIke you said, just because Canada isn't the United States doesn't make it a bad country, but that still doesn't make it the United States.