CitiesXL First Impressions talk

[Dirktator 2,327]

In front of Monte Cristo Office

Hey guys, hope you had a chance to read the CitiesXL preview and impressions.

I know it's long, but it's actually been edited down... Anyway, I hope it gives you a pretty good sense of where the game is in its current state and what it feels like to play it.

If you have any questions I'll try to answer what I can here. What I can't answer or clarify, I'll try to find some info and maybe we can even coax a few Monte Cristo team members in on the discussion..

Cheers

[deathtopumpkins 43]

Excellent post Dirk! I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.

And that sign... I'm liking the sign... Interesting look into the gameplay too. The token things have really sparked my interest.

[Firebird 40]

I enjoyed your review of the game, Dirk! It seems to me a fresh take on an veteran idea... and it does look promiseing. A few of the things im personally looking forward to are the GEM's, and the online aspect. [Maybe they should disable the use of custom coded buildings in online play, but allow them in offline play?]

And umm... any hints on the possible system requirements of the game?

[beebs 129]

Well, I'm pretty sold on this now. The transport options alone sound amazing..

I just did a quick skim through, I'll have to go back and read everything through completely now. The game looks awesome though!

Thanks for putting this all together, dirk!

[Ntq€310 1]

Very nice Dirk! honestly I've never felt more confident about this game, and you, your pictures, and info have really concreted my interested, and liking of the game! Thanks dirk

One question though, not really related to the game itself. But because we are a larger community then just Simcity 4, how are we going to Handel the release of cities xl? This didn't happen with Scs because of lack of liking, and Sims 2 because there was already enough of a community around it that we didn't need for another major place for the game, But cities Xl being such a large release, and one that will most likely be picked up by a majority of people, how will we change for the game? Such as it's own Cj section, and downloads sections, etc.

[Dirktator 2,327]

Originally posted by: Firebird

I enjoyed your review of the game, Dirk! It seems to me a fresh take on an veteran idea... and it does look promiseing. A few of the things im personally looking forward to are the GEM's, and the online aspect. [Maybe they should disable the use of custom coded buildings in online play, but allow them in offline play?]

And umm... any hints on the possible system requirements of the game?

quote>

Well, let's be clear, it's not a review! Not yet, but I would think things could only get better between now and release... but I'll hold my final verdict for when the game ships.

It might be the way to go with custom content. I think if the game gets enough of a following and earns enough interest, players are going to poke and tinker around anyway. Even if they allowed modified assets to be used in single-player only, that would really please a lot of people. But, like I said, I suspect people will be modding the game whether or not there will be official tools to do so...

[DARKO 3]

Sounds great. Hey Dirk it looks as if in those pictures the graphics are not as hot as some pics I've seen. Did u get the impression that they were at their best when playing or did they say they will be polished up more. The cars for example look undone. If the graphics are sharpened up I'd say we have a hit on our way.

Also did you see any type of on ramps for the highway or anything of that ilk?

[Dirktator 2,327]

Originally posted by: Ntq$310

... One question though, not really related to the game itself. But because we are a larger community then just Simcity 4, how are we going to Handel the release of cities xl? ... But cities Xl being such a large release, and one that will most likely be picked up by a majority of people, how will we change for the game? Such as it's own Cj section, and downloads sections, etc.quote>

We are prepared to change and grow with the community. You can already create a CitiesXL journal...

[Kevin 101]

Awesome job dirk, really looking forward to the game!

[Dirktator 2,327]

Originally posted by: DARKO

Sounds great. Hey Dirk it looks as if in those pictures the graphics are not as hot as some pics I've seen. Did u get the impression that they were at their best when playing or did they say they will be polished up more. The cars for example look undone. If the graphics are sharpened up I'd say we have a hit on our way.

Also did you see any type of on ramps for the highway or anything of that ilk?quote>

I hear you about the graphics, and yes I do expect the graphics to be more polished at release, like I mentioned a few graphics and animations were not complete in my build, so I imagine it's something that will continue to improve. Perpaps we'll get more details from MC.

I do believe there will be ramps for the highways, and that MC will be making them easier and more flexible to integrate, still, if you want a highway across your built-up city, chances are you're going to have to demolish, just like in real life.

[SimNation 139]

First Impression's was done quite well Dirk it gives you a lot more insight into the game then what has been said anywhere else so far. I was happy to read that the minute you zoned some residental, commerical, & industrial that stuff started to grow. We all know about how picky sc4 is with growing the minute you zone sometimes. I like the fact (speaking of your current play) that they limit the zone sizes that you are able to have at the start. To me that will help users on building good towns/cities with very little frustration as well as give you a sense of being rewarded for reaching milestones in your town/city as it grows. Your impressions deffinately have me wanting to keep a closer eye on how the game turns out in the future. The game seems to be turning into a serious game based on "Realism".

Thanks for all the info Dirk

P.S. Did you take any photos of your city that you gonna share with us?

[Dark_Jedi06 13]

First of all, I hope you enjoyed your trip to Paris, Dirk. And second, thank you for writing up such an in-depth and lengthy look at the game, I certainly learned alot.

Beginning with the game itself, I think the single player mode sounds complex, intricate and highly addictive. I believe that for those of us (including myself) who have turned city-builders into works of art may certainly be drawn back to the duties of being a mayor (the transit options and micromanagement seem particularily appealing). At the same time, however, I see quite a few things that will act as an impedement to using the game as an artistic engine. While the 3D is incredible you could create amazing shots with all the different angles, the game itself looks rather bland. While obviously not in its "polished", the terrain is the first things to strike me as being rather uninteresting and bland.

However, I understand at the same time that when SC4 came out it looked absolutely hideous, and it is thanks to the community's custom content that we have a game that can act as one huge pallette. So my position on this is certainly somewhat jaded. I do take issue, however, with how they are approaching custom content. A short history lesson should explain while this is not the route to go:

-Simcity 4: We're all fairly familiar with how custom content has been the driving force behind this game and has allowed it to succeeded for many, many years; all without the help of Maxis or EA. All they did was give us the BAT and the Lot Editor, and we did the rest, making this game what it is today.

-Civilization 4: This game was designed to be highly moddable, and you can see the results on fansite like Civfanatics. Since Civ 3, the Civilization series has probably yielded some of the best and most complex custom content of all time. Modpacks exist for Civ 4 that change and add to the game so much that they go far beyond anything added by the designers in there expansion packs. All without the interference by Firaxis.

Therefore, it would seem fairly obvious that Monte Cristo should cut the red tape and avoid bureacracy. Simply give us tools like the BAT and Lot Editor, and we will very easily and very happily go to work creating the game we as the community ultimately want to see with additions akin to the NAM, terrain mods, etc and Monte Cristo can revel in the long-term profits and success that will bring to their game. Unlike EA though, bug fixes should certainly be a responsibility of the designers.

I also found the possibilities of online play very interesting. Extending what already sound like very fun mechanics in the single player to a whole myriad of cities on planet sounds like a bonanaza. However, I don't really like the idea of paying for online service. Either way, I was dismayed when I read that planets will be under the jurisdiction of Monte Cristo. I was really looking forward to the possibility of creating a planet that would just be for members of the SCJU.

In the final analysis, this is certainly shaping up to be a very impressive and no doubt fun game. But as far as I can tell, it will run alongside and second to SC4 in my book; I just honestly think SC4 can't be topped. However, I will reserve that judgement until the game is in my hands, and for now I will speak my peace and support Monte Cristo in their wonderful endeavor.

[LarksTonguesInAspic 28]

Thank you, Dirk, for your well-thought out impressions. You seem to be a good salesman for the game, you should get a cut of the gross.

Also, a second of your kudos to the NAM team... who would have thought they would inspire the next generation of gamemakers in this genre? Capital work, gentlemen!

It does look like a winner, and I predict that it will revive interest in city-builders as a viable game market.

[dabadon5 295]

From what i have seen, this makes SC4 look like childs play, this game looks so amazing, i cant focus on buliding my current sc4 cities anymore !

[Dirktator 2,327]

Dark_Jedi06, I understand where you're coming from. I'm not sure if it's really beauracracy regarding the custom content, MC has said in no uncertain terms that they will provide a toolkit to create buildings and possibly other assets. Where they do not have an official answer is the issue of allowing players to modify core game mechanics, or allow players to freely add building properties. A line would have to be drawn when it comes to online play, for sure, but like I said, it could still be possible to allow for deeper tinkering for offline mode... We'll see what they have to say.

As for the graphics, all I can say is that I know it was unfinished when I played the build, so I'm curious to see how things evolve from here.

[LironTheChick 20]

Nice game!

@Dirk: Did you manage to know where will they release this game? If so, will they release this game in the Philippines?

[Asheroo 53]

Hello everyone!

I'm a very very active member on the Cities XL forums and I have some important questions for you Dirk...

1) Did you see any airports? Were they of realistic size?

2) Did you use any fillers? Like in City Life how you could simply fill the small gaps between buildings and roads with something?

3) You mentioned about trade in the Planet Offer but not in single player. Can we trade in single player with the AI?

4) Can we use the Multiple Lanes feature with highways? So we can create 2 lane country highways? And can we remove the barriers? Any other options?

5) For custom content, can we import our own 3ds models into the game?

6) Are there a good variety of different bridges?

7) Is the civic service coverage realistic?

Any hint on a beta?

Lots of questions there, sorry about that, but ti's stuff we really need to know and were hoping to get out of your preview.

EDIT: Will be able to post up sometime the bits you edited out of the preview? It's ok if you don't.

2nd EDIT: Sorry, another question - with the buses, do we have to keep building new bus depots and stops for each route or when making a route can we choose bus depots and stops that already exist?

[Dirktator 2,327]

Originally posted by: ASheroo

Hello everyone!

I'm a very very active member on the Cities XL forums and I have some important questions for you Dirk...

1) Did you see any airports? Were they of realistic size?

2) Did you use any fillers? Like in City Life how you could simply fill the small gaps between buildings and roads with something?

3) You mentioned about trade in the Planet Offer but not in single player. Can we trade in single player with the AI?

4) Can we use the Multiple Lanes feature with highways? So we can create 2 lane country highways? And can we remove the barriers? Any other options?

5) For custom content, can we import our own 3ds models into the game?

6) Are there a good variety of different bridges?

7) Is the civic service coverage realistic?

Any hint on a beta?

Lots of questions there, sorry about that, but ti's stuff we really need to know and were hoping to get out of your preview.

quote>

Hi, and welcome, I'll answer what I know!

1. I did not see any airports, but I know they will be there. Airports would also be a good candidate for a GEM.
2. Yes. Since you have free-form roads, you also have free-form zoning, but buildings are still mostly square, so there will be gaps in odd corners of your zones. There are indeed filler pieces that you can draw in such as parks and plazas to fill in these gaps.
3. We only discussed trade in the context of the online mode, and I don't recall it being mentioned in single player offline.
4. I'm not sure about the full extent of options available for highways yet.
5. I did not get specific details about importing your own 3d files, I do feel that this would be a logical inclusion though.
6. I saw only a couple of bridge styles, but I hope to get more information on this.
7. Coverage of civic services is based on network efficiency, so in that sense, I think it is more realistic than being purely based on an arbitrary distance radius. You can have a fire station off to the side of the city and as long as your roads are effective, the service will be effective, too.
8. I am looking to get more information on this too!

[Dirktator 2,327]

Originally posted by: ASheroo

EDIT: Will be able to post up sometime the bits you edited out of the preview? It's ok if you don't.

2nd EDIT: Sorry, another question - with the buses, do we have to keep building new bus depots and stops for each route or when making a route can we choose bus depots and stops that already exist?

quote>

I didn't edit anything out that was important...

I only saw a demo of the bus tool creating a single route, so we'll need Monte Cristo to expand on that, it's a good question though!

[Dirktator 2,327]

Originally posted by: noypi07

Nice game!

@Dirk: Did you manage to know where will they release this game? If so, will they release this game in the Philippines?quote>

I'll try to get that answer for you.

[choco1 4]

Aww man! That was so awesome... I may well have to get a PC just to play this... I'm not entirely sure I will survive without it!!

[Asheroo 53]

Ok, thanks for the reply Dirk! B)

[Asheroo 53]

Also, I forgot to ask, sorry for asking too much,

With the Multiple lanes feature, will I be restricted to certain amount of lanes or can I make my 100 Lane Highway I have talked about on the CXL forums? Also, can we customise the roundabouts? Can we have cars go on the left had side of the road? And what do you think about the rural part of the game (farms, rural roads, etc.)?

[buildsolid 4]

Hey Dirk, Hope the trip was awsome. Just wondering while you were playing, was there a lot of building repetition? or was it at an acceptable level.

[Asheroo 53]

That's another thing I forgot to ask (I'm I getting a little annoying?), can we change the textures of the sidewalks and the roads?

Also, did you spot any..........shopping centres? communication towers/antennas? seaport? It's a shame they didn't give you more to look at in the transport section. Also, do you think Cities XL should have regions?

EDIT: No more questions from me. I've had my turn, and I've asked to much. But I don't have anymore questions anyway.

[cuboctahedron 0]

Hi I have few questions I hope you can answer:

1) Are the lost size indeed minimum approx. 40x40 meters? or could you see smaller units in the game?

2) the play map is set to 10x10 km ; how do the city edges look like?

3) Do you forsee any limitations in the given map-size when building large cities?

4) any hint on regional play in single mode?

5) how do roads connect to highways?

6) can you drive a car yourself in the game?

thanks!

Patrick

[Boggy1 45]

Hey Dirk; fantastic preview. I really was interested in the talk about the transportation network. That looks like it will rule!

One question; did you get any chance to hear the music/sound effects in the game? I adore the SC4 and SC3k soundtracks, and I really hope that the music in Cities XL will be of a similar quality.

[scoobsuk 44]

Hey Dirk! Thanks for the great preview...as someone who has a lot of experience with the Sim City games, I think a lot of people will put a lot of store by what you report on this game, and so it sounds like a generally very positive experience, which will excite a lot of people.

My question is - do you know a definitive list of all the transportation options available? Bus, train, car, subway, obviously, but do you have more on what different types of rail there will be, can you build rail on viaducts, etc. Also, are all public transportation types configurable to create formal travel routes, or is it more just create a network and let it get on with it?

[rainyday 2]

I hope this doesn't mean the death of SC4 and its community

[Eʟᴇᴍᴇɴᴛ 273]

Very nice dirk! You're really providing the community with some good information of what we can expect with Monte Cristo's Cities XL. Just by reading the impression you have given us really makes this game stand out from SimCity Socieities. I'm looking quite forward to the release now, thanks again dirk!