SimCity: Unleashed (SimCity 4.5 Revival)

simmaster07 · April 16, 2009

SimCity 4.5 is now a dead project. We can still revive it, though, by working closely as a community and working to the best of our ability.

You can help make SC: Unleashed a reality by giving us permission to redistribute any mods, lots or BATs you may have created for profit. We hope that we can get permission to distribute mods like the NAM and other essentials in order to make this community-created expansion pack a great one.

SCU is a project to obtain the highest quality custom content and redistribute it in a convenient installer, making it easy for anyone to get essential mods, BATs, and lots.

GOAL: At least a beta release by July 15th

Please post below if you'd like to help out.

Contributed (by author)

Fukuda
Mcdrye
- Underground Car Park
un1
- Terrace Bay and Schreiber Ontario map
- Thunder Bay map
dedgren
- Ploppable waterfalls

To-do:

Get mods, lots, BATs
Installer
Beta testing
Release

We need:

A group of 5-10 people for getting European plugins
A group of 5-10 people for getting Asian plugins
A group of 5-10 people for getting Urban plugins
A group of 10-15 people for testing (slot one filled)

Our current team:

Testers
- earwax_man
- lildee321
- swat-medic
Euro plugins
- None
Asian plugins
- None
Urban plugins
- None

microbee_6 · April 16, 2009

Hi,

This is a great idea, and despite first impressions, it does vary somewhat from the STEX DVD. The STEX collection is great but I have not bothered with it because I have mega-broadband and can get and sift through all that stuff myself.

This mega-installer is a different kettle of fish all together; this is (in theory) simply the best of the best, dependencies all sorted for you, in one easy installation package.

It's a great idea but it is not without issues.

The biggest issue I see is that sometimes there is no such thing as 'the best' as players go for thematic cities. For example, regarding architecture, there are awesome Scandinavian, Mediterranean, and Middle Eastern buildings on the STEX. Which ones will we use? If we include all of them in the installer then our cities will look rather nonuniform and inconsistent.

My suggestion is to avoid the “Sim City 4.5” mentality and stick with the Expansion Set idea that game developers use. This way we could make thematic expansions – and multiple ones to boot.

To give you an example, how about the 700mb expansion “Europe Endless”; an installer that Europifies your game. This gives you Euro Road Textures, Euro Atomata, Football/Rugby fields, etc. It could even come with the option of choosing your climate in the installer; Mediterranean or Northern Europe, and then only install the appropriate architecture, palms or no palms etc.

Also, as a final, and very important idea, I think we could all contribute to this but all the profit from the sales (and I would definitely buy one before the STEX DVD) should go to Dirk, to keep Simtropolis alive.

Cheers.

Randomtaskk · April 16, 2009

I really like this idea aswell.

The main reason I dont bother customising my cities with unique buildings etc is because you have add every one individually and I simply can't be bothered.

One simple installer which does the whole lot would certainly interest me.

As microbee I also have superfast internet so have never got, nor ever will, get the STEX DVD. A SC: Unleashed all in one installer would definately be bought by myself as it would add all the buildings in a simple manner.

As far as 'themes' go I think it would be pretty easy to incorporate a modular installer (i.e. like NAMs checkboxes which ask if you want reduced one way arrows, better avenue intersections etc) and the user can pick which ones they wish to install etc. This could be done pretty easily with 'tags' for each building/mod, ie european, asian etc. which would allow the user to install the required buildings for a desired theme.

A similar thing could be done for 'essentials' (NAM, Opera house fix etc), 'transport' (HSRP, RTMT etc), 'eyecandy' (ploppables only etc) ... you get the idea.

In game menu organisation would be key I think, especially with adding a large amount of mods which the user won't be familiar with (as they havn't picked them out themselves). The conctruction lots (the ones where you plop the lot to unlock the menu options) would be needed in some kind of categorization I think (ie plop the 'traffic lot' which would unlock the menu items for RTMT , HSRP menu icons etc).

I like the idea anyway, unfrotunatly I see no way to actually take part in the project, but I would certainly buy the dvd etc

simmaster07 · April 16, 2009

Originally posted by: microbee_6

The biggest issue I see is that sometimes there is no such thing as 'the best' as players go for thematic cities. For example, regarding architecture, there are awesome Scandinavian, Mediterranean, and Middle Eastern buildings on the STEX. Which ones will we use? If we include all of them in the installer then our cities will look rather nonuniform and inconsistent.

My suggestion is to avoid the “Sim City 4.5” mentality and stick with the Expansion Set idea that game developers use. This way we could make thematic expansions – and multiple ones to boot.

To give you an example, how about the 700mb expansion “Europe Endless”; an installer that Europifies your game. This gives you Euro Road Textures, Euro Atomata, Football/Rugby fields, etc. It could even come with the option of choosing your climate in the installer; Mediterranean or Northern Europe, and then only install the appropriate architecture, palms or no palms etc.

quote>

The installer would have settings where you can select groups of mods, as Randomtaskk suggested. That way, we won't have to keep making installers for different elements.

Tysons4 · April 17, 2009

i think call it Citizens..

things i would like to see in a community simcity game:

i really like the pack ideas so you can select what type of city and where you are going to build before you start, but i also want:

1. god mode tools on entire region at once

2. flowing streams and rivers

3. tidal effects for the oceans... low tide, high tide, waves ect

4. a time and date obtained by taking the average of all cities in the region

5. options for government types and/or sandbox modes

6. make it easy to add and take away city squares

7. be able to plop objects that have a big footprints like airports from regional view, and have the ability to cross city lines with them

8. terrain color brushes

danza3343 · April 17, 2009

Originally posted by: Randomtaskk

I really like this idea aswell.

The main reason I dont bother customising my cities with unique buildings etc is because you have add every one individually and I simply can't be bothered.

One simple installer which does the whole lot would certainly interest me.

quote>

This <3

I certainly would pay to have something like that

DITRO · April 17, 2009

6. make it easy to add and take away city squares

quote>

Do you mean reshape city borders, so larger cities can absorb surrounding cities, like NYC did with its boroughs, because I would love it if that were the case.

Randomtaskk · April 17, 2009

I don't really think simmaster is here to build new mods for the game tyson, 'only' to create a pack of EXISTING mods...

simmaster07 · April 17, 2009

Originally posted by: Tysons4

i think call it Citizens..

things i would like to see in a community simcity game:

i really like the pack ideas so you can select what type of city and where you are going to build before you start, but i also want:

1. god mode tools on entire region at once

2. flowing streams and rivers

3. tidal effects for the oceans... low tide, high tide, waves ect

4. a time and date obtained by taking the average of all cities in the region

5. options for government types and/or sandbox modes

6. make it easy to add and take away city squares

7. be able to plop objects that have a big footprints like airports from regional view, and have the ability to cross city lines with them

8. terrain color brushes

quote>

Guys, this isn't an entirely new game. This is only an expansion pack. I'm not going to be able to make the mods you want.

SimFox · April 17, 2009

Oh… here we go again!

I want! I want! I want! partially masquerading in “I have an idea” disguise. And not particularly convincing one.

Absolutely pointless as is… The very idea of measuring the goal in mega or giga bytes says it all…

I’m just curious what if any skill or anything else could people who had already rushed to leave comments in this thread actually have to contribute to this so called project?

Randomtaskk · April 17, 2009

simmaster, correct me if I'm wrong, but it seems you havn't really said what you want *us* to do.

Yes you've mentioned you'll need a collection of the best bats with permissions etc, but what you *really* need is people to collect these bats etc.

Perhaps you should be more specific in your post and say you need ten (for example) dedicated people to help out, i.e. one who will trawl through all European related mods, pick out the best, test them, email the creator to get permission etc. Someone similar to do the Asian themed stuff, someone for general mods, someone to create an installer, etc etc.

If you included a 'roster' then you might actually be able to get some names down for people who are willing to help you rather than just ending up with people saying, oh cool idea, and nothing coming of it...

Might I suggest you check out some of the CJ people and perhaps find some who have already created 'themed' citi (I'm sure some will exist) and see if any of them would be interested in taking control of sorting out themed BATs etc.

Randomtaskk · April 17, 2009

Originally posted by: SimFox

Oh… here we go again!

I want! I want! I want! partially masquerading in “I have an idea” disguise. And not particularly convincing one.

Absolutely pointless as is… The very idea of measuring the goal in mega or giga bytes says it all…

I’m just curious what if any skill or anything else could people who had already rushed to leave comments in this thread actually have to contribute to this so called project?

quote>

Full of optimism.

I do agree that size might be an issue. I have VERY limited mods on my game and its already getting close to the upper threshold simmaster mentioned. I think you need to look at more like 4-8GB at least.

What skill is required for collecting a set of mods together may I ask? Simmaster is not talking about creating anything (besides the actual installer), merely collecting it all together in one place...

EDIT: I just went back and read the orignal post and he does mention making BATs etc which isn't what I had thought he meant, I thought it was just a collection of mods, which seems a more feasible and realistic goal in my mind - there are already thousands of good buildings, why bother making more....

And I already mentioned I have no technical expertise to bring to bear.

simmaster07 · April 17, 2009

Originally posted by: Randomtaskk

Full of optimism.

I do agree that size might be an issue. I have VERY limited mods on my game and its already getting close to the upper threshold simmaster mentioned. I think you need to look at more like 4-8GB at least.

What skill is required for collecting a set of mods together may I ask? Simmaster is not talking about creating anything (besides the actual installer), merely collecting it all together in one place...

EDIT: I just went back and read the orignal post and he does mention making BATs etc which isn't what I had thought he meant, I thought it was just a collection of mods, which seems a more feasible and realistic goal in my mind - there are already thousands of good buildings, why bother making more....

And I already mentioned I have no technical expertise to bring to bear.

quote>

I must admit that the 1.4 GB goal is really limited, and I might get rid of it altogether.

And yes, I meant collecting the BATs, so I'll fix that.

Originally posted by: SimFox

I want! I want! I want! partially masquerading in “I have an idea” disguise. And not particularly convincing one.

Absolutely pointless as is… The very idea of measuring the goal in mega or giga bytes says it all…

quote>

Sorry if I seemed like a jerk or bossy, it's just that I'm optimistic to get this project started so it doesn't die like SimCity 4.5. If you have any ideas on how to improve this, go ahead, I'll listen.

SimFox · April 17, 2009

Originally posted by: Randomtaskk

Full of optimism. quote>

I'm just gonna assume that was a sarcasm...

Originally posted by: Randomtaskk

I do agree that size might be an issue. I have VERY limited mods on my game and its already getting close to the upper threshold simmaster mentioned. I think you need to look at more like 4-8GB at least.quote>

HOW many of Mbs or Gbs doesn't actually matter, it is absolutely irrelevant.

First there should be at least some glimpse of understanding what this 4.5 is gonna be and why it deserves this .5 thingie at all.

without that this is nothing more then a attempt of a misleading public and what is worse to financially benefit from it which may constitute a fraud.

Originally posted by: Randomtaskk

What skill is required for collecting a set of mods together may I ask? Simmaster is not talking about creating anything (besides the actual installer), merely collecting it all together in one place...

quote>

Yep, right and that is the whole point why I bothered to post my frist message.

He just expects someone lese to do actuall work e.g. making BATs, MODs, LOTs etc...

that's why I have risen question of skill and issue of "I want!"

This "collection" makes the question as to " how it is a different from STEX, LEX etc" ever so present

Originally posted by: Randomtaskk

EDIT: I just went back and read the orignal post and he does mention making BATs etc which isn't what I had thought he meant, I thought it was just a collection of mods, which seems a more feasible and realistic goal in my mind - there are already thousands of good buildings, why bother making more....

quote>

why bother to do anything when you can't make anything new?

And if all that is needed is to make an installer and he can't do even that then what is his role/input in this "project"

? Simply to decide what is great and what is not? on what grounds?

Originally posted by: Randomtaskk

And I already mentioned I have no technical expertise to bring to bear.

quote>

I didn't doubt it for a moment

I think it should be somehow mandatory that anyone starting this sort of thread be able to actually personally do at least something in what he/she is proposing and be actauly prove it.

Without it there is no credibility what so ever.

SimFox · April 17, 2009

Originally posted by: simmaster07

Sorry if I seemed like a jerk or bossy, it's just that I'm optimistic to get this project started so it doesn't die like SimCity 4.5. If you have any ideas on how to improve this, go ahead, I'll listen.

quote>

If you don't want to sound as you just so adequatelly described, then DO something and present public with the fruits of your labours and then you may say "OK let's expand this..."

BTW LOGO doens't count towards that "something"

Otherwise why do you think that your optimism will be any better, or sufficient than optimism of people behing SC4.5 or any other "propject" and we saw plenty of those...

simmaster07 · April 17, 2009

I'm already sending out PMs to city journalists asking what plugins they use so I can see if I can get their creators to allow use in this project. I don't expect the logo to count as something, anyways. Based on Randomtaskk's ideas, I'm asking members to join "squads" that'll hunt for plugins and ask their respective authors for permission to use it.

https://www.simtropolis.com/forum/messageview.cfm?catid=42&threadid=101004&STARTPAGE=1&FTVAR_FORUMVIEWTMP=Linear

Another good start is whatever's listed in this thread, which I'm already processing, as well.

If you really want to help out, why don't you contribute as well? We're all in this as a team.

warrior · April 17, 2009

4 problems I can see immediately

note I didn't bother reading Simfox, randomtask and simmaster's conversation at the end.

1) Is this going to be a CD/DVD, I think you are meaning it to. How are you going produce those with labels/case etc.

2) You can't sell the DVDs this is illegal as a lot of the content on the DVD will be EA/Maxis's (as in the file formats and code etc). The STEX/LEX DVDs are legal because you are not paying for them. You are donating to a site and getting a disc back for a thank you. Also you wouldn't be able to call it Simcity 4.5 and there'd be issues with selling an expansion pack to a game that isn't yours. Also I doubt many CC creators would agree to a piad for disc.

3) How are you going to make sure credit is given where it is due? If it is all one big installer, then will there be one big readme? If so who's going to make this?

4) if you decide on a DVD how are you going to fit all the CC on the DVD without buying more expensive dual layer/double sided?

A better idea would be a program that would download a list of links compiled by you of the CC you select for this SC4.5 , so you are not actually redistributing CC, there's no DVDs and no cost.

Also if you do go ahead with selling DVDs then you do not have permission to use ANY of my work, and as some of my work is inside the NAM files then you won't be able to include that. Sorry but I think 1) I am not going to make any money by this. 2)Not that want to make money because this is a community where we share things 3)I beleive it is illegal and therefore want no part in it.

BUT if you make this costless for the user then you can include my work(though the NAM will be a group discision and will require every contributor to say yes)

Jonathan

simmaster07 · April 17, 2009

Originally posted by: warrior