GEM's

[mr cars 1]

Hi.
I'm annoyed about one very particular thing.

OK, lets say you bought the game and used the planet offer for a while, and bought a load of GEM's. But then, you can't afford the planet offer! Go back on, go to use one of your GEM's, but it's not there!

Because if you cancel your subscription, they take your GEM's away! So essentially you buy a GEM to rent it, in fact, it could almost be classed as stealing!

How are they allowed to do that?

[manuelandrei 0]

You must be kidding. Whats so hard to understand that GEMS are a part of a subscription?

You pay you play, you don't pay you don't play.

Monte Cristo should have made Cities XL 100% online.

[8elhaj 0]

I think you didnt get it. You can buy GEMs even if you are not subscribed to Planet Offer, so you can use them in Solo Mode.

The only good thing about having Planet Offer is than you get 35% off the prices of GEMs.

Thats all explained in their website.

[soldyne 111]

I think what MC needs to do is to clarify how PO downloads will affect the SP experience. for example, if I get a free update or GEM because I have PO will I be able to use that content in my SP game? also, will content that was made available for PO in one month be available for download next month or do I have to have a PO subscription at the time it is made available or lose it forever?

there is just so much about the game that we don't understand yet, I think it would be prudent to simply wait for release and let the reviewers let us know how things work before we make any final decisions about whether we want to buy or not.

[manuelandrei 0]

As I understand GEM's work like "addons" that you can buy and use online/offline. The rest of the PO should work as any regular MMO. When you go online / activate subscription you get the latest patch with all the goodies. As long as you pay the subscription you have access to those goodies.

[Ocram's Razr 964]

Originally posted by: soldyne

I think what MC needs to do is to clarify how PO downloads will affect the SP experience. for example, if I get a free update or GEM because I have PO will I be able to use that content in my SP game? also, will content that was made available for PO in one month be available for download next month or do I have to have a PO subscription at the time it is made available or lose it forever?

there is just so much about the game that we don't understand yet, I think it would be prudent to simply wait for release and let the reviewers let us know how things work before we make any final decisions about whether we want to buy or not.quote>

I hope that you get the opportunity to download all the PO frebies even of one full yearor more the second that you log onto the PO for the first time because that is what I plan to do.

[Mathew_MC 0]

manuelandrei wrote

As I understand GEM's work like "addons" that you can buy and use online/offline. The rest of the PO should work as any regular MMO. When you go online / activate subscription you get the latest patch with all the goodies. As long as you pay the subscription you have access to those goodies.quote>

Yes, that's exactly how it works 

[sparky66 0]

so MC, does that mean that there will be a transportation GEM for single player?with buses and trains etc? that would tempt me.

[manuelandrei 0]

Originally posted by: sparky66

so MC, does that mean that there will be a transportation GEM for single player?with buses and trains etc? that would tempt me.quote>

Mass transportation (including buses) will be part of the future features and, as such, will only be part of the Planet Offer.quote>

Source: blog.simtropolis.com/post.cfm/interview-with-monte-cristo

[sparky66 0]

Originally posted by: manuelandrei

Originally posted by: sparky66

so MC, does that mean that there will be a transportation GEM for single player?with buses and trains etc? that would tempt me.quote>

Mass transportation (including buses) will be part of the future features and, as such, will only be part of the Planet Offer.quote>

Source: blog.simtropolis.com/post.cfm/interview-with-monte-cristo

quote>

Surely GEMs are future features?

[Asheroo 53]

Originally posted by: sparky66

Originally posted by: manuelandrei

Originally posted by: sparky66

so MC, does that mean that there will be a transportation GEM for single player?with buses and trains etc? that would tempt me.quote>

Mass transportation (including buses) will be part of the future features and, as such, will only be part of the Planet Offer.quote>

Source: blog.simtropolis.com/post.cfm/interview-with-monte-cristo

quote>

Surely GEMs are future features?quote>

Once again, GEMs are offline and online. It would be great to see MC make a transport GEM, we'd praise them for that, and they have talked about transport GEMs, so transport in single player, still possible yet.

Shame to all those members who have mislead people by saying GEMs are online only.

[wondergreat 0]

Yes, GEM is offline and online. But I doubt that MT GEM would be availble for SP because it's their policy to segragate MT from non-subscriber.

[Peandreo 0]

So the game is out next week, when this GEM will be released?

[DazzaDazza 29]

Originally posted by: sparky66

Originally posted by: manuelandrei

Originally posted by: sparky66

so MC, does that mean that there will be a transportation GEM for single player?with buses and trains etc? that would tempt me.quote>

Mass transportation (including buses) will be part of the future features and, as such, will only be part of the Planet Offer.quote>

Source: blog.simtropolis.com/post.cfm/interview-with-monte-cristo

quote>

Surely GEMs are future features?quote>

Although a transport GEM sound nice to suame people, I really only wont to see the buses in my cities, I don't really wont to run the bus company, that sounds a bit boring if you ask me. What next a street sweeper GEM

I think for GEMS to be successful they should focus of fun thing, like Parks, golf courses, stuff that you can design for you city,   

 

On a side note sparky66, are you actual a Sparky by trade?  

[Craig-Abcvs 1,595]

[Mathew_MC 0]

sparky66 wrote:

so MC, does that mean that there will be a transportation GEM for single player?with buses and trains etc? that would tempt me.quote>

GEMs (Gameplay Enhancement Modules) are small expansions that kind of "plug-in" to the game to add a separate management gameplay. For example, the Ski GEM will let you manage a ski resort. Successful management will impact your city (better attractiveness), but the ski resort gameplay is independent from the actual city building gameplay. So, if we make a GEM linked to transport, it will be more in the line of actually managing what happens inside of an airport for example, or an airline company.

What we call future features are features that will be added to the core city building gameplay and online Planet gameplay. Mass transportation tools allowing you to build bus services or rails directly in your city are part of these.

[sparky66 0]

Originally posted by: Mathew_MC

sparky66 wrote:

so MC, does that mean that there will be a transportation GEM for single player?with buses and trains etc? that would tempt me.quote>

GEMs (Gameplay Enhancement Modules) are small expansions that kind of "plug-in" to the game to add a separate management gameplay. For example, the Ski GEM will let you manage a ski resort. Successful management will impact your city (better attractiveness), but the ski resort gameplay is independent from the actual city building gameplay. So, if we make a GEM linked to transport, it will be more in the line of actually managing what happens inside of an airport for example, or an airline company.

What we call future features are features that will be added to the core city building gameplay and online Planet gameplay. Mass transportation tools allowing you to build bus services or rails directly in your city are part of these.quote>

but those 'future features' will only be for the PO, correct?

also, single player doesn't get something as important to city builders as mass transit, but they get silly pointless things like 'running an airline'. Surely the most popular request for single player is mass transit, so why not make a GEM for it. It would probably sell better than 'ski resort' or 'beach' Gems

[JakeMD 107]

Originally posted by: sparky66

also, single player doesn't get something as important to city builders as mass transit, but they get silly pointless things like 'running an airline'. Surely the most popular request for single player is mass transit, so why not make a GEM for it. It would probably sell better than 'ski resort' or 'beach' Gemsquote>

Good point for MC to consider.  If I do get the game, i'd rather pay for  GEM on mass transit than monthly for the MMO.

[sparky66 0]

Originally posted by: swat-medic

Originally posted by: sparky66

also, single player doesn't get something as important to city builders as mass transit, but they get silly pointless things like 'running an airline'. Surely the most popular request for single player is mass transit, so why not make a GEM for it. It would probably sell better than 'ski resort' or 'beach' Gemsquote>

Good point for MC to consider.  If I do get the game, i'd rather pay for  GEM on mass transit than monthly for the MMO.

quote>

i agree. i have pre-ordered the game but i won't be subscribing to the PO as i am just not interested. i will definately pay a one off fee for a mass transit GEM though.

also, surely once the mass transit is made for PO subscribers, it would be easy for MC to stick it in a GEM for single player and make more money from it?

and if you don't want to call it a GEM, call it a 'single player expansion pack' or something.

[manuelandrei 0]

Removing mass transit from the PO and making it a GEM or expantion removes a part of the value with having a PO subscription. They need to have PO specific features beyond chat, trade if they expect people to commit to a subscription model.

[gutterclub 2,729]

Hi, has anyone actually played a GEM before they start saying that it is "pointless"??

[Livin in Sim 83]

[sparky66 0]

Originally posted by: manuelandrei

Removing mass transit from the PO and making it a GEM or expantion removes a part of the value with having a PO subscription. They need to have PO specific features beyond chat, trade if they expect people to commit to a subscription model.

quote>

the PO gets extra buildings and maps, and megastructures.