Cities 2011 Questions

[City Planner 121]

Some basic questions I've got about 2011, perhaps whom ever is the community manager now could respond if it's not beyond their circumstances.

1. Will people that have bought Cities XL  (*but not subscribed to PO) have their games updated to 2011 when it's available?

2. Will people that have bought Cities XL (*but not subscribed to PO) have busses and the Old England Content Pack patched into their Cities XL game or is that only for people that subscribed to the PO that will get the busses and Old England content pack? (I might be prepared to subscribe for the last month to ensure that I get busses and the content pack patched onto my game if it requires me to pay 9.99 for that last months subscription as that would be aproximately what I would pay [5.00 for the bus system and 4.99 for the content pack] to get those two items if they were offered as a micro transaction of sorts.

3. I assume that the full game of 2011 will be around the same price as CXL was released at, is that true or will it be lower?  I ask because I have a lot of friends sitting on the fence with this title and they might be more enticed to getting into Cities if they know they are getting a break now of 10.00 off (where ever it could be found for that now) rather than paying maybe 49.99 come March or whenever they actually release Cities 2011.  So knowing this might get more people to buy CXL now if it's going to be patched for free to 2011 when that is released if they can get a deal on XL now.  Not to mention this could be a nice influx of cash if enough people sitting on the fence buys CXL now knowing that it will be patched to the full 2011 product when it's released.

Thats about it, perhaps other have questions they wish to ask in here too.

Thanks,

[USA_Pride 49]

I think it'd be nice for it to be $20 for Cities XL owners and $40 for non-owners, but it all depends on how much content there is in it. If it's a rush-hour size update, then I think what I described is fair. But if there's more content then it might be more fair to treat it like a completely different game and charge everyone the same price.

I think we're too far. I think both the community and Monte Cristo themselves will have to see how much they can get done and play it by ear.

I'm just so happy that they'll be un-gimping the single player game and soon I'll be able to play the game I got several months ago.

[DazzaDazza 29]

1. Will people that have bought Cities XL (*but not subscribed to PO) have their games updated to 2011 when it's available?

That's a good question, buy the look of the CXL site we will get buses, but not the maps and content packs, I would think we will have to buy them. I'm a bit unhappy with that really, because PO people get them and people that just bort the game do not. All I say is what about the people that subscriptions ended last month and they didn't renew because they where waiting on the news about the new PO subscriptions or what about the people that had a subscriptions, do they get it, I guess if you sing up after fed 10th you will get it all for the price of one mouth subscriptions.

Matter of fact that's pretty cheep I might just do that.

[USA_Pride 49]

mrdazza_460, I don't think former PO subscribers will be treated differently for making their PO donations to MC.

The whole idea is simplifying to a single version of the game, the solo-mode. Former PO subscribers and people who only play solo mode will all end up in the same place, a single version of Cities XL.

I hope everything works out, but I fear MC is just going to fade into bankruptcy.

[DazzaDazza 29]

this is what they side on there site

 

have already subscribed to PO to support the game. Will I have to pay again for DLC so that I can access content such as Old England buildings?

As a Planet Offer subscriber, once Cities XL 2011 will be released you will be automatically granted with all the content present in the European Pack which will include new maps, Megastructures and the Old England building pack.

Also, the Bus will be included in the solo game which will be automatically patched on march 8 2010.

 

i cant see all that being cheaper then $10

[USA_Pride 49]

Originally posted by: mrdazza_460

this is what they side on there site

 

have already subscribed to PO to support the game. Will I have to pay again for DLC so that I can access content such as Old England buildings?

As a Planet Offer subscriber, once Cities XL 2011 will be released you will be automatically granted with all the content present in the European Pack which will include new maps, Megastructures and the Old England building pack.

Also, the Bus will be included in the solo game which will be automatically patched on march 8 2010.

 

i cant see all that being cheaper then $10

quote>

That is VERY interesting, that if they charge for 2011 that some people will have payed for the same content twice...  Interesting Dazza!

[City Planner 121]

Well, I may pony up and "donate" the 9.99 for a last month subscription, if nothing else it will give me a good idea if I will want to pay for 2011 if they charge for it, by seeing what the buses do and how the content pack looks, I know about the maps since I tried the trial for a day or two and was in beta, I dunno, I'll have to decide before Feb 1 I guess whether I'm willing to donate a tenner to MC in hopes that I will be on the PO subscription list to get the European pack, new maps, megastructures and old England building pack. Might be worth the 10.00 investment since I only paid half price for the game when Impulse had it on the low price sale I suppose.

[DazzaDazza 29]

There are about 10 new maps (I think), 5 new if you didn't buy the limited edition and I think there 5 more Rio, New York, and I don't know the rest.

[zerosugar 0]

Im not sure how i feel about this whole thing.

I mean i bought CXL on release and payed for 3 months sub.  Fair enough i played it and used the online features, but in my own mind i felt like i bought a broken game, a game that shouldnt have been released as it was.

Now that its closing and no more fixes are being done, well i feel robbed!!!!

I still have so many outstanding tickets on things going wrong with the game and knowing there not going to be fixed kinda pishes me off, if Cities XL 2011 comes out and i have to pay for it i wont be a happy bunny, even if it is classed as an addon.

They cant just abandon a game that so many people payed for and then just dump cos the money isnt going there way, thats just rediculous, the more i type the more my blood is boiling so im just gona stop and put this is a nasty letter, im sure ill have to freeking translate it to french so they understand what the hell im saying!!!!

Rant over

[Asheroo 53]

Actually, to the question of the price of CXL 2011, It's not a new game. It's basically a big new patch for CXL. I doubt we will pay for this patch, especially since the main article reads - "Cities XL will evolve into a fully single player game. As soon as march the Bus will be added for free in the solo game. At the same time we also keep on working on new content and new features to keep on improving Cities XL."

[DazzaDazza 29]

Ash you only read what you won’t to hear, I have highlighted the point of interest.  

 

What will become of existing PO-specific content, such as avatar mode, Megastructures or specific maps? What about already released content packs (Old England buildings, bus system...)?

 

The avatar mode is tied to the online game, and it will disappear with it. The Bus will be included in the new solo version.

The Blueprints gameplay will be redesigned and retrofitted to be part of Cities XL

2011. Actual megastructures will be spread through multiple paid content packs.

 

 

 

 

What exactly will be included in the new content packs? When will they be released and at what price?

 

Three theme content packs will be released: Europe, America and Asia. Their content will include all of the current Planet offer exclusive contents (buildings and maps), plus the megastructures, as well as new content.

Note: The Bus will be included in the new solo game.

The packs as well as Cities XL 2011 will be released simultaneously on our site as digital downloads.

Their exact content and their prices will be announced in the next few weeks. We intend to keep the prices very reasonable.

 

Does the end of PO mean any kind of changes to solo gameplay? (e.g: more map slots, ability to trade between cities...)

The core solo gameplay will not change a lot

but it will see many improvements in Cities XL 2011.

The trade system will be included in Cities XL 2011 so it will become possible to trade between your own cities and specialise them the same way you would do in Planet gameplay. It will also enable you to use Blueprints and build Megastructures. The current map selection system will be redone in favour of a planet system; it will also include 10 more maps.

 

 

I have already subscribed to PO to support the game. Will I have to pay again for DLC so that I can access content such as Old England buildings?

As a Planet Offer subscriber, once Cities XL 2011 will be released you will be automatically granted with all the content present in the European Pack which will include new maps, Megastructures and the Old England building pack.

Also, the Bus will be included in the solo game which will be automatically patched on march 8 2010.

 

Read these statements very carefully. Where it says Cities XL 2011 they will be charging for it. Unless you have PO.   Or it is something completely new.  Why do you think they put that last question a answer in, that clears states that PO users will get a “automatic updated” that means SP players will have to pay for England building pack, new maps Megastructerus, and all other content from PO, they willl not be give this to us fro free,

 

It doesn’t even say if we will have to pay for CXL2011, theses are the same statement give before, so I’ve leant my lesson, if it doesn’t say it, then you will have to pay for it      

[cabdriverchris 0]

Guess what? Cities XL 2011 will be a "new game" like Sim City 3000 and Sim City 4....you'll pay again....full price. When they made the decision to go MMO, that shifted programming from only one computer needed to splitting things between game servers, db servers, and world servers. Most of the game will need to be restructured to allow the 'planet only' features to be cobbled into a single player game.

So....expect another $50 or so...in addition to $20-40 expansion pack.

They should have listened to folks in beta...finished the solo game and worked on a complete mmo system AFTER the cash flow was established. They were warned...continuiously.

[zerosugar 0]

Im a little happier now that i managed to get my online game into offline mode, quite simple actually just copying and pasting a fiel and renaming it

Hopefully no bugs in changing it

[soltangris 42]

My guess is we (that already own the game) will have to pay a little for CXL 2011. People that don't own it will have to pay full price,

40$ or something. PO subscribers have already paid for months, that's why they're getting Old England for free. Now, another little detail is: do you need to have been subscribed at the moment the servers go down, or you'll get this even if you've been a 1 month subscriber in november?

Zerosugar, they're not abandoning the game. they're transforming it right now. There's no use to make patches for something that's gonna disapear anyway. So, they'll just include all future fixes in CXL 2011.

[zerosugar 0]

Well it depends what they do.

If it costs full price for all of us then id class that as abandoning the game, if its an expansion then id feel a little better about it but still not happy about paying more for something they promised in the first place

i spose if its an expansion and it costs, you could just think of it as a one off planet offer to get the extra stuff they said they would do in the first place.

I paid for 3 months and havent re-subscribed, so i wonder if ill (we) be eligable for the packs

[DazzaDazza 29]

Now, another little detail is: do you need to have been subscribed at the moment the servers go down, or you'll get this even if you've been a 1 month subscriber in november?

 

Not shore on that one ether. My guess is you have to be paying until the end.  it doesn't make sense other wize

Is the PO subscription Retrospective, meaning I f join on the 15th dose it end on the 15 th, or dose it end on the firs of every mouth.   

Also there given us free buses because there no free GEM as advertised, (I think it was the ski one) I guess there classing the bus system as one now. I wonder what happened to the GEMs anyway? They had a half finished one in the beta.         

Cabdriverchris I have to agree with you there, I guess it’s more like city life and city life 2008, and SC4 and SC4 RH.    

[soltangris 42]

Mrdazza, I've never heard them advertising a 'free' GEM. All GEMs were to be bought separately, but the PO subscribers would get a discount (30%, if I remember right).

As for what happened of the GEMs, I think they're frozen for now, until they sort out the transition to CXL 2011. Hopefully, after the whole process is done they'll continue working on them. Or, GEMs will turn into more standalone content packs....

It makes sense for them to work on all this as fast as possible, and to attempt adding as much content as possible - this way they'll get more income faster, now that the 'steady' flow of the PO is over and they'll need to depend totally on expansions.

[cheuk18me94 0]

MC won't bankrupt because the maintain cost of PO is higher than the profit from PO.

[USA_Pride 49]

Originally posted by: cheuk18me94

MC won't bankrupt because the maintain cost of PO is higher than the profit from PO.quote>

No, they'll bankrupt because they didn't sell enough CXL games to make up for the development costs.

[Gregory_C 0]

At this point we cannot give much guarantees about the price or release date of Cities XL 2011. What I can tell you for sure is that we want to have it be free for current Planet subscribers. We will see in the upcoming weeks if that is something we can actually do or not.

The release date is also a source of confusion because of the 2011 title. But again, we cannot be certain of anything at this point.

MC is currently in a bit of a transition phase and many things are being decided right as we speak. I really wish I could give you more solid answers..

[ACEH 0]

So Gregory this means that there will be a PRICE for it - hey, we've already bought the game, don't you remember? And just to clear something - who are CURRENT PO subscribers - those whom subscription will expire on 8th of March?

[GlobexCo 33]

Obviously... if it's free for PO suscribers, its price should be less than 10$ - or everyone can subscribe for the last month and get i free...

[Bountytaker 0]

Originally posted by: Gregory_C

At this point we cannot give much guarantees about the price or release date of Cities XL 2011. What I can tell you for sure is that we want to have it be free for current Planet subscribers. We will see in the upcoming weeks if that is something we can actually do or not.

The release date is also a source of confusion because of the 2011 title. But again, we cannot be certain of anything at this point.

MC is currently in a bit of a transition phase and many things are being decided right as we speak. I really wish I could give you more solid answers.. quote>

This is even more confusing, in the grand scheme of things.  The P.R. actually appears to be getting worse.

Why include info in a press release if things are THAT uncertain?  Why put it in an FAQ, with answers, which you are directing everyone to, if you can't say that those answers are in any way accurate?  Why put a "date" on the name of a project if that date isn't at all accurate?

Shouldn't the press release simply have been:  We're cancelling the P.O. due to lack of interest.  We have plans for the single player game that we think you'll find exciting.  Stay tuned for more news in the coming days/weeks.

Why the subterfuge and confusing info?  It does nothing for the players, and REALLY doesn't help the reputation of the company.

[Jamonbread 222]

I think MC are having major fianancial issues. However because they are desperate for money... they are keeping prices too high to actually make money. It's a shame.

[USA_Pride 49]

I hope that in the final version of the single player game that MC can include advertised features and also fix the Omnicorp trading prices.

[mr cars 1]

Nobody will have a PO subscription when the servers go down because the only subscription is the 1 month one, not available after feb the 1st. So I am assuming that the free content will be for everyone who has subscibed at some stage. I wouldn't mind if CXL2011 is about $10.00 (

[Baracus250 0]

Originally posted by: mr cars

Nobody will have a PO subscription when the servers go down because the only subscription is the 1 month one, not available after feb the 1st. So I am assuming that the free content will be for everyone who has subscibed at some stage. I wouldn't mind if CXL2011 is about $10.00 (£7.00,€8.00)quote>

That's a very good point! Here's hoping that they will maintain records of PO 'customers' and those customers will be able to login to the CXL site and get a keycode or the like to distinguish them from people that didn't ever subscribe, thus getting a free or discounted download for the update. Or they could even automate this with the login details. Technically possible I think but I'm not going to count any chickens!!

The words 'robbery' and 'daylight' would spring to mind if something like this doesn't happen IMO!

[DazzaDazza 29]

In all farness they would have the details of how dose have a PO and how doesn’t, I would worry about that.

 

Although I am also a bit uncertain about that statement,

 

we cannot be certain of anything at this point

 

I hope it’s not as bad as it reads.      

Soltangris, I am shore there was going to be a free GEM with your copy of CXL, but I could be wrong.   

 

[Herdervriend 46]

I will not pay any penny to such less stuff. Same I did with Sims, what it now gonna look a bit like, SC4 and Sims. Really, if all transportation will be added, I will pay 10 euro, but not a penny more. I am already made poor tnx to the freaking government here, giving me more things to pay then I actually get from them, uhm 50 euro more, I will not have enough money actually to buy the stuff, yeah from donations or work, but that is so less money, certainly when I must pay the whole price of the 119 euro I need to pay each month.

Mwah I will see...The only thing I know is that I have been so stupid...40 freaking euro's, thrown into pieces. Damn 40 freaking euro's, that is the price of Sims 3 now here, or better, for the new Pok

[soltangris 42]

Soltangris, I am shore there was going to be a free GEM with your copy of

CXL

, but I could be wrong.  

No, there was never gonna be such thing, I'm positive.

PO subscription details should be available at all times, even only because everyone made at least one city while they had a subscription, and as many of the conspiracy theorists pointed out, MC didn't delete any cities.

I think you guys are simply freaking out and blowing a non-existent problem out of proportions here. What does it matter if they'll announce a date for CXL 2011 that they're not gonna meet? Maybe they don't want to give an answer to this one so as not to be forced to lie to us, or launch an uncompleted product just because the date came. Everyone can play the SP game up to the date CXL 2011 comes out, there's even gonna be busses in march (at least for that there's a date).

What does it matter if CXL 2011 will be payed, free, or whatever? There's no more PO, and no more crap, and we'll be saving huge amounts of money only because of that in the coming months. Again, you can insist as long as you want that you have the right to (insert random gameplay/moneysaving benefit here), but that doesn't mean that MC is obliged to do it this way, especially since most of our requests are financially insane. And don't tell me that developing a new product (because CXL 2011 IS almost a new product, the game will require tons of changes so that the SP functionality will become what it will) -  doesn't cost money and you bought the game once already and all that! The fact is that we bought the old CXL, that was 2 games in one (SP + Planet Offer), and we chose to flounder that game.MC are giving us now a new product, taking the game in the direction that we, the community requested by our actions; and it will take work and time to do that. And even if it's true that people that already bought the game and even subscribed to the PO have the right to get this product (if not for free, than at least at a small price), then what about all those that didn't even buy the game? They haven't supported MC's efforts even at the least level, but they are the loudest to complain and send requests???

Why can't we have at least some patience? MC have made mistakes, and they're paying for them; now that they want to repent you continue bashing them??  ?

Nobody will have a PO subscription when the servers go down because the only subscription is the 1 month one, not available after feb the 1st. So I am assuming that the free content will be for everyone who has subscibed at some stage. I wouldn't mind if CXL2011 is about $10.00 (£7.00,€8.00)

 

A great point, I was thinking the same thing. It will be kinda unfair to put a timeframe on the PO subscription and say, for example: 'those with subscriptions expiring on march 8 or later will get free updates; the others won't' - exactly because those subscriptions will be one-month-subscri?btions. What about people that had three-month ones before, that expired, say, on february 20?

Well, after all, I guess it's questionable how fair corporate practices are but still: 'fair' often depends on the point of view.