You know what this game needs badly?

[LuapYllier 8]

Diagonal zoning. I was just looking at the city I plan to imitate and there is a surprising number of areas with the major roadways on a diagonal and the blocks in between all follow suit. Just saying, That would have been awesome to have.

[idcaf 65]

You know what this game really needs badly?

A respectable sequel.

[Halen Of Dania 350]

Well might I say these are both ver respectable conclusions but I like LUAPYILLER'S idea

[LuapYllier 8]

Being able to do various radii of curved roads without having to mod would also be excellent.

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

Sorry, folks, but the simulation needs the grid or it would have an awful time finding anything. It would be much slower than it is now.

I agree that it would be nice to be able to lay down a road at any angle and have your lots orthogonal to it, but it won't happen anytime soon. the complications in processing the simulation makes it an Herculean task.

[x493x 446]

Diagonals cut the grid pieces in half leaving an ugly mess for the game to sort out. I want it to but it's not happening with SC4, maybe the next.....hopefully.

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

Diagonals cut the grid pieces in half leaving an ugly mess for the game to sort out. I want it to but it's not happening with SC4, maybe the next.....hopefully.

I think you would find that the horrible diagonals would be smoothed if only the game recognized some of the new graphics card features. Don't hold your breath. I've no idea what EA gets out of being such a dog in the manger, but they are scared of something.

[x493x 446]

If EA went more in the direction of CXL with the ability to make smooth curves the next version would have promise considering diagonals. But as you said, I'm not expecting much if anything.

[Cob92 360]

Sorry, folks, but the simulation needs the grid or it would have an awful time finding anything. It would be much slower than it is now.

I agree that it would be nice to be able to lay down a road at any angle and have your lots orthogonal to it, but it won't happen anytime soon. the complications in processing the simulation makes it an Herculean task.

It could be done, but that would require EA to throw out the old SC4/SC3K engines that they keep recycling and actually write a proper sequel, optimized for 64-bit multicore machines and able to fully utilize a modern graphics card. SC4, fun as it is, is a dinosaur that only stays alive because nothing decent has come along to replace it.

  Edited July 4, 2011 by Cobhris96  

[De Ja Vu 117]

There is really no reason to do that...I doubt that "if" "Sim City 5" would be realesed it would be better than a fully customized SC4

On the other side there are a lot of BATers that make diagonal buildings to break the awful grid

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

There is really no reason to do that...I doubt that "if" "Sim City 5" would be realesed it would be better than a fully customized SC4

On the other side there are a lot of BATers that make diagonal buildings to break the awful grid

Very true. Lots of "square" lots with overhangs.

A minimal acceptable upgrade (to SC4Deluxe 4.5 say) would be a recompile for full 32-bit/64-bit single thread with the bugs fixed and allowing (using) anti-aliasing, etc. The whole works would probably take them a year from start to market, with a couple of man-years investment. I think everyone would buy a copy who now runs the old program. The hype would rekindle interest in EA as well.

This would do nothing for the grid situation, but would fix some of the graphics to make it smoother. You should also get a bullet proof program.

The other thing where they could save on programming space is to leave all the debugging commands enabled. We wouldn't need the "extra cheats dll". Exact documentation for all of this would also be nice. A new game manual, with all commands clearly documented as to use and syntax. And perhaps an SDK for BATters and Lot makers. The dump should be supressed past the register panel. If the source/load map is unavailable, there is no point in producing the exception report files. Only the text file should be continued unless the internal debug switch is set. The dump program could be modular and dropped off at load time.

Wouldn't hurt them to publish three versions of the program. One for Microsoft, one for Apple, and one for Linux. This would mean changing out DirectX for OpenGL, and dropping other incestuous calls to windows and using something generic in their place. This would pick up the missing 30% of the market -- people who don't use MS software. The whole works could be published on a DVD with a self-select of the binary version for the operating system where the installer finds itself. If they use the GNU compiler, portability is relatively easy. I think it would be rather nice to run this program in native mode without hand springs.

  Edited July 5, 2011 by A Nonny Moose  

[x493x 446]

Think of it, do you really want a new verion if it only included diagonal lotting. All of the mods and maps wouldn't be compatible, pretty much we would be starting from scratch. They probably wouldn't build in support for the things that we have made for SC5. Imagine SC4 without all of the mods and BATs, it probably won't be that great for us, we're spoiled.

[LuapYllier 8]

I don't know why they don't just release the ability for someone or anyone to modify the games core files so we could make more extensive modifications and move the game forward.

[x493x 446]

I don't know why they don't just release the ability for someone or anyone to modify the games core files so we could make more extensive modifications and move the game forward.

If EA released it's core game files it is pretty much saying "here have our game for free, and do whatever you want with it" (which includes possibly tarnishing EA's name). No intelligent company will ever give up it's core files, it's pretty much suicide. This will never, ever happen, even with an ancient game which nobody ever plays anymore, the risk is just to high for the company.

  Edited July 5, 2011 by x493x  

[Munchiez 74]

I do think that the diagonal zonning idea is okay, but it would be hard to make. I would just stick to sc4 for now and hope EA games goes to work...

[qcdlis 0]

Well might I say these are both ver respectable conclusions but I like LUAPYILLER'S idea

[GMT 389]

There is really no reason to do that...I doubt that "if" "Sim City 5" would be realesed it would be better than a fully customized SC4

On the other side there are a lot of BATers that make diagonal buildings to break the awful grid

Very true. Lots of "square" lots with overhangs.

A minimal acceptable upgrade (to SC4Deluxe 4.5 say) would be a recompile for full 32-bit/64-bit single thread with the bugs fixed and allowing (using) anti-aliasing, etc. The whole works would probably take them a year from start to market, with a couple of man-years investment. I think everyone would buy a copy who now runs the old program. The hype would rekindle interest in EA as well.

This would do nothing for the grid situation, but would fix some of the graphics to make it smoother. You should also get a bullet proof program.

The other thing where they could save on programming space is to leave all the debugging commands enabled. We wouldn't need the "extra cheats dll". Exact documentation for all of this would also be nice. A new game manual, with all commands clearly documented as to use and syntax. And perhaps an SDK for BATters and Lot makers. The dump should be supressed past the register panel. If the source/load map is unavailable, there is no point in producing the exception report files. Only the text file should be continued unless the internal debug switch is set. The dump program could be modular and dropped off at load time.

Wouldn't hurt them to publish three versions of the program. One for Microsoft, one for Apple, and one for Linux. This would mean changing out DirectX for OpenGL, and dropping other incestuous calls to windows and using something generic in their place. This would pick up the missing 30% of the market -- people who don't use MS software. The whole works could be published on a DVD with a self-select of the binary version for the operating system where the installer finds itself. If they use the GNU compiler, portability is relatively easy. I think it would be rather nice to run this program in native mode without hand springs.

I don't know why you're all so down with anti-aliasing in SC4.

Every here and there, there might be a benefit in having AA in SC4, but for most parts of it, I doubt it'll be of notice.

Other than that, I'm pretty much with these suggestions

[simmaster07 1,220]

I don't know why they don't just release the ability for someone or anyone to modify the games core files so we could make more extensive modifications and move the game forward.

Paul Pedriana (one of the Maxis engineers) has actually given me a few header and code files for a DLL like the extra cheats DLL. However, it's impossible to compile without coding custom classes and types.

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

Life can be frustrating when you only have part of the code necessary for a task, and it can take a long time to code up what is missing. The only point in handing over this much would be to allow a mod to be constructed that would work with the structures given.

Because there is now ten years worth of mods for this game, it has developed a kind of organic life of its own. Even if EA brought out a usable SC5, would be abandon playing SC4? If there were no mod compatibility, I doubt it. So many of us have not moved on to other games that we are looking very conservative.

I would probably buy the new game, but there is no way I would scrap what I have. How many of us still play earlier versions?

[R0bstar 1]

I agree that a few people will be more reluctant to move on if an awesome new Simcity would come to market because they'd have to do without all the mods they got used to, but I'm sure 80% will move on immediately and the others would follow within months. After a while a program will come that will allow you to convert your BATs to the new version, and we will all happily play the new Simcity.

And, it is about time (IMHO) that Maxis releases its game code. Many games went before SC4, it's called abandonware! I've seen beautiful new versions of old games (like Kings Quest) based on abandoned versions of the original game.

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

I agree that a few people will be more reluctant to move on if an awesome new Simcity would come to market because they'd have to do without all the mods they got used to, but I'm sure 80% will move on immediately and the others would follow within months. After a while a program will come that will allow you to convert your BATs to the new version, and we will all happily play the new Simcity.

And, it is about time (IMHO) that Maxis releases its game code. Many games went before SC4, it's called abandonware! I've seen beautiful new versions of old games (like Kings Quest) based on abandoned versions of the original game.

Maxis no longer exists as a separate outfit. It is wholly owned by EA, and if the corporation exists it would be a shell kept for copyright purposes. Several of the original Maxis team have left EA, but some persist.

EA won't release this game as abandonware as long as they get any income from it that is more than they spend, which is precious little. The game still sells, as you can tell from new members joining this site. No doubt they collect a royalty from each sale by Steam and others who are licensed to sell it. The legal entanglements are probably stupendous.

[R0bstar 1]

Maxis no longer exists as a separate outfit. It is wholly owned by EA, and if the corporation exists it would be a shell kept for copyright purposes. Several of the original Maxis team have left EA, but some persist.

EA won't release this game as abandonware as long as they get any income from it that is more than they spend, which is precious little. The game still sells, as you can tell from new members joining this site. No doubt they collect a royalty from each sale by Steam and others who are licensed to sell it. The legal entanglements are probably stupendous.

I know I sound idealistic, but wouldn't it be great if eventually a company decides they've earned enough money on a game? Oh well...

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

What this game really needs is a lot more sales to encourage EA to do something with a follow on. Fat chance.