SimCity: Gameplay

[Screwballl 196]

The whole point of any true simulation game is the simulation aspect.

CXL tried online play and it came back to bite them in the butt. Now we have EA trying the EXACT same thing except with a much smaller scale and MUCH more basic game than CXL, but the scale of the simulation doesn't matter. Once they take the simulation side out of it, it is no longer SIM City but more Cityville, or maybe at the most gracious nice term I can think of for it is SimVillage. I mean come on a 2x2km map? Thats the size of my neighborhood in my small town of ~12,000 people.

  Edited November 1, 2012 by Screwballl  

[JaceTwice 115]

The whole point of any true simulation game is the simulation aspect.

Which is exactly why Maxis is making the simulation deeper than it's ever been.

CXL tried online play and it came back to bite them in the butt. Now we have EA trying the EXACT same thing except with a much smaller scale and MUCH more basic game than CXL, but the scale of the simulation doesn't matter. Once they take the simulation side out of it, it is no longer SIM City but more Cityville, or maybe at the most gracious nice term I can think of for it is SimVillage. I mean come on a 2x2km map? Thats the size of my neighborhood in my small town of ~12,000 people.

You seem to be getting simulation depth confused with playable area. They're two very different things.

[Bipin 3,402]

Having talked with one of the developers in chat, "Maxisguillame" I believe, I can confirm with great excitement that multi-level (probably draggable) roadways/overpasses will be in-game. Each road level will be separated by 8m, and there will be acceptance for at least 3 roadways passing over one-another. As well, sunken roadways are in the works, as are tunnels.

[Kavaeric 50]

I suppose simulation and things like that are cool, but then I (along with others) play SimCity in a respect that you can create beautiful and almost photorealistic images. Heck, that's what City Journals are in a respect.

Now if they made a SimCity 4.5 where everyone didn't have to remake all their custom content but they added in even more modding support (no more NAM puzzle piece sifting!) I'd be happier than if someone bought me every single city sim game in the next hour.

Not gonna get too excited over this yet.

[Rokugatsu 126]

but then I (along with others) play SimCity in a respect that you can create beautiful and almost photorealistic images. Heck, that's what City Journals are in a respect.

Very small % of people play those game to create beautiful and/or realistic cities. Our community may be quite big, but it's still a very tiny percent of the people who buy the game. And they can't make a game worth so much for such a small group of people. I'm still happy that they are trying to reach both, core and casual gamers, not just casuals.

[Eshy 2]

People are judging this game too quickly the size of the cities will proabably change by this spring hopefully if thye dont oh well get over it once you get in to the game the size will be much larger than it was back in sc4 because the engines have improved eminsly over that time period give it some time people.

[MegaCitySim 68]

The gameplay doesn't look like a city sim more like some action strategy thing with some plopping of buildings and roads so you can watch sims cross the roads. Gone are all the classic stuff...

What is this classic stuff that's missing? We'll still be laying roads and zoning. Sill balancing RCI and plopping services. Still dealing with traffic jams and planning out mass transit.

I have no problems with people wanting a bigger and better SC4. Nor do I have a problem with people not liking the new direction and choosing not to buy for one reason or another. I do have a problem with people outright dismissing and slamming the game because it isn't the exact game they wanted Maxis to make. Especially when there's no-one here that's played a full version for any decent length of time.

Formerly Simcity isn't like all the facebook games kind of cities with preset everythng. It used to have a lot more creative options and construction features (like The Sims) Terraforming to start with is a big lost feature, building the city any way you like, where you like on the map, your own regional freeways rails etc etc all gone...

Simcity is like the default gold standard of the sim type games, with lots of customization and sandbox play. I said before all this negative reactions is understandable, I think the new game direction means it should be labeled as a Simcity off-shoot rather than pretending like it is a classic Simcity. If it is called like Simcity Friends or World or Ville it will make more sense, and will reduce confusion and disappointment don't you think?

I came here expecting a Simcity with classic features + new stuff and found a strange new kind of game after reading through so many pages.. Maxis is not making it very clear to the core fans what is 'no longer'..but yes I can understand why they do that..

There is a confirmed features topic for existing features I think for those who played previous simcities need to have a thread for 'not-anymore' features, which can help manage expectations and reduce upsets?

[Von Dion 3]

Simcity is like the default gold standard of the sim type games, with lots of customization and sandbox play. I said before all this negative reactions is understandable, I think the new game direction means it should be labeled as a Simcity off-shoot rather than pretending like it is a classic Simcity.

SimCity was not a particularly deep simulation game until SimCity 4. Surely it was partly the limits of the technology. But, I think it's hard to argue that a game where you can literally launch small cities into space is a serious Sim. I don't see anything about this new game that's not true to the ideals of the franchise.

Though I'd love an updated SimCity 4 I can't begrude Maxis for not just making that game again with the GlassBox engine. The new game may or may not be fun - we don't know, since we haven't played it - but I think limiting its scale was a wise move. Taking a more-is-more approach can cause a lot of trouble.

[Skyrunner27 23]

Terraforming didn't become perfected until SC4. There weren't regions until SC4 too. Anyway this game isn't also a game of ploppable actually ploppables are a classic feature being in the original. There is zoning and other features that are the classic. From what I have seen gameplay wise this is worthy of being a Simcity.

Somthing I have wanted to say is that when a Simcity comes along we have always lost features. E.G. In the move from Simcity 3000 to Simcity 4 we lost zoning for airports and seaports, We lost random disasters, progression through time, Civilian complaints, Different terrains, computer controlled neighbors, Automatic terraforming, many of the ordinances, and Microwave, fusion power plants, and incinerators.

[MegaCitySim 68]

Simcity is like the default gold standard of the sim type games, with lots of customization and sandbox play. I said before all this negative reactions is understandable, I think the new game direction means it should be labeled as a Simcity off-shoot rather than pretending like it is a classic Simcity.

SimCity was not a particularly deep simulation game until SimCity 4. Surely it was partly the limits of the technology. But, I think it's hard to argue that a game where you can literally launch small cities into space is a serious Sim. I don't see anything about this new game that's not true to the ideals of the franchise.

Though I'd love an updated SimCity 4 I can't begrude Maxis for not just making that game again with the GlassBox engine. The new game may or may not be fun - we don't know, since we haven't played it - but I think limiting its scale was a wise move. Taking a more-is-more approach can cause a lot of trouble.

To me less is less not more... The new game is lesser SimCity, how could that be true of the franchise? I could say more about this but there's a more relevant topic here on genre audience and demographics.

[kissaen9 0]

The game will be rich, complex, and detailed, without being overly complicated. SimCity veterans could make dream cities in one sitting (I can already do that in SC4) while newbies could get a functioning small town in the same time and an average metropolis in a few days of playing......association

[jacksunny 741]

The gameplay strategy video has been re-released with annotations stating facts and other info about the game and Maxis.

[Mad- 4]

Hello all comunity!

What do you think of the zoning be automatic (We put the roads rigth, and the houses space's will appear automatic, we can't zone out of the roads -.-)

In simcity, we all like zoning to our way (either direction, meaning, area etc. ..), but now in this new city will no longer be so: (

I did not play cities xl for this reason ... I do not understand why the zoning of this new simcity be automatic. I hope they repent, and the game has manual zoning, like in simcity 4.

What do you think?

Gratz, mad.

sorry for bad english!

[Screwballl 196]

agreed..... although cities XL is like SC4 where you have the choice of what zone to place where. Right click the zone type and you can choose what type of road to use on them.

Sadly all the features and usefulness we liked with all previous city sim games in gone with this new one.

[Mad- 4]

That would hurt us in our ideas of how to get the houses (meaning, direction, area etc. ..), and our plans the city will also die! I usually do in simcity4 roads / rail / highway / stations before any zoning map, and now? Since I can not do any of that: (

[mapboy 106]

I don't really see the issue with the zoning mechanism of the game. It sorts out the optimum lots based on the street network. I'm excited that we are getting irregular shaped lots!

[CXLMachine 17]

the lots are automatically drawn but you still choose RCI. You do not however choose the density of them and they, IMO, are way too damn deep and leave too much green space when theyre low density.

[marksman1416 12]

Its more realistic to place roads first then place zones along them. I just wish there was consistant frontage for the zones.

[Machinimator 40]

Terraforming didn't become perfected until SC4. There weren't regions until SC4 too. Anyway this game isn't also a game of ploppable actually ploppables are a classic feature being in the original. There is zoning and other features that are the classic. From what I have seen gameplay wise this is worthy of being a Simcity.

Somthing I have wanted to say is that when a Simcity comes along we have always lost features. E.G. In the move from Simcity 3000 to Simcity 4 we lost zoning for airports and seaports, We lost random disasters, progression through time, Civilian complaints, Different terrains, computer controlled neighbors, Automatic terraforming, many of the ordinances, and Microwave, fusion power plants, and incinerators.

Disagree.

Just because we lost some features from SC3K to SC4 doesn't mean core fans will rush into the thing that is no longer a legacy SimCity.

Call it whatever. Add Facebook features whatever. If it doesn't meet my expectation for a city simulation construction and management game, meh I go play other real god games.

  Edited November 22, 2012 by CaptCity  
Removed off-topic comments.

[Pandemic 32]

New gameplay!

[Exe19 22]

HUGE traffic jams on 4-6 lane roads inside City Town Village with ~300 Sims. Niiice...

[Frode789 70]

HUGE traffic jams on 4-6 lane roads inside City Town Village with ~300 Sims. Niiice...

Jepp, gotta love all the big roads used in such a small town....

[Moory 7]

HUGE traffic jams on 4-6 lane roads inside City Town Village with ~300 Sims. Niiice...

Jepp, gotta love all the big roads used in such a small town....

I am betting the game with have traffic settings you can change.

[spa 968]

HUGE traffic jams on 4-6 lane roads inside City Town Village with ~300 Sims. Niiice...

I actually don't mind that so much. I have often been surprised by being caught in heavy traffic in some really small places. Sussex and Tracadie-Shelia in New Brunswick, Canada have both left me caught on main street when I was passing through as if they were major cities. In small towns, everyone drives! My biggest concern at this point is the empty space between cities. I could live with the smaller maps if they linked up, but it's really hard to build a somewhat realistic urban region with empty space sitting between tiles. Feels like a bit of a step back.

[spa 968]

A thought occurs. As I posted, the biggest downer for me is the space that is left in between cities. I find it hard to see building a city with skyscrapers when only a block or two away is the edge of my map tile and then empty space. It's a complete realism killer. I know Maxis is working in regional projects and they need space for those projects on the map, which is maybe why cities don't border each other in SC5. Instead of that approach, why not let the player choose where the regional project are going to be built. What I would envision would be a regional grid of tiles all up against each other like in SC4 and when you click on one, you can choose to found a city on that spot or to start a regional project. By letting the player choose where the projects go, there's more freedom to build as you want, but it would also allow all the city tiles in the region to border each other because there would be no need to save blank space. Default highways and railways could still run through the region. It would be like SC4 regions, but with a twist! With that approach, I could build a Downtown and suburbs and an industrial park and it would feel like one metropolitan region. Anyway, if anyone from Maxis reads these give it some thought, but then again, maybe it's way too late at this point (if so, a pity).

[cirugo 1,889]

A thought occurs. As I posted, the biggest downer for me is the space that is left in between cities. I find it hard to see building a city with skyscrapers when only a block or two away is the edge of my map tile and then empty space. It's a complete realism killer. I know Maxis is working in regional projects and they need space for those projects on the map, which is maybe why cities don't border each other in SC5. Instead of that approach, why not let the player choose where the regional project are going to be built. What I would envision would be a regional grid of tiles all up against each other like in SC4 and when you click on one, you can choose to found a city on that spot or to start a regional project. By letting the player choose where the projects go, there's more freedom to build as you want, but it would also allow all the city tiles in the region to border each other because there would be no need to save blank space. Default highways and railways could still run through the region. It would be like SC4 regions, but with a twist! With that approach, I could build a Downtown and suburbs and an industrial park and it would feel like one metropolitan region. Anyway, if anyone from Maxis reads these give it some thought, but then again, maybe it's way too late at this point (if so, a pity).

yup... a lot of people have asked this same question. It's one of the bigger game-killers for me.

[Cob92 360]

A thought occurs. As I posted, the biggest downer for me is the space that is left in between cities. I find it hard to see building a city with skyscrapers when only a block or two away is the edge of my map tile and then empty space. It's a complete realism killer. I know Maxis is working in regional projects and they need space for those projects on the map, which is maybe why cities don't border each other in SC5. Instead of that approach, why not let the player choose where the regional project are going to be built. What I would envision would be a regional grid of tiles all up against each other like in SC4 and when you click on one, you can choose to found a city on that spot or to start a regional project. By letting the player choose where the projects go, there's more freedom to build as you want, but it would also allow all the city tiles in the region to border each other because there would be no need to save blank space. Default highways and railways could still run through the region. It would be like SC4 regions, but with a twist! With that approach, I could build a Downtown and suburbs and an industrial park and it would feel like one metropolitan region. Anyway, if anyone from Maxis reads these give it some thought, but then again, maybe it's way too late at this point (if so, a pity).

I've wondered for months why Maxis didn't go with this approach. It's honestly a dozen times better than having these isolated city squares in the middle of nowhere. It just doesn't feel like SimCity that way.

[guitarmatt99 27]

The gameplay strategy video has been re-released with annotations stating facts and other info about the game and Maxis.

If you skip to 1:37 one of the pop ups says building density, pointing to a button at the side, so we can change the density of zones?

[jacksunny 741]

^I believe that's just one of the data layers you can choose. Building density is still automatically decided based on the road it is by.

[guitarmatt99 27]

^I believe that's just one of the data layers you can choose. Building density is still automatically decided based on the road it is by.

Well thats a shame, density by roads is a clever idea but it dosnt give us as much creative freedom like having narrow streets with huge skyscrapers just for the fun of it.