SimCity 5 Facts

[Jazzmaster 716]

Mods, please merge this with another thread if it seems like a duplicate.

I wanted to start this thread to answer a lot of questions and hopefully calm some folks about the game in certain aspects. In most cases I think the news will be quite pleasing; it regards availability on the MAC, online play, etc...

From the Origin pre-order page:

NTERNET CONNECTION REQUIRED FOR PRE-LOADED GAME TO UNLOCK. GAME WILL BE AVAILABLE ON THE RELEASE DATE FOR THE TERRITORY WHERE YOU ARE LOCATED.

INTERNET CONNECTION REQUIRED FOR PRODUCT ACTIVATION. INTERNET CONNECTION, EA/ORIGIN ACCOUNT, ACCEPTANCE OF PRODUCT AND ORIGIN END USER LICENSE AGREEMENTS, INSTALLATION OF THE ORIGIN CLIENT SOFTWARE ( WWW.ORIGIN.COM/ABOUT ) AND REGISTRATION WITH ENCLOSED SINGLE-USE SERIAL CODE(S) REQUIRED TO PLAY, ACCESS BONUS CONTENT (IF ANY) AND ACCESS ONLINE SERVICES. SERIAL CODE REGISTRATION IS LIMITED TO ONE EA/ORIGIN ACCOUNT PER SERIAL CODE. SERIAL CODE(S) ARE NON-TRANSFERABLE ONCE USED. EULAS AND ADDITIONAL DISCLOSURES CAN BE FOUND AT WWW.EA.COM/1/PRODUCT-EULAS . EA ONLINE PRIVACY POLICY AND TERMS OF SERVICE CAN BE FOUND AT AT WWW.EA.COM . YOU MUST BE 13+ TO ACTIVATE SOFTWARE, ACCESS ONLINE FEATURES AND REGISTER FOR AN EA/ORIGIN ACCOUNT. EA MAY RETIRE ONLINE FEATURES AFTER 30 DAYS NOTICE POSTED ON WWW.EA.COM/2/SERVICE-UPDATES . EA MAY PROVIDE CERTAIN INCREMENTAL CONTENT AND/OR UPDATES FOR NO ADDITIONAL CHARGE, IF AND WHEN AVAILABLE.

Multi Player 1-16

Notice the 1? That is there to say that the game can be played by yourself. All this:

SimCity is a multiplayer game while The Sims is a single-player experience.

means is that Simcity will be more enjoyable if played with friends.

This means, folks, that the game will not be online only. Internet is required for multiplayer and game activation but solo mode is still available.

From the new official site:

Play with new enhanced design tools like curvy roads and zoning to create the city you always wanted.

This means that the game will still have zoning; you won't be limited to just plopping as the trailer suggested.

From the Announce Trailer on YouTube:

Official GDC 2012 announce trailer for SimCity by EA Maxis. SimCity is a PC/MAC online city building simulation game from Maxis Studios.

Which means it WILL also be on the Macintosh.

"We know modding is hugely important to our community," Quigley noted. "We know the reason why people are still playing SimCity 4 ten years later is because the modding community has kept it alive. GlassBox is built to be moddable, but beyond that we haven't announced anything"

- Ocean Quigley

So yes, the game WILL be moddable!!

I hope this answers a few big questions; I'll try to add to this list as details become available. Feel free to add yourselves as well...

  Edited March 7, 2012 by Yoshiisland  

[Cockatoo 2,257]

Thanks for posting this!

[nathanthemayor 1,262]

Well, this is new. Thanks for sharing this info!

[Craig-Abcvs 1,595]

Great thread Yoshi... while speculation is fun, you can't go past hard facts.

[hittwice99 619]

Awesome, thanks for sharing! This is news we all wanted to hear!

[HookerHeels 309]

Yes, need a big repeating message in chat for this too Good job.

[rjamesp 138]

thanks

[Tony Bark 2]

Crossing fingers.

[Cob92 360]

Good, so we'll only need the net for activation. Fine by me.

[meowza 230]

I'm 50% sold, just need to get my hands on some demo or videos of actual gameplay.

[Aaron Graham 4,417]

Thank you for that post too.

[Ocram's Razr 964]

I thought the glowing rectangles that showed up shortly before the buildings were zones.

[nashville nelson 51]

[...]

From the Origin pre-order page:

NTERNET CONNECTION REQUIRED FOR PRE-LOADED GAME TO UNLOCK. GAME WILL BE AVAILABLE ON THE RELEASE DATE FOR THE TERRITORY WHERE YOU ARE LOCATED.

INTERNET CONNECTION REQUIRED FOR PRODUCT ACTIVATION. INTERNET CONNECTION, EA/ORIGIN ACCOUNT, ACCEPTANCE OF PRODUCT AND ORIGIN END USER LICENSE AGREEMENTS, INSTALLATION OF THE ORIGIN CLIENT SOFTWARE ( WWW.ORIGIN.COM/ABOUT ) AND REGISTRATION WITH ENCLOSED SINGLE-USE SERIAL CODE(S) REQUIRED TO PLAY, ACCESS BONUS CONTENT (IF ANY) AND ACCESS ONLINE SERVICES. SERIAL CODE REGISTRATION IS LIMITED TO ONE EA/ORIGIN ACCOUNT PER SERIAL CODE. SERIAL CODE(S) ARE NON-TRANSFERABLE ONCE USED. EULAS AND ADDITIONAL DISCLOSURES CAN BE FOUND AT WWW.EA.COM/1/PRODUCT-EULAS . EA ONLINE PRIVACY POLICY AND TERMS OF SERVICE CAN BE FOUND AT AT WWW.EA.COM . YOU MUST BE 13+ TO ACTIVATE SOFTWARE, ACCESS ONLINE FEATURES AND REGISTER FOR AN EA/ORIGIN ACCOUNT. EA MAY RETIRE ONLINE FEATURES AFTER 30 DAYS NOTICE POSTED ON WWW.EA.COM/2/SERVICE-UPDATES . EA MAY PROVIDE CERTAIN INCREMENTAL CONTENT AND/OR UPDATES FOR NO ADDITIONAL CHARGE, IF AND WHEN AVAILABLE.

This means, folks, that the game will not be online only. Internet is required for multiplayer and game activation but solo mode is still available.

[...]

There is no word about the single player or am i misreading this?

[BurroDiablo 222]

For a sandbox game like Sim City, single player is guaranteed.

To add, if there was no single player, there would be no offline mode.

  Edited March 7, 2012 by BurroDiablo  

[Vallen Chaos Valiant 0]

Mods, please merge this with another thread if it seems like a duplicate.

I wanted to start this thread to answer a lot of questions and hopefully calm some folks about the game in certain aspects. In most cases I think the news will be quite pleasing; it regards availability on the MAC, online play, etc...

From the Origin pre-order page:

NTERNET CONNECTION REQUIRED FOR PRE-LOADED GAME TO UNLOCK. GAME WILL BE AVAILABLE ON THE RELEASE DATE FOR THE TERRITORY WHERE YOU ARE LOCATED.

INTERNET CONNECTION REQUIRED FOR PRODUCT ACTIVATION. INTERNET CONNECTION, EA/ORIGIN ACCOUNT, ACCEPTANCE OF PRODUCT AND ORIGIN END USER LICENSE AGREEMENTS, INSTALLATION OF THE ORIGIN CLIENT SOFTWARE ( WWW.ORIGIN.COM/ABOUT ) AND REGISTRATION WITH ENCLOSED SINGLE-USE SERIAL CODE(S) REQUIRED TO PLAY, ACCESS BONUS CONTENT (IF ANY) AND ACCESS ONLINE SERVICES. SERIAL CODE REGISTRATION IS LIMITED TO ONE EA/ORIGIN ACCOUNT PER SERIAL CODE. SERIAL CODE(S) ARE NON-TRANSFERABLE ONCE USED. EULAS AND ADDITIONAL DISCLOSURES CAN BE FOUND AT WWW.EA.COM/1/PRODUCT-EULAS . EA ONLINE PRIVACY POLICY AND TERMS OF SERVICE CAN BE FOUND AT AT WWW.EA.COM . YOU MUST BE 13+ TO ACTIVATE SOFTWARE, ACCESS ONLINE FEATURES AND REGISTER FOR AN EA/ORIGIN ACCOUNT. EA MAY RETIRE ONLINE FEATURES AFTER 30 DAYS NOTICE POSTED ON WWW.EA.COM/2/SERVICE-UPDATES . EA MAY PROVIDE CERTAIN INCREMENTAL CONTENT AND/OR UPDATES FOR NO ADDITIONAL CHARGE, IF AND WHEN AVAILABLE.

This means, folks, that the game will not be online only. Internet is required for multiplayer and game activation but solo mode is still available.

I am sorry, but it says NOTHING about single player. All it said was that the game needed the internet to be installed... Which is true for all Origin titles.

There is nothing, nothing, that contradicts the Origin info page that said the game is Online ONLY.

Please don't show me what isn't there. I would love to be proved wrong, but you are not convincing me.

For a sandbox game like Sim City, single player is guaranteed.

To add, if there was no single player, there would be no offline mode.

And yet, no one mentioned an offline mode anywhere. I will assume nothing.

  Edited March 7, 2012 by Vallen Chaos Valiant  

[Asheroo 53]

This is what I posted in another thread in regards to those above statements......

"That message at the bottom of the Origin page is a default message that you see with every game on Origin. That statement is not meant to be about Sim City's features, but just a default message to state that an internet connection is required for Origin.

On the official Sim City site FAQ and even on that same Sim City Origin page it states that it's online only (go to the Origin page and look under Game Features)."

By the looks of it, you will most certainly be able to have your own regions with own cities (since it's just an option to have friends/others help you) but it's all online.

[GrimJr987 15]

Origin is the DRM here, and we all now that Origin is useless Malware. Nothing More, Nothing Less.

[blak 4]

I really don't think that SC5 will be "online-only".

However, I hope that the offline mode will be as good as SC4, and not just a "beta-like" video game which does nothing without an internet connection.

And I DON'T WANT to pay to unlock more buildings, cities, tile sets or the multiplayer etc.

That would be lame and annoying.

Please, Maxis, don't be the next MonteCristo...

[InCommandOfCars 22]

The video doesn't suggest no zoning what-so-ever, you see area highlight and buildings BUILD within the area, and they change when something else is placed near by (The towers spawned other towers, like seriously WTF). It actually stressed me out with some of these comments, like no offline play, of course there is! Even Cities XL had offline. And this game won't flop like Cities XL as with Cities XL you had to PAY for online aswell as the game. And as for the price tag WAKE UP, its a new game, I bough Simcity 4 Deluxe for $10 BECAUSE ITS 10 YEARS OLD, not because it is worth that, the older the game the cheaper it gets, plain logic. Of course you'll have to wave some cash, thats like expecting a phone worth $20 to be the same quality as an $1,000 one. And as for complaining about the 'Look' may i remind you this is all CONCEPT ART even the video says at the bottom "Images not representative of actual gameplay". Seriously, you are all complaining about a game you know very little about, you think because of concepts that it will be a flop but have no real evidence what so ever.

-Luke, the only person that seems to be actually excited by this announcement.

Sorry about how mean it sounds, I'm just annoyed...

  Edited March 7, 2012 by MelbourneDesigns  

[KeanoManu 42]

This online crap is really worrying. Even though there's probably will be a single player mode there's still the possibility that they'll go down the MonteCristo road (which led to that company going bankrupt). Single Player was available in Cities XL but it was a downscaled version. If you wanted all the features you had to play online.

We can only hope that they (EA/MAXIS) are sane enough to acknowledge that Custom Content has to be limitless in Single Player and that no features (like trade or landmarks) should be left out of single player. They shouldn't stop us from creating buildings that gives us a shitload of money for single player use. I personally never played SC4 without money cheats as I prefer to let my creativity do all the work and only play for leisure and not competition. I have the feeling that is the way most people here play too. Of course i want to have to think really hard to solve transportation problems and other logistics, but that's another thing.

It would also be a catastrophe if they limit the CC-creativity with the content add-ons too. We already know there will be a British, French and German add-on. Now we just have to wait for an Asian, Beach and Ski add-on and we have Cities XL EA Version... I don't mind expansion packs but they should be large and few, not small and many. It must be possible to get all possible content for the game without spending a whole months salary.

And it's also important to remember that developing an online feature will take time and resources from other features...

We also have to remember that MonteCristo didn’t announce that their Single Player would be crippled until very close to release date. The signs were there long before that though, without an official confirmation. So until EA/Maxis clearly confirms that Single Player will be just as extensive as the online crap: I will assume that they’re re-doing MonteCristos mistake.

I have one question about Origin: Do you have to be online EVERYTIME you start the game for it to work or is there an offline mode in the program like there is with Steam? I remember when Sports Interactive announces last year that their new version of Football Manager would require Steam and everyone, including myself, disliked it. Internet is down sometimes, that just the way it is but i want to play my games anyways. Steam worked though as I only had to be online for the registration and then when i want to update the game. Apart from that I can play without having an internet connection working. This is important for those who play while they commute for example.

[GrimJr987 15]

The video doesn't suggest no zoning what-so-ever, you see area highlight and buildings BUILD within the area, and they change when something else is placed near by (The towers spawned other towers, like seriously WTF). It actually stressed me out with some of these comments, like no offline play, of course there is! Even Cities XL had offline. And this game won't flop like Cities XL as with Cities XL you had to PAY for online aswell as the game. And as for the price tag WAKE UP, its a new game, I bough Simcity 4 Deluxe for $10 BECAUSE ITS 10 YEARS OLD, not because it is worth that, the older the game the cheaper it gets, plain logic. Of course you'll have to wave some cash, thats like expecting a phone worth $20 to be the same quality as an $1,000 one. And as for complaining about the 'Look' may i remind you this is all CONCEPT ART even the video says at the bottom "Images not representative of actual gameplay". Seriously, you are all complaining about a game you know very little about, you think because of concepts that it will be a flop but have no real evidence what so ever.

-Luke, the only person that seems to be actually excited by this announcement.

Sorry about how mean it sounds, I'm just annoyed...

I'm excited that a new Simcity is coming. The Problem is we're worried about EA taking 90% of the game out and charging extra for it. We're going to have to pay £65 over here in Britian for the full package (Digital Deluxe), To the guys in America, we're going to be paying the equivalent of $102.28 of we want said Digital Deluxe Edition. And thats of today (7/03/2012). The British get ripped off massively and I'm sure Europe is going to be just as bad, if not worse.

DLC in the form of Expansion packs is completely fine. The limit is DLC that was developed after the game is done, as the Art team are doing nothing much, and they can create some new skins for the fire stations, British Terraced houses, German marketplaces... You get the Idea. The problem is, Simcity is about 30% of the way through the development process, and honestly, if that game is not complete when they make the DLC packs, It should be on your Disc/In Your Download. If they complete the game then start work on the Day One DLC. Fair enough, they're assets made by the Art team.

Mass Effect 3 Is receiving a boycott and and a lot of hate because of many reasons, Mainly because of EA forcing DLC onto the game. They took a crucial part of the story and locked it off to those who had extra cash.

Also it is the fact that until we see proper gameplay, we have no idea what the game will really be like. Zoning is in the game, but It could be SC3K/SC2K style zoning or SC4 style Zoning with the streets, Will we be able to build only one city in a region or are players limited to 7 cities or something?. Will we be able to create unions and trade partnerships between cities? Have the Terraforming mechanics been altered? What elements of Societies managed to sneak their way into the game? and the two most important questions are Will the traffic network be decent enough to not require it's own version of the NAM, or Will the game Be Moddable?.

[brynhyfryd 222]

Found this in the FAQ section here http://www.simcity.com/en_US/faq

What's the diffrence between The Sims and Simcity?

Both franchises are sandbox style open worlds that give you the tools to play with life how you see fit.

The Sims franchise is a life-simulation that enables you to play with life at a personal level and focuses on individual Sims and relationships... You take care of your Sims, build relationships, work to earn money, look after their hygiene and more.

SimCity is a city-building simulation that lets you create the cities that you desire. Gameplay is focused on the choices you make and how they shape your city and power the Sims within it. Invest in heavy industry and your economy will soar—but at the expense of your Sims’ health as pollution spreads. Implement green technology and improve your Sims’ lives while risking higher taxes and unemployment. SimCity is a multiplayer game while The Sims is a single-player experience.

So looks like multiplayer only folks. I do hope I am wrong.

[Ocram's Razr 964]

I read that offline mode will exist, can have everything (content wise no online features) online mode wil have, and can have both DLC and 3rd party plug in modifications.

Also, American companies need money so when their home country's money devalues against that of another market country, they often charge a lower whole number with a greater value.

[jacksunny 741]

Multi Player 1-16

Notice the 1? That is there to say that the game can be played by yourself. All this:

SimCity is a multiplayer game while The Sims is a single-player experience.

means is that Simcity will be more enjoyable if played with friends.

[frdrcklim 139]

that was very nice insight Yoshiisland, but as Vallen Chaos Valiant said, the trailer did not mention anything about a single-player, which is odd. as to what i think, i feel sad i wasn't able to see the GDC live stream thing, but i find it hard to believe if they don't include a single-player.

I hope they show more and not more of the same. It's too early to call, so I'm still optimistic .

  Edited March 7, 2012 by frdrcklim  

[alcarcalimo2364 4]

1331133634' post='1229827']

that was very nice insight Yoshiisland, but as Vallen Chaos Valiant said, the trailer did not mention anything about a single-player, which is odd. as to what i think, i feel sad i wasn't able to see the GDC live stream thing, but i find it hard to believe if they don't include a single-player.

I hope they show more and not more of the same. It's too early to call, so I'm still optimistic .

And yet if you read the translated GameStar article, they explicitly state that there is a single player mode. Everybody needs to calm down...

If y'all watched the game changers event last night, Lucy Bradshaw was talking about how much the community affects what they're doing as designers. I think this shows that Maxis does care about what we think, and ultimately they are responsible for the game, not EA. From what I understand, although Maxis is now wholly owned by EA, they enjoy a high degree of autonomy within the company. Certainly with this new SimCity, there are going to be new concepts and ideas, but I highly doubt that Maxis is going to throw away the core things that make SimCity what it is. Maxis has never let us down before so let's stop dumping on a game before we even have any in-game screenshots! Keep your minds open, and your hopes high. The time for disappointment is later. Seriously, I've never seen so many people who should be excited for a game be so pessimistic. A lot of people are also throwing around assertions that we don't know are true. I know a lot of us have very high expectations and we have been waiting for a very long time, but let's hope for the best and complain about the worst when it's confirmed the worst is actually happening.

  Edited March 7, 2012 by alcarcalimo2364  

[Jazzmaster 716]

Multi Player 1-16

Notice the 1? That is there to say that the game can be played by yourself. All this:

SimCity is a multiplayer game while The Sims is a single-player experience.

means is that Simcity will be more enjoyable if played with friends.

Good eyes, Jack. I've added your post to the post at the top to help clarify more so everyone can see. Thanks.

If it's 1-16 players that means you will have the option to play alone. It may end up like the last couple of Need for Speed franchises where you're constantly connected to the internet, but you don't need the internet to play by yourself; there's just the scoreboards so you can keep track of yourself and friends (this is called Autolog for the NFS series).

  Edited March 7, 2012 by Yoshiisland  

[jwilson 0]

I find it hard to believe they would make the game multi-player only. It could be a form of DRM where you have to stay connected to the internet to play the game, which some publishers have done in the past, but in reading the info posted by the OP, it does not seem that is necessarily the case. The 1-16 players is the most enlightening to me--I still believe single player exists (as it should).

It is far too early to make a ton of speculation. I imagine we will find out more at E3 this year. That said, two of the biggest things I'm looking for is improved transportation networks and changing environmental conditions (i.e. seasons, weather effects, and so forth). I'm not sure the trailer actually represents the graphics in the final version, but they looked pretty good otherwise. I'm also hoping they do not dumb the game down so much that all the creativity and city-planning elements are gone.

Like many Simcity fans I have been waiting a long time for a new SC game, so I am definitely excited. Now I just need to start building my new PC so I can actually play it haha!

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

In a word, ladies and gentlemen, there is really not enough info. The program probably doesn't even have a prototype at this point. It is all mere puffing as they say in the courts when discussing advertising. Do not be mislead by hot air. Wait for some real facts, which probably means post-release. If they keep up this hype expect a box of bugs.

[NBAFAN1 28]

In a word, ladies and gentlemen, there is really not enough info. The program probably doesn't even have a prototype at this point. It is all mere puffing as they say in the courts when discussing advertising. Do not be mislead by hot air. Wait for some real facts, which probably means post-release. If they keep up this hype expect a box of bugs.

Indeed, it's way to early to make any judgements about the game.