SimCity Inside: The Business of the Global Market

[ferryv 94]

Hi There,

Did you read the blog on SimCity Inside about the global market? (http://www.simcity.com/en_US/insider/blog/article/The-Business-of-the-Global-Market) Stone Librande, the Lead Designer of SimCity, is talking about de Beta version They want to test the Global Market during the Beta. I must say it sounds pretty sweet. Building a traiding depot and if your city trades more even build a trade harbour And the example of buying raw material like ore and melt it to metal and sell it for a profit. This new feauture of Global Market maybe bring an extra cool dimension to SimCity.

How do you feel about this extra option?

Greetings,

FerryV

[His Divine Hand 244]

As for me, big meh. Much like CXL, a game mechanic just to justify why it is online. At least EA isn't charging you a monthly subscription for it.

[flyer2359 92]

I'm definitely interested to see how this global market will play out. I think it will actually add to the game and make it more interesting as it's another thing for the player to do and we haven't seen something to this scale in a game before.

[cirugo 1,889]

I think this new feature would be just fine if it was optional...

[nukeu123 307]

certainly interesting....

EDIT

I think this new feature would be just fine if it was optional...

did you not read the article?

The Global Market is optional. If you want to isolate your city from the rest of the world then you don’t need to place a Trade Depot. However, keep in mind that resources are limited. If your electricity is being generated by coal or oil then you will need to shift to renewable energy sources when you exhaust your regional supply.

^quoted in the article 5th paragraph^

  Edited August 24, 2012 by nukeu123  

[Netuno 97]

It seems that some people think will earn real money in SimCity 2013. Hahahahaha!

I still prefer to continue playing in single player mode and not enter this ridiculous contest.

[Jokurr 175]

Sounds cool I guess.

But it doesn't make up for the lack of other features that I would have liked to see in the game.

[ferryv 94]

Sounds cool I guess.

But it doesn't make up for the lack of other features that I would have liked to see in the game.

I know what you mean (empty spaces, terraforming, saving cities online etc) but i just try to look at the positive things. That they making SimCity at first is already positive for me. That its build by Maxis is great. And that i played the Alpha and liked it was even better I think the end result is not gonna be totaly like i want it to be. But im sure its gonna be a fantastic game, next to my fav. SC4 game. And maybe its even gonna be my SC4 killer. (fingers crossed) Thanks anyway for your feedback

[Decius 360]

As for me, big meh. Much like CXL, a game mechanic just to justify why it is online. At least EA isn't charging you a monthly subscription for it.

Yet...

remmember the nature of EA ..

"Simcity World offer"

almost looks real doesn't it?

[Selphy 69]

I'm not the biggest fan of the Global Market. I'll use it to the extent that I need to keep my cities running but I don't like playing the markets.

I'm glad that it's not entirely forced on you. Whenever I use it I'll just assume that I'm trading with a computer or something.

[Urban Cartographer 601]

I find the concept interesting, but it is more appropriate for SimCity World than it is for SC5. For SC5, this concept should be completely optional. I want to play a city simulator, not an economic simulator.

[egod6969 8]

Since when did city Mayors manage the trade of commodities?

[Patricius Maximus 236]

It sounds nice for those who are interested in the multiplayer experience. It's good news that it's going to be optional, but we still have the internet connection requirement to contend with. A real single-player mode should at least be playable without an internet connection. The limited resources adds in a new level of realism to the game experience. That and the Glassbox engine have so much potential, but it's all been spoiled with all these rotten features and lack thereof.

[VMIUJcadet09 250]

Could be cool, another aspect to the game. I am cautiously optimistic about this game. I know it won't be like SC4, but hopefully it won't be a disaster like SC Societies. IMO, even if it's like Cities XL or Cities in Motion that's a step in the right direction, I've played both those games and generally liked them a bit.

[pyanodon 218]

the fact of harvesting raw resources in one place, transform them into products and go to another place to use it remembers me the production chains from Anno series.

[aparrot7 82]

Since when did city Mayors manage the trade of commodities?

Since when did City Mayors Lay out Roads and Zone?

A Mayor is a purely political job. They listen to the needs and requests of the people, and run for reelection. SimCity is already a mash-up between a mayor, city planner, and god. This is just another aspect to add to the depth.

[Decius 360]

the fact of harvesting raw resources in one place, transform them into products and go to another place to use it remembers me the production chains from Anno series.

not to mention the settlers, one of the best logistical games imo

[Rokugatsu 126]

It sounds great! Much better than I excpected, can't wait to play

[VeritaScientia 150]

I wonder if the Global Market could work like this:

Have a trade depot in a port city, and have that city connected to the global market, but other cities don't directly participate in the global market, they send their imports and exports through the port city

[RyanMorgan95 144]

It's great they've included resources such as oil, water, coal, metals and manufactured products such as electronics and alloys, but they've forgotten perhaps the most fundamental resource of all - food! Food would be a great resource, because it is partially dependant on oil for machinery and transit, and of course water. Once one's city has run out of an exhaustible resource, food can replace it and is totally sustainable, providing machinery is powered by electricity from a renewable resource. Farm modules could include the huge water sprinklers, sheds to store crops, and additional pens for domesticated animals for example.

  Edited August 27, 2012 by RyanMorgan95  

[Jim14409 448]

It sounds interesting for those looking for a "business tycoon" type of play. If it pans out I'm sure it will be fun for many but I still say it should not be called Sim City as it is an entirely new game with some city building qualities. Tropico? Anno series? Even Railroads was about increasing the size of your city yet did not focus on city planning and building like SC4 always has even before MODS. This new game comes closer to being in the group of the games mentioned than it does of being any of the previous Sim City games.

[NCGAIO 562]

the fact of harvesting raw resources in one place, transform them into products and go to another place to use it remembers me the production chains from Anno series.

How about going further behind ... Pharaoh and the entire series of games based on these principles since 1993.

- org/wiki/Pharaoh

- org/wiki/City_Building_Series

That's what I call take seriously the thing to Reboot games ..

I wonder if the Global Market could work like this:

Have a trade depot in a port city, and have that city connected to the global market, but other cities don't directly participate in the global market, they send their imports and exports through the port city

Port ?? Where ?? Must be another game!!

  Edited August 27, 2012 by NCGAIO  

[Daytripper 41]

Port ?? Where ?? Must be another game!!

At the end of the third paragraph in the blog post, there is a reference to ports:

Moving large quantities of freight through your road network is bound to cause traffic congestion, so serious traders will want to invest in a Trade Port which can connect directly to their neighbors.

[NCGAIO 562]

" will want to invest in the Trade Port "

The reference is not about harbors. Would have to assume that all cities will have contact with the sea if so some neighbors could only be accessed by boat or bridges!

The Community airport shows the restrictions on such developments.

  Edited September 2, 2012 by NCGAIO  

[baertooth 330]

If you don't connect to the global market via the trade depot you don't have to trade. But if you don't eventually you'll run out of resources and have to rely on renewables only.

But what happens when everyone runs out in the global market?

Is that part of the eventual game play is that there is going to be a energy/resource crisis as resources run out in every region? Or is EA going to pump resources in the market to keep it artificially floating?

[VeritaScientia 150]

" will want to invest in the Trade Port "

The reference is not about harbors. Would have to assume that all cities will have contact with the sea if so some neighbors could only be accessed by boat or bridges!

The Community airport shows the restrictions on such developments.

Ports don't have to be near water, really. Dallas and Las Vegas were both built on railroad industry. In fact, Las Vegas is a classic example of how SimCities would have to evolve. It was once a railroad town, but gradually evolved into what it is today. When you add water to a Las Vegas or a Dallas, you end up with Chicago or Los Angeles.

As for the airport, Maxis really hasn't expanded much on this idea yet, and I would like to hear more about it. Airports can be very big for local economies. Look at Louisville--their airport is the hub for UPS's air freight operations, and that has helped Louisville become the 7th largest inland port in the US.