New Screenshots

[flyer2359 92]

Wow those screenshots that have been released today are just flat out amazing! I'm glad we have color options and the ability to disable tilt shift now as well!

[RyanMorgan95 144]

I can't make my mind up about the filters; they're nice to have, but they do very little to enhance the overall experience. Instead of working on greater building variation, or transit, or larger maps (!), they give us Instagram filters. This just reaffirms that Maxis and EA are going down the social media route in some respects. I am very glad that I can turn tilt-shift off however!

EDIT: If I had to choose a filter, it would be the "Warmer" one (actually, it looks very nice )

[semo 14]

I love these filter options! I'm excited about playing around with those and changing the look of my cities depending on my mood.

[Evillions 552]

https://twitter.com/MaxisGuillaume

These are my favorite screenshots so far. Love the curvy roads and color palette. Every time I chose a favorite picture, something else new comes along. Can't wait to design my own cities.

Agreed, one of my favorite images so far. If this sprawl is able to be generated between the buildable cities, I'd buy this game in a heartbeat.

[Guibanez_ 177]

^Base screen

^Black & Red filter

^Sepia Toned filter

^Vintage

^Faded

^Teal & Orange

^Desaturated

^Vibrant

^Bleached

^Film Noir

^Platinum

^Juicy

[Guibanez_ 177]

[Ocram's Razr 963]

I would prefer the Elegant Casino though I might build a Sci-Fi casino as well.

--Ocram

[Goldenkrow 4]

If they fix the green spots between buildings by allowing us to make fillers or something and this game is pretty much set to me. It's not exactly what I want from a sim city game (size), but it's good enough

[Pandemic 32]

Anyone know what's wrong with the intersection in this image,

Looks like there's dirt on the road..?

[Wiimeiser 444]

Sort of looks like a missing texture. Oops.

And I guess a lot of people would be going for the Bleached & Desaturated filters.

[MaxisGuillaume 289]

Anyone know what's wrong with the intersection in this image,

Looks like there's dirt on the road..?

Yeah it's because the intersection has a narrow road going into it, pretty sure it's getting fixed by the road artist.

[Morbx 16]

I saw that in another image - The one of the skate park. Look at the road in the bottom left corner... I am happy to see that they are using a similar street texture to SimCIty 4.

[Guibanez_ 177]

[SirChick 184]

Not many cars/people in these images i've noticed...

[flyer2359 92]

Not many cars/people in these images i've noticed...

I'm guessing some of those cities have a lot of transportation system and/or it could just be like 5:00AM and none of the sims are out yet.

[BLANKBLANK 4,414]

Wow those colour filters are amazing, a few of them give some really nice colour tones and some added realism. Also the building textures seem a bit more detailed; you can see individual bricks on some of the buildings so things are definitely looking up!

[CaptCity 4,756]

Folks, when posting images of the game, please be sure they are from "official" sources. With the release of the beta to some, there could be a slew of images made available that violate Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs). While this situation is being reviewed by the staff, let's honor those agreements by not posting unauthorized images.

Also, to better control this, please include a link to images posted. Images without links will be removed.

Thanks.

[StoNe220022 159]

Folks, when posting images of the game, please be sure they are from "official" sources.

I understand why you removed them, but I gotta tell you...I'm sure as hell glad I got to see them before you did

Those screenshots were brilliant, to actually see the game in action and a city progressively develop. They were very natural and authentic screens; not staged by the maxis marketing team. The only...ONLY gripe I have and it is the same that many people on this forum have voiced...The tile size would be perfectly fine if each 'city' could feel like a suburb or extension to the greater region/city.

The screen shots did make me think the tile sizes are far too small given they are 100% independent full functioning individual cities.

I recall a maxis person stating why they can't put cities together...but boy I wish they'd rethink it, and find a way...any way...to make it work.

What MaxisSparks wrote on the official forums:

We experimented a lot with this. It's what we started with. The (extremely) frustrating reality was that if cities sit right up next to each other, then they either need to be simulated for real, or they look lifeless. Neither was acceptable. If we simulated them for real, then we would have to make the cities ridiculously small. (We are giving the CPU a crazy workout with the sim!) We pounded on it for a long time, but in the end the best solution was to push the cities just a bit apart.

[Evgik 1]

I am disappointed with this cartoon graphics. The SC4 has a large scale in 2013, it is not.

[BLANKBLANK 4,414]

What MaxisSparks wrote on the official forums:

We experimented a lot with this. It's what we started with. The (extremely) frustrating reality was that if cities sit right up next to each other, then they either need to be simulated for real, or they look lifeless. Neither was acceptable. If we simulated them for real, then we would have to make the cities ridiculously small. (We are giving the CPU a crazy workout with the sim!) We pounded on it for a long time, but in the end the best solution was to push the cities just a bit apart.

Just have an animation in the background, so a smattering of cars in the neighbouring city with the connections, or even just have frozen cars (because you're not playing with that city so it is in temporal limbo)... Whatever, I couldn't really care if the neighbouring city was lifeless just as long as it CONNECTS with the adjacent city without that silly grassy patch...

Besides, even if the cities are still a little apart, you're STILL going to see a lifeless adjacent city except with a ridiculous grassy patch making the whole thing even more ridiculous!

[guitarmatt99 27]

Note: This is off topic but im sure everyone wont mind!

Beta is coming Jan 25th - 28th!

I'm so glad they have finally announced it!

[DmainEvent 195]

What MaxisSparks wrote on the official forums:

We experimented a lot with this. It's what we started with. The (extremely) frustrating reality was that if cities sit right up next to each other, then they either need to be simulated for real, or they look lifeless. Neither was acceptable. If we simulated them for real, then we would have to make the cities ridiculously small. (We are giving the CPU a crazy workout with the sim!) We pounded on it for a long time, but in the end the best solution was to push the cities just a bit apart.

Just have an animation in the background, so a smattering of cars in the neighbouring city with the connections, or even just have frozen cars (because you're not playing with that city so it is in temporal limbo)... Whatever, I couldn't really care if the neighbouring city was lifeless just as long as it CONNECTS with the adjacent city without that silly grassy patch...

Besides, even if the cities are still a little apart, you're STILL going to see a lifeless adjacent city except with a ridiculous grassy patch making the whole thing even more ridiculous!

They should have kept this in mind when designing the simulation from Jump street. If they listened to their CUSTOMERS they would know that people don't mind if the connected cities are lifeless.

I must have repeated this ad-nauseum, but they could have perfected the region view by breaking up the simulation into smaller 'focuses'-Region, City, District.

District: the full blown glassbox simulation is running. 4-6 districts make up a city. While in a district focus, 4-6 district glassbox simulations run in parallel. While moving over the map, if you are looking at the edge of a city, two (or more, as long as no more than 6 districts are running) districts in different cities would be simulated. BTW, all Region and City level glassbox simulation calculations are being performed when in this focus.

City level simulations are more macro-level to the city. What they could be who knows, I am not close enough to the code. When in the City 'focus' district level simulations are performed, just not between cities. But region level simulations are performed.

In region 'focus' you will only have region level simulations being performed. Basically tax revenue, movement of sim's and goods and not much else. But who cares, at this level, you are mostly admiring your creation.

That is just a general idea, but it could be expanded/adapted to the realities of the simulation. Too bad they don't have me as the application level architect.

[SirChick 184]

Folks, when posting images of the game, please be sure they are from "official" sources. With the release of the beta to some, there could be a slew of images made available that violate Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs). While this situation is being reviewed by the staff, let's honor those agreements by not posting unauthorized images.

Also, to better control this, please include a link to images posted. Images without links will be removed.

Thanks.

The BETA does not have a NDA. Even if it does itll be over youtube in seconds. Its futile to try to prevent it.

[Guibanez_ 177]

https://twitter.com/MaxisGuillaume

[yuriwild 4]

Screenshots are getting better and nicer to look at. This makes sense since we are getting closer to the release date.

I really like what I see. Of course in many situations I would make different choices in my SC.

What I miss so far is more and detailed images of mass transportation. But maybe there will be something like the Rush Hour expansion.

It would be great to see a transportation hub, train, bus, tram, all together.

[flyer2359 92]

[Guibanez_ 177]

https://twitter.com/oceanquigley

[Guibanez_ 177]

https://twitter.com/MaxisGuillaume

[Haljackey 17,306]

Ocean's stuff is crap aside from the curved road bridge IMO, but at least Guillaume's pic is nice.

[Guibanez_ 177]

https://twitter.com/oceanquigley