Tile size embarassing small

[mastorofpuppetz 199]

I knew the tiles were smaller but WOW, I am amazed just how little room we have, it's embarassing releasing sim city in 2013 and have such limited build space, forget about building a good size city, heck small town as all you will get. The graphics are also fairly poor my 3 year old PC doesnt even break a sweat. No excuse for EA to release the game with such a restriction.

 

It seems even smaller then the medium tiles in SC4, by far, due to how zonig works and the invisible walls at the borders.

[SirChick 184]

It is small but they said they plan to expand the size. But i would not be surprised if we have to pay for that.

 

It bugs me the city tiles are perfect rectangles or squares... looks so out of place to the landscape.

[jcole4lsu 32]

Graphics are not the reason the tile is so small, its the Glassbox engine.  Unfortunately the entire simulation runs on a single thread and thus the current size is all mainstream computers can handle presently (according to EA at least).  I wouldn't expect any change in that until a sequel.  Hello SimCity 2018!

[lars_city 23]

I knew the tiles were smaller but WOW, I am amazed just how little room we have, it's embarassing releasing sim city in 2013 and have such limited build space, forget about building a good size city, heck small town as all you will get. The graphics are also fairly poor my 3 year old PC doesnt even break a sweat. No excuse for EA to release the game with such a restriction.

 

It seems even smaller then the medium tiles in SC4, by far, due to how zonig works and the invisible walls at the borders.

 

Crank up the AA, remove FPS limit and you'll see your graphic card bleed and fire up :-)

 

And had you been just a bit tat more interested in reading about the game before you bought it, you would have known that city sizes were drastically reduced compared to SimCity 4. And I'm very happy they're reduced, I don't have the time anymore for that huge development projects, I find it boring now adays :-P

[kgpurrs 107]

I knew the tiles were smaller but WOW, I am amazed just how little room we have, it's embarassing releasing sim city in 2013 and have such limited build space, forget about building a good size city, heck small town as all you will get. The graphics are also fairly poor my 3 year old PC doesnt even break a sweat. No excuse for EA to release the game with such a restriction.

 

It seems even smaller then the medium tiles in SC4, by far, due to how zonig works and the invisible walls at the borders.

 

Crank up the AA, remove FPS limit and you'll see your graphic card bleed and fire up :-)

 

And had you been just a bit tat more interested in reading about the game before you bought it, you would have known that city sizes were drastically reduced compared to SimCity 4. And I'm very happy they're reduced, I don't have the time anymore for that huge development projects, I find it boring now adays :-P

 

C'mon be fair, we knew they were small, but it was misleading, the scale isn't as proportional as the Simcity 4 tile size they were comparing it to.  So it is a bit of a shock, I was running out of room pretty quickly too.  It's a legitimate complaint...  don't brush it off.  Its a culture change and first reaction is always going to be shock.

[simmerboy 19]

Once again, Simcity is not a sequel to Simcity 4, it's a new beginning for the series. I wouldn't compare Simcity to SC4.

[T Wrecks 10,209]

Somehow I seem to remember having read about this topic once or twice...  nah, can't be.

[jcole4lsu 32]

Once again, Simcity is not a sequel to Simcity 4, it's a new beginning for the series. I wouldn't compare Simcity to SC4.

The map is small under any standards, not just in relation to SC4.  AND we know why its so small and that explanation feels very, very lacking to me.  

[lars_city 23]

So what are your specs? Then let me judge whether or not it is something I consider High-end pc or not.

 

I recall how they compared the two things, yes, but I also got my own mind to judge with, I never take anything for granted, so yes I knew what was coming very well. I recall the medium comparason, I quickly realised that were far from the truth, why did you not?

 

Yes, I'm actually OK with the reduced city size, I remember SC4's huge regional maps, it was OK for me a long time ago when I had the time to invest into it, now that game is dead to me, mostly because it seems like a huge amount of work to work with those regions. I do not have that kind of time anymore, and thus a smaller city size suits me very well now, while still feeling I get the maximum out of the city. True one could just build smaller cities, however trust me, who stops before the map is filled? :-P You know you won't, thus reducing the size for me is a good thing for people like me who still want the feeling of them getting to the point were it would be "acceptible" to claim another location and work on it.

 

Anyway, we disagree, so be it, instead of trying to insult my intelligence by claiming my standpoint as being an excuse for Maxis decision

[mastorofpuppetz 199]

So what are your specs? Then let me judge whether or not it is something I consider High-end pc or not.

 

I recall how they compared the two things, yes, but I also got my own mind to judge with, I never take anything for granted, so yes I knew what was coming very well. I recall the medium comparason, I quickly realised that were far from the truth, why did you not?

 

Yes, I'm actually OK with the reduced city size, I remember SC4's huge regional maps, it was OK for me a long time ago when I had the time to invest into it, now that game is dead to me, mostly because it seems like a huge amount of work to work with those regions. I do not have that kind of time anymore, and thus a smaller city size suits me very well now, while still feeling I get the maximum out of the city. True one could just build smaller cities, however trust me, who stops before the map is filled? :-P You know you won't, thus reducing the size for me is a good thing for people like me who still want the feeling of them getting to the point were it would be "acceptible" to claim another location and work on it.

 

Anyway, we disagree, so be it, instead of trying to insult my intelligence by claiming my standpoint as being an excuse for Maxis decision

Again how is reducing and limiting gameplay a good thing when you could still build as small or little as you want? Please explain? Anyone wanting to build a real city in this game simply cannot, but with big maps you could still builkd small towns and smaller regions, remember terraforming?...... Not rocket science. Taking options away is never a good thingm unless you're a narrow minded fanboy.

[lars_city 23]

To my understanding this game offers far more in terms of actually gameplay than any previous SimCity did? Now I only played SC3 and 4, but it was very much repetition, and I couldn't really see that many different approaches to creating a well working city without repeating myself over and over again, one thing I dislike today it is repetitions. What I might be trying to go at is that the size seems manage-able for me without thinking, omg this will take ages! Meaning I can get somewhere every evening without thinking to myself, geez need to invest like 20 hours before it becomes interesting. Yes, I get it that "quick" enjoyment might not be your thing, but it fits me a lot better nowadays, it is easier to take 1 hour gaming for me and then stop feeling like getting a "kick", which is the entire reason we all play, of course you might not get this kick.

 

I wouldn't count myself as a fanboy in any regard, disliked Societies a lot, and haven't really played SimCity for years now, only recent reinstalled SC4, only to realise it bored the heck out of me now... especially considering what SC2013 had to offer. I genuiently see this game as a great game, which will give me hundreds of hours of enjoyment over the next many years, just like SC3 and SC4 did, and I was terrible at SC3 to begin with budget management, euhm not really!

 

BTW, game designing and development is just as difficult as Rocket Science, if not more! And you know why? Because it involves people like you and me, we've complex gaming personalities, that does not follow any logic patterns :-P Think about that ^^

[Catchin22 299]

The city sizes are indeed WAY too small. You don't have to compare it to another game to realize that. What happens is you end up with a perfectly square city packed to the boarders with sky scrapers which does not look right at all. Or you force your city to stay low in population and reduce what it can do to make it look more realistic. Both options aren't really pleasing.

The ONLY reason they would have limited city size was to sell DLC for expansions. They could have made large and small regions just like SC4 but they didn't. Come on, it's obvious why they did it. Anyone willing to pay $60 for this game now and continues to play it will feel as if they need to pay more to make the game complete, and probably will.

[lars_city 23]

The city sizes are indeed WAY too small. You don't have to compare it to another game to realize that. What happens is you end up with a perfectly square city packed to the boarders with sky scrapers which does not look right at all. Or you force your city to stay low in population and reduce what it can do to make it look more realistic. Both options aren't really pleasing.

The ONLY reason they would have limited city size was to sell DLC for expansions. They could have made large and small regions just like SC4 but they didn't. Come on, it's obvious why they did it. Anyone willing to pay $60 for this game now and continues to play it will feel as if they need to pay more to make the game complete, and probably will.

 

Unfortunately DLC have come to stay, you might just as well accept it and move into this Era of modern gaming... I certainly does not like it either... but I have come to realise it ain't going away!

[alex macnamara 139]

Somehow I seem to remember having read about this topic once or twice...  nah, can't be.

yea its the 31 page thread i made called SIZE and its stickied at the very top! Folks we need to be carefull about ranting new threads about problems and look at the sticky and previous threads first before making a new thread.

[croxis 150]

Despite the small size I have spent all day iterating on one city, and it is no where near "done"

[Panda_Power 1]

Once again, Simcity is not a sequel to Simcity 4, it's a new beginning for the series. I wouldn't compare Simcity to SC4.

 

I really think that's where they went wrong. If they'd have called their new game anything other than SimCity then people would be raving about it being a fabulous new city builder game.

[Spatzimaus 77]

If they'd have called their new game anything other than SimCity then people would be raving about it being a fabulous new city builder game.

 

Actually, I think the real problem was that SimCity 4 used the SimCity name ten years ago, when it really shouldn't have.  This SimCity feels a LOT closer to the older games, to me, while SC4 was very different from its predecessors.  SC4 was much more micromanagement-heavy, had a more realistic art style, used huge tiles, and so on; if any game broke the pattern, it was that one.

[Catchin22 299]

My personal issue with the small tiles is how RIDICULOUS they look! Even though the game does not have a realistic style having a small "city" with skyscrapers packed to the edges looks terrible. It's not a city simulator in the sense of simulating what a city looks like at all hardly. Had they called this SimTown, got rid of the skyscrapers, I think it would have been very fitting and more enjoyable.

[mastorofpuppetz 199]

To my understanding this game offers far more in terms of actually gameplay than any previous SimCity did? Now I only played SC3 and 4, but it was very much repetition, and I couldn't really see that many different approaches to creating a well working city without repeating myself over and over again, one thing I dislike today it is repetitions. What I might be trying to go at is that the size seems manage-able for me without thinking, omg this will take ages! Meaning I can get somewhere every evening without thinking to myself, geez need to invest like 20 hours before it becomes interesting. Yes, I get it that "quick" enjoyment might not be your thing, but it fits me a lot better nowadays, it is easier to take 1 hour gaming for me and then stop feeling like getting a "kick", which is the entire reason we all play, of course you might not get this kick.

 

I wouldn't count myself as a fanboy in any regard, disliked Societies a lot, and haven't really played SimCity for years now, only recent reinstalled SC4, only to realise it bored the heck out of me now... especially considering what SC2013 had to offer. I genuiently see this game as a great game, which will give me hundreds of hours of enjoyment over the next many years, just like SC3 and SC4 did, and I was terrible at SC3 to begin with budget management, euhm not really!

 

BTW, game designing and development is just as difficult as Rocket Science, if not more! And you know why? Because it involves people like you and me, we've complex gaming personalities, that does not follow any logic patterns :-P Think about that ^^

HUH? Play SC4 and come back please, sc4 offers way moe gameplay options then this one does.

 

http://arstechnica.com/gaming/2013/03/simcity-impressions-we-waited-ten-years-for-this/

 

Article says it all.

[SirChick 184]

Somehow I seem to remember having read about this topic once or twice...  nah, can't be.

yea its the 31 page thread i made called SIZE and its stickied at the very top! Folks we need to be carefull about ranting new threads about problems and look at the sticky and previous threads first before making a new thread.

 

We need to be careful? Will a black hole form ?

[StoNe220022 159]

This is ridiculous; as every single one of you knew how tiny the map sizes were.

 

If you forked out cash and have finally realised this for yourself then shame on you for not reading a single article, one forum, or one youtube vid before buying...it's your bad.

[mastorofpuppetz 199]

This is ridiculous; as every single one of you knew how tiny the map sizes were.

 

If you forked out cash and have finally realised this for yourself then shame on you for not reading a single article, one forum, or one youtube vid before buying...it's your bad.

No we didnt they said same size as medium tiles in SC4, they are considerable smaller, and there are invisible walls around the boundaries of the tiles, get real.  I knew it was small but there are no other sim builders around, the kicker is they misled us they are even smaller then what they said, it's pathetic.

[lars_city 23]

 

Somehow I seem to remember having read about this topic once or twice...  nah, can't be.

yea its the 31 page thread i made called SIZE and its stickied at the very top! Folks we need to be carefull about ranting new threads about problems and look at the sticky and previous threads first before making a new thread.

 

We need to be careful? Will a black hole form ?

Might be a bureaucratic 'form' nightmare! Imagine all your filled out forms go into a black hole, omg!

[AkemiAzula 280]

I was initially a tile-size hater, sc4 reminiscer etc. I remain so. However I am giving Mr Quigley the benefit of the doubt when he says tile sizes will expand in future and the reason for their present limitation is due to GlassBox simulating so many entities at once.

 

Having said that there is nothing wrong with speculating the future or suggesting and discussing how the tiles should be improved if and when Maxis takes that step.

 

In my ideal SC we'd have sc4 sixed regions, which we could terraform at regional level, and cities would expand naturally as the development within expanded outward like in reality. In 2000 Network Edition Mayors could 'buy' land within the same city. So it is obviously possible to have more dynamic borders, even if it means 'freezing' a neighbouring city or 'taking over' one.

 

Whatever expansion method is employed (and I'm sure someone at EA is smart enough to think of an ideal one, mind you Buggi's strength and radius idea for BoomTown sounds pretty good) I think tiles being contiguous is pretty important. If you want to have space between cities that should be a design decision, not forced gameplay feature.

 

But if the compromise is necessary what can we do

[jcole4lsu 32]

 

However I am giving Mr Quigley the benefit of the doubt when he says tile sizes will expand in future and the reason for their present limitation is due to GlassBox simulating so many entities at once.

Perhaps a better question for Mr. Quigley is why didn't they design GlassBox from the ground up to use multiple cores for the simulation.  As is, I cannot imagine a scenario in which they redesign the engine to make use of multi-core systems in just an expansion.  We are going to have to wait for an all out sequel before it gets much better.

[mrbisonm 1,620]

It should be called "Simvillage" or "Simville" instead of Simcity, no city is that small. Sigh!

[Djohaal 121]

I recall reading that tile size was two square kilomters. That gives roughly 1,4km on a side. Unacceptably small. I believe such size was chosen by maxis due to their agent based approach, which is proven to scale /very/ poorly.

[AkemiAzula 280]

The GlassBox excuse only makes sense with regards to one city. The lack of contiguous tiles stems from the multiplayer aspect of the game. However in single player mode the cities are still located in the same positions, which seems odd given that there isn't any proper multiplayer activity in such a region.

 

One could of course sign some petition for larger tile sizes. Either EA would give in, or we'd get a jolly good reason for not doing so. But who is going to type up a petition for larger tile sizes for a game that is server based and could stop existing in a few years? For me this game is just an amusing experiment with GlassBox. I'm not taking this seriously, obviously. This isn't Simcity 5 or anything. It's Simcity 4.5.

[Motina 77]

 

 

However I am giving Mr Quigley the benefit of the doubt when he says tile sizes will expand in future and the reason for their present limitation is due to GlassBox simulating so many entities at once.

Perhaps a better question for Mr. Quigley is why didn't they design GlassBox from the ground up to use multiple cores for the simulation.  As is, I cannot imagine a scenario in which they redesign the engine to make use of multi-core systems in just an expansion.  We are going to have to wait for an all out sequel before it gets much better.

 

So we are talking about a 32bit one core game.... what were they thinking. Anyways, considering http://arstechnica.c...years-for-this/ pics of their cities of 200k pop... how about placing 5 sims per house instead of like 30. Therefore you have just as many entities, but requiring a much bigger map for a 200k pop.

 

Who does not have a multicore 64bit processor?

[AkemiAzula 280]

 

 

 

However I am giving Mr Quigley the benefit of the doubt when he says tile sizes will expand in future and the reason for their present limitation is due to GlassBox simulating so many entities at once.

Perhaps a better question for Mr. Quigley is why didn't they design GlassBox from the ground up to use multiple cores for the simulation.  As is, I cannot imagine a scenario in which they redesign the engine to make use of multi-core systems in just an expansion.  We are going to have to wait for an all out sequel before it gets much better.

 

So we are talking about a 32bit one core game.... what were they thinking. Anyways, considering http://arstechnica.c...years-for-this/ pics of their cities of 200k pop... how about placing 5 sims per house instead of like 30. Therefore you have just as many entities, but requiring a much bigger map for a 200k pop.

 

Who does not have a multicore 64bit processor?

By gum you've said it. That's the solution! If the GlassBox agents were less dense... then we could have larger maps... Best suggest this to EA and Mr Quigley post haste what