Civitas, a possible alternative to SimCity 2013 on Kickstarter

[ROFLyoshi 1,760]

I think a lot of people are hoping it's going to come about in the way Minecraft did...

[Charizard 284]

Two of the team members (the lead designer and a programmer) just introduced themselves in a video: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1584821767/civitas-plan-develop-and-manage-the-city-of-your-d/posts

 

It's a "thank you" video really and they have more gameplay videos coming soon. This project is definitely legit. I have already put my $25. Let's just hope that they're able to reach the $250,000 by April 1st.

[AkemiAzula 280]

Yeah the video shows this is real. I'll increase my pledge once Paypal unlocks my funds. This is the chance we've been waiting for for a real sc5

[jrnavid 21]

Ok so I am not the only one who hates DRM and the always online connection required. So some developers from Austin are working on an alternative to EA's disaster of SimCity. 

 

 

 

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1584821767/civitas-plan-develop-and-manage-the-city-of-your-d

[SirChick 184]

Where have you been the last few weeks ?

[Kayweg 0]

I see one guy talking and one guy nodding, for all i know it could have been his next door neighbour.

I hear no hard facts, nothing about credentials, nothing about the other team members.

All this has been from the beginning is generic talk and intentions.

I've seen some pictures that could have been taken from a clipart site. In fact one user on their forum found the exact same crane from the civitas logo on such a site.

The terraforming video is the only sign that anything has been programmed AT ALL. (By whom and when ? who knows)

I started out backing with 25$, i have since reduced it to 1$ and ultimately cancelled alltogether.

This bubble will burst....one way or the other.

[Charizard 284]

I already gave them my $25 and upped it to $55 once the lead designer and programmer introduced themselves in that video.

[jrnavid 21]

Lol sorry I know Im late but Ive been wallowing in all the EA Fails news on SimCity. I am donating $50 as well

[simmerboy 19]

I love how you're advertising for a game that has yet to be released. This game is years away from Simcity!

[Urban Cartographer 601]

I have been watching the Civitas Kickstarter and they still need much more to wow me, and if they do, I might want to pledge.

[Indiana Joe 1,752]

Ah, perfect!  Instead of a $60 replacement for SC4, there's this game, and they only want $250,000!

 

But in all seriousness it looks interesting.

[LexusInfernus 908]

Even if these programmers are serious, there is still the simple fact that it is impossible to produce a game for just 250.000 dollars. Haven't you heard of that other kickstarter for that fighting game? It costs 150.000 dollars to produce 1 single fighting game character. And these guys claim they can make a working beta in just 9 months? With 250.000 dollars you can pay for about 10 programmers with wage of about 25.000 dollars annually. That is nothing. And then we are not even including all the other costs like office space, hardware, sound, etc. 

 

Either these people are blatantly lying trying to dupe people out of their money, or they actually have no idea what they are doing. In either case, what they promise you is impossible. 

[Charizard 284]

Even if these programmers are serious, there is still the simple fact that it is impossible to produce a game for just 250.000 dollars. Haven't you heard of that other kickstarter for that fighting game? It costs 150.000 dollars to produce 1 single fighting game character. And these guys claim they can make a working beta in just 9 months? With 250.000 dollars you can pay for about 10 programmers with wage of about 25.000 dollars annually. That is nothing. And then we are not even including all the other costs like office space, hardware, sound, etc. 

 

Either these people are blatantly lying trying to dupe people out of their money, or they actually have no idea what they are doing. In either case, what they promise you is impossible. 

 

The thing is they are allowing the community to participate in the production of the game. My guess is that most of the coding/core mechanics will be done by the team while things like building models will be contributed by the community. A good amount of people have already expressed interest in making content for the game and they are just waiting for the mod tools now.

[jrnavid 21]

Now I think in April I will buy Cities in Motion 2. With all the complicated graphs and the actual realistic looking buildings, this is a proper follow up to SC4. Im so disappointed with EA and Maxis. They ruined such a good brand

[LexusInfernus 908]

The thing is they are allowing the community to participate in the production of the game. My guess is that most of the coding/core mechanics will be done by the team while things like building models will be contributed by the community. A good amount of people have already expressed interest in making content for the game and they are just waiting for the mod tools now.

Even then, making a city simulation is not an easy task, especially for people who have never before worked on a city simulation game. Like I said, just consider that it costs 150.000 dollars to create 1 fighting game character. Just one. And these guys plan to make an entire game for just 100.000 dollars more? Yeah, its a different genre, costs are different, I know, but I do not buy for a second that making a city sim is so much cheaper compared to other games. Even if you delegate a lot of the work to the community. 

[LexusInfernus 908]

I love how you guys just pledge money to the idea that a group of about...well, so far, three programmers can build a working beta game for 250.000 dollars. 

 

Seriously that kickstarter is either a scam or run by people who have no idea what they are doing. 

[Urban Cartographer 601]

It is more likely those with very little experience making a city-building game and are new to Kickstarter.

[jrnavid 21]

I love how you guys just pledge money to the idea that a group of about...well, so far, three programmers can build a working beta game for 250.000 dollars. 

 

Seriously that kickstarter is either a scam or run by people who have no idea what they are doing. 

 

Well will the crap that SC is now, and its various errors and missing features, Im not so sure they cant build the game. Its up already to $104000

[LexusInfernus 908]

Its more that you simply can't build a game for 250.000 dollars. You need an office space, which costs money, you need to pay your employees, which costs more money, you need to pay for software licensing fees, which again, costs money, you need to pay for equipment, costs more money, you need sound effects and music, again more money. 

 

Unless they plan to work from their parents basement and the entire team agrees to give up their paying jobs just so they can build this game not expecting to get paid at all for the next few months it is pretty much impossible to make a game for this amount of money. And the fact that they actually think they can make a game like this, in such a time span for this amount just shows how inexperienced they are with doing a project the size like this. It is just unrealistic to think that 250.000 dollars is anywhere close to enough to even produce a working alfa. 

 

And think about it for a while. Major game studios have extremely large teams working on games, they have much bigger budgets and even they can't make a game of that size in less than a year. Two years minimum for the super large game studios, and they have teams ranging between 40-100 people. 

 

 

Also, even if you're new to kickstarter, this was just a horrible pitch. They based the whole thing on SimCity hate and the personal assurance that they could do it better. Pitching something on kickstarter should not be any different than pitching something to a bank for a loan. You need to explain your costs, you have to set up a projected budget, you know, have an actual business plan that goes beyond 'hurrr, we can do it better than Maxis'. Else the bank will just smile and tell you to go f yourself for wasting their time. 

[T Wrecks 10,210]

This is probably slightly off-topic, but don't you think the "Anti-SimCity 2013" is a bit exaggerated? I know many people may be dissatisfied with SC2013 (count me in!), but I'm sure the focus is more on Civitas and not on "anti-SimCity". How about something like "(possible) alternative to SC2013"? I mean, there's enough confrontation in the SC2013 discussion going on already, and why shouldn't a person who likes SC2013 also be interested in yet another good city simulation? However, if they think this is just another platform for people to bash SC2013 and its players, they certainly won't feel inclined to chime in here. Just a thought.

[Mr_Maison 2,426]

Did anyone see more than the few shots and the video of terraforming?  It's the lack of information and evidence of development that makes me pause about this. I would first give money to Train Fever where they actually have pre-alpha gameplay videos as well as many screen shots. It looks very good. From what I see of Train Fever already, I want to buy it. Can't say the same for Civitas. Beware before you give up your cash. Has the past few years and the past week not taught us anything?

[Urban Cartographer 601]

Brandon Smith also consistently misspelled "contributor" as "contributer" [sic] (especially in the list of rewards).  Speaking of list of rewards, Brandon Smith misspelled "development" as "delopment" [sic] in the "Pledge $5 or more" category.

 

Consistent typos are another sign of lack of professional presentation.

[Charizard 284]

This is probably slightly off-topic, but don't you think the "Anti-SimCity 2013" is a bit exaggerated? I know many people may be dissatisfied with SC2013 (count me in!), but I'm sure the focus is more on Civitas and not on "anti-SimCity". How about something like "(possible) alternative to SC2013"? I mean, there's enough confrontation in the SC2013 discussion going on already, and why shouldn't a person who likes SC2013 also be interested in yet another good city simulation? However, if they think this is just another platform for people to bash SC2013 and its players, they certainly won't feel inclined to chime in here. Just a thought.

The reason why I named it that was because a few of the gaming sites covering Civitas and even the kickstarter page describes itself as having everything the new SC does not have. However the devs have realized that this may be giving unwanted attention to EA and they should act like they're building a completely independent city builder, so I'll change the name.

[T Wrecks 10,210]

Oh, I see. Well, the "Anti-SC2013" part sounded a bit like "We hate SC2013 - here, we have something better" to me. I thought something in the vein of "So you are interested in city builders like the new SC2013? Well, then we might just have something for you!" might sound a bit more inviting and less likely to carry the SC2013 controvers over here. Anyway, thank you very much for changing the tile - and not least for making me aware of Civitas. 

[Urban Cartographer 601]

Update: Apparently some undisclosed white knight came to save Brandon Smith by donating $250,000: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1584821767/civitas-plan-develop-and-manage-the-city-of-your-d/posts/430635 (Brandon Smith also closed the Kickstarter)

 

That came so out of left field.

[Mr. Flibble 134]

How that had any traction after the first week amazes me. Given those three screenshots, the total lack of any communications with the team and a video from the "beta" that was nothing but silly graphics appearing on top of a colored box, I cannot believe there are so many people so willing to toss money down a hole.

[kwetzel345 101]

Hopefully tho, they really got funding and it was not fake. Keep your fingers crossed=) Can read more on there Kicksarter tho, with provided link:

 

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1584821767/civitas-plan-develop-and-manage-the-city-of-your-d/posts

[Catchin22 299]

LOL. More like they realized they would have to follow through with something or go into hiding and decided to back out.

[el.lopan 54]

They looked all too amateurish, I don't think they had the expertise to create something so complex.

[McFluffy 4]

oooh YouBeSoft Civitas, that will be fun

 

/end trolling