Simcity 2013 or simcity 4

[Snorp09 5]

I made this form for people to say if you prefer simcity 2013 (simcity 5) or simcity 4

 

Me? I love simcity 4. Simcity 5? You have to earn disasters! The servers never work. Maybe I am better off with simcity 4 or cities XL.

 

What do you think?

[eggabooha 1]

ya i think so too

[VazFox 48]

SimCity 4. If you've never played a SimCity game before.. you'd probably enjoy the new SimCity... but if your a long time fan of how the old SimCity's worked and functioned, you won't enjoy it for very long. It was fun for a while when I first played it, but it left me feeling off and I wanted the old SimCity back... Back to SC4 for me... =)

[AIX 270]

Aside from the obvious that has been discussed at length around here, there are aspects of the new game I do think are promising. I like the GlassBox engine. I like having protesters at city hall. I like the trading. I just wish it all worked better and so many other limitations were lifted.

 

That said, SC4 is still a beautiful game and I could be content with it for decades more.

[MandelSoft 2,775]

SimCity 2013, as it currently is, has not convinced me to even buy the game. Long time experience with its predecessors SimCity 2000, 3000 and 4. SC2013 doesn't seem to fit in this series. Some design decisions are... illogical...

 

I might want to try the game later on, but now, I'll keep calm and mod on with SimCity 4.

[YukiEiriKun 29]

I'll stick to SC4 until that time when SC(-13) is a) supporting offline gaming and thus local save files and b) much, much cheaper.

 

Unfortunately, I don't think that'll ever happen.
Luckily, SC4 gives more city to play with.

[MINIggy03 227]

SimCity 4 is $5, pick that up and wait until EA works out the server issues.

[elektrichead22 10]

sc4!!!! why is no one saying anything about simcity socities..... it's like the dark secret swept under the rug??  i went into socities with the same blind pre order hope.... i knew things werent going to be the same but was awstruck at the complete bastardization of the series.... and am I the only one that see's an weird realtion to tropico 4 and 3? no terra same roads (kalypso should sue) only difference is tropico has Bigger maps

[Cdesigner 8]

I tried Cities XL and got disappointed, and I'm not going to try SimCity 3013 because I know I will be disappointed. For me it's only SimCity 4 for now.
 

[SS3K 160]

I've not said anything bad about simcity 5 as I have yet to play it so I am not entitled to an opinion, all what I've said I knew that there would be server problems for always online connection and the game will have many issues/bugs. For me simcity 4 deluxe is my simcity game, it will never age unless if you keep downloading mods etc from this community and others like it.

 

If simcity 5 had been a cd game and internet play not needed I think I'd be playing it now, I remember when simcity 4 came along and thought it looked cartoonish. I always give new games about 6 months after it's launch so i can make me own mind if I want to buy it or not, example it took me 2 years to own a copy of ghostbusters for the xbox reason being mixed feelings about it. I have it and it's what I expected it to be like, one thing is for sure its the only game I have come across what has been far better than the original game.

[GMT 389]

sc4.
doesnt look as good as 2013, but at least it works without internet.
now... that's weird... cuz 2013 doesn't work with internet either...

[Essex 322]

SC4 over anything, really. Make this a poll btw.

[r00n83 12]

SC4 and Cities XL for me. Not tried SC 2013 yet and will not buy until they fix the issues.

[trackstar35 13]

Sc4 for me. I love to solve transportation issues, using the NAM for custom highways and mass transit. Roads and mass transit is not a main component in sc2013, which is where I think they will miss out with many SimCity franchise players. No subways even, come on sc2013!

[stephen_wren 11]

SC 4, of course. Even if you don't consider the SC 2013 launch disaster, in its current state it seems more shallow than SC 4 Deluxe. Even its bright, glossy visuals look like something made to sell it as a kid's/casual game, compared to the more sober style of SC 4. Moreover, pretty much every of the SC 2013's meaningful innovations has been implemented somewhere else. E.g., the freeform roads doubled as water mains and power cables have first appeared in City Life, the possibility to upgrade the buildings already was there in Tycoon Cities: New York, and so on. I am still to be persuaded that SC 2013 has the killer feature that will make me grab it and forget SC 4 or Cities XL. Last, but not least, there's the modability question. Both SC 4 and Cities XL have many user-created mods to offer a whole new gameplay experience, but with the always-online model of SC 2013 the mods are right out. 

[mastorofpuppetz 199]

Its not a competition SC4 is a far superior game, sad because there are some really good improvements with 5, but too many things taken away and too limited.

[Cougar2004 127]

I've been on Break from playing SC4 for a while. And the media hype around SC5 (2013) got my attention.  I have been seeking reviews online, comparisons to find out what i gain, what i lose, and non-biased testimonials from people who come from a SC4 Deluxe background like me who use the NAM and love other mod content from Simtropolis like me.  But I have yet to find anything to convince me to pay the huge price to try the new game. Maybe someday!

 

So far, it seems I'd have to upgrade my computer or buy a new one to play SC5 (2013). I have read that it requires Internet access, but other places Ive read that it can be played locally on my computer, so still not sure which is right.  It looks like a lot less disaster options are available, some limitations on how zones are placed, and Sims can no longer be imported from the other games. A big problem for me is that it has been said that custom content cannot be added, nor custom mods, so it would never truly be MY game, but just someone else's game that I might choose to play on occassion.  On the other hand, SC4 is customized and truly MY game!

 

I like the ability in the new SC5 (2013) to add parts onto existing buildings/property! The Videos make the scenary and buildings and automata look pretty cool too.  It appears that there are more building style sets.  And I like the team play option, which I actually proposed on Simtropolis Forum here years ago in my SimTourist Thread. Nice to see they used the idea, however they didnt implement it far enough as originally envisioned. I do want to add that im impressed with Nvidia!! They have specifically developed a profile for the new SimCity game in their latest driver and provided a new Nvidia Experience App that is designed to work specifically with the new SimCity 5 (2013) if you get their v1.1.

 

For now, I'm not feeling like diving into the new SC5, but Id probably try it when the price drops down to under $20 someday, and for sure ill try it for the $5 that SC4 now sells at in many places. I enjoyed reading everyones comments here, but I hope some people who love the new game will also choose to post in this thread.  On the plus side, the new game made me log back into Simtropolis and consider playing SC4 again. 

[tnobles 38]

I have read that it requires Internet access, but other places Ive read that it can be played locally on my computer, so still not sure which is right.

On-line only. Offline will play for 20 minutes and that's it. What I've read anyway.

[azxcvbnm321 17]

All saves require you to be online.  You can play with a hack mod offline, but you won't be able to save.  Then again, even if you're online you might not be able to save due to server issues.  SimCity5 is broken, not due to the online only requirement, but due to pathfinding and core mechanisms that don't work well.  It looks pretty, but once you try to play for more than 2 hours, your city will self destruct due to traffic, pollution, crime, disasters, fire, or a combination of all of the above.  

[webby15 4]

I've played all three of SimCity 4, Cities XL and SimCity 5, so here's my thoughts:

 

SimCity 4 I would play for hours and hours and hours on end. Its gameplay was fantastic and so addictive. When I first bought the game I remember it being far more complex than SimCity 3000 and it took a while to understand how the game actually worked, particularly within regional play. Saying that, I don't think I've ever created a city that I felt was perfect, and this has kept me playing the game. Previously I didn't download any of the mods, so lots of unemployment zots would be the story of my cities, but now I've got the NAM, things are easier and my cities are developing nicely.

 

I first bought Cities XL as I was amazed by the realism of the graphics, even with a sub standard graphics card. I particularly enjoyed the freedom I had to produce curvy roads, allowing myself to create more realistic cities. There were a few other nice touches too, such as the underground and bus route tools. However, there are a few things missing, such as rail networks and trams. But the thing the game missed the most was a bit of character, it didn't feel like SimCity. There was no disasters, no protesting against high taxes or low health levels. It almost felt like I was building zombie city.

 

Like everyone else, when I heard about SimCity 5, I was excited. It'd been far too long since the previous game, and like everyone else, I feared that the franchise had died. Well, if I'm completely honest, it did. Even though I'd read some bad reviews about the game, I was curious to buy the game (I guess EA did a good enough job to claim my £40 in exchange for the game). The always online thing doesn't actually bother me, apart from the occasional crashing that occurs, but hey, SimCity 4 always crashed on me. No, the thing that bothers me is the game seems to have been designed for your typical ipad gamer, from the graphic design to the gameplay. It looks very simple, too simple. And don't get me started on the map sizes. What bothers me most about the maps is they've spent so much time designing these maps, yet they only allow you to play in specific regions that are so small. Sure, they're are some nice touches to the game, I like the add-ons to your service buildings, and the glass box is a decent idea, but for me...

 

...I've actually gone back to playing SimCity 4, in search of creating that perfect city that I never actually made.

[Griffon 19]

between simcity4 and the new simcity, the new one, I'm wore out on playing simcity4, but I'd go back and play simcity 2000 and 3000 if they were compatible on newer computers...

[maximan11 11]

Simcity 4 without a shadow of a doubt!

[snick25 384]

Cities XL, most definitely. SC4 is also a great game, but after a decade, even the best games grow old. I want a modern citybuilder that gives me the ability to actually build a realistic urban setting. SC2013, for many reasons, doesn't fit the bill. CXL (with mods) does, or at least comes pretty darn close.

[The Pennsylvania Turnpike 252]

I enjoy both. They both have their ups and downs but i would prefer sim city 4 because you can Build a lot of stuff that the new sim city doesn't offer, like Highways, subways, and the modding capabilities. I don't have to worry about people abandoning their cities or Griefing in Sim city 4. I also feel more free in sim city 4. I don't like in simcity 4 how it isn't the most stable on Windows 7. But overall compared to sim city 2013, their is so much more you could do in sim city 4, and for a game that is almost 10 years old compared to one that isn't even 6 months old, let alone 3, Sim city 4 is the better choice. And it is on steam, a dowload service that won't make my harddrive dry heave. 

[honam1021 1]

SC5 doesn't have BAT (Although EA might sell it as a dlc in the future). If you love modding SC4 with your own buildings, you might not like SC5

[CanuckWild 14]

 I also feel more free in sim city 4.

I couldn't agree more. I feel like in SC5, I have to play the game based on the developer's intentions for how the game is to be played. With SC4, I can play the game based on how I want to play the game. Do I want an agricultural town, a serene mountainous layout, an urban blight, a tropical paradise, or just a bunch of tiny houses on a hillside. With the modding available for simcity 4 I have not built an identical city in over 4 years. In SC5, every oli town looks the same, every university town has the same feel, every tourist city is managed the same,....well you get my point. SC4 is my choice without a shred of doubt.

[Akerbeltz 33]

Let me start saying that I'm not an all-time follower of the franchise: My experience with the previous installments limits to SC3000 and, before that, watching my older brother playing SC in his Spectrum.

 

My expectations about SC2013 were that this was to be a city simulator with a strong focus on sinergies with other cities, with weather and climate change influence and with an agents system that promised to make the whole thing more realistic. I took this info from Maxis official channels, I didn't crawl into the forums looking for the opinion of long-time SC fans (dreadful mistake...).

 

I'm not gonna write an essay about my experience with the present game. Suffice to say that this is not a simulator, it lacks the functionality to be so. In fact, it's a game that in its spirit it's closer to the arcade genre or to a facebook online game. It's a shallow, easy and proportionately boring game. Funny enough, it's quite easy to earn gazillions of money and achieve a good level of happiness in no time, all the while the internal processes of the game, the way the agents work, don't make any sense. And I'm not going to mention the bugs....

 

It's like you cannot apply simulation logic into this game, instead you have to figure out the game mechanics, which are quite arcade-ish, and go with it. And once you have figured them out and your city has consolidated, the game has the depth of a screensaver.

 

To put you an example: In a city simulator you would think that the proper thing to do is to provide with all levels all education. Not with SC2013: Here, the education facilities are estructured as tiers of weapons. This means that with one University and a Basic School you can educate all your citizens.

 

Good God, this game sucks. Sucks hard. Sucks pretty hard. The lack of regard of Maxim towards its consumers' intelligence is appalling. I've seen some post from the developers (Skips and Ocean...) where they try to justify this boutade and their contempt and their silly excuses, as if they were dealing with children, are just insulting.

 

The best part is that I heard many of you commenting how good SC4 and decided to buy it this past saturday. Sure that the graphics are outdated (still, look decent and, by the way, are much more realistic than the present joke of a game) and it has the functionality that you'd expect from a serious city simulator. I mean, you can be creative and apply city-building logic. I take advantage of the moment to ask for good mod recommendations (already got the NAM one ).

 

That's all folks!

[Micah 16]

SC4. Buuuuuuut, Simcity 2013 does have a lot of potential and some cool features such as markets and building add-ons.

[RnRollie 4]

SC2013 has a lot of potential, but if it will ever reach it remains to be seen

I keep going back to SC4 because it is so much "more", esspecially with the mods. However, SC4 is showing its age... in the graphics, esspecially graphics.  And this is coming from some one who still fires up Industry Giant & Transport Giant every now and then  

I feel that my GPU & screen were expensive enough to be actually put to test on occasion. Which is what drew me to Cities XL.  XL just looks a LOT better as SC4... but is indeed "zombietown".  Which is why i like the Tropico series: despite the gameplay it looks fairly ok AND has certain degree of sillyness, which is always good.

And this is the strong point of SC2013... it looks good.  But there is -unfortunately- still some road to travel before the gameplay is a contentor for SC4. Beside the obvious bugfixing that needs to be done, we DO need at some point NAM for SC2013

[Bdub01 201]

Normally I don't troll around on the SC 2013 forum but it's a slow day at work.  I'm suprised that in this forum there isn't more peeps in support of the new game.  I could see all the negativity on the SC4 forum, but if this was a poll, I bet 95% of the peeps are for SC4.  I have not played the new game myself, because the computer I play on isn't hooked up to the internet so I couldn't play even if I wanted to.  But I have been playing SC4 for only about 6-7 months now and I have probably years to go before I get tired of it, or the cd wears out .  I only started used custom content just a few months ago and it's like a whole new game to me.  Even before the custom content I loved the game, it was even somewhat more challenging because without NAM it's not easy to find jobs for your little sims to work at, so I had a lot more NJZs than now.  When I get a NJZ now it's because I literally have no jobs for them.  Anyway, getting back to the subject at hand, IF they ever made the new SC playable on line and IF there was custom content for the game I would try it, but till then I'm sticking with SC4...