Reviews not mentioning glaring problems with the AI

[jasonaerts 19]

Out of all the reviews i have read not one of them mentions how horrible the Pathing and AI logic are, i am finding it to be so bad its nearly unplayable after around 20k pop.

Mostly things will just burn down or crime goes crazy as police and firetrucks all line up going from one disaster to another. 

 

I thought Maxis went on and on about how sophisticated this new engine was???

 

Am i missing something here.

 

thoughts?

 

 

[Charizard 284]

I am thinking it's because the reviewers didn't actually have enough time to test the game because of the server connectivity issues. But some reviews like Destructoid's did mention the glaring bugs. As soon as the server issues are fixed people will begin to realize just how unfinished this game is.

[mastorofpuppetz 199]

Reviews for games are not in depth and usually gloss over many games issues. Sites like IGN are more catered towards thr casual masses and do not review games in depth. Compare movie review to games, notice how almost any average game gets 8's and 9's? In movies you have to be good to get critical acclaim. Game reviews are a joke and the current system needs to be scrapped.

  Edited March 10, 2013 by CaptCity  
You seem to like "immature".

[stringerbell 9]

yeah there is no way an unbiased and competent reviewer could play this game for a week or so and look favourably on it. Even if you completely give them a pass on the server issues and just look at the gameplay... it's hard to tell which problem is more insulting to the consumer.

 

The traffic is just terrible. Doesn't flow properly at all and gets constantly jammed up, including your emergency vehicles. And intercity stuff makes absolutely no sense. I have thousands of unemployed low wealth people in one city, and thousands of unfilled low wealth jobs in the neighbouring city. They both have train stops and bus systems, and obviously good roads and all that. But when you click on the Population panel, it says there's like 40-60 people commuting to the other city. Why are the other thousands of them just sitting around unemployed.

 

And gifting between cities has worked far less than half the time for me. It worked pretty well right after launch ironically, but since then the gifts come out of the sender city's stockpile, but don't ever end up in the other city. Even after several days the money or resources don't show up.

 

And the city size... no point in even getting into it. But it's even more limiting than I ever possibly imagined. What a colossal step backward.

[CoolColJ 42]

V1.3 patch has some fixes with AI and complex traffic - released today

 

Traffic was optimized for complex road sections.

 

But you have to have good traffic setups in any case. You have to know the rules that Simcity roads and intersections go by

see here http://simcityhall.net/viewtopic.php?id=258&p=1

 

 

edit - and one city that has no issues with traffic

http://simcityhall.net/viewtopic.php?id=465&p=2

 

2 park and rides at the city entrance - and road leading to Bus, city ride and rail

 

[nataniels3 61]

There is this thread.

[Catchin22 299]

Most of this stuff is completely blown out of proportion. If you're having traffic problems you're probably not playing the game right. Try playing the game SLOW and watch your patterns and changes. If you go building everything right away spreading out you're going to have problems. Do a few blocks at a time, upgrade one block at a time.

 

[London-b 90]

The AI is defiantly insane. I watched a bus pick up passengers, drive down a road, go back up (and repeat 3 times) and then drop off the sims at the original bus stop. 

[Catchin22 299]

The AI is defiantly insane. I watched a bus pick up passengers, drive down a road, go back up (and repeat 3 times) and then drop off the sims at the original bus stop. 

To me that's part of the charm. I feel like I have a tiny model city on my desk, and the sims are tiny little dumb morons who do really dumb things. I tend to think it's more funny than anything. Tonight I am going to go out of my way to try to fool them and see what sort of dumb things I can get them doing.

[jasonaerts 19]

The AI is defiantly insane. I watched a bus pick up passengers, drive down a road, go back up (and repeat 3 times) and then drop off the sims at the original bus stop. 

To me that's part of the charm. I feel like I have a tiny model city on my desk, and the sims are tiny little dumb morons who do really dumb things. I tend to think it's more funny than anything. Tonight I am going to go out of my way to try to fool them and see what sort of dumb things I can get them doing.

 

Sure a few of them doing funny dumb things would be pretty funny and give things a bit of character, that i would be fine with, but watching a row of 10+ Fire trucks all following each other in a long chain going around in circles half the time just feels buggy and i don't like it.

[Catchin22 299]

 

The AI is defiantly insane. I watched a bus pick up passengers, drive down a road, go back up (and repeat 3 times) and then drop off the sims at the original bus stop. 

To me that's part of the charm. I feel like I have a tiny model city on my desk, and the sims are tiny little dumb morons who do really dumb things. I tend to think it's more funny than anything. Tonight I am going to go out of my way to try to fool them and see what sort of dumb things I can get them doing.

 

Sure a few of them doing funny dumb things would be pretty funny and give things a bit of character, that i would be fine with, but watching a row of 10+ Fire trucks all following each other in a long chain going around in circles half the time just feels buggy and i don't like it.

Yeah I agree with that, I've seen way too many garbage truck convoys as well. I do believe though that as long as that stuff gets reported they will do their best to work on it and make it a great game.

[jpsurratt2005 4]

 But when you click on the Population panel, it says there's like 40-60

people commuting to the other city. Why are the other thousands of them

just sitting around unemployed.

 

They're on welfare.

[Xenocity 343]

Reviews for games are not in depth and usually gloss over many games issues. Sites like IGN are more catered towards thr casual masses and do not review games in depth. Compare movie review to games, notice how almost any average game gets 8's and 9's? In movies you have to be good to get critical acclaim. Game reviews are a joke and the current system needs to be scrapped.

This isn't true.

IGN, Gamespot and most gaming sites are geared to the "hardcore" gamer.

 

"Casuals" are more apt to use a site like Simtropolis because of free downloads.

[mastorofpuppetz 199]

Reviews for games are not in depth and usually gloss over many games issues. Sites like IGN are more catered towards thr casual masses and do not review games in depth. Compare movie review to games, notice how almost any average game gets 8's and 9's? In movies you have to be good to get critical acclaim. Game reviews are a joke and the current system needs to be scrapped.

This isn't true.

IGN, Gamespot and most gaming sites are geared to the "hardcore" gamer.

 

"Casuals" are more apt to use a site like Simtropolis because of free downloads.

LMAO @ Gamespot and IGN being hard core, not remotely close. Rock Paper shotgun, Bittech are hardcore sites, IGN is the main casual site there is. Please.

[Charizard 284]

 

Reviews for games are not in depth and usually gloss over many games issues. Sites like IGN are more catered towards thr casual masses and do not review games in depth. Compare movie review to games, notice how almost any average game gets 8's and 9's? In movies you have to be good to get critical acclaim. Game reviews are a joke and the current system needs to be scrapped.

This isn't true.

IGN, Gamespot and most gaming sites are geared to the "hardcore" gamer.

 

"Casuals" are more apt to use a site like Simtropolis because of free downloads.

LMAO @ Gamespot and IGN being hard core, not remotely close. Rock Paper shotgun, Bittech are hardcore sites, IGN is the main casual site there is. Please.

 

That is true. The reason why Gamespot and IGN are the most popular gaming review sites is because most gamers (casual and hardcore alike) go to them for their reviews. Most people who aren't hardcore gamers use Gamespot and IGN and have never heard of sites like Bittech.

[Xenocity 343]

 

Reviews for games are not in depth and usually gloss over many games issues. Sites like IGN are more catered towards thr casual masses and do not review games in depth. Compare movie review to games, notice how almost any average game gets 8's and 9's? In movies you have to be good to get critical acclaim. Game reviews are a joke and the current system needs to be scrapped.

This isn't true.

IGN, Gamespot and most gaming sites are geared to the "hardcore" gamer.

 

"Casuals" are more apt to use a site like Simtropolis because of free downloads.

LMAO @ Gamespot and IGN being hard core, not remotely close. Rock Paper shotgun, Bittech are hardcore sites, IGN is the main casual site there is. Please.

You obviously don't know what a "hardcore" gamer is these days.

 

those sites you listed are more niche than Simtropolis.

I hear they also get paid off to show products.

[mastorofpuppetz 199]

 

 

Reviews for games are not in depth and usually gloss over many games issues. Sites like IGN are more catered towards thr casual masses and do not review games in depth. Compare movie review to games, notice how almost any average game gets 8's and 9's? In movies you have to be good to get critical acclaim. Game reviews are a joke and the current system needs to be scrapped.

This isn't true.

IGN, Gamespot and most gaming sites are geared to the "hardcore" gamer.

 

"Casuals" are more apt to use a site like Simtropolis because of free downloads.

LMAO @ Gamespot and IGN being hard core, not remotely close. Rock Paper shotgun, Bittech are hardcore sites, IGN is the main casual site there is. Please.

You obviously don't know what a "hardcore" gamer is these days.

 

those sites you listed are more niche than Simtropolis.

I hear they also get paid off to show products.

LMAO IGN is the most Popular game site on the web by definition that CANNOT be niche, it is a site for casuals. Again, bittech, Rock papaer shotgun, RPGcodex are niche, hardcore gaming sites. Everyone knows IGN and gamespot. Do you know what the definition of these words mean? You certainly don't know what niche or hardcore gamers are, they certainly don't rely on the casual reviews of IGN. IGN is by far the most popular site, there fore casual gamers go there.

[Xenocity 343]

@mastorofpuppetz

 

ESA (the industry trade group), Gaming Developers/publishers, NPD (Sales tracking agency for North America), ESRB, Microsoft, Sony, and gamers have all stated IGN,Gamespot, and Gametrailers are the most hardcore gaming sites on the web.

 

They also defined "hardcore" gamers as males 13-35 who play mature games and shooters.

If you don't fit into this group, then you are generally considered to be "casual".

 

So are you calling the industry and Analysts wrong?

[mastorofpuppetz 199]

@mastorofpuppetz

 

ESA (the industry trade group), Gaming Developers/publishers, NPD (Sales tracking agency for North America), ESRB, Microsoft, Sony, and gamers have all stated IGN,Gamespot, and Gametrailers are the most hardcore gaming sites on the web.

 

They also defined "hardcore" gamers as males 13-35 who play mature games and shooters.

If you don't fit into this group, then you are generally considered to be "casual".

 

So are you calling the industry and Analysts wrong?

LOL, proof? Because a group that knows nothing about games called them that? They simply do not know of any other sites. Please post proof? No IGN is the place everyone whose interested in games goes to, thats makes it a casual site, no core gamer takes their reviews seriously, their reviews are bad and not in depth, maybe thats your think and you do not know any better. But no one who knows anything about games thinks IGN and gamepost are hardcore sites. They are the poster children for MAinstream gaming, which is big business.

[Vaikin 10]

@mastorofpuppetz

 

ESA (the industry trade group), Gaming Developers/publishers, NPD (Sales tracking agency for North America), ESRB, Microsoft, Sony, and gamers have all stated IGN,Gamespot, and Gametrailers are the most hardcore gaming sites on the web.

 

They also defined "hardcore" gamers as males 13-35 who play mature games and shooters.

If you don't fit into this group, then you are generally considered to be "casual".

 

So are you calling the industry and Analysts wrong?

LOL, proof? Because a group that knows nothing about games called them that? They simply do not know of any other sites. Please post proof? No IGN is the place everyone whose interested in games goes to, thats makes it a casual site, no core gamer takes their reviews seriously, their reviews are bad and not in depth, maybe thats your think and you do not know any better. But no one who knows anything about games thinks IGN and gamepost are hardcore sites. They are the poster children for MAinstream gaming, which is big business.

 

Ill be waiting for your link with proof which wont prove anything anyway, you believe everything you read or can you think for yourself?

who cares what your or his definition of hard core is?...

[mastorofpuppetz 199]

 

@mastorofpuppetz

 

ESA (the industry trade group), Gaming Developers/publishers, NPD (Sales tracking agency for North America), ESRB, Microsoft, Sony, and gamers have all stated IGN,Gamespot, and Gametrailers are the most hardcore gaming sites on the web.

 

They also defined "hardcore" gamers as males 13-35 who play mature games and shooters.

If you don't fit into this group, then you are generally considered to be "casual".

 

So are you calling the industry and Analysts wrong?

LOL, proof? Because a group that knows nothing about games called them that? They simply do not know of any other sites. Please post proof? No IGN is the place everyone whose interested in games goes to, thats makes it a casual site, no core gamer takes their reviews seriously, their reviews are bad and not in depth, maybe thats your think and you do not know any better. But no one who knows anything about games thinks IGN and gamepost are hardcore sites. They are the poster children for MAinstream gaming, which is big business.

 

Ill be waiting for your link with proof which wont prove anything anyway, you believe everything you read or can you think for yourself?

who cares what your or his definition of hard core is?...

You commented so obviously you do, if not why post and just ignore it? Think on that.

[Vaikin 10]

The thread was about reviewers ignoring game aspects, perhaps not arguing for the sake of arguing?

[Xenocity 343]

Games are now truly marketed to a hardcore audience. Games like Grand Theft Auto and Gears of War are

mature, violent, and complex. We here at G4 and other gamers like us are thrilled to have such engaging and interactive experiences, and publishers are thrilled that we are buying them by the millions.

 

 

Hardcore gamers, on the other hand, buy games. Gears of War has sold over 4.5 million copies.  Call of Duty 4 has sold over 7 million copies across all platforms. Resistance: Fall of Man and Motorstorm sold over 2 million. Halo 3 is over 8 million. Smaller games like Dead Rising, Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, and Crackdown all broke a million. And all of this has happened while the next-gen systems are still growing their install base. While a few casual games like Mario Party, Big Brain Academy and WarioWare: Smooth Moves have broken through with excellent sales figures, they are all first party Nintendo titles. So far, 3^rd party publishers have not found a way to sell or market their games to casual gamers.

 

the hardcore gamer suffers as they are subjected to sequel after sequel of established IPs. Granted, we aren’t complaining about Call of Duty 4 or Halo 3, but good original games are what bring new players into the gaming audience. A game like Gears of War or Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune could appeal to someone who has never been that into games before, and as soon as they buy a system, it expands the market and lessens a developer’s risk.

 

You can read the rest of the editoral from G4TV on the evolution of "hardcore" gamers to their current form.

 

Here are the 11 signs you are no longer a "hardcore" gamer from Techradar:

 

1. You prefer playing against the computer
2. You only play when your girlfriend is out
3. You believe that winning isn't everything
4. It's been days, not hours since you last switched on your console
5. You’re the oldest person trading in games at GameStation
6. You like your Xbox 360 and your PS3 equally
7. You fondly remember a ‘golden age’ of gaming
8. You avoid playing on the Wii because it’s too much effort
9. Your FPS experience consists of spawn, run, die... spawn, run, die... spawn…
10. You find the idea of videogames based on board games perfectly acceptable
11. You've pre-ordered GTA IV but don't mind if it doesn't turn up on launch day

Wedbush Securities/NPD claim that "hardcore" gamers play Xbox 360 and PS3.

Nintendo has repeatedly stated they plan to offer more mature games to go please the "hardcore" gamers.

 

BBC at E3 2012 stated Mario, NintendoLand, Pikmin 3, and Scribblenauts were all "casual" games while Mass Effect 3 and ZombiU were "hardcore"

 

GTAV will most likely be the biggest "hardcore" game of the generation when it lands this Fall.

[Charizard 284]

Oh boy. Not this hardcore vs. casual argument again.

[Board_Marshal 104]

@mastorofpuppetz

 

ESA (the industry trade group), Gaming Developers/publishers, NPD (Sales tracking agency for North America), ESRB, Microsoft, Sony, and gamers have all stated IGN,Gamespot, and Gametrailers are the most hardcore gaming sites on the web.

 

They also defined "hardcore" gamers as males 13-35 who play mature games and shooters.

If you don't fit into this group, then you are generally considered to be "casual".

 

So are you calling the industry and Analysts wrong?

 

 

@mastorofpuppetz

 

ESA (the industry trade group), Gaming Developers/publishers, NPD (Sales tracking agency for North America), ESRB, Microsoft, Sony, and gamers have all stated IGN,Gamespot, and Gametrailers are the most hardcore gaming sites on the web.

 

They also defined "hardcore" gamers as males 13-35 who play mature games and shooters.

If you don't fit into this group, then you are generally considered to be "casual".

 

So are you calling the industry and Analysts wrong?

LOL, proof? Because a group that knows nothing about games called them that? They simply do not know of any other sites. Please post proof? No IGN is the place everyone whose interested in games goes to, thats makes it a casual site, no core gamer takes their reviews seriously, their reviews are bad and not in depth, maybe thats your think and you do not know any better. But no one who knows anything about games thinks IGN and gamepost are hardcore sites. They are the poster children for MAinstream gaming, which is big business.

 

Ill be waiting for your link with proof which wont prove anything anyway, you believe everything you read or can you think for yourself?

Is there some sort of credential, certificate, secret code, or trial by fire that is required to go to either the "core" or "non-core" sites because I checked and I can go to all of them and nobody asked if I was hardcore before I entered.  I read good stuff and crap on all of them, maybe I'm a bad judge of reviews and editorials.  However, just to be safe I'll stick with strategyinformer.com since that wasn't on either list; perhaps it is a nice pseudo-hardcore site where I still won't be screened for hardcoreness before I can access the content.  Please don't judge me

 

P.S. What was the OP of this again?

[mastorofpuppetz 199]

@mastorofpuppetz

 

ESA (the industry trade group), Gaming Developers/publishers, NPD (Sales tracking agency for North America), ESRB, Microsoft, Sony, and gamers have all stated IGN,Gamespot, and Gametrailers are the most hardcore gaming sites on the web.

 

They also defined "hardcore" gamers as males 13-35 who play mature games and shooters.

If you don't fit into this group, then you are generally considered to be "casual".

 

So are you calling the industry and Analysts wrong?

 

 

> 

@mastorofpuppetz

 

ESA (the industry trade group), Gaming Developers/publishers, NPD (Sales tracking agency for North America), ESRB, Microsoft, Sony, and gamers have all stated IGN,Gamespot, and Gametrailers are the most hardcore gaming sites on the web.

 

They also defined "hardcore" gamers as males 13-35 who play mature games and shooters.

If you don't fit into this group, then you are generally considered to be "casual".

 

So are you calling the industry and Analysts wrong?

LOL, proof? Because a group that knows nothing about games called them that? They simply do not know of any other sites. Please post proof? No IGN is the place everyone whose interested in games goes to, thats makes it a casual site, no core gamer takes their reviews seriously, their reviews are bad and not in depth, maybe thats your think and you do not know any better. But no one who knows anything about games thinks IGN and gamepost are hardcore sites. They are the poster children for MAinstream gaming, which is big business.

 

Ill be waiting for your link with proof which wont prove anything anyway, you believe everything you read or can you think for yourself?

Is there some sort of credential, certificate, secret code, or trial by fire that is required to go to either the "core" or "non-core" sites because I checked and I can go to all of them and nobody asked if I was hardcore before I entered.  I read good stuff and crap on all of them, maybe I'm a bad judge of reviews and editorials.  However, just to be safe I'll stick with strategyinformer.com since that wasn't on either list; perhaps it is a nice pseudo-hardcore site where I still won't be screened for hardcoreness before I can access the content.  Please don't judge me

 

P.S. What was the OP of this again?

 

What does any of your post have to do with anything?  Nop one said it matters if you are hardcore or not, its just sites like IGN cater to the Casual masses.

[jasonaerts 19]

Just started up another city, was getting around 5k pop when some fires broke out, plopped a fire station down to deal with it but by the time the first truck was out things were spreading pretty fast so i decided to take out a bond and get another truck, sadly the second truck just went to where the first truck was and then followed making it useless as they dont actually combine forces.

 

Seriously broken.

 

Edit.

Game is unplayable for me at the moment guess ill go back to SC4 for now sigh.

[CaptCity 4,913]

Oh boy. Not this hardcore vs. casual argument again.

 

Exactly... Can we please stick to the topic? This is, after all, the internet, where anyone can find something to support any definition... This has driven this topic is far enough off course.

[CoolColJ 42]

Just started up another city, was getting around 5k pop when some fires broke out, plopped a fire station down to deal with it but by the time the first truck was out things were spreading pretty fast so i decided to take out a bond and get another truck, sadly the second truck just went to where the first truck was and then followed making it useless as they dont actually combine forces.

 

Seriously broken.

 

Edit.

Game is unplayable for me at the moment guess ill go back to SC4 for now sigh.

 

 

Honestly you just have a bad city layout or are trying to play it like SC4....

 

My best city uses a circular design, with townhall,  in the centre, and services on the next inner circular ring and the main avenue off the highway splitting down the centre, and I have over 50k population, traffic flow is very good, with tourist coming in. Mixed resident and commercial zones on the outter rings, industry, water and gabage on the edge of the city where the wind blows

Park and rides at all major resident junctions and at the city entrance and exit.

Have had no major fire or crime issues, unlike some of my other grid like cities.

 

My largest city has over 160k, with room to grow.

 

You need to have junctions for the cars to U turn, I've noticed

[CoolColJ 42]

Screencaps of my most efficient circular city