My initial thoughts after playing for a few hours.

cortezz · March 18, 2013

Couldn't agree more.

It's nice to see that more and more people are realizing the severe restrictions this game has. Even on the official forums, people who were initially pleased with the game are getting to the point of boredom due to the lack of expandability and customization.

Let's just hope that Maxis agrees, and saves this game.

I felt the same way. At first I was like the game does have some neat features then little longer I am completely bored. Really nothing to the game and everyone city looks the same really. The only thing that could save this game is opening it to modding. Modding that could add farming, fishing and lumber industry to your city. Or the ability to make small rural community with national park, trails and small resorts. Which is what I do in simcity 4

dogma555 · March 18, 2013

wow.. we have people that actually think these graphics are "beautiful"?

Honestly, I may be alone here but I thought the graphics are the most dissapointing aspsect. They look like Sims 2 graphics (which came out in 2004) on their lowest settings, and the art style is just painfully bland and generic.

I feel like if the graphics were even remotely modern, I would have more of an incentive to look past its flaws and keep playing it. I bet even modders will be frustrated by the extreme lack of graphic detail they will have to work with here.

mcallisterw · March 23, 2013

If you run 2+ cities, traffic isn't that difficult to fix it seems.

First of all, the entry to the map, should go straight to the industrial area, and never be used to cross into the residential.

Some times might need to go around the map, but that is ok, because the commuting traffic from the other cities/outer world, it will never use the same road as the home traffic.

The only traffic that from the "outer world" will hit the inner city, are the construction trucks and the new people moving into the city. So even if these have to go the long way around, doesn't matter.

Splitting the inner & outer commuters, is paramount I believe.

The 2x2km city is adding a weird challenge that others like, others not. And is damn expensive when you want to demolish half the city to rebuild it. Especially when you have to demolish plop-able buildings going 100k+ per pop. I like it. Because the city is not any more fire and forget. You need to actually interact and fine tune it all the time.

But from the other hand, a city with 2 oil rigs, 1 recycling, some industrial (no more than 10-15 factories), and trading depot, can run at 20k-30k very happy population, and make around 400k-500K per day.

So is down to what you want at the end of the day.

I think though that at some point in all of that it stops becoming a city planning simulator and starts to become a rubix cube with buildings instead of blocks.

People bought the game because they wanted to design a city, and wanted a challenge... but they feel they got the latter without the former... and not so much of the latter either.

Mjel72 · March 23, 2013

The one good thing I can say about this game is it has rekindled my intrest to play SC4 again. I too feel the same as most people, in SC4 i didn't get tired of playing it for almost 2 years and then after that came back to it numerous times for months on end, The new one not really able to keep my interest for long, I don't look forward to playing it, I play Skyrim alot and have played it since it came out and I stil look forward to playing the game.

One thing that Maxis/Ea should take a look at is how Bethesda has handled Skyrim for PC. It took a couple of months for the creation kit but people were still able to mod the game. Beth encourages modding and they seem to learn things from what modders do. They have also been able to release 3 DLC which have been sucessfull while people still make mods adding so much more to the game I honestly have not got bored with that game. Point is if Bethesda can do it, and still be profitable, I am sure that Maxis/Ea can. Right now my biggest fear is they will charge for every mod made for the game somehow. If that happens then that will be the end of this game for me. I don't mind paying for a few DLC's as long as they are worth it but I will not pay for everything.

My gut is telling me that this is the directions they had in mind. To make Simcity nothing more than I glorified app game and then dress it up as a PC game. In my opinion I really think that these app games where they get you hooked and then say, " for X amount you can get this ", have really done alot of harm to game making as a whole. I actually cannot believe people pay for this stuff, way too many mindless sheep in the world right now. The casual gamer is killing the industry and I don't mean sales I mean quality games actually being made. It almost seems they say to themselves, "what is the least amount of content that we can put in to this game and still make a ton of profit off it." See Simcity 5/2013

Xenocity · March 23, 2013

I agree with viviancyu

I prefer having to build a smaller high desnity city than a massive piece of urban sprawl of Simcity 4.

In the real world most cities are forced to build up because they cannot build out, with the exception of the American Midwest.

Also most cities in real life are built around their enviroment and are not terraformed (some cities do this in real life, but it is quite expensive).

I like being given accurate data on my cities to better address them.

I also don't miss the having large Simcity 4 cities, because they became too unwiedly for their own good when you had to build up.

Simcity 4 became too complex for its own good and it had trouble rendering accurate data, this was reflected in the sales (it sold half as much as Simcity 3000)

Sure this game has issues but at least Maxis is patching it instead abandoning it like they did Simcity 4

Once they get the major issues patched the game will be good

One last note, you only own a license to use software, thus never actually owning it.

Thus it is illegal to modify nearly all software under copyright laws (this actually applies to all copyrighted works, though there are a few exceptions to the law)

jasongeorge1975 · March 23, 2013

I'm like most people here. I've been a die-hard SimCity fan going all the way back to the SuperNES version. Heck, SC2000 was the game that made me ma PC gamer. I played SC3000, and I absolutely salivated when the fourth installment came out. With Rush Hour, I felt like the franchise had culimated into something special. I've played SC4 off and on for years now. Just installed it a week ago and started a new super-large region. Getting into the modding thing and all that.

My point here is... I'm sorely disappointed with the two follow ups to SC4. Can we really count Societies? I think even then I could see the writing on the wall, the direction the franchise was going in. Seems like ever since Will Wright stepped away, things just slowly started to go downhill.

I get that the gaming companies want to make money. They need to make money to stay afloat in a competitive world. But I'm getting so tired of everything being about the money. It seems like the very soul of the industry has gotten sucked out and rebranded as something decidedly... unpleasant.

I waited for years to get a PC with decent specs. All so I could play the games that I wanted without so many hitches and stutters. But now, with all of this DRM, anti-piracy stuff, it's like the manufacturers want to continue to punish their customers for the sins of a few. It's not just games. It's penetrated every aspect of the software market.

I sigh a heavy sigh now. I know for a fact that I will not buy the new Sim... whatever this game is. It's not SimCity. It's not even close. I have never in my life seen such a bad reception to a game. Normally I don't put a lot of faith into detractors, but when I see it everywhere, and the stories are consistently the same... Not to mention the fact that EA decided to B.S. it's customers to the degree that they did?

I hate to say this, but I think I might be putting up my gaming hat. I don't have the time for games that I used to have. But even worse, I've become so disillusioned by what the gaming companies are doing, I'm just starting to think that it's no longer worth my time.

Thanks EA. Thanks for ruining one of the best games of all time. And thanks for turning me off to something that was once so wonderful.

I'll play my SC4 for awhile. Till my computer sputters and dies. Then I guess I'll find a better hobby

oldbrokenlink · March 23, 2013

actually tonight i did some testing and i am discouraged

i created a new region

i occupied all the cities in the region

i built nothing but dirt roads and residentials

soon all the cities in my region were humming, population growing and money rolling in

every morning i would see messages from sims saying there were community to other cities to go to work!

at the end of every day they would return with money to spend

there is nothing but dirt roads and residentials in all the cities

there are not jobs, no nothing

still my cities continue to grow and money keeps pouring in

and there is no sense in me playing this game, i've totally wasted $85

the messages u see have no relationship to the facts and what is happening in the cities

one minute they say they need more shops the next minute they tell u how wonderfull all the shops are, but you've done nothing.

its like some magic eight ball, random jiberish.

moaku · March 23, 2013

One last note, you only own a license to use software, thus never actually owning it.

Thus it is illegal to modify nearly all software under copyright laws (this actually applies to all copyrighted works, though there are a few exceptions to the law)

Modifying the software = editing the exe or existing game datas. Mods, even those maxis abusively call "hacks" don't overwrite or edit any file of the game... It's additionnal data, so it's nothing illegal, even if it overrides some of the games mechanics. After all, the game is able to load those datas...

It may (it is) be against the EULA, but unfortunately for investors/editors, EULAs have absolutely ZERO juridic value in many (if not most) countries. As someone previously stated, a videogame is considered in europe as a product, not a service.

As I stated in another thread, if I want to use mods, I will, I don't care about what the ToS says about it. If they want to ban me for using them, they can, but if they do, i'll start digging into the game files to do some nasty things, such as completely removing the online componnents requirements.

They wanted to do an online game and pretend to be "modding friendly" in the mid/long term, it's just an illusion, they won't be able to keep both aspects of the game, ppl wants this game to be available offline and be able to mod it's poor gameplay mechanics, and no matter what maxis/ea do about it, ppl will get what they want, one way or another.

Don't let EA dictate you how you should play the game you own (it's a product, at least in europe, so, you do own it...), that's because of such behaviour that they dare release games that make so many people angry, and make more and more scandaleous approaches milking customers money more and more.

Remember one of the original slogans for Simcity (previous ones) were "Build the city of your dream. Limit is your imagination". With this crappy Simcity, that slogan is now DEAD... now it's more like "Build the city of your dreams, but dream it the way we want you to dream it. Deal with the dumb limits we enforced on it."

Districtopia · March 23, 2013

I'm still trucking along but feel like I'm losing interest. There just isn't enough to do. I played for an hour last night and maxed out my space. I will keep trying and experimenting in hopes of new updates that make it more playable but the game feels incredibly unfinished. Trying to keep the faith but I'm struggling...

Srafty · March 25, 2013

one minute they say they need more shops the next minute they tell u how wonderfull all the shops are, but you've done nothing.

its like some magic eight ball, random jiberish.

Ha, yes this ^

also the fact my happiness goes up and down without a single change. and over a period of 20 days game time ill have no traffic issues then suddenly i have traffic jams that last for about 1 year "without 1 change"

"we need more parks" "the shopping is great" when they have atleased 1 park every few squares? then that swaps to "where is the shopping around here" "atleased there are parks"

"out of money" then why dont you visit one of the parks located right beside either side of your house!!!!

"need more places to ship freight" ugh but the freight depo is always less than 1/2 full and i see you delivering there all the time? then all of a sudden that changes to "freight is selling well" Make up your mind!

makes me feel like the developers left out the part in the comment "there is always something to do in simcity2013" "because everything is random"

if anything i blame most of these issues on the ill thought of using a cascade style simulation, "traffic is a problem in your city" if 200k sims didn't all attempt to head to the exact same spot (which can only employ 100 sims all at once traffic would be just fine!... wait traffic has been fine for like 3 years game time and i haven't changed a thing for the past 2 years what's is going on!

i feel astho im playing work around instead of a city builder

Mod Edit: Removed swearing, please observe the rules. Thanks

Xenocity · March 25, 2013

One last note, you only own a license to use software, thus never actually owning it.

Thus it is illegal to modify nearly all software under copyright laws (this actually applies to all copyrighted works, though there are a few exceptions to the law)

Modifying the software = editing the exe or existing game datas. Mods, even those maxis abusively call "hacks" don't overwrite or edit any file of the game... It's additionnal data, so it's nothing illegal, even if it overrides some of the games mechanics. After all, the game is able to load those datas...

It may (it is) be against the EULA, but unfortunately for investors/editors, EULAs have absolutely ZERO juridic value in many (if not most) countries. As someone previously stated, a videogame is considered in europe as a product, not a service.

As I stated in another thread, if I want to use mods, I will, I don't care about what the ToS says about it. If they want to ban me for using them, they can, but if they do, i'll start digging into the game files to do some nasty things, such as completely removing the online componnents requirements.

They wanted to do an online game and pretend to be "modding friendly" in the mid/long term, it's just an illusion, they won't be able to keep both aspects of the game, ppl wants this game to be available offline and be able to mod it's poor gameplay mechanics, and no matter what maxis/ea do about it, ppl will get what they want, one way or another.

Don't let EA dictate you how you should play the game you own (it's a product, at least in europe, so, you do own it...), that's because of such behaviour that they dare release games that make so many people angry, and make more and more scandaleous approaches milking customers money more and more.

Remember one of the original slogans for Simcity (previous ones) were "Build the city of your dream. Limit is your imagination". With this crappy Simcity, that slogan is now DEAD... now it's more like "Build the city of your dreams, but dream it the way we want you to dream it. Deal with the dumb limits we enforced on it."

In the U.S. as in nearly every country in the world, EULAs are legally binding thanks to a treaty/laws that went into effect in 2000.

In U.S. it is called the Digital Millenium Copyright Act. (DMCA for short).

The law states clearly that all EULAs and ToS are legally binding contract and when you click "I Agree/I Accept" it bears full weight of your signature.

It also has been upheld in U.S. Federal Courts time and again.

Because of this Microsoft was able to have all the lawsuits dismissed over the hardware failures of Xbox 360.

Sony was able to remove features via updates and block you from PSN.

Nintendo was able to block you from using their digital stores for running "unauthorized" software.

Gaming companies can legally block you from their servers (This is true for the EU).

Fun little facts for you:

European Union is the leader in digital/software piracy, passing SE Asia.
Europeans have pirated more video and computer games during the past 8 years than any other region including China!
European Union is on the verge of fully imploding on itself (if it implodes, it will drive the word into another Great Depression).
European Union and its member states are signature members of the digital copyright treaties.
European Union is currently a socialist entity marching ever closer to communism.
European Union is known for being hostile to business.
European Union only holding together due to the British knocking sense into them.

Since you own the game, you don't own the online aspects or the DRM, thus any company can render your game unplayable by blocking your internet connection/username.

This goes for any company that sells PC games including Valve, EA, Activision, Ubisoft, etc...

Thank piracy for that one.

EA/Maxis has every right to dictate how their games are played, since they are creators/owners.

If you don't like it, don't buy it.

This the why Maxis allowed modding in Simcity 4:

Simcity 4 was expensive to make
Simcity 4 when it launched in 2003 sold between 200k - 300k in the U.S.
Maxis was losing money on the game and as a studio (Sims didn't make enough money to cover the losses)
Simcity 4 sales rapidly dropped off.
Maxis released Rush Hour expansion pack in mid 2004.
Rush Hour tanked in sales, becoming one of the worst stand alone sellin expansion packs ever!
Maxis was still losing money because The Sims wasn't making enough money to cover the losses on everything else
Maxis was forced to cancel all future Simcity 4 expasion packs and patches
Simcity 4 Deluxe announced for Christmas 2004 for $20 (less than 1 year after the original)
Maxis is now EA's worst performing studio in terms of revenue and product sales
EA is forced to restructures Maxis to make Maxis profitable
Simcity 4 fans beg Maxis to fix the game!
Maxis tells fans to do themsevles, releasing modding tools
In 2005 Simcity 4 modding is born in order to fix Simcity 4!

Maybe due the Winter Steam sale and EA's apology, Simicty 4 will pass the 3 million sold mark making it the second best seling Simcity to date (well until April).

Long story short, Maxis only opened the game up to modding to save them from having to patch the game themselves.

Point is Maxis didn't due it to be nice, they did it to save money and resources!

moaku · March 25, 2013