Free DLC - Nissan Leaf Charging Station

[croxis 150]

http://forum.ea.com/eaforum/posts/list/9416786.page

 

Well, if your artists are sitting on their thumbs while the coders and scripters are fixing the game, you may as well give them something to do.

 

Need an extra incentive to go green in SimCity? Maybe you need a little boost in the form of the new Nissan Leaf Charging Station that is available today. This free in-game item is the perfect way to kick start your desire to create a city that will make you (and your Sims) happy. In the case of your Sims, In the case of your Sims, the Charging Station provides happiness to the Sims that use it and a onetime wave of happiness to the nearby businesses. Need another bonus? It produces no sewage or garbage. That’s right! Green indeed.

To redeem the Charging Station, just visit this Origin page (http://tinyurl.com/cculs88) and then restart your game in order for it to appear. You will need to use the same Origin ID that you use to play SimCity.

 

If you have additional questions, check out our FAQ below.

FAQ

1. What is the Nissan Leaf item?
The Nissan Leaf item is the Nissan Leaf Charging Station. The Charging Station will be a new destination in player’s cities where their Sims will drive their Nissan Leaf cars in order to re-charge them. Once they leave the Sims will find themselves happier.

2. How do I get the Nissan Leaf content?
There are three ways to get the Nissan Leaf content into a player’s game:
• SimCity Launcher: Players can click the advertisement and it will take them to the SimCity Origin DLC page.
• SimCity In-Game Billboard: Players can click the billboard on the Menu screen and it will take them to the SimCity Origin DLC page using the in-game online browser.
• Origin Online Store Page: Players can find the Nissan Leaf item by clicking this link: http://tinyurl.com/cculs88
Once redeemed, you will need to restart the game in order for the Charging Station to appear in your game. This includes closing down the SimCity launcher if it is still open.

3. Is there additional gameplay added?
Plopping down the Nissan Leaf Charging Station will add happiness to nearby buildings. Adding the Charging Station will not take power, water or workers away from your city. Zoom in to the streets of cities and players will start seeing a percentage of their Sims from all wealth classes driving the electric vehicles. The Charging Station produces no garbage or sewage as well making it pollution free.

4. Once I download it, where do I find it?
You will find the Nissan Charging Station in the Power palette.

5. Is this available worldwide?
Yes.

6. How much does it cost?
This pack is free.

7. How long is the content available?
The Nissan pack will be available for download for six months starting on April 2nd Once it’s been downloaded into your Origin account, you will be able to access it any time.

[stormgear 10]

I'm not surprised at this, they have been dishing out free real branded items at The Sims 3 and Simcity Social.

What I'm afraid of is that this reboot will try to model itself like those Cityville games.

[iceanimator 6]

Yup I just got mine. only 5 are allow and it cost $40/hr <3

[CaribbeanSail 33]

It would be really sweet and make sense if plopping these caused a percentage reduction in air pollution caused by traffic.  Though from the release notes it does not sound like it does this.

 

Always happy for a free DLC, even if its basicly in game advertising.  I have eagerly been looking forward to what DLCs might be coming, my bet is they have several already developed and ready to release once they sort the bugs and server issues.

[Buggi 685]

Can someone say fundraiser?

 

Good to know they thought it was worth spending the abundant free time they have on new content.

[CaribbeanSail 33]

Can someone say fundraiser?

 

Good to know they thought it was worth spending the abundant free time they have on new content.

 

 

Before you start complaining that they are spending time making a DLC rather then fixing bugs, keep in mind that this DLC was probably made long before the game was even released.

[Cyclone Boom 17,031]

To keep things together, I've done a bit of clean up by merging the three duplicate topics into this one.

 

Quite a coincidence that the same news was posted within a few minutes of each other!

[SockoJr53 51]

I'll download it, yes they do this all the time with The Sims, there were a ton of Ford vehicles in Sims 2 and Toyota in Sims 3. The product placement doesn't bother me, as that's what we wind up downloading off the STEX anyway. Brand-name fast food joints, brand name gas stations, brand name vehicle models. A free little ploppable doesn't excuse the huge list of fixes they have to make, but it's some fluff to add to the game.

[Jahnri 21]

 The fact it doesn't take power is what irks me. Giving me new infrastructure is cool. I have no issue with branded infrastructures. However freebies in a city simulation? No.

[NovaBlazer 10]

 The fact it doesn't take power is what irks me. Giving me new infrastructure is cool. I have no issue with branded infrastructures. However freebies in a city simulation? No.

 

 

Take another look at the graphic.  It is powered by solar panels!

[Jahnri 21]

Hrmm, good point!

Actually we have stations like that near where I live. I forgot the solar panels had that amount of juice these days. 

Good catch Nova

[croxis 150]

To keep things together, I've done a bit of clean up by merging the three duplicate topics into this one.

 

Quite a coincidence that the same news was posted within a few minutes of each other!

 

I follow several maxis devs on twitter, this was probably how.

[Catchin22 299]

Hrmm, good point!

Actually we have stations like that near where I live. I forgot the solar panels had that amount of juice these days. 

Good catch Nova

They don't have that amount of juice, not anywhere close to it. It's just for looks.

[AshTym 31]

This makes me want to buy a Chevrolet Volt. :kitty:

[DCMetro34 577]

We should enjoy this, as it's the last time we'll see the words "free" and "DLC" in the same title on Origin.

 

But honestly, I like the building.   And, what if electric cars were actually a separate form of transportation in the game..

[Cob92 360]

Sounds like in gameplay terms, it's basically a park, but only for Nissan Leaf drivers.

[macvirt 361]

Personally I couldn't agree more with the RPS review of it. They even note EA's little escape option from potential exposure issues over DLC following the less than optimal launch and reboot issues.

 

That’s right: pure happiness with no consequences. Would that green living in the real world was so easy. Or living, for that matter. As is, the latest science calculates that ten puppies are required for every one unit of human happiness. And scientists can’t even study the phenomenon without breaching a certain puppy-induced happiness threshold. It’s a vicious cycle.

Anyway, this doesn’t exactly seem like the best bandaid for an already broken game, and honestly, it sounds like it could stomp the remaining pieces of Maxis’ once-fine series into a fine powder.

I do not, however, like the idea of damning this move completely. Because the fact is, ads (at least, where appropriate in the context of their respective games) could make heftier pieces of DLC completely free. We don’t see the idea in practice all that often these days, but it is worth considering – especially in light of the fact that DLC costs money to produce, and not everyone can afford to pull a Valve and drop it on our doorsteps without asking for even a dime. Admittedly, SimCity’s is pretty much a textbook example of how not to do this, but ads are not inherently bad.

Further, this type of practice could maybe extricate important chunks of content from the countless, Hydra-like jaws of pre-order schemes, which is something I think would be pretty wonderful. Then again: big, obvious ads or pre-orders. At that point, you’re kind of picking your poison.

[JimCityBuilder 14]

Downloaded my new free DLC, still don't really see a point to it overall though.

 

However, if advertising is going to be the future of providing us all with free DLC content and at the same time Maxis can recoup its production costs to ensure the game will keep going and they have more time to fix all the bugs and problems then I think this is a good thing ... after all who even looks at ads ?

 

Think of it like this in the long run: If more of the mainstream companies jump on this bandwagon this would give us all more control over ploppable shops for our commercial high streets, by that I mean we can select the type of business rather than having 24 game generated petrol stations in a row ! After all who's Sims wouldn't want to work in a brand name shop, and the problem of sufficient employment for low educated Sims can be resolved with a McDonalds or two could it not ? !!! And if your Skilled labour force becomes unemployed then there will always be a place for them at B&Q right ?

 

Also a Tesco an Asda or even a Walmart would provide a better single ploppable for creating more jobs and places for shoppers on a 24hr basis in an overall smaller area than would be needed for the equivalent amount of normal shops, and also be equally good at putting all these other smaller business' out of business and freeing up more space on your city tile, just like they do in the real world, just saying that's all ?

 

Jim

[Districtopia 23]

Sounds like in gameplay terms, it's basically a park, but only for Nissan Leaf drivers.

I plopped one of these in one of my cities last night and the "happiness" increase spread about 1/3 of the way across my city. Much more than I was lead to believe in the description. I was pretty pleased with the effect. I know some people will be upset about the "commercial" factor of it but I personally like it and hope they give us much more stuff like this. As long as it's free I'll keep downloading them.

[Griffon 19]

I don't know how much more happiness they provide per station, but when I placed mine it was city wide happiness even to industry and for the space they take up and hourly cost, it's really good to have in your city, also I was able to get 85% mayor rating in 1 city where I had only 80% before (but there could be other factors in that too, I added a few more education buildings at the same time)

[kylewilley 1]

This makes me want to buy a Chevrolet Volt. :kitty:

Better still, a Tesla Model S.  Better looks, fewer fires...

[ScottyDoesKnow 8]

I don't know how much more happiness they provide per station, but when I placed mine it was city wide happiness even to industry and for the space they take up and hourly cost, it's really good to have in your city, also I was able to get 85% mayor rating in 1 city where I had only 80% before (but there could be other factors in that too, I added a few more education buildings at the same time)

 

I really hope it was due to other factors. I like the idea of more choice and more realism through real companies, that's fine and I encourage it. But they have to keep it balanced. If they make the new additions overpowered to push you into using them, I have a problem with that.

[simcopops 37]

I dont mind corporate advertisement if it means you get decent content that has a realistic affect on the game. 

[cirugo 1,889]

you're paying for advertising...in a game that doesn't work.

[JaceTwice 115]

you're paying for advertising...in a game that doesn't work.

 

How exactly are they paying for it if it's free?

[cirugo 1,889]

you're paying for advertising...in a game that doesn't work.

 

How exactly are they paying for it if it's free?

did someone give them the game for free?

[ROFLyoshi 1,760]

I don't mind the idea of it, but there needs to be much more released. I would rather choose the advertising I subject my puny Sims to, mwahaha!

I think the problem with making this compared to user lots on the STEX is that every user has their own playing style, which emulates certain cities, even historical periods. So this may not be useful, especially if you are trying to create a 50s LA inspired city or perhaps a Middle Eastern city where half the cars are mules.

But hey, free DLC. It's not going to spread like the plague/Wren Insurance, so it is youth choice on how you use it.

[Cob92 360]

It can't possibly do any harm if it doesn't break the game balance. After all, half the stuff we put on the STEX is essentially advertising DLC in one way or another. The difference is that Nissan doesn't make any money when someone downloads a Nissan Altima pack for SC4.

[cirugo 1,889]

It can't possibly do any harm if it doesn't break the game balance. After all, half the stuff we put on the STEX is essentially advertising DLC in one way or another. The difference is that Nissan doesn't make any money when someone downloads a Nissan Altima pack for SC4.

Here's my problem with it:  for the year leading up to release people were telling MAXIS what they didn't like about the direction they were taking the game.  At release and from then on, the problems with the game can all be traced to exactly what people were telling them before the release.  Since release people have been telling them the things they want to see.  What's the first addition to the game that they release?  an in-game advertisement.  Until people start holding them accountable by criticizing them and refusing to buy their products they will continue to ignore feedback.

[GenXisT 127]

It can't possibly do any harm if it doesn't break the game balance. After all, half the stuff we put on the STEX is essentially advertising DLC in one way or another. The difference is that Nissan doesn't make any money when someone downloads a Nissan Altima pack for SC4.

Here's my problem with it:  for the year leading up to release people were telling MAXIS what they didn't like about the direction they were taking the game.  At release and from then on, the problems with the game can all be traced to exactly what people were telling them before the release.  Since release people have been telling them the things they want to see.  What's the first addition to the game that they release?  an in-game advertisement.  Until people start holding them accountable by criticizing them and refusing to buy their products they will continue to ignore feedback.

 

THIS, EXACTLY!!!!

Yes, we all paid for the game... but what do I need a Nissan Leaf station for if the game sucks so bad? I'll say it again, this game should've been delayed.  Earliest release should've been Q4.  Even better would've been Q2 2014.