Should SimCity be more 'realistic;

[Cyclone Boom 17,031]

All right, this is a final reminder. Let's move on now.

 

If this continues, the thread will be closed.

 

[Snugies 91]

all big government projects nothing one municipality has the money to do. All those projects you show have federal/ state government money. Very hard for cities to come up with the money to pour dirt into water. In the U.S. and in Canada where I live the federal government does not give much money to cities. 

 

1: Panama Canal you serious? built by the U.S. government not financed by Panama City

2: LA canal is waterworks is utility supply for city (only one you kinda make sense about) LA cant afford to maintain it anymore anyway   

3: Dubai government money for tourism

4: japan federal government money for airport

 

hmmm. everything you listed is federal governments money? got nothing to due with municipal financing.

Even LA I believe is subsidized by state government. What you are showing is all federal government infrastructure projects. YOU think Las Vegas had the MONEY to build HOOVER DAM?...duh NOOOOOOO

[GenXisT 127]

1: What city can terraform again? please tell me which city built its own terrain?

 

Perhaps you need a reminder of the question you asked?

 

What does funding have to do with the the fact that the cities pictured terraformed their own terrain?

 

lol...

 

but i suppose when something stated / asked is so blatantly wrong, it's better to argue something that was neither mentioned, asked, nor argued...  nor has any relevance whatsoever to the original postulation.

I believe they call that a red herring. 

[Snugies 91]

I said no city has the ability to terrafom like you are showing. the panama canal was not made by a city. you are taking massive government infrastructure projects and trying to say a city can do this. I think your wrong. Again I asked you do you think a city can build the hoover dam?

do you really think Las Vegas had the money to build the hoover dam?

Do some reading find out if LA did pay for all its canals? or was it private?

did new Orleans pay for its levees or did the state and feds do it?

to tell you the truth I think your massive infrastructure projects are all built and paid for by federal governments got nothing to do with cities

 

okay i looked LA aqueduct was built by the city of LA but if you look at a picture of it it is certainly no where near the size of the projects you've been showing

[VanGioRobNelli 29]

 

Well said.  They were not trying to make an "UPDATED SIMCITY 4" with great graphics... which is what all of you SC4 fans expected.

I consider this game rather a Real Time Strategy game rather than a simulator. And people should view the game from that perspective, then things like realism become vastly less important. But therefore, it's also not within the game genres that I like. I like economic simulation games and personally I do value a lot to realism. That's why I never bought this game and just went on with SimCity 4...

 

As I do not have the 10 year experience as many of you do with SC4, I guess I cannot properly speak what the game "is" and "lacks."  You all have waited a long time for this.  I just get frustrated when there is a constant bashing of the new SC5 which many DO enjoy.. and probably will play for years to come.  

 

Your description I quoted makes a lot of sense to me now.  I never viewed it from that perspective, but I actually agree with you that it is more of a RTS than a simulation.  I stand corrected.

[GenXisT 127]

okay i looked LA aqueduct was built by the city of LA but if you look at a picture of it it is certainly no where near the size of the projects you've been showing

 

Oh, so you did some research? Well done.

 

You're being EXTREMELY PEDANTIC, atm... (look that one up)

 

You're taking the literal "city" and applying it to the overall argument of terraforming.  

We're not talking about a city as a person having money to build something.  Cities don't  exist in a vacuum.  that's a no brainer and it completely outside the scope of this discussion.

CitIES do have the money to come together to terraform the land.  This is about the act of terraforming the land, by whomever does it, even if it's some bloke in his back yard with a back-hoe and a pile of dirt building up a playground for his kids.

HE's STILL TERRAFORMING!!!

 

Christ!

 

And even all of this is still outside the fact they the took the feature of terraforming that was present and very effective and necessary in a previous iteration of Sim City and removed it from the new game.  This alone is cause enough for most, if not all, SC4 players to shelve this game until Maxis/EA sort themselves out.  

This doesn't even touch on the other stuff  removed that needn't have been.

 

This game does add some things that were ok. 

No need for water pipes.

No need for power lines...though there were mods that made the power lines look really cool.

Curvy roads

The Ave with the light-rail line included

3D

 

But they removed CRITICAL items:

ONE WAY STREETS... and give us a game littered with gameplay breaking traffic issues.

Farms - so you no longer have an actual region/town

Highways/Subways/El Trains etc - again, traffic issues.  Items that MAXIS themselves put into Rush Hour.

 

Then the terraforming...

[FourWinds 29]

You can't really have terraforming and scoreboards though, or mods where you paint your own grey-scale resources either. Perhaps it would be nice in sandbox as a mod.

 

 

Oh....and everyone's momma too.

[Superbacon 380]

SimCity does not have to be that realistic. SC is the kind of game that is supposed to allow us to spread our wings and let our creative sides loose. Creating vast, diverse landscapes and huge, beautiful (or ugly) cities to follow suit. If SimCity 6 were like what OP described, I would not play it. I would pretent it doesn't exist. Being limited to bureaucratic shenanigans and fixed maps does not interest anyone.

[GenXisT 127]

You can't really have terraforming and scoreboards though, or mods where you paint your own grey-scale resources either. Perhaps it would be nice in sandbox as a mod.

 

 

Oh....and everyone's momma too.

 

That mod was excellent...was just thinking about that  too... being able to create a nearly precise landscape of how you wanted your plot of land to look.

I even enjoyed the mod that changed the colors of the terrain... such wonderful mods created to improve the art of the game, as described by Superbacon.

 

This game won't even achieve that greatness if it's just this simulation, devoid of any sort of stylistic and  artistic freedom.

At the end of it all, every city in this game currently looks just like every other city aside from the road layout.

Whoodie Doo!!! That is NOT worth $85US.

[FourWinds 29]

 

You can't really have terraforming and scoreboards though, or mods where you paint your own grey-scale resources either. Perhaps it would be nice in sandbox as a mod.

 

 

Oh....and everyone's momma too.

 

That mod was excellent...was just thinking about that  too... being able to create a nearly precise landscape of how you wanted your plot of land to look.

I even enjoyed the mod that changed the colors of the terrain... such wonderful mods created to improve the art of the game, as described by Superbacon.

 

This game won't even achieve that greatness if it's just this simulation, devoid of any sort of stylistic and  artistic freedom.

At the end of it all, every city in this game currently looks just like every other city aside from the road layout.

Whoodie Doo!!! That is NOT worth $85US.

 

 

Don't be too quick to give up on it amigo. I wasn't talking about any previous mod; I've been looking at things with SimCityPak, and there may be a whole lot of things that could be done. I think that the scoreboards have tied the game in knots: seems to me that paranoia about the integrity of scoreboards could be what's hamstringing a lot of peeps desires; that and EA's fear of any modding in case you make something they may be able to sell you.

[GenXisT 127]

 

 

You can't really have terraforming and scoreboards though, or mods where you paint your own grey-scale resources either. Perhaps it would be nice in sandbox as a mod.

 

 

Oh....and everyone's momma too.

 

That mod was excellent...was just thinking about that  too... being able to create a nearly precise landscape of how you wanted your plot of land to look.

I even enjoyed the mod that changed the colors of the terrain... such wonderful mods created to improve the art of the game, as described by Superbacon.

 

This game won't even achieve that greatness if it's just this simulation, devoid of any sort of stylistic and  artistic freedom.

At the end of it all, every city in this game currently looks just like every other city aside from the road layout.

Whoodie Doo!!! That is NOT worth $85US.

 

 

Don't be too quick to give up on it amigo. I wasn't talking about any previous mod; I've been looking at things with SimCityPak, and there may be a whole lot of things that could be done. I think that the scoreboards have tied the game in knots: seems to me that paranoia about the integrity of scoreboards could be what's hamstringing a lot of peeps desires; that and EA's fear of any modding in case you make something they may be able to sell you.

 

 

And if they'd simply have expanded on the state of SC4 from say... 2009... then every one of us STILL would've bought it.

I have no issues with buying expansive materials as long as those are worth the money.  Rush Hour was worth the $40... it's STILL $40 today!  

I'd STILL  pay for it.  It's that good... that worth it... made that many improvements.  It's not about the money when the product is worth its weight.

I was TOTALLY excited about this game, rebuilt my gaming rig and everything.  You cannot imagine the disappointment (or maybe you can, lol).

 

I want to like this game.  I really do. Because I love the 3D aspect and that you can get right down to street level and get involved with your city.

Something that really needed to be added to the game.  But the price paid for that one feature was immense.

 

I boot up the game and play every so often.  But i'm still frustrated by the limitations as you  have described... all created by the ill-advised attempt to make a single-player game into multi-player.

It's sort of like why every time they've tried to make Grand Theft Auto have a multi-player aspect, it's a monumental failure.  I don't understand why gaming companies are unable to learn from the folly of others?

[Snugies 91]

ya its called SIMCITY not terraform why don't you go buy a game where you can make beautiful lanscapes or why don't you just draw on photoshop or maybe learn how to paint. Your just mad you don't know how cities actually work.

WHY you keep wanting things that shouldn't even be in a city simulation?

Why do I need to move mountains? in a city simulation? You wanna paint the terrain? MY GOD GO TO AN ART CLASS!

 

one way streets and farms agreed but it will come with expansion packs, I hate you cry babies. I hate the way you people acted towards SimCity societies as well. why don't you be more appreciative that EA made SimCity again? I like the new SimCity and think its a great start to a new era of SimCity and I cant stand you people that want to draw paintings and make little stories that have nothing to do with city simulations you make your static photoshop crap elsewhere.

[mcallisterw 41]

What's been going on here... Still a lot of mud-slinging (with pictures of mud-slinging to boot) going on.

 

Happily the thread's more on a productive course though.

 

I'm with GenX in that I really do want to like the game... personally I have no beef with the graphics which have been described as bland or cartoony or somesuch.

 

But I like to create and I feel I don't get enough of that in this game. I know being able to rename things and drop labels doesn't add anything to the gameplay, but I miss it, and part of my disappointment at the lack of things like terraforming and control over access points into your city isn't just about gameplay but also about customisability... The main reason I got bored is I'd toyed with all the plots of land on offer I didn't find one I really liked.

 

There's lots of stuff I really like about the game, but not enough to overcome what I don't like and actually make the game enjoyable to play.

 

When I said that this was just the reality of a new game for a new demographic I wasn't really enthused about that, I would much rather play the games of the styles I know and love. I don't know whether it's just me being older and grumpy and intolerant of what the kids do these days, or whether I actually have a point when I talk of lost utopianism and games being all about collecting and sharing... maybe collecting and sharing is the new challenge... the new games won't be about solving puzzles that are logical and mathematical at hard (if pleasingly chaotic), but will be about managing social relationships, making friends with someone who can gift you that really cool building you want (yes I know Sim City doesn't work like that... yet)

 

But yeah, gameplay too.

ya its called SIMCITY not terraform why don't you go buy a game where you can make beautiful lanscapes or why don't you just draw on photoshop or maybe learn how to paint. Your just mad you don't know how cities actually work.

WHY you keep wanting things that shouldn't even be in a city simulation?

Why do I need to move mountains? in a city simulation? You wanna paint the terrain? MY GOD GO TO AN ART CLASS!

 

one way streets and farms agreed but it will come with expansion packs, I hate you cry babies. I hate the way you people acted towards SimCity societies as well. why don't you be more appreciative that EA made SimCity again? I like the new SimCity and think its a great start to a new era of SimCity and I cant stand you people that want to draw paintings and make little stories that have nothing to do with city simulations you make your static photoshop crap elsewhere.

 

Terraforming is all part of the joy of making a city that is all yours... it's not as much fun if everyone's building on the same land.

 

And maybe people wouldn't feel the desire to terraform as much if you had the whole Earth to choose where to build your city, but you don't you have a few measly options. If I want my city to be at the mouth of a river that flows into a bay with a couple other rivers, with cliffs running through the city centre... why shouldn't I be able to? I could in SC4, and now suddenly I can't. As I said earlier, I was probably wrong to assume that 'SimCity' in the title of a game meant something. I should have treated the game as if it were a newcomer.

[MandelSoft 2,775]

This looks like a flame war between a few members and it doesn't seem to go anywhere. Both parties can't seem to agree with each other and it seems to escalate.

 

Lock, please?

[GenXisT 127]

ya its called SIMCITY not terraform why don't you go buy a game where you can make beautiful lanscapes or why don't you just draw on photoshop or maybe learn how to paint. Your just mad you don't know how cities actually work.

WHY you keep wanting things that shouldn't even be in a city simulation?

Why do I need to move mountains? in a city simulation? You wanna paint the terrain? MY GOD GO TO AN ART CLASS!

 

one way streets and farms agreed but it will come with expansion packs, I hate you cry babies. I hate the way you people acted towards SimCity societies as well. why don't you be more appreciative that EA made SimCity again? I like the new SimCity and think its a great start to a new era of SimCity and I cant stand you people that want to draw paintings and make little stories that have nothing to do with city simulations you make your static photoshop crap elsewhere.

 

first of all, don't be painting with your broad-stroke brush of generalizations... I never even played  SimCity Societies because, by its very name, I knew it wasn't going to even be SimCity.

And yeah, it's called sim CITY... NOT sim Neighborhood, nor sim TOWN, nor sim RESTRICTED BUILDING AREA.

 

And I'm mad about not knowing how cities work?  Coming from the guy that, on more than one occasion, proclaimed to the world that cities don't terraform to build land and then further displayed his basic lack of knowledge of city scapes that have repeatedly employed this behavior.  

 

When you get to the level of play of the Sim City franchise that I'm on, then you can talk to me... Until then, you can quite right down, son.  24 years and counting... what do you have?  a couple of months since the release of SC2013??? LOL... go on, son...

Terraforming is all part of the joy of making a city that is all yours... it's not as much fun if everyone's building on the same land.

 

And maybe people wouldn't feel the desire to terraform as much if you had the whole Earth to choose where to build your city, but you don't you have a few measly options. If I want my city to be at the mouth of a river that flows into a bay with a couple other rivers, with cliffs running through the city centre... why shouldn't I be able to? I could in SC4, and now suddenly I can't. As I said earlier, I was probably wrong to assume that 'SimCity' in the title of a game meant something. I should have treated the game as if it were a newcomer.

 

This... almost  exactly.

By the name "SIM CITY"  It has expectations... As I stated previously,  Sim City Societies DID NOT have the same expectations because it was NOT the same name.... thus not the same game.

This is, and it should live up to it.

Up till  now, it is not.  

If you bought Madden NFL, you'd expect American rules football.

If you bought FIFA, you'd expect soccer.

If you bought Street Fighter, you'd expect a fighting game.

 

Even the Mortal Kombat iterations with adding the tag-team stuff STILL stayed true to Mortal Kombat... fight until "Finish Him" and had the same original characters while ADDING NEW ONES... not subtracting the old, well known and enjoyed originals... 

 

I have every right, as a consumer of the franchise, to hold them to expectations.

It's the same with any long-running product. Some things are expected by the product touting the same name.

 

There's a reason why MS got so much flack for taking away the Start Button in Windows 7.  It made NO SENSE...and it was there previously.  They didn't fix or make anything better by removing it.

But they did certainly upset loads of people.  Sounds familiar, doesn't it?

 

Snugies, you can't tell me ONE thing that SC2013 does BETTER than SC4.  I implore you to do so.

Oh wait... you [probably] never even played SC4, or 3000, or 2K, or Sim City 1... ho hum... silly me for thinking you know what you're on about...

[Snugies 91]

by the way I've been playing SimCity all my life. 4, 3000, 2000 all em even societies. I'm very appreciative of everything maxis and EA has done for us. I really love SimCity 5 this is by far the best game I have played in my life and can't wait for a sequel. If any of you are actual real SimCity fans you will support EA and Maxis and give constructive criticism to help the game. I would never hate on SimCity I am a true fan unlike you and am soo happy with SimCity 5 I think it is great and I love the dynamics.

 

It is more dynamic than SimCity 4. I like how my city can just go ghetto overnight due to commodity prices just like in the real world.

 

So you want me to list what SimCity 5 does better than SimCity 4?

-Graphics of course way better

-traffic in SimCity 4 was almost non existent freeways were empty

-SimCity 4 buildings regularly repeated > required modding

-crime simulation was nonexistent

-original commercial skyscraper glitch pissed me off  ( why did I have to download a bunch of mods to get ploppable buildings that half the time did nothing, but there was no active simulation in SimCity 4 anyway)

-original heavy industry glitch pissed me off

-no agent simulation

-no resources > no specialisations

 

I also think we can't terraform due to it will cause graphical glitches. Try drawing a road free hand up a hill and show some appreciation for the programming that maxis did. I think they have done exceptional work.

Sounds to me like you hate SimCity more than you like it, and it sounds like you want something entirely different than city simulation.

 

City simulation is dynamic it is more real now. You got to take this game slower and think more. Your not just drawing a picture like SimCity 4 anymore your being immersed in a real city that yes can collapse just like in reality.

 

You guys like to draw pictures and that's what SimCity 4 gave a static picture drawing experience no real simulation. SimCity 5 everything effects your city as it should crime, health, pollution.. etc.

[FourWinds 29]

Perhaps Francis should have the last say before this thread is locked (or you guys kill each other). I'm not sure I agree with Francis by the way, but he makes me laugh. I do however get close to raging like this about gifting of resources.

 

[Removed]

[snick25 384]

 

GET OVER IT.  DON'T PLAY IT.  STICK TO YOUR SC4 AND LET THE REST OF US ENJOY THE GAME EA/MAXIS PRODUCED.... 

 

 

You left out Cities XL, which is clearly superior to both the outdated SC4 and childish SimVillage.

 

 

I just thought I'd throw my biased opinion into this hilarious thread. Seriously, bravo to you all - I haven't laughed so hard in a long time. 

[morriswalters 16]

It's a game.  If it's fun for you then it's achieved it's purpose.  If it's not it didn't.  EA's purpose is to make money giving you something fun to do.  Sometimes it doesn't work.  Personally I had fun with it.  But I can see how others might not.

[FourWinds 29]

Oh man, my post got censored. It wasn't my intention to upset any puritan, ultra PC, or Victorian members; I just thought it was funny. Don't tase me 18th century bro.'

 

If anyone wants to see what was removed, search on youtube for 'francis simcity' and you will find it.

[Cyclone Boom 17,031]

That's enough. Sufficient reminders have been given, and without a noticeable improvement...

 

-Thread Closed-