A PETITION TO MAXIS (Please Participate)

[Pegasus 2,837]

Although the Custom Content Forum appeared to be more suitable for this topic, I posted this here to attract the attention of all members and players. The goal is to create an on-line petition asking Maxis to address the 3 big issues that handcuff custom content developers and affect players as well.

If this topic is successful, it can later be brought to Maxis attention and, ideally, might help to sway them to help us out with these issues. At the very least, it would serve to to make them aware of our concern for these issues.

I am hoping to use the poll option to act as an electronic signature to the petition... thus allow members to 'sign' with a single click. Of course, comments are welcome but this is intended to focus on these 3 issues/items only. This is not intended to become a sprawling wish list and ask that the moderator remove any such replies that do not pertain specificly to the contents of the petition.

A Petition to Maxis

We, the adoring SimCity fan(atics), with unending respect and appreciation for the wonderful creation you have provided, have but 3 more requests to make of you and pray that you can somehow provide us with solutions to the following:

1. The Graphic Overlay Bug (aka.. The Water Graphic's Bug)

Many custom lots and even the game's default Beach Lot are affected by this. Certain views or 'overlays' in the game trigger this problem where a lot's base textures change or disappear. The most common player actions that trigger this are using the underground view to lay pipe... and saving the game.

The manual 'work-around' for the player is to select the 'Zones' data view.. then select the 'All Off' option. A viable & simple 'code-fix' for this would be to access the 'All Off' code routine when exiting the underground view and after saving a game.

We beseech you to make this simple code fix and release an .exe update to registered players on your web site.

2. Plop-able Residential Lots

Custom content developers have mastered many aspects of creating additional content for the game which has certainly benefited all players and Maxis alike. However, the ability to create a functioning ploppable residential lot still eludes us. Such lots quickly become abandoned due to excessive commute times because something prevents the residents from leaving the lot.

Speculation is that the residents of such lots are not included in specific calculations required to allow them to be treated the same as residents of RCI/Growable residential lots. If this is coded in the .exe, we implore you to provide a solution and release an update. If a solution is possible by modifying game data, we ask that you provide some information or assistance to developers so a solution can be developed independently.

3. Animated Props/Effects

The release of the BAT has opened a doorway to a virtually unlimited source of new material for the game. However, the ability to further enhance this new material with new animated props/effects still eludes us.

A custom tool for creating these would be ideal but we understand the time & effort required for that could be excessive. However, a published guide explaining the process and identifying any publicly accessible tools used to produce the current effects in the game, would allow developers to further enhance their custom material and open the door for many new & exciting ceations.

[frogface 354]

i signed, some of the things like the water bug should have been fixed ages ago
but i am a bit doubtful as to whether maxis will listen
we can always hope

[Pegasus 2,837]

Date: 9/8/2004 1:11:19 PM
Author: frogface
i signed, some of the things like the water bug should have been fixed ages ago
but i am a bit doubtful as to whether maxis will listen
we can always hope

quote>

I'm sure many of us have no immediate confidence that Maxis would respond. But I believe we should be optimistic, make the effort and give Maxis a chance. They certainly would not make an effort if we don't.

Of course, we really need to get a lot of signatures for it to have any real impact. This site has what now... 10 quadrillion registered members? That would be a start...

Seriously... if we all can spread the word and copy the link to this topic on all the other sites we visit & ask their members to visit here & sign, perhaps we can all come together as a community & a single voice on at least this one thing.

There really are quite a few of us, y'know.... Our collective influence might just have some impact. But we'll never know unless we give it our best shot!


** With these 3 issues resolved and/or addressed, the community would be stunned by what the developers could create for the game. [:0]

[Ma8thew 77]

Who voted not interested?

[EmergentFungus 29]

Date:9/8/2004 1:39:50 PM
Author:Ma8thew

Who voted not interested?

quote>

 

Me! I have better games to play.

[ScLu 3]

I will sign this petition. Even though I have noidea that these problems even existed.

[Pegasus 2,837]

Date: 9/8/2004 1:52:00 PM
Author: EmergentFungus

Date:9/8/2004 1:39:50 PM
Author:Ma8thew

Who voted not interested?

quote>

Me! I have better games to play.

quote>

And we are happy for you and support you in that. But for all of us who still care about this game and hope a collective community effort might have a positive influence and result, your support & cooperation would be appreciated.

* The 'Not Interested' option is there only because the site's poll option will not allow just a single choice. With a petition, those 'not interested' generally just don't sign... (or walk quickly into the supermarket )

[Pegasus 2,837]

Date: 9/8/2004 1:54:23 PM
Author: ScLu

I will sign this petition. Even though I have noidea that these problems even existed.

quote>

The first item is a bug... and therefore a true problem. It severely limits the creation of lots for use on the water, like beaches... and some pretty kewl things we could otherwise do involving transparent ground texutres.

** Example: A beautiful sculpted Grand Canyon lot could be created that actually appeared as a massive hole in the ground... complete with little bushes and goats and exhasted burros lugging fat-assed tourists up & down the cliffs all day... but the whole thing would turn into a big black hole as soon as you saved the game or layed some wate pipe.

The second two items are not bugs and therefore not real problems... but they are limitations that hinder a lot of custom content development. Can't hurt to ask, right?

[cow 1]

i can definately agree with fixing the textures bug and the ability to create animated props, but i would much rather see a new menu interface for custom lots than ploppable residential. i know you said not to make this a wish list, but having a separate menu tree seems like a much more important issue. just my $0.02.

[Simbourgeois 139]

The City Council of Belleville took unanimous decision that our city supports this petition, so I, as a mayor of Belleville, signed it!

 

Sincerely yours,

Simbourgeois

[Pegasus 2,837]

Date: 9/8/2004 2:42:05 PM
Author: cow
i can definately agree with fixing the textures bug and the ability to create animated props, but i would much rather see a new menu interface for custom lots than ploppable residential. i know you said not to make this a wish list, but having a separate menu tree seems like a much more important issue. just my $0.02.

quote>

Maxis has already replied to that issue and it would require a very large re-write... not a simple bug fix. So we're hoping to stay focused on just these items.

** These are the Big 3 that content developers need addressed to produce new and exciting material that will keep the players coming back for more. For those who may not have noticed, the poll directly under this one on the forum index page is, Have You Lost Interest in SC4?

[Pegasus 2,837]

Date: 9/8/2004 2:52:12 PM
Author: Simbourgeois

The City Council of Belleville took unanimous decision that our city supports this petition, so I, as a mayor of Belleville, signed it!

Sincerely yours,

Simbourgeois

quote>

A very wise move, Mr. Mayor... particularly in this, an election year!

[andrew george 0]

You have my scribble!

 

A

[edd_erickson 0]

I will sign the petition, even though I have no idea what Number 3 is about.

[orishavit 1]

Date: 9/8/2004 3:11:00 PM
Author: edd_erickson
I will sign the petition, even though I have no idea what Number 3 is about.

quote>
With our current tools, creating animated models in gMax and importing them to SC4 is impossible. gMax can create animated stuff, but you can't export it. The BAT needs to be improved, and that's Maxis' department.

[edd_erickson 0]

Now I know! Thanks, ori!

[mattc005 2]

if I'll sign... anything for the cause to add even greater content to the already fabulous job of some of this sites famous people!

[DragonFire1380 0]

May I suggest that you change #2 to include all RCI ploppable buildings.   Res lots are by far the biggest problem but Industrial lots always have long freight trips which causes such great buildings as the AMD Fab 70 lot to look nasty once it turn black because of this.   Commercial lots have a problem with the customers factor.

[jacqulina 162]

you got my sig its for a very good cause

[Ra_TheGreat 1]

Maxis must listen to us. I have almost no doubts they will listen, but there always remains some suspicion. Let's hope they fix these bugs SC4 still has.

[DuskTrooper 316]

Sure, Ill sign, but I don't think Maxis cares.

[yarabundi 3]

I'm not as pro as many of you BATters ; I'M just a player.Tthis is why I reviewed your commentaries before signing this petition. Too technical for me. Plus the fact that english is my second langage which means most of what is said there is chinese to me. But if the masters of BATing agree on the demands, I can only but follow you guys. So far, you've all been great. Such inspired BATters couldn't be wrong

[M-SIL 2]

I'll signed, because it will help fix some of the problems that SC4 has, but SC4 will have other problems like commute times (cause buildings to abandon for almost no reason) and excessive air pollution.

[Djohaal 121]

 

Date:9/8/2004 4:27:38 PM
Author:DuskTrooper

Sure, Ill sign, but I don't think Maxis cares.

quote>

If they don't we may of corse send one of your Almighty nukes in one of their ts2 stocks (or them all) causing a pandemonium on the the sims community and the future fall of the The Simist  regin by the emperor Elan Andy*

 

*Check the first letters (captalized ones)

[Dargor 17]

I have several questions/comments... First of all, Pegasus, thanks for starting this!  I - and I am sure many of us - have lived with the idea to get Maxis' attention again, since the game is far from perfect still. But I am quite sceptical.

 

It's been a year since we all have to live with that horrifying texture water-bug. We can spend hours and hours on a small water-front, to make it as realistic as possible. This water-bug though makes all efforts worthless though. It makes a whole region with beaches look ugly. Like a rotting apple can spoil a whole bunch. At least for me. For over a year Maxis has denied this bug. I was the first one to report about this bug on this site, and ever since hundreds of people have complained... Maxis has done nothing   I don't think they even know about the bug... If you look at all those little things that got fixed in the several patches, it's quite astonishing that a bug that can ruin parts of the gaming experience still exists a year after it appeared. So that explains why I think that Maxis is not aware of this bug. Therefore my sceptical view... They are not aware because after Rush Hour they took their hands off from the community... There is evidence for that.

 

I do have hope that a loud scream for help - in the shape of an online-petition - could help.

 

Pegasus... is there a way we can bring this thread to their attention?

[Pegasus 2,837]

Date: 9/8/2004 4:27:38 PM
Author: DuskTrooper
Sure, Ill sign, but I don't think Maxis cares.

quote>

I suspect that you are right... but I wonder what would happen if we waived this at them with 20,000 plus signatures on it. It might get their attention & help hold the product loyalty until the next round of a profitable (for them) new version or add-on pack comes along.

We are not making any demands... just asking nicely. And it shouldn't hurt to ask...

[DuskTrooper 316]

Well, in that case, my clones will sign too!

[Djohaal 121]

Date:9/8/2004 4:49:06 PM
Author:DuskTrooper

Well, in that case, my clones will sign too!

quote>

Cleaning cookies also help!

[thpwrthtbe 1]

Im signing, and im glad youve had a good reception from the community. I had a similar idea and it was trampled into the ground by pessimist. weather or not they listen is not the issue, we lose nothing by trying. I live close the the maxis office, if you can produce a paper copy, ill hand it to them in person. this is direct marketing in reverse, we are letting them know what is most important to us, and thus what will sell and what to do for simcity day.

[Pegasus 2,837]

Date: 9/8/2004 4:43:09 PM
Author: Dargor

I do have hope that a loud scream for help - in the shape of an online-petition - could help.

Pegasus... is there a way we can bring this thread to their attention?

quote>

Thanks Dargor... and I believe there are many ways to bring it to their attention... short of storming the building and nail gunning it to their foreheads! (Ow, that's gotta hurt!)

But first, we need to rally the community to come view the petition & sign it before we ask Maxis to have a look at it. A petition with thousands of signatures will carry more weight than one with just a few hundred. So spreading the word to all the fansites and posting a link back to this topic with encouragement to sign is the best action we can take for the moment.


* BTW... I've learned to live with the 'water bug' by laying all my pipes for the city at the beginning... or at least laying them in big sections as I can afford to. That reduces the trips underground to lay pipe and the resulting ugly coastlines and forced data view toggle.

But the bug still prevents me from developing lots that would be affected by it. And its not limited to just the water. There are some neat tricks we can do using transparent/deleted ground textures that look great... until the same bug pops up and turns them into black holes.