Why do you still play SC4 ?

[Kleiner Timmy 12]

I'm wondering what type of reasons you have to keep playing this game and maybe what you miss in other games that SimCity has  

[Cyclone Boom 17,016]

For me the biggest sole reason is due to the freedom of creativity SC4 presents as a city-building simulation.

Personally I've always been someone much less interested into action and shooter type games, and more into the strategic and artistic elements. That's where SC4 really is perfect as a platform allowing the expression of imagination, with such a vast range of possibilities. Combine this alongside an established and still thriving community with knowledge and custom content, it extends the potential beyond what the base vanilla game provides on its own. Since it's a hobby too with no defined end goal, it means each of us can use the tools in our own inventive ways. With no right or wrong way to play, that gives the choice to whatever our mayoral aspirations are.

As an aside, welcome to Simtropolis!

[jeffryfisher 2,176]

I continue to play here because, while I can influence the development of a great metropolis, I can't "solve" the game. The later derivative games are easily (for me) "solvable" (reducible), which means that I could write a computer program to play in my place (if SC4 had an API for programmer to control cities).

[Raymond7cn 6,773]

In China, It's very easy to play most of games for free, So people just kept changing the games one by one, I thought they almost have lost the passion of enjoying the real fun of game, I thought sometimes it's the Game play them not they enjoy the game. To me, I just put my best effort to explore those unknown and fascinating parts of SC4, It will be my whole life game. And my son.

Sincerely,

-- Raymond

[BlueCloud 82]

Incredible replayability. It basically never gets old. I might take a break for a few months but then I come back and pick up where I left off.

[infamousjbe 593]

The perfect blend of creativity and OCD management for me. Sometimes I forget time exists while playing this game. I've been a fan of SimCity since it's creation but SC4 hands down hit the nail on the head with this one. 

I've taken years off, just to always find my way back to this one. It has a pull like an addiction. Then to still have the community active every time I return is astounding. Pretty sure SC4 will stay in my life as long as the computers can still run it. 

[Prophet42 1,503]

It is the open-endedness of the game play.  Each time I create a region or a city it is different.  I can let my creative imagination mold and shape the city.  Even though I do enjoy playing other games, once you play through once, nothing really changes.  With SimCity, there is no 'playing through' the game.  I've been playing SC4 since 2004 and I am still only on my second region.

My biggest fear with SimCity is that someday, Windows 10 will make some change or add/eliminate some feature and SC4 will no longer be able to run.

[Propfam 2,294]

13 hours ago, Prophet42 said:

It is the open-endedness of the game play.  Each time I create a region or a city it is different.  I can let my creative imagination mold and shape the city.  Even though I do enjoy playing other games, once you play through once, nothing really changes.  With SimCity, there is no 'playing through' the game.  I've been playing SC4 since 2004 and I am still only on my second region.

My biggest fear with SimCity is that someday, Windows 10 will make some change or add/eliminate some feature and SC4 will no longer be able to run.

It already happened for disk version. For digital ones, we should worry about Origin, Steam, etc (I hope GoG doesn't because they have a strong policy of no DRM) mess with the game so the game can't be updated (already happened with Origin one) or even worse, can no longer be played because we are no longer have the game in the platform for some reasons.

Thanks.

[goforit 7]

Mmm i truely believe the animation and how people respond and new buildings come up and update with very area. 

[roulettesoad12 57]

When I travel around my country.. i see cities and something just comes out and makes me want to recreate them in the game, I've been playing this for +10 years now but i have periods of playing it for 2-3 months and then leave it for years and then come back.. that happened like 5-10 times already. I don't think there is a better game than this in his category, I tried Cities Skylines but didn't like it really

[Jackspital 391]

Honestly, It's still one of the best city builders to have ever released. It has an amazing soundtrack, amazing gameplay that sucks you in, and a graphics style that is outdated but doesn't really feel like it. Granted, it's nothing flashy, but it works well in an isometric 2.5D style. SimCity 4 also just has a certain charm about it, it was one of my first ever games and produces a lot of nostalgia. Pair it with a great collection of graphical and gameplay mods/BATS and I can enjoy the game for hours building on a massive map with highways across multiple tiles etc. 

[Haljackey 17,355]

Never really got into Skylines, and SimCity (2013) is forgettable.

[Jackspital 391]

9 hours ago, Haljackey said:

Never really got into Skylines, and SimCity (2013) is forgettable.

I do enjoy Cities Skylines, but it never draws me in as much as SC4. SimCity (2013) was disappointing to say the least, I remember buying it on the first week after launch and saw how awful the servers and constant internet connection was.

[TheCrybKeeper 301]

I know, I am repeating myself, but my linear/grid/cloned city districts, gives me a personal sense of order in a chaotic real world. SimCity literally, heals me, soothes anxiety and eases my cluttered mind. I will never stop playing SC4.

[Jackspital 391]

16 hours ago, TheCrybKeeper said:

I know, I am repeating myself, but my linear/grid/cloned city districts, gives me a personal sense of order in a chaotic real world. SimCity literally, heals me, soothes anxiety and eases my cluttered mind. I will never stop playing SC4.

It definitely feels rather theraputic, especially building and listening to the game's soundtrack. 

[eaglesong 108]

SC4 feels like coming home to me. I have played SC games since they first came out. I remember arguing with my (now ex) husband over computer time when SC4 first came out .

I play other games, World of Warcraft and Diablo 3. When there is something happening in those games, like new patches, beta, etc., I am totally involved in them. But, there is always a lull period in those, and I come back to my first love, building all kinds of cities. I love the customization that has become available to SC4 because of it's community. I love that I can experiment and play around with whatever suits my fancy or mood at the time. I don't always have to have a goal or endpoint, I can just.........play. It reminds me of how I felt as a little kid with a new box of crayons.

Sort of mushy, I know, but truth .

[jason leo 485]

I started playing SimCity games from SC2000, I was still at elementary school back then. I like the level of freedom of creativity that the game has and how I can mimic the real world in a game. As for now I haven't played any SimCity game for quite several months as I'm busy with university stuffs, but I still have SC3000 and SC4 in my laptop.

I used to like making simple BAT models and uploading them here as well when I wasn't so busy with real life, although I haven't done that either since my old laptop first broke, back in 2013.

[RLope 14]

coronavirus got me back. im still playing cause it harkens back to simpler times

[MintberryCrunch 83]

It's still fun, that's why. I get to indulge my love of cities and civil planning and design and it's still the case that I can play this game for hours and feel like only five minutes have gone by. I started playing (and joined this forum) when I was only 14. I'm 20 now and I have less time for it, but I still come back to it (often in "bursts" where I'll play it every day for a couple weeks). 

[Kleiner Timmy 12]

So many Replys

I don't know when i bought SC4 but it must have been around the age of 12 when i bought my first very own PC  

I also like like to play in bursts and then leave it for some months/years. But lately while playing Cities Skyline I was bored and somewhat annoyed that i just build 1 city.

In SC4 you can have a huge city over many different tiles and still be able to build a very nice outskirt around the city with farmland and stuff.

In Cities skyline you are very limited i feel. You can have a big city with 1 million pop or a nice looking small town. But not both on one map (even with the 81 tiles mod)

And it is satisfing to me to see just the number in like subway station when 15.000 people use it   That makes me very happy.

 

[lucask0 14]

I think there is some kind of magic in this game that makes it never get old or outdated!

You can always make something new, be proud of your creations (or not...) and have fun sharing the results with others.

[Allstillwell 77]

Like others have said i think it comes down to the community, Simtropolis, SC4 devotion in particular. I've taken breaks but always come back and its nice to see what others have created. 

[LeCerq 29]

The aspect of constant renewal of the game it's a differential...but at the end of the day I just like to see those little guys travelling around in the nice transport modes I build for them.

The act of planning and building also brings me some kind of serenity...like I'm creating something from scratch.

[Chaos Theory 28]

I'm playing SimCity 4 by nostalgia. I played when I was 10 years old. I loved this game, but I always went bankrupt. I didn't understand the money management...

I also grew up with SimCity DS! I'm sure this version is better in my memories. SimCity DS is... well... a DS game. It's cannot be really a complexe game.

Today, I see the community around SimCity and similar games. I like that.

 

[T Wrecks 10,209]

Wait, you can play this game?

These days, I mostly play Lot Editor, iLive Reader, LEProp, SC4Tool, Plugin Manager, GoFSH and Excel in relation to SC4... with the goal of playing SC4. Eventually. Soon...ish. Hopefully. Maybe. Who knows?

[Raymond7cn 6,773]

14 minutes ago, T Wrecks said:

Wait, you can play this game?

These days, I mostly play Lot Editor, iLive Reader, LEProp, SC4Tool, Plugin Manager, GoFSH and Excel in relation to SC4... with the goal of playing SC4. Eventually. Soon...ish. Hopefully. Maybe. Who knows?

Between the choice of Thanks and Haha, I chose the latter, since I thought you're enjoying by doing that as well, But also, I tip my hat to you, Thanks! @T Wrecks  and hope you could reach that goal as soon as possible!

Sincerely,

-- Raymond (one enjoying the scene of industry by your effort)

[AFreemanPV 16]

I also love the challenge to imagine the city. Then create the city. Plus all the Duh, Huh, and no, not there moments. Then to visit Simtropolis and see this wealth of brain power.

Besides golf after dark is no fun.

[T Wrecks 10,209]

10 hours ago, AFreemanPV said:

I also love the challenge to imagine the city. Then create the city. Plus all the Duh, Huh, and no, not there moments.

This puts it in a nutshell. I agree with this pretty much 100% - currently in theoretical terms. But I know this was what I enjoyed when I was still playing, and what I might enjoy again once (if) I start playing again.

In any case, and particularly @Raymond7cn: Thank you - yes, indeed, I'm enjoying that modding and lotting stuff. I guess it's another way of imagining things, working on them, and seeing it come together slowly.

[PlanetOfHats 506]

For me, I'm the sort of person who absolutely loves worldbuilding. Not only do I love to create a city, I love to create the story behind a city and a region. And I like the ability to visualize an entire urban universe, from the central business district to the rural outlying areas, and then translate it into reality.

The other thing is that the modding community for this game is so massive that it's kept everything feeling fresh, on top of the game's huge replayability.

[monkeywater 910]

I moved from a beautiful location to one with shitty architecture, and this is my escape.