redarc27

I think EA could very easily resolve this whole Sim City issue by making it clear that they are totally committed to developing the original Sim City gameplay concept (in other words to continue funding the production of similar games to SimCity 4, SimCity 3000, etc.) and that SC:S is simply a new branch of an evolving franchise.

It's a 'user friendly' user interface thingy for the DVD/CD to allow you to find the BATs, lots, maps etc. you want quickly and easily.

I still think downloadable versions of the DVD and CD would be cool, just in case - peace of mind, etc., as you intimate

Hi I was thinking about getting these, but I'd prefer downloadable versions rather than DVD/CD (for convenience and because DVD/CD's can get lost or damaged). Any chance that could happen? By the way, there seems to be an error on the description of the DVD - it's described as 'Volume 12' in the title. I'm pretty sure Volume 2 is intended.

Hi I've only actually got one thing I can think of that I'd really like updated and its the 'Download More Sims' feature in the Select A My Sim menu. This doesn't work with TS2 sims (at least it doesn't on my computer - the computer icon' dimmed out). I know the sims age and die in TS2, but still it would be nice to populate my cities with my TS2 characters and then update them as and when required. If you can get rid of original The Sims (1) characters from the selection panel and have them replaced by the default characters from TS2 that would also be good. Thanks Buggi :-)

Hi Unless Maxis has given up on its city simulation game, we should be getting the next version of Sim City sometime in the not too distant future, and when the next Sim City hits the shelves (I suppose it will be called Sim City 5, but who knows), I'm really, really hoping that there's going to be much more of a handshake between Maxis's city simulator and The Sims 2 (3, or whatever). Actually, thinking about it, I'd rather be able to take individual house plots from TS2 and plop them into Sim City rather than a whole neighbourhood, then make each plot historic in Sim City so that it doesn't get developed over. Then, every time you play TS2 the same plot could be updated in Sim City. It would be great to go shopping in the commercial districts in Sim City and buy all the different items you can currently get for your sims in the Buy Mode and Build Mode in TS2 - tables, chairs, ornaments, groceries, DIY stuff, art work, etc, etc. All these items would be available at all the different shops in Sim City. That way you'd get a real feel for 'shopping for your sims'. As in real life, each shop would have a limited range of items for sale, and the more upmarket the shop the better the quality of items that could be purchased. Knowing where to shop for your sims could become a real challenge in itself. Career paths for your sims would be really great fun to recreate in Sim City. A lot of your manual/unskilled sims could start work in the light industrial districts of Sim City or perhaps you could get them a job as a bus driver and follow them around as they drive their buses around town, or maybe they could work as prison officers, as city refuse collectors, or as cleaners in any of the shops and offices in town. All jobs available in TS2 could be linked to different buildings in Sim City: dock workers could work in Sim City docks or marinas, waiters and waitresses could work in restaurants, hotels, casinos, snack bars, pubs/bars, pizza delivery companies, or catering companies. Sims with high political acumen could give you a run for your money in challenging you for your job as mayor in Sim City. Politics doesn't really exist in the current version of Sim City, but it is an attribute of your sim’s character in TS2. I would be really interesting to see a sim progress up the political ladder in Sim City - so pressure groups, political parties and city elections would be fun additions to the game. I’d really like sims that set up businesses in the Open for Business expansion in TS2 have those businesses fully operational in Sim City, so that whatever their business is in TS2 would be the same business in Sim City. Sims with good engineering skills could work in the heavy industrial areas of Sim City. They could also work in research labs, power plants, utility companies, and any of the armed forces. They could possibly be the plumbers, electricians, or inventors in Sim City. Sporty sims could hone their skills in the baseball parks, tennis courts, football pitches, etc. in Sim City, and if your City has a suitable sporting arena, they could compete in tournaments watched by thousands of sim spectators. Sims with strong extravert or confident characters could become entertainers and could also work in TV or the media. They could become actors, magicians, performers or comedians - jobs for these sims would be available in the theatres, casinos and circuses of Sim City. Virtually every business or organisation in Sim City could provide its own job opportunities for your sims in TS2. The key word for the next Sim City is INTEGRATION – I want A LOT more handshake between Sim City and The Sims 2 or 3 (or whatever) – even if that means developing The Sims and Sim City into one completely new game that incorporates the two different games into one complete package. What that game would be called, I have no idea, but I’d like to propose: ‘The Sims’ City’.