dandysim

I really doubt that there is any sort of collusion between hardware and software manufacturers. Maybe I'm wrong ... I have been before about many things. However, what I really see is the need for game developers to meet the competition with more eye candy, more realism, more, more, more, ad infinitum. This would be primarily in response to the game systems (PS2, XBOX, etc.) that generate a market for the gaming $$$s. It's pure economics, folks. Ergo, the need to be on the "bleeding edge" of technology and "pushing the envelope" to extend the "life" of a product. An example would be, how many regular players are there of the original Atari Asteroids today? It's doubtful if there are very many if any. The only constant in the world of technology is change itself. New developments, improved performance, bigger, better, cheaper, etc. Anticipation of change allows for meeting these "new" techs with something that gets to market at near release time to capture a market share before anyone else. Pure and simple logic in this strategy is the driver ... not some deep seated conspiracy as proported in some of these posts. Discussions within this thread presumes the eventual "next generation" of SC. SC has proven to be one of the more lasting products that has a huge following and apparently is still growing as indicated by some of the posts made by noobs. Our diatribes about whether this or whether that outside the context of offering ideas for SC5 should be taken elsewhere. Stay within the context and you contribute. Go outside it and you detract. Be positive and realize that there is going to be a "next generation" of SC at some point in the future. We just don't know how soon. In the meantime, keep posting ideas, concerns, etc. for all to view and discuss relating to the game's concept, play, etc.

Ok, for all of you who are doing the "carless" cities, has any city experienced a fire in one of the areas unreachable by vehicle? Or how about a riot or crime where you need to dispatch police? These city services use vehicles and must have roadway access. I built an experiment with the ped mall walks and subway stations. Still had tremendous abandonment of res area. Possibly did something else wrong although not sure what it may have been.

Just a quick update on the combining of ideas into a single post which I volunteered to do ... The task is greater than I initially anticipated. There are so many "cross genre" ideas that is quite difficult to organize them properly. To make matters worse, I looked in on SimCentral and noticed that they are posting many of the same ideas with additional commentary as well as unique ideas. However, I will state that we Simtropians seem to have a more technically advanced group judging from the two separate threads. In any event, progress has been made, although slowly toward the end goal.

Once again, I question the funding for Regional highways, roads, etc. before a city is established. Perhaps an inherited tax from SimNation on a newly established city? Just pointing out that in the real world ... somebody pays the bills.

Yeah, I know. However, perhaps if someone from Maxis or EA is lurking about, they might just see a great opportunity to extract more of the game $$$s from us Simtropians. After all, the modders here have done so much to extend the original and there is so much enthusiasm for the game as evidenced here, that they surely have to take note. We can't sit by and let them create SC5 (or an expansion to SC4) in a vacuum. The input from here is invaluable as these folks are delving into the game to make it better as well as playing it. Can't ignore that.

Ok, so I've been busy with all these ideas... In reviewing Kiknos' post, a question for you game developers came to mind. Would it be possible to utilize something like menu.ini file to define the menus? If so, then the delivered product from EA could provide it for all of the menus it delivers and the game would be playable for the vanilla player. It would also allow for the non-vanilla player to easily modify this file to suit their style of play (or preference). Not sure of all the contents for each entry, yet surely there is something that could be done externally to allow for the massive interest in submenus. BTW, I'm attempting to summarize and group all of the points made so far in this thread into a single listing. There is so much duplication in the wish lists that I felt it would help (assuming that EA & Maxis are interested in our input). The other reason is that each contributing post has, perhaps, a different or additional idea relating to the same want. When I'm done, I'll post it for review by all and welcome any additions, clarifications, etc.

Hmmm...I understand your point about making major highways... in the Regional level and from a planning perspective, it would be helpful. However, who pays for the project? Until a city is established, there are no funds to finance the building. There is a highway in California that just ends in Pasadena because of funding and right-of-way issues. It has been so for many years and will probably remain so until a few more funerals take place. In fact, the freeway ends on the NE side of Pasadena and gaps then starts up again in SW. That's reality.

It came to me last night that making the God mode active for the Region level along with the city level would solve the ongoing problem and difficulties reported in numerous threads. Don't know if this could be made available through an update to SC4, but it surely should be included in SC5. Another feature that should be included with SC5 is the ability to move to an adjacent city without having to exit to the Region, then selecting the city. The previous versions, including SC4, have too many mechanics to move about the Region and this would be an improvement. I was really reminded of this when reading one of the threads involving the development of residential cities next to industrial cities, etc. What a time killer to continually enter, modify, exit, enter, ad infinitum. Perhaps a simplified pop-up map of the Region with the city names on the various sections would allow an even greater capability by just clicking on the name or undeveloped section and bypassing the exit to the Region. Was reviewing (again) the discussions on submenus. SC5 should contain a better menu tree capability that is more open-ended for the modders and users to organize the custom lots better. Facilitation of organization should be made more user-friendly (hate that term) by allowing a GUI to organize the menus (and submenus) according to user preference without having to virtually code the lots, etc. via external means. I'm an IT professional of 40 years and the thought of using Hex notations to do something urks me to no end when I know that common language can be used in the GUI and the Hex be under the covers. Probably more later...

Ok, folks. Here goes: 1. I totally agree with the capability of Region terraforming and sizing of city territories (if left as such). The current process is really adolescent in comparison to the rest of the simulation. However, in the event that a city grows beyond its territorial resources, let it annex an adjacent area or even merge with another city. This could also be another possiblity when a city bankrupts, i.e. merge with an adjacent city that is not. 2. Use of vector graphics would be a definite improvement for transportation systems and zoning. Zoning should be realistic and completely fill the area instead of leaving half squares on adjacent angled roadways. 3. The suggestion for an SDK is an awsome idea. If anyone doubts the marketing impact by making this available, then they should be less emotional and logically assume that with such available, more demand for the basic game is created. Thus, more $$$ in the corporate coffers for EA and, presumably, Maxis. 4. There seems to be the one way interaction between the Sims and the Mayor of the city. For example, they ask and the Mayor responds (or not) resulting in attitude rating. A prime area for this use would be in the determination of ordinances. The Mayor (and city council?) proposes, and the Sims respond. This would certainly be more realistic for a democracy than the totalitarian way it is done now. 5. The ability to manage funds would be more realistic if the ability to buy bonds from another city to get additional income or to sell bonds to SimNation for a specific project. Bond issues would have to go before the Sims to vote on before actual consumation of the deal could be made. This would only come into play if the city's treasury were not sufficient to cover the expense of the project, e.g. building a new power plant, replacing a street with a road, extending a freeway, etc. 6. Ordinances should be ranked, i.e. some should be by Mayor's decree, some by City Council approval, and some by Sims acceptance through voting results.

While I agree that the railyard is a really nice addition to the realism of SC, I, too, have noticed that there is very little added to the city as the freight seems to flow directly from an industry lot adjacent to the rail system. Passenger traffic, however, seems to flow from the stations. With this condition existing, the freight truck traffic is extremely high from industrial areas when a short trip of a few blocks to a freight terminal would be most efficient. Perhaps this is something that should be fixed in a patch for SC4 or to be included in SC5.