SimCity (time well spent compared to Civ?)

[tniem]

ADG, that link was just to images. I found more info here: http://pc.ign.com/objects/481/481429.html but they don't say much to how you will be able to control more than one city, only that they were shown SF and Oakland at e3. So hopefully more info will be coming.

Do you think there will be any way to buy more land like in SimsGolf?

[Adagio]

The link I gave, was both for images and videos...(2nd row is for videos)

[...]but they don't say much to how you will be able to control more than one city[...]

Take a look at the last two quotes I mention

Do you think there will be any way to buy more land like in SimsGolf?

Don't think so, since you are making the whole map when starting a new game, and they haven't mentioned anything about it, and they haven't had anything like that in previously SimCity games...and I don't like the idea...

Here's some nice quotes from ign.com:

Time flies by?

The game will utilize three distinct architectural styles for buildings. The first, when the game begins, is based off of the "older style, brick buildings that were typical of Chicago in the 1880s." After a few years building with this set, the game will switch to a new aesthetic based off of the "old concrete and steel high-rise with brownstones" of 1940s New York. Later on, the game transitions to the "glass, curved, modern buildings" that you might find in modern-day Houston. After a few more years, the game switches styles yet again, reviving earlier building fashions.

Animals in SimCity?

While the team isn't really simulating much in the forest, you can add animals for flavor. There are a few different sets of animals to choose from. Sean picked the African set and began placing rhinos, giraffes and buzzards in his forests. This is all part of the team's overall strategy to create a "living world" for the player to enjoy.

How about crime?

But raising the police funding level isn't necessarily the answer to crime. "Crime isn't simply about putting the police station down and suppressing crime in a certain place," says Sean. "Crime is generated from poor, less educated areas. Those areas create crime and you'll see those crimes in the city -- something like a car getting stolen. But like in every city, those don't necessarily happen in places where the crime is being created." Criminals are bred in neighborhoods, but the opportunities for criminal activity might be more profitable elsewhere. You'll see criminals go to other, more affluent areas to steal cars, for instance.

If a backyard has a little chalk outline of a murder victim, you know that there's a lot of crime nearby

What time is it?

There are also lots of smaller cues that don't necessarily reflect a specific condition within your city. Each stoplight functions in real time and the cars stop at red lights. Since everything runs on a 24-hour cycle, you'll also see day and night pass over your city. But the amount of detail isn't limited to these large concepts. It also works on even smaller levels. You'll see kids swarm towards the schools in the morning. The teachers arrive shortly after and, at some point in the afternoon, you'll see the kids out on the playground. School buses show up later in the day (just before the soccer moms -- no joke).

Where's my Sims?

But there's yet another, more personal form of feedback that you'll have to watch. You'll be able to take up to five Sims from The Sims and drop them down right in your city. (Those who don't own The Sims can use pre-generated Sims that ship with SimCity 4.) These Sims will constantly give you feedback on what they like and hate about their living conditions. Other than their name and starsign, they don't have any real relationship to the Sims in The Sims. "In The Sims you bought things for your Sim to make them happy," explains Sean. "Here it's all about the city. The way you develop them is through your management of the city. Your only control is where you place them."

How about other cities?

But as players of the previous games will tell you, your own city isn't the whole story. It's surrounded by a whole community of other cities that all interact with each other. But SimCity 4 takes a radically different approach. Where before you could merely poach population and trade commerce from one city to another, SimCity 4 actually allows your Sims to live and work in different cities.

The entire region of cities is displayed in an overall map. It's called the gopher hole internally as the locations for the cities are shown as holes. (In the final version the cities will be represented by small thumbnails.) In a way, these function a bit like the housing plots in The Sims. Here's where the real fun comes in -- rather than relying just on preloaded plots, SimCity 4 will let you develop each of the cities yourself so you can form a high-density, commerce- and industry-oriented city and create several surrounding bedroom communities to supply additional workers.

EDIT: Added one more quote (in top)

[Space05us]

EYECANDY

so the crime is going to by more dynamic? ( i think thats the right word) This shall be interesting

[Adagio]

[childish quick talk]

Ooh! ooh! ohh! I want it, I want it NOW!! Sim City 4000... erm I mean 4
have you gone and Looked at the screenshots yet!? I want it!

[...]

ooh! and did you look at the screenshots!? Oooooh! Eyecandy, much much eyecandy!
[/childish quick talk]

Why exit that mode

Can't wait to get the game...gimme the game now...shortly after the release of the game, they announces the add-on: SimCity nation Wich includes MP, and then I'm searching the whole internet for information about it, shouting everywhere, that I want that add--on now

[Space05us]

MP Sim City never really appealed to me, I haven't even tried it though. maybe this time I will...maybe...

[Adagio]

Originally posted by Space05us
MP Sim City never really appealed to me, I haven't even tried it though. maybe this time I will...maybe...

MP SimCity doesn't exist...there has only been some talking about it, but it never made it...

[Space05us]

I thought they made a sim city network edition?
well in streets of sim city they plugged the idea anyway

[Adagio]

Hmmm...then I missed that one...but I'm not supprised, since where I live, we miss a lot of things

[Space05us]

yeah they made a network edition alright. do a google search for it (I cant find an official web site)

[Adagio]

You're right...didn't know about that one...

[tniem]

ADG, thanks for all the info. I like the idea of neighborhood cities. I just hope time doesn't pass to fast in one city compared to another. So that SF will be totally modern by your design, meanwhile you go back to Oakland and it evolved just like SF and it has no resemblence to the original city you built. Or are they going to get rid of dates like in the Sims?

[Solver]

My input... SimCity isn't a bad game, it does involve some strategic thinking, but I just can never be satisfied by it. First, it lacks a victory condition, you can keep building forever. Second, there's pretty little stuff involved with other cities. Yeah, SimCity 3K introduced some pacts with neighbours, but that isn't what I want... oftentimes, when I'm developed enough, I feel a terrible desire to take it and declare war on another city, like in Civ or AoE.

SimCity is a good game, but if you're ready to deal with the no victory thing.

[Space05us]

you just nailed the reason why most people dont play it for extended periods of time

[Adagio]

Originally posted by Solver
SimCity is a good game, but if you're ready to deal with the no victory thing.

That's the reason why I love SimCity that much, the game doesn't end when the game is most fun

Originally posted by tniem
ADG, thanks for all the info. I like the idea of neighborhood cities. I just hope time doesn't pass to fast in one city compared to another. So that SF will be totally modern by your design, meanwhile you go back to Oakland and it evolved just like SF and it has no resemblence to the original city you built. Or are they going to get rid of dates like in the Sims?

I don't think they have gotten rid of dates...I read somewhere, that a stadium makes traffic bad on sundays, and some times in the game (The first quote on my quote list) they will change the art of new buildings (From 1890 type of buildings, to 1930, or something, type of buildings)

[tniem]

Originally posted by Solver
SimCity is a good game, but if you're ready to deal with the no victory thing.

That is the appeal to me. There is always something else I can do to improve my city. So what that I have built a thriving metropolis with very little crime and poverty, there is still the problem of industry and housing being to close together in the SW part of town. I mean seriously, it has it all. Challenges, open game play, multiple choices on what to use your money on. It has everything that you could ever want in a strategy game. So what if there is no screen that says you have won. The first time that you are able to rebuild a city after Godzilla destroyed half of your town after you used up all your funds - you will feel plenty satisfied.