Simcity

[Wiglaf]

I truly think it does all go back to the DRM. I think all the multiplayer "features" were added due to the always-online DRM requirement, necessitating the lack of features that many wanted/expected (larger cities, contiguous cities, save games), as such features could "unbalance" leaderboards and whatnot.

I don't see how bigger cities could really unbalance the leaderboards. Anyway, I do like the challenge system, which is why it's too bad it's temporarily disabled. The first one is a straight-up total region population race. I think it starts in a week.

[Wiglaf]

Useful insight into game mechanics:



His key insight is how to reduce highway bottlenecking - put a series of medium density roads in T intersections with the highway avenue. They yield to highway, so don't slow its traffic flow.

[Wiglaf]

Also important: After every sim is kicked out of their house at the start of the day, they all begin looking for nearest job. So if 500 sims are kicked out, and wander down an avenue with only 300 jobs, the 200 that don't get jobs will drive down the road anyway before making a u-turn and looking elsewhere. That's not obvious or rational obviously, but understanding it is important for planning. And it helps explain why some cars inexplicably enter a road, only to drive down it and then come back the other way.

[onodera]

What's interesting is that the game doesn't actually simulate every sim. Perhaps that's why only maybe 10-15% of the population are workers. Either that or they want dealing with commuter traffic to be part of the experience. Right now, Vulvaville needs upwards of 10k poor workers. I've got maybe 1k living in the city. 12k-14k commute in every day. I'm not even sure what the extras do. They aren't shoppers or tourists. Those are in separate sections.

Yep, if Dwarf Fortress stumbles simulating a hundred dwarves, SC could probably handle a thousand sims, since they aren't that complex. I guess we're not yet ready for agent simulation in mainstream games. Just imagine what this game could be without agents and with proper macrosimulation.

[Alexander's Horse]

*patiently waiting for the game to end up in the discount bin*

[Wiglaf]

Yep, if Dwarf Fortress stumbles simulating a hundred dwarves, SC could probably handle a thousand sims, since they aren't that complex. I guess we're not yet ready for agent simulation in mainstream games. Just imagine what this game could be without agents and with proper macrosimulation.

You can always play SC4. The problem is "macrosimulation" is harder to visualize. SC5's big breakthrough is that everything the simulation does is readily observable if you zoom in and watch. It feels like a living toy house to SC4's spreadsheet.

[Ninot]

You can always play SC4. The problem is "macrosimulation" is harder to visualize. SC5's big breakthrough is that everything the simulation does is readily observable if you zoom in and watch. It feels like a living toy house to SC4's spreadsheet.

I think the problem I'm having is I got so used to that spreadsheet thinking that I'm planning my cities like that now. That and the pathfinding and the way agents work right now causes traffic in strange places and starts crippling my city.

I'm gonna have to go back and redo my streets based on what I'm learning now

[Ninot]

Well despite not figuring out Origin well enough to add Reg, I managed to get myself into the region. Wiglaf, your new neighbor is "No Fat Chicks"

[Guynemer]

I don't see how bigger cities could really unbalance the leaderboards.

Because, theoretically, people with older systems would not be able to run larger cities.

[regexcellent]

Seriously, why does my fire service suck so hard?

I don't get it. Fire trucks are ****ing retarded in this game.

[Sava]

His key insight is how to reduce highway bottlenecking - put a series of medium density roads in T intersections with the highway avenue. They yield to highway, so don't slow its traffic flow.

Yup. My cities are built this way. Stop signs FTW.

[Sava]

I know that industry is useless. But now I've come to learn that you don't need commercial either.

[Guynemer]

Oy.

[Sava]

After I posted my bus bug video, a Maxis dev contacted me and wished to see my city! At least they are trying to fix it.

[Sava]

http://www.simcity.com/en_US/blog/ar...e-6-streetcars

Oddly enough, it was the author of this article, Guillaume Pierre.

Despite all the negativity on EA forums and reddit regarding the game, Maxis gets for this.