Posted June 15, 200718 yr Official site with screenshots Additonal screens: Look at the varying textures for the roads! I've noticed a difference in some cities, so that it could be dependent on funding. More screenies I'm not for sure what to think yet. It doesn't seem as realistic as previous versions, and the 3-D model will be quite taxing for many computers. I hope they have a more varying texture base by the time its released this winter!
June 15, 200718 yr I saw some of these and I too don't know what to think. I read somewhere that you dont have to place powerlines, water lines, etc. I guess I need to go pick up citylife after all.
June 15, 200718 yr Your not the only one to wonder: SimCity Societies Under Construction Next SimCity game coming this winter according to GFW magazine. By Garnett Lee, 06/05/2007 Not much doubt ever existed that there would be a next SimCity game. The only question was when, and now we have our answer. SimCity Societies holds its coming out party in the July issue of Games for Windows magazine that's just hitting subscribers' mailboxes now. But what's the deal with the "Societies" bit? Is this or is it not the fifth installment of the series? The answer is a confounding "yes." It definitely continues the SimCity line, but this absolutely is not the same old SimCity...for better or worse. For one thing, EA turned its eye outside of its own campus and tabbed Tilted Mill Entertainment for the development duties. While that name may not immediately ring any bells, this studio packs plenty of folks experienced with city builders, and comes fresh off of creating Caesar IV. That game fared only passing well in our review, but the focus on managing your citizenry almost surely gives a glimpse into where the designers intend to go with the "societies" angle. It's a bold move on EA's part. By stepping outside the established mold this new game holds the potential to attract a whole new generation of gamers in addition to the existing legions of fans for the franchise. Whether this new vision can pull that off will be the big question. We'll get a first idea of that from the GFW crew later this week. And, the way it sounds, the game should arrive this coming winter to deliver the final word. Tilted Mill Responds to SimCity Worries Will SimCity Societies wreck fan hopes and dreams? By Philip Kollar, 06/07/2007 Just a couple of days ago we reported on the news from Games for Windows Magazine that the revered SimCity franchise is facing some hefty changes in the form of SimCity Societies, a surprise for many long-time PC gamers. On the official forums for Tilted Mmill Entertainment, the developers behind the new game, a forumite named SimCity Fan posted <A HREF="http://www.tiltedmill.com/forums/showthread.php?s=984c1d74534e37998fba366d51751fe1&t=13032">this thread</A>, titled "You killed Sim City!" As Gamasutra points out, the discussion was heavy enough to pull the attention of Tilted Windmills president Chris Beatrice, who responded to the outrage: "I do not want to mislead anyone: This SC is not a realistic urban simulation, which I understand, to many, represents the heart of what SC is. No one is blind to that. And if you're just completely turned off, even angered by the mere notion of any game called "SimCity" that is not a detailed, realistic urban simulator, I absolutely understand that viewpoint, and absolutely respect it. Passionate fans like you are the lifeblood of the gaming industry, and that is one reason why TMill provides what I think is a great outlet for this type of discussion and even complaint. But please keep in mind the irony in that - we are just a lowly developer after all." Unfortunately that post seemed to start more fires instead of extinguishing any, with one fan responding, "Chris, with all do (sic) respect, your statement made me and many other Simcity devotees very discouraged." Many questioned why they would keep the SimCity name if the game will be so unlike previous SimCity titles. 250 angry posts later, Chris decided to give it another shot with some further clarification: "So I must make it crystal clear that, like all SimCity games, this game is a city-building game. It is a city-building simulation. It is a city simulation. It is an urban simulation game. It is a game in which you build cities. Its focus is not on realism and detail (but that's not to say it lacks those things either). "Again, I wish I could go to the next step and say more about the new and exciting possibilities this game brings to the series, and to gaming in general...and especially to respond to the various comments that have been made regarding other games like The Sims and City Life, but I cannot at this time." Responses on the thread have brightened a bit since then, and Chris has written several more posts, including invites for fans to continue giving their opinions: "we want to hear everything you have to say about what you want in a SimCity game, and yes absolutely we will factor that into this game." To get a better grasp on just how different SimCity Societies will be, make sure to check out the July issue of Games for Windows magazine, in mailboxes right now.
June 15, 200718 yr I like some of the newer textures, but the futuristic streetlights and other stuff don't go very well with me. It seems to be a great step forward for Maxis at integrating The Sims with Sim City...which is what I think their ultimate goal is. I'm not opposed to that, but I rather they modify The Sims to fit into Sim City rather than the opposite. The current game gets quite redundant after a while, and it becomes the same old, same old. More rewards would be nice...more realistic features (curbside bus stops, sidewalk subway entrances, more flexible tiles (not just square orientation). Maybe annexation would be nice as well, and just plain old more options of that nature (create tax incentive programs, CDBG fund areas, etc).
June 15, 200718 yr Tilted Mill effed it up I hate it I will forever remain dedicated to SimCity 4/Rush Hour
June 15, 200718 yr Ok... thank you 'lowly developers' for taking the game back in time. I didnt want prettier, smoother, video game looking buildings... I wanted to be able to add lanes onto specific roads... and make my hospitals grow TALLER and school buildings TALLER and I wanted to be able to Have oblonged cities so that a curvy river would seperate two towns! I wanted my sims to agree to increase taxes to build a new school! Poop on this game and the crummy mill... It takes EA and Maxis to make anything that has the name SIMS in it. Pissed in the Farmlands
June 16, 200718 yr I really thought they got it with the release of SC4...they were developing the game nicely and creating a more realistic city emulator. But like you said...it's been taken back in time. Another big thing that I wanted them to fix was the difficulty in getting adequate commercial spaces/jobs. The residential demand would never seem to die...or the commercial for that matter, but the residential would continue to build these massive towers and jobs would not follow the same path. It got VERY frustrating at times. How about being able to channelize a river way...or build riverwalks and/or boardwalks along oceans, rivers, and lakes. The way you are able to currently utilize coastal areas is not up to par.
June 16, 200717 yr I wanted to see more enhanced transportation options, and better modeling of the freeways and highways. I liked the idea that was going on with Rush Hour, but it needed expanding upon. I also wanted to see an evolution from SC4/RH, but it seems as if this is going to be more like Sim Town than anything else. Given that the company's track record is so-so, I am not holding my hopes up high right now for a stellar game.
June 16, 200717 yr I want more acreage for the cities. One City seemed small, even the large ones in SC4. If you wanted an inner city with 800k population that wasn't all in highrises it was damn near impossible. I'd also like to see annexation like UR said and the ability to see all of a region's city while playing one of them. I hated having to save and exit a city everytime I wanted to go to a city right nextdoor.
June 16, 200717 yr I like SimCity 4 a lot, and I like even more that the expansion to 4 was a transportation oriented one. They must have read my mind on that expansion. I love SimCity 4, and I feel that one of the only things that could make it better was if they had brought back floods into the game. Too bad they did not. Tilted Mill has a history of making city building games. Perhaps you've played some of them. Ceasar IV and Immortal Cities: Children of the Nile are their last two games, and in my opinion they were pretty darn good even though the games design are starkly different from the SimCity formula. If you have played either of the games, you should know what to expect for this game. If you need other games to possibly relate to this game, Tilted Mill is a company made of former Impressions Games members. Impressions developed such city classics as, Ceasar I-III, Pharaoh, Zeus, and Emperor: Rise of the Middle Kingdom. Those games are all starkly different from SimCity, but the truth is that they are still a pleasurable experience. I have faith that while this will certainly not be the true successor to SimCity (damn Maxis for working on that one game.... Spore... the one that will likely sell as many copies as The Sims), but it will still be good.
June 19, 200717 yr http://www.simtropolis.com/forum/messageview.cfm?catid=148&threadid=90084&enterthread=y Look at these screen shots form the next title form Monte Cristo (City life) The link provides a Q & A with one of the game developers.
June 19, 200717 yr While the graphics are nice, I don't see how you would be able to manage a large city out of this. I can see micromanaging a district or a small town (hmmm, a new SimTown concept would be nice), but a city of 5 million? Or multiple cities? I wouldn't mind being "in the city" managing it, but it could easily get out of hand.
June 19, 200717 yr Micromanaging could get out of hand, but hopefully they make it easy to do and don't go overboard like on SC4.
June 19, 200717 yr I have a feeling all the loyal pissed off SC4 fans are going to take some other game, and build their own SimCity on top of it. For Example, I always hated how unrealistic Chicago looked in Midtown Madness 1. So when google started coming out with Chicago Buildings in the 3d warehouse, I'd plunk them in 3ds, rebuild the street grid and river system and edit it into the game. I don't think I'll ever finish it, but if I get far enough, it will be the best thing ever.
June 19, 200717 yr I really wished that they didnt dumb down the game... because, right now, where I'm at in the game, its becoming pretty easy and I would love for there to be scenarios like there were in SImcity 3000. I loved preparing for the Seoul Olympics, it was such a challenge. EDIT Heres a video :-( http://media.pc.ign.com/media/925/925931/vids_1.html Doesnt please me at all
June 20, 200717 yr What would be cool is if you could pay for systems for transportation...rather than laying down all of the lines/routes yourself. You have a damn transportation adviser on your staff. It would be nice if all of these staff people actually offered good advice rather than lame quotes from time to time. For example, your streets are overcrowding so you consult your transportation adviser and he/she recommends that you build one of the following transit systems/improvements for your city. You then go to your finance adviser and they make a recommendation on which system they support and so on with all of the departments. You could then weigh your options/recommendations and make a decision...city crews then get out there and start making the system a reality once you decide. The transportation adviser could eventually offer suggestions for expansion of that system down the road, and you do the process again. This same thing could happen for all capital improvement projects in the city (utilities, education, police, fire, recreation, etc).
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