New Sim City PC game coming.

Random 42 · (06-03-2007, 01:35 PM)

Did a search couldn't see any info on this.

Quote:

We take a world exclusive first look at the revival of a classic PC series. Which one? Sorry, we're big teases like that. Also, hear the universe sigh as we unlock our first Achievement in Halo 2 for Windows Vista.

I remember playing 2000 a bit back in the day. But I never really got into the series past having fun with the disasters, they required to much thinking. If they did some inovation and make it more accesable might be cool.

itsgreen · (06-03-2007, 01:38 PM)

Originally Posted by Random 42:

Did a search couldn't see any info on this.

I remember playing 2000 a bit back in the day. But I never really got into the series past having fun with the disasters, they required to much thinking. If they did some inovation and make it more accesable might be cool.

How do you know it is sim city?

cw_sasuke · (06-03-2007, 01:41 PM)

Originally Posted by itsgreen:

How do you know it is sim city?

" Simcity Reborn !"

saelz8 · (06-03-2007, 01:41 PM)

I have that issue and I see no mention of Sim City. Maybe my eyes are failing me.

alistairw · (06-03-2007, 01:43 PM)

Yeah, what the hell?

Raist · (06-03-2007, 01:44 PM)

Meh, Sim City 4 was released in 2003. Long enough to mention a "revival" ?

I'm sure they got an exclusive look at Fallout 3

Zenith · (06-03-2007, 01:50 PM)

if it's next-gen with fully destructable buildings it might be fun.

FoneBone · (06-03-2007, 01:51 PM)

This is what I'm seeing:

Are the rest of you getting that WoW cover instead?

itsgreen · (06-03-2007, 01:52 PM)

Originally Posted by FoneBone:

This is what I'm seeing:

Are the rest of you getting that WoW cover instead?

Yeah.

saelz8 · (06-03-2007, 01:53 PM)

Ahh, I see it now. Yeah, I was getting the WoW issue in the OP.

evlcookie · (06-03-2007, 01:56 PM)

awesome. sim2k was easily my most fav game as a kid, played that thing on the old mac way too much.

Lets hope they dont screw it up.

itsgreen · (06-03-2007, 01:58 PM)

Yeah I loved Sim City, one of those games you could play for hours.. :)

Hope it isnt some bastard Sims City thing.

Pachael · (06-03-2007, 01:58 PM)

Yes!

Hope they don't 'dumb it down', heard SC4 was 'too complicated'. (I loved Rush Hour to bits) Please don't make a 'Railroads!', please! I like my complex micromanagement ;p

Raist · (06-03-2007, 02:01 PM)

Originally Posted by FoneBone:

This is what I'm seeing:

Are the rest of you getting that WoW cover instead?

Ok now it's better

I don't understand the quote in the OP then.

turkification · (06-03-2007, 02:15 PM)

yeah! i played Simcity 3 and 4 allot. so probably a n2005 release for Simcity 5.

What i want in Simcity 5:
- Support for European cities. Simcity 4 was to much based around American cities, European
cities have a different structure.
- Round roads (pretty obvious..)
- Different Areas (like Chinatown, old town center, and a financial district)

Falch · (06-03-2007, 02:19 PM)

Woohoo, a new Sim City. Nice.

Nino · (06-03-2007, 02:22 PM)

I was browsing on ToTheGame earlier today and I noticed it had Sim City 5 listed for PC with a releasedate of 9 November 2007. I dunno how long that's been up there, I just stumbled across it.

gofreak · (06-03-2007, 02:23 PM)

Nice, can't wait to see it. I hope it's a big step up, not just incrementally improved over 4.

painey · (06-03-2007, 02:36 PM)

the rich get richer. I do love Sim City though.. I wish they had gone through with SimsVille.. it looked so good.

Smiling Bandit · (06-03-2007, 02:46 PM)

The whole "building becomes fancy skyscraper becomes downrotten shack becomes midclass apartments" system has to change, it's stupid.

Jasoco · (06-03-2007, 02:47 PM)

Sim City 4 was mainly Sim City 3000 with a few additions. And both were a significant improvement on 2000 which was a huge step up from the original on all platforms.

I loved 3000/4 but it was way too complicated and hard. I could never get anything going. With 2000 and the original I could build a lot and still have a nice city working without a huge amount of maintenance.

The original was and still is great because it was simple. No pipes to worry about. Just power lines to every block and you're fine.

2000 had the great addition of terrain with mountains and trees and such as well as pipes which weren't too much of a bother. Just the same thing as power just underground. I found that just using a single water tower provided enough for a large chunk so it was good. I remember playing 2000's Hollywood scenario and beating it then getting control over the city. I didn't use any money cheats or anything and I was doing so well. After a few hundred years I was a multi-billionaire or trillionaire or whatever and had enough to literally demolish the entire city and build from scratch. I designed a new design but when it failed a bit I decided to just fill the map with Arcologies and be done with it. 2000 was still one of my most faves aside from the SNES Sim City 1 which still wins because of its music. I love that music. Classic.

I just want a return to simpler times. No hard stuff. No huge amount of micromanaging. I don't want to worry about every single damn problem in the city or every damn building's problems. I just want to build and watch. The graphics in 4 were awesome and the terrain building tools rocked. Especially when you could use weather to affect it. I just want the game to be simpler and I'll be happy. Oh, and maybe howsaboot realtime full 3D? Aren't computers to that point yet? No? Oh well.

Also, if it's going to be on Windows, please put it on Mac too or at least Xbox 360.. wait, scratch that. Unless they add mouse support I don't want it. Mac version plz. And make it work fast on my Core 2 Duo that I will be getting soon.

Sharp · (06-03-2007, 03:04 PM)

It's Simcity so I'll probably buy it. I'm Maxis's bitch anyway.

loosus · (06-03-2007, 03:04 PM)

They've been complicating the SimCity series for years. It's amazing to me that anybody even buys them, anymore. If it didn't have the word "Sim" in it, I really think they'd bomb hard.

I still like the SNES version the best. If they could take that exact version, add in mouse controls, and put in more zones that you could build (maybe with some optional customization), I'd be all over that. But the micromanaging of the post-2000 games sucks, so I wouldn't want it anything like that.

chubigans · (06-03-2007, 03:12 PM)

Id love to see what a console could do for SimCity, though I doubt very much we ever will. Phooey.

Just the other day I was thinking, hey, why haven't we seen SC5 yet? Woo!

gofreak · (06-03-2007, 03:15 PM)

Looking at the picture, it looks like they may be setting it in the future? Or at least, you'll be able to progress to a point in the future? That building looks quite futuristic stylistically, and it looks like there's a huge screen on the side..plus maybe some stuff flying around in the background..very small pic, but that's the vibe I'm getting.

Midas · (06-03-2007, 03:16 PM)

Originally Posted by gofreak:

Looking at the picture, it looks like they may be setting it in the future? Or at least, you'll be able to progress to a point in the future? That building looks quite futuristic stylistically, and it looks like there's a huge screen on the side..plus maybe some stuff flying around in the background..very small pic, but that's the vibe I'm getting.

It's in Dubai. :P

gofreak · (06-03-2007, 03:18 PM)

Originally Posted by Midas:

It's in Dubai. :P

Hehehe.

My 'dubai model' of accumulating lots of money and just building extravagantly in a very short period tends to fail utterly in Sim City...

Innotech · (06-03-2007, 03:22 PM)

Damn theyre already on 5? I still havent got a computer that can run 4.

Red Blaster · (06-03-2007, 03:31 PM)

The distaste for the complicated aspects of SimCity baffle me. SimCity 4 is hard, but SimCity 3000 is essentially SC2k with a new skin and lots of extra buildings. It's extremely simple to get a good city going. And if it's still too hard, you can always use cheats.

But SimCity 4 had the means that let you make a very realistic city. You actually need to account for the commute time of the people living in your homes, hospitals and schools don't have unlimited coverage, and you have to put more money into them to get better coverage, just like reality.

The problem is that it got too messy at times, it was quite easy to back yourself into a corner and have abandoned mansions everywhere. They need to make the micromanaging less fussy. There also needs to be some fancy infrastructure editor that lets us design our own type of highways and whatnot.

Innotech · (06-03-2007, 03:33 PM)

Originally Posted by Red Blaster:

The distaste for the complicated aspects of SimCity baffle me. SimCity 4 is hard, but SimCity 3000 is essentially SC2k with a new skin and lots of extra buildings. It's extremely simple to get a good city going. And if it's still too hard, you can always use cheats.

But SimCity 4 had the means that let you make a very realistic city. You actually need to account for the commute time of the people living in your homes, hospitals and schools don't have unlimited coverage, and you have to put more money into them to get better coverage, just like reality.

The problem is that it got too messy at times, it was quite easy to back yourself into a corner and have abandoned mansions everywhere. They need to make the micromanaging less fussy. There also needs to be some fancy infrastructure editor that lets us design our own type of highways and whatnot.

I need SC4. NEEEED it.
Loved SC3 so much.

JeFfRey · (06-03-2007, 03:35 PM)

Originally Posted by Red Blaster:

The distaste for the complicated aspects of SimCity baffle me. SimCity 4 is hard, but SimCity 3000 is essentially SC2k with a new skin and lots of extra buildings. It's extremely simple to get a good city going. And if it's still too hard, you can always use cheats.

But SimCity 4 had the means that let you make a very realistic city. You actually need to account for the commute time of the people living in your homes, hospitals and schools don't have unlimited coverage, and you have to put more money into them to get better coverage, just like reality.

The problem is that it got too messy at times, it was quite easy to back yourself into a corner and have abandoned mansions everywhere. They need to make the micromanaging less fussy. There also needs to be some fancy infrastructure editor that lets us design our own type of highways and whatnot.

I totally agree with your statements. Also, in SC4, the cities were TOO small, sure you could connect different parts, but after 3 hours, I found that my city couldn't expand, and I had to start another one, really frustrating. There should also be an unlimited money mode, I mean, look at Dubai, it could reflect that.

gofreak · (06-03-2007, 03:38 PM)

Originally Posted by JeFfRey:

There should also be an unlimited money mode, I mean, look at Dubai, it could reflect that.

Well, you can cheat..although I'm not sure if there's cap on how much money you can get out of that. I remember cheating to get some ridiculous amount of money, paused the game, spent ages building tonnes of stuff, planning out a beautiful city with tonnes of services and amenities, and then watching my budget go crazy when I hit 'play'

I eventually gave up, possibly because i was having to enter that cheat code for more cash every ten seconds or something just to keep the huge budget deficits in check..

McBacon · (06-03-2007, 03:44 PM)

From the New game announcement in GFW July?

Quote:

The new SimCity? I'll be really excited for that if they follow through on promises to get the game back to its roots.

Catchpenny called it.

Fragamemnon · (06-03-2007, 03:48 PM)

So this is Jeff Green's cover story game that he hinted at in his blog a over a week ago. I guess I was wrong about EA liking PC Gamer more (which Shawn pointed out really quickly anyway in that thread.)

SC5 wasn't any secret, but they hadn't released any details or screens. So it's a pretty good scoop on the cover, IMO. I have to admit that I have come to enjoy a different sort of city-builder than SimCity, but if SC5 is hardcore enough in its design with good scenario options, I'm so there.

Gwarek · (06-03-2007, 03:48 PM)

It's very easy to set up a well-managed and profitable city once you know how to do it. I enjoy SimCity mostly for the creative part, which is sadly pretty limited.

There's one thing in a new SimCity that I really, really want: being able to design your own parks. Or, generally being able to shape / decorate your city in more detailed ways.

dskillzhtown · (06-03-2007, 03:56 PM)

Originally Posted by Pachael:

Yes!

Hope they don't 'dumb it down', heard SC4 was 'too complicated'. (I loved Rush Hour to bits) Please don't make a 'Railroads!', please! I like my complex micromanagement ;p

I would love it if they dumbed it down atleast a lil. Atleast give the option to have a flat tax or something, lol.

cjelly · (06-03-2007, 04:05 PM)

Revival? WTF?

The problem with Sim City is when most people think of it, they think of Sim City 2000. I got 3000 about a week after it came out, and not only did it fail to work on my 166Mhz with 16MB RAM (hey, it had MMX!), it was lacking a lot of the charm from 2k. I think after the disappointment of 3000 a lot of people had lost interest by 4, and from what I saw of it it looked like more of the same.

Sim City 2000 was an awesome game, but I dunno about anyone else, but I've moved on.

joezombie · (06-03-2007, 04:22 PM)

Sim City 4 was easily the best Sim City. They need to take measures to ensure that 5 is as modable as 4, but make the process of installing mods easier for the mass market. 'Cause you can make some really lovely cities with mods

Kabouter · (06-03-2007, 04:24 PM)

I'd be happy with it being SimCity 4: Rush Hour, but with multi-core support. That should be a big step towards me being able to run it well.

Deku · 04:33 PM

Originally Posted by turkification:

yeah! i played Simcity 3 and 4 allot. so probably a n2005 release for Simcity 5.

What i want in Simcity 5:
- Support for European cities. Simcity 4 was to much based around American cities, European
cities have a different structure.
- Round roads (pretty obvious..)
- Different Areas (like Chinatown, old town center, and a financial district)

This is what I want the most.

Will also mentioned after 4 that he felt the game had become too complicated and wanted to make it more intuitive for casual (non hardcore SimCity fans) I wonder if he'll follow through or if he'll be even involved at all knowing Spore is now an 08 title.

He wasn't involved directly with 4's design AFAIK.

Kabouter · (06-03-2007, 04:32 PM)

I hope they don't lose too much of the depth, could ruin the game in the long run. There's plenty of a simple godgames out there anyway, it's the deep ones that are rare.

Deku · 04:41 PM

Originally Posted by Kabouter:

I hope they don't lose too much of the depth, could ruin the game in the long run. There's plenty of a simple godgames out there anyway, it's the deep ones that are rare.

SCII is widely considered to be the defining game of the modern SC titles, 1 kicked off the franchise of course, and SCII isn't that complicated compared to what we had in IV. IV is essentially building on the same basic model SCII established just with more features. I wouldn't mind the game cutting back on some aspects, such as the laborious piping and expanding on others - stronger integration of sims into the city.

A fully 3-D city, which seems to be what they're going for based on what I've heard. If it goes 3-D, the cities probably won't be as big as in the past and some detail may be lost. But we can zoom in and view it from all kinds of angles, which is kind of cool and something I've always wanted.

BocoDragon · 04:40 PM

Interesting.... I was just LTTP on SC4, and it's a really fun game. It has been almost a decade since I had played SC2000 and it really blew me away. I'd love a new installment.... for me the wait was like a month

EDIT: SC4 complicated like other posters are saying? Enh... I dunno guys. It feels like SC2000 with a better terrain editor and "regions" that let you make cool interconnected cities and towns. I thought it was an excellent installment.

Originally Posted by JeFfRey:

I totally agree with your statements. Also, in SC4, the cities were TOO small, sure you could connect different parts, but after 3 hours, I found that my city couldn't expand, and I had to start another one, really frustrating.

City regions were different sizes.... some were incredibly huge. Don't know what you mean.

Trident · (06-03-2007, 04:45 PM)

SC4 is the greatest game ever, and in no way especially complicated or difficult. I hope you people don't have jobs that require any functional brain activity.

zoku88 · (06-03-2007, 04:46 PM)

I haven't played a SimCity game since 2000. I skipped out on 4, even though I wish I hadn't. Am I correct in assuming that it had a lot more depth than its predecessors? I'll probably get this one close to its release date.

BobJustBob · (06-03-2007, 04:46 PM)

Excellent. Best gaming series ever.

Vicious · (06-03-2007, 04:47 PM)

SimCity 4 is my favorite game ever, and I've been waiting for this news for a long time.

vpance · (06-03-2007, 05:00 PM)

More flexible tools for transportation is a must and some kind of online connectivity to get new buildings modders have created.

KyanMehwulfe · (06-03-2007, 05:58 PM)

You know, just last Christmas I played a shit tonne of SimCity 2000 since it (and Warcraft 2) were the only games on an old Pentium II 333Mhz with a Voodoo 2 (oh, yes, Voodoo) computer. I was just reminiscing that actually a week or two ago while playing another classic strategy series of mine: Romance of the Three Kingdoms.

Lo-Volt · (06-03-2007, 06:03 PM)

I was just starting to get back to 3000 and this happens? Excellent. I expect some not-too-difficult requirements except for DirectX10 support. Will look lovely, I'm sure.