new "real" Sim City in 2013

[vortext]

Is it me or is it just a little ironic that in order to combat server problems the 'social multiplayer' features have been turned off temporarily?! I mean, those are the exact features which Maxis/EA listed as reason for the always online requirement in the first place! 

Ah well, as I said elsewhere already, let's hope about a decade from now EA will have pulled the plug on the servers and released an offline patch and with some modding tools, it'll be a decent game after all. . .


On a sidenote, Haljackey's pic is the most decent I've seen so far though that busstop sign is humongous!! 

[Haljackey]

On a sidenote, Haljackey's pic is the most decent I've seen so far though that busstop sign is humongous!! 

Ya SC13 is a little over-scaled... doesn't help when we have small tiles to work with

Just look at this image. Check out the comparable sizes of the light rail sign to the houses, the garbage cans to sims, the grass, etc. Click for full size:


Here's my review of the review of the game. (Audio only but worth a listen)

http://www.youtube.com/v/gxp73e6nPt4
http://youtu.be/gxp73e6nPt4

[Nexis4Jersey]

EA's shares have fallen along with sales over the last 5 years ,most Gamers like myself have passed recent titles because there either bugged or reduced so you have to DLC the content that was in the previous games.    Its ridiculous , and its why i'm currently playing other games from companies that respect consumers like SCS Software which has so far listened to us every step of the way.   We even get a say in game expansions...   This is what Maxis/EA should be doing , but I doubt they will...

[threestooges]

I do like their implementation of irregular lots, curvy roads, and tram-in-road, based on what I've seen from user videos.

That said, the rest of it looks like complete nonsense when put against the 80 Euro (appx $104 USD) price tag (was it really that much Serkanner?) and inability to access the servers which are the only means to play the game. I've never been a fan of this new method of game delivery, and this demonstrates the reason why.

Haljackey, nice picture you posted, however:

If it's unedited, the signs on those three apartments are amusingly ironic when seen in connection with the recent game news.
-Matt

[WC_EEND]

That said, the rest of it looks like complete nonsense when put against the 80 Euro (appx $104 USD) price tag (was it really that much Serkanner?)

I am not Serkanner, but being European as well, I feel like I am qualified to answer this as well.

Standard/Limited Edition: €59
Collector's Edition: €69
Digital Deluxe Edition (Origin only): €79

Xander

[Wthrwyz]

Ya SC13 is a little over-scaled... doesn't help when we have small tiles to work with

Just look at this image. Check out the comparable sizes of the light rail sign to the houses, the garbage cans to sims, the grass, etc.

To me it looks like Maxis designed all the buildings, sims, vehicles and roads to proper scale, and then when they went to add in the frills like signs, light poles, and environmental details someone said, "Hey, there's no frikkin' way the player is going to see or read any of this stuff unless we scale it up by at least a third!" And, since most of that stuff is more than just eye candy (i.e. the player does need visual cues as to where bus stops are and when garbage is overflowing into the streets), practicality won out over realism.

At least they didn't go and re-scale the roads and buildings - then the city tiles would feel even more cramped.

[Swordmaster]

That said, the rest of it looks like complete nonsense when put against the 80 Euro (appx $104 USD) price tag (was it really that much Serkanner?)

I am not Serkanner, but being European as well, I feel like I am qualified to answer this as well.

Standard/Limited Edition: €59
Collector's Edition: €69
Digital Deluxe Edition (Origin only): €79

Xander

Bonkers. Back in the day games were only slightly more expensive than CDs.


Cheers
Willy

[WC_EEND]

So, I bought SimCity today and spent most of the afternoon playing it. I have to admit, I was quite skeptical about the game.
The online play aspect is really quite nifty and well thought out. the way each city can interact with eachother and help out is well thought out and almost makes up for the fact that it is in essence concealed DRM. The road/railroad/tram track tool is really well thought out and works really well for both wide radius curves and normal useage.
Full disclosure: I played in a private game with a friend of mine, so not random stangers.

Now, there are some annoyances as well:

- City tiles are too small, especially when compared to the size of something like the sports stadium or convention centre.
- Some services start behaving quite oddly once your city gets bigger (like fire trucks standing next to a burning building but doing nothing)
- There are still some grahpical glitches
- No terraforming (somewhat offset by having city tiles of differing geography)
- bulldozing is one building at a time

Xander

[callagrafx]

The online play aspect is really quite nifty and well thought out. the way each city can interact with eachother and help out is well thought out and almost makes up for the fact that it is in essence concealed DRM.

Online games such as Farmville been doing that for years....

[metarvo]

On the scale issue, we had a good discussion about SC4 scale in 3RR a while back.  From the sound of things, these issues haven't gone away in the new game, so I guess scale is a no-win issue in SimCity.

[vortext]

Yup, scale still seems to be hard to nail down! 

[Grneyes]

I might buy this once they get all the bugs and graphic glitches worked out.....IF they work them out.....and get back cheetah speed!

[j-dub]

Vortex, those colors, although not as vibrant, seem to make a not as fake feel to it, as for the scale, the one thing is the amount of land considered for the parking situation. The scale of that bridge is so much more subtle than what those guys on plastation's version did, with their steep hill overpass system. At least SimCity 2013 has traffic signals.


The most common game mechanic game complaint I have been hearing is, the amount of money you spend on countless fire stations you build, that does not stop the constant reoccurance of pyro maniacs, in any event, I hear that your city gets constantly set ablaze, this 2013 version, and the facebook version.

[WC_EEND]

The most common game mechanic game complaint I have been hearing is, the amount of money you spend on countless fire stations you build, that does not stop the constant reoccurance of pyro maniacs, in any event, I hear that your city gets constantly set ablaze, this 2013 version, and the facebook version.

That is very true, and more often than not the fire department is either stuck in traffic or is looking at the fire without actually putting it out, resulting in half a neighborhood burning down.

[Diggis]

When I see images from SC2013 like this all I can think is:



You're doing it wrong....

And that's no comment on your abilities in game Hal, just the style of the game. All level of detail is lost. It doesn't appeal to the model rail roader in me.

[Haljackey]

Well one thing you need to do if you're comparing SC4 to SC13 is look at the out-of-the-box game with no mods, including Rush Hour.
-Still, even 90 degree rail curves weren't possible in vanilla SC4.

I have weeded out comparing the two games in my mind, as SC13 is should be not be treated as a sequel or successor to SC4. In a sense I kind of like the the contrast between the two, but overall am still disappointed with the game as it could have been much more.

[Diggis]

Well one thing you need to do if you're comparing SC4 to SC13 is look at the out-of-the-box game with no mods, including Rush Hour.
-Still, even 90 degree rail curves weren't possible in vanilla SC4.

I have weeded out comparing the two games in my mind, as SC13 is should be not be treated as a sequel or successor to SC4. In a sense I kind of like the the contrast between the two, but overall am still disappointed with the game as it could have been much more.

While I agree that it's unfair to compare the vanilla games... however, due to the lack of modability I doubt it ever will.

[Serkanner]

That said, the rest of it looks like complete nonsense when put against the 80 Euro (appx $104 USD) price tag (was it really that much Serkanner?)

Yes.

[callagrafx]

Well one thing you need to do if you're comparing SC4 to SC13 is look at the out-of-the-box game with no mods, including Rush Hour.
-Still, even 90 degree rail curves weren't possible in vanilla SC4.

I have weeded out comparing the two games in my mind, as SC13 is should be not be treated as a sequel or successor to SC4. In a sense I kind of like the the contrast between the two, but overall am still disappointed with the game as it could have been much more.

Both having the title "Simcity" leads one to believe the game IS a sequel or successor.  I cannot see why anyone would pay for a game that requires you to be online to play it. 

[j-dub]

Than, if you do any console gaming, consider they have previously pulled the same thing I did not expect. I wouldn't be surprised if any other later EA titles will be the same, considering SC is not their first online only, as it is already, if you can not connect on the console, you can not play, thus, WTH should we pay? (censored) you EA.