[Boerseun]

So, I'm a bit of a SimCity nut. Ever since the first one ages ago, that I played on my trust XT. It fit on a single floppy! A whole 360K of fun!

But, in any case - it seems as if the new SimCity is to be launched on the 15th. We'll prolly have to wait a bit to get it in SA, hopefully before Christmas.

But here's the crunch:

I've read up on their page that they're breaking with tradition completely, and SimCity Societies is breaking away from the original zoning approach employed by the prior versions. Apparently, the whole thing is about citizen "energies". Sounds very new-agey hocus pocus to me. Also, the player manually places each and every building employed on the board. According to the makers, this was done because the old version was too "complex".

COME ON!

That's the whole reason I love SimCity! Now my fav game is going to be dumbed down to the lowest common denominator so that they can shift more units! SELLOUTS!

The screenshots of the new version looks utterly crap, too, with cartoon-like elements replacing the gritty reality as used in the older versions.

I'm parking this discussion here (and not on the SimCity website) because I want to get the opinions of people I know about this game.

So, are you a budding mayor?

Have you played any of the previous versions of SimCity?

...and most importantly, have you played the new SimCity Societies, and what are your impressions?

[Zythryn]

I am so looking forward to SCS
What loss, if any, of the nity grity business is easily made up by the addition of societal tools.
Heck, the guys with a perfect solution for the world (you know who you are) should love this. Want a pure socialistic society, go for it. Want a pure libertarian society, have fun. I am wondering how much modification will be possible and look forward to trying it out in a few days.

[Pyrotex]

I played all the previous versions of Sim City. I loved the game, but... Really, I loved only the first 40 or 50 years of a game, the getting started part, the initial layout and seeing how fast it grew. By the time a city got big enough to need freeways, I got bored. I put in the freeways anyway because I did enjoy building the on/off ramps, the feeder roads and the underpasses. I'd let it coast a few more years, then start a new one. But that's just me.

[Boerseun]

That's the thing, you see.

I think SCS can stand perfectly well on its own feet as an exercise in Sociology, or something to that effect. But as the heir to the SimCity throne? No ways!

SimCity is a technical exercise in managing resources, traffic, civil engineering, etc. - whilst not touching on the sociological side of things. With the classic SimCity approach, you also don't have a say in any particular buildings being built - you have to create the correct environment for it. In SCS, apparently, you have to place every building yourself. Which might be cool if you have any particular layout in mind, but too easy!

I don't know. I think SCS can exist perfectly fine as a spin-off from the franchise, but I think a proper SimCity 5 is needed to take the franchise into the future.

I'm looking forward to seeing the full version of SCS myself, though - but I'll prolly be back playing SC4 soon...

[Pyrotex]

There were a few things about SC that always put me off. The biggest was the lack of a calendar that warned me when contracts were gonna run out. I'd be playing and suddenly George Whatisface would inform me that I had reneged on our water contract and I had to pay a zillion dollar fine. WTF, over?

Or things were going good and the city was coming up fine and then I was in the red. And the next year and the next. And there wasn't any good way to get back in the black. How come I couldn't sell off a few properties? Many games just went into a death spiral and I had to abandom them.

[Pyrotex]

I remember sitting up until 3 AM building a SimCity city, and then zooming in real close to one of the residential areas made up of just low rent apartments and small single-family residents. I stared at the screen until my eyes went dry. I was looking to see if some "sim", be-bopping down a sidewalk, would suddenly turn into a back yard, look both ways, and then enter the residence through a window.

[Boerseun]

So - the 15th have come and gone. Anybody bought the game & played it? What's your impressions?

[Tormod]

Still playing Assassin's creed here. There's sociology for you.

[Pyrotex]

I went out to look at the new Sim City. Honest! I swear!

I bought Ages of Empire III. Sorry.

I really, really like AE3.

[Pyrotex]

Well, after playing 7 games, and getting my fanny chewed up 6 times pretty badly, I finally won my first game of Age of Empire III.

I played the Spanish (easiest nation to master), at the "Easy" setting, with 1 ally (Queen Elizabeth), against 2 enemies (the Tsar and Frederick the Great); in the large map of Texas (of course!). I had to play this same scenario 5 times before I won.

"Easy" my ass!