Greyleaf07
06-10-2007, 04:48 PM
Hello all. Just yesterday I was randomly browsing (well, checking for the latest news on Spore) when I happened to encounter SimCity Societies. I was quick to return to the Simphoni forums, and after reading comments and information there, here, and elsewhere, I think I've formed a reasonable first impression that I'd like to share here.
Before I continue, though, I think it's important to agknoledge that this game appears to be in very early development. I've seen a lot of negative critisism towards Societies, and while I think many of the fears are currently justified, it's no reason to be rude or harsh. I'm certain everyone at Tilted Mill is doing their best to live up to the SimCity legacy and follow the EA directive at the same time. If we want to make positive progress with this game, it's important to be constructive in our comments, and focus on improving Societies, not bashing the developers. I've been impressed with TM's interaction with the community, and I think that working together, a very good game can be created.
That said, here are my thoughts:
Hopes ---
- I like the idea of social crafting. Whenever playing SC in the past, I've always wanted to have control over my city's culture and government. Similarly, I was a little disapointed when tilesets were not translated over to SC4 from SC3K (though community modding made up for a lot of this). The prospect of having more control over the culture and society itself is promising.
- Full 3D is something I've been waiting for for a long time. Despite Sim Copter's relatively low level of qaulity, there was someting genuinely cool about looking down the skyline of something you've made. I was really hoping for someting similar in SC4, but in all truth it was impossible because of the level of user-created content.
Fears ---
- My fears are very similar to those of other long-time SC fans. My overall worry is that the game will be loosing a lot of the open ended custimization that has made it so succesful. Specifically:
- I have a hard time seeing Sim City without zoning. I'm not sure what will replace it, but it will need to be similar to be truly good. The beauty of zoning is not only the level of power it gives you, but also the visceral feeling it creates. Laying zones is much like gardening. You get to drop patches of color on top of the land, and watch as buildings prosper and grow there - assuming you give them what they need.
- Despite the 3D graphics, the screenshots have me on edge. Little that is in them is inherintly bad, but I'm more worried about what's not in them. The graphics seem to lack a certain level of detail, mostly on the lots and roads. The second set of screenshots that was released was a lot more encouraging then the first, especially the Dictatorship and Dirty Industry ones, but both of these still have significant room for improvement. At the same time, this game is still pretty early in development. The very, very first screens from SC4 looked more like a slight expansion of SC3K then a new game. Beyond graphics, I see a lot more that will need improvement. The terrain looks kinda static, and the roads are blocky like 2K's were.
Recomendations ---
- I think this game has a lot of potential still. To realize, though, I think a significant change needs to be made. Under normal circumstances, I would never suggest this change. But this game is too important I think >not< to suggest it. What change am I talking about? The release date. I think this game will need more then 6 months or so of development. I'd be more then willing to wait an additional 6 months to 2 years for this game to reach the level it can. The best games of history - StarCraft, the previous SimCities, the Elder-Scrolls games, were all pushed back many times to reach the level of qaulity that has made them household staples.
- While SC4 made massive improvements to the terraforming features of the game, I think there is still room for growth. More texture on the ground (which often looks very fake without trees on top), flowing water, exposed rockfaces, weather effects (fog, rain, snow), would all add to the beauty of the game, especially in full 3D. The ability to look past your skyscrapers to a snowcapped mountain beyond would be very strong selling point.
- A BAT type program will be essential. The ability to craft the game was one of SC4's best features. Many people who are interested in city planning are also interested in architecture, and these programs offer a great oppurtunity to practice it in a larger context.
- The next installment of SC really does need to have fluid roads. SC4 got really close to this with Avenues, many bridge options, and an assortment of alternative transportation options. Curving roads, though, have been desired for years. Adding them would increase Societies' desirability considerably. Also, it would be nice to see an option for pedestrian paths. That way, a city could be built entirely around mass transit.
- Keeping options open for every little detail is important IMO. Picking your power plant, choosing what bridge you want, etc, are all core features. Choices like this make every city differant then the next.
- The idea to add regions to the game was brilliant, but the execution in SC4 was lacking IMO. If it isn't to taxing on system performance, having an unlimited size for each map would be the best option. If deviding the region up into smaller parts is essential, however, the ability to terraform the region as a whole would be very significant. Also, chronological syncronization between cities is important for realism, and the lack of it in SC4 was a major failure I think. Optimally, I would like to be able to build an entire world, with differant countries having differant cultures, and each city in those nations its own city, but everything working together.
That's all I have for now. I'll post more here and in other threads as I think of it :)
Before I continue, though, I think it's important to agknoledge that this game appears to be in very early development. I've seen a lot of negative critisism towards Societies, and while I think many of the fears are currently justified, it's no reason to be rude or harsh. I'm certain everyone at Tilted Mill is doing their best to live up to the SimCity legacy and follow the EA directive at the same time. If we want to make positive progress with this game, it's important to be constructive in our comments, and focus on improving Societies, not bashing the developers. I've been impressed with TM's interaction with the community, and I think that working together, a very good game can be created.
That said, here are my thoughts:
Hopes ---
- I like the idea of social crafting. Whenever playing SC in the past, I've always wanted to have control over my city's culture and government. Similarly, I was a little disapointed when tilesets were not translated over to SC4 from SC3K (though community modding made up for a lot of this). The prospect of having more control over the culture and society itself is promising.
- Full 3D is something I've been waiting for for a long time. Despite Sim Copter's relatively low level of qaulity, there was someting genuinely cool about looking down the skyline of something you've made. I was really hoping for someting similar in SC4, but in all truth it was impossible because of the level of user-created content.
Fears ---
- My fears are very similar to those of other long-time SC fans. My overall worry is that the game will be loosing a lot of the open ended custimization that has made it so succesful. Specifically:
- I have a hard time seeing Sim City without zoning. I'm not sure what will replace it, but it will need to be similar to be truly good. The beauty of zoning is not only the level of power it gives you, but also the visceral feeling it creates. Laying zones is much like gardening. You get to drop patches of color on top of the land, and watch as buildings prosper and grow there - assuming you give them what they need.
- Despite the 3D graphics, the screenshots have me on edge. Little that is in them is inherintly bad, but I'm more worried about what's not in them. The graphics seem to lack a certain level of detail, mostly on the lots and roads. The second set of screenshots that was released was a lot more encouraging then the first, especially the Dictatorship and Dirty Industry ones, but both of these still have significant room for improvement. At the same time, this game is still pretty early in development. The very, very first screens from SC4 looked more like a slight expansion of SC3K then a new game. Beyond graphics, I see a lot more that will need improvement. The terrain looks kinda static, and the roads are blocky like 2K's were.
Recomendations ---
- I think this game has a lot of potential still. To realize, though, I think a significant change needs to be made. Under normal circumstances, I would never suggest this change. But this game is too important I think >not< to suggest it. What change am I talking about? The release date. I think this game will need more then 6 months or so of development. I'd be more then willing to wait an additional 6 months to 2 years for this game to reach the level it can. The best games of history - StarCraft, the previous SimCities, the Elder-Scrolls games, were all pushed back many times to reach the level of qaulity that has made them household staples.
- While SC4 made massive improvements to the terraforming features of the game, I think there is still room for growth. More texture on the ground (which often looks very fake without trees on top), flowing water, exposed rockfaces, weather effects (fog, rain, snow), would all add to the beauty of the game, especially in full 3D. The ability to look past your skyscrapers to a snowcapped mountain beyond would be very strong selling point.
- A BAT type program will be essential. The ability to craft the game was one of SC4's best features. Many people who are interested in city planning are also interested in architecture, and these programs offer a great oppurtunity to practice it in a larger context.
- The next installment of SC really does need to have fluid roads. SC4 got really close to this with Avenues, many bridge options, and an assortment of alternative transportation options. Curving roads, though, have been desired for years. Adding them would increase Societies' desirability considerably. Also, it would be nice to see an option for pedestrian paths. That way, a city could be built entirely around mass transit.
- Keeping options open for every little detail is important IMO. Picking your power plant, choosing what bridge you want, etc, are all core features. Choices like this make every city differant then the next.
- The idea to add regions to the game was brilliant, but the execution in SC4 was lacking IMO. If it isn't to taxing on system performance, having an unlimited size for each map would be the best option. If deviding the region up into smaller parts is essential, however, the ability to terraform the region as a whole would be very significant. Also, chronological syncronization between cities is important for realism, and the lack of it in SC4 was a major failure I think. Optimally, I would like to be able to build an entire world, with differant countries having differant cultures, and each city in those nations its own city, but everything working together.
That's all I have for now. I'll post more here and in other threads as I think of it :)