E3 2012: SimCity Multiplayer Examined: Why Maxis Chose Always-Online

[News Portal]

Ever since the new [app=8818]SimCity[/app] was announced, players have been upset that it required always-online DRM. Now, at this year's E3, Maxis have finally detailed the multiplayer aspect of the game, and how being connected to your friends will affect your city for better (and worse).

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Read full article by Patrick Stafford

[Napoletana]

can't stand that art style! IMO SimCity 4 looks much better. Hope the modding community can make it look more realistic.

[meji]

I'm in two minds about it at the moment.

1. It'll be good. It has some great additions - curvy roads for starters and I kind of like the idea of being able to place individual buildings rather than zones (and always have that one zone spot showing where no one will build or you need an elaborate road system to get there because it cheese you off! >_>

2. No matter how well you play, if some one decides to be a douche and create their own "Sin City" next door and your carefully constructed and maintained city gets trashed with doof doof cars and yobbos ruining the joint - That may be "challenging" it also sounds downright annoying. I love the clinical construction process of Sim City and how you plan and out lay entire areas and you watch your grand vision come to life. Lack of zoning will reduce that aspect, but as I said being able to place individual buildings is a nice addition in it's place.

So I guess for me, I wait and see how reviews pan out particularly on the always online "feature".

[Marius]

I like the art style. I always found the previous games too cold.

[Aeolus_C]

2. No matter how well you play, if some one decides to be a douche and create their own "Sin City" next door and your carefully constructed and maintained city gets trashed with doof doof cars and yobbos ruining the joint - That may be "challenging" it also sounds downright annoying.

Demolish connecting highway to said "Sin City"?

[Vencha88]

Loooove the art style. Very excited for this.

[meji]

2. No matter how well you play, if some one decides to be a douche and create their own "Sin City" next door and your carefully constructed and maintained city gets trashed with doof doof cars and yobbos ruining the joint - That may be "challenging" it also sounds downright annoying.

Demolish connecting highway to said "Sin City"?

Was thinking of that, but does it also mean I have to cut off airports, ships etc..

... and will I need a military base plonked where they border me?

[André Axe'm]

I'd still like to know how this works with player not being online at the same time or playing at different speeds.

[Shuth]

I'd still like to know how this works with player not being online at the same time or playing at different speeds.

Same. I was interested in SC4 linked cities but I could control those cities. If I stopped playing for a few weeks, there's no impact on my game.

Curious to see how this will all work.

[PalZer0]

Knowing EA they'll screw it up somehow (not to mention the launch will be craptacular as is the case with big PC titles from EA).

[PinothyJ]

I like the art style. I always found the previous games too cold.

That was always the point though. SimCity was the Gran Turismo to other city simulator's Forza. The only problem is the vast majority of people who currently play SimCity are of clinically cold camp and it is going to be impressive seeing Maxis try to win them over.


Remember: there are mods for SC4 that have been actively developed for longer than Maxis spent making the vanilla title -- these are some dedicated people who know - or have an opinion of - what is what…

[Mekon]

The only problem is the vast majority of people who currently play SimCity are of clinically cold camp and it is going to be impressive seeing Maxis try to win them over.

I don't think they are trying to win over the hardcore legacy fans, it's obviously pitched to a broader market. Personally, I like the new art-style, it looks pretty slick.

What it comes down to is whether they manage to give the game enough depth to captivate me, or whether it'll be another city builder I play for a little while and then move on from (like the Cities XL franchise).

I tend to prefer resource-based city-builders, like the Caesar, Settlers, Anno, Tropico offerings. I loved the MMO title Star Peace: I actually paid a sub when it was picked up by Sega and renamed Legacy Online, and played until it was closed. We'll see...

[Bicketybam]

2. No matter how well you play, if some one decides to be a douche and create their own "Sin City" next door and your carefully constructed and maintained city gets trashed with doof doof cars and yobbos ruining the joint - That may be "challenging" it also sounds downright annoying.

Demolish connecting highway to said "Sin City"?

I'd still like to know how this works with player not being online at the same time or playing at different speeds.

This is another concern... everyone plays at a different speed due to all sorts of reasons. What would happen if your neighbouring city owner just goes away or stops playing for a set time? Can you do anything other then demolishing the connecting highways to get rid of them or are you stuck with a non participating neighbour for ever?

As for the art style, I like it, looks sweet and I love the idea of curved roads as well as individual blocks, which will allow you to create a neighbourhood just the way you want(artsy or whatever), rather then in misshaped blocks where only some of the people build etc.

[realOne]

I personally welcome all the new features multiplayer bring to the table and how a neighboring city can dramatically have an affect in your city. Like a sim can live in you city and then can goto work in your friends city etc. or a crime city a bank robber can drive across through multiple cities until they come across a city with high number of police units. there is lot of new events that could have never been done before but now they can thanks to online.

Seriously this is my most anticipated game for all that was shown at E3 and i've been waiting a long time for a good simcity to come out.

[Marius]

I like the art style. I always found the previous games too cold.

That was always the point though. SimCity was the Gran Turismo to other city simulator's Forza. The only problem is the vast majority of people who currently play SimCity are of clinically cold camp and it is going to be impressive seeing Maxis try to win them over.


Remember: there are mods for SC4 that have been actively developed for longer than Maxis spent making the vanilla title -- these are some dedicated people who know - or have an opinion of - what is what…

Yes, because having cartoon sims spout nonsense gibberish in Sim City 4 was clinically cold.

It's good that the graphics might actually suit the sims theme this time.