SimCity 4

[AndrewB]

Today, for the first time, I decided to take a look at screenshots of SC4. I first heard of the game in mid-December, while shopping for presents. It was a little cardboard display with "SimCity 4" and a small screenshot shown. It was in Radio Shack. (I didn't buy anything from Ripoff Shack.)

Again, the screenshot was small, maybe 3x2 inches in size. From 2 feet away, it looked like just a minor graphical upgrade over SC3000. However, upon taking a closer look today, I must honestly say that I have never been this blown away by graphics in a game before. I mean, the game is like the intro video of Simcity 3000.

The buildings are more detailed than I could possibly imagine. Cars fill parking lots, pull out, stop at traffic lights. You can follow them around for hours. Unprecedented microsimulation capabilities. As for graphics, full dynamic shadow-casting over all surfaces. And it will run smoothly on a GeForce2 with all details set to max. Why is the performance so good? Because of the fixed camera angle, they say. Having a free camera would be 3 times as demanding on the hardware.

As many of you know, I don't care squat about graphics in games. The only way I could possibly care is if they blow me away. SimCity 4 manages to do this to me. Also, simulation games benefit from graphics and microsimulation enhancements more than any other genre.

The game comes out in less than 2 weeks. I can't believe I'm saying this, but I actually think I'll buy it.

[Arioch]

Ugh. I really think they derailed the entire series after SimCity 2000.

SC3K was the most horrible game I've ever tried to "get into". The time scale was shrunk down to something absurdly minuscule (individual DATES? what the fuck is this?), leaving out the possibility of actually being able to quickly regain money lost using a well-planned budget and increasing the simulation speed. And I still have not figured out how to deploy a proper working water supply system in 3K... no matter where I build pumps and how close they are to ponds or whatever I can't seem to provide my city with water.

[Captain Red]

I remember sim city 2000. I really used to love that game. I think I ended up making almost 20 cites that covered the map... I only ever managed to unlock the macro thingies for 5 of them I think. I remember how disappointed I was when I discovered that it was imposable expand the city ant further once you cover the map, and I think if told that stupid strings joke at the end of the credits close to 100 times...

I lost interest after I upgraded my 486 and discovered that it wouldn't run any more (vesa issues).

[Arioch]

There are win32 builds of sc2k. The simcity 2000 special edition for win95 (installs and works just fine on 2K/XP) can still be found in bargain bins.

[Captain Red]

I could probably get it to work on my current machine, but I’ve really played it to death.

[AndrewB]

I actually received SimCity 2000 Special Edition for Christmas. The DOS version wouldn't run in Windows XP. But I hate how in the Win95 version, the second-highest speed (Cheetah) is like 1 month every 7 seconds, and the highest speed (African Swallow) is 3 years per second. That totally and completely sucks. Whatever the case, it's currently the game I'm playing the most right now. (MOH:AA got two days out of me, and after one level, I'm pretty much finished with it.)

I hope that there's some sort of driving, flying, or general exploration game that allows us to truly taste and devour our SC4 cities (ala SimCopter or Streets of SimCity but better). That's what deeply disappointed me about SimCity 3000. Ideally, I'd love to see a driving game where you have to run errands, drive carefully in traffic, or maybe even be one of the EMT people, and respond to fires, locate where you need to go, and shoot water at the fires, while trying to beat the unknown clock. Imagine having to plot out the best routes, avoiding the heavy traffic spots in the city. Imagine having to run red lights in an ambulance, and maybe 1 in 300 times you get hit by another car while running the red light. And when you're hit, there's no turning your car and continuing on, you're injured. And in rare cases, you might even die, forcing you to restart your EMT career. This would add a real sense of danger and caution to the game, similar to what Hardcore Diablo II delivered.

Obviously the graphics would have to be scaled back a bit, but imagine building your city and then operating the EMT in the city that you created, in a 3D driving and rescue game. If game/SC4-addon like that were made, heck, I'd have no qualms paying $150 for it, that's how much I'd love it.

[Arioch]

Yeah, African Swallow just runs the simulation as fast as it thinks your computer will allow.

[mmnpsrsoskl]

I've been a huge fan of SC since the original...and most of the other Sim games (SimTower, SimSafari etc etc)...though I haven't played SC3000...might buy it since I have some money to burn.

I've been meaning to look into SC4...I saw a few screenies a while back, and i'll have to check it out again :P

[Fletcher`]

Simcity 2000? Aah that brings back good memories. From last week. :)

sc3000.com]All your simcity needs

[Insomniak]

I first started playing SimCity 2000 when I was in 5th grade, on the elementry school's Power Macs. A friend taught me the "porntipsguzzardo" and "fund-fund-issue bond-issue bond-repay bond-repay bond" cheats, and I littered the computers with half built cities.

In jr. high, the iMacs ran it faster than ever, and I impressed n00b players in my grade, building sprawing cities with multi-trillions of dollars.

Two years ago, at a computer store in a rundown mall, I found the Special Edition for Win95, complete with SKURK and the scenario packs. The cheats that I had learned for Mac didn't apply anymore, and I had to learn the hard way.

BTW did anyone else have trouble with their military bases? Mine only build a runway and then stop.

[Arioch]

I've had a military base build itself like maybe twice out of all the times I've ever played sc2k.

[mmnpsrsoskl]

I've had a military base build up pretty big, but that was frigging ages ago, can't remember how so :P

My friend's little sister (she's like 10) can build a city spanning the entire map in about 2 hours. From scratch.

[DooMBoy]

Heh, first SimCity (and the only SimCity, for that matter) I ever played was SimCity for the SNES. Call me wacky, but I thought it was actually somewhat fun. Build your own big huge city over a course of maybe a week, then turn loose all kinds of disasters (natural and otherwise, heheh) on it.

[Darkstalker]

I always liked Simcity, in fact, I have all of them except console made (SNES). Maybe I'll try it out someday but I just hope they find a better with the stupid water supply system that they've putted in 3k, I always had trouble with that.