I haven't been this excited for a game in a loooong time. I'm so, so glad Maxis is making it. I have extremely high hopes - here's to hoping I won't be let down!



From the Reddit thread: '1.) Are there any developers left at Maxis who worked on Simcity 4 that will be working on this version of Simcity?

1) Yes! A lot of us.

Lucy Bradshaw was executive producer for SimCity 4, and is very much involved with the new one I was creative director and art director for SimCity 4, and art directed SC3k. Andrew was SimCity 4’s lead graphics engineer. Kip was test lead on SimCity 4. Guillaume Pierre (our scripting lead) was another lead tester on SC4, Venkat Ajjanagadde did roads for SC4 and he’s doing them for the new one. There are a lot of SimCity veterans on the project, but we’ve also got new people who grew up playing SimCity and are bringing fresh ideas to it. It’s a good mix.'

I read this at SimPrograms.

SimCity pre-order news from the Examiner.

It seems most of the retailers are going to be offering the same pre-order bonuses consisting of new characters and some new buildings. The new characters are 'Protector of SimCity' MaxisMan and the evil Dr. Vu and his henchmen. There will be a Super Hero Headquarters and a Super Villain Evil Lair. To make it complete there will be crime waves as events added to the game.



...

Maxis is back from the dead! Finally a new PC game after playing only old games for nearly 3 years.. I really felt like SC5 was a lost dream when I was reading the Simtropolis forums months ago It's gonna be interesting to see how an agent based simulation will work instead of a statistical one. Sounds like they need to scale down and cut down on variables quite a bit to work for that system to work in the average computer. It can mimic and visualize a real-life system better but I hope the effect won't the that the game gets dumbed down or be too constrained in a box. Societies was boring because the simulation was too simple, rigid and transparent.. what's the point of playing if you already know what's going to happen next in the game? And I hope they don't shove the online multiplayer money-making junk down our throats which seems to be EA's main strategy these days. Anyway still can't wait for the game and more info!

Maxis is not back and never will be; it is, as already stated, just a clever marketing ploy. Even EA people know that their brand is associated with shoddy workmanship, at least in Sim world, so they dug up Maxis to fool us. - What "quite a few" actually means is anybody's guess, of course.

What is clear is that at least two teams are involved (there are certainly more); one is developing (great looking) graphics and (at least) one other is working on game features, using much more basic graphics. What will happen when these two - and others - finally get together is, again, anybody's guess.

While the practice of several teams working on a project is standard everywhere, perfect coordination at the final stage, combined wth thorough testing, is essential if the product is to be any good. EA is anything but perfect at this stage, as witnessed by TS3 and its EPs, so let's just hope they will get (much) better people for SC5. I's love to see a great SimCity again.

Maxis never went anywhere... The company was bought by EA in the late 90s (TS1 would never have been produced without EA's money so be thankful), then they did TS2 and sometime during TS2 expansions The Sims was transferred to EA's Sims Studio and Maxis made Spore.

Here is a video =D

SimCity Insider's Look GlassBox Game Engine - Part 1

DESCRIPTION:

Insider's Look at the new Glassbox engine powering the next SimCity game. SimCity Gameplay Lead Dan Moskowitz describes the concepts of Resources, Units, Maps, and Agents and how they affect the complex simulation behind SimCity.

RomerJon, thanks for the link. I was hoping to see non-straight roads/bridges included in that, but it was interesting all the same.

Well, that looks promising.

I will keep up-to-date checking out Simcity videos =D

Man thank god Maxis is back in business =D
They do a lot of brilliant creations =D

From joystiq.com...

"Good news: If you want to download SimCity somewhere other than Origin, you'll have the option to do so. An EA representative confirmed with Joystiq that the title would be available for purchase on other digital distribution platforms, though a list of stores has yet to be finalized. SimCity is arriving sometime in 2013.

Lead designer Stone Librande confirmed that SimCity would be an internet-dependent experience. Players will need to be online on Origin while playing, even if that wasn't the point of purchase. The always-on connection becomes necessary with the game's emphasis on multiplayer and regional impact, and the use of a global economy that all players can influence."

I was actually looking forward to this game. But, if I HAVE to be logged into Origin to play, I''ll pass.

I'm with you cameranutz2, the always on Internet connection to Origin may be a deal breaker for a lot of folks. I really didn't want the game for it's multi player aspect.

The mod-ability will probably be non-existent too. To bad that a really good idea can be killed for some by the insistence that a game can only be a "social" experience.

Well I doubt I'll be looking for more news after this.


Well maybe one more bit of news from http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/28/s...mods-at-launch/

I think the global economy sounds really interesting, just because a game has multiplayer doesn't make it a social game... If you have friends who play (or meet nice people online) I think it would be a lot of fun to mess with and cooperate with each other. A constant internet connection sucks but I don't really care.

@ SimJymm, Maxis has expressed their commitment to modability. They aren't focused on that right now because they just need to the game to work right but every game takes a little while to reach it's potential.

Well I don't like to spoil myself...
I just wait for next year =)

It's not a game that has multi-player it's now a game that's only multi-player. When I want to enjoy a game with friends or meet new players I play MMOs. When I want to build cities I want to build them solo.

As to EAxis's commitment to mods we'll see.

I hope someone won't destroy your city in multi-player XD LoL
Hmm... If it's possible to do so...

I'd have bought this in a heartbeat before I heard about the always online requirement. Now I'll probably pass, I've heard nothing but bad things about Origin.

Maybe you should read some of the articles because none of them say anything about an only multiplayer game. In fact a lot of them specifically point out that you can play solo like normal... just with an internet connection.

@Robodl95 I stand corrected, I let my anger about the have to go online(to start the game)/only on Origin BS blind me to think that it would now be an only multi-player game. I assumed a lack of being able to play other regions was a given. It was one of the great things about SimCity 4 that I liked.

http://www.edenstyle.it/the-game/mu...in-simcity.html

Having said that; I'm still not getting the game if the situation of "online on Origin" doesn't change. There's going to be plenty of games to enjoy so that the lack of this one won't bother me.

What about those without internet? Think of the hermits!

I get annoyed when games with a solo mode have to be on the internet. What if I'm on computer with no internet. What about the people who play games but don't want or have internet. I think its a nuisance.

From The Escapist:


Eh, isn't it still basically the same thing? Still needing connection at startup?

It just means that there's really no compelling reason in the first place for there to be this sort of requirement. It's not that game actually needs to phone home to play, it's that the game developers were told to force people to phone into Origin.

Requiring an internet connection as a form of DRM is an awfully ironic choice. It forces paying consumers who want to play the games on-the-go to pirate it. For some, this may be their first exposure to piracy.

It reminds me of when I purchased Spore four years ago. I didn't have an internet connection at home, and I was unable to install my brand new game. I was forced to use my crappy netbook at the library to pirate a copy just so I could play it back home. It was my first attempt to pirate a game, and the experience has certainly ... influenced my purchases ever since.

Thanks for the crash course, Electronic Arts!

NEW VIDEO UPLOADED!!!

SimCity GlassBox Game Engine Part 2 - Scenario 1: The Economic Engine


DESCRIPTION:
Insider's Look at the new Glassbox engine powering the next SimCity game. SimCity Gameplay Lead Dan Moskowitz describes the Economic Loop for Residential, Commercial, and Industrial zones in the game.

Do anything for this game. (';