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SimCity 4 was released 20 years ago

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Re: SimCity 4 was released 20 years ago

#11

Post by genocidicbunny »

chongli wrote: post #5

I prefer SimCity 2000. I feel like it hit a pretty good sweet spot between simulation and fun (which is to say, not even a vague gesturing at anything remotely realistic). Realistic simulation in games is almost universally less fun than simple, predictable game logic. Probably the most extreme example of this is chess: way more enjoyable than real warfare. Back on topic though. My beef with SimCity 4 is that it adde…

I thought 3000 was the best showing, though perhaps that's looking at it back later when performance is not as much of a concern. It felt like an upgraded SimCity 2000, rather than a big change in game mechanics that 4 was.

Re: SimCity 4 was released 20 years ago

#12

Post by genocidicbunny »

iJohnDoe wrote: post #10
chongli wrote: post #5

I prefer SimCity 2000. I feel like it hit a pretty good sweet spot between simulation and fun (which is to say, not even a vague gesturing at anything remotely realistic). Realistic simulation in games is almost universally less fun than simple, predictable game logic. Probably the most extreme example of this is chess: way more enjoyable than real warfare. Back on topic though. My beef with SimCity 4 is that it adde…

100% agree. Fond memories of SC 2000. The open creation of any layout you could think of was my favorite aspect of the game. Anyone have a particular recommendation on how to play SC 2000 today on Windows 10?

GOG has SC2k available and it should work just fine on Windows 10.

Re: SimCity 4 was released 20 years ago

#13

Post by toadi »

tbm57 wrote: post #8

Nostalgia wave at seeing images from this game again I like Cities: Skylines but am a little turned off at how central the traffic management is to the gameplay. Maybe I just never figured out all the right optimizations, but it feels like after a certain city size you're just spending all your time reworking your roads

Close to real life issues :) Traffic.

Re: SimCity 4 was released 20 years ago

#14

Post by Spastche »

tbm57 wrote: post #8

Nostalgia wave at seeing images from this game again I like Cities: Skylines but am a little turned off at how central the traffic management is to the gameplay. Maybe I just never figured out all the right optimizations, but it feels like after a certain city size you're just spending all your time reworking your roads

I think that's the most common complaint about the game, hopefully they fix it in the next one.

Re: SimCity 4 was released 20 years ago

#16

Post by JonathonW »

genocidicbunny wrote: post #11
chongli wrote: post #5

I prefer SimCity 2000. I feel like it hit a pretty good sweet spot between simulation and fun (which is to say, not even a vague gesturing at anything remotely realistic). Realistic simulation in games is almost universally less fun than simple, predictable game logic. Probably the most extreme example of this is chess: way more enjoyable than real warfare. Back on topic though. My beef with SimCity 4 is that it adde…

I thought 3000 was the best showing, though perhaps that's looking at it back later when performance is not as much of a concern. It felt like an upgraded SimCity 2000, rather than a big change in game mechanics that 4 was.

Same here— SimCity 3000’s the one that really hit the right spot gameplay-wise for me. Prettier and deeper and more polished than 2000 without departing too far from 2000’s core mechanics or simulation approach.

Re: SimCity 4 was released 20 years ago

#18

Post by db48x »

tbm57 wrote: post #8

Nostalgia wave at seeing images from this game again I like Cities: Skylines but am a little turned off at how central the traffic management is to the gameplay. Maybe I just never figured out all the right optimizations, but it feels like after a certain city size you're just spending all your time reworking your roads

That’s actually why I like the game. Logistics is everything. A city is not merely a beautiful arrangement of buildings, it is a machine with many moving parts. If you neglect the movements, the city won’t function and your people will move out. Unless it kills them first.

Re: SimCity 4 was released 20 years ago

#19

Post by tjpnz »

NBJack wrote: post #17

This is a stretch. 4 was alright, but it also marked the death of the series. 3 was great, 2 was legendary. There's a great reason Cities: Skylines became the spiritual successor.

If SimCity 4 marked the death of the series what was SimCity 2013?
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