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illusionofjoyThe SimCity series has been one of, if not my favourite game ever since I discovered the original game illegally installed on one of the PCs way back in high school. In comparison to the versions which followed, SimCity Classic (as it would come to be known) was deceptively simple. One had only three zone types with no subsets, two power plants to choose from (coal or nuclear), two networking types (road or rail) and Police and Fire Stations were the only civic buildings available. Despite it's limited scope of building options, however, SimCity Classic was engaging enough in game play and realistic enough graphically that a kid who never had the time, money or space to set up a model railroad found this to be a suitable and thoroughly engaging alternative.
The initial sequel, SimCity 2000 was released in 1993. This game still holds a distinct feature that subsequent titles in the franchise would be without: the ability to import cities from the previous version of the game. SimCity 3000 followed in 1999 and SimCity 4 was released in 2003 (followed by the Rush Hour expansion pack later that year). Frankly, I was wowed by each subsequent release, many times before even playing the game itself. For me, more building options and more complex game play were good things. With it's bevy of options and incredibly realistic graphics, SimCity 4 is well nigh the definitive version of the game. I am not the only one who thinks like this, as the dedication of fan communities has extended the shelf life of SimCity 4 indefinitely. The Network Addon Mod, hosted at the Simtropolis fansite is like getting a second Rush Hour expansion pack (just make sure you have the RAM to keep the game running), to say nothing of all the creations made by fans using Maxis' Building Architect Tool (BAT).
I was not without some consternation when I heard the next version of SimCity was to be "taken back to it's roots" and made so that a novice could pick it up and play it. To me, it seemed like they were going to dumb-down what had become a completely awesome game. Sadly, little has developed recently to assuage these fears. Yesterday, it was announced that Games For Windows would be running an article on the "rebirth of SimCity" in their July issue. By today, more information has surfaced about the fifth incarnation of the series, now known to be titled SimCity Societies.
It definitely continues the SimCity line, but this absolutely is not the same old SimCity...for better or worse. For one thing, EA turned its eye outside of its own campus and tabbed Tilted Mill Entertainment for the development duties. While that name may not immediately ring any bells, this studio packs plenty of folks experienced with city builders, and comes fresh off of creating Caesar IV. That game fared only passing well in our review, but the focus on managing your citizenry almost surely gives a glimpse into where the designers intend to go with the "societies" angle.
These are not exactly inspiring words. The accompanying screenshot did not help matters. If you ask me, I think it looks like a freaking cartoon! Furthermore, it is a bad sign that EA decided to switch from long-time designers Maxis to a new development company. In the corporate world this may be seen as a bold move - "thinking outside the box," "gaining a fresh perspective" and other assorted clichés, however, computer games are more of an art form (like music and movies) and we all know what happens more often than not when a sequel to a beloved film has a new director.
Still, one should not prejudge...or so it has been said. In a post one their official development forum, Tilted Mill President and Director of Development Chris Beatrice had this to say:
I do not want to mislead anyone: This SC is not a realistic urban simulation, which I understand, to many, represents the heart of what SC is. No one is blind to that. And if you're just completely turned off, even angered by the mere notion of any game called "SimCity" that is not a detailed, realistic urban simulator, I absolutely understand that viewpoint, and absolutely respect it. Passionate fans like you are the lifeblood of the gaming industry, and that is one reason why TMill provides what I think is a great outlet for this type of discussion and even complaint. But please keep in mind the irony in that - we are just a lowly developer after all.
From the horse's mouth, more or less, the heart of SimCity is being hacked out. As expected, reaction from the fan community has ranged from guarded to downright negative. The thread from which that quote came from was even titled, "You killed Sim City!" There are numerous threads on the fansites and a petition to return development to Maxis, already bearing over 200 signatures, has popped up.
As for me, I can't help but feel kind of let down. If the game is not to be a realistic city simulator, then what is the point of playing? Granted, the residents are a large part of the city, but the appeal of SimCity to me was always the building, the ability to re-imagine urban landscape in my own image. No longer a slave to concrete that already laid in the real world, I could pretend that I was Robert Moses (without the unfortunate racism).
If anything, SimCity Societies so far seems like EA's latest attempt to capitalise on the overwhelmingly successful Sims series. Don't get me wrong - I love playing The Sims 2, but while turning my neighbourhoods into some version of Peyton Place may satisfy the part of me who likes to play the God of Drama, SimCity has always satisfied the kid in me who would never get a degree in urban planning ("I always wanted to be an architect...").
SimCity Societies is slated for a fall release in the United States. Here's hoping it isn't as bad as our collective knee-jerk reactions seem to think it will be. All we can do is wait and see.
