Has anyone played the Sim City (2013) ? Launch Day problems. OFFLINE MODE POSSIBLE

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**kenshin620**

YES....I know its EA (evil arts, or whatever we call them these days) and uses Origin, I know that Maxis/Will Wright has not been the most productive in the last few years (Sim City Societies and Spore...)

However I'm just wondering has anyone played the beta for the newest Sim City game and is it any good? I must admit I am cautiously optimistic. Sim City 4 has to be one of my all time top PC games and I am still waiting for a worthy successor (yes I realize other city sims exists, but theres some charm to the sim city franchise.......except for societies)

I've been watching Jesse and Crendor play the beta and so far it does slightly impress me. Should someone else here though dissuade me?

Warning, first video contains pretty much only road building!

**SagesStone**

Watching through the videos at the moment, seems good. As long as you don't blow all your money on roads.

**Ouze**

I'm cautiously optimistic about this. I loved the Simcity 2000, but don't think I've played any since then.

**kenshin620**

Part 3 is up. (btw I'm watching jesse's pov, if you want to see crender you'll have to go to his channel)

I must say I think what is really cool is the "modularity" aspect. Back in SC4 your buildings were completely static, once its built theres little extra you could do besides increase their funding. Now we can really add some extra things!

Argh stop looking so pretty to me Sim City 2013!

**SagesStone**

Part I'm liking is the multiplayer. If there's somehow a non-Origin version on steam I'm more or less sold on it at this point already. If there isn't though, then I'm going to have to keep a closer eye on it and see if it's decent enough to put up with that annoyance.

**kenshin620**

n0t_u wrote:
If there's somehow a non-Origin version on steam

I think pretty much all post origin ea games are only on origin, and if there is even a chance of it being on steam then its not going to be there at launch (no pre order or anything)

**Soladrin**

Yarp, I watched TB's 3 hour stream of this yesterday and well... I caved and pre-ordered the deluxe.

So yeah, anyone else getting it?

And if you want the VoD for TB's stuff.

http://www.twitch.tv/totalbiscuit/b/373197925

That's from the press beta btw, so it has EVERYTHING!

**SilverMK2**

I'd be interested, especially if you can turn sandbox on and off

Oh, and if it didn't run through Origin.

**kenshin620**

Soladrin wrote:
Yarp, I watched TB's 3 hour stream of this yesterday and well... I caved and pre-ordered the deluxe.

Pre order? HEATHEN!

Anther thing I like is that Density is ROAD dependent, not zone dependent

Finally I can get my advisors to shut up when they're complaining "Oh noes these streets and roads are too small!" Not my friggin fault SC4 defaults on streets for zoning!

Though I cant tell, is Agriculture still in?

More of cox n crendor playthrough. Jesse finally learns that better roads=apartments

Spoiler:

**Emperorlives**

Isn't sim city the game about controlling people's lives?

**purplefood**

Pretty much.
You build and plan cities etc.
You don't control their day to day existence...

**kenshin620**

Emperorlives wrote:
Isn't sim city the game about controlling people's lives?

Individual Lives: The Sims

Lives of an entire city: Sim City

and you technically dont actually control them directly in Sim City. Its more like you have some relationship with them

**Soladrin**

Simcity also predates the sims quite a bit and is actually quite a complex city builder/management game. It reminds me a bit of playing Industry Giant which I've always had fond memories of.

And the new multiplayer features, especialy the crime aspects, seem amazing.

**Palindrome**

Thhe always on connection requirement puts me off and Origin doesn't help either.

Its something that I may get eventually but its not something that I will be buying at full price.

**Soladrin**

I'm always on anyway, so I really don't care about that. Though I do agree that it's one of the most horrible forms of DRM.

As for origin.. meh, it got some bad press, it's nowhere near the levels of horrible that games for windows live has.

**Palindrome**

Soladrin wrote:
I'm always on anyway, so I really don't care about that. Though I do agree that it's one of the most horrible forms of DRM.

As for origin.. meh, it got some bad press, it's nowhere near the levels of horrible that games for windows live has.

GFWL is not much of a comparison, nothing can be as bad as that.

The reason why I dislike always on is that it is becoming more common, is usually nothing more than DRM and because an always on internet connection is not guaranteed.

**Soladrin**

I'm saying I like it either, just that it's not really a problem for me personaly. However I don't agree with it either, I think it's terrible business practice but treating your customers like scum has become the norm for publishers these days.

**The Grumpy Eldar**

Origin is worse than GFWL. At least GFWL let you play the game without having to log in. You had to log in to actually play online with most games. Plus it didn't need a constant acces. It let you play even when your net dies in between. Unlike Origin, wich just kick you straight out.

I'll be getting the new SimCity anyways. The games allways were a lot of fun with their random disasters and all that stuff.

**Soladrin**

The Grumpy Eldar wrote:
Origin is worse than GFWL. At least GFWL let you play the game without having to log in. You had to log in to actually play online with most games. Plus it didn't need a constant acces. It let you play even when your net dies in between. Unlike Origin, wich just kick you straight out.

I'll be getting the new SimCity anyways. The games allways were a lot of fun with their random disasters and all that stuff.

Wow, just, wow. I know hating on EA is the big thing these days but saying GFWL is better then origin... well theres a stretch. Have you ever tried to play online on GFWL? It's a giant mess. Not to mention that the interface is slowed.

**Ouze**

Some early reviews are in, both good and mixed.

**Soladrin**

The main problem I'm hearing about is that the servers can't handle the load (as usual with always on games at launch). NA servers have 30min+ ques.

Welp, that was to be expected.

Anyway, it's still 2 days till it releases here. Because the internet has oceans.

**Palindrome**

There are also significant queues being reported,upwards of 30 minutes, just to play a single player game.

Damn ninjas.

**Soladrin**

You saw nothing.

I wonder if the EU launch will be a bit better. I hope so cause I really want to play it when I get back from work.

Automatically Appended Next Post:
Oh, and another heads up for people who want to do multiplayer with someone from another continent.

You can select which server to play on but your cities will not transfer over. You will have to make new stuff.

**SagesStone**

That's somewhat annoying, but not bad if they make sure it's clear.

**kenshin620**

Launch Day problems!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Servers are killed

Its like Mann vs Machine, but worse

**Grundz**

regions look way, way, wayy too small :(

**BlapBlapBlap**

Guys...

One itty bitty problem...

Always online DRM.

That's right, after two years this will most likely be unplayable.

**SilverMK2**

It is good job online connection only games have enough servers set up to let people play their games... oh wait

**Soladrin**

Online DRM is very old news for this game. Also, the devs clarified that theres actually a lot of server side processing going on to run the simulation bits in the game. (Nobody has confirmed this though and it's just hearsay from the devs).

Either way, fully expected this, error 37 has taught us this is inevitable.

Hope the EU launch is better...

**Ouze**

I don't find online-DRM to be a dealbreaker for me. I know for a lot of people it is, and I'm not going to like, attack their concerns, I'm simply saying it's not a problem here. Not ideal, but not as bad on the DRM-annoyance-scale as those horrid, unremovable SecureROM drivers some games used to install.