Simsville Canceled 122
Ant wrote to us with the story that Maxis announced today that Simsville has been canceled. It was originally supposed to be out in 2002 - but Maxis decided that "it wasn't up to the standards of Maxis" - but did also say the team did a good job, and was being reassigned to other products like the upcoming Sims Online. The original intent was to be a cross between The Sims and SimCity. Having had to play through some real stinkers of games before, I applaud Maxis decision to kill the product, rather then try to release it on an unsuspecting public CT Cry!
Original Simcity (Score:1)
I still remember trying to find ways to copy the pesky black-on-dark-red page with for the copy protection.
Re:Original Simcity (Score:1)
Re:Original Simcity (Score:2)
Thank god the days of code sheets are gone.
Re:Original Simcity (Score:1)
His reward was a copy of the game, of course.
Re:Original Simcity (Score:1)
A friend of mine ran it thru his fax machine 3 or 4 times. Each successive output was used as input. Was clear as day.
Me being a little more computer savy, just removed the stupid copy protection from the game
I can look up the 1 or 2 byte patch if you want.
Addictive games (Score:1)
I have to give major kudos to Maxis for their ability to put out games that can totally addict me. I tend to grow tired of games rather quickly, but Maxis usually keeps me coming back for me time after time.
Thanks for thinking of us, the players, before the bottome line, Maxis. I wish there were more companies like this out there!
Re:Addictive games (Score:2)
What's so cool about it is the fact the game has translated across so many platforms (there was even a unix version out somewhere) and it retains the full character and interest of the game. A kudo to non-massively-graphic games that make you think.
Hmm... I'm 50% dissapointed :) (Score:1)
There has been som sleep lost over that old game, to be sure...
Re:Hmm... I'm 50% dissapointed :) (Score:1)
But what was there in The Sims?
You couldn't even unleash Godzillia to knock down several city blocks and then after you had finished laughing try and restore the aftermath.
That's surely what Simulations should be all about?
By way of consolation (Score:2)
Word is that the project's failure is being blamed on damage caused by too many purple potions.
Not up to standars? (Score:1, Funny)
Re:Not up to standars? (Score:1)
Yes; this is good - avoid bad releases (Score:2, Interesting)
I really don't understad the idea of pushing out unfinised games. I would guess it only hurts the company itself, and the poor people that buys the product. I mean: if you bought a full-price game that really felt "unfinished" I guess you'll *never* buy a game from that company again.
As an example: I picked up 'Global domination' from the low-price bin one day; thinking that it looked like a simplistic strategy game somewhat like 'risk'. Gee -- guess if I was fooled? The gameplay is basically to click as fast as you can (that sends missiles...) on other countries. It's just *that more fun* than to senslessly move around icons on the desktop! I will *never* buy a game from thoose people again...
Well; back to the point; this is a good move from maxis, and I hope other companies will follow their example.
Re:Yes; this is good - avoid bad releases (Score:1)
I was really looking forward to Simsville, the idea of linking SimCity 3000 to the Sims seemed fantastic, but it did sound like a massive undertaking.
I know of no other company that has the balls to say, "nope, it was to big, we couldn't do it. sorry"
I applaude you Maxis and eagerly await whaterver you bring out next
Trav
No... (Score:1)
Re:No... (Score:1)
6 fingers. (Score:2, Funny)
When you insult SimAnt, you insult my family... now prepare to die!
Cities are more fun! (Score:2, Insightful)
I'd love my own city. It'd be great fun! Why emulate something we can all do more effectively anyway. Just walk out the door and meet people and you'll have WAY more fun than the Sims can ever provide. But if your in the mood for a bit of planning, zoning, police budget squeezing and tax raising play Sim City.
Well done Maxis - get back to the Cities. Lets see some new ideas, lets network Sim City, lets have REAL neighbours to compete and negotiate with, that'd be enough to get me spending another £40 on Sim City 5Million - nothing else - just other Mayors to clash with. Oh - and Nukes
Re:Cities are more fun! (Score:1)
You might, but judging by how well The Sims sold, apparently there are a lot of people who do not.
Re:Cities are more fun! (Score:1)
-Dosman!
Re:Cities are more fun! (Score:2)
Does anyone have any insight as to what ever happened to the original 3D version?
Combinations that worked: (Score:1)
just give me your wallet, it'll be quicker (Score:1)
a game that will only get you $80 a pop, when you can develop
one that will get you $80 a pop, plus a monthly fee?
(note: this was humour. i have no idea what Sims Online actually costs to play, if anything).
Re:just give me your wallet, it'll be quicker (Score:1)
Go ahead, mark it as flamebait. (Score:1)
My guess is that Maxis just couldn't get it together for Simsville--they have some real gems in some of their games, but some of them are real stinkers.
Fairly common (Score:1)
What could make the game industry slightly different is the high make it or break it factor for small software houses. They simply can't afford to can a project and put yet another two three years into the next game.
So the moral of the story? The trick is to have people with a sense of what would see on your team, plus good planning and all the software engineering spiffiness.
"suckage" is a subjective term (Score:3, Funny)
While some people hated the sims, i loved it. Almost our whole family got addicted to playing it far too many hours a day. to the point that it made itself into our real lives. I still lmao when i think of the time i had supper at my sister's house one night, and then after i was finished i stood up, put my plate on the floor, said "blah blah, bla bla bla!" and walked away... lol.. we all practically cried with laughter, while my parents looked at us like we were idiots, not getting the joke.. ah well.. now my mother playes it like mad..
Re:"suckage" is a subjective term (Score:2)
Online simulation .. try simcountry.com (Score:2, Informative)
You can choose to manage a country (think dictator) or become a bigshot CEO of a multi-national (sorry to say but microsoft is already active in the world, maybe AOL Time Warner is free?)
It is still under development, so be aware that things might look strange from time to time. It is activly developed by 4 people at this time
Currently they have 3 worlds active and around 6000 players. And they did not do a lot of advertising.
If you are realy good at the game they even reward you with cash via PayPal.
You can ready an interview with the creator of this game, Jossi Gil at Brassknuckles [brassknuckles.net]
had to play? (Score:1)
Where is SimCopter? (Score:2)
How to cheat in Sim City (Score:3, Funny)
Wait until the amount of money left was some unusual number.
Then press the debugger switch and search for that number in memory. I think it was the "F" command. Here are some macsbug tips [goingware.com].
Likely that number will be found in several places in memory (so keep pressing F to find them all). Now press "g" to continue and play a little while until the money changes.
Now search again. Notice what locations are the same between each of the two values you searched for. Use SL or SW or something to set the money to a high number.
Once I showed my housemates this I never had any peace anymore. They always wanted me to cheat for them. Once I'd done it a couple times myself I never cheated on my own games, it took all the fun out.
I'm not claiming this is an original cheat but I thought I was pretty clever.
Re:How to cheat in Sim City (Score:1)
But I don't think they take the fun out of it.
For me, the fun of "the Sims" is in the house construction, furnishing and interaction rather than earning enough simoleons to add on to the house or buy some bit of furniture. It's all about trying some wacky architectural experiment ("Let's try putting the front door on the second story of the house!") or seeing just how insane a sim party can get. Earning lots of dough just doesn't interest me by comparison.
(Yet I still send my sims to work, simply because the career tracks are pretty fun too.)
Re:How to cheat in Sim City (Score:2)
Re:How to cheat in Sim City (Score:1)
Re:How to cheat in Sim City (Score:2)
Re:How to cheat in Sim City (Score:1)
What happened to SimMars? (Score:2)
We have seen this before... (Score:1)
1) I do not believe it was canceled for the reasons given.
2) We have seen this before.
IMO this is almost the same thing that happened to Ultima IX. The staff was 'diverted' off to work on UO and much later we got what they called Ultima IX.
And then there is Lucas Arts, who decided the PC was not capable of delivering Obi-wan...so they make plans to bring it out on the XBox (and possibly another system?). What am I missing here?!
In the end this is ALL about $$$. Of course, that's what EA and the others are in the business for, but I always thought/hoped some people (such as Will and Richard) might in it for more then just that.
All I can hope for now, is that after Sims Online comes out they go back to finishing this game.
They aimed too high. (Score:1)
The Sims Online sounded more interesting anyway... (Score:2, Interesting)
I'm almost glad they canned Simsville. Yet Another Micromanagement City Simulation was not needed (at least to this gamer, YMMV), but the plans they have in place for The Sims Online are intriguing. They're unlike anything the Sim series has done before as they shift emphasis from management to social interaction.
The whole game is a vast experiment in community, economics and social interaction... you're competing for visitors and popularity by having a superior house design and/or a home business. No wrangling with the AI and trying to get your Sims to brush their teeth every morning, no constant patrolling of their mood meters. I'm looking forward to playing it; call it a more constructive and pacifistic version of EverQuest, perhaps.
But I have to wonder, will adding the Simsville team onto The Sims Online push up the release date a bit? Or is that not really dependent on how many people you throw at a project?
I saw it at E3 - Doh. (Score:1)
But, if it wasn't that good behind the scenes (they only show the best stuff at E3), then I applaud Maxis for not releasing it. That's why I stand behind Maxis and their products - even if it is a dissapointment that they cancel something.
So, bottom line, yeah I'm disappointed (as I have been waiting for the game for about 2 years now) but it's not the end of the world - and it sounds like I would have been more disappointed come February 2002.
interesting (Score:1)
Re:interesting (Score:1)
Re:interesting (Score:1)
Oh no! (Score:2, Funny)
"Don't kill the messenger" is not how she operates, especially when it comes to computer games.
Re:Oh no! (Score:2)
Maxis-Lego conspiracy? (Score:2)
Re:Maxis-Lego conspiracy? (Score:1)
sim mmorpg (Score:1)
seeing as they run themselves (or in my case, run, filled with smog and invaded by protestors) the whole "world" of cities would be for ever working, you could log on, check things, and try to steal inhabitants from neighbouring cities (other peoples own cities)
course, it might be a bit costly to have these cities running themselves, for a long time.
just a thought, i always wanted to move in/expand my city to the neighbouring ones (sc2000)
Will Wright == a hack (Score:1)
Unless they've been intentionally making sucky games, I suippose. To paraphrase Carel Kapek (R.U.R.) (pardon the spelling):
"Someone has been giving the games decent interfaces - and gameplay!"
Re:Will Wright == a hack (Score:1)
Having been on the receiving end of the bug reports from Maxis quality control, I can definitely state that you have absolutely no idea what you're talking about.
-Don
This is starting to become a pattern... (Score:2)
Companies are cancelling projects that don't meet their standards. They seem to think the loss of big money already thrown into the project is less important than the loss of reputation due to a shoddy product.
Re:This is starting to become a pattern... (Score:2)
Companies are cancelling projects that don't meet their standards. They seem to think the loss of big money already thrown into the project is less important than the loss of reputation due to a shoddy product.
According to a friend of mine in the industry, a lot of this is also due to marketing expenses. Marketing a game costs so much that if you think it's going to flop, it's better to axe it (even if it's completely finished!) and lose the money spent developing, than to spend more money marketing it. It'd be throwing good money after bad.
Re:This is starting to become a pattern... (Score:2)
Welcome to the world of "sunk costs" -- remember, if a company has already spent the money on a project, it's gone. Period. They can't "get it back" or do anything about it.
As my old HS economics teacher used to say, "every decision is made on the margin" -- in other words, the game companies must make a decision at one point looking only at the future, ignoring what's already been done.
Kinda like when you're in a movie theater and you're thinking about walking out becuase the movie's really bad, and your friend says "But you'd be wasting the $10 you spent!" If the movie sucks, leave, cause either way your $10 is gone. Likewise with the game.
nlh
Curse the GEA! (Score:3, Funny)
How many more helpless gamers will we allow to be bullied by the fascist Game Enforcement Agency? Well I remember that midnight knock at my door, and the trenchcoated goons who swarmed into my home and forced me at gunpoint to play Eleventh Hour. I screamed "But it's a stinker!", hoping for mercy, but it was no use. They made me play through the entire thing, twice. I was left a broken man.
Fight the GEA!
Re:Curse the GEA! (Score:2)
Not up to standards (Score:1)
The real story: "Hot Date" add-on (Score:2)
Do the math: profit made by producing a completely new title, versus continuing product sales on one of the more successful mass media games in history? EA makes a ton of money off of each expansion sale, because the assumption (and the requirement is) the person already owns "The Sims". Buy the original game for $40-50, each update for $20-30 each... it adds up.
It's really too bad, because SimsVille looked innovative on a number of fronts (I like the new "cartoony" graphics -- kind of reminds me of the innovation behind Sega's Jet Grind Radio). Profits have won out, though (this and "The Sims Online" -- two proven moneymakers).
Open Source it (Score:2)
If they're abandoning the game, they should open source the code. (At least as much of it as they can.) While I'm sure some of the code is useful in their other games, the majority of it will have been for naught. Why not allow others to make some use of the code? It would create a lot of good will for the company. And if the game isn't that great, it shouldn't create any competition that Maxis would need to worry about.
Re:Open Source it (Score:1)
Liability Issues? (Score:1)
Perhaps they canned it in fear that the company could be sued big time over certain potential "uses" for the game.
The biggest one, IMHO would be the possibility that you'd get some freaks who would use their avatar to intice minors into performing, um... questionable activity.
I can't see how they'd be able to release it without this being an issue.
Re:Liability Issues? (Score:1)
SimsVille - from someone who was there (Score:1)
Re:SimsVille - from someone who was there (Score:1)