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SimCity offline update launching today, some server downtime
Update 10, which brings offline play to SimCity for the first time, is launching today after successfully coming through final testing. An announcement on the EA forums reads, "Today at 6AM PT we will be releasing Update 10 with Offline play. This involves server down time and the game servers will be unavailable for a few hours." EA unveiled Update 10 and the new single-player mode back in January, after a 2013 in which the publisher came under severe criticism for implementing an "always-on" system for the city-building sim. That system backfired when servers buckled under the weight. EA has already said players can access their previously downloaded content in the single-player mode, and they can save their files locally. A new FAQ reveals players still have to sign into Origin to launch the game, but Origin can be put into an offline mode while the single-player mode is being played. [Image: EA]
SimCity offline mode update in 'final testing'
SimCity's Update 10, a patch that will allow for offline play, is in "final testing," according to a tweet posted on the game's official Twitter account. Update 10 was revealed back in January, shortly after publisher EA and developer Maxis announced that the game would also start supporting mods. The SimCity saga of server instability and poor service was one of 2013's defining moments in gaming, as well as inspiration for our newly-launched State of Service reviews. The option to play offline has been a long time coming. [Image: EA]
Joystiq Tiny Streams: When the lights go down in SimCity
Welcome once again to Joystiq Tiny Streams, our new series of bite-sized streams of the Joystiq crew playing the games currently piquing their interest. Alexander Sliwinski, Joystiq's News Content Director, decided that it was high time he get back into city planning with SimCity. Nearly one year after its disastrous release, Alexander wanted to see how the game fared now that it could be played offline by a lone player. As his stream demonstrates, it's a demonstrably less frustrating experience. For those thirsty for more streaming action, Joystiq Streams from our Twitch channel every Tuesday and Thursday from 4PM EST to 5PM EST. We've got exciting stuff coming up this week, with a stream of Outlast on PS4 on Feb. 11. Anthony John Agnello, who's never played Outlast, will be behind the wheel. On Feb. 13, the good people at Phantom Compass will join Richard Mitchell for a stream of their new pinball RPG, Rollers of the Realm. For more Tiny Streams, tune back in every Monday and Friday at 4PM EST right here on Joystiq. [Images: Electronic Arts]
Maxis explains difficulties of removing SimCity's online requirement
Following word that SimCity will no longer require an Internet connection to function, lead engineer Simon Fox has posted a lengthy explanation of why it took so long for developer Maxis to strip out that much-maligned feature. "The original creative vision for SimCity was to make a game where every action had an effect on other cities in your region," Fox wrote. "As such, we engineered the game to meet this vision, setting up the player's PC (client) to communicate all of its information to the servers." Fox then addresses claims made by Maxis general manager Lucy Bradshaw that the game simply couldn't function offline. "Lucy once said that Offline wouldn't be possible 'without a significant amount of engineering work,' and she's right. By the time we're finished we will have spent over [six and a half] months working to write and rewrite core parts of the game to get this to work." To drive his point home, Fox explains that SimCity was designed from conception to periodically check in with the game's servers. This allows players' cities to communicate with one another (and transfer water, power, garbage and other utilities), as well as the entire SimCity universe. Removing this feature involves writing new code for the game to simulate this transfer of information and resources, which is why it's taken so long for Maxis to remove the online requirement. Finally, Fox thanks SimCity players for their patience. "We know you want Offline play in SimCity and we are really happy that we are finally getting ready to deliver it to you."
SimCity getting offline single player mode in next update
SimCity will receive an update that allows for offline play in the near future. Arriving as a free download with Update 10 for the game, SimCity's offline play will allow players to access all of their previously downloaded content in the new single player mode. The developer was last exploring the possibility of offline play for the game in October 2013. While EA did not reveal a full list of details for the update, it did note that single player campaign save files will be stored locally, so players will no longer be required to have an internet connection when playing the game. EA recently allowed for official mod support of the game, which the publisher cites as a major reason for SimCity's new offline mode to begin with. Now, mods can be made "to the game and its components without compromising the integrity of the Online game," an EA blog on the matter says. No release date was given for Update 10, though Maxis is in the "late phases" of wrapping up its development.
EA allowing official SimCity mods, imposing official restrictions
Modders have never really needed a developer or publisher's blessing to do their work, but EA and Maxis have, nine months post-release, begun to allow official mods for SimCity. There are some caveats to being an official mod however: according to a post on the SimCity blog, you can't modify any executable files (.exe, .dll, .so, etc), can't use copyrighted material, can't use material unbefitting of an E10+ rating, and cannot "jeopardize the integrity of the gameplay" or "affect the simulation for multiplayer games and multiplayer features." While the first three items on the above list could be described as "restrictive," it's the rules about "jeopardizing the integrity of the gameplay" that raise eyebrows. In March, Maxis General Manager Lucy Bradshaw tweeted that "the game was designed for [multiplayer]," and reiterated in a blog post that a single-player mode "didn't fit with our vision." So if the game was designed with multiplayer as an integral gameplay experience but mods can't affect the multiplayer simulation or "jeopardize" gameplay, this may be the most restrictive clause of all. EA also has the right to use, copy, modify and/or distribute an official mod without asking the creator's approval, without paying the creator, and without crediting the creator. So feel free to change the game, modders; just don't change it too much, and don't expect to get paid or credited.
SimCity: Cities of Tomorrow breaks down future life
Here's the opening cinematic to upcoming expansion SimCity: Cities of Tomorrow, where every home is always online. Although the cities of tomorrow appear to be the same lot size as the SimCities of today, at least you can build it up vertically.
SimCity Cities of Tomorrow launch trailer is here today
It seems appropriate that the launch trailer for Cities of Tomorrow, a SimCity expansion which pushes your virtual society 50 years into the future, should arrive today, more than two weeks before its November 12 debut.
SimCity walks through world of tomorrow
SimCity expansion "Cities of Tomorrow" will hold the foundations for future urban planners starting November 12. Here's Lead Designer Stone Librande giving a tour of the scientific discoveries your Sims will have access to for $30. That's the price of time travel nowadays.
SimCity developers exploring potential offline mode
EA Maxis revealed today that it is exploring the possibility of adding a long-requested offline mode to its city-building strategy game SimCity. "Right now we have a team specifically focused on exploring the possibility of an offline mode," Maxis Emeryville's General Manager Patrick Buechner said. "I can't make any promises on when we will have more information, but we know this is something that many of our players have been asking for." Overloaded servers and other issues left many SimCity players unable to access the online-only game after its launch earlier this year. Responding to player feedback, Maxis later noted that SimCity's online connection requirements were essential to the game's operation, though rumored insider claims and player mods suggested otherwise. "While the server connectivity issues are behind us, we would like to give our players the ability to play even if they choose not to connect," Buechner adds. "An offline mode would have the additional benefit of providing room to the modding community to experiment without interfering or breaking the multiplayer experience." Buechner notes that Maxis is also looking into the possibility of expanding player city size, and has opened discussion regarding support for user-generated content.
SimCity: Cities of Tomorrow expansion announced, available Nov. 12
SimCity is heading to the future with the "Cities of Tomorrow" expansion pack, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony scheduled for November 12. Taking place 50 years in the future, new technologies allow Sims to travel by MagLev trains, use fusion reactors and "tidal wave generators." Surfs up, man! What do you mean that's not what tidal wave generator means? Well, maybe you should figure out a better word! There's also the classic future quandary of creating clean technology or encouraging giant corporations to strip the planet of resources. Nope, wait, that's a current problem. The game will also get around the issue of smaller lot sizes by allowing players to build up in "multi-zone MegaTowers that extend high into the sky." The expansion is priced at $30.
EA teaming up with Red Cross for charitable SimCity DLC
EA is partnering with the Red Cross for special SimCity DLC, the publisher announced. The partnership brings a Red Cross-themed set to the game for $9.99, available to purchase on Origin today for one year. SimCity owners that pick the set up will be able to build Red Cross centers and tents in the game, which offer aid to natural disaster victims in players' cities. EA said it will give at least 80 percent of proceeds from the Red Cross DLC with a minimum of $100,000 "to support humanitarian services of the participating Red Cross National Societies," of which there are ten across the globe.
Maxis: SimCity installation issues on Mac have been resolved [update]
Newly inaugurated Sim-mayors are reporting technical problems with the recently launched Mac version of SimCity, ranging from installation issues to technical glitches. Currently, a widely reported bug prevents the Mac version of SimCity from running in full-screen mode. Some players are unable to complete installation, rendering the game unplayable. For Mac users, the problems encountered thus far seem to stem from technical hiccups, rather than the server-side issues that plagued the Windows version after its launch earlier this year. EA Maxis has acknowledged the reported problems in a recent update, and has suggested solutions for affected players. [Update: A Maxis spokesperson has contacted Joystiq, noting that many of these problems were fixed in the game's latest update. "We are pleased to advise that the installation-related issues some players experienced with SimCity on Mac have been resolved," the spokesperson said.]
PSA: SimCity now available on Mac
Five months after SimCity made its debut on Windows platforms, EA's latest city-building simulator has finally reached OS X. Anxious Mac owners will recall that the ribbon-cutting ceremony on this version of the game was initially slated to occur in June, but the launch ran into a number of delays. Unfortunately, it appears that the technical issues have yet to be entirely stamped out. As TUAW points out, EA's official SimCity forums are currently receiving numerous complaints from would-be players. The reported issues range from graphical corruption to having to install and reinstall Origin numerous times just to get the game running. EA has been replying to player complaints and says it is looking into these issues, but so far the publisher has yet to offer any solutions. This leaves players in a situation eerily similar to that faced by PC gamers when SimCity launched in March. SimCity for Mac is currently available via EA's Origin digital distribution platform in two different iterations: the standard release, which features a $40 price tag for the core game and the "Plumbob Park" DLC pack, or the $60 Digital Deluxe edition, which offers three additional European-themed city packs and the "Heroes And Villains" DLC.
SimCity update 7.0 adds bridges, tunnels, traffic tune-ups and trees
SimCity update 7.0 is scheduled to arrive in a city near you (that you created) in August, and it's bringing some traffic updates along for the ride. Update 7.0 adds the ability to raise and lower roads to build bridges and tunnels, as demonstrated by Lead Gameplay Scripter Guillaume Pierre. The update also allows players to plant trees. This mechanic is inspired by a mod, and includes three tree types that grow roadside and four that can flourish anywhere, Pierre says in a series of tweets. The greenery joins asphalt-based operations improvements outlined by Software Engineer (and Captain?) Alexander Harkness in a recent SimCity blog post.
SimCity zones for Mac on August 29
The Mac version of SimCity will finally cut the ribbon on August 29. Electronic Arts also reiterated that the game is cross-platform, so Mac and PC players can build together, and those who purchased the PC game on Origin can download it again on Mac. Originally planned for June, the game's OSX debut was delayed to work out quality issues. Despite a problematic launch, SimCity has gone on to sell over 2 million units.
SimCity sells over 2 million copies
SimCity has built sales of over 2 million units, according to EA Labels President Frank Gibeau. In a recent interview with VentureBeat, Gibeau noted the biggest takeaway the company took from the game's disastrous launch was how lucky it was SimCity has such loyal fans. Preach! "Since then, we've sold more than 2 million units, and the number of people logging in and playing is holding steady," said Gibeau. "SimCity is a success. However, underestimating demand in the first month was a major miss. We hope that the game and the service we've provided since then meets the fans' high standards." Several leads from the SimCity project have moved on to start their own studio, Jellygrade. SimCity's latest upgrades include $9 airships and $10 amusement park sets.
Airships arrive in SimCity
The world's most whimsically impractical mode of transportation (read: airships) is now available to SimCity mayors willing to part with about $9. This means that Goodyear tire enthusiasts and steampunk aficionados alike can now bond even more deeply over their shared love of lighter-than-air travel, provided they've already bonded over their shared love of city-building games. Look, we're still working on this fanfic. The Airships Set, available on Origin for $8.99, includes an "Airship Hanger" for receiving/removing tourists, a "Commuter Airship Mooring" for local metropolitan commuters, two hot air balloon parks and "Event blimps" that appear during sporting events and the like. The set also includes two achievements, neither of which involve declaring the relative humanity of something, at least as far as we know.
SimCity Mac delayed until August
Originally scheduled to have its groundbreaking ceremony take place sometime in June, the Mac OSX version of SimCity won't be accepting new residents until August, Maxis has announced. "We have made this tough decision because we do not believe it is ready for primetime yet," senior producer Kip Katsarelis said in the announcement. "We want to ensure the Mac is a great experience for our players and that is why we are taking more time." As an expression of gratitude for their patience, Mac mayors will receive the "Launch Park" awarded to early adopters of the PC version in Update 4. Meanwhile, Update 5 for the PC version is expected to hit "in a couple weeks," patch notes for which can be uncovered by clickin' all up on the source link below.
SimCity 'Amusement Park Set' open for business
SimCity's "Amusement Park Set" is available now to fill up those tiny land plots with as many carnival rides and roller coasters as you can muster. The DLC, which features several different amusements to generate cash, bring in tourists and boost the local economy, has a price of $10. The pack's cost is in line with the previously released British, German and French DLC building sets. The DLC set follows last week's addition of the 4.0 update (v1.4 if we're being realistic) for the game. The patch introduces several fixes to SimCity, in addition to a new region and park.
