OT: SimCity4, text sims and realism

[Buccaneer]

I am currently reading the Jan 2004 issue of Computer Games (the only gaming magazine written for grown-ups, imo) and read the review on SimCity4: Rush Hour. Here is a snippet:

The biggest problem with SimCity4 is how its improved realism sort of zapped the fun out of city creation. It also doesn’t give enough meaningful feedback about why things stagnate….SimCity4 still feels overly restricted by “realism”, making it less of an entertainment product than a lesson in city management.”

I think this underscores the ultimate dichotomy in computer gaming: fun vs realism. The real question becomes how do you balance or should you? Be realistic (no pun intended), 95% of gamers don’t want their games to feel like homework or a laborious project. Besides the inability to mod or customize, no game will be sustainable if it becomes more work than play. SimCity has struggled with this, esp. with the newest version, so has action games and most obvious to this community, it becomes most acute in the niche that are text sims.

No point, just a lunchtime observation.

[Sidhe]

A good point. I know that getting into FOF took me awhile as I learned how to deal with the interface and whatnot. I think this is my third copy of the game, and I am enjoying it now more than ever by far, but one reason is that I have now put in the homework necessary to learn how to play it. If it weren't for my love of football, and desiring a realistic sim, I'd have been long gone. Which probably makes for a smaller, but I'd bet you *much* more dedicated customer base.

[Huckleberry]

My only issue with this is products that try to straddle the line. Pick one and go with it. I used to love the NFL Blitz video game because it came right out and said we're an arcade style game with no concern for reality.

I have problems with games that try to do both and end up doing neither. Like FIFA soccer by EA Sports. Of course, I tend to lean towards the realism by far. Hence my total disdain for every console baseball game on the market.

[Franklinnoble]

I couldn't stand SimCity 4.

I don't know if it was the "realism" or the fact that there's nothing new added to the game besides a bloated interface.

[judicial clerk]

I can't get into Sim City 4 which is a shame because I enjoyed Sim city 2000 so much I wanted to upgrade. The problem for me is that, as these games get more realistic, they become just so darn complicated. I have many games on my shelf that I couldn't get into because of the steep learning curve. i know that if I was 15 years younger i would eat these games up, but as an adult I can't find the time to really learn the game. That is one of the reason why i have no interest in TPF. It sounds good, but I am familiar with FOF franchise and I know that when I pick up 2004 i can get right into it. Same goes for Civ III. I play it because it plays so similar to previous Civ's. Here is a list of games I've purchased and know I would love but can't get passed the initial learning curve:

Medeivel? Total War
Capitalism II
Hearts of Iron
Sim City 4
Frogger

[Honolulu Blue]

Originally posted by judicial clerk
I can't get into Sim City 4 which is a shame because I enjoyed Sim city 2000 so much I wanted to upgrade. The problem for me is that, as these games get more realistic, they become just so darn complicated. I have many games on my shelf that I couldn't get into because of the steep learning curve. i know that if I was 15 years younger i would eat these games up, but as an adult I can't find the time to really learn the game. That is one of the reason why i have no interest in TPF. It sounds good, but I am familiar with FOF franchise and I know that when I pick up 2004 i can get right into it. Same goes for Civ III. I play it because it plays so similar to previous Civ's. Here is a list of games I've purchased and know I would love but can't get passed the initial learning curve:

Medeivel? Total War
Capitalism II
Hearts of Iron
Sim City 4
Frogger

I sympathize with you. Games HAVE gotten more complicated these days, partly because with faster processors and more memory they can, and partly because they need to. Game makers need to remember that realism is good to a point, but only die-hards, aficionados, and students want a game that is more real than fun.

Allow me to take a minute to discuss your list of games from above, because it is a very interesting list.

* Medieval: Total War (I always abbreviate it MTW) I had high hopes for, but it's really more of a battle sim than a grand strategy game, and I never really cared much for pushing pieces around.

* I didn't much care for Cap II and went back to Capitalism Plus.

* Hearts of Iron I really, really wanted to like. But then I heard AARs about silly things like Brazil joining the Axis and taking over the world. I'm sure that issue and others have been resolved by now, but I'm still wary.

* SimCity? No interest here since the first version. Just not my thing.

* When Frogger was in the arcade, it was one of the simplest games around. Just one joystick to control your frog and get him to home base while avoiding the hazards - of which there were many. How badly could Hasbro screw this up, I ask rhetorically.