Multiplayer "Simcity" Game: Demo Video Available

[goldenpanda]

Introduction

I have been wanting to re-make the game ever since Simcity 3000. Last year I found myself with the time and a little bit of money to actually think about doing it. The prototype has been under full-time development for more than nine months. You can see it in two demo videos (http://www.cityscapegame.com/www/archive.htm).

Key Features (planned + implemented):
- 3D game engine
- online trading and nation building
- realistic multi-lane traffic system
- "closed" economic system -- one guy's spending is another guy's income
- distributed world persistence (no need to keep the entire world state on the server)
- multithreaded engine optimized for Dual-Core

Website http://www.cityscapegame.com

This is a for-profit project with limited funding. I need developers of just about every type. Please see my website for more details.

Kirby

[z3lda]

Welcome to the forums.. I noticed your a bayarea local...

Game looks good. I like the traffic simulation. It looks like a massive project. good luck :).

[kerchen]

Hi Kirby,
Welcome to the forums. Your project looks like it's off to a good start, but you've certainly got your work cut out for you. You might want to see if you can get your hands on a copy of the multiplayer version of SimCity 2000 (SimCity 2000 Network Edition). Given that SC2KNE didn't do very well, it might give you some ideas about what to do and what to avoid. If you can't find it, HotU gives a pretty good summary of the gameplay here (http://www.the-underdogs.org/game.php?id=4451). Too bad EA moved Maxis from Walnut Creek to Redwood Shores--you probably could have walked to the office and talked to Will Wright face-to-face. :) Barring that, you really should contact Don Hopkins (http://www.donhopkins.com/). Among a lot of other Maxis-related stuff, he made a multiplayer Linux/X11 version of SimCity. He's probably still in the Bay Area, so you could probably meet up with him and save yourself a lot of time and trouble. Good luck!

[goldenpanda]

Thanks for both your encouragement.

I hadn't known EA used to be in Walnut Creek! I saw Will Wright at GDC 2004. Spore was quite the vision; and I was sure glad the better person among us was not working on the next SimCity. ;)

I will definitely ping Don Hoplins for his thoughts. In terms of online play, I would say what's fundamentally different about my version is the micro-simulation of goods and services and the role of intercity trade.

Of course I have to make it all work, which is exactly as hard as you have both observed. :)

[kerchen]

I hadn't known EA used to be in Walnut Creek!
Just to clarify: EA was never in Walnut Creek; Maxis was in Walnut Creek for about five years (on the 6th floor of the big "metal X" building on N. California Blvd.). Like anyone cares. :)

[goldenpanda]

(Hmm, I guess people do not really use private messages on message boards)

I had to check your website after *that* kind of detail. :)

It's really amazing that you worked on SimCity. I would love the chance to discuss it with you. I'm on MSN - pandageneral@hotmail.com

[z3lda]

As far as I know majority of Maxis did move to EA, but Will Wright never did. He stayed in Walnut Creek for awhile for most of last year with the core spore team. He is somewhere in Emeryville now. I used to work at Maxis QA down in Redwood City and saw Will Wright walk around during lunch. It was really cool to be one of the first few to see a glimpse of Spore during company wide meetings :).

[theshadowfan]

Hello everybody,

My name is David Rodriguez and I'm a consultant for Cityscape. I'll be updating this thread on our latest news (most likely weekly).

So here's the public news for the last two weeks:

Many game events are now reported to the player.

- Multiple construction teams can now work simultaneously on different projects (they know how to deal with one another).

- Each building can now host multiple employers, which allows for multiple work teams in one building. This will create more realistic demand for high rises.

- Created markets for trading with off-map cities. These have fairly convincing supply and demand fluctuactions and take into account player generated trades.

- Created an UI for trading.

- Foreign owned trucks will deliver your purchases, while your own trucks will haul away the stuff you sell from a designated warehouse.

- Your truck teams will now transport outgoing trade. They spend time off-map based on distance to the buyer city.

- Map edges are now automaticly smoothed (no more cliffs at the edges).

- The player's progress is now reported.

- Changed how global demand is factored into the market. It is now possible to control long term growth rates.

[theshadowfan]

All the new stuff since Nov 11:

There is now a brush tool to edit soil fertility on the map.

The grids on the map can be turned on and off.

The game recognizes the difference between Wholesale and Retail pricing. Each business now has the ability to control the pricing at each of its outlets.

[MadSage]

The project sounds like a great idea with a lot of potential, but you've got a long hard road ahead of you. I see you're asking for developers, yet you don't have the money to pay them. Personally, like any professional, I would run a mile after reading that. In this case, I don't have the time anyway because I'm already tied down in a number of projects.

My advise to you guys is get a working prototype as soon as possible with the team you have. Don't expect specialist network programmers or the like to come offering help. Once you have a prototype demonstrating the core features and a design document, take it to publishers. If you play your cards right, you will get something signed, and then you can pay a full development team to realize your dreams.

[goldenpanda]

Thanks for the great advice. We have released the first of 3 planned demos.

http://www.cityscapegame.com/cityscape-5-6.zip