After Simcity 4, there was a game called City Life. It got rebranded many times over the years with small enhancements. The key concept in City Life was the balance of lower, middle and upper class. In Simcity 4, it was feasible to have all wealthy upper class citizens. But City Life required the different classes to build a functional city. Simcity Societies was EA's take on that idea.You have many different groups. And you can't build a city entirely of just one group, as most buildings require workers from various groups. So you have to build cities in a balancing act between the groups. It was more a puzzle game than a city builder.
you should play this game a lot more than this to form an opinion on it. This is not a city simulation game. It is a city building game, which is very different. In this video you just plop random building with no criteria, never customize your terrain with asphalt, trees, concrete, grass or any other kind of decoration, and you are just hoping that it turns out as a nice city. SimCity Societies was not designed for that. With this game you can create a city and really give it a sort of personality, which was never really easy with other SimCities. From my experience, other SimCities just felt like placing roads and zoning in order to maximize your profit/population. In this game you can choose whatever city you want to build, and feel like it's your city, with your architecture. You can get deep into understanding that you need a sort special sims to lighten the mood of the city, or some tourists, or some clinics because your sims are getting sick and are missing their jobs. It's a very interesting game, and even if you feel like it is not worth it as SimCity, I strongly disagree. Is about build and giving a personality to you city, without a lot of pressure caused by a lot of city simulation features, but still a light touch of it. Imagine building an authoritarian utopia, where no one is either happy or angry. Imagine building an industrial city full of pollution, factories, over-looted housing, low condition jobs, but tons of cash to spend extravagantly. Imagine building a Cyberpunk city thriving on technology, and filled with nerds and scientists. Imagine a prosperous city with banks in every street, mega corporations, sky high lofts, luxury cars roaming the streets and tycoons leaving a trail of money on the streets. Imagine a small town in the desert, where people are friendly, people go by just as simply as life is. It's what This game wants to achieve, and in my humble opinion, it did it quite successfully, even though, most people don't see it that way.
Good points and I agree with you. I think the biggest failing of this game is attaching the "SimCity" name to it which gave people the wrong impression. I have played this game a fair amount when I first bought it, and while it's not quite my thing, it is an enjoyable game if you accept it for what the developers were trying to do. A larger, well-planned out city would show off the game better, but this is just a "quick" impression where I'm showing off a range of the themes. I may do a longer video or live-steam of the game and construct a better looking and balanced city, but that could take some time. In any case, thanks the comments and thanks for watching!
***** In that agree, that because they attached the simcity name to it, most of the simcity family players found it weird and lacking mant aspects of simulation. Though it is still a game that deserves a second look, and a little bit of love. Also, I didn't say but I like your review, for your eloquency in explaining. Maybe next time just try to cover other aspects like floor editing+decorations, special sims and their effects, building interactions for one type of city on particular, for example. Anyway, good job. You're in the right path
Or maybe people should learn what the word Societies mean and realize that before colonization there were efficient societies that built cities not based on profit.
SimCity Societies was a bit of a black sheep, but it was interesting to revisit and see how some features, like basic data layers, were pulled forward to SimCity 5.
You can change the terrain texture, it's the icon of the pine tree with a paint brush. It lets you places trees, forests, and change the ground type or pave over it with asphalt.
Whoa this looks really interesting actually. I might check it out! I like that progression system and the multitude of social factors in creating buildings.
Make a roadless gridless city and get out of the gridlock mindset. This is a game that actually allows you to forgo roads. Ahead of it's time before the days of Ancient Cities and that other medieval city building game.
One of the things I liked was you could use the eyedropper tool and copy naturally generated rocks, (jungle totem statue carvings I think) and bushes! xD
cool. Thanks. I always enjoy your laid back (dare I say it Canadian) demeanor. And I like most of the games you play. Kind of miss you and Strict together.
I remember the game is so easy that I have to reduce income to half and increase expensive by 300% in the game's .cfg file to make the game plays better. Mechanically speaking, Sim City 5 is Sim City Society Advance with online function.
You should play this with the Destinations expansion pack, it massively improves the gameplay and adds some fundamental features that were left out. ^_^
You're right. I was more focused on showing a range of buildings instead of working on a balanced city. I like the progression of unlocking so it doesn't get stale too quickly, but it might have been a good idea for this preview. I think I'll do a livesteam of this soon and make a proper city.
Every time I see those videos I'm more curious to play it. But It isn't working on Win10. Tried compatibility mode, lots of workarounds... Any tips? Is anyone still playing it in 2022?
It's a pity this game got so much hate for being so different from the usual SimCity games. It has a lot of interesting new features and with the difficulty options, it's a lot of fun.
***** www.origin.com/en-us/store/buy/simcity-societies/pc-download/bundle/standard-edition?sourceid=origin-search-us-pbm-g-societies-b#details and www.amazon.com/SimCity-Societies-PC/dp/B000U88UVS
***** just out of curiosity, when did you start playing simcity games? I think that might be a large factor on whether someone liked or hated the game.
I'm surprised anyone got it to work these days... fan patches do not exist for it. Probably because there are no fans (with technical expertise). Sad, since the game, as shitty as it is, is still lightyears better than today's mobile city builders... what the hell has happened to gaming?
An honest and fair critic from the heart. Back when it had been niew the judgemenht about the title in the press had been desasterous.y bad. I likee it because in a way it reminded me at MONOPOL> TYCOON witrh it´s changing city statres with the length of the game from the beginning 2ßth century to the year 2000
After Simcity 4, there was a game called City Life. It got rebranded many times over the years with small enhancements. The key concept in City Life was the balance of lower, middle and upper class. In Simcity 4, it was feasible to have all wealthy upper class citizens. But City Life required the different classes to build a functional city. Simcity Societies was EA's take on that idea.You have many different groups. And you can't build a city entirely of just one group, as most buildings require workers from various groups. So you have to build cities in a balancing act between the groups. It was more a puzzle game than a city builder.
I don't see any sign of those groups in this game -- the whole city is just one type or another.
in simcity 4 you still need lower class sims for a rich city bc even the richest businesses hire them
you should play this game a lot more than this to form an opinion on it. This is not a city simulation game. It is a city building game, which is very different. In this video you just plop random building with no criteria, never customize your terrain with asphalt, trees, concrete, grass or any other kind of decoration, and you are just hoping that it turns out as a nice city. SimCity Societies was not designed for that.
With this game you can create a city and really give it a sort of personality, which was never really easy with other SimCities. From my experience, other SimCities just felt like placing roads and zoning in order to maximize your profit/population. In this game you can choose whatever city you want to build, and feel like it's your city, with your architecture. You can get deep into understanding that you need a sort special sims to lighten the mood of the city, or some tourists, or some clinics because your sims are getting sick and are missing their jobs.
It's a very interesting game, and even if you feel like it is not worth it as SimCity, I strongly disagree. Is about build and giving a personality to you city, without a lot of pressure caused by a lot of city simulation features, but still a light touch of it.
Imagine building an authoritarian utopia, where no one is either happy or angry. Imagine building an industrial city full of pollution, factories, over-looted housing, low condition jobs, but tons of cash to spend extravagantly. Imagine building a Cyberpunk city thriving on technology, and filled with nerds and scientists. Imagine a prosperous city with banks in every street, mega corporations, sky high lofts, luxury cars roaming the streets and tycoons leaving a trail of money on the streets. Imagine a small town in the desert, where people are friendly, people go by just as simply as life is. It's what This game wants to achieve, and in my humble opinion, it did it quite successfully, even though, most people don't see it that way.
Good points and I agree with you. I think the biggest failing of this game is attaching the "SimCity" name to it which gave people the wrong impression.
I have played this game a fair amount when I first bought it, and while it's not quite my thing, it is an enjoyable game if you accept it for what the developers were trying to do. A larger, well-planned out city would show off the game better, but this is just a "quick" impression where I'm showing off a range of the themes.
I may do a longer video or live-steam of the game and construct a better looking and balanced city, but that could take some time.
In any case, thanks the comments and thanks for watching!
***** In that agree, that because they attached the simcity name to it, most of the simcity family players found it weird and lacking mant aspects of simulation. Though it is still a game that deserves a second look, and a little bit of love.
Also, I didn't say but I like your review, for your eloquency in explaining. Maybe next time just try to cover other aspects like floor editing+decorations, special sims and their effects, building interactions for one type of city on particular, for example. Anyway, good job. You're in the right path
Or maybe people should learn what the word Societies mean and realize that before colonization there were efficient societies that built cities not based on profit.
SimCity Societies was a bit of a black sheep, but it was interesting to revisit and see how some features, like basic data layers, were pulled forward to SimCity 5.
You can change the terrain texture, it's the icon of the pine tree with a paint brush. It lets you places trees, forests, and change the ground type or pave over it with asphalt.
Whoa this looks really interesting actually. I might check it out! I like that progression system and the multitude of social factors in creating buildings.
this was one of my favorite simcity
Same
This might be a good game for my daughter as SimCity is a little too advanced for her right now.
!!! You may have mentioned this in the video and I just missed it, but this game is currently marked down 70% on Origin to $5.99. Definite buy for me!
Had a blast plating the game like 6 years ago? just making city just for the events
Make a roadless gridless city and get out of the gridlock mindset. This is a game that actually allows you to forgo roads. Ahead of it's time before the days of Ancient Cities and that other medieval city building game.
One of the things I liked was you could use the eyedropper tool and copy naturally generated rocks, (jungle totem statue carvings I think) and bushes! xD
interesting game. would like to see some more. Also, nice to have a new vid from Zhatt. They are too few and far between.
Well you're going to enjoy the next few days then ;-)
cool. Thanks. I always enjoy your laid back (dare I say it Canadian) demeanor. And I like most of the games you play. Kind of miss you and Strict together.
I'm glad I have an agreeable style!
I miss the co-ops with ST as well, but our schedules haven't lined up for a while now.
yeah, your style is great!
I remember the game is so easy that I have to reduce income to half and increase expensive by 300% in the game's .cfg file to make the game plays better. Mechanically speaking, Sim City 5 is Sim City Society Advance with online function.
You should play this with the Destinations expansion pack, it massively improves the gameplay and adds some fundamental features that were left out. ^_^
I was thinking the same thing.
I think if you designed the city better you'd enjoy it more.
Also if possible, play it with everything unlocked.
You're right. I was more focused on showing a range of buildings instead of working on a balanced city. I like the progression of unlocking so it doesn't get stale too quickly, but it might have been a good idea for this preview.
I think I'll do a livesteam of this soon and make a proper city.
You're a fantastic designer dude! You'll make us all proud :)
It was basically an updated SimTown
Can you move buildings once you've set them?
You sound like Skip from Napoleon Dynamite.
By the way, your city should have been called Flower City (how you designed it).
I did enjoy this game a lot. Pretty simple and good balanced gameplay. It shouldn't have had the Simcity title though.
Every time I see those videos I'm more curious to play it. But It isn't working on Win10. Tried compatibility mode, lots of workarounds... Any tips? Is anyone still playing it in 2022?
Yay this was my favorite sim city game before the new one.
It's a pity this game got so much hate for being so different from the usual SimCity games. It has a lot of interesting new features and with the difficulty options, it's a lot of fun.
Anyone know how to download it in 2022, I hate the new buildit version
I loved that game, but I lost the disc
if u have the original product key you can download it via orgin or buy it again.
jm764 No I lost it a long time ago
well thats a shame. but it's pretty cheap you can find the game disk for about $3-5 usd these days and online for a bit more.
*****
www.origin.com/en-us/store/buy/simcity-societies/pc-download/bundle/standard-edition?sourceid=origin-search-us-pbm-g-societies-b#details
and
www.amazon.com/SimCity-Societies-PC/dp/B000U88UVS
***** just out of curiosity, when did you start playing simcity games? I think that might be a large factor on whether someone liked or hated the game.
fun game, nice video...
Can you make a let's play of this game?
Make a video with a city with no roads.
That game has cheat codes
I'm surprised anyone got it to work these days... fan patches do not exist for it. Probably because there are no fans (with technical expertise). Sad, since the game, as shitty as it is, is still lightyears better than today's mobile city builders... what the hell has happened to gaming?
An honest and fair critic from the heart. Back when it had been niew the judgemenht about the title in the press had been desasterous.y bad.
I likee it because in a way it reminded me at MONOPOL> TYCOON witrh it´s changing city statres with the length of the game from the beginning 2ßth century to the year 2000
Why?
Its actually Pooh-weh-bloh.
people complain when you dont have a sidewalk or a road to get to where they need to.
I don't think that game is a simulator, it's more like The sims not Simcity
This game is crap and so is is Sim City 5. Anno 2070 is where it's at. Maxis *coughEA* has been nothing but disappointing.
Up voted just to help you, but this game really sucks...