Video Games

[nBode]

You guys, I just bought Simcity 4 on Steam and I AM SO EXCITED

[grant1simons2]

Futuristic cities!!!

[ECtransplant]

Now download the NAM

[Silophant]

And the CAM.

[nBode]

What are those?

[EOst]

NAM = Network Addon Mod. Makes the traffic routing much better.

CAM = Colossus Addon Mod. Changes the growth stages to be more realistic.

[FISHMANPET]

So, found a planning related online game, maybe takes a different perspective than I would, but it certainly covers the problems of getting multiple stakeholders to agree on a common vision.
http://blocksandlots.net/

[Smoothuser]

Just found this thread! Here's some before/after images from a game called Cities XL that I immensely enjoy. This is an older city I spent many months slowly improving and growing.

https://imgur.com/a/EEUfz#0

If anybody else plays this and/or wants to chat about it, please let me know.

[Nick]

I really, really enjoyed the transit systems in Cities XL but it didn't have too much staying power with me due to the inability to rezone existing zones--it made the growth feel unrealistic. Also it needed a good copy editing like craaaaaazy.

[IllogicalJake]

I really, really enjoyed the transit systems in Cities XL but it didn't have too much staying power with me due to the inability to rezone existing zones--it made the growth feel unrealistic. Also it needed a good copy editing like craaaaaazy.

Have you given Cities in Motion a shot? The UI really isn't much better but it's got some pretty deep transit play. I prefer CiM1 over 2, personally, unless you like to dive deep into setting timetables.

[Nick]

I haven't! It always piqued my interest though. Maybe in a Steam sale at some point.

[kiliff75]

I've played Cities in Motion 2, it's really fun in the sense that you can use some mods to design real cities and do transit in some rather insane details. The actual city management and development is very limited, but the transit design and details are way better than Simcity.

I even started doing Minneapolis based on actual topography and the locations of highways, but was pretty exhausting so I haven't gotten much farther than downtown and parts of South Minneapolis. Maybe if anyone else has CIM2 I could post what I've done so far and people can help complete it.

[Smoothuser]

I really, really enjoyed the transit systems in Cities XL but it didn't have too much staying power with me due to the inability to rezone existing zones--it made the growth feel unrealistic. Also it needed a good copy editing like craaaaaazy.

Yeah Cities XL is basically just a sandbox. No real "simulation" challenge. I would have stopped playing LONG ago had it not been for the modding community. But if I want any kind of realistic looking city I just have to build it to look like it. Which I enjoy, since I've always had an imaginary mind, building new things with legos and such.

Here's a city I created with Mpls in mind. https://imgur.com/a/OTCxY#0

[Nick]

In trying to fill the video game gap between right now and Civilization Beyond Earth, I...may have gotten the new(ish) SimCity. $19.99 on EA's shitty download service for the deluxe edition.

And I feel vindicated, because it basically sucks. The region play is basically broken, the sims are stupid, and the transit systems don't make any sense.

In any case, Beyond Earth doesn't come out until October 24th (I'm taking a vacation day!) and one month isn't really enough time to get a new game before that, so if anyone else was conned into getting SimCity, we could probably do multiplayer...

[mulad]

Train Simulator 2015 just came out.

Here's a funny ad for it.


And here's an ad aiming for epicness by featuring the voice of Sean Bean.

[FISHMANPET]

So, I had TS2014 on steam, and it got automagically updated to TS2015.

Also, I got Trainz for $4 yesterday:
http://www.bundlestars.com/all-bundles/ ... nz-bundle/

[IllogicalJake]

I'm hearing nothing but badness about TS2015. Was considering buying it. Any thoughts?

[Chef]

I just saw that Steam has a big Paradox sale this weekend. Cities in Motion 2, Europa Universalis 4 and Crusader Kings 2 are all 75% off. It is a good time to buy some nerdy strategy games.

Hearts of Iron 3 and Victoria 2 are also sharply discounted.

[Nick]

Highly recommend EU IV, but take note that it's by far the most complicated thing that exists in the world.

[mplsjaromir]

Democracy 3 also on sale.