SimCity Goes Offline With Official Update

[Andy Chalk]

SimCity Goes Offline With Official Update

SimCity is finally getting the official offline mode that EA once said couldn't be done.

Not to hammer the point too hard, but remember when Maxis General Manager said that an offline mode for the 2013 edition of SimCity was "just not possible [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/122604-SimCity-Offline-Mode-Patch-Wont-Be-Arriving-Any-Time-Soon]?" Yet here we are, almost a year later, and it turns out that "not possible" was perhaps a bit of an overstatement.

"Offline is coming as a free download with Update 10 to all SimCity players. When we launch it, all of your previously downloaded content will be available to you anytime, anywhere, without the need for an internet connection," Patrick Buechner, general manager of the Maxis Emeryville studio, revealed on the SimCity blog. "We are in the late phases of wrapping up its development and while we want to get it into your hands as soon as possible, our priority is to make sure that it's as polished as possible before we release it. So, until then... testing, testing and more testing."

The new single-player mode will be completely offline with local saves, and Buechner also suggested that it will open up new options for modders as well. "[Modders] can now make modifications to the game and its components without compromising the integrity of the online game. Modding is a big part of our studio's legacy and we're excited to see what you guys create," he continued. "To get you started, we will be rolling out a series of tutorials from the studio that surfaces how we've created some of the content that you've seen so far in hopes of inspiring your creativity."

Better late than never, yes? A complete breakdown of how the SimCity single-player mode will work will be released soon.

Source: SimCity [http://www.simcity.com/en_US/blog/article/simcity-offline-is-coming]


Permalink

 

[9thRequiem]

Finally!
Now I might actually buy it.

I'm hoping that this will also increase the maximum size of a city - I would imagine the reason for the current tiny restriction is because of the online requirement, so without that maybe we can make huge sprawling cities again

 

[cerebus23]

Wait for all the caviats restrictions and buts coming when they release details .

 

[Cid Silverwing]

Wait for all the caviats restrictions and buts coming when they release details .

Yep. Par for the course with such a con merchant as EA.

 

[blackrave]

But isn't SimCity an MMO?
How can MMO work without constant internet, connection?

.

Alright, sarcasm aside, how hard was to make Singleplayer and Multiplayer modes from the very beginning?
I suspect that Multiplayer wouldn't be as popular though.

 

[mirage202]

If this is as straight forward as they say, then EA may have some of my money.

 

[synobal]

Finally!
Now I might actually buy it.

I'm hoping that this will also increase the maximum size of a city - I would imagine the reason for the current tiny restriction is because of the online requirement, so without that maybe we can make huge sprawling cities again

Seriously you should not reward them at this point.

Also it has been more or less confirmed by them that city size is due to limitations of the engine so I doubt that will be fixed even by modders.

I dunno if you can trust that though because this is the same people who said it could never have made simcity with an offline mode because the magical cloud does the magical calculations of its super advanced AI that no ordinary computer could handle.

As for why it is getting an offline mode now likely running the servers for the game is costing them more than they are bringing in. EA doesn't want the bad publicity of just switching the servers off so they decided to patch an offline mode in something fans begged for previously. Knowing that this will be or might be good publicity for them.

In 6 months to a years time I expect them to turn off the online servers entirely.

 

[JenSeven]

Now if only they allowed us to play it without installing Origin.
I wouldn't mind a Steam release.

 

[Covarr]

I'm hoping that this will also increase the maximum size of a city - I would imagine the reason for the current tiny restriction is because of the online requirement, so without that maybe we can make huge sprawling cities again

They previously said [http://www.simcity.com/en_US/blog/article/state-of-simcity] that the city size limit was because "the vast majority of our players wouldn?t be able to load, much less play with bigger cities." I doubt they'll fix this themselves if this is truly the reason, but I fully expect the modding community to enable it. The only problem is it might require an exe mod, which goes against their new modding rules.

P.S. Thanks

 

[CriticalMiss]

And no doubt EA/Maxis will be patting themselves on the back for being so smart and doing a fantastic job of giving their customers what they asked for. Just a year late and after saying it couldn't be done.

As for why it is getting an offline mode now likely running the servers for the game is costing them more than they are bringing in. EA doesn't want the bad publicity of just switching the servers off so they decided to patch an offline mode in something fans begged for previously. Knowing that this will be or might be good publicity for them.

This wouldn't suprise me, they've already buggered up the game to the point of it being one of the poster children for launch fuck-ups. Might as well cut their losses and make it look like a feature at the same time. And no doubt it will get them a few extra sales as boycotters put down their angry sticks and get the game.

 

[Smooth Operator]

Well holy fucking shit, beat the dog with a big enough stick and he will learn to sit eventually, so does Maxis.
And no they are not worthy of praise at this late stage, just a little less hate then previously.

 

[Adam Jensen_v1legacy]

I will buy it. I criticized the game for being online only, it's only fair that I fulfill my end of the bargain and show them why this patch is a good decision.

 

[zerragonoss]

I'm hoping that this will also increase the maximum size of a city - I would imagine the reason for the current tiny restriction is because of the online requirement, so without that maybe we can make huge sprawling cities again

They previously said [http://www.simcity.com/en_US/blog/article/state-of-simcity] that the city size limit was because "the vast majority of our players wouldn?t be able to load, much less play with bigger cities." I doubt they'll fix this themselves if this is truly the reason, but I fully expect the modding community to enable it. The only problem is it might require an exe mod, which goes against their new modding rules.

P.S. Thanks

The new modding rules should only apply to mods that affect the online modes.

Finally!
Now I might actually buy it.

I'm hoping that this will also increase the maximum size of a city - I would imagine the reason for the current tiny restriction is because of the online requirement, so without that maybe we can make huge sprawling cities again

Seriously you should not reward them at this point.

Companies like EA only understand money, and its much easier for them to see and understand a spike in sales when offline becomes available, than to see a lack of sales which they could attribute to anything. So my recommendation is to buy it when offline works as they will relate money with listing to customers.

 

[Atmos Duality]

Well, at least this is a sign of Always Online losing some momentum. Maybe, just maybe someone at the executive level in EA has finally figured out that forced social interaction and "Online" isn't some magic wand that makes a good game.

*looks at Blizzard* See that Blizzard even EA seems to be faster at correcting their Bullshite than you. EA! If you needed any proof at how far Blizzard has rolled into the darkside this is it. EA is quicker to realize and correct their mistakes.

It really is depressing that EA has done something more consumer-friendly than Blizzard.
Holy fuck how the mighty have fallen...

 

[Gorrath]

Is anyone who is familiar with teh current state of the game able to let me in on whether or not the other problems have been addressed? It was my understanding that the game was broken on a fundamental level due to the way things like traffic worked. Is the actual game play now up to snuff to be worth the purchase? Thanks in advance for any information.

 

[Aggieknight]

I'm really glad to hear this. If it wasn't for the fact that everyone I know that played this says that it is a stinking pile of crap, I'd be buying it myself.

 

[Alexander Kirby]

I like the way they're still sticking with the "it's not as simple as just going offline" BS with all this "we have to make sure it's really polished before we release it"

It's seriously like 3 lines of code, come on!

 

[C.S.Strowbridge]

On the one hand, I would like to reward them for correcting their mistake.

On the other hand, they should be punished for making such a huge mistake and I don't entirely trust them with this change.