I'm Not A City Planner, But I Play One in Video Games

[W. K. Lis]

IBM is releasing a new video game called CityOne that reportedly is like SimCity but with more serious environmental and economic issues at stake. And yes, the gamer plays the role of an city planner.

Here's a link to IBM's webpage.

Here's a link to a review.

[video=youtube;Tmf0ugQrDFk]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tmf0ugQrDFk[/video]

The video seems to have an image of downtown Toronto at 0:51.

 

[The Mad Navigator]

This is awesome! I look forward to trying it out.

Great post W.K.

 

[LAz]

I really dislike the simcity game. As with the sims, nothing really happens. You don't win. It's an endless disaster time waster.

Lets not forget the cheat codes to bail you out when you're screwed.



On top of all this, it seems to me that this is the neoliberal city. Where is the good old european thing, where the national government gave shitloads of money to cities? In the modern era cities are increasingly pushed to do things on their own. That is an epic failure, a painful spit in the face that I do not want to endure in a video game.
Commander Keen is something that I recommend over this.

 

[jn_12]

Looks interesting...

I really dislike the simcity game. As with the sims, nothing really happens. You don't win. It's an endless disaster time waster.

I think that's the point. The game is essentially whatever you make of it. Not only that but isn't the point of games to be a "time waster"?

Lets not forget the cheat codes to bail you out when you're screwed.

No one said you had to use them. I've played every iteration of the Sim series and never once used a code.

On top of all this, it seems to me that this is the neoliberal city. Where is the good old european thing, where the national government gave shitloads of money to cities? In the modern era cities are increasingly pushed to do things on their own. That is an epic failure, a painful spit in the face that I do not want to endure in a video game.
Commander Keen is something that I recommend over this.

Obviously the additional responsibilities are meant to provide a bit of a challenge. If you were constantly being provided huge sums of money, the game would be pretty easy (you just complained about the game being a huge time waster... it'd be even more so with infinite money). If you think the Simcity series along with the rest of the city building type of games are meant to promote neoliberalism then you really have a twisted view of things. Next you'll be telling me Resident Evil is actually a ploy by the big pharmaceutical companies to have you live in fear of viruses.

 

[Second_in_pie]

I'm wondering if this is a response to no Sim City 5?

And I was just thinking there wouldn't be any new games to play this summer. This one looks like it should be really cool.

 

[W. K. Lis]

I'm wondering if this is a response to no Sim City 5?

And I was just thinking there wouldn't be any new games to play this summer. This one looks like it should be really cool.

Unfortunately, IBM's webpage shows that it is coming Fall of 2010.

 

[Second_in_pie]

Downer. Guess that means I need to do things like go for walks outside instead

 

[LAz]

I'm wondering if this is a response to no Sim City 5?

And I was just thinking there wouldn't be any new games to play this summer. This one looks like it should be really cool.

Ever played commander keen? After so many years they released keen 7 and keen 8. And keen nine will be out soon.
Damn, I love those old early-mid 1990s games. DOS pwns these new stupid 3-D graphics.

 

[lead82]

Since when does IBM make games? I am curious to see what it would be like.

 

[jenny_zhang]

I really dislike the simcity game. As with the sims, nothing really happens. You don't win. It's an endless disaster time waster.

I guess some people can get a bit of fun out of management and (virtual) creation as its own "end", as opposed to needing a big goal plastered on the screen to tell you you've won (i.e. moved from left to right avoiding enemies).

 

[jn_12]

what's interesting is that Sim City actually contributed to my eventual career choice. I just last week finished my masters in urban planning. In all honesty, there are few games that have the potential to contribute in such a way. I mean, there aren't really any jobs for killing zombies, and you're not about to become an NHLer simply because you can play a video game.

 

[doady]

I really dislike the simcity game. As with the sims, nothing really happens. You don't win. It's an endless disaster time waster.

If being able to "win" is why you play video games, then you must only like the simple, short and easy games. You'd probably hate a classic hardcore game like the upcoming sequel to Sin and Punishment, which I plan to buy a Wii just to play. But you are not the only one, judging from the complete lack of truly difficult and/or lengthy games these days. Even Simcity is too hardcore for today's market and I never considered it be hardcore. I had high hopes for Cities XL which turned out to be crap so I don't have much hope this CityOne game, especially coming from IBM of all people.

 

[kettal]

Ever played commander keen? After so many years they released keen 7 and keen 8. And keen nine will be out soon.
Damn, I love those old early-mid 1990s games. DOS pwns these new stupid 3-D graphics.

The new ones are unofficial hacks of keen 4

 

[Tuscani01]

what's interesting is that Sim City actually contributed to my eventual career choice. I just last week finished my masters in urban planning. In all honesty, there are few games that have the potential to contribute in such a way. I mean, there aren't really any jobs for killing zombies, and you're not about to become an NHLer simply because you can play a video game.

Funny, Sim City did the same for me, and I just finished my undergrad in planning. Now if only Sim City could get me a job too!

 

[doady]

Maybe there should be thread here for posting screenshots SC4 cities. You can post and maybe someone will see and hire you.