SimCity
- social aspects, sharing cities with others
- different regions
- huge amount of mechanics (e.g. resources, pollution, more granular controls for building the city), which is probably better for education, but means that it takes a long time to learn.
- explicit zoning. You can set zones and people will slowly build up.
- bubbles popping up with people’s needs
- you can click on people and see how they’re feeling.
- money economy, you can buy infrastructure.
- lots more infrastructure requirements, you have to deal with sewers, power, water.
- seemingly full traffic simulation, but probably not internally
- “gambling houses bring a lot of crime… we have a lot of uneducated, low income, low density housing here, which is a hotbed for crime.”
- seemingly no issues with the stroad
- hypothesis about fun:
- comes from watching your city grow
- comes from getting to manage the city and balance variables.
- comes from slow play, getting to enjoy just watching
- doesn’t seem to discuss liveability, walkability, fun etc.
Notes from episode 10:
- Simcity gives a lot of information, focuses very much on the technical aspects.
- points out how land value increases or decreases based on surrounding parks, buildings, etc.
- seems you can click on someone to hear their thoughts, but it doesn’t give it to you automatically.
- organic moment where a firetruck was stuck in traffic, so a house burned down.
Looked at this video essay and this one, but neither seemed like they were really talking about the design.
- Talked about how it was an old IP, not an issue for me.
- Talked about how it was a mobile game, not an issue for me.
- Talked about how it was free to play, not an issue for me.
- Talked about the open-ended simulation.
- Illusion and perception are more important than what’s happening under the hood. Communicating to the player that things are happening is super important.
Unfortunately wasn’t too helpful…
