SimCity Finally Launches on the Mac With Native Version and Cross-Platform Servers

[ScottishCaptain]

Any word on whether the game has elevated beyond the state of terrible?
Why would I play this an not SC4 instead?

It has not.

The problem with that is that the game was designed horribly to begin with. It is baked into the game mechanics now. They cannot "fix" things without changing the way the game fundamentally plays, which means that nearly all the existing cities wouldn't work and/or would collapse under the sudden implementation of some realism.

So basically, the game is broken, and that's just the game. Maybe they'll fix it in SC6. If you want a decent city simulator, SimCity 4 is still the best.

-SC

 

[StyleWriter 2]

The original SimCity was available on the Mac in the 1990 timeframe, in full 4-bit color!

According to wikipedia and my memory (trust wikipedia) it was first published in '89 for the Mac and Amiga (but developed for the C64). I remember those days well. I was addicted to SimCity and SimEarth on my Mac Classic in all its monochrome glory...

 

[0997853]

40 USD => 60 EUR? How did that happen? It should be 30 EUR + tax.

... and 80 EUR deluxe version. EA just signed the death sentence for MAXIS with this game. I'm pretty sure it's not MAXIS fault for this crappy release (I mean for PC, I don't even bother to look for Mac reviews). With that money I can buy at least five games from independent studios, and feel good about it (I'll stimulate innovation most). Actually I bought already Prison Architect Name in Game edition (which gave me Prison Architect and the whole other games from Introversion) + Game Dev Tycoon + Trine 1 & 2 + Kerbal Space Program + iBomber Defense (+Pacific) and I'm pretty sure I'm still in the money.

 

[iphonehype]

Would be nice if their was a trial !

 

[actionjunky]

Sim City?

Sim City still exists?

 

[ActionableMango]

A few people on MacRumors moaning about EA = statistically insignificant.

You are not informed. It's not just a handful of people on MR.

This fiasco was huge. It was in mainstream news. Heck, it was credited as being one of the reasons the CEO of EA lost his job.

 

[MagicBoy]

This has nothing to do with MacBook's so I am unsure why you are using them to try and add weight to your view.

EA have been publicly slaughtered for the way they delivered the PC version of the game, then there was the actual game itself which was absolute crap. It hurt sales significantly.

The whole launch fiasco that even made national news. Large numbers of people demanded refunds, which EA refused to give:

http://www.polygon.com/2013/3/7/4076570/ea-not-offering-simcity-refunds

But you can ignore the facts about it if you like. Feel free to blind me with more irrelevant statistics about faulty MacBook's...

EA have ruined countless gaming franchises (for me the biggest travesty is what they did with Command & Conquer). And let's not forget the DRM issues.

You are not informed. It's not just a handful of people on MR.

This fiasco was huge. It was in mainstream news. Heck, it was credited as being one of the reasons the CEO of EA lost his job.

You don't need to try and educate me about Sim City. Had either of you bothered to read the entire thread you'd have seen my first post stating I pre-ordered the PC version.

My point still stands that outside of the regulars people tend to post on MacRumors when they have a technical problem or an axe to grind.

 

[50548]

Oh Boo Hoo.

A few people on MacRumors moaning about EA = statistically insignificant. Just like the thread earlier today moaning that all MacBook Pros are faulty. This place attracts the 5% of people that have something to say. The other 95% are merrily using their Apple products happily.

He does have a point; besides, any comparison with Apple satisfaction rates is absolutely ridiculous, since this specific game has received from bad to horrible reviews all over the place...EA games are, for the most part, terrible ports or suffering from ridiculous customer service.

Moreover, this is just ONE game among hundreds - given its dismal performance and the fact that it requires constant online connection, I really don't see why it deserves first page status on MR, no matter how big EA is.

I for one was NOT waiting for it and couldn't care less whether it is released today or 10 years from now...so please move it to page 2, where it can be read by those select few looking forward to it.

 

[MagicBoy]

He does have a point; besides, any comparison with Apple satisfaction rates is absolutely ridiculous, since this specific game has received from bad to horrible reviews all over the place...EA games are, for the most part, terrible ports or suffering from ridiculous customer service.

Moreover, this is just ONE game among hundreds - given its dismal performance and the fact that it requires constant online connection, I really don't see why it deserves first page status on MR, no matter how big EA is.

I for one was NOT waiting for it and couldn't care less whether it is released today or 10 years from now...so please move it to page 2, where it can be read by those select few looking forward to it.

It's frontpage news on Polygon.com as well. On that basis they deserve a flaming too.

 

[Digitalclips]

So, this is not compatible to the current beta version of Mavericks?

I've yet to find anything that doesn't work on OS X 10.9 (13A558), I'd surprised it it isn't ok. Did the person making that comment specify the version and his hardware configuration? Not trying to disparage, only know for sure like you ... but are we sure he a legitimate Apple Developer and not just someone running an older version bootleg?

 

[Luis Ortega]

I have sim city 4 deluxe for pc.
How do I get the free mac version for previous owners?
Is my version upgradeable to what has just come out for the mac?

 

[nick42983]

I'm not familiar with how servers work, maybe someone can explain it for a layperson. Couldn't companies lease/outsource additional server space for the launch of software like this, or does it need to be in house? If the user experience, especially that of the early adopters/reviewers, is so critical, why are major corporations (Apple included) often overwhelmed with traffic when launching new, digital products. Of course it doesn't make sense to build out your infrastructure unnecessarily, but with so much riding on these launches, you'd think more could be done.

 

[forthelove]

Aaaaand it doesn't support the native resolution of my 27" iMac.. 2560x1440

I run it in boot-camp and it runs at 2560x1440 no problem. Do you have any external monitors hooked up? I noticed that it wont show the 2560x1440 if I have my projector connected (max 1080p).

I'll be downloading the mac version tonight and will test it @ native res.

 

[Glassed Silver]

You know, EA could've taken the money right out of my pocket had this game been available when Origin launched for Mac. But instead, the dust of excitement has subsided, and the awful, awful reviews have swayed me away.

By not releasing this timely they really acted pro-consumer for once.

Glassed Silver:mac

 

[Perfect Score]

Does it have to be always on? LOL

God SC2000 was a great game. Haven'y played any of them after that.

 

[OrangeSVTguy]

Still prefer this game

 

[Tom2893]

Cheapest place to buy this? Can't believe its £44.99 digital download.. That's like more than a next gen game coming out later this year. All you do is build a city :s

 

[HussamRaed]

Running pretty smoothly on low settings, I didn't expect much from the HD 3000 anyways .

 

[brand]

Why not keep a 10.8 boot sector and boot into it when you want to play Origin?

Boot sector

I think you think that term means something other than what it actually means.

 

[cerote]

I run it in boot-camp and it runs at 2560x1440 no problem. Do you have any external monitors hooked up? I noticed that it wont show the 2560x1440 if I have my projector connected (max 1080p).

I'll be downloading the mac version tonight and will test it @ native res.

Yea windows gets the resolution but Mac users don't. So no testing needed because you won't have the option to get that high of resolution in native Mac version.

 

[Eric8199]

Boot sector

I think you think that term means something other than what it actually means.

Did you know what he meant? Because I did.

Anyway, I am running it full graphics on my MBPr and it runs so much better than it did at low res on my crappy Windows 8 PC. Yeah, the replay value isn't the greatest, but I don't have 20 hours a day to spend playing it, so I don't mind that its really quick and easy to build a city up. I'm happy with the Mac version so far since it hasn't crashed on me yet, unlike the PC version, which would crash every. 10 minutes or so, and wouldn't let me back in my cities.

 

[/dev/toaster]

I don't recommend you buying it. The maps are so damn small you get bored *VERY* quickly.

 

[Boatboy24]

Just our feeling about general interest. It's a major title that a lot of people have been waiting for for a while now. Even our blog updates about progress on it were getting a lot of interest, so now that it's here we put it on the front page.

Thanks. Good to know.

 

[bwillwall]

I've been waiting for this, even bought the PC version on steam figuring I would get the Mac version on Steam when released. And now of course, Not released on Steam.

So much for pre-ordering crap.

No offense but

1. Did you really expect this EA DRM game to be released on steam?

2. What does it matter? It works the same on Origin.

 

[pubwvj]

EA requires that the game be connected to its servers at all times.

Major lose. Internet connections are not universally nor consistently available. If it can't be played offline it is of no use or interest.