European Evolution: Creating International Cities
Hey everyone! I’m Eugene Wong and I’m an Art Director here at Maxis. I help define the look of SimCity by working with concept artists to design each RCI (residential/commercial/industrial) building. I also lead the 3D construction of the buildings, everything from defining the tools and technology needed to bring a building from a 2D sketch to a 3D model, to working with our internal artists and several art teams around the world to bring the first 3D version of SimCity to life.
For the European City Sets included with the Digital Deluxe version of SimCity, we wanted to create a wow-moment when placing down a global landmark in your city and seeing the RCI in your city transform to match the look and feel of that nation’s landmark. By doing this, we are able to essentially create a “little-London”, “little-Paris”, or “little-Berlin” effect. We’ll be going into more detail about how landmarks work at a later date. Today, I want to go over how we chose the RCI architecture for the three European City Sets.
For the British set, we chose England’s Big Ben for the landmark. We looked for a style of architecture that was uniquely British and popular during the time Big Ben was built (so the RCI surrounding it would provide context). We settled on the Georgian-style of architecture popular throughout England and its colonies (including America) during the 18th and early 19th centuries. This is a style that’s functional, no-nonsense, and employs simple materials such as brick and stone. These are boxy, multi-floor buildings with classic proportions based on mathematical ratios, multi-paned windows, gabled and gambreled (think barn) roofs, and multiple chimneys. You’ll quickly identify these buildings with their red and brown brick facades, clean white trim, and cool grey roof color schemes with Big Ben.
The Eiffel Tower was the obvious landmark choice for the French set. Representing Parisian RCI buildings was a natural choice as the city was essentially “remodeled” and its architecture unified in one fell swoop. Around the mid-19th century, Paris went through an extensive modernization program that planned out the layouts of streets, heights of buildings, and overall style of the architecture. This massive urban renewal program homogenized the look of Parisian buildings and defined the look of the city as we know it today. Buildings were designed and built as entire blocks. Regulations defined the exterior detail, decorations of each floor, locations of balconies, and created the sea of blue-grey mansard roofs and warm stone facades that are so characteristic of the “City of Light.” These are the style of buildings you will see surrounding your Eiffel Tower, just as it appears in the real world.
Lastly, for the German set, we chose the Brandenburg Gate as the landmark. Today, the arch is surrounded by modern government buildings. But since we wanted to reflect the classical architecture found in Germany, we had to step out of reality (and time) a bit in order to find a style that was a little bit more recognizable. And nothing is more recognizably German in architecture than gothic half-timbered buildings. We chose to represent each of these units as an agglomeration of many smaller individual buildings clustered together in an organic warren of structures. This is representative of the lack of city planning common when these were constructed in the Middle Ages. These are colorful plaster and wood buildings with red tile roofs and window planter boxes full of flowers and quaint lower level boutiques calling out to the Sims passing by.
We hope you’ll enjoy the change of scenery these European sets will provide. Thanks for reading. I look forward to seeing what type of city – traditional or international – you create!
Comments
Thanks for posting further
Thanks for posting further information about the city sets, though I don't quite understand the following phrase in your article '...we wanted to create a wow-moment when placing down a global landmark in your city and seeing the RCI in your city transform to match the look and feel of that nation’s landmark. By doing this, we are able to essentially create a “little-London”, “little-Paris”, or “little-Berlin” effect.'
What I don't understand is that I am reading to this mean that the different European building sets only appear once a landmark of that set is placed? Can't we have these without having to place a landmark? I may want a French city, but not a wanna-be Paris, for example.
European architecture is very diverse, it'd be great if these sets be really matched more to the city that they come from rather than the country. A city in the Alsacian part of France may look quite different to one in Paris, for example.
I think you need to build a
I think you need to build a landmark to get the themed RCI. Like crime will get graffiti on houses, a landmark will transform the surrounding RCI. Now im thinking, what will happend if you putt all different landmark together?! Do you get LasVegas? ;)
I agree with you, the look of
I agree with you, the look of the city should not depend on any landmarks! Also, if this is to be a multiplayer adding any known landmarks is a bad bad idea. How many Londons can there be??
I guess we can only hope for mass amounts of custom content-again...
Thnx for the weekly blog. To
Thnx for the weekly blog. To bad you didnt use any new screenshots. Cant you show a bigger Paris for example? Good luck at Pax this weekend.
Greetings,
Ferry V
Ps. next weeks blog: an update about the beta? :)
I want SC digital deluxe on
I want SC digital deluxe on disc!!!
I want SC digital deluxe on
I want SC digital deluxe on disc!!!
That would be Awesome!! I
That would be Awesome!! I wish SC Digital Deluxe was on disc too!!
Anyway, these Citysets are perfect!!
Going to use them all !!
I love the city sets, too!!!
I love the city sets, too!!! I wish their were more though, like I'd like to build a Dubai, Chicago, Sydney, Baltimore, Buenos Aires, New York, Singapore, Shanghai, and Beijing, and so on.
I know right!!! That would be
I know right!!! That would be the one of the only things that could make this game better.
Nice blog. What I'm not
Nice blog. What I'm not liking is the fact the corner buildings don't actually work on corners... (see Paris)
Do like the London buses
Do like the London buses though!
We'd like to see a huge city.
We'd like to see a huge city... We'd like to see what we'll be able to build in SimCity. These «International Cities» are intersting but what about fans want to see? Can you upload pictures of huge skyscrapers instead of family houses.
This is a little concerning..
This is a little concerning... I was under the impression that you'd be able to create whole towns/cities based under one tileset with a large variety of buildings (including various landmarks from the area that they are based). However it is clear now that this will not be the case with only a small amount of buildings in each tileset (look at the british set; looks like there are maybe 3/4 unique buildings).
Hopefully modding and BAT'ing (or equivalent) will make up for this but i severely doubt that I will preorder the deluxe edition unless there are more than a handful of new buildings
Completely agree with you.
Completely agree with you. Without some more clarity it makes one wonder whether the extra amount being requested for the add-ons is well spent. I also wonder why only the Germans get to have their high speed trains. Each of these country has a unique high speed train which have become technological symbols for these countries. Hopefully there are plans to have a French TGV, and a Eurostar/Hitachi train for the British set.
I've seen a video, forget
I've seen a video, forget what it was called, but it was about buildings that are procedurally generated. You could choose a style, (rectangular, older, modern, circular shaped, etc. and the program will instantly generate it. I wonder if Maxis has looked into this. It would eliminate the need to model each individual building and gives your cities more uniqueness while retaining a particular style.
Yeah, likewise - though this
Yeah, likewise - though this doesn't necessarily mean there will not be the ability to change the overall 'base' tileset for the city. I definitely think that if they're going to have an English one we ought to be able to set the cars driving on the left, though.
Why not make it like SimCity
Why not make it like SimCity 4 where you had the option to allow certain building themes to appear (Chicago, New York, Houston and Europe). I don't want to build landmark and transform part of my city....town into a little Europe. I want to build realistic European city...town without American buildings.
There will be an Italian
There will be an Italian-style pack?
Yay!
Yay!
I love European architecture,
I love European architecture, especially French and German, so I'm really happy about their inclusion in the game. Great blog!
wow!! the buildings look ....
wow!! the buildings look .....awful, so plain and simple, like something out orf the first day of custom content, take a look around Simtropolis or SC4Devotion and you'll find a lot of far better looking english, french, or german buildings, Debussyman, Xannepan and many others have realeased far better models and lots for free, so, sorry but, at leats with what i've seen until nw, i'm not buying
Looks amazing but I'm
Looks amazing but I'm considering waiting till after the game comes out to buy this expansion pack. EIGHTY bucks. As if sixty didn't hurt enough. but Hi-speed rail, double decker buses, and police expansions might, just might, be worth it.
I hope they come out with
I hope they come out with better texture because they look very plain.
The British buildings just
The British buildings just don't look British. They look like generic apartment buildings.
Very disappointing.
Also can we have a whole city that looks like these tile sets (without having to constantly add in the Eiffel Tower) rather than just little-London etc? If it's the latter then I'm cancelling my order.
I'm so excited for the Beta
I'm so excited for the Beta release! Please please please give us an update on it! I check the website everyday! At least give us a few new screenshots so we can dream about it lol
And where's Spain and Italy?
And where's Spain and Italy? I hope they included it on the game because these 3 themes doesn't represent Europe...
About design, are the buildings in scale? The buildings around the landmark looks oversized or the landmak looks small... I still have many doubts about the game graphics/designs, The game artwork looked so good but with every new screenshot and video, I'm afraid that it's not going to look right
I think the landmarks idea is
I think the landmarks idea is a nice touch, i doubt the mechanics of the landmark will be left as simple as you are all making out by just making everything connected to it look like its origin. I do like the idea of having multiple landmarks though, this would indeed be a Las Vegas style city! However those images are just a representation of the effect a landmark has on neighboring buildings. Keep up the good work.
Very disappointing that you
Very disappointing that you need the landmark to get the city. I'd prefer themed sections of the city, rather than imitations of other cities. I'll be buying the limited edition pre-order instead of the digital deluxe if there are no other perks.
Thanks for the update - and
Thanks for the update - and great choices for the landmarks and building styles. I can't wait to get my hands on the beta!
Awesome!
Awesome!
Give me the Beta = )
Give me the Beta = )
(Sigh) at the persistent
(Sigh) at the persistent people who prefer HD realistic graphics over function. You're better off playing some other game, really.
Nice blog.
Nice blog.
Thanx for sharing :)
Can't wait to start playing! Keep up the good work :D
I like the british look, but
I like the british look, but you missed the thames :D PS: The Big Ben is now called Elizabeth Tower.
Can you please talk more
Can you please talk more about city specializations soon? It's one of your key features, and you've only told us three of the different ones. Unless I'm mistaken (and the community will tell me so) people would like to hear about it.
I'm disappointed to see that
I'm disappointed to see that 'Big Ben' (or more correctly the Elisabeth Tower or simply the Clock Tower - Big Ben is the bell) is shown all on its own. In real life it is actually part of the Houses of Parliament (aka Westminster Palace). Here it is shown ripped away from the buildings its attached to and show as a clock tower all on its own, which it really is not - loo it up in some pictures. Westminster Palace is such a beautiful building and just as iconic. Why not show them together as they are meant to be?
London and Paris looks quite
London and Paris looks quite the same in the buildings rather than Germany that looks really different.
this is the best game ever!!!
this is the best game ever!!!!!
I am a Brazilian people and I
I am a Brazilian people and I dont know speak the best english sory. :)
you realy thinking berlin
you realy thinking berlin looks like this picture??? oh my godness...
what if I want to create a
what if I want to create a nice little French town without a giant iron skyscraper in the middle?
These 'European cities' look
These 'European cities' look more like Washington, DC than Europe. European buildings on wide American streets, with American sidewalks, spaced out like American buildings does not equal Europe.
I love simcity that is why I
I love simcity that is why I bought Simcity 4 Delux edition.I used the game daily.I registered it and then I bought Win XP tried to register my game and was BLOCKED by your registration form telling me that my Canadian postal code is not allowed so I was have never been able to register my game or get help again. Now I have Win 7 and my legal game is totally use less I can not install it at all. I have tried several time to contact EA Games but NOT ONCE has anyone contacted me to help. Now my CD is no good for anything. I now have no game, no help, and all because my Canadian address is not allowed. The fact your company has failed for over 18 months to reply in any way frustrates me even further. What I want is a working copy of my sim city 4 that will work in my win 7, that I can register online with my Canadian postal code, and a real human to take the time to reply to my email address. it's called customer service. Remember without customers all you have is games for your shelves and no money. I am only one but I am sure I am not the only one your staff have failed to assist. Maybe on a blog someone just might actually reply with HELP and real answers.birdwoman@bell.net
wow, people... DO NOT JUDGE a
wow, people... DO NOT JUDGE a game that is NOT OUT YET. I'm just as anxious the next SIM CITY NUT... I do have a TINY bit of faith MAXIS will make this game much more epic than you whino's give them credit for...
The truth about new SimCity
The truth about new SimCity (2013)
SimCity (2013): The Deception Continues ...
http://sc2013thedeception.blogspot.com
For crying out loud, Maxis,
For crying out loud, Maxis, if you're going to make us a British city set, will you please stop calling the tower Big Ben.
Big Ben is ONE bell inside the tower - it is the bell that chimes the hour. The tower is called St Stephens' Tower.
It's like calling the Empire State Building "Betsy" after the name of one of the elevators inside it.
For crying out loud, Maxis,
For crying out loud, Maxis, if you're going to make us a British city set, will you please stop calling the tower Big Ben.
Big Ben is ONE bell inside the tower - it is the bell that chimes the hour. The tower is called St Stephens' Tower.
It's like calling the Empire State Building "Betsy" after the name of one of the elevators inside it.
The buildings look nice and
The buildings look nice and the landmarks are great, but I don't see why this is really worth buying. In Simcity you are supposed to build your own city, not replicate a real one.
I hope many more city sets
I hope many more city sets come with expansions *hint, hint*
I disapprove of your "Berlin.
I disapprove of your "Berlin." The Brandenburger Tor was not built in the middle ages, but rather in the late 18th century, so juxtaposing it against medieval architecture really doesn't make sense. Especially when the design of Nikolaiviertel is so striking and beautiful. I am displeased that you overlooked it.
http://wiki.ksso.ch/mediawiki/images/f/f7/Nikolaiviertel.jpg
If you want a medieval landmark, by all means, choose one. There are many beautiful examples, like Eltz Castle, (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Burg_Eltz_HDR.jpg) or Wartburg which both utilize half-timber framing.
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