SIMphoni Exclusive: Philippe da Silva Brings Gifts

[JohnEZ]

Ello ello :) It's been a bit since we've updated this section, I realize. I thought that we'd be, unfortunately, unable to do so until the launch of the official site in the not too distant future. Fortunately, I was proven wrong.

A set of new screenshots and some comments (http://www.simphoni.net/2007/09/cities-unlimited-even-more-revealed/) by Philippe da Silva appeared on SIMphoni (http://www.simphoni.net/2007/09/cities-unlimited-even-more-revealed/) earlier today. They look quite impressive if I do say so myself. Philippe says they were all taken from the game engine, so if the final product is anything like what we're currently seeing... we're in for quite a treat.

Head on over and check them out! (http://www.simphoni.net/2007/09/cities-unlimited-even-more-revealed/)

-John

[Mirelly]

It does look exciting, John. More so that Societies, IMO. :D

To achieve this a full team is working solely on the simulation engine using placeholder graphics. End of august they delivered their first playable prototype and we must say that fun is already there. If you like roads you will have a lot of them!!!!

Now that is how to do it! I love the mountain shot. I really hope that CU will come up with a better compromise scale of altitude. Both SC3000 and SC4 had ludicrously exagerated vertical scale on the landscape side of things. Partly, it seemed to me, this was due to the need for for shorelines to have a steep enough gradient for the translucent water to show up. Hopefully with better graphics cards, shallower water can be given more foam and/or reflection of ambient surfaces, all of which would give it more colour depth, which would allow shallower slopes. SC3 & 4 both suffered with even very small lots needing (apparently) 30 foot high retaining walls between properties ... and you don't see slopes like that in even the taffiest of the Welsh Taff valleys, and I doubt they can be found in the notoriously slopey San Francisco either, so we don't need 'em in our simulated cities either.

[Rexer]

The screenshots really are impressive! Here are the pics. Click on them to see the full-size versions. I am amazed, they are practically photo-quality.

http://www.simphoni.net/content/cities-unlimited/screenshots/cu6S.jpg (http://www.simphoni.net/content/cities-unlimited/screenshots/cu6L.jpg)

http://www.simphoni.net/content/cities-unlimited/screenshots/cu4S.jpg (http://www.simphoni.net/content/cities-unlimited/screenshots/cu4L.jpg)

http://www.simphoni.net/content/cities-unlimited/screenshots/cu5S.jpg (http://www.simphoni.net/content/cities-unlimited/screenshots/cu5L.jpg)

http://www.simphoni.net/content/cities-unlimited/screenshots/cu3S.jpg (http://www.simphoni.net/content/cities-unlimited/screenshots/cu3L.jpg)

I am also happy to see the angle at which these were taken. These are all lower-angle shots than we are used to seeing in other games, and they give more a a feeling of "being there".

The full article (http://www.simphoni.net/2007/09/cities-unlimited-even-more-revealed/) by Form Operations Admin Jirnsum (http://www.simphoni.net/forums/index.php?showuser=2430), with some direct comments on the game development by Philippe DaSilva, are at Simphoni. (http://www.simphoni.net)

[JohnEZ]

I am also happy to see the angle at which these were taken. These are all lower-angle shots than we are used to seeing in other games, and they give more a a feeling of "being there".


I couldn't agree more. Many kudos--and, well, eternal gratitude, etc. etc. :p--to Monte Cristo for doing it up right. :)

Mirelly, I couldn't agree more with you. Especially in terms of the scaling. I always hated that SC4 put in those blasted retaining walls.

Thanks for the screenshots, Rexer! :)
John