The Discovery of SimCity 2000: Network Edition
Aahhh! It was with great surprise that I stumbled upon SimCity 2000: Network Edition on the store shelf in 1996. This game, a true multiplayer version of SimCity 2000, was a rare breed in the gaming world at that time. Complete with LAN, modem, and Internet connectivity, it was only available for Windows and not for Mac users.
The Experimentation of Maxis
Maxis had always been experimenting with multiplayer gaming, but none of their previous attempts had achieved much success. They had tried RoboSport, a multiplayer game that showed promise, but ultimately fell short. The company also released a multiplayer version of SimCity for Unix, which was later followed by The Sims Online. However, it wasn't until the release of SimCity 2000: Network Edition that Maxis truly succeeded in creating a multiplayer experience.
A New User Interface
One of the first things I noticed about SimCity 2000: Network Edition was its new user interface. Gone were the days of the old UIs designed for specific operating systems, such as DOS, Amiga, and Mac OS. This version of the game was specifically designed for Windows 95, with menus and buttons that seemed reminiscent of the task bar and Start menu design. I wasn't a fan of this new look, preferring instead the original Macintosh-inspired design of the classic SimCity 2000.
The Gameplay Experience
For the most part, the gameplay experience in SimCity 2000: Network Edition was largely unchanged from the original. Players would still need to build power plants, lay zones, pass laws, and manage their personal budget to grow a tiny town into a massive metropolis. However, there were some key differences that made the game more interesting when played with others. The water system, for example, was shared between players, meaning that as long as someone was pumping water, everyone could get it. The transportation system was also shared, but each player had to connect their roads to those of other players and pay for their own.
The Competitive Aspect
One of the most interesting aspects of SimCity 2000: Network Edition was its competitive element. Players could compete with one another in various ways, such as by passing laws that affected others or by instigating riots in each other's neighborhoods. However, I felt that this aspect could have been expanded upon even further. It would have been great to be able to do a smear campaign against an opponent, or cut off someone from water or set fire to their abandoned buildings. While the game was okay with two players, it truly came alive when played with three people.
The Limited Features
Despite its potential, SimCity 2000: Network Edition had some limitations that were noticeable even after multiple playthroughs. The in-game chat was somewhat limited, and I wished there was a better way to communicate with my opponents. Additionally, the land buying system could be frustrating at times, as players would sometimes purchase large amounts of useless underwater land.
The Future of Multiplayer Gaming
Unfortunately, SimCity 2000: Network Edition marked the end of an era in multiplayer gaming. Recent games like Cities XL had tried to revive this genre but ultimately failed. I have my doubts that it will ever be revisited anytime soon. However, for those who are looking for a new and exciting way to play with friends, SimCity 2000: Network Edition is definitely worth checking out.
In Conclusion
SimCity 2000: Network Edition was a groundbreaking game that showed promise in the multiplayer genre. While it had its limitations, it was still an enjoyable experience that brought people together. If you're up for something new and exciting with friends, this game is definitely worth exploring. Just be prepared to deal with some lag and frustrating gameplay moments along the way.
"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enAahhh!SimCity and SimCity 2000 are known fortheir exceptional single-player experienceswhere you play as an omnipotent mayor of a citydeciding the fate of every Sim throughzoning, taxing and policy making.Imagine my surprise when I sawthis on the store shelf in 1996:SimCity 2000: Network Edition.SimCity 2000 had been released two years priorand the CD collections had been releasedand were enjoying continued success.Then comes SimCity 2000: Network Editionwhich wasn't a sequel, an add-on,or anything like had been seen before.It was a true multiplayer version of SimCity 2000,complete with LAN, modem and Internet connectivity.And it was only for Windows; no Mac version this time.Freakin' weird.Maxis had experimented withmultiplayer gaming over the years,but none of them had achieved much success,with stuff like RoboSport,multiplayer SimCity for Unix,later The Sims Online and,of course, Network Edition.In fact, Network Edition wasonly out for about a yearbefore Maxis discontinued it andpulled the game from store shelves,dooming it to clearance sections for yearsand making it one of thehardest-to-find Maxis games today.The premise of Network Edition is super simple:it's SimCity 2000 with up tothree players managing the city.But instead of just dropping into a scenario or new city,you first choose from a selection of network options,like what connection you'll use,your name, the city's nameand the speed of the simulation,since you can't change the speed in-game.Once you've started the server,the game will start as usualand any clients can connect in any point in time.If you're familiar with the original SimCity 2000,the first thing you might notice is the new user interface.The old UIs were designed with their OS in mind–DOS, Amiga, Mac OS, Windows 3.1, etc.But this one was designed for Windows 95,so you have menus and buttonsinspired by the look of 95,with most of it that seems reminiscentof the task bar and Start menu design.You also have a compass indicating thecardinal directions your current perspective has.This all just takes some getting used to,especially if you're experienced with SimCity 2000and I'm not sure I like it.I don't see how it's an improvement,but I'm not sure it's worse, either.I just prefer the original Macintosh-inspired designinstead of everything all spread out.Most of the gameplay itself is unchanged.You'll need to build power plants, lay zones,pass laws and manage your personal budgetin order to grow the tiny town into a massive metropolis.But if you try to place anything,you'll notice something new right off the bat.The land belongs to the city, so you'llneed to purchase land in order to build on it.Although you can just play alone, rememberthat it's meant to be played with other people.So instead of just playing as the be-all,end-all overlord of city management,you are now a district commissioner.The land belongs to the city andit's up to you and any other playersto develop parts of the city,working together for the greater good–or competing for power.You then develop your own landin tandem with other players,raising and lowering property values,and even selling back andbuying new real estate, if need be.These are incredible ideas andI have to commend Maxis for thisbecause it's actually quite fun.For instance, maybe you've gotsome nice waterfront propertywith a school and upscale housing,but the nearby commissionerowns the local power plantwhich you'll need to power all your stuff.They, however, need access toeducational facilities and residents.You could strike deals with the otherplayers for resources or services.In this case, you can exchange access to your schoolsfor access to their power.Or you could just pay an annualdividend to the other playerfor a certain amount of power,or perhaps an exchange for police or fire protection.This really adds an entirely different element of strategyfor everything in the simulation,and it's a nice refresher forveterans of the original games.Now you'll really have to think outsidethe box when choosing a locationinstead of just plopping down zones everywhere.Everything from building newareas to planning your budgetis affected by this new idea.The same thing applies to passing laws,which not everyone may agree on.I may want to legalize gambling,but the other players oppose it.Everything is then put up to a vote to see what happens.This can also get quiteinteresting when disaster strikes,since you may be forced to work togetherwith your opponent to tackle fires,floods and crime.Or you could just let them suffer as paybackfor not passing that sales tax proposal last month.Oddly, there's no monster disasters thistime around, which is somewhat sad.You do, however, have access to many of the featuresfrom the later expansions to SimCity 2000,like the Urban Renewal Kit andalternate tile sets for your buildings.It's also worth noting that while mostthings are competitive somewhat,the water system is shared.So as long as somebody is pumpingwater and you've got pipes connected,everybody can get water.The transportation system is also shared,but you will have to connect your roads to their roads,and you pay for your own roads in your own districts.Really, I don't have too manycomplaints about the game,but the biggest I guess would be the lag.There's about 30 seconds betweenevery action the other player performsand the time it takes to appear on your screen.There's also some lag whenplacing zones and roads and such,but it's only really noticeableif you're used to the regular game.It's really nothing that breaks the experience,but it is something that I noticed.Also, the land buying can be a pain.Like sometimes you may notrealize you bought a ton of landthat was actually useless underwater land.So you end up wasting a tonof money if you're not careful,almost having to buy land one tile at a time.I wish there were a few more features, too.For instance, the in-game chat is somewhat limited.It would be nice if there werea better way to communicate,but I guess this was kind oflimited by technology of the time.I'd also like the competitive aspect to be expanded on,because half the time you really do forget thatthere's even another player in the game with you,and it starts to feel like justanother game of SimCity 2000.I mean, wouldn't it be awesome if you coulddo a smear campaign against your opponent,and instigate a riot in his part of town?Or even do some dirty, underhanded dealsto cut off somebody from water orset fire to some abandoned buildings,while you move in and buy up all thecheap land due to its low property value.While the game is okay with one other opponent,it really works best with the full three people playing.So unless you know two otherpeople who are willing to play,you're probably not getting the best experience.And there's no AI to play against,and playing against only oneother player can get kind of bland.Still, a new game like this will probably never happenand SimCity 2000: Network Editionis likely all we'll ever getin multiplayer Maxis city sims.Recent multiplayer city games likeCities XL have tried, and ended up failing,so I have my doubts it will ever getrevisited anytime in the near future.But if you're up for something new with a friend or twoand can't get enough of that classic city simulation,the odd but awesome SimCity 2000: Network Editionis totally worth checking out.\n"
