So I discussed a little on the discord about what we can do differently with the new city server. The first (obviously) is to make the general lot size bigger. The new max lot size will be 64x64 buildable, right up to the path. There may be some limitations on the last 1 tile border due to terrain slope requirements (may need to count as "always sloped" as slope can be introduced by a lot move).
The reason I'm talking about this now is because it's better to get these decisions out of the way before we commit to anything. Some of these decisions can be intelligently patched over in the future, but the idea is to avoid doing that. With that in mind, here's the new lot size:
Wow, look at all that space. Everything in the central green area is buildable.
The second is that networks are much better than they were, and the same goes for RAM. This means that instead of showing a gray void, we can show the adjacent lots in full detail (not simulated) to fill the off-lot camera space with something that isn't ugly gray. This would be achieved via a stripped down "thumbnail" version of the lot state, sent to clients as they join the lot. This means you can see the whole of the road, and what disaster buildings your neighbours have been ruining your neighbourhood with. I don't have a technical demo of this yet, since it involves a few things that would take time to implement (generation of empty lots when no data is available, generate and store full lot thumbnails at all zooms and rotations, special format)
This has serious implications for roads throughout the city, specifically that they need to make sense! Lots with no adjacent roads will have NO ROAD OR PAVEMENT ON THEM, with cars and the mailbox instead appearing on a patch of dirt in front of the lot. To stop every lot looking like this, roads will be much more present in the chosen city... and since we can see the roads, they'll need to look better and have rules for intersections and joins. I've came up with 2 styles for this, but I think they could use a little work.
Style 1: add line boundaries to road. No grass gap.
Style 2: The Sims 1 style
Style 1 needs a bit of development to look nicer. Feel free to SUGGEST YOUR OWN!
Terrain types will be a little different. On the map you may have noticed that terrains on boundaries blends into terrain of the next type down.
For everything except sand <-> water, the alive/dead grass states will be changed to represent the blend types of the underlying terrain. (alive very obviously being grass most of the time) You can see this in some of the lots in The Sims 1 on holiday island.
Lots placed down will eventually respect the slope of the ground they're placed on, like The Sims 2. Our terrain tools will support placing tiles on sloped terrain, so roads can be heavily sloped too, and you can have tile paths over bumpy terrain. This wasn't possible in The Sims 1 because the ground was not 3d, and they didn't have the tech. It'll likely be a better idea to build lots on flatter surfaces, but people can build on bumpy terrain if they want to utilise it for architectural purposes.
Islands will be pretty much the same. The difference is that you'll now see the open sea on all 8 sides, so it'll make it that much more worth it. They will likely be more circular or gradually sloped.
Finally, it's worth mentioning that empty lots will come dotted with some trees and shrubbery relating to their terrain type, to make them a little more interesting. These will be outside the buildable area to start, but as you upgrade your lot they'll come into your ownership and you'll be able to get rid of them as you please.
So, paste your thoughts, any ideas, where you think I should be going with this!
The reason I'm talking about this now is because it's better to get these decisions out of the way before we commit to anything. Some of these decisions can be intelligently patched over in the future, but the idea is to avoid doing that. With that in mind, here's the new lot size:
Wow, look at all that space. Everything in the central green area is buildable.
The second is that networks are much better than they were, and the same goes for RAM. This means that instead of showing a gray void, we can show the adjacent lots in full detail (not simulated) to fill the off-lot camera space with something that isn't ugly gray. This would be achieved via a stripped down "thumbnail" version of the lot state, sent to clients as they join the lot. This means you can see the whole of the road, and what disaster buildings your neighbours have been ruining your neighbourhood with. I don't have a technical demo of this yet, since it involves a few things that would take time to implement (generation of empty lots when no data is available, generate and store full lot thumbnails at all zooms and rotations, special format)
This has serious implications for roads throughout the city, specifically that they need to make sense! Lots with no adjacent roads will have NO ROAD OR PAVEMENT ON THEM, with cars and the mailbox instead appearing on a patch of dirt in front of the lot. To stop every lot looking like this, roads will be much more present in the chosen city... and since we can see the roads, they'll need to look better and have rules for intersections and joins. I've came up with 2 styles for this, but I think they could use a little work.
Style 1: add line boundaries to road. No grass gap.
Style 2: The Sims 1 style
Style 1 needs a bit of development to look nicer. Feel free to SUGGEST YOUR OWN!
Terrain types will be a little different. On the map you may have noticed that terrains on boundaries blends into terrain of the next type down.
For everything except sand <-> water, the alive/dead grass states will be changed to represent the blend types of the underlying terrain. (alive very obviously being grass most of the time) You can see this in some of the lots in The Sims 1 on holiday island.
Lots placed down will eventually respect the slope of the ground they're placed on, like The Sims 2. Our terrain tools will support placing tiles on sloped terrain, so roads can be heavily sloped too, and you can have tile paths over bumpy terrain. This wasn't possible in The Sims 1 because the ground was not 3d, and they didn't have the tech. It'll likely be a better idea to build lots on flatter surfaces, but people can build on bumpy terrain if they want to utilise it for architectural purposes.
Islands will be pretty much the same. The difference is that you'll now see the open sea on all 8 sides, so it'll make it that much more worth it. They will likely be more circular or gradually sloped.
Finally, it's worth mentioning that empty lots will come dotted with some trees and shrubbery relating to their terrain type, to make them a little more interesting. These will be outside the buildable area to start, but as you upgrade your lot they'll come into your ownership and you'll be able to get rid of them as you please.
So, paste your thoughts, any ideas, where you think I should be going with this!
