Your favourite city building game?

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[MHBrands]

CotN: Alexandria isn't too bad. I'm only part way through it though. The storyline is good, anyway.

[Sexus]

Mine would have to be Pharoah, just by the shear amount of time played, still haven't finished the Cleo expansion.  Though completed many maps multiple times.

Enjoyed CoTN, as being one of the forerunners into 3D.  Just needed the walls/gates/army/stock/trade areas fixing/enhancing and it would be spot on.   Shame Caesar IV didn't use the same engine.

Both Pharoah/CoTN gave you the expression that the maps distances were quite long from one side to the other, Caesar IV didn't.  I can remember hauling gems from the hills to the nile on one map in Pharoah to fund my huge pyramid, boy that was lesson in having to use staging warehouses.

Stronghold was fun, played that through twice.  Version 2 didn't have the same appeal.

[kilf]

Hi All
I haven't been playing these types of games for a long time but my favourite was always Cultures I used to get lost in that game.  Stronghold was good to.

Question: I'm thinking of buying an Anno game to get me back into this genre 1404 is the latest right? But looking at the stats and forums on the net 1701 is the most played? is it better? Any other recommendations (recent not retro)? Anything recent out the Culturesish?

Thanks in advance
Kilf

[City Builder]

In my opinion, 1404 is the better of the two (1701 / 1404).  I haven't even touched 1701 for more than 3 minutes since installing 1404.  If, (and I say IF) 1701 is truly more played, it would only be due to the multiplayer part of the game which I've heard is pretty bad at keeping synched between players anyway, but if I remember correctly 1404's expansion due out this year will have multiplayer in it too, so if there are more people playing 1701 at the moment, i'd expect them to make the switch to 1404 once the expansion is out with multiplayer features.

There are however the group of people that won't buy 1404 because they think it's just 1701 with better graphics, but it's not, it's much more than that, much much more.

I vaguely remember Cultures, I believe I had Cultures 2 if I'm not mistaken, I've long since lost the disk due to it getting spun crack in one of my old computers a couple years ago, but if I remember correctly it was more abstract on the inhabitants (like the anno series) but still allowed some personal touches to the residents, in which case I don't think theres anything recent that is like Cultures.  My top games right now are:
(in no particular order)
Tropico 3
1404
The Sims 3 (create a world - the neighborhood tool)
EVE Online

And out of those, obviously only 1404 is even remotely like Cultures.

Anyway, welcome to the site.

[CoconutKid]

It has been quite some time since I played Cultures, but I happen to have a print-out of the manual for the first one handy.

11.3.1 Uniqueness
Each inhabitant of your village is unique. They all look different, they each have a name, they pursue different careers and they all have their own abilities and characteristics. You, the player, can influence all these properties -- except for their appearance. ...

The manual is 70 pages.

IMHO Cultures is very much like Tropico, except the player has much more control over each individual. Tropicans are far more independent of the player than the Vikings are.

I got discouraged with the game because it was a series of episodes in a campaign and when you got to the end there was nothing to do but start over. However it is great fun while it lasts. #2 did not make many basic changes; it only made a more elaborate campaign. I was not impressed with the direction the third planned release seemed to be taking (besides having some pressing problems in real life), so I quit following it.

For someone looking for something similar to Cultures, I would recommend picking up Tropico Reloaded if you can get it marked down. Tropico 3 is nothing like Cultures.

[City Builder]

  Well, I knew it was one way or the other with regards to the inhabitants.  I'd have to wonder if the upcoming Settlers game would compare to Cultures since the member was looking for something recent and not retro.  I doubt there will be direct control of the inhabitants in the upcoming settlers but it might be close enough in regards to gameplay as was Cultures.

[Mr. Lemming]

Pharaoh, I simply loved that game.  I'm not sure why I liked it more then Caesar III, but I really do prefer the 2d isometric look of those games.

The cities in Pharaoh would get totally out of hand, because of the way housing upgraded was so demanding, you needed a truly massive city to get the highest levels of housing.  I remember demolishing entire sections of the city to re-organise because of housing. 

[City Builder]

I tried playing Emperor (rise of middle kingdom) about 8 months or so ago, but I've become totally spoiled by not having to block off my maps with road blocks and or cover it in walkers.  Don't get me wrong, probably out of the older 2D games, it's a tough call between Emperor and Pharaoh, although i remember loving Zeus when it came out although I never felt the maps were near big enough to do what I wanted to do in any of them.

[City Builder]

Oh and believe it or not, I actually found my Cultures disk while looking for my Simcity 4 deluxe disks, I was tempted to load it back up and try it out, but then I found my Settlers 2, Tenth anniversary edition disk and played that instead.

[Catfriend]

It's really interesting seeing what other people have enjoyed playing, and why.  For myself, I've played Caesar III, Pharaoh/Cleo, Zeus/Poseidon, Emperor, CotN, CivCity Rome, Caesar IV, Glory of the Roman Empire, some of the early Settlers games, as well as Settlers 5, which I didn't like, and 6 which I am slowly getting through but am not too keen on.  Also, all the Sim City games, but I have read that Sim City 4 won't work with Win 7 which is a shame.  The Sims 2 is also a favourite, although not a city builder.   I've just discovered the Anno games for the first time and am currently playing 1701 which has a very steep learning curve, but I am enjoying it.  Of them all, my favourite cb of all time has to be Pharaoh/Cleo, for it's loving representation of Ancient Egypt, and the evocative music.  CotN was OK, but for me it didn't quite have the 'soul' for want of a better word, that Pharaoh had.  I wonder if Pharaoh/Cleo will work on Windows 7 32 bit and a widescreen monitor.  Anyone know? If so, I might just dig out my copy again.