April 2002 News Archive

Maxis officially announced via press release, this week, that development of SimCity 4 is underway. SimCity 4 is scheduled to debut at the Electronic Entertainment Expo in Los Angeles on May 22, at which time, a newly launced sub-site at SimCity.com promises to bring new information to eager fans.

Will Wright told SimPage.net regarding SimCity 4, "It's kind of hard to describe but SC4 has a very analog feel compared to past versions of SimCity. The smooth terrain, fog effects, individual cars and changeable buildings make the whole thing feel more like a 'real' toy city and less like a computer simulation. That's my favorite thing about it."

Check out the press release right here, and the SimCity 4 website here.

SimPage.net will continue to follow SimCity 4 developments and keep you posted as things change.

Firaxis has released an updated patch for SimGolf which fixes a number of major game issues, including golfer pathing, crashes, and information errors. They've also made a few minor enhancements and added new hotkeys.

For more information about the changes in the patch, check here. To download the patch, head over to the download page.

Now you can take a break from taking meeting notes, and build a bustling metropolis. The same great game you loved on the PC, Mac, and even Super Nintendo, is now available for Pocket PC! SimCity 2000 for Pocket PC has retail price of about $30.

However, you can buy a copy from Amazon.com for just $24.99 through the SimPage.net store, by clicking here. (This price is subject to change.)

Electronic Arts announced last month that they have shipped over 6.3 million copies of The Sims, worldwide. This statistic makes The Sims the best selling game of all time, surpassing Myst, which was the previous all-time best seller.

For full details, check out the press release here!

A recent article in The Oakland Tribune details Will Wright's continuing story, starting with his contributions to revolutionizing the world of gaming, to his long-time enjoyment of robots.

Take a look at the article here, and get a little insight into the man responsible for the games we enjoy so much.

I'm sure everyone in the entire universe already knows about this, but I figure it deserves mention here anyway.

SimCity 4 has recently appeared on the May 2002 cover of Computer Gaming World magazine. The included screenshots, though they have been posted various places on the Internet, are best seen (and least in violation of the associated copyrights) in the magazine itself, so I highly recommend that everyone pick up a copy of the magazine at your local bookstore or newsstand, and enjoy.

Though the game is still in early development, many new changes have been announced, including a more building-oriented simulation, in which each individual structure has its own identity and effects on the surrounding area.

We'll keep you posted as more information on this newly announce game becomes available!

Maxis and Amazon.com are offering a family trip to Jamaica! If you are interested, visit this link, which will take you to the rules, and the signing up link.

You must be 13 years or older to enter, and if you win a parent or guardian 18 or older must accompany you.

Daniel Baird, the new webmaster of SimStuff.com has brought the classic website back to life! A couple of years ago, the old host kicked the site off, which was then owned by Josh Van Hulst, and since then hasn't been officially reopened, until now. Dan plans to cover most Maxis titles, including the next SimCity, The Sims, and community news. click here to visit the site now!