Episode 639: Building SimCity
Added 2024-09-16 11:00:10 +0000 UTCKevin: Since its debut in 1989, SimCity has become a cultural icon. This open-ended game that can best be described as Urban Planning Made Fun made Will Wright a famous game designer, caused the rapid rise of publisher Maxis and led to the wildly popular Sims franchise. But if you’re like me, you might be curious about just how the game works. What inspired Will Wright to make this in the first place, and what sort of background material did he pull from? How did the game get made, and how does it work under the hood? And just how did this lead to his work on the Sims? Author Chaim Gingold is here with his new book Building SimCity: How to Put the World in a Machine to take on those questions. His book delves into the context around SimCity, which we discuss at length along with diversions into water system modeling, early computer technology, and our own experiences with Maxis titles. Fortunately, Godzilla did not swing through the studio during our recording, making this episode disaster free!
Edits by Greg Leahy; art by Nick Wanserski.
08:30 - The Microscopic Septet: "Fresh Air"
18:13 - SimCity (SNES): Budget Theme
25:41 - SimCity (SNES): Dr. Wright Dialogue
33:23 - SimCity 2000 (PC, CD): Subway Song
41:17 - SimCity 2000 (PC, CD): Serious Sims
52:00 - SimCity (SNES): Good Job Mayor! | SimEarth (SNES): Year 2XXX
1:01:30 - SimAnt (PC): Main Theme
1:08:52 - SimCity 2000 (PC, CD): Disaster Decision
Closing - SimCity 2000 (PC, CD): SimCity Segue
Comments
A great episode! I feel like it really served more towards people already somewhat familiar with Sim City and the history of Maxis and Will Wright, so I could see this episode not being great for everyone else. The company/business angle is always interesting, to see the fortunes and pitfalls. Sid Meier's book was great for that. I'd love to buy Chaims book but it's $80AUD to get as a paperback!
Wood Duck
2024-09-20 11:36:12 +0000 UTCYes! Please more academic-oriented guests and/or authors. No need to appeal to a wider audience. We are the audience and we love it.
CapNChris
2024-09-20 01:41:48 +0000 UTCI’m really digging this new trend of interviewing academics in Game Studies about their work. Between this episode and Jeremy’s recent episode about the Virtual Boy, there’s a level of depth and expertise that is both exciting and fascinating. I’d love to hear more like this
Shel Freezes Over
2024-09-18 21:56:40 +0000 UTCThis was fascinating — thank you so much!
Julian
2024-09-17 16:37:38 +0000 UTCWonderful episode.
Craig
2024-09-17 11:21:59 +0000 UTCWhat a fascinatingly different episode this was. Great job, Kevin!
Kormakur Gardarsson
2024-09-16 21:05:06 +0000 UTCDang it Kevin I just started the Sid Meier memoir and now your gonna make me start a second book why you gotta do this to me.
Joseph
2024-09-16 13:35:47 +0000 UTCIn a wild coincidence, I just finished the Sim City episode 71 from 2016 on the weekend. Going to listen to this and maybe play a Sim game for the first time ever.
Sebastiano Gerace
2024-09-16 11:05:55 +0000 UTC
