So, is anyone else here playing the Cities XL beta version?

Jasonhouse · #1 Posted **Jun 17, 2009, 7:15 PM**

I just got an email from Monte Cristo this morning, informing me that I can download and beta test Cities XL whenever I'm ready to get started... I'm wondering if a bunch of people were chosen to do this, or if it's really a limited thing, as they suggest it is.

I'm excited to play the game later today, just as soon as the massive download of the game file finishes!!!

llamaorama · #2 Posted **Jun 18, 2009, 1:05 AM**

I'm in it too and in the process of downloading.

I think a very large number of people are getting to do it, but it is exclusive in the sense that it was a limited offer you had to sign up for, unlike say the Windows 7 beta which anyone could download off Microsoft's website

The Dirt · #3 Posted **Jun 18, 2009, 3:02 AM**

Since I missed the boat, do you guys mind posting some screenshots and opinions? I've been dying for a good city builder.

ue · #4 Posted **Jun 18, 2009, 3:04 AM**

Ill just wait for it to (hopefully) come out in na in fall, the full v.

Jasonhouse · #5 Posted **Jun 18, 2009, 3:07 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by llamaorama

I'm in it too and in the process of downloading.

I think a very large number of people are getting to do it, but it is exclusive in the sense that it was a limited offer you had to sign up for, unlike say the Windows 7 beta which anyone could download off Microsoft's website

Actually, while looking into it more today, it is a fairly limited thing, only going to a few thousand people.

The Dirt · #6 Posted **Jun 18, 2009, 5:41 AM**

I just got mine, but there's an NDA, so I guess you nor I can talk about the game here.

Jasonhouse · #7 Posted **Jun 18, 2009, 6:01 AM**

yeah... i was just coming back to refute my own remarks...

http://www.citiesxl.com/StaticPage.html

What only went to a few thousand people was the initial invite.

Austin55 · #8 Posted **Jun 19, 2009, 4:36 AM**

Is it realy all that great?

Jasonhouse · #9 Posted **Jun 19, 2009, 1:35 PM**

It's hard to tell yet, though there are some rather glaring issues imo... For instance, you'll be playing for a while and blam, the game crashes and you lose the last 5-10-20,000 people you just moved into town. For example, I built up a town to 110k last night, the game crashed and today my city was only 70k. Worse, yet, there's no ssave button that I can find anywhere, whereby a player could at least save his game every few minutes, to stave off a catastrophic loss. The only way to prevent that is to quit the game every so often, which is what I've been doing.

But to get into something more structural, that I would presume is less likely to change much in the final version... It seems like everything is tied to stage limits based on population, so it keeps taking forever just to be able to 'earn' the ability to build many of the things one can build at any time in Sim City. (when my city was over 100k, I STILL hadn't 'earned' the ability to build expressways, an airport, nor any form of transit)

The Dirt · #10 Posted **Jun 19, 2009, 9:00 PM**

That might be a limitation of the beta.

Flamesrule · #11 Posted **Jun 19, 2009, 11:43 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jasonhouse

It's hard to tell yet, though there are some rather glaring issues imo... For instance, you'll be playing for a while and blam, the game crashes and you lose the last 5-10-20,000 people you just moved into town. For example, I built up a town to 110k last night, the game crashed and today my city was only 70k. Worse, yet, there's no ssave button that I can find anywhere, whereby a player could at least save his game every few minutes, to stave off a catastrophic loss. The only way to prevent that is to quit the game every so often, which is what I've been doing.

But to get into something more structural, that I would presume is less likely to change much in the final version... It seems like everything is tied to stage limits based on population, so it keeps taking forever just to be able to 'earn' the ability to build many of the things one can build at any time in Sim City. (when my city was over 100k, I STILL hadn't 'earned' the ability to build expressways, an airport, nor any form of transit)

I hope I'm not a fool for saying this but is the beta slow when you have a lot of people in your city?

Jasonhouse · #12 Posted **Jun 20, 2009, 7:19 PM**

Well that's inevitable with any such game. The more things it has to calculate for, the slower the game will go.

Flamesrule · #13 Posted **Jun 20, 2009, 7:58 PM**

ok thanks

TWAK · #14 Posted **Jul 10, 2009, 7:35 AM**

I have an extra beta key so if somebody wants it, just pm me