Social Energies

[MarkDuffy]

Fun & Games with Google...

Social development theory (Wikipedia) (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_development_theory)

Social Development Theory (http://www.icpd.org/development_theory/SocialDevTheory.htm) by Garry Jacobs and Harlan Cleveland

In the case of both business and society, development can be defined as an upward directional movement from lesser to greater levels of energy, efficiency, quality, productivity, complexity, comprehension, creativity, mastery, enjoyment and accomplishment.

[schm0]

Interesting links. The word "city" does not appear on either one of them. How's that for irony?

[King Faticus]

I actually found this interesting:)
but am going to have to read most of it later on when I have more time

[MarkDuffy]

The word "city" does not appear on either one of them. How's that for irony?

Desperate

Also on a creativity scale, you didn't even move the needle

[schm0]

Desperate

Also on a creativity scale, you didn't even move the needle
Snap!

Do I think the articles were interesting? Of course I did. But do I think they apply to SimCity? Mostly, no. I was merely pointing that out. Just my opinion on the matter, which was on topic. You are welcome to disagree.

[King Faticus]

Mark... you said you don't remember the needles anyways didn't you???

Yep, no memory of being frozen, nor of the needles...snip...

lol so how can you be sure?

[MarkDuffy]

I posted this thread, King, cuz I started Googlying on the phrases "Social energy(ies)" & "Societal energy(ies)" to get a feel for them. If you also add one of SCS's energies ~ Industry, wealth, obedience, knowledge, devotion or creativity after them, you get very interesting results.

Cities are much more than just buildings. There are the societal forces behind them that make society & societies (look for THOSE words in the links ~ zillion of times).

I posted a couple of links that are basically about the economic societal energies. There are more like politics, faith, ethics, philosophy, etc.

[King Faticus]

I know mark Im just poking fun at you for a response:p

[schm0]

I posted this thread, King, cuz I started Googlying on the phrases "Social energy(ies)" & "Societal energy(ies)" to get a feel for them. If you also add one of SCS's energies ~ Industry, wealth, obedience, knowledge, devotion or creativity after them, you get very interesting results.

Cities are much more than just buildings. There are the societal forces behind them that make society & societies (look for THOSE words in the links ~ zillion of times).

I posted a couple of links that are basically about the economic societal energies. There are more like politics, faith, ethics, philosophy, etc.

You bring up an excellent point. If I wanted to play a game where I tinkered with a society, I would load up CivIV, CaesarIV, CotN, or Black & White. SimCity is a city simulator, and the most common argument against SCS is it's diversion from this core concept (in the form of "social energies.") Buildings are merely the infrastrucure for commercial, residential, industrial, utility and recreational needs. (Recognize any of those?) Many others, myself included, have made the argument (http://www.tiltedmill.com/forums/showpost.php?p=158747&postcount=417) that social environments are merely one small aspect of a city's appearance and function. Societies function on a much larger scale than a single metropolitan area, which is the focus of SC.

[Romaq]

This link: http://dubiousquality.blogspot.com/2006/09/end-of-disenfranchisement-through.html

It makes an interesting read concerning the depth of gameplay. One of the discussions that came up with SC:S is the ability to somehow 'get to know' individual sims, what they are thinking, what they are feeling. Maybe we could have more personal interaction as we send mimes to be mind-ripped at the Big Brother facility?

The key word with 'Social Energies' is 'Social'. There are individuals involved. So how much interaction do we have with these individuals within the sim?

--Romaq

[Techleo]

Well it all seems dependent on whether citizens are consistent or generative.
While you can interact with a generated sim it doesn't carry the same meaning as a citizen which ages and dies eventually.

I would suspect that citizens are generative though. I just dont see the citizens being like The Sims lite...

Its true with a generative your interactions can have meaning. With enough interactions your feeding a input into the system. Inputs which could help education, obedience or economy for instance.:)

[Romaq]

(snip) I would suspect that citizens are generative though. I just dont see the citizens being like The Sims lite...(snip)

Yeah. I see what you are saying. I don't want 'The Sims, Lite', at least as far as what *I* happen to think 'The Sims' is. I could be wrong about it, I've never played it. The idea of me playing a simulation of my neighbor sounds terribly borish. Much better to trade off between playing The Mayor and God. I don't want the approach of playing my neighbor within SimCity either. And yet... at some point I do plan to have a CJ, and I would like 'The City Builder Game' (SC:S or CU, I don't care which) to provide more than plopable buildings that change texture because of other plopable buildings.

I have ideas of what I'd like to see, but I'm not entirely sure how I'll take to the product TM (or MC) produces until I get more info, and I likely won't be sure until I have a chance to evaluate my wife's copy of SC:S. I'm certain *she* will like it, I'm *not* certain I will. But life has may surprises to offer, and perhaps SC:S will be one for me.

--Romaq