The Way Forward, an update from the team behind Cities: Skylines

[hert]

Thank you for the communication.

 

[Peace Weaver]

This was needed, thank you.

Less professional teams would of just skulked away into the shadows and abandoned the game.

 

[ihateuselesssoftware]

i mean im happy for ultimate edition buyers to get some real dlcs (hopefully) but to me this is just another apology as i have already read 2 or 3 of.
they have repeatedly promised to fix the basegame but im not sure how much has actually improved since launch.

tbh i couldnt care less about the free dlc for me.

 

[backface]

Thanks for the update and finally some communication after a few weeks of total silence. I think that the change and decisions will lead to a good path, and I am longing for the new additions and updates for the game.

Hope you not only focus on performance, but also on the simulation and some limitations of the game that could have some potential and I think are not well used and the game.I know mods can solve some things (and some of the very early ones do that), but they shouldn't be the main option as Console Players won't have code mods that allow some of this features to be used, and have all the potential of the game.

I don't know if other players think the same, but they could be:

- Create areas of different grass, pavement, connect paths with parks,... This is a game changer and allows to create unique parks and better integrated ones. Also the parking lots that you can make, give mucho more integration and city better looking than the "closed ones"
- Improve and add more textures to ground. For general grass, cliffs (there are already texture packs and mods that allow to make the terrain way better than Vainila one). Also this can be applied to industries, that have the same texture, despite they are different kind (farm, animals, or metal, rock)
- Allow some kind of taxes modification for shops and industries in different districts, so we can focus or avoid different kinds of industries or shops in some areas, rather than affect all the city.
- Add props for decoration, as well as some tools to add them in a better and more creative ways.

 

[pixxa]

This seems very good news, thank you for communicating at last.
I particularly find the "advisory meeting" with a group of players particularly important, to establish priority and doability of players' complaints and hopes, but I am a bit skeptical of the type of people you will choose. Probably you mean content creators? Well, we have seen how some of those have been less than transparent with the community, and I would hate to think that I am represented by them.

 

[tweety80]

Sounds good.
Fix the base game first, and then go for the additional DLCs.

We will see what that means; we have heard something similar before. If I see it right, the next DLC is in Q1 2025, so at least 9 months to fix the base game and improve performance.
The current performance is not enough for consoles, but if that cannot be fixed, maybe we get a bunch of nice decorations. I am not against having a beautiful small city or village builder if I have enough to do.

 

[Maňhal studio]

Thank you for this message.

 

[KingHenryVIII.]

Are you seriously considering compensating premium or ultimate editions with digital goods while others receive monetary compensation? This is completely unacceptable! I, along with virtually 99% of others, have no interest in radio stations; they hold zero value. I can't believe this. I was initially excited about this post, but as a premium edition buyer, this was the last purchase I made from your company. I supported you on all fronts until just a few hours ago, but mistreating premium/ultimate editions like this is intolerable. Consider this: you're compensating us with work you didn't even do; it was the community contributors who did. Additionally, upselling music as DLC in today's era is outdated, to put it politely. Personally, I find it insulting to present it as compensation. Like the vast majority, I play my own music in the background. You can't seriously attribute the value you do to these radio station "DLCs". This is absurd! If you were to exchange the three radio stations for three fully-fledged DLCs plus the community packs, then maybe. Even then, it wouldn't compare to the monetary compensation, which allows me to decide whether or not to support your company financially. At this point, I definitely wouldn't. Especially not with this inadequate compensation for premium/ultimate buyers.

 

[tweety80]

Well, we have seen how some of those have been less than transparent with the community, and I would hate to think that I am represented by them.

That is a good point. If CO picks people who earn money with CS2 via YouTube... they cannot be too direct. For CO it would be great because it would weed out "toxic" players, but it would also means some things never reach CO.

 

[DiNardo1910]

I don't understand why this apology didn't come in October, but better late than never.

 

[Dushess]

That's a good news, at least something bright in this bottle of mud. While you can't fix time spent (already 6 months) and broken mood, you're still able to improve it to full operational state. Then it's a worthy release. And yes, we're glad to help improve this solid basement to the top. Well, another year to wait, I hope the result will amaze everyone from the community. Modders planning the details, but you're the core of this, please work hard and you'll be saved.

 

[Elyias]

Thank you for the update!

This is a great post and it is with a candor that I am sure many will appreciate. There were many unforced errors and missteps with this release. However there is a commitment to move forward and make right. You will win back most people and new players by making this the best city builder ever, because I sincerely believe that despite everything the bones of the game are good.

Keep working hard and know that while many are frustrated you have many fans and people who are rooting for you!

 

[SlyCooperFan1]

This post should have been made in October or November. It's about time.

Shame about all of the people banned from the forums and blocked on social media along the way for trying to point this out. I see no mention of second chances for forum members and no apology for being trigger-happy against people who weren't actually being toxic.

And of course, CO is only going to be talking to the most prominent of prominent content creators, as if they haven't been receiving feedback on these forum posts and on social media for months... I just hope they air at least most of the grievances we're all facing with the game and the company.

 

[Civ5rako]

To make sure we focus on the right things, we’re putting together an advisory meeting, where a small group of player representatives, together with Colossal Order and Paradox Interactive, will discuss the development plan for this year. The people in this group are chosen for the size of their following within the community to represent as many people as possible. The teams from Colossal Order and Paradox Interactive will provide them with full transparency and answer any questions and critiques voiced.

I am especially concerned about this section as it is unclear to me how that group of "player representatives" will be composed.

I am strongly advocating against composing this group of content creators. These typically have built their "business" on and around CS1/2 and may be inclined not to appear too critical. That was shown around release and I think many of them have lost the trust of the audience - for sure they have lost mine.

So, more elaboration on how this group will be composed would be appreciated.

Edit: I see that I am a bit late with my concerns, but at least they are shared by others. Please take them into consideration.

 

[Ekim101]

Are you seriously considering compensating premium or ultimate editions with digital goods while others receive monetary compensation? This is completely unacceptable! I, along with virtually 99% of others, have no interest in radio stations; they hold zero value. I can't believe this. I was initially excited about this post, but as a premium edition buyer, this was the last purchase I made from your company. I supported you on all fronts until just a few hours ago, but mistreating premium/ultimate editions like this is intolerable. Consider this: you're compensating us with work you didn't even do; it was the community contributors who did. Additionally, upselling music as DLC in today's era is outdated, to put it politely. Personally, I find it insulting to present it as compensation. Like the vast majority, I play my own music in the background. You can't seriously attribute the value you do to these radio station "DLCs". This is absurd! If you were to exchange the three radio stations for three fully-fledged DLCs plus the community packs, then maybe. Even then, it wouldn't compare to the monetary compensation, which allows me to decide whether or not to support your company financially. At this point, I definitely wouldn't. Especially not with this inadequate compensation for premium/ultimate buyers.

I'm also UE buyer and find this acceptable. I do t loose any money. I even save money in the future.

Calm down. This post is even a promise that there is more coming. ... They apologised, as many wanted, now it's out turn to let them do there job.

I honestly Don't understand this complaint

 

[ChiefLEGOMAN1]

This is quite honestly completely unacceptable to me, as an ultimate edition buyer. I had faith in CO to deliver with the launch of this game, faith which at this point was evidently very clearly completely misplaced. You have failed on every step of the way with Cities Skylines 2, and the promise of additional, non-existent DLC at some point later means nothing when there is already a laundry list of non-existent DLC I have already paid for, delayed for who knows which time, and a base game that is nowhere near what was advertised or promised. Furthermore, I paid for the content you promised in the Ultimate edition, not some unknown content packs and/or music packs. You cannot agree to a sale, and then change that which you are selling half-way. Everything in the way you have handled this game's launch is, frankly, insulting. I believe players have given you the benefit of doubt for far too long. A this point, my patience and good will have run out, and I'll be looking into wether a refund is still possible in Europe on the grounds of this literally being a scam which has not delivered even half of what I paid for, and is unlikely to

I believe this is far from a scam. The content you paid for is still coming, just delayed a while. While part of the content you paid for (Beach Properties) will become available to everyone in the base game, you will still have it. You'll also receive 3 new content creator packs and 3 new radio stations, which would add more value to your purchase to compensate for this change.

In a lot of countries, when a product cannot be delivered, is faulty, or not of acceptable quality, consumers are entitled to a replacement, refund, or another product of equal or greater value. They will be fixing the base game which would be considered as improving the quality of your purchased product to an acceptable level. Since the Beach Properties pack also isn't of acceptable quality, they are refunding where possible, or providing 6 new products of greater value.

If you are unsatisfied with the product you have right now, you should be able to request a refund, but again, this is far from a scam.

 

[LeeMeister]

It’s nice to see CO and PDX change the tone of their communications to one of “conciliation” rather than one of denial, defensiveness, and deflection…

…AND as an Ultimate Edition customer who preordered, I must say I am “elated” to hear that I will be blessed with 3 additional radio stations and 3 additional content creator packs for a game I have barely played in the last 6 months and that I cannot anticipate playing for at least the next 6 months based on your timeline.

All I can say is “thanks” so much for finally approaching this debacle with “transparency” and “sincerity”.

 

[unmerged(524934)]

That is something that we will continue to think about, thanks for bringing it up!

Anyone but Biffa please.

 

[Civ5rako]

I honestly Don't understand this complaint

I am not a UE buyer and if I was, I would be - for the moment! - ok with the announcement.

I do however see the point made and can agree to it.

But again, for the moment (!) I am ok with the announcement and will wait a bit until we will see what will be the outcome.

 

[ma2412]

Thank you for honesty!
So maybe we will see a great comeback after a bad start...