Cities XL releases first content pack

November 4, 2:36 PMMMORPG ExaminerJaime Skelton

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Cities XL/Monte Cristo

Cities XL has had its first content pack released today, offering something for regular players and for those with the Planet Offer.

Regular content includes:

• A new farm model
• A high school
• A Ford dealership

Subscribers to the Planet Offer will receive the Old England Pack revealed last week, which includes these great additions (details from press release):

This pack will include a set of medieval buildings inspired by Shakespearian England, along with a paved road and a medieval plaza, with which you will be able to create your very own historic town centres! As for the other buildings already available in the game, we have spent countless hours searching for references in England and have paid special attention to the limitless details of this type of architecture.

The ten Medieval residences are medium density buildings which your citizens will undoubtedly appreciate! As all other "Old England" buildings, these residences will be accessible via a specific button in the Construction menu so that you can place them wherever you wish. Moreover, a shop, a restaurant and a hotel, all in medieval style, will complete the set. Placed at the heart of your historic quarter, these buildings will be even more profitable!

A small peaceful plaza like this one will certainly add a picturesque note to your city! But without a doubt, the highlight of your new historic quarter will be its impressive medieval church, which will extend its influence to the whole city! We can already imagine players trying to recreate these charming areas in their metropolises or in small, remote towns with steep streets and a church at their centre.


Maps
This first content pack will also feature three new maps on which to build your cities, including Rio de Janeiro, the first realistic map offered in Cities XL.

Map: Rio de Janeiro
These realistic maps are terrains we have painstakingly created using official DEM (Digital Elevation Models) files for the most famous cities on the planet. We have added landmarks so that players can try to recreate the city as precisely as possible in Cities XL, or create an entirely new vision.

The Rio de Janeiro map therefore faithfully recreates the actual topography of the Brazilian city, around the famous statue of Christ the Redeemer, or "Christo Rei".

Head off to the beaches of Copacabana!

Map: The Crater
"Aeons ago, a huge meteor crashed into this valley, creating a massive crater."

The Crater is an arid landscape where nothing flourishes, but which features interesting oil resources. In the centre of the Crater, a small lake provides enough water to meet the needs of a small city.

This majestic landscape also offers a privileged setting for those looking for original holidays.

Map: The Cliffs
"These steep cliffs rise above the sea, creating overhanging areas where charming villages can settle."

With soft, rolling hills and a mild climate, the inland areas are an ideal location for farming cities, as a small water table will easily meet the needs of intensive agriculture.

No doubt that the amateurs of fresh air and ecotourism will love spending a few days' rest by these steep cliffs!

Additional Megastructures
This week, we have also introduced the Megastructures in Cities XL, with a first series of buildings which can be created by obtaining the corresponding Blueprint. The first content pack features 3 additional Megastructures, which will not only enable you to build unique cities but also significantly enhance different activity sectors. Of course, you will only benefit from these advantages if you manage to gather enough resources to build these Megastructures, but the effort is definitely worthwhile.

Megastructures: 30 St Mary Axe in London
Nicknamed the "Gherkin" by Londoners, this 180-meter skyscraper created by Norman Foster towers over the City financial district. This building is especially famous for the building techniques used and its qualities in terms of energy saving.

Placing this building in your city will definitely have a positive effect on your offices.


Megastructures: The Imperial Palace in Tokyo
Built on the exact location where the old Edo castle once stood, the Tokyo Imperial Palace has been the residence of the Japanese imperial family since the end of the 19th century. Bombed during WWII, it was completely restored in 1968.

Although only part of the palace is open to the public, its mere presence will considerably increase your city's attractiveness.

Megastructures: Alcatraz Prison in San Francisco
Although it mostly welcomes tourists and pelicans nowadays, the Alcatraz military fort, nestled in the San Francisco Bay, is famous for having been a prison from 1909 to 1963, where some of the most dangerous criminals in the United States were held.

Placing "The Rock" in your city will significantly increase the fight against crime.

Screenshots and models of some of the new Planet Offer content can be found in the slideshow below.