What if Harry Potter played Civilization?

jpk · August 16, 2000, 16:00

Suppose the characters from the Harry Potter novels played Civilization. How would they play? What would happen?

Hermione would be a tremendous micromanager.

Hagrid would modify all the special squares so they would be animals. The wilder the animal the better.

Draco Malfoy would change the special pattern so each of his cities had 21 specials.

The Great Library would never become obsolete because wizards would see no reason to discover electricity.

Some might think this is a joke topic. Well it's not!

DaveV · August 16, 2000, 16:21

Harry himself would make lots of dumb mistakes throughout the game, but somehow pull through in the end.

The Weasley twins (Fred and George?) would build a ton of diplos and spend the whole game sabotaging, pillaging, and stealing techs.

Voldemort would know (and use) all the cheats.

MacUser · August 19, 2000, 21:48

I guess that I really need to read these global best sellers!!

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"And now for something completely different..."
- John Cleese

Shadowstrike · August 19, 2000, 22:00

Crabbe and Goyle would cede all their cities to Draco if he asked.

Ken Hinds · August 20, 2000, 00:13

OK, it's a nice thread, but for us IT people who spend our time reading manuals instead of interacting with society at large. What's a Harry Potter and why doesn't he get a shave if he is so hairy?

Thanks,

Ken

Oldman · August 21, 2000, 04:38

Lord Voldemort, Doh, ****, Sorry... I mean, He Who Must Not Be Named would be a complete megalomaniac, sort of a Wizarding version of Good old Ghengis Khan, destroying anyone who got in his way!!!

He's just gotten himself a new body and is about to nuke Harry by the look of things, this the 4th book is geting exciting!!!!

Oh, and why is the US version of book 1, Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone called H P and the Sorcerers Stone? any ideas????

Scouse Gits · August 21, 2000, 06:16

Help, Ken - they've got us outnumbered and surrounded - I can't find Harry Potter in any of my manuals either...

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Scouse Git[1]

"CARTAGO DELENDA EST" - Cato the Censor

Oldman · August 21, 2000, 06:37

Scouse, Just you wait until the Dementors turn up, then you'll be scared... OOOooooOOOooooo (Scary ghost-like noise!!)

[This message has been edited by Oldman (edited August 21, 2000).]

SCG · August 21, 2000, 08:48

quote:

Originally posted by Oldman on 08-21-2000 04:38 AM
Lord Voldemort, Doh, ****, Sorry... I mean, He Who Must Not Be Named would be a complete megalomaniac, sort of a Wizarding version of Good old Ghengis Khan, destroying anyone who got in his way!!!

So you're saying the fellow who couldn't kill the infant Harry might try and take advantage of every bug he could find in the code?

quote:

Oh, and why is the US version of book 1, Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone called H P and the Sorcerers Stone? any ideas????

My guess is that philosophy doesn't in any way indicate something magical over here. And with the idea of magic being so captivating for kids, it was probably a good marketing move.

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April Cantor: Sire, in order to expand further we must first gain favor of the King

SCG: darn, I've never really got the hang of that tribute thing, guess it will be a long time until i make prince

*goes off and starts gifting gold and techs*

Oldman · August 21, 2000, 10:42

Obviously Harry Potter is just way over your head isn't SCG, i don't blame you!!! I mean i know how hard it is you old folks to grasp simple plots sometimes, i mean god knows, the crap some of you watch on tv...

...you might want to try graduating down to lord of the rings, then the hobbit, then possible a fighting fantasy book by steve jackson, then maybe you'll be able to figure out why You Know Who, couldn't kill harry!!!!

... Marketing move indeed?!?!?!!?

DaveV · August 21, 2000, 13:15

kcbob - think "The Hobbit", rather than LOTR. They are entertaining books, with engaging characters, but not great books (IMHO, of course).

kcbob · August 21, 2000, 13:43

DaveV, that's what I was thinking. Also, maybe along the lines of "Chronicles of Narnia" but with less theology.

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Frodo lives!

Better dead than "Red"... or green... or blue... or yellow... or orange... or purple... or white.

Sten Sture · August 21, 2000, 13:50

I have read them, and they are entertaining allegories and a very quick read. The fourth one is not particularly well written so don't expect very much. If you buy them, get paperbacks, and please buy them from a local independant bookseller.

I would rank them around the same reading level as CS Lewis's Chronicles of Narnia, or Ursula K LeGuin's Earthsea Trilogy. 10-12 years old; but enjoyable at any age.

Thanks for all the brit slang I have picked up on this sight, (and watching the English Premier League.) It made some of the character descriptions sound right spot-on.

August 21, 2000, 15:15

quote:

Originally posted by Oldman on 08-21-2000 04:38 AM
Oh, and why is the US version of book 1, Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone called H P and the Sorcerers Stone? any ideas????

The actual reason is that they made the philosopher's stone to look like an adult book. They didn't want adults to be embarassed by reading a kids book on a train or that sort of thing. Rather dumb, if you ask me.

Shadowstrike · August 21, 2000, 18:07

Ursula K LeGuin's Earthsea Trilogy was probably better then Harry Potter. I've read both, but soon you'll figure you that Harry Potter books use the same repetative pattern book after book.

There was one thing I didn't get in the Earthsea Trilogy. When did Sparrowhawk navigate the Dragon's Run?

I think this is getting a little off topic though.

SCG · August 22, 2000, 00:10

quote:

Originally posted by Oldman on 08-21-2000 10:42 AM
Obviously Harry Potter is just way over your head isn't SCG, i don't blame you!!! I mean i know how hard it is you old folks to grasp simple plots sometimes, i mean god knows, the crap some of you watch on tv...

...you might want to try graduating down to lord of the rings, then the hobbit, then possible a fighting fantasy book by steve jackson, then maybe you'll be able to figure out why You Know Who, couldn't kill harry!!!!

... Marketing move indeed?!?!?!!?

Oh, just Lovely, now you're picking on me

,

can't say I've read Steve Jackson. How does he compare to Pournelle, Niven, Forward, McCaffrey, Saberhagan, Asimov, Bear, Clarke, or Anthony? I'm sure I missed a few

As for why I think it was a marketing move, have you ever seen the US entertainment business, especially the movies, ever not tamper with something?

Speaking of movies, I hear over there they may have already selected a young lad for the lead role.

kcbob · August 22, 2000, 00:12

All seriousness aside, are these good books? Would I truly enjoy them? Keep in mind that I'm a HUGE LOTR fan, love Tom Clancy, and believe that James Clavell was the best author of our day.

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Frodo lives!

Better dead than "Red"... or green... or blue... or yellow... or orange... or purple... or white.

jpk · August 22, 2000, 00:44

They are really nice books. The characters are interesting. The author creats a lot of neat things that would make a wizard's or witch's life a little easier. I would recommend them to anyone. The first one is in paperback, at least in the US; the second one is either in paperback or soon will be.

If you read them, read them in order.

Scouse Gits, the word "git" appears in the Harry Potter novels and in your handle, maybe it's your name; I don't know. What is a git?

This message was edited to ask the previous question.
[This message has been edited by jpk (edited August 21, 2000).]

Ken Hinds · August 22, 2000, 02:14

Shadowstrike,

The answer to your question is during the final book if I remember correctly. And just to bring this back to Civ so that Ming The Ever Vigilant doesn't zap us, I'm pretty sure that on someone's site I saw an Earthsea map, I just don't remember which one.

That would lead me to believe that someone out there has done an Earthsea scenario. If, not then I would suggest that when Ged "wins" the spell contest that the events file should provide the Barbarians with an instant Manhattan Project. Every 10 - 12 turns thereafter the Barbarians will launch a Shadowbeast that only attacks Ged. Instead of being Nuclear it drains Ged's strenght bar by 75%. Once Ged learns the Secret of the Shadowbeast, then the Shadowbeasts would have a defence of 0 instead of 99 or some similar number. This would allow Ged to conquer the beast.

Ken

Oldman · August 22, 2000, 05:28

Ken, I've absolutely no idea if that's on topic or not?!?! you've completely lost me!!

jpk, a Git is an insult we use it britain. with Scouse gits, he's from liverpool (like the Beatles) and they're called Scousers, and hence scouse gits, but i'm sure he's an alright guy really?!?!?!

Re: Mr Potter, just buy one and read it!! they are kids books, but the characters are interesting, and it's set in a nice fantasy world about wizards and dragons and magic etc...
I've just read all 4 in the last 3 weeks, i love them all!!! And so long as you don't look for any of them to win a Pulitzer prize, you'll be fine!!
I really want to get the next one, i can pre-order it from amazon, but it's not even been written yet, so i might be in for a wait?!?!

So, what kind of Civs do you think would compare to the various players in Harry Potter, i mean who would be the Muggles? the Death Eaters? Giants?

PS: the last bit is actually a serious question, sort of...

MacUser · August 22, 2000, 07:18

KCBob - Mrs. MacUser LOVED the Harry Potter series. Well worth the read! She bought all four in hardback first edition; now if she could just get them signed....

I'll ask her to post a reply; my sneaky way of dragging here into Civ!

Ken/Scouse Gits - Are you serious that you aren't inundated with the characters from the largest first printing ever?? Heck with the Bible and Jesus, Harry is more popular than the Beatles!!

Civ on topic - I would bet money that if one were to search the ACS Database (DB) a map and quite possibly an Earthsea scenario would be found! Those are exactly the type of stories and maps that lend themselves to Civ scenarios! And if not, Ken you weren't busy doing anything anyway, so....

Edit: BTW, you guys DO know about the Harlan Thompson "Lord of the Rings" scenario, right?
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"And now for something completely different..."
- John Cleese
[This message has been edited by MacUser (edited August 22, 2000).]

Ken Hinds · August 22, 2000, 07:36

Now MacUser, that is not entirely true. I have been very faithfully slaving away putting in 15hrs per week of CIV II scenario research time. I'm obtaining information for my Scenario repair project so that we can play FW scenarios with MGE and not get that annoying "Barracks Attack near City X" message whenever a unit that fills missile slot unit or a unit that is destroyed after attacking conducts an attack.

I'm beginning to think that 15 hrs/week is insufficient though and may have to increase it to 20/wk.

Ken

MacUser · August 22, 2000, 23:12

quote:

Originally posted by Oldman on 08-21-2000 10:42 AM
...you might want to try graduating down to lord of the rings, then the hobbit

Oldman - Mrs. MacUser wanted me to severely chastize you for committing heresy against the Lord of the Rings: BAD CIVER! BAD CIVER! Feel free to publicly flagellate yourself...

Now for my bad: "LOVED the Harry Potter series" was my paraphrase. Nothing touches Tolkin. Nothing. Repeat. What she said was that she "liked it very much."
whip-crack "I will not missquote my wife!" whip-crack "I will go and re-read LOR until I remember that they are great!" whip-crack

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"And now for something completely different..."
- John Cleese

Sten Sture · August 23, 2000, 00:09

I haven't seen an Earthsea scenario, but I'll start looking in earnest today. My brain is a little fuzy on the storyline details - I read them over 20 years ago, but I still try to figure out the true name of things in real life. A Verne type quest scenario would fit pretty well.

If anyone did like the Harry Potter books I would strongly recommend the Earthsea books by LeGuin. They are similar in length and reading level and were popular and award winning books in their day. They fit well in the mystical allegory childrens fantasy genre along side Potter - post CS Lewis, but pre Tolkien. Plus it gives kids (myself included) that are interested in reading a similar alternative while they wait for the next book from Rawling.

Oldman · August 23, 2000, 04:56

Hey hold on!!!!! i'm sorry (Sobs uncontrollably), i didn't mean it!!!!! Mr MacUser, will you please tell Mrs MacUser, i'm most dreadfully and humbly sorry, i never in any way shape or form meant to insult, diss or Blaspheme against the bible that is The Lord of the Rings!!!!

I'll have you know that i've read The Lord of the Rings twice, cover to cover, well not all of the appendices... I also actually own 2 copies of LOR and 3 copies of the Hobbit, but i won't go into that?!?! I think that for sheer scale, depth, creativity and brilliance Tolkien is beyond a shadow of a doubt a Diety in his own right!! and Harry Potter while Cool, just isn't a Baggins!!!

I've reread my above statement and see how it may have caused harm, and most Bodaciously regret saying what i said...

I'd also like to add as an after thought that, while people say things they don't mean, do things they don't say, say things they don't do and don't do things they say. We're not all bad and if you try to find the light and truth that is within each one of us, you too can live in peace and sail across the sea...

So there!

Scouse Gits · August 23, 2000, 05:31

Oldman, I do believe that that was a grovel!!

[adopts music hall german accent]Ve must zee more of zis. Ve haf vayz of making you tok![/accent]

slightly more seriously - I too worship at the shrine of St. Tolkien (2 copies of LOTR, but only 1 Hobbit (*hangs head in shame*) and 1 Sylmarilean), love le Guin and would put Earthsea up there in lights, but can't really appreciate Pratchett - my daughter has read every single one of the damn things ...
Should I read HP?

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Scouse Git[1]

"CARTAGO DELENDA EST" - Cato the Censor

Oldman · August 23, 2000, 05:47

Scouse, [Almight voice of God]Go Forth and Read[/voice]!!! Harry Potter is definetly worth a read, even if you only ever read the 1st book, at least then you've decided not to read the rest on an informed opinion!!!

And Mr Pratchett, you don't like him???? how? why? i mean? what??? He's great, admittedly after 20 some books the style is getting a touch Monotonous, but they're good too!! i've read all the way upto 5th elephant, which is Signed - so there!!!

Back on Mr Potter, Scouse, if you want to get a HP book try amazon.co.uk, i can send you one of those £5 vouchers, they'll deliver the book to your door, next day for £2.54 (rrp £6ish), or use Waterstones.co.uk, they'll sell it to you for £2 and if you want to collect it from one of their stores there is no p&p!!!

Civ Question PS: how do random maps (ie their sizes) affect research rates? is it a uniform scale based on the small, med and large maps?

MacUser · August 23, 2000, 23:02

[Lady Galadriel voice] You have passed the test. You are pardoned. [/voice]

Damn fine groveling that!

I'm tempted to enumerate Mrs Mac's Tolkien related books, but suffice it to say that in addition to other tomes, she still has her original copies that she bought when she was 12!

Also, while ROFLOLM (at the posts not the book), she managed to choke out that the Potter series was a fun read and go out and get them! (I guess that you'll have to give up some more sleep so as not to shorten the time spent on Civ!)

This Reply inspected by and approved for release by Mrs. MacUser.

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"And now for something completely different..."
- John Cleese

Oldman · August 24, 2000, 05:35

"The Lady... I'd sooner face the Balrog again, than face The Lady", Ha ha, I've just seen the irony Tolkien used there, I bet every man at one time in his life has uttered that statement before, ha ha!! Good on you Boromir!!

Sorry, Mrs MacUser, didn't mean anything derogatory to yourself, woman kind, tolkien or LOR!!!! Oh, i'm just putting my foot deeper in my mouth here aren't i!?!? if i don't stop soon i'll be in past my knee...

Oldman · August 25, 2000, 06:02

Hey There, Mr and Mrs MacUser... Have either of you guys ever read Bored of the Rings by Harvard Lampoon? DaveV just recommended it in a thread in Civ2 General it might be a good laugh, but not at Tolkien, definetely not at Tolkien, but with him...

...I'm doing that "Foot in Mouth" thing again aren't i?!?!?!