Advance Copy Review

Falconius · October 13, 2001, 22:14

This dude at this site:

www.civfanatics.com (Six or seven paragraphs down)

received an advance copy and posted a quick review.

Don't get too excited, though. The review is short and doesn't say anything new about the game. But he does give it a good review.

dainbramaged13 · October 13, 2001, 22:25

DUDE hes gonna get sued or something.. firaxis explicitly said nothing is to be released about advanced copies until the 22nd

Akron · October 13, 2001, 22:31

Interesting, but not too helpful. If I had the game, I would say something about the new resource and culture systems, other than that they exist.

Skanky Burns · October 13, 2001, 22:38

Like Akron said, the review didnt give any new info out, other than the AI is harder than Civ 2 (or the guys incompetant

)

Falconius · October 13, 2001, 22:44

I know. I really wish he'd say something like why it was so tough.

Did the AI do anything surprising? What about the game did he like best? What did he like least and why? Was there anything about the game he didn't expect?

We need a real reviewer to do a real review.

sekong · October 13, 2001, 22:46

The AI in CIV2 was even not as good as civ1. I hope civ3 will back to track as a sid game.

Shadowstrike · October 13, 2001, 23:02

Civ1 of course had other problems, especially with blatent AI cheating, and being allowed to build improvements over ocean... hehe.... I once built an ocean spannign one with a horde of settlers and sails, and it was 500 AD!

Skanky Burns · October 13, 2001, 23:13

Maybe he couldnt remember that the 'B' key is used to build a new city

Shadowstrike: Do you mean building roads on the ocean??

I did that in colonization, but using the cheat menu, didnt even bother giving my pioneers a boat to stand on

Mars · October 14, 2001, 00:01

Hey, how in the world do you get advanced copies???

(please don't call me an idiot)

Inverse Icarus · October 14, 2001, 00:03

you start a fansite.

::glares at dan and markos::

Lorizael · October 14, 2001, 00:22

Quote:

Originally posted by Mars
Hey, how in the world do you get advanced copies???

(please don't call me an idiot)

I'm sorry Mars, I just can't resist it. You know why!

You're an idiot!

But you have other qualities, like being able to take on cars (something only really large Moose can do in Maine)

Question, though, are these advanced copies full versions? Like do they include, rulebook, shiny box, etc...?

Mars · October 14, 2001, 00:27

Quote:

Question, though, are these advanced copies full versions? Like do they include, rulebook, shiny box, etc...?

From what it sounds like, yes it includes everything.
Man, i wish i had an advance copy

Skanky Burns · October 14, 2001, 06:07

Quote:

Originally posted by Mars
Man, i wish i had an advance copy

Understatement of the Century

Dont we all wish we had a copy now

MarkG · October 14, 2001, 06:35

Quote:

Originally posted by Jingo
you start a fansite.

::glares at dan and markos::

yah. then three years later you get a review copy

MarkG · October 14, 2001, 06:49

Quote:

Originally posted by Lorizael
Question, though, are these advanced copies full versions? Like do they include, rulebook, shiny box, etc...?

it depends

in the case ctp1, we got simply cd's. for ctp2 we got the full set

Nikolai · October 14, 2001, 07:25

But, is the advance copy the gold version/version to be released, or is it a kind of beta?

August Borms · October 14, 2001, 07:36

Well, the game's already gone gold. So why would they send out an older version?

Stuie · October 14, 2001, 07:37

Quote:

Originally posted by Lorizael
Question, though, are these advanced copies full versions? Like do they include, rulebook, shiny box, etc...?

According to Bob's posts over on cgonline.com, he received a cd with the manual on it in .pdf format, probably no box.

Quote:

Originally posted by NikolaiBut, is the advance copy the gold version/version to be released, or is it a kind of beta?

I'm pretty sure it's a copy of the gold version. Any decent gaming publication would refuse to review anything less. And the point really is to review it, not just play it for kicks.

MarkG · October 14, 2001, 11:24

Quote:

Originally posted by Stuie
I'm pretty sure it's a copy of the gold version. Any decent gaming publication would refuse to review anything less. And the point really is to review it, not just play it for kicks.

it's nothing but unusual for a publication to get a game in beta state and write a preview(not a review).

for civ3 though, this has not been the case. the only copies that publications have and are recieving are copies of the gold version

Inverse Icarus · October 14, 2001, 11:27

markos i would like to apply to be part of the apolyton administration. i know PHP like the back of my hand and i love all the people that come here

. i am a very positive person (yay!) and never say anything bad about anyone. multiplayer. ::nerve staple:: happy happy happy!

yea and you can just burn me a copy and stuff. you know.

Jason Beaudoin · October 14, 2001, 11:32

MarkG... did you get a copy of CIV III yet?

MarkG · October 14, 2001, 11:39

Quote:

Originally posted by Jason Beaudoin
MarkG... did you get a copy of CIV III yet?

nope, and it looks like we'll get it just a few days before the release

Lorizael · October 14, 2001, 11:50

But then you'll tell us all about it when you do get it, right?

Or is Firaxis gonna have you wait until some date to give us information?

MarkG · October 14, 2001, 12:23

Quote:

Originally posted by Lorizael
But then you'll tell us all about it when you do get it, right?

Or is Firaxis gonna have you wait until some date to give us information?

what the people from cgonline(Computer Games magazine) posted was that they couldnt post anything before the 22nd. we havent been told such thing, then again we might get our copies after the 22nd, so...

October 15, 2001, 02:17

Quote:

Originally posted by MarkG
what the people from cgonline(Computer Games magazine) posted was that they couldnt post anything before the 22nd. we havent been told such thing, then again we might get our copies after the 22nd, so...

This seems wrong to me. I mean, I would think that you guys at Apolyton, who've done so much for Firaxis through the moderation of these forums, would've been the FIRST to receive a "review" copy.

I'm saddened by this non-show of gratitude from Firaxis.

Imran Siddiqui · October 15, 2001, 02:19

bigfree.. why?

After all, this advance copy is to get reviews out early and drum up sales. Apolyton isn't a good place to do that, since most will buy it anyway.

Skanky Burns · October 15, 2001, 06:24

Quote:

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui
bigfree.. why?

After all, this advance copy is to get reviews out early and drum up sales. Apolyton isn't a good place to do that, since most will buy it anyway.

More as a 'Thankyou' to Mark et al for starting this site in the first place and drumming up sales for Firaxis already

Adm.Naismith · October 15, 2001, 06:28

Quote:

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui
After all, this advance copy is to get reviews out early and drum up sales. Apolyton isn't a good place to do that, since most will buy it anyway.

What if it's because here at Apolyton is common practice to debate a game, not only to thank God for it as a mana gift?

Apolyton can be a minefield, if not handled with care. Sometimes developers aren't strong enough to accept a fair criticism (and a bit of unfair one, probably).

What a missed opportunity! Well, strong players can wait 'till the game will be available by shops...

Blacksurf · October 15, 2001, 06:37

I thought the press weren't allowed to comment until 22/10 which is only 4 days from release anyway - its not going to drum up that much support, is it?

Grumbold · October 15, 2001, 06:46

At Apolyton we will criticise the bits that other reviews will ignore or never notice. While they are wasting (sorry, devoting) column inches to drooling over high resolution animated graphics and cool soundtracks, someone here will be switching them all off immediately and concentrating on testing ICS, OCC and other radical strategies. Even so, it CtP2 is anything to go by, the initial "oooh" factor will still last a month. The vocal fan fraternity provide a necessary service (someone needs to find the flaws that they can rectify in an expansion) but we can be a huge pain to handle.

The first review copies have to go to all the mainstream publications worldwide that will influence the sales of the game. That is only sensible. Fans have to come second for once. Lets face it, Firaxis has been giving the fansites snippets of advance information for months. We always want more, but we have been involved.