How did you get into Civ (and what we can expect for Civ3)?

[Steve Clark]

In reading several other threads regarding how we will be getting into Civ3, I thought of this which I’m not sure if it’s going to work.

I was thinking about how I got into Civ2 (which was later than most) and how it might apply to Civ3. Basically, can you share your experience of how you got into playing your first Civ game (whether it be Civ1, Civ2, SMAC, CtP)? Maybe we can draw some parallels to Civ3 or perhaps waste more time as we wait for Civ3.

Here’s my Civ2 experience…

My first civ game was Civ2 MGE purchased in March 1999. As I do with all strategy games, I went through the tutorial first. Following that, here’s the list of all of the Civ2 games that have played (yes, I keep a detailed log of everything)…

1. Chieftain, random-normal map, bloodlust
2. Prince, US (b_dawn) map, bloodlust
3. King, “War for Independence” scenario
4. King, world_large map, bloodlust
5. Emperor, “Age of Discovery” scenario
6. Emperor, random-normal map, AC
7. Emperor, my detailed NYSTATE map, bloodlust
8. Emperor, “Civil War” scenario
9. Emperor, world_small map, bloodlust
10. Deity, random_small, OCC
11. Deity, “Seeds of Greatness” scenario
12. Deity, “Third Reich” scenario
13. Deity, NYSTATE map, AC
14. Emperor, “World of Jules Verne” scenario
15. Deity, NYSTATE map, bloodlust
16. Emperor, “Nemo’s Civil War” scenario
17. Deity, custom “Revolutionary War” scenario
18. Deity, 4-whales map, OCC
19. Deity, Eastern US map, AC

All of these games were played with 7 civs and most of them, I won. In 2 ½ years, I have only played these 19 games. The reason is that each of these games took about 30 hours to complete. I can only play 2 hours/night and 14 hours/week on the average. In 2 ½ years, that meant that nearly one-third of my gaming time was playing Civ2. Also, you will notice my love for scenarios, custom maps and challenge games (like OCC). I expect Civ3 to follow the same pattern, but perhaps getting into Deity sooner because unlike then, I am now very familiar with the Civ model. But I’ll be content with playing the different winning variations until some good scenarios come along.

[LarryLard]

>> can you share your experience of how you got into playing your first Civ game (whether it be Civ1, Civ2, SMAC, CtP)?

You missed one My first Civ game was a board game...

[Earthling7]

I don't keep a log of my games, but I have written about how I got into Sid Meier games. Here goes...

1991 - The first SM game I played was Pirates! I was in this shop and had to chose between that and Civ. Due to sys req, Civ was quickly ruled out, but I did make a mental note. I played Pirates! for months, and since then I have known the Carribean by name. Games do educate My longest session was from 4PM to 9AM, the morning after.

1992 - A friend aquired a demo of Civ for Atari. We studied it and played millions of times, but frustratingly ending the game at 1AD. When he finally bought it, I strengthened our friendship and spent countless hours in front of his Atari. I bought a singing-dancing 486 in 1994, and Civilization/Railroad Tycoon was the first title I bought. Again, I spent hundreds of hours playing both titles, Civ being the favourite.
There was Pirates Gold as well, not a Sid game, and gameplay nowhere near the original.

1995 - I think it was 95 when I got that card game. I didn't like it and gave it to a relative that is into that.

1996 - Civilization II arrives! I bought it on the day of release. As a matter of fact, that friend of Atari fame (now into Mac) came along. He cursed the fact that it was only on PC, but learnd to live with the fact. My place was the place to be, this time.

1998 - Gettisburg. It was OK, but I shelved it after two or three incompleted games.

2000 - For some reason, I didn't buy SMAC as it came out. However, as I was going home from work, I picked it up at half price at the station. It's good, better than the CtP clones, but I never really got into it. I guess I'm too much of a realist. I want to play on Earth.

2001 - Civilization III. I am ready

[Your.Master]

I started with Civ II original...no fancy MP stuff then...I forget the year, but let's say I was nine then, so you can be contemptible about me then-intelligence.

I was really into computer games, and we had a new 486 66Mhz (upgrade from a Commodore 128(!)), so I wanted a game. This would be the first game I'd chosen for myself. Well, at the time, my experience with games was limited. Myst was suggested at me, and SimCity. I chose SimCity. We went to the store, no SimCity. The guy at the store told us another store to go to, but also recommended Civ2 as a far superior (and more expensive...working by commision ) product. When he said it was educational, my Dad was sold (I hate -real- educational games. CivII is just educational as a bi-product: that's good!). After some deliberation, I decided I'd try this game instead of SimCity.

Am I ever glad. I later got Myst and enjoyed it, but SimCity is one of those games that can only be fun for a very short period of time. Three hours straight will burn off your will to play that game completely, IMO.

So, basically, I got into Civ because I couldn't find SimCity immediately, and it was a close second choice (!!!).

Trust me, now I'm a gamer and know what games I like:
Strategy (both turn-based and real time), Adventure, and RPG all the way! Thinking games are for me.

[Adagio]

I startet playing Civ1 in 1994 (to the amiga) I think, it was my older brother who convinced me to try out the game...from that day I was "paralyzed", I just had to play it....over and over again... (I didn't log my games...that'll make about a million games )

Civ 2 I got for christmas the same as I bought my first PC, that was in 1997 as far as I remember)...If I had to count the number of games played there I would properly arrive at 2+ millions

And civ3 I get as a christmas present (I hope ) in 2001...I believe I'll at least play 3 million games of that one

[BLackraven42]

Well, my first game was at a library. They had the original civ and civ2 on their computers so I gave it a try and couldnt stop playing. (Have civ3 LE preordered!!)

[Stuie]

I went to a computer show back in 1992 even though there was a foot and a half of snow on the ground. Everyone thought I was crazy for going out, but hey, some of the vendors were there so why not? I bought my very first computer and.... CIVILIZATION!

My wife and I spent the next few days snowed in playing Civ to death. I probably played 19 games in that first weekend!!

[TechWins]

About a year ago I was looking for a PC game to buy. The only PC game I had bought previosly was Sim City 3000. I looked at some reviews of games and came to the conclusion I would either buy Civ2(I had no idea what was so good about the MGE) or Shogun: Total War. When I went down to Best Buy I saw Shogun: Total War for $20 and was going to buy that. Then my dad found Civ2 on the shelf for $15. I was then torn between the two game in which to buy. My dad convinced me to buy Civ2 (only because it was cheaper). The first night I got Civ2 (Saturday) I only played it for a little while. The next day I got hooked and the rest is all a blur of Civ playing. To this day I still haven't bought Shogun: Total War and I don't care too. I would have to say I'm very lucky that I bought Civ2 instead of Shogun.

[rockville]

In 1994 I was back at college and ran into an old friend of mine. He invited me to his apartment and showed me Civ I on his state-of-the-art Mac Quadra. From that point on, I was at his apartment WAY more than mine, and we took shifts playing Civ or watching the other person play Civ. Beer may have also been involved... I still wonder that I graduated.

In 1996 I was in Prague and picked up an old copy of Civ I for my new (to me) 486 SX 25. A few weeks later I was in an EB and saw Civ II! I had no idea that they were even making a sequel.

Both games completely overwhelmed me. I've never spent half the time on any other game than I did on Civ I and II. I've never stayed up until dawn for any other game.

I stumbled on Apolyton right before CTP came out. I've been hooked into the hype machine ever since. Highlight: sitting in my apartment on Christmas Day downloading the SMAC demo.

I've been reading a lot about Civ III, and I'm eager to get my hands on a copy next week (sorry, you folks on the continent). But I'm much more jaded now. I think I'll find some things I like, and some that I won't. I don't anticipate staying up all night. But if it can bring back a little of the rush of playing Civ I and II, it'll be more than worth the $50...

[TubalCain]

I was playing Avalon Hill's board game Civilization since the late 70's, and Advanced Civilization after that. (Yeah, I'm an old codger). I was also seriously addicted to Railroad Tycoon on my Atari ST in the late 80's. I discovered Sid Meier's Civilization the first weekend of June, 1992, when I was visiting my old college fraternity for a friend's wedding. Some of the current students were playing Civ; from the moment I saw the screen, I was hooked. Four weeks later I sold my ST and bought a PC. Guess why.

[JohnDavid]

My Civilization experience goes back to the Civilization board game. I played that back in my college days in the early 80's. I still have a copy, although it is never played anymore. The board game would take almost all night to play with my friends.

I purchased my first copy of Sid's Civilization series back in December 1991. It was DOS based and I played it on a 386 20Mhz PC with a 40MB hard drive. Since then I've bought almost every update or add-on that came out. Civ Net, Civ2, Civ2 multi-player, Test of Time and the scenarios also.

I couldn't tell you how many Civ games I have played in the past 10 years, but I would estimate at least 150. It is the one game that I can come back to and replay over and over again.

[Zizka]

For me It was an eye opener. I've always had computer (Commy 20/64) moved to Atari ST.

Then I started university. A friend I met in second year had PC and he had Civ 1 on his machine (1993?). He played a game for me and had to leave for a classes(we were in REZ) and told me i could stick around and play.

Well to make long story short.. that was 10 am. When he got back at about 6 pm i was still playing 5th game with my GF, her roomie, all hunched over the PC.. he couldnt kick us out until 10. (we went without a meal)

AFter that year i wowed to buy a PC with my next summer $$(which i did -- a bargain basement 486).. just to play civ. From then on others were hooked (my cousin, my GF's brother and cousin, several pals of mine).

Then Came civ II.. i actually missed 3 straight days worth of class in year 4 (1996). same story LOL

I also played Colonization -- good game lousy combat system - predictable, SMAC -- good game but not as immersive. I found CTP and CTP two to be ok and potentially good if it were not for the super sucky AI that just sat around waiting to be nuked. (The Baghdad strategy)

Gettysburg/Antienam. Same as previous poster played a few scens and shelved it.. Its a great game actually the instant action feature was nice , but ultimately repeating the same battle over and over and over loses its lustre

Civ3 - all bright-eyed and bushy tailed

Nuff said

Z

[Simpleton]

I first found out about Civ courtesy of a friend. He was big into pirating and selling games and had thousands of disks. He would often let me pick games I wanted for free so one day I was going through and I found a disk labelled Civilization and the rest is history.
When Civ2 came out I bought it STAT.
When Civ3 comes out I'll buy it STAT even though I can't play it yet.

[Sava]

I started with Civ I in 1991. I bought Civ II the day it came out. And I've got a copy of Civ III waiting for me Oct 31st.

I got into SMAC early in 2000. It was fun, but not quite as addictive. I've played lots of CTP and CTP2, but the game seems to take longer to play. I found a version of Colonization on the internet in '97. Other than RR Tycoon 2, I haven't played any other Sid games. From '95 to present I've probably played close to 2000 hours of Civ II, and I haven't gotten sick of the series yet.

[Pods]

I first played around 1993/94 when at a friend's place. He was the friend with the cool computers (a Mac and a PC!) and all the great games. We played that old Star Trek Interplay title for a while, and then one day he showed me a game called Civilization. He gave me the jist - empire building but while researching your technology and everything - and I tried it out, and I liked it, it seemed good. At that time my family didn't have a computer of our own (except an old Atari, which was and is a great games machine, but didn't have Civ), although my Dad has a work laptop which I begged him to bring home every night. I installed Civilization on that and was hooked.

Civilization II is a bit more blurry... basically I knew it had come out at some point, and played it on my old Mac laptop, at friend's places and the such. I never had the kind of time with Civ2 as I did with Civ, though, despite liking it just as much.

I played a demo of Alpha Centauri and basically felt that it was cool, and that it patched alot of the holes of Civ2. But I just couldn't get into it - from designing your own (polygonal - ick) units, to the weird technologies that were not immediately obvious, to the fact that it was set on a red and brown planet, just didn't jive. As someone else said earlier, I'm a realist. I liked the feeling of Civ and Civ2 that I was leading the world, through history. The science fiction stuff was interesting, but not my bag. Another thing about Alpha Centauri that I didn't like were the faction-specific attitudes of the factions. When there was the first talk of Civ-specific abilities and units in Civ3, I was worried, though now I realise that it's not the attitudes that are specific, rather some abilities and units. I think that may well work better, so I'll definitely give it a shot, and if I don't like it, I seem to remember reading that it's optional.

Anyway, Civilization III is coming and - Mac owner that I am - I have to watch you all play for three months before I can play it. That's ok though, as I need to get a new laptop (with 1024x768 resolution!) before I can play Civ3. And my God, I am looking forward to it!



S.

[Grumbold]

I'm another one who got into Civ via the boardgame (not that there is more than a passing resemblance) and many years of military board games and computer games. Civ 1 just seemed like just another game. Needless to say I and my friends were hooked almost immediately and I've bought all the Civ-like products since. The only one that I ditched quickly was SMAC because I hated the rigid insistence of sentient-planet-with -mindworms environment. Had that been only one of a few different "planet"s (or the fungus stuff could be switched off) then I would have played it far more.

[fanatic civver]

I first saw civ in an amiga games mag. It didnt get a great review but I loved the concept as soon as I read it. When I got my pirated copy I was hooked for ages, although having to swap 4 disks was a pain.

When I got my first pc (a 486) civ was the first game I bought because I felt guilty about playing it so many times with a pirated copy

I bought civ 2 and smac but neither of them came close to the fun in the days of civ 1. I doubt civ 3 will come close either but it will still be an enjoyable game.

[HalfLotus]

I bought CIV2 MGE about six months ago, and I play every friggin' day. I had bought Black & White, Half-LIfe, SimCity 3000, and a few other games in the past year. I only play Civ2 now, and I learn something new every time I play. I feel like I haven't played enough to graduate to Civ3.

[Falconius]

Back in ancient times, before everyone had a pc, I was a big fan of board games. One day, me and a friend were browsing in a hobby shop looking for a new game. We decided on Avalon Hill's Civilization. We were both very broke, so we split the cost. Similarities with the computer game: you played an ancient civ, researched advances, and population growth was based on the food supply-- not much other than that

A few years later, I bought my first computer, a Commodore, along with the game, "Empire." (Civ I is basically a combination of Empire and the Civ board game, which is why I bring it up). The units and graphics were very basic, and you went about conquering cities. Cities produced units, but nothing else. Cool game for its time.

In 1991, I bought an IBM 286 and Civ. I thought it was the coolest thing ever! I remember the thrill I got after I built my first road, and then had a chariot move along it. I thought it was so cool that the roads actually worked!

In 1995, I actually bought a new computer just so I could play Civ II.

Can't wait for Civ III!

[Akaoz]

"Empire"!!! Damn, I played that thing to death! Awesome game.

Ah, the old days of C64 and Amstrad... Hehe, I played Civ1 for the first time at a role-playing 'Con back in what? '92?

I guess games like: Pirates!, Civ1, SimCity, RR Tycon, Empire, Ports of Call, Panzer General (1), and Wolfenstein, all defined my early gaming years.

Now if only they could bring the AI up to par with the graphics, then I wouldn't need to bring my friends over for Board games and table-top games (I play Third Reich, Epic, Europe, The World at War etc.)

-Alech

PS: Cool thread. A real walk down memory lane. I even caught my girl friend musing over it...

[FrostyBoy]

I was at my cousins, and I saw my cousin playing some game on his computer, and I asked my uncle "what's that he's playing?" and he said it's civilization, the greatest game!
and I think I said something like "yeah??" and so I managed to get a copy of civ, went home, and played it, I was soo involved with the game, that I did not go to sleep till about 3am in the morning, and that was probably the very first time I stayed up that long, (I was only 10!)

My first game I was Greek. memories...

I didn't have the net or buy magz, so I only found out about civ2 when I saw it on the shelves at a gamestore, which is SUCH A HUGE SURPRISE, I really wish I didnt know civ3 was being made

hopefully I'll get the same surprise again if civ4 arrives