Computer Gaming World CIVIII preview - Page 5

Chronus · April 3, 2001, 01:00

DAN QUOTE: "Our goal has always been quality and not quantity."

GOOD! Please keep it that way.

One of the most annoying arguments in the CTP2 fiasco was that everybody and their mother wanted THEIR country represented in the game. They would then rattle on about just HOW IMPORTANT their country was to the history of the world and just HOW TERRIBLE this earth would be if wasn't for the contributions of THEIR BLESSED COUNTRY!

Sorry for the hard-nosed stance but . . . please give me a break.

And to be a good sport, I'll gladly volunteer my home country, the U.S. of A, to NOT be represented in Civ III. I very rarely play the Americans anyway. Before you hurl the tomatos, keep in mind that Dan did mention the ability to customize our own civs. Even now, in Civ II, we can do that.

Lung · April 3, 2001, 01:39

Perhaps i've read too many Asterix comics, but i thought Caesar's hair was a bit lighter. And besides, why does he look like a goddamned Romulan?

Oh, and the last is definitely Elizabeth I. The second last is obviously Joan of Arc, but in this pic she looks a little bit like the actress Julianne Moore, albeit a little chubby

Lawrence of Arabia · April 3, 2001, 15:08

Its not Julius. ithink that its Alexandre the Great. juluis Caesar would have laurels above his head.

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Its okay to smile; you're in America now

Roman · April 4, 2001, 13:19

quote:

16 leaders? Not so many, if Firaxis isn't ready to add some monthly, downloadable for free on its site.

That does not concern me in the slightest. In fact, I would be very encouraged by this if I knew that we can play with all 16 of these civs (or at least 15 + barbarians) at the same time in one game. Unfortunately, this is uncertain at best.

Fintilgin · April 4, 2001, 14:02

My major desire with the leaders is to be able to have more then seven or eight playing at once as well. Sixteen is a preaty good number if you can play them all at once.

Plus, hey, we got an addon to SMAC, we may well see an addon to Civ3, with new units, civilizations, buildings, technologies etc etc. In fact, I suspect Firaxis would be mad not to do this, as it would practically be printing money.

Y'know `Civilization 3: Great Empires', or something.

Joe

Eli · April 4, 2001, 16:28

Unless Israel in some version of it added to the game I'm not going to buy it.

HisMajestyBOB · April 4, 2001, 18:35

A long long time ago (at least Dec or Jan) I saw something on the Apolyton Civ3 site about the idea of minor civs making it into the game. Anyone know anthing new about this idea?

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Long live the King!
[This message has been edited by HisMajestyBOB (edited April 04, 2001).]

Adm.Naismith · April 5, 2001, 03:51

Minor Civ presence was announced by Sid Meier himself, on a post/interview.
Of course they must have a special role into the game, to avoid them to become "sitting ducks" prey for any conqueror Civ, i.e. you must have some advantage to keep them as allied or puppet state, more than assimilating itno your empire.

I supposed they'll replace Civ 2 hut/SMAC pod (for trade, tribute, free tech, diplomatic treat) and barbarians on the map (no more coming from nowhere but as regular troops/mercenaries of minor civ).

But CGW preview speak about barbarians still in game, with an added "tent village" base you can attack to repel them outside your border.

Now I'm confused a bit

I still suppose Minor Civ will replace at least the old silly huts, to add more interaction to the old "treasure hunt".
I don't think we'll have real diplomacy: Firaxis defined only 14 leaders for full diplomatic table, so I suppose that they decided to use an "anonymous" diplomat/trader to represent any minor civ (low probability) or reduce interaction to very few choices/offers.

I really hope they don't keep the "random gift" model of old huts/pod under a new name

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Admiral Naismith AKA mcostant

Steve Clark · April 5, 2001, 11:39

quote:

Originally posted by Dan Magaha FIRAXIS on 04-03-2001 12:14 AM
Our goal has always been quality and not quantity. We're putting a lot of effort into the default set of civilizations and units, but we fully expect that players will be able to create whatever civs, units, scenarios, or whatever else they wanted that we just don't have time to create.

'Nuf said. Quit whining about what's there or not there.

I fully anticipate that after playing it through once, I'll be playing with custom modpacks and scenarios (downloaded from Apolyton!) from then on out.

ASHBERY76 · April 5, 2001, 13:56

I cant believe they have put joan of arc instead of napoleon.
BOOO.

Father Beast · April 9, 2001, 01:51

quote:

Originally posted by Eli on 04-04-2001 04:28 PM
Unless Israel in some version of it added to the game I'm not going to buy it.

If they could have the "Wise Pandas", I don't see why you couldn't have Israel.

Wazell · April 9, 2001, 06:43

Because Wise Pandas have been more important in the history of civilization than some desert country.

Adm.Naismith · April 9, 2001, 08:00

ROTFL,
BTW how many citizen has Finland, near its thousand lakes?

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Admiral Naismith AKA mcostant

Fintilgin · April 9, 2001, 11:32

Yeah, I'm going to miss Napoleon. Maybe they still have a male and female leader for each country though. Probably not, but they just might.

We can always hope that's not Joan of Arc.

I'm hoping Japan is in there, as I'd like to see more non-Euro/American countries. But if it isn't, maybe it'll be added in the expansion back or by some talented mod-team.

Joe

Roman · April 9, 2001, 19:17

quote:

Originally posted by Fintilgin on 04-09-2001 11:32 AM
Yeah, I'm going to miss Napoleon. Maybe they still have a male and female leader for each country though.
Joe

The mere thought of this notion leaves me petrified. It has been stated that there are 16 leaders altogether. If they have a male and female leader for every country it means that there are only 8 civilizations. In itself this wouldn't be a problem, nut it also suggests that most likely we will only be able to play with 8 civilizations in one game. Nooooooo!!!!!

But I am sure that is not the case.

Imran Siddiqui · April 9, 2001, 20:48

drool, drool, drool... especially resources... drool.

quote:

Unless Israel in some version of it added to the game I'm not going to buy it.

*Points and laughs* HAW HAW! Don't buy it then, dumb Israeli!

Bereta_Eder · April 9, 2001, 21:34

quote:

Originally posted by Lawrence of Arabia on 04-03-2001 03:08 PM
Its not Julius. ithink that its Alexandre the Great. juluis Caesar would have laurels above his head.

And when did Alexander The Great get a haircut?

His style (sic!) was always long hair, that was actaully one of his most known characteristics. That's how I remember him and believe me if you've attented a greek school then you've seen a lot of Alexander's portraits

I'm trying to find out wheather the thing behind him is a greek vase.

Anyway he looks roman to me

and he also looks constipated.

Bereta_Eder · April 9, 2001, 21:39

If not roman, then Phoenician? but I'm just guessing here. But he certaintly does not look like Alexander.

Wazell · April 11, 2001, 10:43

Stop guessing, please. It's good old Julius, it is. And could one of the ladies be Catherine the Great of Russians? She's probably in the game, because they'll need some female leaders and she's much less controversial than any of Russian male despots.

Hey Admiral, only five million. But, like Dan says, it's quality, not quantity that matters. Though I don't think Finns are one of the top 16 civs in history, honestly.

Adm.Naismith · April 11, 2001, 11:05

I seem to remember you did pretty well in battle around last World War, didn't you? So you were at least pretty good warriors.

And yes, quality matters, but I don't think that Indian and Chinese are ready to agree

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Admiral Naismith AKA mcostant

Bereta_Eder · April 11, 2001, 15:40

quote:

Originally posted by Wazell on 04-11-2001 10:43 AM
And could one of the ladies be Catherine the Great of Russians? She's probably in the game, because they'll need some female leaders and she's much less controversial than any of Russian male despots.

And who's guessing now heh? Wise little Panta

Wazell · April 12, 2001, 06:12

I may be Wise, but I'm no Panda.

tniem · April 13, 2001, 14:24

A couple of elements of the article that I haven't seen any comments on:

quote:

Interestingly, the design team is avoiding the usage of cut-scenes and full-motion video as much as possible, which is a good thing. By the third time you've seen these clips—and in this type of game you see them a lot more than three times—you want to hit the Escape key. The designers know that cut scenes get old because they all played Civilization. For the artists and graphic designers on the project, Civ is not an abstract notion. It's an incredibly tangible experience. Given Sid Meier's attachment to playtesting, could it be any other way?

Nice to hear. For some reason reading this I have the notion that there will still be something when you build a wonder. Some time of computer generated building sequence and celebration in your home city. Just a thought.

quote:

Depending on how the idea comes through in playtesting, the design team is also toying with allowing Great Artists, Explorers, and Scientists to be born out of cities leading in each category.

I find it essential that if there are great leaders in the military side of things that these leaders also be implemented into the rest of the game.

quote:

Ditto for the special units in the game. The American F-16 or the Roman Legion may have special powers, but not if Firaxis feels it unbalances the game.

I want to hear more before I comment on this. What do you think?

Fiera · April 13, 2001, 14:34

quote:

Originally posted by paiktis22 on 04-09-2001 09:39 PM
If not roman, then Phoenician? but I'm just guessing here. But he certaintly does not look like Alexander.

I think he's Justinian, the Byzantine emperor.

Bereta_Eder · April 14, 2001, 00:33

quote:

Originally posted by Wazell on 04-12-2001 06:12 AM
I may be Wise, but I'm no Panda.

Lol