On Crappy PC Games selection (at least, until October - like usual)

[Rodent]

PC games I'm looking forward to are Civ 4, X3 and Spore. Of the three I am really most interested in Spore, because I'm still not sure what to expect.

[MrHat]

Day of Defeat: Source comes out this month also.

[Yegolev]

EDIT: Going against my better judgement, I downloaded FreeCiv, and played for about 3 minutes.

Unintuitive interfaces for the lose.

Disregarding the fact that you like nothing.... Being an AIX specialist, I love the configuration settings interface; it's intuitive and easy to use for someone like me.  Not so for most people, I'm sure, and I'm not recommending the game so much as rendering my pointless opinion.  It does have hex maps, if you are into that.  I consider it a bonus that it's graphical, but I'm just weird like that.  freeciv is so Linuxy you can smell the Torvalds.

Disclaimer: I do not endorse Linux in any way.

[Shockeye]

2K GAMES LAUNCHES SID MEIER'S CIVILIZATION IV PRE-ORDER PROGRAM

– Pre-Order Edition to Feature a Wealth of Additional Items at no Additional Cost –

New York, NY – September 8, 2005 – 2K Games, a publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ: TTWO), and FIRAXIS Games, world renowned video game developer, today announced the Sid Meier's Civilization IV pre-order program. Customers who pre-order Sid Meier's Civilization IV at participating retailers in North America will receive the Pre-Order Edition of the game at no additional cost.

Shipping on the same day as the regular version of the game, the Sid Meier's Civilization IV Pre-Order Edition will feature: collector's packaging, a CD soundtrack of the game, a keyboard template, a tech tree map and a spiral bound version of the manual. The Pre-Order Edition will be offered through participating retailers while supplies last.

The fourth game in the PC strategy series that has sold more than five million units, Sid Meier's Civilization IV is a bold step forward for the franchise featuring spectacular new 3D graphics and all-new single and multiplayer content.

Sid Meier's Civilization IV will be released this October for PC. For more information please visit www.2kgames.com.

[WayAbvPar]

keyboard template, a tech tree map and a spiral bound version of the manual.

Good stuff. Spiral bound manuals are luv. Off to ebgames.com to preorder I guess.

[Merusk]

Yeah, ditto.  I missed the tech tree map in Civ3 after I had hung the Civ2 one on the wall.  Plus the book wasn't as friendly as the Civ2 book for some reason.. spiral-bound game manuals are luv.

Edit: No preorder stuff at EB yet.. then again it was announced today.  But I did find some interesting stuff. here is an interview that was posted at EBgaems around the 20th of last month.. it enlightened me to a few really different changes (No more 'wonder switching' when you're beaten by the PC, no more 'settler spamming 4tw') I didn't know about.  THere was also this gem under 'player previews'

TURN-BASED?
"I love RTS games but i really dont like turn based. The major turn off i had with Civ 3 was when it was the comps turn it showed every move every one of the chars made and it took near 20 mins. If its turn based ill doubt ill get it.

Go back to school, little jimmy, this game's not for you.

[WayAbvPar]

No preorder stuff at EB yet..

Yeah, I noticed that. I preordered anyway. I will check back with their CS department later to make sure I get the cool kid's pack.

[Evangolis]

Being an AIX specialist, I love the configuration settings interface; it's intuitive and easy to use for someone like me.

I've got some experience with AIX, and while I am comfortable with it, still your statement fills me with a nameless dread.

[stray]

Doesn't it just use CDE? What's so special about it?

[Yegolev]

That nameless dread is probably my disgust at Linux intruding on the corporate space.  Seriously, though, the interface looks exactly like any free X11 app, so it's not really as bad as I made it sound for the mouse-jockeys.  It just has an enormous amount of options and isn't exactly something that works like your normal commercial game.

[Sky]

Freeciv isn't linux-only. I played on OSX, actually (via x11).

You talk about the "single, precious oil" and I wanted to point out that we have taken great pains to balance the tech tree, resources, and what you can produce in such a way that none of the resources is a "magic bullet" like oil was in Civ III

I kinda liked that. Much like irl, some great wars have been started simply because they had oil.

[Yegolev]

Freeciv isn't linux-only. I played on OSX, actually (via x11).

I played the win32 version.  I don't like Linux, remember?  Looks the same I am sure, meaning it looks like the installation wizard for Tivoli Data Protector for mySAP.com v3.3.10, more or less.

Uh... I mean, "You're right."

[Sky]

I wasn't denying that it's funky for end users, I just thought there was an assumption it was a linux-only app.

Just having to run the server app would stymie most winders users.

[Nazrat]

I am the Dick Cheney of Civ 3.  See oil, plot massive world war to obtain oil.  Me like war.   :mrgreen:

[Toast]

Civ 4 is going to be great. Even though Civ 3 is considered disappointing, it was one of the more addictive games I have played. Here's hoping that the AI issues are ameliorated.

That's a sweet pre-order incentive. The keyboard template will be very helpful.

[Flood]

I only have the money to buy for one system right now - so I stick with PC games since my comp cost me a fair chunk o' cash.

Age of Empires 3
Civ 4
Auto Assault
D&D Online
The handful of Roman themed MMO's coming out.


I know that some of those games aren't coming out in actual "2005" but those are some I'm waiting on.  AoE 3 and Auto Assualt especially.

[Strazos]

Auto Assualt especially.

I assume you are not in the AA beta?

[Flood]

No, I am not in the AA Beta.  I may have missed it entirely due to a recent email address change from my provider, or more likely, I just didn't get in. (I'm afraid I won't get into/missed the D&D beta also)


Which is okay.  It's nice to have no preconceptions when I play a new MMO.  And unlike what seems to be most people, I like sci-fi and sci-fi theme games.  I think AO was a pretty damn good game overall.  So - I'm hopeful.