10/25/05 - Civilization IV (PC)

[schild]

Obviously I don't need to say much about this game. I won't be able to really get into it until next Sunday because I'll be covering the 3 conferences this week for f13 with Shockeye and one other dude you haven't seen much/any of - so uhm, have fun. I expect it to be a tasty revival of the strategy genre (something AOEIII didn't exactly do).

[Merusk]

EB hasn't shipped my copy yet, despite charging my card last Thursday.  The order doesn't even say 'processing' and remains stubbornly at 'open'.  I'm considering calling and getting pissy at them.

[WayAbvPar]

Of COURSE my PC had to die 2 days before Civ is released. Motherfucker. I had forgotten about it until I read this. AAAAARRRRGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

[Fabricated]

Do people still play Civilization?

[stray]

No, but I will tomorrow.

[Samwise]

What is this "Civilization" you speak of?

[El Gallo]

So, was anyone in the beta test for this?  If so, spill the goods!  I'll be running out to buy this game over lunch, but won't be able to play it much until next week :/ (in-laws are in town during the week, then heading to AC for the weekend).

Some previews I saw linked from Apolyton:

http://www.kalikokottage.com/civ3/sullla/civ4_walk_1.html

http://civfanatics.com/civ4/preview/filling_the_gap.php

The religion aspect sounds interesting, but possibly cheesable.  The new settler costs look like early expansion will be a lot harder.  I haven't been this excited about a game in a long time.

[Stormwaltz]

The new settler costs look like early expansion will be a lot harder.

This one change will make the game far easier for me. I'm what the old Civs used to refer to as a "perfectionist" - I try to maximize the development of each city, to the detriment of the sheer number of cities I own. That's why I lose so frequently, even on lower difficulties - I don't like to play the "pave the world" game, and the AI in Civ3 does as a matter of course.

EDIT: Did you notice the new race-specific units are all ground units this time? I only noticed when I thought it odd that the English got Redcoats rather than the sail Ships of the Line that dominated the world for two centuries. I'd be curious to know what the balance rationale was.

[WayAbvPar]

I read the IGN fellation of Civ IV, and that was enough to get me all fired up. I don't think I will be getting much sleep in the weeks ahead.

[Evangolis]

Would one of you early adopters set an alarm clock, and tell us if it is any good, before your life gets sucked up into the Civ Abyss?

[Toast]

I'll try and post something tonight after work. I'm a pretty casual Civ player. I'm in my cubicle right now seriously twitching to get home and play.

[Descended]

I am itching to play this, too, although it will be tomorrow night since Tuesday night is D&D night.  I've been reading reviews instead of preparing to DM (bad self, bad).

I remember doing this with Civ III, too, and then not liking it.  Fortunately, the two things I didn't like most about Civ III have been the subject of much change.  Those two things would be national borders actually meaning something significant militarily, and penalty for focusing on big cities, as mentioned by Stormwaltz.

You have the option to close borders with any other nation, without declaring war on them.  This prevents trade routes from being created between your cities and their cities, but it prevents any of their units from entering your territory (unless war is declared).  So, if you are peacefully co-existing with a neighbor whom you wish to prevent sending settlers across your territory into an area you've reserved for future expansion, you have to ways to do that without creating a high upkeep mass of units to physically wall your part of the continent off.

Infinite City Sprawl is no longer a valid tactic for several reasons.  I don't have a firm grasp on two of the reasons (something to do with a different way of producing settlers that doesn't lower your population and the need for bigger cities earlier to produce Great People who are, apparently, great), but the real killer reason is that you pay an upkeep on each of your cities that is determined by the total number of cities your control.

Oh, and games are supposed to be faster -- more automation and less cities to manager, or somat.

[Sky]

games are supposed to be faster

[Yoru]

Is this just shipping today, or is it actually available at retail? I may have to take a long lunch today...

[Morfiend]

Is this just shipping today, or is it actually available at retail? I may have to take a long lunch today...

Same here, except im going to try and grab it on my way home from work.

[Toast]

ARRGGHHHH.
In Austin, it apparently won't be available today. I spoke with EB Games and Fry's so far, and each one is citing a manufacturer shipping delay.

It's not fair! Don't these people realize that I'm twitching!

[stray]

Same here in San Antonio.

[Merusk]

Mine still hasn't shipped from EB games.  I are angry! Grr! Rawr!    It's the same delay, of course, but I'm anxious.

[El Gallo]

Called my local DC-area EB and they said it won't be in until tomorrow as well.  I thought it was supposed to ship yesterday and be on sale today?  I am deeply upset, and very deeply ashamed.

[Evangolis]

It's OK. El Gallo, we've all been there.

Hello. My name is Evangolis, and I'm a gamer.

[Yoru]

Dropped by my local EB (SoCal); they said it was supposed to arrive today but UPS hadn't delivered it yet "but it might still come before 4 PM".

I'm planning on phoning in after 4, just in case.

[Big Gulp]

EDIT: Did you notice the new race-specific units are all ground units this time? I only noticed when I thought it odd that the English got Redcoats rather than the sail Ships of the Line that dominated the world for two centuries. I'd be curious to know what the balance rationale was.

I can see the redcoats being a "race" specific unit in Civ.  Except for possibly the Prussians the Brits had the premier infantry in the world, using essentially the same equipment and tactics for two centuries.  The only real impetus for change in the British army was the Boer war when a bunch of hillbilly Dutch farmers dug in and sniped the hell out of them for a good while.  It's also probably why the Brits managed to hold their own at the beginning of WWI so well; they'd already learned the value of entrenchment the hard way.

Of course, yeah, the ship of the line is a more "characteristic" unit than the redcoat.

[El Gallo]

Maybe it is because in some games (depending on the maps and starting locations) naval combat plays little to no serious role in the game while land units are very important in every game.

[Toast]

I'm still in denial. I am calling all over town. I'm sure denial will give way to anger, and then, hopefully, acceptance.

[stray]

I bought Winter Assault to take my mind off of it (even if for one day!).

[Rodent]

I'm still in denial. I am calling all over town. I'm sure denial will give way to anger, and then, hopefully, acceptance.

See, now you're thinking like a European videogamer. Trust me, acceptance never comes.

[Toast]

What did we do to be treated like dirty Eurogamers, Sid?  I'm a by gawd american, and I demand my games on the promised day!

[Sky]

I'm still in denial. I am calling all over town. I'm sure denial will give way to anger, and then, hopefully, acceptance.

See, now you're thinking like a European videogamer. Trust me, acceptance never comes.

The reverse works the same way, though.

Try finding an english copy of the Gothic II expansion in America (two years old now). Or Silent Storm Gold (which should actually hit the US next month...a year late). Fucking Jowood.

[Merusk]

My copy is at the post office awaiting delivery... Come now mail, come! *fidgets*

[Sky]

I had my preorder sent to the store, about a half hour away.

Productivity nationwide takes a dip as people start sweating and shaking. The only comment our reporters could get was "Where's my Civ?!?"

[Toast]

Still no dice in Austin. This is rough.

[stray]

Just picked up my copy.

[El Gallo]

Have it in my dirty little hands.  There was a guy in front of me picking it up and telling the clerk about how the game has been with him all his life, I wanted to hug him.  I got the last non-reserve copy they had.  It is going to kill me sitting on this.  I don't think my work PC can handle it, but you never know...

[Toast]

Open it up and study the manual carefully. Inhale deeply to smell the box. Caress the cds. That should get you there.

[stray]

Did anyone get the special edition?

I didn't realize that was what the guy handed to me at first...Pretty nice though.