I've been wondering, will Corporations in BTS have historical names reflecting the resources they use i.e. Standard Oil. It would seem to make sense considering the game draws so much from historical references. The only thing I see getting in the way is that so many "historic" corporations still exist in the present world. I know leaders need to be "long dead", so what about corporations?

They have to be careful. Many classic business names are still registered trademarks (so there won't be an International Business Machines, and I'm pretty sure Mobilexxon still owns the registered trademark for Standard Oil)

My guess is that the names will be generic ("Oil Corp." "Corn Corp.") to prevent infringement.

They could probably put Enron in there.

There is no way they are going to to use real names, just image how much it would cost firaxis to be able to do so.

All Firaxis would have to do is auction off the naming rights like professional sports does for stadiums...

It's an advertisement for the company everytime the game is played.

Maybe VOC and EIC ( respectively the dutch and the english eastern Indies companies ) could be there. Both, in their peak, were more powerful than many countries, and sometimes they were even more powerful than they own ( de jure ) governements.

They will probabaly be CUstom Named, you can name them =)))

Don't worry, if they aren't historical modders like me will soon implement real names... and maybe even civ-specific ones. ;)

I do actually think they will be real names. And I expect to see the Civilization franchise implemented some way. :D

As it is advertisement, I don't think they will have problems with real names. It will even be a competition (MacDonalds or Burgerking with Cow ressource benefits as an arbitrary example).

I definitely vote for flavour, meaning for real historical names...

mick

It will even be a competition (MacDonalds or Burgerking with Cow ressource benefits as an arbitrary example).

McDonalds: Consumes Cows, Pigs, provides 5 unhealthiness :D

They should be real. You said they had to be long dead, but I have heard some speculation that they will simply be a separate set of religions, and Christianity is not long dead. It is the world's largest religion.

I wouldn't be surprised to see "Dutch East India Company" and the like turn up...

Very old companies (like the East India Companies) are likely to show up. Defunct companies, too.

Hmm. What about a Merchant's Guild? :p

I rather hope they're generic. If they aren't, the game would be reduced to a walking advertisement (like that Sims 2 H&M Fashion Stuff pack :cringe:).

Or like GranTurismo 3. They use real cars you see on the street in races. Even a PT Cruiser.

Real names, if done properly, would be a very nice addition. Generic names are just too bland, and this IS Civilization, after all. Variety's the name of the game. If the religions are real, not just region-specific as some have wanted, chances are the corporations will be, too.

I'm dying to see this:

Another civ declares war on you, and decides to nuke you. As the bombers are on their way, you warn the opposing leader: "Okay, you know what's gonna happen if you don't recall those bombers back home? You're gonna have to answer to the Coca-Cola Company!"

:D

Real names, if done properly, would be a very nice addition. Generic names are just too bland, and this IS Civilization, after all. Variety's the name of the game. If the religions are real, not just region-specific as some have wanted, chances are the corporations will be, too.

Yes, but the difference between corporations and religions is that religions aren't trying to sell you anything (TV evangelism and Scientology excepted, of course). Messages like "You have founded the Coca-Cola company. The Coke Side Of LifeTM" would muck up the atmosphere of the game and alienate fans to boot.

(1000 posts! :woohoo:)

I seriously doubt the developers would go that far. But even if they go the other extreme and use bland names, like I said there will be modders, myself included, who'll do it the proper way. :king:

BTW, the Coca-Cola bit was just a Dr. Strangelove reference.

what about Custom Names? I am sure it will be custom becuase it is eaiser that way and you can have your own "Coca-Cola"

That would be good for the human. Problem is, how does one get the AI to do it?

Same as cities, there is a default name and you can change it. AI takes default. I could use all of the fake TV names like "Moca Cola" and "Yatsubishi" for corporations. :lol: :clap:

They should be real. You said they had to be long dead, but I have heard some speculation that they will simply be a separate set of religions, and Christianity is not long dead. It is the world's largest religion.



Yes, Christianity has only been dead since 1886 when Nietzsche said so. :p

Yes, Christianity has only been dead since 1886 when Nietzsche said so. :p

"God is dead."--Nietzsche

"Nietzsche is dead."--God

I am sure they will go the Galciv route..Though they will be a little more creative than "mitrosoft", etc. Isn't that hard to come of with fake names if you try.

"God is dead."--Nietzsche

"Nietzsche is dead."--God

"Nietzsche is God" –- Foucault.

"No he is not." -- God
"Foucault is weird" -- Nietzsche
"I know." -- Foucault
"What is Galciv?" -- ggganz

"Foucault of you." -- Foucault

Everything is run by Disney, so they'll all be named Disney. :O

Hmmm... I hope that if generic corporate names are implemented, we could rename the corps we (as players) create - that could even be fun for us too :p

It all depends upon the details of corp feature developed by Firaxis... Can't wait for July/August!

I would prefer to be able to name your company but have some fake (or real) corprate names as a default, as with cities.

The General Mills Corp. is an announced corporation, so this means historical names are in.

Historical names and mods could be interesting. The civ that headquarters Microsoft cannot build the Internet wonder because it keeps crashing. :lol:

The civ which hosts Standard Oil cannot build the 3-Gorges dam because hydroelectricity is not permited by its lobbyists.

There have got to be a lot more like this.

Vivendi Universal - uses hit singles

Catherine: -1 You sued me for downloading mp3s.
Genghis Khan: -1 You sued me for downloading mp3s.
Washington: -1 You sued me for downloading mp3s.
Mao: -1 You sued me for downloading mp3s.
Mehmet: -1 You sued me for downloading mp3s.
Cyrus: -1 You sued me for downloading mp3s.
and on and on

McDonalds: +10 :yuck: in all cities. France declares war on you.

They could use the name of the city where the corporation is created.
"Paris Steel Corporation" or something
Though I think still there could be problems with existing corporations.

Very old companies (like the East India Companies) are likely to show up. Defunct companies, too.

East India Company? So you mean BTS adds opium as a new resource?:eek:

East India Company? So you mean BTS adds opium as a new resource?:eek:

The number of happy faces opium would produce would be unbalancing. :lol:

The east indian company didn't just do opium, but tea, spices and silk. I would see the EIC giving extra commerce in exchange for those resources.

Use quasi fake names like the GTA series. They have fake companies that most people can figure out what the real company is.

The game is already ridiculous enough with Caesar offering you a salad, Montezuma offering up warriors for sacrifice when he meets you, and Catherine...offering something else. Somebody started another thread called "sillyness in the game" and I could only see take-off names as an addition to that.

Roca-Cola Co. - health penalty but happiness bonus from sugar
Philip Morris - new tobacco resource yields -88% commerce after ecology ("You addicted us!" +10 :mad:)
BallMart - extra commerce bonus if you're playing as the Incans
Microhard - immediately crashes the game if you're playing on a Mac

We already know the General Mills Co. will be in the game, so the debate on historicity is practically settled. All that remains now is whether there will be an option to customize your own names.

The east indian company didn't just do opium, but tea, spices and silk. I would see the EIC giving extra commerce in exchange for those resources.

The East India Company also apparently negotiated with pirates for control of Davey Jones' heart.

The game is already ridiculous enough with Caesar offering you a salad, Montezuma offering up warriors for sacrifice when he meets you, and Catherine...offering something else. Somebody started another thread called "sillyness in the game" and I could only see take-off names as an addition to that.

Silly or not, I like it :lol:

The east indian company didn't just do opium, but tea, spices and silk. I would see the EIC giving extra commerce in exchange for those resources.

That's certainly true, but EIC was MOST famous for opium. There was even a war started by their opium trade. It's just like whenever people mention MacDonald they will mention their big cheese burgars, not their salads.

The standard oil effect is WAY overpowered.

The first consideration, I believe, is gameplay fun. Will the effect make interesting strategic decisions?

I believe they will draw a very fine line, in that they'll only use companies with such a deep historical impact that they're worthy of mention; just something a lot beyond the trademark. Historical names have already been used in naming great merchants: nobody complains when Morgan Stanley shows up, even though that name still exists today. Neither does Michael Jackson as great artist: he's not just a pop singer anymore.

Companies that I'm speculating:
- The Hudson Bay Company: uses fur
- VOC: spices
- DuPont: oil for plastics, increased ... health ??
- East India Trading Company: Sugar.
- Virginia company: large commerce for slaves :eek:

East India Company? So you mean BTS adds opium as a new resource?:eek:

The importance of opium certainly would be historically accurate.