I've enjoyed vanilla civ4 for a long time now, but I'm kinda getting bored of it.

I'm looking forward to the scenarios and civs, but do the changes to the core game really affect it? Because it seems like they changed alot.

It's almost a new game, especially if you didn't play Warlords.

If you didn't get Warlods already, then BTS will be a major update. Definitely something to purchase if you're "getting bored" of civ4 vanilla.

Yeah I'm looking forward to the changes, I'm just wondering if you guys think any of the changes were bad.

I think the expansion is a strict improvement. Some people, however, hate the new espionage system and the things the AI does with it. *shrug*

Well, I don't like the espionage part too much but it's not exactly bad, I just don't use it and sometimes I'm annoyed when spies attack me. Everything else is fine and the new AI alone was worth the cost for me (after the patch 3.13 +Bhruic ironed out its worst bugs).

I don't think any of the change are bad just some of them are not as good as others. I have really liked BTS and do think it is worth the money.

and no one thinks it over complicates the end game?

For a new player it might be too complicated but if you know vanilla inside out, you should not have problems learning the new things.

Not at all. Paratroopers and Mobile Artillery make the end game much smoother. Likewise, I much more enjoy building spaceships.

I don't think it really over complicates things, it just makes them more complicated.

I went straight from vanilla to BTS and I have been pleased although I had to drop back in difficulty a bit.

allright thanks guys, ill have to pick this up

New leader, civs and units will give you new interest.
Add the Blue Marble mod and one of the ethnic mods for distinct terrain and ethnic units. :goodjob:

BTS is well worth the money, particularly if Vanilla is becoming stale.

Bhruic's patch to the 3.13 patch is worth checking out, too.

I was disappointed that the new expansion is much easier to play than the older versions, but sometimes I like that since you can experiment a little more and move up a level to boost your ego :) they took away some of the AI bonuses in BTS but the AI is still really stupid and in some ways even dumber. but it is overall a great improvement and a lot more fun

I was disappointed that the new expansion is much easier to play than the older versions, but sometimes I like that since you can experiment a little more and move up a level to boost your ego :) they took away some of the AI bonuses in BTS but the AI is still really stupid and in some ways even dumber. but it is overall a great improvement and a lot more fun

Haha in my current game Saladin marched his invading army right past my resource-happy undefended city to go straight for my capital. This gave me plenty of time to muster up troops via Slavery and move some from other cities...indeed a stupid AI move.

On the note of BTS though, it is definitely worth it. There are some minor annoyances but the bonuses far outweigh the downfalls. It's not that expensive and includes the goodies from Warlords as well, definitely a must have IMO.

Anyone know if they are planning another Civ 4 expansion and/or if Civ 5 is in the works?

Q: Any reason not to get this expansion?
A: No.

Q: Any reason not to get this expansion?
A: No.

Pretty much.

You guys forgot to mention the other stuff it includes.
Like tornadoes and volcanoes. Or getting clunker coal. Or the unseen bandits that raid your rice farm.

Plus there are micro missions. Settle near mountains, or populate islands. Even the corporations have mini missions.

Looks pretty good so far. I'm excited to play the space scenario after I finish a normal game.

The one negative is that they changed the intro music :( And the static picture isn't nearly as cool as the rotating earth.

Q: Any reason not to get the expansion
A: Yes - if you own a Mac

LOL

Cheers.

Looks pretty good so far. I'm excited to play the space scenario after I finish a normal game.

The one negative is that they changed the intro music :( And the static picture isn't nearly as cool as the rotating earth.

You can easily change that. Just go to the option menu and there you can change main menu back to the rotating earth and cool intro music.

I'm not sure I like the new space race myself... What are the chances someone will overtake you anyway? Most of the time we build all parts before anyone and send the ship... So for me the space race change has been "yay now I get to wait for 10 turns, lose points, and risk being attacked for no reason since I'm going to win in 10 turns unless I really screw up". All the rest is good though.

I'm not sure I like the new space race myself... What are the chances someone will overtake you anyway? Most of the time we build all parts before anyone and send the ship... So for me the space race change has been "yay now I get to wait for 10 turns, lose points, and risk being attacked for no reason since I'm going to win in 10 turns unless I really screw up". All the rest is good though.

If you build all the spaceship components you cannot be overtaken.

However, as soon as you launch be ready for a mass invasion. :eek:
You can delay your launch until you're ready for an all-out defense.

flanking. it blows dogs for quarters

Actually, I got BTS and Vanilla at the same time (August '07) and I took to it fine, so I don't think that it's necessary to "know Vanilla inside and out."

With the new patch, I'd say BTS is pretty damn amazing. I totally reccomend it.

Looks pretty good so far. I'm excited to play the space scenario after I finish a normal game.

The one negative is that they changed the intro music :( And the static picture isn't nearly as cool as the rotating earth.

There's an option to select the original, Warlords, or BTS opening music/scenary in the options menu. I, of course, went back to vanilla spinning globe :)

There's an option to select the original, Warlords, or BTS opening music/scenary in the options menu. I, of course, went back to vanilla spinning globe :)

First thing I did when I got it :D

The vanilla music and globe are so much more epic and civvy than Warlords or, especially, BTS opening. The BTS cinematic is better than the Warlords on IMO, but still not as good as vanilla. The first time I watched it I got chills.

flanking. it blows dogs for quarters

GFJGJH,GFOGPKRSDNGFSKRUGNSERILP;ESR. I blocked that horrible mechanic from my memory when I first posted in this topic.

Yeah, that's a really terrible, badly implemented addition.

Any reason not to get this expansion?

I've enjoyed vanilla civ4 for a long time now, but I'm kinda getting bored of it.

I'm looking forward to the scenarios and civs, but do the changes to the core game really affect it? Because it seems like they changed alot.Yeah I think the additions that BTS brought to the game sound quite nifty. It could of been great fun I think. But unfortunately these new additions are still mostly broken in my mind. And the AI is dumber than ever. I think vanilla Civ4 is superior simply because most of the features of Warlords and BTS are still buggy and/or poorly implemented. I like the idea of the new features very much and think they could have improved the game alot. I was really looking forward to them. But as far as I'm concerned they are broken enough that the game of Civ is better off without them. I don't play Any unmodded BTS. And if I get a hankering for playing standard Civ it will be Civ3.

I have warlords. So most of you believe that even taking into account all the bugs and the fact that there probably won't be another patch out (this is what I heard from some people), you recommend getting it?

There is so friqqin huge amount of new stuff in BtS, seriously :)

The only legitimate reason in my estimation not to get BtS, if you already have Civ 4 and like it, would be a lack of money.

I have warlords. So most of you believe that even taking into account all the bugs and the fact that there probably won't be another patch out (this is what I heard from some people), you recommend getting it?

The developers at Firaxis have publicly said that there will be another patch for BtS, but have given (and based upon all the harsh feedback form the community because of 3.13's delay) will not/have not given any kind of timeframe for its release.

lol can tell by the posts non of u ladies play MP.

since the catapult nerf MP is nothing but rush to feudalism or elephants. sentry nets are a thing of the past. starts after medieval era are broke because of imperial trait and starting with buildings like forge. MP has become a defenders game.

overall its good expansion. some of the mods like FF are worth playing. the tech tree has been improved. there are more tech path strategies to try to win. but its not so good of an expansion for MP play.

The developers at Firaxis have publicly said that there will be another patch for BtS, but have given (and based upon all the harsh feedback form the community because of 3.13's delay) will not/have not given any kind of timeframe for its release.

Seems that their taking a page from Blizzard's book.

Offtopic:
Hopefully they don't adopt too much of Blizzard's mantra. Blizzard, while full of incredibly talented people, really need to improve their community interaction. They get so locked into their vision that it takes massive amounts of, well, whining to change that vision. It's also against their policy to take any suggestions from the community, I read the legal jargon once, something that I think Firaxis does pretty well.
To put it in Civ terms, Blizzard is running Mercantilism, while Firaxis is free market, and when it comes to videogame design, I think giving the fans a big say is only a good thing.

Ok, I'm done :p

lol can tell by the posts non of u ladies play MP.

since the catapult nerf MP is nothing but rush to feudalism or elephants. sentry nets are a thing of the past. starts after medieval era are broke because of imperial trait and starting with buildings like forge. MP has become a defenders game.

overall its good expansion. some of the mods like FF are worth playing. the tech tree has been improved. there are more tech path strategies to try to win. but its not so good of an expansion for MP play.

I don't see how nerfing a cheap and always-the-same tactic like the catapult rush has harmed MP. My MP games haven't become more peaceful with BtS, only more diverse if anything because just having more catapults than your opponent is not enough to win the war.

Why has the imperial trait 'broken' later starts? Imperial isn't even new to BtS.