Why do we play Civilization?

Common response:

Nials said:

I love that every game is different, especially the role that the map plays. It gives such good replayability.

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To all:

Aside from the re-playability factor (and assume that it's still re-playable), what do you think is the main reason the game has such an appeal?

How would you explain the depth of its fan base prior to the release of Civ5?

Does CFC play a part in that?

Does CFC keep you playing the game, whereas you may have given it up long ago?

Lemon Merchant said:

Common response:


To all:

Aside from the re-playability factor (and assume that it's still re-playable), what do you think is the main reason the game has such an appeal?

How would you explain the depth of its fan base prior to the release of Civ5?

Does CFC play a part in that?

Does CFC keep you playing the game, whereas you may have given it up long ago?

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The decisionmaking processes are my main reason. Interesting decisions comes almost every turn. At least for my preffered level, emperor (guess I never will go for deity as the games there looks limited).

To make the good decisions you need good info. Thanks to people like you who created mods like BUG and BAT the game have very high playability.

Of cource this forums also contributes to it all. Special tanks to modders, HoF staff and all who contributes with analyses, stories&tales and other playtroughs.

Lemon Merchant said:

Aside from the re-playability factor (and assume that it's still re-playable), what do you think is the main reason the game has such an appeal?

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I think it covers a lot of topics that each woukl be enough for a game on it's own: indians and cowboys, knights, pirates, roman legions, WWII tanks and aircraft - it's all there. But it's also a builder and business game, it's one of very few games around that actually let's you play as a kind of "politician". So there should be something in it for almost everyone to relate to. And it leaves the player in total freedom to do more or less whateever he or she wants. The brilliant strategies and crazy tricks and slingshot people come up with and to try to understand how to do that yourself - basically priceless!

Lemon Merchant said:

Does CFC play a part in that?

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Definitely. I'd say CFC and the way the fanbase have been involved in Civ IV development and refinement is one of the main reasons this game turned out so well. The fanbase and fanbase input was taken serious by the developers, and I think it shows in the finished product. I wish the had kept that approach for Civ V, which - as far as I can judge - was a bit more of a "closed-shop" thing...

Lemon Merchant said:

Does CFC keep you playing the game, whereas you may have given it up long ago?

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Absolutely. Without CFC I propably would have hit al wall somewhere around warlords level. CFC constantly shows me how much there ist still in the game for me to explore. So CFC-input is highly appreciated.

Lemon Merchant said:

Aside from the re-playability factor (and assume that it's still re-playable), what do you think is the main reason the game has such an appeal?

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The fact that there's a lot of variability between different replays. In the early game, your decisions really matter a lot and you constantly have to evaluate your actions.

Different maps often lead to quite different games. The differences can be subtle, but they are noticeable the more you play the game.

Does CFC keep you playing the game, whereas you may have given it up long ago?

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Definitely! I mostly lurk threads and drop a post from time to time, but this forum has been a huge inspiration in getting better at the game. Just reading about other people's playthroughs is something that I take great pleasure in.

I like to rule the world; plus I love strategy, especially in depth strategy and politics.

I don't think there was anything particular about Civ5 in terms of getting a deep fanbase for Civ. All the core elements of the game had already been there well before Civ5. Civ5 may have been better marketed, and more targeted towards the mainstream. But I think Civ has long been one of the top strategy games. And the concept is a great one. Who didn't want to be able to rule the world, or at least a large part of it, growing up? What's great about Civ is you can do that without all the stress and responsibility of running an actual large country.

CFC probably does play a part, but whether it actually results in more time playing the game, or just discussing the game, I'm not sure. I'd already been playing Civ for 4 years before discovering CFC. Would I have kept playing it anyway? Probably. Whether I would have played more Civ4 or more Civ3 than I actually did, I'm not sure. For what it's worth, it was not only CFC but also people I knew in real life who encouraged me to give Civ4 a second chance with Beyond the Sword. So I may well have tried BTS without CFC, too. It's possible that some of the people I know in real life who play Civ are CFC members, but if so, I don't know it.

CFC has expanded the variety of my Civ experience. In some part due to mods (although I haven't actually played lengthy games of that many), but also in things such as stories and Games of the Month. Perhaps as interesting, it's also introduced me to other games, most notably Europa Universalis III and Crusader Kings II. These have taken away considerable Civ playing time, so it could be that without CFC I would have actually played more Civ (and less Paradox games) over the past few years.

I guess the idea that you can make your own civilization where you decide what policies you want to use is just very appealing to me.

I also play because I can never get tired of alternate history scenarios with RFC.

No matter what happened, no matter what terrible tragedy occurred you can always pop in the cd and play a round. If you've had a frustrating day, a depressing day, or an angry day, you can always cool off with stylistic plays tyke if civ IV. It has a certain trait that makes it amazing. It isn't that graphically advanced, it has bugs, it has glitches, yet it is the perfect game to just sit down and unwind. Especially when you hit the renaissance and classical music plays. It is the perfect destresser. Countless times I have come home from a terrible school day or whatever and just cooled off with some good ol civ.


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I have not read anyone's post on purpose (Didn't want to be influenced - or a copycat ). So Dr. Lemon ... This little ink spot/blot/splash reminds me of a continent of Africa ! (guess my interpretation of an abstract ink blots is ok than ? ) In my youth I had this inexlpicable desire to rule over my peers and tell them exactly what to do ! (because all they did was wrong in my eyes ! hehe ) They would not listen to me of course and did their things in their own way so I resigned and became introvertic instead - building my own world inside. I had a few sets of Lego bricks back then and it was a blast !! Building whatever I want , whenever I want and however I want - limited only by my imagination and (sadly!) by a limited pieces of lego :/ ... Then I've discovered CIVILIZATION ! Automatically fell in love ! I never looked back ! My own world ! My own empire ! My own experimentation area ! My own history and everyone do as I say ! yay ! That's why I love to play Civ I understand that I am severely disturbed individual and an addict, but I don't deny it at least

To have fun.

To crush my enemies, see them driven before me and hear the lamentations of their women- but only when playing as Genghis Khan.

Otherwise I like the idea of helping the world run better- hence my reluctance to chop despite its effectiveness in the game.

It is a dance of concepts and decisions, actions and consequences. Each player, each move, adds to a mixture that is somewhere between patterns and chaos. I play Civ for the same endless fascination that compelsme to stare at my lava lamp upon medicated occasions, the patterns are there and I know them, but I do not know what shapes they will lead to next. And that has me hooked.

The fact that Civ has this historic feel of bringing a tribe from single village to world dominance is almost just an added flavor bonus. It adds to the story effect to deal with mad Aztecs and conniving Greeks, but that is not the core addiction. Molding patterns, tipping balances, edging up advantages, that's the real gotcha.

It is a dance in microcosm that somewhat mirrors the grand dance of history in macrocosm, not for history lessons as such, but for history explorations, possibilities, variations of interactions, reactions, and forceful actions. Were we to have such puppets dancing on strings in real life, we would indeed be like six thousand year old gods and goddesses. Instead, we are players. Instead, we dance in a digital pixilated version of reality, endless variations of the foxtrots of conflict, the waltzes of negotiation, the quick step frenzy of combat.

Fire up the game. The music has started. The other dancers await us patiently. How can we resist?

Never the same game twice, and I like the feeling of power I get from ruling the world.

The reason for me is i love to crush noobs.
The feeling that superiority is growing, that noobs are crushed. Feeling that power and truth are the same.
There are always some dominance and oppression in love.

I mostly play multiplayer games tho. Crushing ai is too easy.

I'll bump most of the above. One thing no one has mentioned yet is the problem-solving aspect of the game. Your best laid plans have to be modified when the barbarians start raging, Mansa beats you to Liberalism, or that "friendly" neighbor back stabs you while your army's half a continent away. Often what seems like a hopeless position can be saved if you learn to look at it differently. There's that "Ah-ha!" moment when you figure out a way to handle the crisis; which of course leads to making new plans that in turn must be modified by other events... Rinse and repeat. The game is rich enough that both problems and solutions are constantly coming at you from many different directions. Perfect play is elusive but better play is almost always possible. And yes, the forums are vital to keeping that process going for me. "What would Obsolete/TMIT/Seraiel/Kossin -- or yes, Lemon -- do?" is one of the best ways I've found to keep new ideas flowing when I might otherwise reload or rage-quit.

Xplore
Xpand
Xploit
Xterminate

vincentz said:

Xplore
Xpand
Xploit
Xterminate

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You forgot Xperience.

Lemon Merchant said:

...what do you think is the main reason the game has such an appeal?

How would you explain the depth of its fan base prior to the release of Civ5?

Does CFC play a part in that?

Does CFC keep you playing the game, whereas you may have given it up long ago?

Click to expand...

1) Depth and complexity. It takes repeated exposure to understand the possibilities contained within the game and invites discovery of them all. I have never had the feeling that I've seen it all, done it all, know it all, and can do everything I would like to be able to do.

2) There are a limited number of games of this description, and the time required to master the game allows people to build a relationship with it. Both of these factors engender loyalty.

3) I believe it does. Here players find like-minded others to share their questions and and answers, cheer and commiserate, and most importantly, to inspire each other to discover new territory within the game and continue developing and improving.

4) I don't dare to say I would have given up long ago, but it is here I learned the difference between a blue circle and a white circle and why settling halfway across the map to claim stone or marble is a bad idea, among so many other things. The forums have prickled my dreams of what is possible in the game and that's why I keep coming back.

TheMadFiddler said:

To crush my enemies, see them driven before me and hear the lamentations of their women- but only when playing as Genghis Khan.

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Was going to post the video but you already beat me to the quote. Edited for correctitude.



I switch between this game and the Paradox/AGEOD engine games because of the history theme, game mechanics that are appropriate for the medium, good fun, and the community (especially in OT).

I think it has to do with the idea of creating a Utopia. Now, your vision of a Utopia might actually be a warmongering bunch of slave drivers - but it is "your Utopia". Civ offers options on the many things your empire can be inside or outside of meta-games like role play. The game offers progression constantly allowing you to constantly be customizing your Utopia to your playstyle.

Or Tears for Fears was right


Link to video.


Look at those mullets.