SteamDB: "Bison" Depot??

Hmmm - some quick researching seems to suggest that there would have been bison in ancient Mesopotamia and Anatolia, and both the Sumerians and Hittites considered 'bulls' to be culturally significant (they appear in many of their myths and legends), so it is possible that the new data could all relate to some WotAW-related thing. Then again, we have seen that screenshot of CotNW Deluxe, so Firaxis were definitely working on that at some point. It'd be strange for them to completely abandon it.

I wish 2k would give us some new information. Preferably before Christmas. If both of the scenarios were remade with BNW mechanics and 2 new civs each I'd be very happy. Even if they aren't going to be ready for release before Christmas, I really hope we hear something about them. The complete silence is very frustrating.

jddods said:

wishful thinking anything but maps

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Scrambled animals maps. Gives continents shaped like animals with random interiors

Can I give my few cents here?

I actually do think new civilizations are on their way? Why? Because it's the perfect way to finish the game off. Not to mention a new patch could also address the current issues with MP (if any, to be honest), and add few things, make the game as balanced as possible before leaving it to modders.

Firaxis does care about us, we've seen it numerous times.

So quite frankly, we're just waiting to see.

Initially DLC was dismissed not because we didn't like the idea of "buying civs" (well, some of us do, not me), but because a lot of us believed DLC replaced the "expansion" model, but we got TWO amazing Eps (G&K and BNW) and quite frankly very few of us expect a third expansion pack (both Civ 3 and 4 got two expansion packs each), and quite frankly I think we all see that Civ 5 is at the end of it's production cycle, and giving new stuff to keep the game fresh is not a bad idea.

I'm hoping for a release of this DLC (which I also hope contains some nice Civs) before Christmas, but I don't really believe it... But then the steamdb shows they're testing it, so maybe?

I don't think it will be updated old scenarios, because some of those scenarios were sold as DLC and so you would be effectively buying them twice over. Fans would complain about that.

I would love to see more DLC civs. I don't even care if I like them, I just want MOAR CIVS.

I don't think that this isn't likely to happen before Christmas. It was 2-3 months after One World was spotted that they even announced BNW. We have a long-ish wait ahead of us.

Anyway, I will just eat my curiosity and bide my time till something is announced.

Eagle Pursuit said:

I don't think it will be updated old scenarios, because some of those scenarios were sold as DLC and so you would be effectively buying them twice over. Fans would complain about that.

I would love to see more DLC civs. I don't even care if I like them, I just want MOAR CIVS.

I don't think that this isn't likely to happen before Christmas. It was 2-3 months after One World was spotted that they even announced BNW. We have a long-ish wait ahead of us.

Anyway, I will just eat my curiosity and bide my time till something is announced.

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Pretty sure that Scrambled DLCs were spotted about weeks between the official release annoucement.

TheKingOfBigOz said:

Pretty sure that Scrambled DLCs were spotted about weeks between the official release annoucement.

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Were they?

Well then, if it's a small thing like a map pack, then I guess it could come out by Christmas. At least the longer we wait, the larger it is likely to be.

Past 'discovered' code names for DLC have not been very cryptic (Brave New World was found in the Steam database as "One World") and they aren't named to keep fans guessing (because the fans aren't intended to find them). So the most obvious link is probably the correct one, and the "Bison" codename refers to a Sioux civ DLC.

I'd actually been hoping for a Khmer DLC, but I fully expected more civ packs of some kind - firstly, because the expected date for Civ VI is 2015 and they aren't going to go a full year without supporting their flagship franchise, and secondly because the last time we got a batch of map packs those were followed in short order by civ DLCs.

full year without supporting their flagship franchise,

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Ah yes. I remember CivIV was supported right up to the release of CivV.

PhilBowles said:

Past 'discovered' code names for DLC have not been very cryptic (Brave New World was found in the Steam database as "One World") and they aren't named to keep fans guessing (because the fans aren't intended to find them). So the most obvious link is probably the correct one, and the "Bison" codename refers to a Sioux civ DLC.

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Except, in the past, they didn't use code names at all. If there was a DLC called "Bison" it would be called "Bison" when released, not "Sioux DLC." This suggests a change in strategy in order to preserve some surprise.

Louis XXIV said:

Except, in the past, they didn't use code names at all. If there was a DLC called "Bison" it would be called "Bison" when released, not "Sioux DLC." This suggests a change in strategy in order to preserve some surprise.

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Yeah, when the devs were on PolyCast they sounded slightly annoyed about how we keep finding stuff before we're supposed to know abhor it. Therefore, I wouldn't be surprised if they switched to codenames.

As much as I want new civs, what I want way more is a comprehensive, massive balance patch. Warmongering and wide play are still way underpowered compared to peacemongering and tall, Trad/Rationalism are still OP compared to Honor/Piety...you get the idea.

I'm personally still holding out hope that there will be a third expansion for Civ V. I'm not convinced that the fact that more DLC is being released means that Firaxis are winding down development for the game yet. I think it's still too early for Civ VI as I don't think that current PCs have progressed enough to really add anything significant to the game (I realise Firaxis could use a fresh start to improve some of the weaker parts of the game's base mechanics, but I don't think that this is reason enough to make a new iteration just yet). I also think that Civ V has the potential to be improved even further (I think Ed Beach commented that he would never run out of ideas of ways to add to Civ V), and there are still people who would like to see more content added (again, I know there are people who think that there's enough, or even too much, already, but it's far easier for people to remove content, like Civs, than to add it, so I'd rather see Firaxis officially add as much as possible to the game). Also, just because there has never been a third expansion to the game before, doesn't mean they can't do one now.
Anyway, plug for a third expansion over - I realise I'm probably not convincing anybody who believes Civ V is reaching the end of its life already. I just don't think it's right to be treating it as a foregone conclusion - if enough people state an interest in seeing another expansion, I believe that Firaxis will oblige. (Apologies for the minor topic derail!)

Looking at the depot history, there have been a lot of updates to "Bison" over the last month, particularly during this last week. Hopefully that's a sign that it's nearing completion and that they'll announce it (or even release it) very soon. I'm really hoping it'll be out before Christmas as a new Civ/scenario would be the perfect gift for my Civ playing friends.

When do "Christmas Sales" usually occur? Seeing as this will be on Steam, the two could pair up.

and i agree with Tsuchinoko, I would LOVE a 3rd expansion that focuses on expanding science victory so it's not as tame as domination with Culture and Diplomatic being more fun. And add a form of Colonization tha tallows you to construct a Puppet Second nation that could end up going independant.

It's definitely not another expansion. It's been only six months since the last one, and they haven't really left themselves much more to flesh out.

Aaron90495 said:

As much as I want new civs, what I want way more is a comprehensive, massive balance patch. Warmongering and wide play are still way underpowered compared to peacemongering and tall, Trad/Rationalism are still OP compared to Honor/Piety...you get the idea.

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Well, a balance patch isn't going to be sold. Because of that, this isn't a balance patch, it's DLC. The question is what kind of DLC you want (where my hope is for a new Civ).

You can take heart in the fact that, they often release a large patch with new DLC as a way to pump up interest for the DLC.

Magma_Dragoon said:

It's definitely not another expansion. It's been only six months since the last one, and they haven't really left themselves much more to flesh out.

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I don't think anyone is expecting "Bison" to be an expansion. I just think it's not impossible that Firaxis could make a third expansion for Civ V at some point, perhaps after a short run of DLCs.

Civilization V was released on 21 September 2010 in North America and 24 September 2010 in Europe for Windows.
Mongolia was released for free.
32 days later, Babylon was released on 25 October 2010.
37 days later, Cradle of Civilization was released on 1 December 2010.
15 days later, Spain & Inca was released on 16 December 2010.
77 days later, Polynesia was released on 3 March, 2011.
61 days later, Denmark & Explorer's Map Pack was released on 3 May, 2011.
100 days later, Korea & Wonders of the Ancient World was released on 11 August, 2011.

At this point (correct me if I'm wrong but I heard stories about this), the fans didn't want anymore DLCs cause they were afraid that Firaxis wasn't going to make any expansions.

312 days later, G&K was released on 19 June 2012 in North America and 22 June 2012 in Europe.
385 days later, BNW was released on 9 July 2013 in North America and 12 July 2013 in Europe.
98 days later, Scrambled Continents was released on 15 October 2013.
21 days later, Scrambled Nations was released on 5 November 2013.

Today, 8 December 2013, has been 34 days since the release of the last DLC.

Do you guys see any patterns? The only pattern I see is the expansions were released about a year after one another.

The scrambled maps are the kinda things that they would normally bundle in an expansion, and the fact they came out almost 100 days after BNW to me says they've given up on the idea of an expansion so they are releasing the content they'd built up and shining down CiV

True_Candyman said:

The scrambled maps are the kinda things that they would normally bundle in an expansion, and the fact they came out almost 100 days after BNW to me says they've given up on the idea of an expansion so they are releasing the content they'd built up and shining down CiV

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Neither of the expansions to date included new maps, I don't think, but map packs have preceded the DLC civs and expansions. I suspect scrambled DLCs were made because they had developed the code for scrambling for the Scramble for Africa scenario, and it had proven a popular scenario following BNW's release, and so was something they could quickly put together in the run-up to Christmas.

PhilBowles said:

Neither of the expansions to date included new maps, I don't think, but map packs have preceded the DLC civs and expansions. I suspect scrambled DLCs were made because they had developed the code for scrambling for the Scramble for Africa scenario, and it had proven a popular scenario following BNW's release, and so was something they could quickly put together in the run-up to Christmas.

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Interesting! I got it into my head that there were a few maps released with BNW but it appears you are right.