Apolyton interview with Jon Shafer at Gamescom (Aug 18)
- Thread starter V. Soma
- Start date
Mercade
the Counsellor
Good find, but the link isn't working for me. It says Apolyton is getting a new site today and they're probably updating as we speak.
JujuLautre
Deity
Same here, for both links 
another quoate from J. Shafer in this interview:
Something that has been talked about a little bit is that the role of naval units in Civ V has been given a pretty big upgrade; all boats can now shoot land units and cities. Additionally, coastal cities can be quite productive and valuable, and a single nearby enemy boat can render the water unusable. So, control of the seas is pretty significant this time around. As someone always frustrated by their lack of usefulness in earlier Civ games, I think this a pretty big and welcomed change.
Something that has been talked about a little bit is that the role of naval units in Civ V has been given a pretty big upgrade; all boats can now shoot land units and cities. Additionally, coastal cities can be quite productive and valuable, and a single nearby enemy boat can render the water unusable. So, control of the seas is pretty significant this time around. As someone always frustrated by their lack of usefulness in earlier Civ games, I think this a pretty big and welcomed change.
and about mods and community:
Q: We have been told that it will be possible to browse the community from within civ5; how does this work?
Is it an incorporated browser, or is it more than that? Does the community have to adapt their websites for this?
JS: Our main focus there has been with our new mod browser. Members of the community will be able to upload mod packages using a special tool to this central service. Uploaders will be able to specify a web link to whatever "homepage" they'd like to specify.
The community will also be able to link into this system from the outside, but we'll have more details on that soon. Additionally, there's a web browser integrated into Steam, which will allow players to browse without even needing to alt-tab out.
While not a game-changer, it's definitely handy.
Q: We have been told that it will be possible to browse the community from within civ5; how does this work?
Is it an incorporated browser, or is it more than that? Does the community have to adapt their websites for this?
JS: Our main focus there has been with our new mod browser. Members of the community will be able to upload mod packages using a special tool to this central service. Uploaders will be able to specify a web link to whatever "homepage" they'd like to specify.
The community will also be able to link into this system from the outside, but we'll have more details on that soon. Additionally, there's a web browser integrated into Steam, which will allow players to browse without even needing to alt-tab out.
While not a game-changer, it's definitely handy.
Mercade
the Counsellor
Works for me, thanks.
Zhahz
PC Gamer
That was pretty much the only decent piece of information in that self-absorbed ego pat called an interview.
Moderator Action: <snip> Please don't bash other civ related sites - if you have an issue with another site post about it there, please.
Krill
Deity
Broken broken broken. Now you have no choice but to always get the best boats available on maps that have a decent amount of water. You force the other players to defend their coastal cities with units, just from the threat of an invasion, and steamroll them because they have had to split their forces whereas yours haven't.
******** game mechanic (and it was in BtS, and the same complaints were levelled there as well).
Lillefix
I'm serious. You can.
- Joined
- Dec 1, 2003
- Messages
- 5,699
About time.
Moderator Action: Just as a reminder: we have very little patience for posts bashing other civ related sites...
Krill
Deity
No...if there is only one correct choice, it isn't a strategy game. IF the naval warfare is balanced to the level of land warfare, with different terrain, lots of different units, promotions etc, then yeah, it could work depending on a couple of extra rules, but if it is like BtS where you simply build Frigates, and then SoL, and have only 2 types of terrain to fight over then no, it won't be any where near balanced.
Tarkhan
King
Heinus Horatius
Chieftain
Why is that so bad? History is full of examples of civs that needed to chose between armies and navies cause they couldn't afford both. Just forces one to be creative.
Psyringe
Scout
I'm a bit disappointed by the interview. Not by Shafer (he's done his best to provide honest and meaningful answers), but by the questions asked. It seems that promoting Jon's previous affiliation with his site was much more important to the interviewer than getting some meaningful information out of Civ5's lead designer. Wasted chance, I guess.
(And no, this is not meant as site bashing. It certainly should be possible to voice one's disappointment with one interviewer's way of approaching one specific interview without having that interpreted as bashing the site he's working with, no?
)
(And no, this is not meant as site bashing. It certainly should be possible to voice one's disappointment with one interviewer's way of approaching one specific interview without having that interpreted as bashing the site he's working with, no?
)
r_rolo1
King of myself
Definitely agree with Psyringe. I am far more interested in knowing Civ V stuff than knowing if Shaefer still goes to a certain civ related site where he was quite active in the days 
On the boats: I just hope that, since , in their own words, navies are more important, they had putted a little more thought in the naval balance than they did in civ IV in general, especially in the earlier ages ( "galleys are beaten by trirremes and trirremes are beaten by ... nothing, let's just make them expensive and force them to fight barb galleys with galleys. BTW we could make barb boats 4x more probable ... it will be fun"
)
On the boats: I just hope that, since , in their own words, navies are more important, they had putted a little more thought in the naval balance than they did in civ IV in general, especially in the earlier ages ( "galleys are beaten by trirremes and trirremes are beaten by ... nothing, let's just make them expensive and force them to fight barb galleys with galleys. BTW we could make barb boats 4x more probable ... it will be fun"
)Tarkhan
King
I believe the site-bashing has been removed from above, it was more obvious and direct than simply stating the questions were bad.
I think having a designer who was a civ fan before his current job is a very good thing - but with V a month away, i've got questions about the game, and I think a more personal interview with him about such things could've been done after the game is out.
I think having a designer who was a civ fan before his current job is a very good thing - but with V a month away, i've got questions about the game, and I think a more personal interview with him about such things could've been done after the game is out.
Ahriman
Tyrant
If ww2-era submarines can bombard cities and units.... they already have the same range as surface vessels.
Civ4 was broken broken broken, you have no choice but to always get the best land units available on maps that have a decent amount of land.
Also, if you're "forcing" them to split their forces, why aren't they forcing you to split your forces?
Yes I can see that every coastal civ will be forced to have at least a moderate navy. Why is that a bad thing?
Evocatus
Chieftain
Shafer mentions multiplayer in the interview! That's a bit of a relief, since it has been awfully silent regarding multiplayer.
