Enduring appeal of Civ1

[Osvaldo Manso]

Sid Meier's Civilization is both simple and complex. It's simple in a way that you don't need to know a lot of the game to start enjoying it. However it's complex enough to provide regular players eternal fun.

Speaking for myself, after hundreds of different Civ games I have played, I always feel that I can do better and sometimes I feel as if there are still some secrets to be discovered in this game. I always feel that my best Civ experience is yet to come.

Like others have said, the replay value is immense and every game is different because you want to try different approaches and the geography of the world is always different (unless if you play Earth which I think is quite uninteresting).

On the other hand I find that its graphic simplicity is indeed a plus because things tend to be more abstract (I always turn animations off) and so they get a more serious look. Turn after turn after turn I forget that I am playing a computer game and get so evolved with the game that I feel like real responsibility over the fates of my citizens lay on my shoulders.

From the very first turn this game is addictive. I feel shivers running down my spine just by imagining what lies beyond the simple "Start New game" option...

[Mize]

Osvaldo, your post just won the thread for me. Bravo for the writing! And just to illustrate the strength of my addiction to this game, I also thank you for the long-awaited activity in this forum. I have little time for myself and I spend a lot of it playing Civ. I spend roughly the same amount of time reading and re-reading threads here, and elaborating my replies. If a game can do something like this to a man, there's really nothing much more to be said.

[lvdz]

Originally Posted by Osvaldo Manso

On the other hand I find that its graphic simplicity is indeed a plus because things tend to be more abstract (I always turn animations off) and so they get a more serious look. Turn after turn after turn I forget that I am playing a computer game and get so evolved with the game that I feel like real responsibility over the fates of my citizens lay on my shoulders.

From the very first turn this game is addictive. I feel shivers running down my spine just by imagining what lies beyond the simple "Start New game" option...

Hell yes, and consequently Civ1 unleashes your imagination to the point it makes the experience really unique.

[Osvaldo Manso]

Originally Posted by Mize

Osvaldo, your post just won the thread for me. Bravo for the writing! And just to illustrate the strength of my addiction to this game, I also thank you for the long-awaited activity in this forum. I have little time for myself and I spend a lot of it playing Civ. I spend roughly the same amount of time reading and re-reading threads here, and elaborating my replies. If a game can do something like this to a man, there's really nothing much more to be said.

Thank your for your kind words. I like playing Civ so much that it's hard to start playing any other game because sooner or later I will start thinking: I should have been playing Civ instead...

By the way if you haven't read the "bible" «Sid Meier's Civilization or Rome on 640k a Day», I strongly recommend it. Even if you already know 90 or 95% of it it's a very funny book (great sense of humour) and there's always something new to learn.

[KevinLancaster]

Originally Posted by Osvaldo Manso

On the other hand I find that its graphic simplicity is indeed a plus because things tend to be more abstract (I always turn animations off) and so they get a more serious look.

Wait, which animations?

[Theov]

Like a good book you can read again and is different every time you read it.

[Osvaldo Manso]

Originally Posted by KevinLancaster

Wait, which animations?

I don't know if you're being ironic, but there are some animations in the game like when you found a city (you see settlers slowly moving through a landscape on their caravans) or when you discover a new technology. Just try turning the option on and off and you'll see.

[Sir_Lancelot]

I liked the animations in Civ, for example the completion of new buildings. I also think the AGA version on the Amiga had some small ocean animations.

[JoeyB98]

I am a relatively young Civ player. I started in III's deathdays, and most of my experience is in IV. I recently started playing I, and it really is a great game!

Originally Posted by Tiber4321

This game was so cool in its day. But as a Civ-lover, even Civ 3 is becoming a relic. There comes a point when you have seen it all and played it over and over again. Civ 4 was a disaster, and probabaly made people more reluctant to check out modern Civ. But Civ 5 is a beautiful, magnificent game.

At the present time, Civ 1 looks like Pacman, or Tempest... At some point, its healthy to break away from the nostalgia, and try something new that challenges your brain.

I hope to god you accidentally switched "Civ 4" and "Civ 5" in the last sentence of the first paragraph.

[romulus010]

I have a netbook pc set up with all my favourite Dos games and Civ1 is at the top of the list. I seem to always come back to Civ1 over and over. I am still developing new play styles after all these years. my latest strategy is viral diplomats (lol) if you can't beat them, then BUY THEM OUT! I would love to see a remake of this game that is just a little neater looking in the VGA but keeping all the features as they were.

[BMacklin]

Originally Posted by Osvaldo Manso

Sid Meier's Civilization is both simple and complex. It's simple in a way that you don't need to know a lot of the game to start enjoying it. However it's complex enough to provide regular players eternal fun.

Speaking for myself, after hundreds of different Civ games I have played, I always feel that I can do better and sometimes I feel as if there are still some secrets to be discovered in this game. I always feel that my best Civ experience is yet to come.

Like others have said, the replay value is immense and every game is different because you want to try different approaches and the geography of the world is always different (unless if you play Earth which I think is quite uninteresting).

On the other hand I find that its graphic simplicity is indeed a plus because things tend to be more abstract (I always turn animations off) and so they get a more serious look. Turn after turn after turn I forget that I am playing a computer game and get so evolved with the game that I feel like real responsibility over the fates of my citizens lay on my shoulders.

From the very first turn this game is addictive. I feel shivers running down my spine just by imagining what lies beyond the simple "Start New game" option...

Agree 100%. The design of the game is intelligent and rewarding.

[cassanata]

I know the newer versions of the game have versions for the iPad but it would be pretty cool if this was on it. I know its not practical and the whole i/o would need to be redone just saying it would be cool to have it.

[vktj]

Originally Posted by romulus010

I have a netbook pc

In terms of freeware turn-based netbook gaming, I have a thing for C-evo, don't care for Freeciv, and enjoy Battle for Wesnoth (not Civ, but yes it's turn based) in moderate quantities.

In terms of commercial turn-based netbook gaming, Civ II is the most recent official Civ that will work (Civ III would have been OK if it had a working 800x600 mode, but alas...). Alpha Centauri and Call to Power II, however, work quite nicely.

Other turn-based games worth playing on a netbook are Heroes of Might and Magic III and Age of Wonders: Shadow Magic.