PolyCast Episode 220: "The Only Way To Be Sure"

Completely. The two-hundred-and-twentieth episode of PolyCast, "The Only Way To Be Sure", features regular co-hosts Daniel "DanQ" Quick, "Makahlua", Philip "TheMeInTeam" Bellew and "MadDjinn" with returning guest co-host "CanusAlbinus". It carries a runtime of 59m59s.

The summary of topics is as follows:

- 01m34s | Senate
Revisiting Civilization V's Japanese civilization in the wake of last fall's patch for its expansion Brave New World is the start; then, ranking the game's Natural Wonders (14m51s; recorded for Episode 219), pushing the underwhelming approaches to city specialization in Civilization: Beyond Earth and to raze, puppet or annex captured cities in this game.
- 45m36s | Open Mic
The surprising, divided and encouraging results of the "2014 Listener Feedback Survey" for sibling show TurnCast.
- 51m05s | News
On the announcement of Sid Meier's Starships, the next title from game developer Firaxis Games, and its ties into CivBE.

- Intro/Outro | Miscellaneous
Bottle contents, fan fiction, allusions and ball use.

Recording live before a listening audience every other Saturday, PolyCast is a bi-weekly audio production in an ongoing effort to give the Civ community an interactive voice on game strategy; listeners are encouraged to follow the show on Twitter, and check out the YouTube channel for caption capability. Sibling show RevCast focuses on Civilization: Revolution, ModCast on Civ modding, SCivCast on Civ social gaming and TurnCast on Civ multiplay.

Zzzzzzzz

Gordon Brittas said:

Zzzzzzzz

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We are always open to constructive criticism if you have any you would share.

I don't really see the problem, I mean I learn new stuff still, and I'm hardly a *new* player

Though I have to wonder, how much does BE have left, it's obviously an unbalanced flop, and with Sid announcing a new game, chances are, there won't be any DLCs and this one is gonna hit the scrap soon, sadly. What I mean is, it's good you're giving it attention but I'd assume many many people (me included) have kind of given up on BE and returned to BNW, obviously correct me if I'm wrong

stormtrooper412 said:

Though I have to wonder, how much does BE have left, it's obviously an unbalanced flopg

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Have to agree here. All I see is an embarrassed silence from the devs and BE players desparately trying to make something from it. It looks like a limp squib to me. I find it hard to understand what firaxis were thinking to release something so lack lustre. It didn`t have to be a copy of Civ5, but so much more could have been done to it to make it engrossing and immersive.

Do they think people are so stupid that they`ll buy whatever they make, regardless of effort?

yeah, last I checked Firaxis weren't ActiVision

stormtrooper412 said:

I don't really see the problem, I mean I learn new stuff still, and I'm hardly a *new* player

Though I have to wonder, how much does BE have left, it's obviously an unbalanced flop, and with Sid announcing a new game, chances are, there won't be any DLCs and this one is gonna hit the scrap soon, sadly. What I mean is, it's good you're giving it attention but I'd assume many many people (me included) have kind of given up on BE and returned to BNW, obviously correct me if I'm wrong

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This episode is posted in Civ5 forums after a period of posting in CivBE forums (and news page)

I guess that kind of shows where the audience is actually at. Not that it's wrong.

Kind of find it strange you guys talk about a 1year old change.

Regarding the wonder tier list: You seem to kind have forgotten one with nature with the GBR. This is one of the major reason the GBR is up there. Also the list assumes you can work both tiles otherwise yes it's lower.

Some criticism:
The problem I have with that kind of "forum talk" you sometimes do in your show is that you don't discuss on the relevant thread prior to the show. So it's just an opinion, mostly Maddjinn's, without either party being able to explain or argue why they think either way. Doesn't really help that you mostly just agree with him (at least that's how it looks to me). It might be a little more interesting if there was more a debate if you want to get it out of a forum thread. Otherwise it feels like Maddjinn's NW tier list rather than a discussion.

Acken said:

This episode is posted in Civ5 forums after a period of posting in CivBE forums (and news page)

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To clarify, I chose to publish this episode's game thread here within the CivV forum because more time was spent discussing topics related to it then BE. Either way, yes, a news item thread follows.

Some criticism:
The problem I have with that kind of "forum talk" you sometimes do in your show is that you don't discuss on the relevant thread prior to the show. So it's just an opinion, mostly Maddjinn's, without either party being able to explain why they think either way. Doesn't really help that you mostly just agree with him (at least that's how it looks to me).

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I believe we do a good job explaining our views as well as identifying them, even when we are all or mostly all in agreement and/or on the reasons why. Speaking for myself now, with respect I disagree that you are hearing mostly MadDjinn's opinions and not my own. When he or whomever takes the lead on a given topic I am in agreement with that they are saying, I look to acknowledge that. Moreover though, I find that at least once on a given show there are points of an argument, or even an overall view, that I express disagreement with and explain.

As you say though, your concern is not something that occurs all of the time in your asssessment. If and when you believe a position has not been explained in one way or another, a panelist has not made their view known or what have you by all means let us know specifically. When such constructive concerns are raised with us as you have done, we respond to them which often includes raising and responding to them on a subsequent show soon afterwards as well.

It might be a little more interesting if there was more a debate if you want to get it out of a forum thread. Otherwise it feels like Maddjinn's NW tier list rather than a discussion.

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We do not look to debate "for debating's sake". That said, I do not agree that our look at the Natural Wonders tier list felt like MadDjinn's list and not a discussion. First, the list was someone else's that we were all responding to. Second, to part of what I was getting at above, we all contributed to the conversation even where one of us took the lead (and it was not just one person who did so).

Kind of find it strange you guys talk about a 1year old change.

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We previously discussed Japan's changes as part of the Fall 2013 patch for Brave New World. Now we've revisiting it with greater detail for revised in-depth strategy.

Well I'm obviously not suggesting that you debate if you agree.

But it's a combination of both not talking on the thread and often agreeing with each other. Don't know, I may be empirically wrong that's just my feeling afterwards. A lot of time I felt you missed why one or another NW was there in the list. I won't bother listing them all here though, that's why I say that would have been good to do it before the show on the relevant thread. So that maybe there would have been a little more fuel to the argument over whether or not Uluru is better than Sinai or KSM over LV.

I don't know that's a sentiment I already had previously and wanted to share it

I appreciate your taking the time to share your feedback, Acken. Hope you're enjoying the show overall.

I would absolutely love to watch a Acken-MadDjinn 1-on-1, each gets to choose a civ

if such a thing exists, for the love of god give links

MP is a very different beast than SP in which I don't have much experience