Insane Civ IV System Requirements announced

[azzaman333]

on the "why 3d?" discussion, having an actual globe on which to play is the biggest value added proposition as far as I'm concerned. I never much liked how there were an equal number of arctic tiles as there were equator tiles.

Im sorry to disappoint you, but there are as many arctic tiles as equator tiles.

 

[Earthling7]

on the "why 3d?" discussion, having an actual globe on which to play is the biggest value added proposition as far as I'm concerned. I never much liked how there were an equal number of arctic tiles as there were equator tiles.

I remember playing a game in 1995 which used a globe for strategy and then small maps for tactical play. It was called X-Com. When developing a game, you balance the features you want with the hardware in use. I still believe that Firaxis blew this one. Sid has always said that he likes his games to be playable on a wide range of computers. He has either changed his mind or lost the grip of things.

 

[MAS]

What real advantages does a 3D engine offer in a TBS game that can outweigh the impact of a massive reduction in available market?

I wasn't thinking about gameplay advantages, but that it might be easier to work with a 3D engine than with a 2d one.

 

[wallyskier]

Well, to say that this is disappointing is an understatement.
There is NO way I can justify buying a computer that is essentially 3x faster than the one I have just to play a game. I don't know if the company monitors this website, but if they do, I hope they see that many people won't be able to play their new game for some time.

C3C will keep me busy for now. Thanks for all your efforts in that, Brad. I'm regularly getting my fanny whacked, and I love the challenge of the new variations.

 

[azzaman333]

Blame Civ 4. The problem isnt with the transfer to Macs, but the original game.

 

[AlanH]

Blame Civ 4. The problem isnt with the transfer to Macs, but the original game.

That's true, but I think the problem is significantly exaggerated when it translates to the Mac platform because there are more Mac systems that are not easily or cheaply upgraded - iMacs, laptops, minis. And Mac owners don't expect or need to upgrade their systems as frequently, so there is more "old" hardwre out there. Upgrading the video card or CPU in a PC tower is not a big deal. Upgrading the video or CPU in most Macs is expensive or impossible. Plus you don't really want to spend money on upgrading a two or three or four year old Mac that's based on an obsolete PowerPC architecture.

 

[ejday]

...Sid has always said that he likes his games to be playable on a wide range of computers. He has either changed his mind or lost the grip of things.

It seems, with CIV, that the eye-candy came first (to satisfy the trendy, spendy cross-over RTS crowd) and they figured out how to justify it with a few UI advantages for the old school strategy crowd.

With that in mind, it would seem that Sid has a firm grip on making a half-respectable game that'll sell very respectably to the PC masses, make him a bundle of money and allow him to establish his own civ on an island whose major export is Mai Tais. I'm guessing he's thinking retirement.

 

[ejday]

Okay, as of a few days ago, when they announced the sys req's (and got this underwhelming response), they have yet to update the Aspyr Game Agent with the CIV comparison.

Hm.

Maybe, and this is a long shot, but just maybe they floated the sys req's to see how high they could push the minimum and are still judging whether they can/should make compromise tweaks to make it slow but playable on near-miss systems.

I know if it'll at least run on my PB, I'll buy it (and likely be very happy until I get MBP and be even happier).

 

[AlanH]

Maybe, and this is a long shot, but just maybe they floated the sys req's to see how high they could push the minimum and are still judging whether they can/should make compromise tweaks to make it slow but playable on near-miss systems.

Nice idea, but wishful thinking, I feel. It seems a pretty dire marketing strategy to get everyone upset and send them off to buy the PC version to run under Boot Camp, only to say in a few weeks time, "Sorry, we didn't mean it. Pleeeese come back and buy it now we've reduced the specs. It'll run, really quite well ... honest!".

 

[ejday]

You're right, of course, but...

...now we've reduced the specs. It'll run, really quite well ... honest!".

...at this point, I don't care if it runs well, just as long as it runs.

 

[promethean_beta]

buy the PC version to run under Boot Camp

Excepting of course that Boot Camp will only run on the most recent macs...

 

[AlanH]

Anything much less, other than a quad G5, won't run Civ4 AT ALL!!!

 

[Beamup]

Yeah, the only case where Boot Camp might be of relevance are the new Minis and MacBooks. The great majority of systems that can run Boot Camp will do just fine running CIV native.

 

[awb]

Brad... where are you? I feel like people at Aspyr HAVE to be lurking on these forums.

Here are my feelings: Civ 4 should run on Macintoshes made in the past 2 years, not just on computers made in the past 12 months. I think most people would not expect Civ 4 to run on Mac Mini's, or G4 iBooks. But for Civ 4 not to work on newly released Mac Books is pitiful.

 

[ejday]

Brad... where are you? I feel like people at Aspyr HAVE to be lurking on these forums.

Well... as somebody pointed out, he could be busy working.

But... Since he's drifted in and out of here before, it's very likely he's seen this thread and just assumes he doesn't have enough asbestos to protect himself should he delurk. He would be asked all kinds of uncomfortable questions, he would say that his hands were mostly tied, he might be brimming with all kinds of interesting tidbits on the politics and procedures of Aspyr and everybody else... that he wouldn't be able to mention since he's not independently wealthy and otherwise ready to retire from the business.

Unless Good Brad has one stout too many, it's unlikely he'll chime in on this one for some time (right about the point most of are able to run the damned thing).

 

[MAS]

Anything much less, other than a quad G5, won't run Civ4 AT ALL!!!

whow, not to fast, My dual 1.8 meets the requirements. (barely)

 

[AlanH]

Sorry, yeah, a slight exaggeration for effect!

A bit like...

Yeah, the only case where Boot Camp might be of relevance are the new Minis and MacBooks. The great majority of systems that can run Boot Camp will do just fine running CIV native.

Where are the stats that say the great majority of Intel-based systems will NOT be Minis and MacBooks by the time MacCiv4 ships?

 

[Beamup]

Where are the stats that say the great majority of Intel-based systems will NOT be Minis and MacBooks by the time MacCiv4 ships?

Anecdotally, the iMacs and MBPs are much more popular. There'll likely be a good chunk of MacBooks, but from what I hear, the Minis especially don't sell that fast.

That is anecdotal, though.

 

[md2112]

Hello, long time lurker here .....

I too am disappointed by the spec's as I have a Powerbook G4, 1.67 gig - so I'm in the 'will it run at all on G4's' camp. While it is probably too late for redesigns to tweak the minimum specifications, Aspyr can do one thing for the community. Post a demo version (plays 20 turns) so that we can all at least try it out on our systems. Maybe Civfanatics could pitch in a few game saves. Say from different world sizes and different time frames so we could experiment - I would hate to see it work well at 4000bc but be unusable in the later stages of the game (I tend to get to nuclear age). I would think there are plenty from GOTM by now. For PR sake, they should post the alpha as soon as possible to cut down the negative chatter (and/or false hopes).

 

[ejday]

Hello, long time lurker here .....

Hello md2112! Welcome to CFC!

I too am disappointed by the spec's as I have a Powerbook G4, 1.67 gig - so I'm in the 'will it run at all on G4's' camp. While it is probably too late for redesigns to tweak the minimum specifications, Aspyr can do one thing for the community. Post a demo version (plays 20 turns) so that we can all at least try it out on our systems. Maybe Civfanatics could pitch in a few game saves. Say from different world sizes and different time frames so we could experiment - I would hate to see it work well at 4000bc but be unusable in the later stages of the game (I tend to get to nuclear age). I would think there are plenty from GOTM by now. For PR sake, they should post the alpha as soon as possible to cut down the negative chatter (and/or false hopes).

A demo would be good...

Or at least some word on just how "minimum" the minimum specs are. Some developers (I have heard) will have a minimum level based on what they want the user experience to be when playing the game. While a game could technically run (or walk, I suppose) at a slower pace, the game pings the system and if it doesn't meet the desired specs, automatically disables itself to prevent a user from eventually moaning "Aw, man, So-n-so has produced a real dog here..."

So, yes, not auto-disabling and a demo would both be good, just so us near-miss systems could get an idea if we stagger through a game.
...Cuz, with a world builder...? Heck, if I can stagger through it, I'll pony up and be a happy camper.