A few 'presumptious' ideas based on CivII/CivIII comparisons by a player new to civ 3

[Polar_Bear]

Only just started playing CIV III after years of addiction to CIV II. Here are my humble suggestions as what should find its way onto CIV 4 after a relatively short time getting used to civ III. Apologies if these ideas have been put forward by anyone else.

1. Please bring back the multiple zoom and resolution changes that were available with civ ii. We havent all got superman's vision and I personally find the units and text in civ II a little small and hard to see.

2. Multiple diplomacy screen please rather than having to fiddle about with one screen when you have over a handful of opponents.

3. Messages to warn of end of rights of passage agreements

4. Messages to inform an opponent with whom you have an embassy has dscovered a new tech (and save going through all of them if you want to trade)

5. An at a glace option to tell you what techs, resources etc an opponent(again those with whom you have an embassy) has available without having to enter the negotiations screen.

6. Please bring back the wall chart....it was so helpful.

7.Please bring back the 'wonders' videos and the high council they were, for this player always a joy to sit back and watch during the course of the one player game.

8. Isnt it time the AI opponents had voices ?

9.Please extend the end of the game 2050 is only a 30 year improvement on CIV II from what I've seen developments take place more slowly (certainly at chieftan level) we should be able to play up to the 31st century at least by now.

10 One other thing...I wonder if the need to research the languages of oppnents might add something....thinks rosetta stone......

 

[Mewtarthio]

1. I'm not sure what you're talking about. The units should be distinguishable.

2. Again, I'm not quite sure what you mean.

3. Their already is a message when an RoP agreement expires. The leader will come to you and tell you something along the lines of, "I'm sorry, but I see no reason to renew this agreement."

4. This I definately agree with, though maybe not a separate alert each time a tech is discovered. On the Foreign Advisor screen, you should be able to see everything that they can trade.

5. See above

6. The tech tree is less complex now that the age system has been added. Besides, you can always visit your Civilopedia and Scientific Advisor

7. After the twenty-third time of seeing a video, most players just hit the "Escape" key. So long as they didn't divert any resources that would have otherwise been used on gameplay, though, it wouldn't hurt.

8. No

9. You can adjust the number of turns by clicking the "Game Limits" button.

10. The Rosetta Stone solved the language of a long-dead Civilization. If you can talk with them, you can presumably speak their language.

 

[Garbarsardar.jr]

Welcome to CFC forums Polar Bear. I haven't play civ2 but points 1 and 5 seem very reasonable and I would like to see them implemented, i think 3 is covered as an option to renegotiate deals,there is extensive debate on 7 (http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=85980)and I really would like to now how difficult 8 would be (as a on/ off option?)
any idea from the experts?

 

[ybbor]

2. Multiple diplomacy screen please rather than having to fiddle about with one screen when you have over a handful of opponents

why do you people always think that the foriegn advisor is the only way to iniate diplomacy ! if you either went through the tutorial or read the manual you would see that id you simply click the 'D' on the right hand side of the info box, or hit SHIFT-D you can talk to anyone at any time

 

[warpstorm]

I have a wall chart of the techs on my wall. It came in my copy.

 

[one_man_assault]

1. Please bring back the multiple zoom and resolution changes that were available with civ ii. We havent all got superman's vision and I personally find the units and text in civ II a little small and hard to see.

look in prefrences Im sure theres a zoom button...infact Im positive.

 

[Commander Bello]

I have a wall chart of the techs on my wall. It came in my copy.

Do you have the Radio on it?

 

[Verowin]

I agree that the diplomatic screen option can improve a lot.
It takes for ever to go through every civ, finding out where they are at with their tech and how much they are willing to pay for your grapes.
Maybe you can talk to everybody at one time. Sending out questions to everybody or selected civ's at the same time.
Who wants to trade XXX tech or XXX luxury? Let them give you a short message, with what they want to give for it. You can contact the civ with the best bid.
I like the voice idea. Maybe they can ad a bit of humor to it. A screaming Isabella when you destroyed the Spanish forces.

 

[Milan's Warrior]

1. Please bring back the multiple zoom and resolution changes that were available with civ ii. We havent all got superman's vision and I personally find the units and text in civ II a little small and hard to see.

If you are using the original version of CivIII than press z on your keyboard. I think it might be the same also in later versions and but I am not sure

 

[Mgoering]

Here are my thoughts about all your points :

1. Great idea. Simple but can bring some ease.

2. Don't see what you mean.

3. I think it actually does.

4 and 5. I think they're good. But you can go further. It should be possible to creat a scientific joint-venture (just having this idea thanks to you). My view of science in Civ4 is that you should be able to allocate your scientific points to different techs (the ones available to research of course), making you able to research multiple techs at time. Joint-ventures would be based on 50-50. Meaning that you can simply allocate as much scientific points as your ally. But also can put more or less points than him. However, both can change it at every turn. When the tech is discovered, there will be a summary of the points allocated by the two sides. If it is 50-50, it ends there. If there is a difference, the side who has put less, should pay an amount of gold to the other one (1 gold per point for example). If that player can't aford it, the tech will not be given to him after he put the difference in one way or another (points or gold).

6. Not so sure, but I think you are talking about your nation's summary (population, % of acceptance, % of litteracy, life expectency and so one). That's one simple thing that is greatly missing in Civ3 in my opinion.

7 and 8. Wonders videos, ok. The council, can be nice. But you're wright, it need animation, voice ! Think about diplomacy. You usually are in some good or bad relation with the other civs. I think the ones you are in good relations with, should talk with you. The ones you're in bad relations send you a written message. Between these two extremes, you can imagine other things. Like a group of delegates if they're not too bad or an embassador when they're not that good.

9. ABSOLUTELY !!! Just like in Civ2 CTP, as I said in another topic. In this game, they added the Genetic and Diamond Ages, with various futur technologies. I shall make 6 Ages. And then, you can choose how many you want to play, making ages another option. If you don't like the Modern age, stop at the end of Industrial age. The number of turns will depend on when, let say the half of the civilisations in the game have discovered all the techs. If you continue to research, those will be the future techs.

10. I think so. It will only complicate the game.

 

[warpstorm]

Do you have the Radio on it?

Yeah, the industrial age is no longer accurate.

 

[warpstorm]

I like the voice idea. Maybe they can ad a bit of humor to it. A screaming Isabella when you destroyed the Spanish forces.

You think you want that now. Like the animations, it gets old quick.

In addition, it makes localization and modding a nightmare.

In a worst case, I can see them rounding up the Firaxis crew a week before it ships and this happenening:

"Soren, you drew the short straw. You have to be Catherine."

"But, Sid..."

 

[Polar_Bear]

I know this its still cumbersome!

 

[Polar_Bear]

To me the units are too small as is the text even on maximum zoom. To remove the varied 'resolution' settings available on civ ii is a bad step.

Can you actually set the game to play beyond 2050 then if so how ?

Yes the rosetta language did translate a dead language maybe I didnt make myself clear...my suggestion was that might it make the game more interesting if you had to learn other languages before communicating we other civs. A rosetta stone for living languages...to put it very simply yes I can speak english...but if I meet a German to communicate he either has to know english or me german before we can talk....

Diplomacy in civ iii is ponderous at best and gets worse the more opponents you play no matter how you do it...why should it be necessary to plod through all those screens especially to find new techs..and yes while my opponent may tell me about the end of a rites of passage agreement if HE/SHE wants to terminate it if I want to exploit the situation I have to try and remeber when the agreement ends myself. Notification doesnt seem to be automatic. It should be.

 

[Commander Bello]

While I can't help you with the resolution thing (I even changed resolution to 1280*1024) except advising you to get a bigger display, I strongly second the idea of automatic notification about expiring treaties and trade chances.
That is: If a nation known to me (best after having established an embassy) gains a new tech (for which I would have to have the pre-requisites, of course) I get a notification about it.
If a trade is going to run out, a notification three turns ahead and then at the last turn before and at the very turn would be very helpful.

 

[The Last Conformist]

I have a wall chart of the techs on my wall. It came in my copy.

Did you fall for the Collector's Edition? I did, but only because of the insane pricing of my local games shop - it was ~$6 cheaper than the regular version.

 

[warpstorm]

Why, yes, I did. I have the collecter's tin box. It was the same price as the regular boxed version.

 

[Mike.doc]

The general rythm was more speedy and risky:
-The spy could pick the enemy's science every time you want..with some risk
-The spy could bribe a city
-The caravans were useful and risky, not automatic and boring
-Using a bomber was full of advantages like to stop an enemy unit, more risky, one had to care on it to avoid the crash.
And...? What else ?

 

[Garbarsardar.jr]

I'm not familiar with Civ2 concepts but there is a very similar thread here: http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=90022

 

[Turner]

Moderator Action: Thread merged.