A stone-age pet peeve...

[amadeus]

I've always found it interesting that you have to research "alphabet" before "writing"...personally, I'd see it better the other way around.

You've seen those cave paintings, where they wrote on the wall the buffalo they have killed, or whatever. Don't you think a standard alphabet developed from that early writing?

I could be wrong, though.

 

[Ohwell]

Hrmm, interesting point! It actually goes both ways, first was the cave writing, then it
became an alphabet, which made writing! So it was Writing, alphabet, writing!

Also a point to be made- Somebody once said literature should be before writing...
Definatley a NO

 

[docceh]

I always thought it would be nice to add another Tech before Alphabet and Writing, such as "Pigment" or "Basic Artistry" or something. THat would then make a more logic progression through these Advances.

Cave Painting -> Alphabet -> Writing -> Literature

 

[Akka]

I don't even understand the required technology of "Alphabet", as you can very well write without it, and you don't need it except for writing. Alphabet should be a particularity of writing, not a tech on its own.

 

[amadeus]

Good point, Akka...

 

[hamster]

while we're on the subject of weird techs, it doesn't make sense that we can build aircraft carriers BEFORE being able to build any aircraft. maybe theres reason behind it, but i dont see it.

Dan

 

[Eastman]

Originally posted by docceh
I always thought it would be nice to add another Tech before Alphabet and Writing, such as "Pigment" or "Basic Artistry" or something. THat would then make a more logic progression through these Advances.

Cave Painting -> Alphabet -> Writing -> Literature

Cave Painting age is beyond Civilization(the game)'s time, I think.

 

[Zachriel]

Originally posted by Ohwell
Also a point to be made- Somebody once said literature should be before writing...

They are probably referring to "oral tradition". Most of the great epics, including the Iliad, the Biblical story of creation and Beowulf, started as stories told and retold by pre-literate poets.

In other words, the stories, with all their rich poetry, came before writing.

 

[ainwood]

Originally posted by hamster
while we're on the subject of weird techs, it doesn't make sense that we can build aircraft carriers BEFORE being able to build any aircraft. maybe theres reason behind it, but i dont see it.

Dan

Maybe they follow from the 3M philosophy: Lets build something, then find a use for it. Maybe they just thought flat-topped boats looked cool.

I completely agree. Aircraft carriers should be available once you have steel & flight. I noted this in Jeff's bug thread.

 

[BigBirdZ28]

If it aint broke, dont fix it.

 

[KloePoek]

yup.. i just moved the carrier to advanced flight.. a much more realistic tech IMO..

 

[Akka]

Originally posted by KloePoek
yup.. i just moved the carrier to advanced flight.. a much more realistic tech IMO..

Not only more realistic and making more sense, but it was already the case in Civ1 and Civ 2.
I wonder who was the madman that changed for the worse so many things from the previous games...

 

[D.Shaffer]

Actually, I agree with the Writing, and THEN alphabet system. Look at the Aztecs. They DID have writing systems of a sort, but they didnt have a true alphabet. You can tell stories via pictures, or record numbers in a primitive 'ledger, and that could be considered writing, but without proper rules as to what stands for what, it's not a true alphabet.

 

[Akka]

Originally posted by D.Shaffer
Actually, I agree with the Writing, and THEN alphabet system. Look at the Aztecs. They DID have writing systems of a sort, but they didnt have a true alphabet. You can tell stories via pictures, or record numbers in a primitive 'ledger, and that could be considered writing, but without proper rules as to what stands for what, it's not a true alphabet.

I don't think that ANY alphabet tech is needed. What you require to write or to make maths is just symbols. Symbols are useless if you don't do one or another, so I consider they should not be a tech apart. And you can't write without symbols, which means that by the time you have writing, you have symbols.
What I means is that before you write, you don't need symbols, and after you already have them.