Announcing Civilization Network for Facebook!

[Snoopy]

Posts like this are exactly why this facebook game will fail. No one is whining...well except maybe you are in your post. Put our hopes away? Nothing left to add to Civ? Lets talk about AI. Lets talk about realistic diplomatic engagements. An advanced espionage system. Civil wars, rebels, terrorism...the list goes on and on. With every Civ game that has come out (excluding revolution) there has been a major advancement in the way we play civilization. Heck even colonialism is something that has only been touched upon (even with the latest release.) But I thought this thread was about facebook Civ so seriously, focus on that.

I dislike facebook. I think it's a huge waste of time...something I've learned from twitter. If you like it, good for you. Everyone has different likes and dislikes. I like Pizza, you like Fish fillet. I don't like onions, you don't like carrots. Whatever. Besides the fact that I don't plan on opening a facebook account even for this game, I can't help but point out the fact that there arent really any successful games on facebook. How will CivNet be different? Perhaps there isn't enough info to make any real decision on this, but I also can't see how it could be any kind of advancement seeing as it will be a web based game. And web based editions of games usually take the direction backwards more than forwards. That being said, why not just stick to Civ 4/Rev? Wait till another release? I honestly can't see anyone playing CivNet 4-5 hours a day like we do with Civ 1, 2, 3, and 4. And I don't believe that Firaxis (or whoever owns Civ) is going to make more money on ads (assuming thats the business model for the game) than they would selling actual copies of a real Civ game.

But I believe Sid is smarter than that. I'm sure he does have another sequel planned and these are just more experiments as he did with Rev, Col, and now Net. All the power and success to him.

Ah, you must be the new really cool guy of CF.

First of all, Facebook and Twitter are two totally different applications with different purposes. I can agree that Twitter is a waste of time, but I disagree that Facebook is a waste of time. I am not a heavy Facebook user like many are, I don't try to get my friend count up or play those many stupid games, but I can still admit that Facebook is like a mini-internet that has yet to showcase its true potential.

Secondly, the beauty with many online games is that you *don't have to* be at your computer all the time, it can self-run and you won't fall drastically behind. Civilization - being a turn based game - could not be the more perfect choice for a web-based game, and Facebook could not be a more perfect platform, considering the fact that it connects people together.

I think you will find you'll be eating your own hat once this is released, there is no doubt in my mind it will be one of the "big ones" on Facebook. If it's not your thing, then yeah, you will have to wait until Civ5 comes out, but that ain't going to happen any time soon. I've been involved in every community development from Civ2 to Civ4, including Activisions poor attempts and I just came to realise that every new addition of the game is a simple facelift with a pretty ribbon or new hat... Honestly, there is little gain to this constant re-making of Civ and adding more fluff. I think Firaxis has realised this and isn't going to waste their time doing that. Most likely they are waiting for better technology to come along, to REALLY give Civ5 a whole new body, and I say it'll take approximately 5 more years.

See you on Facebook.

 

[Dale]

Posts like this are exactly why this facebook game will fail.

.....snip.....

I can't help but point out the fact that there arent really any successful games on facebook.

You might want to think again.

Zynga, world's leading Facebook / Myspace developer business value more than Take-Two.

Zynga Inc., maker of the “Mafia Wars” and “FarmVille” games played on Facebook, may be valued at $1 billion based on the sale price of a smaller rival.

This makes it the 3rd largest US game developer. Source: Bloomberg

From the same source you'll note that the US market on Facebook and Myspace will soon be over $2 billion.

The U.S. market for games played on social networks including Facebook Inc. and News Corp.’s MySpace will triple to $2 billion by 2012

Playfish which was bought out by EA recently sells a massive amount of e-goods each day. Even at 15 cents each when you sell 20 million a day you're printing money.

"Every day we sell 20 million items," said Sebastian de Halleux, co-founder of Playfish

Source: The Age

So why is Sid / Firaxis making CivNetworks? Business!

 

[The_J]

Secondly, the beauty with many online games is that you *don't have to* be at your computer all the time, it can self-run and you won't fall drastically behind.

But is this "playing"?
It runs more for itself than you do something...well, the even better game would be one, you'll just start and look at it, that needs even less time...

I've been involved in every community development from Civ2 to Civ4, including Activisions poor attempts and I just came to realise that every new addition of the game is a simple facelift with a pretty ribbon or new hat... Honestly, there is little gain to this constant re-making of Civ and adding more fluff.

Perfect. Let's stop developing anything.
If everybody had this opinion, we would still live in caves.

 

[Lachlan]

Believe in real Civ 5, because i dont want playing online, but in case of prices like the last civ gain 5000 €, if not, i'm not motivated...

 

[Snoopy]

But is this "playing"?
It runs more for itself than you do something...well, the even better game would be one, you'll just start and look at it, that needs even less time...

This is not how it works. When you are not playing, the game will continue to gather resources, make money, defend, but only at a mild level. You won't develop, discover, make treaties, etc. Those who put in the most time, will probably develop their power the fastest - if they are playing well; it is common for players to put many hours in everyday and still suck.

One major hurdle I have to wonder how Firaxis is going to pull off, is the beginning and ending, most web-based games have no ending; especially this kind of game.

Perfect. Let's stop developing anything.
If everybody had this opinion, we would still live in caves.

I didn't say that, I said wait until technology has improved a bit more so that Firaxis has new toys to play around with.

Much more likely an Alpha Centauri 2 will be released before a Civ5.

 

[Hail]

I didn't say that, I said wait until technology has improved a bit more so that Firaxis has new toys to play around with.

it's either profitable to continue the franchise or is not profitable. new technology has nothing to do with it

Much more likely an Alpha Centauri 2 will be released before a Civ5.

proof or

 

[Lachlan]

Is it a Civ4 : Beyond the Stars listed anywhere ?

 

[Dale]

Much more likely an Alpha Centauri 2 will be released before a Civ5.

Not unless EA let's them.

The only way we would see a SMAC2 is by a different name and with a totally different design. EA owns the license and rights to SMAC and the design.

 

[cephalo]

I'm thinking that Facebook is capitalizing on something that is entirely replicable. 3 years from now the market will be saturated with Facebook like sites. They are doing great now because they are in early. I think that the development cycle for a decent game will take too long. By the time it arrives it will be hanging on the edge of relevancy.

I really can't imagine how I would enjoy this game. I could be very wrong in that asessment, but when I try to imagine how a civ facebook game might be fun for me and also the typical facebook user, I'm hitting a wall.

 

[Snoopy]

Not unless EA let's them.

The only way we would see a SMAC2 is by a different name and with a totally different design. EA owns the license and rights to SMAC and the design.

And it won't be Firaxis, it'll be BHG who gets it... probably in the works now.

 

[Dale]

BHG? Brian Reynolds went to Zynga start of the year, so if anything SMAC2 would appear on Facebook too.

How classic would that be? Both Civ and SMAC go to Facebook.

 

[Drawmeus]

Posts like this are exactly why this facebook game will fail. No one is whining...well except maybe you are in your post. Put our hopes away? Nothing left to add to Civ? Lets talk about AI. Lets talk about realistic diplomatic engagements. An advanced espionage system. Civil wars, rebels, terrorism...the list goes on and on. With every Civ game that has come out (excluding revolution) there has been a major advancement in the way we play civilization. Heck even colonialism is something that has only been touched upon (even with the latest release.) But I thought this thread was about facebook Civ so seriously, focus on that.

You're talking about more features. All of these things you mention are as possible with the civ 4 engine as they would be with civ 5. They're left out as a design decision, not because they're not feasible.

I realize this site is the wrong audience for a post like this; it is natural that the most hardcore fans of a game will think that the game should be designed for them, and a fansite like this self-selects for the hardcore. It happens with all games. And more/more realistic features are always what the hardcore audience asks for. But the truth is those kinds of things are the kinds of things that should be featured in mods and such, not a game release. Feature creep might be ideal for the hardcore audience, but added complexity makes a game intimidating for new players, and an intimidating game means that the franchise ultimately dies out, evenwhile the hardcore players enjoy it more and more.

 

[Snoopy]

BHG? Brian Reynolds went to Zynga start of the year, so if anything SMAC2 would appear on Facebook too.

How classic would that be? Both Civ and SMAC go to Facebook.

, I missed that news. What happened to BHG then?

Guess there will be a showdown on Facebook.

 

[pete1061]

This sounds more like a marketing thing to draw new players to CIV games.
Also probably testing MMO game play for the CIV series.
Regardless if you are into facebook or not, it is popular and a good place to advertise.

Personally, I'm not on facebook, and I have no interest in ever joining.

I'm holding out hope for a CIV V some day, and I hope there will be an offline single player mode.
This recent trend towards MMO everything kinda bugs me. I really hope single player offline games (of all genres) don't go extinct. Game companies are attracted to them because they generate an ongoing stream of money and make piracy much more difficult. This facebook thing may be a test for a future Civ V with a monthly MMO subscription. IF that is the case, I hope they keep a single player mode.

Another speculation I have for the long wait for Civ V is that it's likely to have a major jump in technology when it does come out. Maybe it'll be fully 3D on a non-grid map.

 

[Vortilex]

Actually, it'd be interesting to see what would happen if more of Firaxis's games ended up on Facebook, like Colonization, SMP, etc.

 

[MrPopov]

Gamers with Jobs podcast has an interview with Sid Meier about Civ Network. http://www.gamerswithjobs.com/node/48542 Skip to about 34 minutes in where Julian Murdoch interviews Sid Meier.

 

[cephalo]

Gamers with Jobs podcast has an interview with Sid Meier about Civ Network. http://www.gamerswithjobs.com/node/48542 Skip to about 34 minutes in where Julian Murdoch interviews Sid Meier.

Good find MrPopov.

I sure do wish there was a game company out there who wanted to make games for uh... gamers! When and how did that become unprofitable? Stardocks next project Elemental will hopefully satisfy our niche, but if it fails for some reason it's going to be the end of the world.

 

[joyming]

good way to advertise civ, but its not for players like us. i bet this is only for commercial uses. has to be. its free.

 

[GIO888]

No-o-ooooo Sid!

Facebook is in fact Satan, CIV 5 should be on a shiny round thing you put in your PC's coffee-holder thingy, or downloaded for 8 hours over the Hintertoob cable that comes through the phone?

PS I don't normally write like this Sid, but I'm preparing you for what will happen if this goes Facebook.........

 

[Pexicus]

Would you elitist anti-FB posters care some cheese with your whine?

Grow up already. At least wait and see what comes out and gripe and moan then for all your hearts pleasure.