[April Fools] New Civilization 5: Gods & Kings Details released

[sukritact]

I was thinking the icon for the Mecha .G looked funny and the Disney world concept art was the wrong size and looked horrible (and what about licensing?), then I remembered the date.

 

[thefran]

and discover all new technologies such as 'Fire', 'Tools', 'Language' and 'Don't eat that!'

Took me this long to figure out it's an april fools. Derp!

 

[anandus]

Hahaha, great job!

Love the Spielberg crossover-joke and the uniques!
Unique atomic bomb for Persia, hehehe.

 

[comatosedragon]

Well, here's to hoping that the first four are true (Shaka, new wonders, true globe, and 2upt).

 

[anandus]

Is vexing in the beta of G&K, btw?
As in: We can rule out everything being said here as the april's fool's joke and thus be certain the Zulu aren't one of the civs for G&K?
Or am I taking it a bit too far?

 

[Pouakai]

If he was in the beta he couldn't say anything.

 

[anandus]

If he was in the beta he couldn't say anything.

Isn't the NDA about things in the beta he can't say anything about and if he's talking about stuff that per definition isn't in the beta it isn't under NDA?
Or do beta testers have to be completely silent?

But I just had a look at the Frankenstein group, assuming it's more-or-less the same, then vexing isn't in that.

So I guess no extrapolations can be made from this topic.

 

[Nyanko]

You know what would be funny (and annoying); if hidden amongst the fools (such as mecha and Shaka) there were some real stuff in there. That'd make it an ultimate April Fools

 

[Ailedhoo]

That blog was very funny

The Knights of the Round Table would have broken the game... unless rabbits were made a unit.

 

[Shurdus]

2K Games' blog has released some more highlights of the new Gods & Kings expansion for Civilization 5. Amongst the information disclosed:

Civilization: Zulu (Shaka)
Shaka is officially returning to the Civilization series. The unique unit Impi Warrior (Pikeman replacement) will earn culture for each kill.

Wonders: Large Hadron Collider & Walt Disney World
The LHC will provide two great scientists to its builder, and WDW will provide a large happiness boost and trade route income boost specific to the city it is built in. The concept art for Walt Disney World is visible here.

Spoiler :

Map: True Globe
A new large scale global map featuring optional true start location for Civilizations will be released with the expansion. To remove size distortions near the poles, the map will feature a Goode homolosine projection of the globe, wrapping in parts other than just the ends.

Combat System: Two Units Per Tile (2upt)
The combat system revamp is including the ability for both a melee and ranged unit to occupy the same tile. Apparently we will now be facing plusher carpets of doom. Dennis Shirk comments: "The system of one unit per tile was locked in design prior to any testing of how the combat AI could function. We've had the opportunity to test this new system, and the AI is much more effective at combat given the new ability to reinforce melee with ranged units directly."

Improved Automation
Almost any aspect of the game can now be automated. Enable the Tech Tree Governor to have research choices handled by the AI, or enabled the War Governor to have the AI handle all combat, allowing the player to focus on just the aspects of the game they enjoy most.

Additional Uniques
Each civilization is gaining an additional unique unit, improvement or building, with these additions generally being later era replacements. The six noted additions are: SEALs replacing Marines for America, Cultivar Farms with higher food production for India, Universal Hopsital for France, an Atomic Bomb replacement for Persia, Knight of the Round Table as a replacement Knight for England, and a Giant Death Robot replacement for Japan named Mecha G. (see picture).

Cross Promotion with Upcoming Movie
2K Games has struck a deal with Warner Brothers regarding the upcoming Stephen Spielberg film Gods and Kings. Purchasers of the expansion will at a later date be able to get a discounted movie ticket. Spielberg says, "I am a longtime fan of the Civilization series." Christoph Hartmann, president of 2K Games, is quoted as saying "This will make strategy games way more contemporary than in the past."

Prehistoric Start
In response to community concerns regarding the early game being too brief, players now start in the prehistoric era and have to learn Agriculture before founding their civilization. All new Animal units take the place of barbarians, and upon discovering the Domestication technology these animals may be herded to your prospective foundation site. Prior to discovering Agriculture, you must explore and discover all new technologies such as 'Fire', 'Tools', 'Language' and 'Don't eat that!' The Ancient and Classical Eras have been merged to make room for these changes.


Edit: Apparently this information was unintentionally released early, as the blog post has since been taken down.

I bought it, right up to the point where you mentioned the mecha G and the 'don't eat that' tech. Good one.

 

[SalemSage]

This was an amusing April Fools, I'll give them that

Glad 2UPT isn't really happening though. Ugh, stacks...

Favourite part is the "Don't eat that" part.

 

[GoodSarmatian]

Posting obvious jokes mixed in with information that could be real. That's insidious.
Now my attempt to sort the truth from the nonsense. (all guesswork of course)

Shaka and his aztecified pikeman Impi.
True

LHC
There's already LHC concept art in the core game files. Two free GS seems a bit unoriginal and maybe OP.
True

Disneyworld
There have been stupider wonders in Civ games, but I don'tthink they'll add Disneyworld and Neuschwanstein in the same game. The proposed effect -happiness and city specific trade boost- could be real and may be for Petra or the Leaning Tower.
False

True Globe.
I think we can all say such a map would look patently ridiculous in the game.
False

2UPT
Melee + ranged on one tile defeats the purpose of limiting units per tile in the first place. It could work with some balance adjustments. Maybe strength penalties for escorted ranged units, collateral damage from some units, mounted units that can choose which unit on a tile to attack...
Too complicated.
False

Improved Automation
Won't work. Even if someone in design thinks it's a good idea (and that's a big if) they won't be able to program governors to do a decent job.
False


I'll just stop now. The only really believable bits are about Shaka and the LHC.
Id love additional UUs and UBs but it's not going to happen. It doesn't add up with the number of new units and buildings in the original announcement. And even if it was true the list is fake. SEALS sound good in theory, but three UUs and no UB for America (not to mention Japan and England) ? Come on !

 

[apocalypse105]

my opinion :

the wonders :
2 great scientists sounds overpowered ?
Wald disney really as a world wonder? Whats next "it's a small world" world?


the ability for both a melee and ranged unit to occupy the same tile:
Again firaxis has choosen the easier way around.
Well we might as well throw balance out of the window!!!!!!

Improved Automation:
Haha I laughed my ass of like someone ever gonne use that.


Additional Uniques:
Anyobody laughed when seeing this Atomic Bomb replacement for Persia XD.
godzilla for japan? They should have given them a samurai robot like the king oni(red alert)

Prehistoric Start:
So now the AI is going to rush me with clubs?

 

[apocalypse105]

If all this is a joke though then we should complain: resources are being spent on creating this April Fool's joke, resources which could be spent on making the expansion better

If this is really a april fools joke that got to be a real stupid one they give certain people hope and fals information for getting shaka in the game.

I thinxs its oslo illegal giving fals information for a product you want to sell. ( it wouldn't be illegal if they say afterwords it was a joke)

 

[GoodSarmatian]

I don't know much about Norwegian commercial law, but I can't remember publishers being prosecuted for april folls jokes.

 

[apocalypse105]

I don't know much about Norwegian commercial law, but I can't remember publishers being prosecuted for april folls jokes.

Yeah But they usally say its a joke afterworths. If they don't say its a joke they basicly giving false information to the customers.

I'm pretty sure its illegal in my country and you get a fine for it.

http://zakelijk.infonu.nl/juridisch/53099-oneerlijke-handelspraktijken-misleiding-en-agressie.html
Its in the dutch languge but you get my point

 

[anandus]

Besides, I don't think vexing is in any way affiliated with 2K Games

 

[elprofesor]

True Globe.
I think we can all say such a map would look patently ridiculous in the game.
False

I would sooooo play in that map. To me, the regular map looks ridiculous as you approach the poles. I would rather have them program a spheroid with hexagons (I believe you need to add 5 or 6 pentagons to make it work, or else curve the hexes), but you can't have it all.

The WDW art was the first thing to tip me off, since it doesn't really look like the official artwork.
But I found the MecaG part to be a stroke of genius. Although 4 moves and 250 strength is imba

 

[markusbeutel]

Had me going until the quote about being "contemporary."

 

[TheMarshmallowBear]

I woudl love if the Pre-Historic thing was true, it would be ever so much fun, would make it feel like a real civilization game, but that would most liekly mean they would have to go earlier than 4000 B.C (6000?)

I actually think stacking of ranged and melee units is excellent, it makes sense really, however, if the melee units dies after being attacked losing the ranged unit would also have to be implemented.