Arabia First Look Video (Saladin)

[JuhQman]

This does make me wonder whether in a duel game if Arabia gets its Prophet on Turn 1. They'd still need to wait to build a Holy Site to found the religion.

Why would they get a prophet on turn one?

 

[Siptah]

This does make me wonder whether in a duel game if Arabia gets its Prophet on Turn 1. They'd still need to wait to build a Holy Site to found the religion.

LOL at the hilarity of a duel between Arabia and Kongo.

I guess there are 2 possible religions on duel maps. Otherwise RV would be strange. Just as in your example.
Would be great for collecting achievements though ;-)

 

[Eagle Pursuit]

Wow, pete really has the ability to make me want to play as every civ.
He makes it sound like Saladin's playstyle is a bit of like an evil genius at the end there, perfect for me
He just need more handrubbing in his leaderscreen and we're good to go

Pete definitely has a way with words.

 

[isau]

I guess there are 2 possible religions on duel maps. Otherwise RV would be strange. Just as in your example.

Probably right. I haven't played a lot of duels. I guess you get 2 religions not just 1 (half of all civs +1). So Arabia would just get its free religion the instant the opponent does rather than Turn 1. Which is open to a special kind of strategic trolling (go ahead and found that religion, buddy... ).

Still LOL at Arabia v Kongo.

Kongo is kind of set up as the anti-Arabia. Kongo in a game reduces pressure to found a religion by removing one person from the race. Arabia adds pressure by removing an entire slot, so if you come in 5th (on an 8 player game) you lose. A game that happens to have both civs normalizes the number of slots. One less slot, but one less player competing for them. Interesting design that significantly affects how the game will go.

 

[beorn]

As a devout Barfieldian (and atheist), I actually would argue the scientific revolution *was* only possible because of the massive fundamental shift in worldview that occurred during the Reformation in which the hierarchical Catholic church (where the Pope has the sole connection to god, and any connection the layman has comes via the long chain of priests) gave way to Protestantism (which allowed for the concept that each individual is equal before god). Check out Owen Barfield's "Saving the Appearances". But agreed, we are going off topic.

I bring this up not to pull us further off topic, but to express a small complaint I have always had with the Civ series.

I doubt that Protestantism brought the scientific revolution nearly as much as the two had a common cause -- the printing press.

The habit of sitting over your own Bible or any other text provided a strong impetus to ponder things... and, if the pondering produced anything of value, the printing press also made the valuable result a lot more likely to transfer across time and space.

Communications technological advances have had profound impacts, and none so great as the printing press. (If the Chinese had had an alphabet that could have worked as well on a printing press, all of history would have fallen out massively differently... And a simple search of Arab scientific discoveries will show that their firsts shortly after Europe bolted ahead, powered by the printed page.)

I really wish that Civ would make the printing press the central technological advance it actually was!

 

[Guandao]

Interesting design choice for the look of Saladin. A more scholarly look than Civ4's military gear. Were Kurdish people that dark skinned though back then? Maybe Saladin got a tan from the Egyptian sun? It's stereotypical to portray Arabs as dark-skinned though. I think a lot of the Gulf Arabs today have African ancestry due to the presence of slaves from East Africa in the Arabian peninsula, hence the stereotypical dark skinned look. But Saladin was supposed to be of Kurdish origin rather than Arab, though.

The Last Prophet does seem weak in a sense. I personally would try to found a religion as soon as possible as Arabia. I don't mind the science bonuses given by the Madrasa, and seeing the Mamluk as a unique unit reminds me of Age of Empires II's Saracens.

 

[shyPiano]

Why would they get a prophet on turn one?

Arabia gets the last prophet - as soon as there's only one religion left to be found, they get the prophet to do so.
On a Duel map, if Civ V rules maintain, there can only be one religion.
Therefore, as soon as the Duel game starts, there's only religion left, and Arabia gets the last (and first, and only) prophet.

 

[KrikkitTwo]

Arabia gets the last prophet - as soon as there's only one religion left to be found, they get the prophet to do so.
On a Duel map, if Civ V rules maintain, there can only be one religion.
Therefore, as soon as the Duel game starts, there's only religion left, and Arabia gets the last (and first, and only) prophet.

2 civs / 2 + 1 = 2 religions by civ5 rules.

 

[shyPiano]

2 civs / 2 + 1 = 2 religions by civ5 rules.

Oh. I never played Duel, that's what I assumed the previous poster meant.
Disregard misinformation then!

 

[Hakan-i Cihan]

Probably right. I haven't played a lot of duels. I guess you get 2 religions not just 1 (half of all civs +1). So Arabia would just get its free religion the instant the opponent does rather than Turn 1. Which is open to a special kind of strategic trolling (go ahead and found that religion, buddy... ).

Still LOL at Arabia v Kongo.

Kongo vs Arabia (or any other civ) on duel will end easily with a religious victory ...

Edit: part in italic

 

[Siptah]

2 civs / 2 + 1 = 2 religions by civ5 rules.

And with Religious Victory being a thing, it can be seen as being confirmed that it is like that for duel maps in civvi as well. Otherwise they game practically ends with stonehenge.

 

[Babri]

How many of those are Arab, my good sir?

Plus, how many Arabs have won Nobel prizes for science?

It is like asking, how many Romans have won the Nobel prize?

Every civ had their best period in history, for Arabs & Islamic World it was the medieval era.

Also Islamic Golden Age was experienced in a period where there wasn't a concept of nationalism as we have it today. Arabian Empire consisted of a lot of territory just like Roman Empire did a few centuries back. It is safe to say that all people which contributed to science in the Arabian Empire can be counted as an overall achievement Islamic world regardless of their religion or ethnicity.

 

[qadams]

I bring this up not to pull us further off topic, but to express a small complaint I have always had with the Civ series.

I doubt that Protestantism brought the scientific revolution nearly as much as the two had a common cause -- the printing press.

The habit of sitting over your own Bible or any other text provided a strong impetus to ponder things... and, if the pondering produced anything of value, the printing press also made the valuable result a lot more likely to transfer across time and space.

Communications technological advances have had profound impacts, and none so great as the printing press. (If the Chinese had had an alphabet that could have worked as well on a printing press, all of history would have fallen out massively differently... And a simple search of Arab scientific discoveries will show that their firsts shortly after Europe bolted ahead, powered by the printed page.)

I really wish that Civ would make the printing press the central technological advance it actually was!

Off topic, yes -- but I agree!

 

[steveg700]

So, how many religious buildings are there in the worship beliefs? Is Arabia guaranteed to get one?

 

[Siptah]

So, how many religious buildings are there in the worship beliefs? Is Arabia guaranteed to get one?

Yes, it is. Max 7 religions and 7 worship beliefs (buildings).

 

[Seek]

Pete definitely has a way with words.

I want one for every civ!

I bring this up not to pull us further off topic, but to express a small complaint I have always had with the Civ series.

I doubt that Protestantism brought the scientific revolution nearly as much as the two had a common cause -- the printing press.

The habit of sitting over your own Bible or any other text provided a strong impetus to ponder things... and, if the pondering produced anything of value, the printing press also made the valuable result a lot more likely to transfer across time and space.

Communications technological advances have had profound impacts, and none so great as the printing press. (If the Chinese had had an alphabet that could have worked as well on a printing press, all of history would have fallen out massively differently... And a simple search of Arab scientific discoveries will show that their firsts shortly after Europe bolted ahead, powered by the printed page.)

I really wish that Civ would make the printing press the central technological advance it actually was!

Excellent point to be sure - but a bit off-topic to my off-topic comment on an off-topic subject

 

[Kouvb593kdnuewnd]

There are 14 founder, 7 worship and 7 follower so you get 2 founder, 1 worship and 1 follower. If all 7 religions are founded and enchanted then all beliefs must have been choosen.

The difference between the beliefs are rather minor. Getting a specific beliefs is probably not something you are going to base your strategy on and in terms of power they are pretty much equal but different. This mean arabia can very well wait because no matter what it get it will be nice to have.

 

[KrikkitTwo]

There are 14 founder, 7 worship and 7 follower so you get 2 founder, 1 worship and 1 follower. If all 7 religions are founded and enchanted then all beliefs must have been choosen.

Actually there are 7 of each type. You are missing the Enhancer beliefs

 

[Kouvb593kdnuewnd]

The analyst page have placed all enhancer as founder for some reason.

 

[Manifold]

First: The graphic at all looks really great. Also the LH for Arabia is well designed.

...But I expected Saladin LH a bit more militaristic. Additional I would give him a sword or Scimitar if I could.

The UA is nice and it entirely appropriate to Arabia.

As UU I would personally prefer something with camels, but the Mamluk fit to Saladin.

UB: I would have made the Madrassa not better then a university in sciences but it would be obtained and build earlier and gives additionally faith.

LUA: Religious building costs very little faith is valuable. But instead of another bonus for science, faith AND culture, I would have gave Saladin a combat bonus in defense near religious buildings.

Overall I miss something that has to do with the desert. IMO trading better fits to Arabia than sciences.

But whatever, I can not wait to see him really upset when my Sumerian War carts switch Arabia off in the antiquity