I know I am a very rare breed of BE player who has played Civ V for the first time. I am experienced in the earlier Civ games. I didn't really want to get sucked into another civ game. That is why I didn't pick up V when it came out. However the sci fi premise enticed me to come back to BE, and as such back to Civ V.
First off, I haven't beat Civ V at any level yet, and I am playing chieftain. Nor did I spend hours researching the tech tree before playing the game. I just dove in.
In a nutshell-
-Civ V mostly seems easier to learn. Admittedly, I have learned BE first so obviously I had more familiarity with the systems of a Civ V type game.
-BE had some ambitions, some successful, some not so much. Clearly it is not as polished as Civ V, however, Civ V complete has two expansions and many more patches to clean it up.
-BE should continue to go its own path. Civ V is already made. If BE continue to enhance some of its innovations like affinities and aliens, it will be as polished an as enjoyable as Civ V is to most of us.
Detailed observations from my viewpoint.
- Maps seem much smaller. Instead of aliens keeping people off lands to expand to, and weak stations that don't take up the land around them, and may or may not survive if you don't trade with them, in V, you don't got much land to expand on, and you have to capture places to expand. I don't find this as enjoyable.
- At least so far, tile improvements take much faster to build. In BE i would pump double digit number of workers, and I would still be improving the land when the game ended, even if I was playing peacefully. I think this is better. Also lumbermills are nice, as opposed to cutting down forests for most improvements.
-Barbarians are really easy to deal with compared to aliens. I do like the challenge of aliens at the beginning of the game, even though it gives BE little harder of a learning curve.
-It would seem that the Civ V interface is a lot easier to learn. I didn't even know I could specialize what the city was producing before my 6th or 7th game of BE. It is much easier to see that in Civ V. Also the production queue seems to have taken a step backwards in BE, where as Civ V it seems much easier to use.
-Trade routes, espionage, and virtues are far less important and lucrative than in BE. Of course i am still in the classical era, so it could be different the more I play.
- Civ V feels like it gives you more. There are more wonders to build, and far more civilizations to start out with. Even though in the long run, many of these differences are cosmetic, and minor, I wish BE had more wonders and sponsors.
-The cloud fog of war looks so much better than the black fog of war in BE.
- The fact that you have to research stuff that comes at the very beginning of BE, in CIV V like embarking pass the coasts, building roads, or just allowing your production go into science is both a good and bad. I think it is more noob friendly to have these systems introduced more slowly. However, it is nice to have more of it, when playing BE after your play for a while.
-It was pretty obvious playing BE, that the battle systems were a little silly. It makes sense for a warrior or a knight to be a "melee" unit. However, it doesn't make sense for a combat rover to do the same thing. Also, it is a bit annoying that horse units in CIV V can move after attacking, but combat rovers can't unless you get some upgrade very late into the game.
-The free affinity upgrade system is a nice touch.
-Virtues of BE are are more powerful than social policies in Civ V. It might just be that I don't know what I am doing yet. However the virtues seem more simplified considering the fact that you only have 4 rather than 10.
- Tourism, and religion, seem overly complicated. I am sure if you combine the benefits of policies, tourism and religion, you might get bonuses that rival that of the virtues system in BE, however, I find the simplification of the process appreciated.
- I find maintaining happiness in Civ V much easier than maintaining health in BE. It makes the game easier. At least that is what i have seen so far. Of course I am playing chieftain.
-Color wonder pictures are nice.
- The replay map is nice. I can see why they removed it. You can kind of cheat to see what other civilizations are doing, and then reload and play it that way. I still think it is a good thing to have.
-The wider variety of upgrades for units is nice. Admittedly BE has a much easier system. Stronger long term, or recover health. Civ V is a lot more complicated. Do you want to be good in the jungle or on regular land, or heal.
-Affinities need tweaking. But it is nice to have enemies with different types of units going after you.
-The tech tree is a lot easier to use than the tech web.
-The diplomacy system is much better in Civ V simply because there is no favor system. We will see what RT brings.
- Both game have a good soundtrack. Neither have a soundtrack that rivals Baba Yetu. Get Christopher Tin to compose something for Rising Tide.
***More thoughts 7/11***
Additional thoughts:
-The requirement to build certain buildings in all of your cities before building a wonder, is a interesting mechanic. It certainly limits "wide" play and late expansion.
-The late game building rush is a lot easier in CIV V. Considering the fact that the tech tree is more linear. It adds a level of complexity to BE to have a purity, supremacy, and a harmony version of a factory (LEV plant, bioglass furnaces, and microbial mines). And really, you can't build all of them in all but your oldest of cities. A way to sort the list of buildings by production, health, or energy when selecting buildings might be very helpful in BE.
-Espionage seems a lot easier to use in CIV V then BE. And the steal energy task is way too OP in Beyond Earth.
-Again the game seems like it has "less". Having title screens that show up when booting the game again is a good touch. That landing on the planet picture is good, but it would be good to mix it up like CIV V.
-As with the map for the reply, not sure why the non graph ratings menu was cut out of this game.
-Removing work boats and combining it with the workers was a smart move in BE. Same could be said with combining the scout with the archaeologist. It is also good that both aren't single use, because that was annoying in CIV V
-The victory condition complains in BE are true. It is nice that you can win via culture, science, diplomacy or conquest in BE. I must admit, in BE it is a lot easier to keep track of victory conditions, and stop your opponents from accomplishing them.
-Diversity of aircraft is so much better. (Bombers and fighters)
First off, I haven't beat Civ V at any level yet, and I am playing chieftain. Nor did I spend hours researching the tech tree before playing the game. I just dove in.
In a nutshell-
-Civ V mostly seems easier to learn. Admittedly, I have learned BE first so obviously I had more familiarity with the systems of a Civ V type game.
-BE had some ambitions, some successful, some not so much. Clearly it is not as polished as Civ V, however, Civ V complete has two expansions and many more patches to clean it up.
-BE should continue to go its own path. Civ V is already made. If BE continue to enhance some of its innovations like affinities and aliens, it will be as polished an as enjoyable as Civ V is to most of us.
Detailed observations from my viewpoint.
- Maps seem much smaller. Instead of aliens keeping people off lands to expand to, and weak stations that don't take up the land around them, and may or may not survive if you don't trade with them, in V, you don't got much land to expand on, and you have to capture places to expand. I don't find this as enjoyable.
- At least so far, tile improvements take much faster to build. In BE i would pump double digit number of workers, and I would still be improving the land when the game ended, even if I was playing peacefully. I think this is better. Also lumbermills are nice, as opposed to cutting down forests for most improvements.
-Barbarians are really easy to deal with compared to aliens. I do like the challenge of aliens at the beginning of the game, even though it gives BE little harder of a learning curve.
-It would seem that the Civ V interface is a lot easier to learn. I didn't even know I could specialize what the city was producing before my 6th or 7th game of BE. It is much easier to see that in Civ V. Also the production queue seems to have taken a step backwards in BE, where as Civ V it seems much easier to use.
-Trade routes, espionage, and virtues are far less important and lucrative than in BE. Of course i am still in the classical era, so it could be different the more I play.
- Civ V feels like it gives you more. There are more wonders to build, and far more civilizations to start out with. Even though in the long run, many of these differences are cosmetic, and minor, I wish BE had more wonders and sponsors.
-The cloud fog of war looks so much better than the black fog of war in BE.
- The fact that you have to research stuff that comes at the very beginning of BE, in CIV V like embarking pass the coasts, building roads, or just allowing your production go into science is both a good and bad. I think it is more noob friendly to have these systems introduced more slowly. However, it is nice to have more of it, when playing BE after your play for a while.
-It was pretty obvious playing BE, that the battle systems were a little silly. It makes sense for a warrior or a knight to be a "melee" unit. However, it doesn't make sense for a combat rover to do the same thing. Also, it is a bit annoying that horse units in CIV V can move after attacking, but combat rovers can't unless you get some upgrade very late into the game.
-The free affinity upgrade system is a nice touch.
-Virtues of BE are are more powerful than social policies in Civ V. It might just be that I don't know what I am doing yet. However the virtues seem more simplified considering the fact that you only have 4 rather than 10.
- Tourism, and religion, seem overly complicated. I am sure if you combine the benefits of policies, tourism and religion, you might get bonuses that rival that of the virtues system in BE, however, I find the simplification of the process appreciated.
- I find maintaining happiness in Civ V much easier than maintaining health in BE. It makes the game easier. At least that is what i have seen so far. Of course I am playing chieftain.
-Color wonder pictures are nice.
- The replay map is nice. I can see why they removed it. You can kind of cheat to see what other civilizations are doing, and then reload and play it that way. I still think it is a good thing to have.
-The wider variety of upgrades for units is nice. Admittedly BE has a much easier system. Stronger long term, or recover health. Civ V is a lot more complicated. Do you want to be good in the jungle or on regular land, or heal.
-Affinities need tweaking. But it is nice to have enemies with different types of units going after you.
-The tech tree is a lot easier to use than the tech web.
-The diplomacy system is much better in Civ V simply because there is no favor system. We will see what RT brings.
- Both game have a good soundtrack. Neither have a soundtrack that rivals Baba Yetu. Get Christopher Tin to compose something for Rising Tide.
***More thoughts 7/11***
Additional thoughts:
-The requirement to build certain buildings in all of your cities before building a wonder, is a interesting mechanic. It certainly limits "wide" play and late expansion.
-The late game building rush is a lot easier in CIV V. Considering the fact that the tech tree is more linear. It adds a level of complexity to BE to have a purity, supremacy, and a harmony version of a factory (LEV plant, bioglass furnaces, and microbial mines). And really, you can't build all of them in all but your oldest of cities. A way to sort the list of buildings by production, health, or energy when selecting buildings might be very helpful in BE.
-Espionage seems a lot easier to use in CIV V then BE. And the steal energy task is way too OP in Beyond Earth.
-Again the game seems like it has "less". Having title screens that show up when booting the game again is a good touch. That landing on the planet picture is good, but it would be good to mix it up like CIV V.
-As with the map for the reply, not sure why the non graph ratings menu was cut out of this game.
-Removing work boats and combining it with the workers was a smart move in BE. Same could be said with combining the scout with the archaeologist. It is also good that both aren't single use, because that was annoying in CIV V
-The victory condition complains in BE are true. It is nice that you can win via culture, science, diplomacy or conquest in BE. I must admit, in BE it is a lot easier to keep track of victory conditions, and stop your opponents from accomplishing them.
-Diversity of aircraft is so much better. (Bombers and fighters)
