Voice Of Reason
Chieftain
I would like to begin by saying I'm new to the forum, so please, be gentle. That said its not my intent to say anyone is wrong in their opinion about Civ 4 but there seems to be excessive amount of criticism on the forum threads about our beloved franchise and the direction its moving. Whether these critiques have any worth is still up in the air due to the fact that the game hasn't been released yet and we have only a shadow of an idea of what the end result will be. And that in itself is the mutha <Deleted> point my friends... This game is still in development. It's not being shipped by train plane and automobile to the four corners of the world, its not on store shelves and its definitly not on anybodies computer beside the lukiest of beta testers. And they're not talking. Maybe leaking but definitly not talking about how Sid gave Otto Von Bismark a really bad toupee or how Chairman Mao looks like an elderly Mr Potato Head. We have but a glimpse of the game as it probably was last week.
Still people have made some compelling arguments about how the graphics leave something to be desired, the maps are to large/small, lack of realism, not enough turns, not enough techs, not enough blah blah blah ect... ad nauseum. To the neigh sayers I would like you once again to reevaluate your arguement based upon two things. We don't have enough info to pass judgement (refer to the opening paragraph) and most of the problems of things being left out are well within the capability and imaginations of modders to fix. Your still not convinced and ultimately pessimistic about the whole affair? Please let me indulge you.
1. The Graphics question which seems to be the forum of much complaint (*wags finger* and you call yourself civ fans) is nothing more then a question of style vs substance. Beyond being a matter of taste as to whether the art is good or bad in setting an "atmosphere" does it do its job. Which is to display iconically what is going on in the game. To that I say yes. Every release of new screenshots that I've seen is clearer then the last in depicting that which its trying to depict whether unit city improvement ect... It is evolveing beyond the cluttered early screenshots into an easy user friendly interface. It has the substance it needs to convey the message and anything beyond that should be considered creame...
2. Techs turns and maps oh my. Everyone has a problem with something. Other then the fact that all of the above mentioned can and will be modded I have one question? All of those fabulous ideas and suggestions we submitted and half of them didn't end up in the game. Why... WHY!!! *shakes hand at god*??? Do you think its possible to create a game in which it will please all of the people all of the time? *nods* yeah thats right now you get it. Because its impossible a and b many of us had counter arguements to each others desires. We wanted it complicated and expanded yet we wanted it simple enough to play. We wanted more of everything civ... People we got it. The basic game concepts and Ai have been expanded on. maybe your good idea about twinkies as a trade commodity or his really good idea about Siberian shamanism being a legit religion didn't get put in the game but that is because Civ 4 is everybodies game. Not just yours or mine. Its hubris to think otherwise.
3. About Sid driving the franchise into the ground with the latest release who can say at this point but look at the progression from civ 1 to 3. Its like Sid's brainchild has been sucking on steroids for the last 15 years cause every game gets bigger and more bada**. Not only that being in the buissness this long is a testamint to his knowledge of what gamers want and need in a turn based strategy. With very little game developing knowledge from cradle to storeroom shelf, aren't many of us being a bit hastey in judging a game that hasn't been released. Corporations are notorious for maximiseing an audience in the pursuit of ever greater profits. And don't be so naive or think yourself so special as to think that your needs desires have been compleatly ignored. They probably have you pegged as a consumer and have you in their sights as your reading this *shudder shudder* creepy No? For gods sake your reading a Civ4 forum!!!
In conclusion developers have expanded generously on key elements of the game threw in a couple of new ideas and given us what appears to be a lovely game. Everyone has a right to dissent but lets not be fools about how we go about it.
-Ciao
Moderator Action: Language removed. Don't try to use and/or mask it next time.
Still people have made some compelling arguments about how the graphics leave something to be desired, the maps are to large/small, lack of realism, not enough turns, not enough techs, not enough blah blah blah ect... ad nauseum. To the neigh sayers I would like you once again to reevaluate your arguement based upon two things. We don't have enough info to pass judgement (refer to the opening paragraph) and most of the problems of things being left out are well within the capability and imaginations of modders to fix. Your still not convinced and ultimately pessimistic about the whole affair? Please let me indulge you.
1. The Graphics question which seems to be the forum of much complaint (*wags finger* and you call yourself civ fans) is nothing more then a question of style vs substance. Beyond being a matter of taste as to whether the art is good or bad in setting an "atmosphere" does it do its job. Which is to display iconically what is going on in the game. To that I say yes. Every release of new screenshots that I've seen is clearer then the last in depicting that which its trying to depict whether unit city improvement ect... It is evolveing beyond the cluttered early screenshots into an easy user friendly interface. It has the substance it needs to convey the message and anything beyond that should be considered creame...
2. Techs turns and maps oh my. Everyone has a problem with something. Other then the fact that all of the above mentioned can and will be modded I have one question? All of those fabulous ideas and suggestions we submitted and half of them didn't end up in the game. Why... WHY!!! *shakes hand at god*??? Do you think its possible to create a game in which it will please all of the people all of the time? *nods* yeah thats right now you get it. Because its impossible a and b many of us had counter arguements to each others desires. We wanted it complicated and expanded yet we wanted it simple enough to play. We wanted more of everything civ... People we got it. The basic game concepts and Ai have been expanded on. maybe your good idea about twinkies as a trade commodity or his really good idea about Siberian shamanism being a legit religion didn't get put in the game but that is because Civ 4 is everybodies game. Not just yours or mine. Its hubris to think otherwise.
3. About Sid driving the franchise into the ground with the latest release who can say at this point but look at the progression from civ 1 to 3. Its like Sid's brainchild has been sucking on steroids for the last 15 years cause every game gets bigger and more bada**. Not only that being in the buissness this long is a testamint to his knowledge of what gamers want and need in a turn based strategy. With very little game developing knowledge from cradle to storeroom shelf, aren't many of us being a bit hastey in judging a game that hasn't been released. Corporations are notorious for maximiseing an audience in the pursuit of ever greater profits. And don't be so naive or think yourself so special as to think that your needs desires have been compleatly ignored. They probably have you pegged as a consumer and have you in their sights as your reading this *shudder shudder* creepy No? For gods sake your reading a Civ4 forum!!!
In conclusion developers have expanded generously on key elements of the game threw in a couple of new ideas and given us what appears to be a lovely game. Everyone has a right to dissent but lets not be fools about how we go about it.
-Ciao
Moderator Action: Language removed. Don't try to use and/or mask it next time.
I could very well ask you, L3gion, "Are you an employee of Firaxis' competition?"
