I've been hearing a lot of hype lately about the possibility of Civ 5 being in the works, and multiple sources have confirmed it on their websites. For example, Gamespot now has its own page for Civ 5. As you can imagine, this caused normally well mannered and intelligent people to become giddy like frantic japanese school girls. Look at this board itself, it's filled with posts talking about what they think ought to be included in the next installment of civ. They go on for pages, and pages, and pages.
Before I go on and continue to rant, I admit I could be wrong about what I am about to say and some of it is just my natural opinion. I would urge people to correct my facts if they are wrong, but don't bother with my opinions (and don't be lame and miscontrue my opinions as facts... you're not that stupid I'd hope)!
First I have to say that I've been an aficionado for well over a decade, having enjoyed Civ since its first installment it wouldn't be a lie to say I was raised by the mind of Sid Meier! Through II, the dark periods of CtP, III, and IV the games went through their phases. Sometimes certain features improved, sometimes features got worse or were ignored; by and large though, the franchise continued to improve in my eyes. The games have always been entertaining and challenging to large audiences in my eyes.
That all changed with Civ Rev. They took everything people liked about the game and watered it down for a console. I won't go on to list why I dislike Civ Rev so much. I accept certain facts about why the game was developed and move on. It reached a wider audience, was easy to play on consoles, appealed to all age groups. But in my eyes, the game just barely fit the bill for what long time veterans would classify as a civ game. But like I said, I won't go into it... it's been widely discussed before.
So, I've been hoping to God for a Civ 5. A true Civ 5. And I was literally heartbroken to discover that Civ Network will be the next incarnation of the franchise. In my eyes, it further waters down the concepts and challenges that made the Civ series so enjoyable. Basically as a giant facebook app, it's going quite literally into the realm of mmo.... to compete with "animal farm" and "my restaurant". I find that insulting on many levels. The venerable, widely respected, complex and challenging franchise of Civ will now be on a comparable level with animal farm... a game elementary aged children (and oddly, asian women everywhere) enjoy.
I speak for many others when I say that I was hoping that the successor to Civ IV would continue in its foot-steps and continue to evolve. We don't want simpler games, easier games. Where is the challenge? What happened to the evenings we'd stay up well past midnight trying to orchestrate the downfall of our adversaries? Instead we play half-hour games that all seem so cookie-cutter (civ rev). Sure Civ Net will definitely be different, but I have a feeling it too will be just as simple and the key to success will probably rely on how many friends you can weasle into playing the game. And if its mmo, it never truly ends. Games like those always destroy themselves as the most established players eventually kick the
out of anyone until people don't even want to play anymore!
And I know some of you are saying "Shut up, Bradicus! Whats wrong with a Civ IV expansion?"
Everquest.
You really want to go down that road? Another expansion would be easy for us established players, sure no doubt about it. But its just another expansion to buy for new players.... most of whom wouldn't buy it now. It's just a stigma people have. It's nearly 2010. No new gamer is going to buy a game as old as Civ IV even if it has 3 or 4 expansions. It isn't healthy for the franchise to continue with expansions anymore.
Civ IV was launched 5 years ago and the last expansion was 3 years ago, and it's given us a lot of good times. But the Series needs a new PC turn-based successor, a true Civ game. Civ Net will simply not fulfill the needs of true Civ players, or at least not for long.
Before I go on and continue to rant, I admit I could be wrong about what I am about to say and some of it is just my natural opinion. I would urge people to correct my facts if they are wrong, but don't bother with my opinions (and don't be lame and miscontrue my opinions as facts... you're not that stupid I'd hope)!
First I have to say that I've been an aficionado for well over a decade, having enjoyed Civ since its first installment it wouldn't be a lie to say I was raised by the mind of Sid Meier! Through II, the dark periods of CtP, III, and IV the games went through their phases. Sometimes certain features improved, sometimes features got worse or were ignored; by and large though, the franchise continued to improve in my eyes. The games have always been entertaining and challenging to large audiences in my eyes.
That all changed with Civ Rev. They took everything people liked about the game and watered it down for a console. I won't go on to list why I dislike Civ Rev so much. I accept certain facts about why the game was developed and move on. It reached a wider audience, was easy to play on consoles, appealed to all age groups. But in my eyes, the game just barely fit the bill for what long time veterans would classify as a civ game. But like I said, I won't go into it... it's been widely discussed before.
So, I've been hoping to God for a Civ 5. A true Civ 5. And I was literally heartbroken to discover that Civ Network will be the next incarnation of the franchise. In my eyes, it further waters down the concepts and challenges that made the Civ series so enjoyable. Basically as a giant facebook app, it's going quite literally into the realm of mmo.... to compete with "animal farm" and "my restaurant". I find that insulting on many levels. The venerable, widely respected, complex and challenging franchise of Civ will now be on a comparable level with animal farm... a game elementary aged children (and oddly, asian women everywhere) enjoy.
I speak for many others when I say that I was hoping that the successor to Civ IV would continue in its foot-steps and continue to evolve. We don't want simpler games, easier games. Where is the challenge? What happened to the evenings we'd stay up well past midnight trying to orchestrate the downfall of our adversaries? Instead we play half-hour games that all seem so cookie-cutter (civ rev). Sure Civ Net will definitely be different, but I have a feeling it too will be just as simple and the key to success will probably rely on how many friends you can weasle into playing the game. And if its mmo, it never truly ends. Games like those always destroy themselves as the most established players eventually kick the
out of anyone until people don't even want to play anymore!And I know some of you are saying "Shut up, Bradicus! Whats wrong with a Civ IV expansion?"
Everquest.
You really want to go down that road? Another expansion would be easy for us established players, sure no doubt about it. But its just another expansion to buy for new players.... most of whom wouldn't buy it now. It's just a stigma people have. It's nearly 2010. No new gamer is going to buy a game as old as Civ IV even if it has 3 or 4 expansions. It isn't healthy for the franchise to continue with expansions anymore.
Civ IV was launched 5 years ago and the last expansion was 3 years ago, and it's given us a lot of good times. But the Series needs a new PC turn-based successor, a true Civ game. Civ Net will simply not fulfill the needs of true Civ players, or at least not for long.
