Well, to continue my thoughts, and reply to some of the comments since:
My impressions aren't going to change. As I said in my original post, on page 3, I've played through Civ 1, Civ 2, Civ3 and expansions, SMAC/X. For their faults, none of them failed in the first sit-down (much less after three or four long sittings) to inspire the "one-more-turn" feeling.
Civ 4 failed that on the first sit-down. I have forced myself through several further games, in the hopes of reaching an epiphany where it all suddenly starts being that special "magic" of the prior games. Not happening.
I had lower expectations for Civ4 than Civ3, and despite Civ3's obvious out-of-the-box problems, it still inspired the one-more-turn feeling in me. This doesn't. It makes me feel like I'm doing a chore instead of enjoying the "world-builder" pleasure that was all the other games.
I never thought the screenshots for Civ4 looked particularly intriguing, but then, I could care less about graphics. (I still have an old PC hooked up to play Roadwar 2000/Europa and XCOM). The gameplay just doesn't live up, in my opinion, to the "spark" that was in the first 3 games or SMAC/X. Perhaps it's the crawl-speed of development playing Epic (or the light-speed, game's over in a few hours of Normal, I don't play Civ to be done in one sitting, that's what video games are for), where the thrill of hitting "hit enter to go to next turn" is for far too long the only real thing you'll be doing. I don't want Civ to become the "done in one sitting" game, though that's what Normal did. I find that a shame. Civ is by definition a game meant to be epic and huge, a sprawling masterpiece of world building that appropriately takes time and effort to develop.
Anyway, not sure what comprises that special "spark" that makes me stay up until the following morning without realising it -- but it isn't in Civ4. And no, I don't intend to spend vast hours modding the game to make it "reacquire" that spark, none of us should have to redesign a game in order for it to become "fun". Didn't have to in the first three and SMAC/X. Shouldn't have to here.
My impressions aren't going to change. As I said in my original post, on page 3, I've played through Civ 1, Civ 2, Civ3 and expansions, SMAC/X. For their faults, none of them failed in the first sit-down (much less after three or four long sittings) to inspire the "one-more-turn" feeling.
Civ 4 failed that on the first sit-down. I have forced myself through several further games, in the hopes of reaching an epiphany where it all suddenly starts being that special "magic" of the prior games. Not happening.
I had lower expectations for Civ4 than Civ3, and despite Civ3's obvious out-of-the-box problems, it still inspired the one-more-turn feeling in me. This doesn't. It makes me feel like I'm doing a chore instead of enjoying the "world-builder" pleasure that was all the other games.
I never thought the screenshots for Civ4 looked particularly intriguing, but then, I could care less about graphics. (I still have an old PC hooked up to play Roadwar 2000/Europa and XCOM). The gameplay just doesn't live up, in my opinion, to the "spark" that was in the first 3 games or SMAC/X. Perhaps it's the crawl-speed of development playing Epic (or the light-speed, game's over in a few hours of Normal, I don't play Civ to be done in one sitting, that's what video games are for), where the thrill of hitting "hit enter to go to next turn" is for far too long the only real thing you'll be doing. I don't want Civ to become the "done in one sitting" game, though that's what Normal did. I find that a shame. Civ is by definition a game meant to be epic and huge, a sprawling masterpiece of world building that appropriately takes time and effort to develop.
Anyway, not sure what comprises that special "spark" that makes me stay up until the following morning without realising it -- but it isn't in Civ4. And no, I don't intend to spend vast hours modding the game to make it "reacquire" that spark, none of us should have to redesign a game in order for it to become "fun". Didn't have to in the first three and SMAC/X. Shouldn't have to here.
I just don't identify with the Civ commercial anymore about having a lust for "one more turn" with Civ IV. The magic is gone. I really can't imagine anyone liking CIV IV better than Conquests -- AM I WRONG ANYONE?
Boy he had alot of miliatry for 3 core citys and a few isolated ones. 
)but through that tutorial, I learn so much, and can now see the depths just waiting to be explored with a little patience and understanding!
republican! 
