I've been playing this game in all its variations since it was on 3 1/2's and came out on the Mac. I've struggled through the huge improvements made from Civ1 to Civ2 (Supermarkets, Farmland, Numerous unit additions and changes, Firepower, Long lists of Tech additions, all of it). Civ2 was a much finer game, and hit the shelf very playable. Alot of people and myself waited a long long time for the true Civ3. CTP1, CTP2, and SMAC all made thier ways onto my harddrive. CTP1 and 2 werent bad, but they lacked that SM feel. SMAC was a my game of choice for awhile, but its hard to relate having Orbital Insertion Hover Tanks with Singularity Lasers and Neutron Armor with the true feeling of being totally dominant of your adversaries with Tanks and Mech Inf. in 1600AD.
So, finally my prayers are answered. The release of Civ3, what's next the formula for turning cigarettes butts into gold?(I'd be rich)
What do I need a manual for, I've been playing Civ for 8 years. I read it anyway. Strategic resources, sounds cool, problem 1 arises.
1. I'm anxiously awaiting the discovery of Iron Working. I can't wait to get my iron resources incoming and start pumping Swordsmen. Those pesky Romans are always breathing down my neck (I'm always the Greeks). But..but..but no luck for me, regarding the world i've explored along with the French and Roman maps I've acquired, there are 4 known locations of Iron. I say to myself 4??!. I might not be a smart man (Forrest Gump), but I know that there should probably a few more deposits of Iron on the 1/4th of the planet I've explored. I manage to secure an Iron deposit for my empire, but the distance from the capitol makes the city worth nothing. Colonies? Not even worth it, another civ always founds a city next to it, and it disappears.
Well, now I've got my Iron, but i dont think im going to go to war with anyone just yet. So I tech up, focus on expanding, culture, and infrastructure. I've always been the kind of person who likes to keep my options open, and I really enjoy kicking other civs' in the tail with far superior military gear. Steam Power makes its way into my knowledge base, and once again, No Coal can be found in my cultural influence, By this time in the game, I've managed to take control (conservative estimate) of 1/5th of the map. With Forbidden Palace, and a few Palace relocations, the corruption is not too unbearable, but still borderline ridiculous. I dont know about everyone else, but in this stage of the game, no one else even has a clue what coal is. So the option of trading for it is out of the question. Problem 2 arises.
2. Where is the "Hey how about selling that worthless black stuff to us?" in the diplomacy menu? Its not there. It needs to be there, regardless of whether they have the technology to harness it is one thing, but supplying the technology to harvest is a completely different aspect.
I ran into the same problem with Oil, and by now I've discovered the whole world, have active relationships with everyone. Huge map, and count em, 5 , yes 5 total oil deposits. There's hope!! One is in my land, but....it runs out after about 2 battlehips. As did my Iron eventually, but I managed to pull off a classic AI move, and found a city right next to another civs' city and pump a Temp/Library/University and take control of the Iron.
Aluminum and Rubber weren't very hard finds, upon thier associated tech discoveries 2 of each showed up within my
territory. Fission here I come. Alas, 3 Uranium deposits on the enitre planet, and guess what none are even near me or can possibly be controlled.
It's now 1868, I'm building my Space Shuttle, Democracy is working well, For some reason I cannot elminate pollution entirely like Civ2 (Rounding up on the 50% (Recycling Center) on 3 = 2 is a joke) That 2 is pollution every 4 turns. The cities remove production of that square, and if you've ever had 31 or 32 size cities, they need that square. When the pollution is gone they dont re-utilize it. Needs to be fixed. Back to the point. Oh yah its 1868, Space Shuttle, Democracy, best ship I can build is an Ironclad, and the best military unit I can build is a Marine or Cavalry. I can build a space shuttle for God's sake, but because the Fierce Egyptian War Chariot's (sarcasm) control the closest known Oil deposit, I cant build any Units that wont lose to those War Chariots if Im attacked by more than 2. This holds true for my Infantry, Marines, Riflemen, you name it.
One hell of a post, I know, but I think that if your going to include existing/existed Civs, existing/existed units, that there should probably a somewhat more reliable and more abundant supply of strategic resources. The current supply shortage is mind-boggling.
If I don't have Oil how exactly are my citizens (On bikes obviously, cars require oil) causing all this pollution?
Summation:
1. Increase Strategic Resources
2. Increase Strategic Resources
3. Put Firepower back in, Civ 2 first introduced Firepower to address this problem in Civ 1. Why remove it?
4. Allow Civs not able to use a resource, still Trade/Sell it to Civs that can use it.
5. Military units to be able to be upgraded in "By City" veiw in the military advisor. Currently only upgraded in the "By Unit" view
6. Need to be able to sort cities by more than just founding date.
I wanna make that wonder in the city with the highest production, and scrolling around is tedious.
7. There needs to be something to help city growth from size 12 to the discovery of Sanitation, size 12 cities happen very early compared to Sanitation.
And to the guy that asked about Colonization, If you have a an address, I'd be more than happy to supply you with a copy, It's a great game.
Alot of other people had a some good ideas also, I only think mine are good, because, well.... they are mine.
Mao's got an army of 50 Cavalry strong that he's having run laps around my empire...and I've got seasons tickets to the big race 
Huge PITA factor.
Hey, the patch is coming out these days... But what will bring us the next patch? Some ideas? FIRAXIS, are you reading? When will it come out? Do you have fixed times (e.g. every 4 weeks) or does a patch come out, when the community is shouting louder and louder? Do I get an official answer, please?
it!!
