Civilization IV article at IGN

[Sub]

http://pc.ign.com/articles/650/650805p1.html

Check it out. Its a pretty good read and there are also some new screens.

 

[dc82]

tt's cool - you get to see a lot of the flags, stars for the us, horses for the mongols, eye for the egyptians.

 

[ThERat]

looking at the latest screenshots I get a feeling they have heard our rumbling and grumbling. It appears they are changing certain aspects (units a little smaller, landscape a little less cluttered, wonders a little bigger).

However, I still feel those graphics need a major overhaul. Things don't seem (how shall I put it?) 'connected' and appear as if thrown in here and there. I wish I would open screenshots and say 'wow' or 'yes that's nice', but it doesn't happen to me

 

[Captain Howdy]

tt's cool - you get to see a lot of the flags, stars for the us, horses for the mongols, eye for the egyptians.

Where did you see the flags????

 

[joethreeblah]

looking at the latest screenshots I get a feeling they have heard our rumbling and grumbling. It appears they are changing certain aspects (units a little smaller, landscape a little less cluttered, wonders a little bigger).

However, I still feel those graphics need a major overhaul. Things don't seem (how shall I put it?) 'connected' and appear as if thrown in here and there. I wish I would open screenshots and say 'wow' or 'yes that's nice', but it doesn't happen to me

I think this picture is beautiful and shows that things are grouped together... it may be a small world, as well.

 

[Phoenix_56721]

I agree thats the best screen shot yet! Man I can't wait (thats it) I'm pre-ordering tomorrow!!!!!!!!!!

 

[ThERat]

I agree that that's the best screenshot we have seen so far, but it's that also exactly the problem.

 

[Aussie_Lurker]

Well, what can I say but WOW!!!!! These are the kinds of 'reviews' which I have been truly been looking forward to-because they are actually based on playing the game (rather than looking at a demo).
Now, what I specifically liked:

1) The screenshots-to me-look genuinely beautiful and professional, very smooth (I feel certain that in RL it will look even better). What I especially like is how mountains look like they come in a range of lengths.

2) Multiplayer sounds like it is very smooth, and well worth playing-heck I might even end up playing MP more than I play SP (now that WOULD be a shock!!)

3) Diplomacy, Culture and Religion truly sound like they have taken their rightful place amongst the roads to victory!

Now, for the things I am not so happy about:

1) The fact that the one setback the reviewer had almost cost him the game does not sound good at all !! I am hoping that this was simply because he was playing against such a masterful team-and not simply much because the starting game is such a gamemaker or gamebreaker (which would go against the grain of their claim that Smaller nations are as viable as larger ones).

2) Still no modern screenies, and still nothing on naval or air warfare (though it might be possible that they never got that far in the games).

3) I still feel like they are being a little cagey about how-or if-diplomacy has been improved, yet this is one of the MAIN things I am desperately keen to hear about!!

On balance, though, everything I read in this review has made me salivate even more for this game!!!! I just have a few niggling issues which I REALLY want Firaxis to put to rest.

Yours,
Aussie_Lurker.

 

[Aussie_Lurker]

Hmmm, just saw something which actually does bother me.

Check out THIS SCREENSHOT and, once again, you will see those green glowing rocks.
Now, I think we can rule out this screen being in debug mode so-if that is uranium (and not, say, copper or emeralds) then why can you see it in such an early part of the game??? Please, oh please, Firaxis, come and set our minds at ease on this question!!!

Yours,
Aussie_Lurker.

 

[ThERat]

Hmmm, just saw something which actually does bother me.

the problem is that they have not really given us much details about issues many people here are concerned. And I honestly doubt that a short demo would reveal those issues as well.

The graphics ranting is actually not really a gamebreaker.Snoopy will be all fired up to provide us with great mods anyway
But what about resource allocation and visibility. If resources are visible from the start, that would be really lame.
What about the modern age and yes, air and naval warfare?

What I did gather was that religion does seem to play a big part, we have to play ourselves to be able to judge how it turns out to be.

 

[joethreeblah]

Hmmm, just saw something which actually does bother me.

Check out THIS SCREENSHOT and, once again, you will see those green glowing rocks.
Now, I think we can rule out this screen being in debug mode so-if that is uranium (and not, say, copper or emeralds) then why can you see it in such an early part of the game??? Please, oh please, Firaxis, come and set our minds at ease on this question!!!

Yours,
Aussie_Lurker.

I think we are still looking at debuggers. The roads are going through the rivers and it just has that big question mark in the corner instead of an interface.

no military units are showing

Anyhoo, that picture looks nice as well... and it is also pretty cool that those testers got to play against Sid

 

[CTH]

Could be a screenshoot from firaxis and not from IGN, sometimes they get screenshoots that is pre made so they don't give away anything they shouldn't....

 

[Akka]

Ah, and they finally put France back with the regular BLUE colour !
No more stupid pink !

Great !

 

[Commander Bello]

I think we are still looking at debuggers. The roads are going through the rivers and it just has that big question mark in the corner instead of an interface.

no military units are showing
[...]

As far as I remember, the question mark is the hook for the "civilopedia".
About the non-display of military units I've got the impression that we have the chance / will have to (whatever you like more) fade certain things out and in, as otherwise the display would be cluttered like hell.

It was for a reason that in previous versions we had to enter the city's screen for managing it. Similar to the folder hierarchy in Windows or whatever system you use.
Now, as "everything is visible on the map" as they proudly announced, you have to have the chance to blend certain things out as otherwise you might just be lost.

What concerns me much more is the vague outlook given in that article about whether Civ4 will become a BIG game or not.
Seems, the author really liked the mp-experience but was slightly unsure about some things, which he didn't want to pronounce too much.

 

[Aussie_Lurker]

Well, to be fair Bello, the article was titled 'Civilization 4 Multiplayer Hands-on', which means that their primary goal was to outline the multiplayer experience-something that Firaxis is making a big deal about-which is probably why its getting pumped first. I reckon the next reviews we will see will start to focus on other elements that are new to the SP AND the MP game (at least, I really hope they will!!)

Yours,
Aussie_Lurker.

 

[tcjsavannah]

I want to play the lions in multiplayer now and just go around eating settlers.

 

[dc82]

Where did you see the flags????

oh, i meant the unit flags - they're used to represent the civ. click the country name to see the full sized image.

America :

Mongolia :

India :

Germany :

Egypt :

 

[Commander Bello]

Well, to be fair Bello, the article was titled 'Civilization 4 Multiplayer Hands-on', which means that their primary goal was to outline the multiplayer experience-something that Firaxis is making a big deal about-which is probably why its getting pumped first. [..]

Correct, Aussie, yet they posted this as well:

We've had a very limited amount of time to play, so it's hard to tell how much all of these features will change the game for good or bad in the long run.

which of course is contradictional to

Everything we've seen so far, especially the multiplayer in my case, points to an awesomely addicting strategy game.

So, MP seems to be ok as far as this might be judged from one day's experience, yet there is unsureness about SP (which for me and apparently a lot of others is more decisive).

 

[Sullla]

Now, for the things I am not so happy about:

1) The fact that the one setback the reviewer had almost cost him the game does not sound good at all !! I am hoping that this was simply because he was playing against such a masterful team-and not simply much because the starting game is such a gamemaker or gamebreaker (which would go against the grain of their claim that Smaller nations are as viable as larger ones).

I think the lesson there was "don't send out your settlers unescorted or they will be eaten by lions." That's probably less of a balance issue than learning that the Civ4 barbs are more dangerous.

 

[oldStatesman]

Seems like Civ4 will be primarily a MP game...which if true precludes me from buying it. Most of the time I spend playing is not time where I can spend online in a MP situation. Disappointing...perhaps that is why we have heard so little details about the AI and other factors which are more geared for single player useage.

Lions eating settlers...ridiculous. Man mastered lions and wild animals well before organized societies came out....yes, the occasioanal hunter would get gobbled up, but it was man's ability to organize to defeat stronger wild beasts that led to his larger brain, and his dominance of the planet. I hate that part intensely.

So far I am a real skeptic, sure I'll get flamed by the fanatics, but sie la vie. I am really sad as I really do like Civ3 except for a couple of things that will never be fixed...and it seems Civ4 will probably not be the answer for me.

Ah well, maybe someone will come up with a mod/clone that will suit me...but looks more and more like Firaxis will not be getting my money at this point, but I will wait until I read a lot of ordinary SP player reviews after the release before totally giving up on it.