Civilization Online revealed, probably isn’t the PvP MMO you expected

[FriendlyFire]

Civilization Online revealed, probably isn’t the PvP MMO you expected

Its all-caps studio name is constantly yelling, but XLGAMES has been quiet about one thing until now: Civilization Online, which it’s developing under the command of veteran MMO designer Jake Song. Civ Online isn’t a grand strategy board game MMO—according to the reveal at Massively, it’s more similar to A Tale in the Desert. Players will control a single citizen in a procedurally-generated world and help one of four cultures achieve a Civilization-style victory over the course of a “session.”

Civ Online’s look reminds me of Disney’s 1997 Hercules film—colorful and attractive, but more bubbly than expected to capture the grandeur of human history. That aside, the stories at MMORPG and Massively indicate (without a great number of specifics) an exciting sandbox in which players will collaborate to explore the world, acquire resources, craft new inventions, advance through tech eras, found cities, build Wonders, and wage PvP wars with other civilizations.

Exploration, according to Massively, involves a unique twist: it sounds like weekly map updates will add more land around each civ’s main encampment until all four bump into each other. Players won’t know the tech status of other civs until they meet.

And when cultures clash, they might enjoy a bit of stabbing each other, so PvP combat is certain. “We are expecting that most people will spend their time killing other people,” Song told Massively. Starting cities will be safe, but others are up for grabs. Death will send a player all the way back to his or her city, or to an “advance outpost,” so successful sieges will require a team effort.

Looks like AI units in an RTS with a totally dissimilar art style—is this from the right game?

The eras will include Ancient, Classical, Medieval, Renaissance, Industrial, and Modern. After a victory condition is achieved by one civilization—world conquest and space race wins appear confirmed—the world will reset, though players will retain “some aspects” of their characters from session to session.

Now here’s the most interesting bit from Massively’s story:

“Leaders will also emerge from the citizenry of each civilization, as necessary roles like mayor and military commander must step up to help create order and achieve objectives. There will also be mechanisms in place for players to oust ineffective or bad leaders. A civilization could forego working together to just be every man for himself, but then it wouldn’t progress and most likely would be conquered by another more organized civilization. Song called the game ‘a big social experiment.’”

I would gladly have some of that. No release date has been announced for Civilization Online, though MMORPG says it’s been in development since 2010. Last year, Take-Two announced that it’s being developed for the Asian market, and according to Massively, Song says they are “inkling toward a free-to-play model.”

EDIT:
http://www.pcgamer.com/2013/08/07/civilization-online-revealed/
http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/0...ive-jake-song-introduces-civilization-online/

Not turned based = Not playing
Only 4 players dose not sound Massive at all, more like multiplayer.

 

[Sonereal]

I am throwing all my money at this.

 

[ParkCungHee]

Only 4 players dose not sound Massive at all, more like multiplayer.

Is it 4 players or four cultures?

 

[Ajidica]

Could be interesting.

 

[Sonereal]

Is it 4 players or four cultures?

If it is like A Tale of the Desert, there will be lots of players to a culture at a time. So not just four players, but four "countries" to join.

 

[FriendlyFire]

Is it 4 players or four cultures?

4 Factions how ever only 1 leader per faction to actually make all the Civilisation like strategy decisions for everyone else its just another mmorpg.

I want to be that 1 leader of a faction however, people have like jobs and are not prepared to spend a lot money into the game have no chance of becoming dear leader. Plus the popular faction is likely to dominate both in numbers and people prepared to spend up money.

 

[AlpsStranger]

Honestly, this sounds particularly awful. I'll keep an open mind unless it hits one of my "instant no-appeals rejection" buttons:

-Pay-to-win
-Facebook exclusivity
-Overly "Asian MMO" characteristics

So we'll see. It's not looking great if I'm brutally honest, but we'll see.

 

[Joecoolyo]

No idea how to feel about this.

I'll take a White and Sea attitude.

 

[Sonereal]

4 Factions how ever only 1 leader per faction to actually make all the Civilisation like strategy decisions for everyone else its just another mmorpg.

I want to be that 1 leader of a faction however, people have like jobs and are not prepared to spend a lot money into the game have no chance of becoming dear leader. Plus the popular faction is likely to dominate both in numbers and people prepared to spend up money.

That's rather rapid judgement on the game. Like Alp said, as long as it isn't Facebook, clearly P2W, or Maple Story, I'll give it a shot before damning it to the trash can.

 

[FriendlyFire]

That's rather rapid judgement on the game. Like Alp said, as long as it isn't Facebook, clearly P2W, or Maple Story, I'll give it a shot before damning it to the trash can.

Clearly it is secret socialist communist propaganda, how could Libertarianism be inferior to communism.

A civilization could forego working together to just be every man for himself, but then it wouldn’t progress and most likely would be conquered by another more organized civilization

Yeah it looks alright, but with no details of the actual gameplay this is just speculation.
Was really hoping for actual turn based Civ MMO.

 

[warpus]

Looks interesting, might buy and play

 

[Sonereal]

How would a turn-based Civilization MMO work? Start improving a farm and wait for 399 other players to finish their turn?

 

[Leonel]

Looks extremely interesting since it's the Civ MMO that I've been hoping for for a long time.

 

[choxorn]

I wonder how we can win by conquest if you can't fight in the starting cities.

 

[Gucumatz]

Not sure about this if I am to be honest...

Being focused to the Asian market makes me even more doubtful. Pretty sure Civ games never sell exceedingly well in the Asian market - the design seems all over the place atm from what they tell us

 

[Kyriakos]

Looks cool. I'd rather wait for Civilization Online Arena though, where one can be a spearman battling a tank.

 

[BvBPL]

I played the beta. It was pretty good.

I think they were calling it Age of Empires back then though.

 

[AlpsStranger]

Looks cool. I'd rather wait for Civilization Online Arena though, where one can be a spearman battling a tank.

A civilization MOBA would be hilarious.

Imagine playing like Warrior and then upgrading to Axeman and then Maceman etc on up to modern infantry. Or starting as a chariot and becoming a helicopter or something.

 

[Farm Boy]

Stronghold Kingdoms online under the Civ banner, eh?

I momentarilly thought I skipped a couple months and it was awfully nice outside for the beginning of April.

 

[timtofly]

The units have revolted and taken over the game.