Civilization V Demo Release Date: 21st of september

[Psyringe]

I guess MoO3 has been a traumatic experience for many people who tried to play it. That's why it gets referred to so often. If there is an embodiment of fan angst that their favorite game might be totally botched up by incompetence on all levels of design and production, then it's probably MoO3. If Sierra On-Line still existed, then they'd probably thank MoO3 thrice a day because without it we'd still talk about Outpost.

However, I don't think the angst is warranted. MoO3 suffered from an undoable initial design (incredibly complex with elements that punished the player for taking actions), several publisher changes, firing the lead designer in the middle of development, developers failing to meet every single deadline that was set for them and generally showing an astonishing level of incompetence, a development cycle that was so long that the game's engine (which was actually already old when development started) looked like they dug it out in an archeological excavation, and a publisher that in the end just hoped to get get enough bucks out of the very obvious lemon to cover their losses (no matter what the customers might think afterwards). Now, you can probably criticize Firaxis and especially 2K on many levels, but one can't deny that they have a solid reputation of being professionals who get their jobs done. Comparing Firaxis/2K to Quicksilver/Infogrames could be regarded as an insult to the former. I highly doubt the Firaxis could be so incompetent even if they tried really hard.

 

[EmpireOfCats]

If Sierra On-Line still existed, then they'd probably thank MoO3 thrice a day because without it we'd still talk about Outpost.

Oh, wonderful. Thanks for mentioning Outpost. Now I really feel sick.

Seriously, if things were that bad, we'd already have heard about it. Some of our own have had their hands on the game, after all, and they didn't rip their own eyes out afterwards. Given how different the strengths of the various UU are, I expect there will be some balance issues that will require patches, but that's part of the learning curve for every Civ version.

 

[Ondskan]

Yeah I like some of the innovative ideas like city defenses that I hope will become stronger the higher the population is and the more buildings you have like walls or civil defense.

I really hope for a good AI though... And the more complex something becomes the harder it is to make a good AI. Hearts of Iron 3 really did decent job considering how complex the game is but it was also bug ridden at the release. And guess what, they also delayed a demo


Oh well.


I sorta disagree with you guys about MoO3, it had potential that's for sure but it wasn't a bad game. What I truly do miss are independent reviewers, disregarding what game it is. I'm so sick of IGN and Gamespot just hyping everything up from Fallout 3 to Red Alert 3 without even going in depth and discussing it in depth. I think Gamespot even had a scandal where they were bribed to give good grades.

But that's the way of the world when its run by adverts and not by subscribers. Lets hope someone on the forum can make a good review as soon as the game comes out.

 

[Psyringe]

What I truly do miss are independent reviewers, disregarding what game it is. I'm so sick of IGN and Gamespot just hyping everything up from Fallout 3 to Red Alert 3 without even going in depth and discussing it in depth.

Yeah, same here. I've come to trust games magazines about as far as I can throw them. Wait, they fly a good 15 meters ... so let's say about half as far as I can throw them, maximum.

Fansites and customer reviews were reliable when they started, but in times of "viral marketing", this unfortunately becomes less and less true. Modern marketing departments have people monitoring amazon, wikipedia etc, and posting "customer reviews" there. Marketing has gone from "informing customers about our product" to a pretty dirty battle where the ends are seen as justifying any means.

But that - to go full circle and sneakily bring the discussion back on topic - is exactly why I appreciate 2K's decision to release a demo so much. No review can be more relevant or reliable for me than trying the product myself, on my own machine.

 

[Ondskan]

Yeah sure, that a demo is coming at all is a good thing. Some companies dont even release them anymore and just hope on the hype, their fault though for I wouldn't buy a game that I haven't tested anymore and the kids who buy them due to hype to it anyway.

Besides the pre order bonus doesnt even seem that good. 49 99 ? How much more can the price the game in stores anyway? Might as well wait for some days and not go arms length to try an test the game before the demo anyway.

 

[buddafucofibas]

Try pizza?

Or, for a more systematic approach: Let some food be delivered to him every night. Vary between cuisines until you find one that he's fond of, then focus on that one. Once he takes the bait, you have several options. You could drug his next meal with a soporific. Or you could smuggle a message into a Lahmacun which tells him that an even bigger meal waits outside. Or you could tell him that the deliveries were ordered by a secret admirer who waits for him right now, right at the other end of town. (Not very nice, but for an honourable cause such as this ... )

Alternatively, you could sneak up to the building, wait for five consecutive turns to increase your chances of success, and then either talk to him about how bad janitors are generally treated by their employers (Foment Unhappiness), or describe the great community at CFC and how much they yearn for video footage (Spread Culture), or convince him that NDAs are contradicting the First Amendment (Influence Civics: Free Speech), or sneak past him and secretly obtain a data dump (Steal Technology: Awesome Strategy Game Development), or convince him hat Firaxis needs to be freed from the evil clutches of 2K and given over to CFC (Instigate Revolution). I'd advise against other possible missions (Sabotage Building, Sabotage Project, Poison Water Supply) as these might actually be detrimental to development and push the release date further away, which would be conterproductive to our cause.

I think I'll just get 20 or more friends of mine and we'll all bunch up into a square foot of space and attack the building in rapid succession and I'll install myself as the new gov (a few of my friends have breaking and entering and vandalism II promotions). Then I'll switch to Universal Suffrage and spend a little gold to rush the production. Just gimme 1 turn to work my magic for ya

 

[Psyringe]

Sounds good! Don't forget lots of siege equipment to smash at the doors though!

 

[Thorburne]

The demo is mainly intended for people who haven't decided whether or not they want the game. It's not an "early access to the game" sort of thing. Well, we hoped it would be both, but sadly we just couldn't get it finalized in time.

2K Greg... While, yes, the demo is "intended for people who haven't decided" yet, there are other reasons for a player to download and play the demo before buying.

1.) Unable to for personal reasons at the time of release... they intend to get it, but for one reason or another, they are unable to buy it at that time. They may have to wait a few weeks before being able to buy it outright, but the demo would allow them to get a taste of what the game will be like when it arrives.

2) (This one only really works when the demo comes out BEFORE the actual release...) So that the player can begin learning the system and mechanics first hand, while they wait. This makes it so that when the game IS released, the player doesn't have to spend time learning the game. I am sure that I am not the only person who would play a game for a little bit to get familiar with it beore diving into a full game. I know that the first time I play, I will most certainly make some mistakes which could really put me too far behind to win. So the first play is merely just learning the game. A pre-release demo would definitely help with that.

 

[buddafucofibas]

Why complain about the release date, we all know of other ways to test the game beforehand and evaluate if its good to buy. Please...


I dont know what the pre order bonus is but usually its some to you forget about in 2 weeks or 5 bucks of. Nothing you'd really care about anyway if the game is good to buy. And to me it does seem to add a real element of strategy which is nice. Now the only thing I have a problem with is the RNG. I always liked the limited system of RNG like in heroes of might and magic 3 and not the one where one unit might not hit at all. Completely unrealistic. Little to Much damage is better.


Either way the game looks great, can't wait. Lets hope its a bit harder with a tougher AI than Civ 4

We who? Who knows how to test the game before hand?! What do you know!??! Tell me now!

 

[Huyanglee]

Damn, just read it and it makes me feel sick.

I hoped so hard that we would get it on the 6th or 7th of September...

BUMMER

 

[Buccaneer]

I'll play the demo sometimes around the end of the month, see how it is (and how it runs) and if all is good, I'll get the retail version sometime soon after. What's so hard about that?

 

[rrhal]

TBH I will probably download the demo and play the first 100 turns (a few times) while waiting for GameStop to open. Just updated the system for the much anticipated goodness. My plan was to update the my system before the Demo came out ...

 

[Shevek]

Pity it's not earlier.

Apart from being playable for 100 turns, is there anything known about the demo? Like will all civs be playable, world size and so on?

 

[Thorburne]

TBH I will probably download the demo and play the first 100 turns (a few times) while waiting for GameStop to open. Just updated the system for the much anticipated goodness. My plan was to update the my system before the Demo came out ...

The problem is, by the time you download the demo and install it, Gamestop would be closed again (unless you are lucky and happen to be one of the first to realize it is available). Everyone will be downloading it, so it will be SSLLLOOOWWWWW!!!!!

 

[12agnar0k]

Pity it's not earlier.

Apart from being playable for 100 turns, is there anything known about the demo? Like will all civs be playable, world size and so on?

Who says it will be playable for 100 turns? This is not confirmed at all as far as I'm aware, its just the length of gametime available on the Civ4 demo.

 

[Kelvrin]

Well that is dumb. It is the same day as release.

 

[Akkon888]

I do not get this.

It seems like the marketing company (2K) is not confident in the product given by Firaxis. They show minimal info, and hardly any of the game is realized by the community. I am not saying that Civ5 sucks (No one knows), but it seems like these marketing tactics just demote their product.

I feel like they say, "We will feel sorry for you if you view our grotesque program. So, we will be kind and hide this from your eyes". That's just my opinion, but it truly is what I think.

 

[Kelvrin]

2) (This one only really works when the demo comes out BEFORE the actual release...) So that the player can begin learning the system and mechanics first hand, while they wait. This makes it so that when the game IS released, the player doesn't have to spend time learning the game. I am sure that I am not the only person who would play a game for a little bit to get familiar with it before diving into a full game. I know that the first time I play, I will most certainly make some mistakes which could really put me too far behind to win. So the first play is merely just learning the game. A pre-release demo would definitely help with that.

That is what I usually do. My first game or so is just learning before restarting for real. It would have been nice to have been able to do that on a demo version before the games release.

 

[bjbrains]

I do not get this.

It seems like the marketing company (2K) is not confident in the product given by Firaxis. They show minimal info, and hardly any of the game is realized by the community. I am not saying that Civ5 sucks (No one knows), but it seems like these marketing tactics just demote their product.

I feel like they say, "We will feel sorry for you if you view our grotesque program. So, we will be kind and hide this from your eyes". That's just my opinion, but it truly is what I think.

I mean, giving many press members access to preview (and now review) code along with public gameplay at conventions is obviously evidence that they're trying to hide the game. They just aren't revealing all the details about the game before it launches/they are finalized.

 

[Psyringe]

I still don't get why the date is so important. I usually play Civ games for years. I'm playing Civ4 on and off for about 1,750 days now. Compared to that, a timespan of a few weeks looks negligible. I wouldn't have enjoyed the game any more (or less) had I gotten it earlier (or later). I have to admit that this whole "I have to get it at release date" / "I want a teaser before the release date" concept is totally alien to me.