E3 2007: Civilization Revolution First Look @ PC.IGN

[Thunderfall]

PC.IGN also posted their Civilization Revolution preview article directly from E3. This article is more detailed than the GameSpot first look article and also includes 16 wonderful screenshots! Some of the screenshots show more leaders while others are actual gameplay screenshots. Below is a summary of the new info:

• Civilization: Revolution does away with many of the negative concepts and micromanagement aspects of the PC game. There's no pollution here, no corruption, no anarchy, and no worrying over the placement of specific improvements around your cities.
• The maps are smaller and the number of cities you control is going to be reduced significantly. There is an option to play on a larger map that you can unlock through gameplay or higher difficulty levels.
• The designers want to create a version of Civ that can be played start to finish in a matter of a few hours.
• There are 16 civilizations and each one has a unique look (in architecture and unit appearance) and unique abilities.
• The unique abilities of each civilization are going to be more significant and specific. The Japanese, for instance, get trade bonuses for building cities on the coast, while the Egyptians get the same bonus for building cities in the desert. The Romans benefit from free roads and increased infantry movement. Some of the unique bonuses give a civilization a bonus during a particular time period.
• The game will include three different types of barbarians, one each from cold, temperate and warm climates. Each group of barbarians will have their own unique look and their own specific units.
• The enemy leaders you face will be very animated and responsive. In fact, before you even select a dialogue option, you'll see how your rival is likely to respond to it.
• Units move around and engage each other in a very active way in combats, and you'll even see nice little details like arrows sticking in the bodies and shields of your enemies.
• Units will look different as they gain promotions. For example, the Roman legions will acquire helmets when they advance to veteran status. If you opt to improve your legions with the Infiltration promotion, their cloaks will turn black and they'll be called Ninja Legions.
• Civ2 style advisors are back. You'll get some animated interactions with the various ministers in your cabinet. The advisors will even point to specific areas of the map when they have comments to make about threats or opportunities you're facing.
• When a unit reaches the rare Elite status, they'll be given a specific name drawn from elite units in our own history -- Immortals, Black Watch, 82nd Airborne, and such. These units automatically upgrade every time you reach the appropriate technology.
• You can merge three of the same type of unit into a powerful single army unit. Not only do they gain triple the health of a single unit, but the entire army will benefit from each promotion that any of the constituent units possessed.
• Space race victory focuses more on building a large ship to maximize your victory points. You can win an economic victory by acquiring certain amounts of resources and cash. The cultural victory will be focused on converting enemy cities and gaining a huge roster of Great People. Your spy units can steal Great People from other players.
• There is a new animated trophy room that let's you see the perks you've acquired. Expect to see things like skilled jugglers or dancing bears when you pop in.
• When you win, you'll be rewarded by seeing a great little victory dance. You'll be able to zoom back and forth across the world, watching all the units, both yours and your enemies, engage in some hilarious Ewok-style booty-shaking.
• The game will support up to four players online using the simultaneous turn format. Video and voice chat are supported. The game includes options for free for all and two-on-two matches. There's even an option for one-on-one duels.
• The game will also include leader boards and matchmaking for general games so you can track your progress against other players. There will also be a Game of the Week that players can download and play competitively against each other. The scores for each match will be tracked each week so you can see which players are doing the best at that particular game.

Be sure to check it out!



>> Civilization Revolution Gallery

 

[krantzbucks]

Interesting changes made for the console market. Having started out with civ on the consoles (I had Civilization on the super nintendo and Civ II on the Playstation) this is an interesting development as the game seems to have been re-designed for the console rather than being a dumbed down version of the PC game with its emphasis on shorter, more action packed battles. Whether this is good for the game or not remains to be seen, but it sounds intriguing to me.

 

[toft]

I surely hope that this cartoonish an childish style wont pass on towards an eventual civ5

 

[Chuggi]

I surely hope that this cartoonish an childish style wont pass on towards an eventual civ5

Me too. Civ 4 was cartoonish enough for me.

 

[GarretSidzaka]

i like it, but i dont think they will put this version on PC. this looks like a very acceptable console version of civ4

edit: it for some reason reminds me of civ3 graphics

 

[Chuggi]

i like it, but i dont think they will put this version on PC. this looks like a very acceptable console version of civ4

edit: it for some reason reminds me of civ3 graphics

Maybe the colour of the grass is similar to this.

I think Civ 3 had the most realistic graphics (the city view art, and the leaderheads, etc.)

 

[Azander]

I actually like the cartoonish style- just not for civilization. It's so wrong!

Keep those things for Super Mario and Zelda

Besides that, it's really some kick-a** artwork. Look at Monty! I'm in love!

 

[Pannonius]

I dont like it, cartoonish and scaled down is not my cup of tea.

 

[pinjerro]

i know its cartoonish, and they could make more realistic graphics, but thats some heck of graphics

 

[darko82]

Me too. Civ 4 was cartoonish enough for me.

That's right. It LOOKS TERRIBLE. If the games are gonna look like this, I quit right away. It puts me off. This game is for 5 years old ! What I want is realistic not cartoonish graphics.

 

[morikaweb]

You have to get used to graphics like that in an American consol game. Unfortunately most American consol developers assume they have to make the games dumbed down, and sexed up to be able to attract the "younger male audience" that plays consol games in their minds...

Hopefully some of these companies will eventually wake up and realize more than 10 year old males play games. But it won’t happen any time soon.

 

[Evaporater]

Viva Pinata, anyone?

 

[darko82]

You have to get used to graphics like that in an American consol game. Unfortunately most American consol developers assume they have to make the games dumbed down, and sexed up to be able to attract the "younger male audience" that plays consol games in their minds...

Hopefully some of these companies will eventually wake up and realize more than 10 year old males play games. But it won’t happen any time soon.

Well, they have to decide who they are making games for ? You know, these days there are many games designed for small children e.g Hugo ... Making such games means that older generations probably will not touch it. They can't make a game and think that everyone will play it - young and old alike. It seems that they are deliberately making this game for very young kids. They would not expect us to play it, would they ? Obviously, you are right they want to attract young generations, but I WILL PRAY they do not make Civ 5 like that. That would be a complete disaster !

 

[Bursk]

"Civilization: Revolution does away with many of the negative concepts and micromanagement aspects of the PC game".

Those . .. .. .. .. . at IGN should realise that some of us like the "negative concepts" of the PC version. I hope Civ 5 PC is nothing like Revolution.

 

[Azander]

I don't think there's any chance they'll be making civ 5 like that. Unless they're planning to loose a great deal of fans.. ?

 

[Bursk]

I'm sure you're right, but it's important that those of us who like Civ as it is speak up. Many a PC franchise has been ruined by making it more mainsteam.

 

[salaminizer]

Seems to be a nice CONSOLE game, I doubt they'd release something like this on the PC, but I'd actually give it a chance. I could easily play more than 5 hrs, but thinking about the average gamer, a 3hr game is OK.
As I said, I don't think it will affect any future release of Civ on PCs.
If it helps to make Civ even more popular among console-players, I welcome it. *take cover*

 

[marioflag]

It's just a really dumbed down version of civ4.As other people said i hope that they won't make civ5 like that civilization revolution, it would be the same huge mistake that EA made developing Simcity Societies, which had the only consequence to lose all simcity community.

 

[Alter Ego]

I'm an adult, historically minded gamer, yet fascinated by Civilization: Revolution. Is something wrong with me? Am I psychologically abnormal?

 

[Shadius]

I don't think there's any chance they're going to model CivV (Hm, that looks weird with a roman numeral) after Revolution. Beyond the Sword is probably a better indicator of where they want to take the "main" series - that is to say; more complicated and extensive gameplay, not toned-down and simplified.

That said, I doubt I'll bother with CivRev. See little reason to play a purdier, modless CivIV "lite". It seems to me that this game is directed more to people looking to get into the genre than for veteran TBS fans.