Bibor
Doomsday Machine
For better or for worse, computer games have been a niche entertaniment in global society. Very rarely, games like Angry Birds or World of Warcraft capture the imaginations of a broader audience. Compared to sitcoms, global artists, however, it's truly a miniscule percentage of global population that shows any interest. Within that niche sits the strategy genre. Even deeper within it, at quantum level, can the differences between RTS and turn-based games be spotted. This is where Civilization VI lives, looking from the perspective of the general population.
The Civilization franchise, considering how niche it truly is, punches way above its weight. And games like X-Com managed to grow out of the niche and slip away into the sphere of wider gaming audences. Firaxis tries hard and knows what it's doing. Otherwise games like Civilization 6 and X-Com wouldn't see the light of day, let alone be successful enough to get a sequel after sequel.
Can you imagine, for just a second, if games like Civilization 7 would have the budget of a Marvel movie? How glorious and magnificent that would make you feel? I, for one, would feel proud and fulfilled. I would yell "Look at me guys, I truly cherish, understand and skillfully play something that the whole world sees and loves". And I would feel great!
For better or for worse, this will probably never happen. But never say never.
Do I feel good about loving to play Civilization games? Burning thousands of hours of my one-and-only-life into it? Well yes. And no.
Yes, because at this subatomic level of global entertainment I get to enjoy a community and individuals, truly a loose tribe, here at Civfanatics. Members come and go, and the atmosphere changes with the ages, of even from subforum to subforum, but the spirit stays the same. Considering the miniscule population of my country, let alone my city, that's the best I can ever hope for. There will never be a Firaxiscon or anything of the sort, not in a 3.000 mile radius. My love for these games will always be locked within myself and only so much often expressed on this forum. This is my channel where I can express them.
No, because the world doesn't appreciate this game for what it is. And it doesn't let it be what it's supposed to be. The world is screaming and yelling at it for not being an international success that captures the hearts and minds of millions. Billions. Why does that need to happen?
Well, for the most part, Firaxis is under pressure from the industry. The pressure of the industry is too high. It grows too fast. It demands too much. Perfect intro videos, expensive graphics and voiceovers, music. They say "create a game that has the look and feel of a hollywood movie". Well great, and where's the corresponding budget? Nope, that budget is not happening. Beacuse it's a game that's a niche within the niche. It would never pay for itself.
Individuals and brands, like Sid himself, can do only so much to shield creators from this pressure. And a game can be truly successful only if its led by a vision of one person (like Jake Solomon). It's no coincidence a whole grassroots games industry grew in the last half a decade. That's one way of showing the middle finger and relieving this pressure, for sure.
No, because the games we want are not the games we're getting. If we do get them (like Civilization 6), they come with both fundamental flaws that can't be fixed and features that come five years too late (by the way, thank you Firaxis, for sticking to it, and turning Civ6 into the greatest in the franchise).
You see, the problem is, partly, in us, the players. The current model is unsustainable – games like Civilization 6 or 7 can't cost $60. They should cost closer to $150. Or more. If we want a competent AI, it would be probably closer to $5.000. We can't have what we want, or at least some of us want, for $60. Not anymore. The development cost of Civ7 is not even at the same order of magnitude as it was for civ 1 or 2. Our expectations grow, the expecations of the industry grows, and yet everything is really and only down to the creative fortutide and vision of one lead designer, crushed under the weight of our collective demands: us the players, P&L, investors...
I personally burned so many hours into Sid games, I could've had two doctorates by now. Am I proud of it? Yes. Did I love it? Yes. If I had the chance, would I replace it? No. It's of great value. To me.
My only hope is that The World will somehow adjust its expectations and level with Civilization. That The World will fall to its knees and whisper "I understand now. And I apologize. From now on you can do what you were supposed to do".
Until then, the struggle continues.
These are my thoughts on how I see civfanatics, Civilization 6 and it's future, Civilization 7.
Stay safe, my fellow Civfanatics!
Bibor
The Civilization franchise, considering how niche it truly is, punches way above its weight. And games like X-Com managed to grow out of the niche and slip away into the sphere of wider gaming audences. Firaxis tries hard and knows what it's doing. Otherwise games like Civilization 6 and X-Com wouldn't see the light of day, let alone be successful enough to get a sequel after sequel.
Can you imagine, for just a second, if games like Civilization 7 would have the budget of a Marvel movie? How glorious and magnificent that would make you feel? I, for one, would feel proud and fulfilled. I would yell "Look at me guys, I truly cherish, understand and skillfully play something that the whole world sees and loves". And I would feel great!
For better or for worse, this will probably never happen. But never say never.
Do I feel good about loving to play Civilization games? Burning thousands of hours of my one-and-only-life into it? Well yes. And no.
Yes, because at this subatomic level of global entertainment I get to enjoy a community and individuals, truly a loose tribe, here at Civfanatics. Members come and go, and the atmosphere changes with the ages, of even from subforum to subforum, but the spirit stays the same. Considering the miniscule population of my country, let alone my city, that's the best I can ever hope for. There will never be a Firaxiscon or anything of the sort, not in a 3.000 mile radius. My love for these games will always be locked within myself and only so much often expressed on this forum. This is my channel where I can express them.
No, because the world doesn't appreciate this game for what it is. And it doesn't let it be what it's supposed to be. The world is screaming and yelling at it for not being an international success that captures the hearts and minds of millions. Billions. Why does that need to happen?
Well, for the most part, Firaxis is under pressure from the industry. The pressure of the industry is too high. It grows too fast. It demands too much. Perfect intro videos, expensive graphics and voiceovers, music. They say "create a game that has the look and feel of a hollywood movie". Well great, and where's the corresponding budget? Nope, that budget is not happening. Beacuse it's a game that's a niche within the niche. It would never pay for itself.
Individuals and brands, like Sid himself, can do only so much to shield creators from this pressure. And a game can be truly successful only if its led by a vision of one person (like Jake Solomon). It's no coincidence a whole grassroots games industry grew in the last half a decade. That's one way of showing the middle finger and relieving this pressure, for sure.
No, because the games we want are not the games we're getting. If we do get them (like Civilization 6), they come with both fundamental flaws that can't be fixed and features that come five years too late (by the way, thank you Firaxis, for sticking to it, and turning Civ6 into the greatest in the franchise).
You see, the problem is, partly, in us, the players. The current model is unsustainable – games like Civilization 6 or 7 can't cost $60. They should cost closer to $150. Or more. If we want a competent AI, it would be probably closer to $5.000. We can't have what we want, or at least some of us want, for $60. Not anymore. The development cost of Civ7 is not even at the same order of magnitude as it was for civ 1 or 2. Our expectations grow, the expecations of the industry grows, and yet everything is really and only down to the creative fortutide and vision of one lead designer, crushed under the weight of our collective demands: us the players, P&L, investors...
I personally burned so many hours into Sid games, I could've had two doctorates by now. Am I proud of it? Yes. Did I love it? Yes. If I had the chance, would I replace it? No. It's of great value. To me.
My only hope is that The World will somehow adjust its expectations and level with Civilization. That The World will fall to its knees and whisper "I understand now. And I apologize. From now on you can do what you were supposed to do".
Until then, the struggle continues.
These are my thoughts on how I see civfanatics, Civilization 6 and it's future, Civilization 7.
Stay safe, my fellow Civfanatics!
Bibor
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