First game: What will you do?

[Varelse]

Oops, my bad. I didn't realize this poll was already being done.

 

[Leonel]

I think I'll do what I've done in previous games. For example, with Civ 1 I was a very peaceful nation attacking only barbarians. When Civ 2 came around, I became a warmonger in Civ 1, then got tired of it. Then I was a peaceful nation in Civ 2. However when Civ 3 came around, I was even more of a warmonger in Civ 2! Now that Civ 4 is coming around, I'll probably be a peaceful nation but I'm not sure what to do with Civ 3 since Civ 1 and 2 were played on my old iBook during my summers away from my PC back in university.

 

[kryszcztov]

I always play France. So well...

You mean, for a first game (like me), or for each game ???

Rome and Greece could be on my favourites, but I've a hard time to really imagine them past-antiquity. To do so, they would require some "flavoured" architecture and units, to make them still Roman and Greeks, but modern.

You lack some imagination, my friend...


As for my 1st game. French, Louis XIV, default rules on the medium level, and aim at space race, focus on domestic development.

 

[Loppan Torkel]

Inca 0 0%
Aztecs 0 0%

It seems there are too many native american civs in the game.

 

[Nyvin]

I'd go for the French. Them, Romans, and Japanese are probably the three that interest me the most.

 

[m15a]

It seems there are too many native american civs in the game.

i think i might be least likely to play aztecs. and thinking about it now, i just realized why. when i played in civ i, i'd usually play on a world map. and usually not the aztecs or america. a majority of the time (or so it seems) the last two civs left would be my civ and the aztecs. can kinda scar a 12 year old.

 

[sela1s1son]

i think i might be least likely to play aztecs. and thinking about it now, i just realized why. when i played in civ i, i'd usually play on a world map. and usually not the aztecs or america. a majority of the time (or so it seems) the last two civs left would be my civ and the aztecs. can kinda scar a 12 year old.

In Civilization I the Russians almost *always* conquered me. For a quite a while I played as Rome so the Russians couldn't be in, but when I didn't it always seemed like Russian Infantry and Armor would appear as I was getting Musketmen. Of course I was much younger too.

 

[prscormier]

The Mongolians. Because of that episode of South Park.

 

[Ephor]

Greeks.

I've always hated how in every civ or historical game (RoN comes to mind) the Greeks were:

A) Culturally identical to Athenians

- Emphasis on philosophy, Periclean art and construction programs.

B) Militarily identical to the Macedonians and led by Alexander the Great, who was a f-king barbarian, not a Greek!

-from HistoryofMacedonia.org:

The ancient Greeks did not regard the Macedonians as Greeks, nor the Macedonians regarded themselves to be Greek. They were proud of their Macedonian nationality and way of life, and looked down upon the Greeks and with contempt. The Greeks called them barbarians, along with the Persians, Illyrians, and Thracians, a label that they attributed to all non-Greeks who neither spoke nor understood the Greek language. Alexander's Macedonian Army was not a "Greek army" as some modern writers have erroneously claimed, nor the Macedonian conquest of Asia was a "Greek conquest". The fact is that not one ancient writer has called the Macedonian empire "Greek" or the Macedonian army and conquest "Greek", but specifically Macedonian.

- Emphasis most often on cavalry, odd since none of the real Greeks had any good horses to speak of.

C) bereft of Spartan influence, with the exception of the occasional unique Hoplite unit.

The Spartans may have only existed in one city for a few hundred years, but they approached war, politics, and economics in ways that have seldom or never been seen again. With the promotion system, recreating the Spartan ethic of a few, extremely elite units shouldn't be a problem.

As for civics, I've been waiting forever for a game to feature this sort of open-ended government building, particularly since Sparta's political system didn't remotely resemble ANY of the "archetypes" featured in past civ games.

Government: Police State
- The Spartans' legendary army weren't just for show, they continually had to keep the slave caste on a short leash. This theme of domestic peace through military deterence would have likely continued.

Legal: Freedom of Speech
- Despite this, Sparta allowed middle class citizens, and women in particular, much to the disdain of Aristotle, unmatched freedom to discuss all matters of society.

Labor: Caste System
The slaved Helots, the middle/warrior class Homoioi, and the senator/noble Gerousia.

Economy: State Property
Even though there was a very segregated upper class, they weren't all that much richer since so much was property of the state, such as all the slaves and the public mess halls where all were requied to eat.

Religion: Pacifism
In a final twist of absurdity, while Spartan life revolved around war, they were nearly the least likely Greek city to commit to it. Only in the case that a city was being tyranized by a despot, or a city (*cough* Athens *cough*) was terrorizing its neighbors like a despot, would Spartans wage war. They even refused, unlike many Greek cities, to follow the Persian army onto to their home turf, choosing instead to protect what was theirs.


I think it's an incredible testament to CivIV and Firaxis that such a unique and bizarre, but effective political system could be so amazingly well captured by the civics system. I can't wait to take this baby for a spin...

 

[Belboz]

Welcome Ephor!

The website you cite is tendentious. The modern day states of Greece and Macedonia are competing for bragging rights to Alexander's legacy, so each side distributes information to bolster its case. While it is true that many Greeks of Alexander's era considered the Macedonians as barbarians, the Macedonians were culturally influenced by Greece (Aristotle was Alexander's tutor). And if you check the ancient sources, it is clear that both Greeks and Macedonians served in Alexander's army. And Alexander's conquest spread Greek culture throughout the Mediterranean and Asia, because the Macedonian generals who succeeded Alexander encouraged both Greeks and Macedonians to settle in newly conquered territories.

Personally, I'd prefer Pericles as the leader for the Greeks, but that's just me.

 

[Ephor]

Welcome Ephor!

The website you cite is tendentious. The modern day states of Greece and Macedonia are competing for bragging rights to Alexander's legacy, so each side distributes information to bolster its case. While it is true that many Greeks of Alexander's era considered the Macedonians as barbarians, the Macedonians were culturally influenced by Greece (Aristotle was Alexander's tutor). And if you check the ancient sources, it is clear that both Greeks and Macedonians served in Alexander's army. And Alexander's conquest spread Greek culture throughout the Mediterranean and Asia, because the Macedonian generals who succeeded Alexander encouraged both Greeks and Macedonians to settle in newly conquered territories.

Personally, I'd prefer Pericles as the leader for the Greeks, but that's just me.

Howdy.

Also, the Macedonians got a hefty boost to their military tradition when a Spartan general was sent to educate their troops to defend against an Athenian invasion while Sparta and Athens had a technical cease-fire going on, so although it revolved around cavalry, the Macedonian army was not without greek influence in strategy, in addition to actually employing Greeks.

It's not that Alexander is entirely unfit, he did spread Greek culture to a far greater degree than anyone else, but as a technical barbarian, it's still irksome to have him as an only choice. Personally, I'm with you, I'd much rather have Pericles as a selectable option, so I do hope the Greeks get a second leader before the game ships. He'd offer a great counterpoint to Alexander too, as Periclean Athens is the one of the few examples that spring to mind of a nation being bested militarily, but largely conquering its neighbor (Macedonia) through sheer cultural influence. Gamespot said half the civs have two leaders, and I just wish they would've said which ones...

 

[sela1s1son]

Howdy.

Also, the Macedonians got a hefty boost to their military tradition when a Spartan general was sent to educate their troops to defend against an Athenian invasion while Sparta and Athens had a technical cease-fire going on, so although it revolved around cavalry, the Macedonian army was not without greek influence in strategy, in addition to actually employing Greeks.

It's not that Alexander is entirely unfit, he did spread Greek culture to a far greater degree than anyone else, but as a technical barbarian, it's still irksome to have him as an only choice. Personally, I'm with you, I'd much rather have Pericles as a selectable option, so I do hope the Greeks get a second leader before the game ships. He'd offer a great counterpoint to Alexander too, as Periclean Athens is the one of the few examples that spring to mind of a nation being bested militarily, but largely conquering its neighbor (Macedonia) through sheer cultural influence. Gamespot said half the civs have two leaders, and I just wish they would've said which ones...

What about Agamemnon? I can't remember the specific city/area he's from, but I do believe he was Greek, and was certainly a good leader. There's also enough proof he existed, even if you don't believe in Troy (there's still debate about Troy even today).

 

[HourlyDaily]

Agamemnon was head of one of the city states (Megara?) back in the age of Heroes, and the 'Greek' identity probably didn't exist as strongly as it did in Pericles days (in Athenian form anyway). Its been a little while since I read about it all but I think that is why.

If we see a mod - we could have one Spartan and one Athenian leader as well as Alexander.

 

[Minesweeper]

I am disappointed that the Iroqouis are not in this game, so I will play as the Romans.


Mathias

 

[Loppan Torkel]

Civ doesn't seem do to too well in Asia, considering their population and how many who have chosen to play them. Is Starcraft their main game when it comes to strategygaming, or do they play some major asian strategygame?? Anyone from China here?

 

[T100]

Im going to play as the Americans just because we are the greatest Civilization to every grace this rock. *Let the Flamming Begin* lol

 

[sela1s1son]

Im going to play as the Americans just because we are the greatest Civilization to every grace this rock. *Let the Flamming Begin* lol

You could always justify it and lighten the subject by saying we gave the world Sid Meir's Civilization.

I may be very pro-American, but I am able to make a friendly joke about my beloved country too. ;-)

 

[Loppan Torkel]

Im going to play as the Americans just because we are the greatest Civilization to every grace this rock. *Let the Flamming Begin* lol

Too many of you believe that for it to be funny... lol

 

[T100]

Im not saying that I don't believe that, I'm just a newage thinker and understand that the rest of the world is just to spoiled to realize how much they would floating in their own waste if it wasn't for the the generous and all-loving Americans!!!! *Okay that last part I was joking...still funny though*

 

[Wolfy]

I'm gonna shoot a tea kettle into the air and then hijack the first tricycle I see. Also, I will do this as a German.