French civ ruler in Civ4 : Louis XIV please !

[kryszcztov]

France's flag is blue-white-red. The King's colour was white, and Paris's colours were blue and red (that's the explanation). The "fleur de lys" (the King's symbol) was usually gold over a blue background. French sport teams are always referred as the Blues ("les Bleus").

I think there is a colour called "bleu France" (some kind of dark blue, but not so dark), and it should be France's colour. White comes a good alternative (or a blue-white duet ?). Blue-white-red if each civ is made with 3 colours.

 

[.Shane.]

Inspector Clouseau!

non?

Jacques Cousteau!



Seriously though, it would be cool if each civilization had a couple "rulers". I like many of the French choices given: Napoleon, Louis XIV, Joan d'Arc, De Gaulle, Richilieu (sp?), Martel etc...

You could have rulers specific to the type of government.

It would be sweet when the French descend into anarchy to see the face of Danton or Robespierre appear!

Oh, and for monarchy, you could alternate Marie Antoinette for Louis XIV!

"Sir, Paris is rioting"
"Let them eat cake!"

 

[Kosez]

Louis XIV era was a grand era for France, but it was in this thimes she lost ongoing war for colonial dominance in America and Asia.
War of Spanish Succession was a turning point in world history, and England came out victorious. Beacause of that event, I dare to say, we are speaking English on this forum and not French.
The Sun King made some really fatal mistakes with domestic policy as well. He left "ancien regime" untouched, thus blocking the way for sooner industrial revolution in France and development of capitalism.

So, I propose Philippe IV Le Bon for a candidate for a French leader. He started the project of unifying France, maybe france would be unified no sooner than Germany, if he hadn't appeared on the Throne.
He lost the Battle of Golden Spurs, but eventually he won the war. He moved popes to Avignon. He destroyed Knights Templars. He started with centralization (of earlier kind).
His major mistake was, thet he expelled jews, instead of starting to cooperate with them. He could have make Paris financial and banking centre of Europe. But at his time, Paris was as big and important as in 16.th century.
So?

 

[mastertyguy]

Louis XIV would be the best choices, second, I'd go for Charlesmagne, and third Napoleon. Napoleon is more a MGL than a civ leader, like Joan. Joan D'arc leader of France would be like Titus Labienus leader of Rome.

 

[MRick]

I would place Charlemagne First, even if he could also qualify as german Ruler.
Louis XIV would be a good choice, but I think Napoléon is very good too. I don't know which one i would put in 2nd place and 3rd place.

Jeanne d'Arc is defenitly not a good ruler I think not only she has never been ruler of France, and also she is now almost a symbol of the French fascism !

For the colour, defenitly blue, as it was in Civ 1. It's the best colour for France, and I don't like that ugly pink color !!!
(However in my last game the French appeared red because the Incas already took the ugly pink ! ;-)

 

[Sullla]

Problem with Charlemagne is that he wasn't really French; he was a Frank, a group that contained elements of both the modern French and modern Germans. It's the same reason why Vercingetorix isn't French (he was a Celtic Gaul) or any of the several other examples I could call to mind. I'd suggest sticking to leaders more associated with medieval or modern-day France (of which there are plenty of good examples).

 

[Rookie One]

How about Vladimir Lenin for Russia?

 

[.Shane.]

Problem with Charlemagne is that he wasn't really French.

Napoleon wasn't French by birth, either.

Oh, and if we get into the royals, well their bloodllines are all intermixed.

I really don't think it matters.

 

[kryszcztov]

Unless we're going fancy (which I hope we aren't in Civ4), we can assume that :
Charlemagne was Frank : no ;
Napoleon ruled France : he can be a civ leader, not just an MGL ;
Joan of Arc didn't rule France : she can only be an MGL.

@ Kosez : We could also pick up an obscure king who lasted 2 years on the throne, and only did good things. There is a problem of fame here. Philippe IV le Bel may have done excellent things, his reign didn't last as long as Louis XIV (he ruled between 1285 and 1314), and is not really known. I admit that besides his name, I don't know him. But I'm no expert in French kings at all. And France was nowhere near its peak at this time. What is important is that no one ever made no mistake at all. Louis XIV made several of them, sure, but also did excellent things, and more importantly represents France during its peak ! I see it as a matter of representation. And the real French decline in colonisation occured under Louis XV...

 

[mastertyguy]

Come on, cleopatra was Greek, and she lead Egypt anyway in civ3, Charlesmagne was Frank, but after multiple generations. If we argue about that, we can say that Gauls had a better cavalry, according to Julius Caesar, than infantry, while their UU is a swordman replacement, and Alexander was Macedonian, so he can't lead Greece. And that Quebecers are only outer sea Frenchs.
But as Sullla said, Vercingetorix can't be leader for France, maybe for Celts, altough.

 

[mastertyguy]

And don't talk about the decline of French colonisation after I post.

 

[rhialto]

Charlemagne as leader of France, or even Germany, would be a bad move. While it is true that France and Germany are the direct successors of his empire, neither existed at the time he rules, and no one talked in terms of France or Germany. It would be like creating a civ called "Byzantium" and naming "Julius Caesar" as its ruler. Yes, he ruled that territory, and his nation was the direct predecessor, but no one talked in terms of that name as a real 'nation' any any sense.

Unless we are creating a Frankish civ for the game, I think it would be best to exclude Charlemagne, except possibly for scenarios.

 

[Kudos]

You guys think too much into it. The decision wont' be based on specific historical detail or hierarchial historical importance. It'll be based on which is most marketable and mass-appealing, and who is most assosciated in popular (if it can be called that) culture. So Louis XIV MAYBE though Napoleon stands a much better chance. But Robspierre, de Gaulle and the rest have about as much a chance of becoming Civ leader as France does of winning a modern war. Zing!

If it was up to me I'd go with Louis XIV as male and Antoinette as Female.

 

[kryszcztov]

@ mastertyguy : Cleo ruled Egypt, not Greece, so she can't rule Greece, whereas Charlemagne ruled the Franks, not the French (who didn't exist at this time). Alex is a tricky guy ; he ruled Macedon, but his country was so influenced by Greek culture that he could be seen as a Greek ruler. His empire included the whole Greece (or so I think), and his conquests lead to the hellenisation of a large part of the world (*hint* Egypt). I'd choose Pericles anyway, but it's too bad to lose Alex, and we can't have Macedon in the epic game. Cleo : no comment, get lost ! *hint* *hint* Ramses II

@ rhialto : Yup.

@ Kudos : A marketing issue ? Very possible, but why did France have three different leaders in Civ's three incarnations then ? (I leave out Civ2's female leaders here obviously, and BTW, who was the French queen anyway in Civ2 ?) Does the market move so much in 15 years ? Marie-Antoinette ? Don't think she's a good choice, see my explanations in this thread. I really have little clue about a French female leader, maybe a queen after the Renaissance, like Catherine or Marie de Medicis, some who ruled as a regent for some years ? I hope that a 2nd leader can also be male !

 

[KrikkitTwo]

Essentially the leader will be chosen based on whether the civ they actually led is 1)not also in the game and 2) somewhat associated with the civ

So if the Franks or Macedonia or Soviets show up in the game, then Charlemagne, Alexander, and Stalin can't be leaders of the French, Greeks, and the Russians...But otherwise, they are sufficiently associated that they could be included.

 

[mastertyguy]

@ kryszcztov : Come on. We can't say when France really started. We can't. Am I Frank, because my ancestors were french, and frenchs comes from Franks? I agree more with Krikkitone. Alexander was Greek in civ, but he was Macedonian. Actually, Egypt was conquered by Alexander, and the power, I think, was taken by one of Alexander's generals, which were not Egyptians.

 

[ogmoir]

From the new Gamespot article:

"For example, if you play as the French, you get to choose to play either as Napoleon or Louis XIV. The former, one of the most accomplished generals in history, means that you can adopt an aggressive style of play, and your units will get more powerful units than normal. If you play as Louis XIV, the famed Sun King, you'll have a creative leader who grants you free culture upgrades."

 

[mitsho]

quote from the new preview of Gamespot
First of all, each civilization has two leaders you can choose from, and your choice will determine the style of your play. For example, if you play as the French, you get to choose to play either as Napoleon or Louis XIV. The former, one of the most accomplished generals in history, means that you can adopt an aggressive style of play, and your units will get more powerful units than normal. If you play as Louis XIV, the famed Sun King, you'll have a creative leader who grants you free culture upgrades. That's right, the concept of culture is back, but it's been tweaked considerably, so you won't see cities defect back and forth between sides.

content?

http://www.gamespot.com/pc/strategy/civilizationiv/preview_6125513.html

mitsho

 

[mastertyguy]

You said exactly the same thing.

 

[mitsho]

We also posted in the same minute. sorry (just saw it now)

mitsho