Future Age

[Gogf]

No, I don't want futures eras; I am smart for that decision, so I didn't vote .

 

[The_Tigers_Eye]

I find it ironic that the no option, "no im dumb" is inaccurately spelled.

Anyway, back on topic, I say no to future eras. We do not need Civilization III to turn into one of the many sci-fi games out there.

Half the things in Civilisation III are already science fiction, do you reallyy think that a statue of Zeus actually produced ancient cavlary? Or that by building a pyramid that you will get granary in every city regardless of the historical tiss-tosh. Science Fiction is not about lasers and warp drive, its about progress and the use of an imagination. Quite simply, if imagination isn't put into developing this game bejond what it currently does both in terms of era's and graphics, then Civ IV will just be Civ III in new packaging and itself will be consined to history.

The Games industry moves forward... Thoes that are left behind will simply become obsolete.

btw, the last two good sci-fi games in this genre that I brought happen to be Alpha Centauri and Call to Power, if it makes logical sense then why deny it?

 

[The_Tigers_Eye]

...If there is an extra era, then one of two things must be the case: either (1) the game takes longer to complete all eras, or (2) each existing era takes less time to complete...

Then perhaps an option could be included into it that gives the player the choice to select their starting and finishing era's, thus eliminating long games and corny mechs!

Either way, as it stands, for me, a quick game can last for a few hours but a long game only lasts a few more hours since by the time you have built up your empire, and researched all you could you suddenyl realise that you don;y have the strategic resources to dominate or produce any of the good units and all the other civ's are hostile or don;t have enough themselves to trade. If you had future era then you may have synthetic's whereby some of the compoments like aluminiom could be synthesised.?.

 

[judgement]

Half the things in Civilisation III are already science fiction, do you reallyy think that a statue of Zeus actually produced ancient cavlary? Or that by building a pyramid that you will get granary in every city regardless of the historical tiss-tosh.

No, of course not. Those things are fiction, but that doesn't mean they're science fiction.

Science Fiction is not about lasers and warp drive...[/i]

Maybe science fiction isn't necessarily about those things, but that's the first thing most people think of when they hear the words "science fiction." It doesn't really matter though, because when we say we don't want the game to include "sci-fi" what we really mean is that we don't think it should include lasers, warp drives, and other "futuristic" fictional elements. If you want to use a broader definition of "sci-fi" that's your prerogative, but that doesn't change the fact that its the futuristic stuff we're arguing against, not all things fictional or unrealistic. Futuristic elements like aliens, hypergates, laser jets, and whatnot have a distinctly different feel to them than historical elements like knights, aqueducts, and galleons. Sure, some of the things in the game have unrealistic or fictional effects, but they match the rest of the game in feel. Temple of Zeus makes ancient cavalry which seem quite historical themselves, as does the Temple itself, even though the game mechanism of one resulting in the other isn't historical or realistic at all. Whatever type of "fiction" you want to call that, it isn't the same thing as the futuristic elements we're arguing against.

...its about progress and the use of an imagination. Quite simply, if imagination isn't put into developing this game bejond what it currently does both in terms of era's and graphics, then Civ IV will just be Civ III in new packaging and itself will be consined to history.

Civ 3 has fancier graphics than Civ 1 and 2, but no more "eras." All three games have let me feel the thrill of progress and enjoy using my imagination, yet none have included far-out futuristic concepts (other than the Alpha Centauri ending, of course ). I think there are plenty of ways in which the game can be further developed and improved without the major change of including the not-so-near-term future.

The Games industry moves forward... Thoes that are left behind will simply become obsolete.

The thought of being "left behind" by the "industry" and becoming "obsolete" certainly has me sleepless at night

The game industry moves towards where it thinks it can make profit, whether that's "forward" or not is irrelevant. And judging from the results of this thread's poll, support for "future eras" is by no means universal among the players who will be buying the next version of civ and generating profits for its maker.

 

[Gengis Khan]

Half the things in Civilisation III are already science fiction, do you reallyy think that a statue of Zeus actually produced ancient cavlary? Or that by building a pyramid that you will get granary in every city regardless of the historical tiss-tosh. Science Fiction is not about lasers and warp drive, its about progress and the use of an imagination. Quite simply, if imagination isn't put into developing this game bejond what it currently does both in terms of era's and graphics, then Civ IV will just be Civ III in new packaging and itself will be consined to history.

I can imagion it now, you build the Pyramids and your pop up says "Pyramids completed! All your slaves & half your native workers die off do to overworking them, you can now bury a couple dead Generals."

Statue of Zues: "SoZ completed!" You're treasury goes to -500g do to the building costs, the people continue to worship you as a god.

Everyone would love building wonders in that game. Judgement summed it up really well, those aren't science fiction at all they make the game enjoyable. A couple liberties have to be taken to make those wonders that pretty much just had an "awe factor" actually benifit you.

 

[The_Tigers_Eye]

Right, let me get this straight, building pyramids, but not as the Egyptians, that gives you a Granary in every city isn't science fiction but just fiction whereas lasers are classed as science fiction and not just fiction even though they actually exists, today and are therefor just science and not science fiction. Hmm...

I undestand your point, however I simply don't think that adding another era will ruin the gameplay, as said before it didn;t harm Alpha Centauri or Call to Power... before you say why don't I play thoes then, well I have, however I am looking forwards and not backwards.

 

[The_Tigers_Eye]

I can imagion it now, you build the Pyramids and your pop up says "Pyramids completed! All your slaves & half your native workers die off do to overworking them, you can now bury a couple dead Generals."

Statue of Zues: "SoZ completed!" You're treasury goes to -500g do to the building costs, the people continue to worship you as a god.

Everyone would love building wonders in that game. Judgement summed it up really well, those aren't science fiction at all they make the game enjoyable. A couple liberties have to be taken to make those wonders that pretty much just had an "awe factor" actually benifit you.

...having anti-gravity tanks, defence towers, laser walls and the like will make the game more enjoyable for others as well as building giant statues. Obviously somethings would be more desirable than others, a balance, an extension from the previous modern era, I have never mentioned jumping into Intergalatic Civilisations although Civ 7 could be along thoes lines... It's just a good step in terms of variety and not just repeating the same thing but with a new price tag but no new content. Hell, might as well scrap Civ 2 and 3 and all go back to the original if we aren't going to look at the possibilities of future era exploration's.

*To clarify, by future I mean witin a hundred years or so, like how close the industrial era is to the modern... relatively speaking.

Rant over.

 

[judgement]

Right, let me get this straight, building pyramids, but not as the Egyptians, that gives you a Granary in every city isn't science fiction but just fiction whereas lasers are classed as science fiction and not just fiction even though they actually exists, today and are therefor just science and not science fiction. Hmm...

Sorry if I wasn't specific enough for you. Obviously lasers themselves aren't fiction. I was referring to things like laser cannons and highgeneral's "laser fighters"... fictional elements that are based on science. "The Laser" is already at tech in Civ 3, and no one's arguing that it should be removed. Its the futuristic elements and "future age" that I'm arguing against, and that's what I'm lumping under the term "sci-fi."

Regardless of the actual definition of the term "sci-fi," most people use it to refer to "futuristic" fiction (things like Star Trek), and not to refer to alternate-history type fiction (in which India might build the Pyramids) or to unrealistic game mechanics (such as the Pyramids granting Granaries). And all of the arguments over the terms "science" and "fiction" is beside the point! The point is, I don't think "futuristic" type elements would improve Civ.

I undestand your point, however I simply don't think that adding another era will ruin the gameplay, as said before it didn;t harm Alpha Centauri or Call to Power... before you say why don't I play thoes then, well I have, however I am looking forwards and not backwards.

No, I understand you're looking forward; I won't tell you to just go play an existing game. I will point out two things, however.

(1) A lot of Civ players that tried Call to Power didn't like it nearly as much as you seem to have. I myself never played CtP, so I can't give my own opinion, but I've read an awful lot of comments here that were negative about the game in general and about the future parts in particular. So I'm not sure it would be universally agreed that a future era "didn't harm" Call to Power- at least some people seem to think it did.

(2) Alpha Centauri, while being a Sid Meier product and similar to Civ in game mechanics, was a different game, and was intended from its conception to be a game about the "future" rather than about alternate history. The game "Colonization" was also by Sid and also had somewhat similar mechanics to Civ, yet no one is arguing that if they make Colonization II it should include space ships just because they turned out okay in SMAC. Each game is based around a particular idea: SMAC is the future colonization of a distant planet, Colonization is a particular period in the history of Europe and America, and Civ is the entire spread of human history. And each game should remain faithful to the idea its built around. Its not that a future era would necessarily runi gameplay, its that a future era would be outside the scope of the game as originally conceived. They didn't put chariots and spearmen in SMAC, and they shouldn't put futuristic stuff in Civ.

 

[MattII]

How about Expanding all of the eras, a few more techs in each. In the modern age we could stick all of the near-future techs ie. fusion, lasers, some aqua stuff, robotics, etc. Maybe the tec chooser screen should have a scroller on the bottom so more techs don't mean the area is more packed.

 

[SolarKnight]

My personal stance on this issue, is that the epic game is perfectly enjoyable as it is, maybe a few improvements could be made in the ancient age as that is where most of the important decisions are made, and perhaps balance the industrial ages and modern age so warfare isnt just a game of numbers.
The place for more than 4 eras is in scenarios, as it would be interesting to be able to have more than 4 in scenarios.

How about this: We say that the eras in the epic game remain unchanged, and that for scenarios/mods/etc, we have an option in the editor that allows extra ages. (now i know that civ 3 is hardcoded with 4 ages, and i know that it probably would be hard to program, being an aspiring programmer myself), but if it was possible, i feel that this would probably be the ideal solution.

The people who want to play epic games will have perfectly stable and playable 4 age games, while mod makers/scenario players can have more.

Does this sound reasonable or far too difficult to implement?

SolarKnight.

P.S: I didn't vote on this poll because i find it insulting to be called dumb just for disagreeing with someone.

 

[LOVE_Magiska]

I like SolarKnights idea. Give us a more advanced editor and leave the future ages for the modders!

 

[moondog]

well even if you have future techs or not I'd like to be able to play all of the eras from start to finish... Most of the games I play tell me there going to end just when it starts to get intresting. sure you can tell the game you want to continue but even that doesent last for long.... just let me play all the way through, no matter how many or how little the number of civ's I play against.

 

[Jaca]

My personal stance on this issue, is that the epic game is perfectly enjoyable as it is, maybe a few improvements could be made in the ancient age as that is where most of the important decisions are made, and perhaps balance the industrial ages and modern age so warfare isnt just a game of numbers. The place for more than 4 eras is in scenarios, as it would be interesting to be able to have more than 4 in scenarios.

...

Does this sound reasonable or far too difficult to implement?

Good suggestion. I can fully agree !

Plus, the AA hasn't got the infrastructure yet, so unit play is slow compared with other eras. For me it wouldn't be a bad thing if the AA could be extended with half a dozen turns (extra tech!?). And modern units could be more shield expensive, not allowing the huge numbers in which they appear.

Jaca

 

[snipelfritz]

I think that civ could go to some extent as far as future techs go but not into complete nonsense. One of the coolest things about playing civ for the first time is wondering what the next tech will bring. But there are some places where i draw the line. I think the laser tech would be good, but it should be used in more of a domestic way rather than "laser infantry". Adding Aliens however is a totally absurd idea. Wormholes and itergallactic war??? sounds like an episode of Star Trek to me. So, overall, future techs yes; going crazy with them no.

 

[Verowin]

No,
There are still endless possibilities to explore in our history. To go Sci Fi, would make it a total different game.

 

[Al-Hejazi]

Would be nice really! it would be cool to have a high tech age with MechAnsar Warriors hahahahaha

 

[Highgeneral]

I would like a future era.

:Units:

Alpha wing fighers (whice would fire superior phontonic lasers, at enemy fighters,missles,nukes etc). Quantum infantry, the best of the best (builted as elite, a defence unit anti tank anti air anti infantry). Hover tanks, the best tank ever builded. Hover tanks will hover two feet over the ground,and fire phonitc and quantum lasers. Shock troopers, powerful assult troops (equivalent to Quantum infantry, except shock troopers are offensive). Dragon drones, a anti tank drone, that fires missles.

:Buildings:

Plasma laser, a anti missle and anti aircraft laser. Fusion plant, increases production in city by 100%. Hologram center, increases happiness in city by 100%.

:Wonders:

Cure for AIDS, this wonder will be builted similar to the cure for cancer. However your nation will enter a 2nd golden age. Hypergate, allow you to build colonies on distant worlds. Plus the advance interstellar travel will give your nation a increase in science.

:Ages:
:World War III:
:Fusion:
lasma:
hontic:
:Quantum:
:Anti Matter:

 

[zjl56]

So basicly you say you want civ3 to go into civ2 test of time thing. Maybe it could work.

 

[Highgeneral]

Yea thats kind of what I want. And i want each of the age to have a campain for it (like C3C).

I want the units to have great graphics and cool sounds. Like a quantum infantry would fire a blue laser. A hover tank would fire red lasers and make a humming sound.

 

[Colonel]

i wouldnt mind a future era and i would like one even but i do NOT want a fly off the handle future age such as some ideas have been mentioned but a future age that goes a bit farther then modern age would be good