[GS] Future Update?

[Kaan Boztepe]

ck2 is not a valid comparison since the game engine of ck2 cannot handle more content and has even now problems with being bloated.

 

[returnofbabylon]

I'm not giving up hope. There's many reasonable explanations for the delay. Some possibilities:

1) FXS had to delay whatever new content was planned due to the recent release across multiple new platforms, which all had to be brought up to the same level first.
2) 2K has some wonky corporate release schedule that they're making FXS adhere to because <reasons>, so new content will come... when we're not expecting it.
3) FXS has devoted more staff to working on the rumored new 3rd IP project, leaving less staff to work on older projects, hence, a longer production time.
4) FXS is just taking their own sweet time. They'll have it done when it's good and ready, and not before! Gosh!
5) Any combination of the above.

I'm not giving up hope either, but...

2) FXS released the first and second expansions one year apart. It would be weird if that fit 2K's "wonky corporate release schedule," but doing the 3rd on the same timeline doesn't. Not impossible, but no reason to think this is true, either.
3) Delaying work on the flagship product that has sustained a company for decades in order to work on something new would be an interesting move to make, especially when they're overseen by a large corporation. It seems very unlikely to me that 2K would've given FXS permission to work on a 3rd IP project at all if it meant the cash cow getting less attention.
4) "Taking their own sweet time" sounds less like a reason for a delay and more like an admission that the delay is happening for no reason.

It's entirely possible that the new platform releases delayed XP3, if one is coming, and that's the reason to remain optimistic. The rest of this looks like wishful thinking to me.

I would also say to FXS, if you're reading - I don't mind the delay, as such. I'd gladly wait until 2021 for XP3 if they'd just tell us what's going on, and fix the bugs that are affecting the current version of the game.

 

[The Kingmaker]

It's entirely possible that the new platform releases delayed XP3, if one is coming, and that's the reason to remain optimistic. The rest of this looks like wishful thinking to me.

Hey, you can call it wishful thinking if you want. I'm still going to call it satire.

 

[cvb]

I most want is just clarity about whether the game is getting supported or is "done". If we're "done", I'll be sad, but can at least work with what I have and look to Mods[0] to fill in the remaining gaps.
Seems to me the lack of .dll suggests FXS do have long term plans for Civ 6. But again, given the delays to any announcement, who knows?
@FXS, stop jerking everyone around. You're either doing something more (yes please) or not

I think, this aspect is overinterpreted. Soren Johnson wanted to give interested players the comprehensive means to modify the game to their liking and he commented on that not being easy, but possible.
If nobody really wants it and takes action in this direction, then you'll hear "no decision yet" till doomsday. Maybe it falls from heaven, some day, without any reason - or not.

If you leave a communication vacuum, it will get filled with speculation. If you don't deliver on that speculation, people are going to be upset, and you don't really have much scope to complain about unrealistic expectations, as you didn't provide any guidance. I'm sure 2K/FXS have their reasons for doing it like this, but this is one of the downsides of the strategy, and it has real consequences.

The last guidance I got was on New year's day. So that sets the scope for me. Several months. If no news till next New year's day, it' over, baby.

I'm not giving up hope.

About that I have not the smallest doubt.
(When I was young, I interpreted the saying "Hope dies last" as a virtue to hope near endlessly, a undying hope ... but "Hope dies last" also means Hope dies, i.e. Hope is dead at some point and thereafter)

.

 

[Gedemon]

[0] On that. Seems to me the lack of .dll suggests FXS do have long term plans for Civ 6. But again, given the delays to any announcement, who knows?

IDK, civ4's DLL was released very early (before the first XP) and civ5 DLL was released earlier (before the 2nd XP) in those games development cycle.

 

[CPWimmer]

I dont get it. Dont expansions usually take a year or more to get done. Gathering Storm hasnt even been out for a year. Are they really taking a long time?!

The reason why we are saying they are "late" (based on our fictitious release calendar) is because XP1 and XP2 were both announced in mid-November, for their mid-Feb release. We haven't had any kind of announcement for XP3. As a result, if what comes next is a full XP, we are predicting that it will still be a full 3 months from when they actually announce it before it is released.

...
3) Delaying work on the flagship product that has sustained a company for decades in order to work on something new would be an interesting move to make, especially when they're overseen by a large corporation. It seems very unlikely to me that 2K would've given FXS permission to work on a 3rd IP project at all if it meant the cash cow getting less attention...

Actually, this happens all the time. Speaking from experience, when a large product goes into maintenance mode, companies will pull resources off of it to work on other newer things. In particular when trying to increase their product portfolio. You let the cash cow rest a bit; work on something else; then come back and refresh it with a new version and a refreshed development team.

This is exactly how Firaxis has worked in the past, as well (with launching X-Com and various Civ spin-offs). So not only is it common in Software Development - it's actual even "Business As Usual" for Firaxis.

 

[RohirrimElf]

How hard can it be just to have an update a few weeks after the september patch in which you say: not much to tell in the coming months. But we are working on something big. Or: the next patch will come in x months, but no promises as we dont know ourselves. how long it takes at this point.

Especcially as firaxis seems to have changed its pace again.

 

[Kwami]

But they did tell us when they launched the last patch that they were working on more. It's the users here that made up a third expansion and deadlines and whatnot.

 

[Duuk]

But they did tell us when they launched the last patch that they were working on more. It's the users here that made up a third expansion and deadlines and whatnot.

...5 months ago...

...and then radio silence. Not a teaser, not a hint, no actual communication. Just console marketing. This isn't 1996, companies are expected to have SOME interaction with their fans, even if it's a "long horizon" or "down the road".

 

[Kwami]

...5 months ago...

...and then radio silence. Not a teaser, not a hint, no actual communication. Just console marketing. This isn't 1996, companies are expected to have SOME interaction with their fans, even if it's a "long horizon" or "down the road".

I don't see why. When they have something to announce, they will. Why should they say much before that?

I think you're just being needy.

 

[tedhebert]

I don't see why. When they have something to announce, they will. Why should they say much before that?

I think you're just being needy.

Strongly disagree ! I'm not clamoring for a great official announcement with dates and content... but not even giving even a tiny bump on a forum we know very well they're stalking, or on their own forums, is beyond bad marketing and client relations !

 

[riddleofsteel]

IDK, civ4's DLL was released very early (before the first XP) and civ5 DLL was released earlier (before the 2nd XP) in those games development cycle.

Indeed, I remember those days keenly.

 

[riddleofsteel]

Strongly disagree ! I'm not clamoring for a great official announcement with dates and content... but not even giving even a tiny bump on a forum we know very well they're stalking, or on their own forums, is beyond bad marketing and client relations !

I just wish they'd put us out of our misery if nothing is coming. Ambiguity is only so clever for so long.

 

[bbbt]

...5 months ago...

...and then radio silence. Not a teaser, not a hint, no actual communication. Just console marketing. This isn't 1996, companies are expected to have SOME interaction with their fans, even if it's a "long horizon" or "down the road".

Are they though? People compare to Amplitude/Paradox but that's just based on genre. Do Rockstar/Ubisoft/BioWare/etc - other large companies with AAA multiplatform titles keep fans updated regularly? Or do they do a similar 'big marketing splash to attract attention' ala Firaxis.

This board is a tiny, tiny fraction of the overall Civ audience. Even on something like reddit/r/Civ you don't have a lot of 'whens the next content coming' posts.

 

[Potworny]

Not a long time ago (at least from my point of view) we thought that the 3rd EP would be released in a week or two from now, this very month. And yet, we are still waiting for any official news. Kind of perplexing for me when I put things into this perspective.

 

[timmychompchomp]

Over the holiday season I received a Steam Gift Card and a Visa Gift Card that I have set aside for game purchases. Hopefully Firaxis takes a moment to let us know what is on the horizon for Civ 6 or any other property they may be launching. I have a limited amount of resources I can allocate to gaming and I have my eye on a few other products from their competitors. If I knew what was coming from Firaxis I may pass on those games that have caught my attention. I can't plan to purchase a game or downloadable content that I am not aware exists or will exist in the near future. I can only plan for and budget for what I actually have information about. Hopefully they make some sort of statement soon.

 

[returnofbabylon]

This is exactly how Firaxis has worked in the past, as well (with launching X-Com and various Civ spin-offs). So not only is it common in Software Development - it's actual even "Business As Usual" for Firaxis.

So just to clarify, you're saying that in the past expansions/patches for Civs IV and V were delayed due to FXS working on Colonization/Beyond Earth/X-Com? If that's the case, I'll readily concede that defeats my point entirely, but that's not my recollection.

 

[cvb]

...5 months ago...
...and then radio silence. Not a teaser, not a hint, no actual communication. Just console marketing. This isn't 1996, companies are expected to have SOME interaction with their fans, even if it's a "long horizon" or "down the road".

Are they though? People compare to Amplitude/Paradox but that's just based on genre. Do Rockstar/Ubisoft/BioWare/etc - other large companies with AAA multiplatform titles keep fans updated regularly?

After Sid Meier, Brian Reynolds and Jeff Briggs left MicroProse we had years of uncertainty whether there EVER WILL BE a sequel to civ2, because funnily enough Sid Meier had not the right to make a game called like Sid Meier's CIVILIZATION.

Firaxis' civ3 was then the blueprint: vanilla, 1st exp, 2nd exp, complete edition, rinse & repeat. Worked for twenty years & 3 sequels till last fall:
The complete edition was named platinum edition. So what? From my point of view they can call the Expansions in the future Mobrungtilae ... It's all hollow words.
And the lead producer had the intention to patch the WorldBuilder one more time, but maybe changed mind (instructed by superiors).

There is no need for any kind of explanation. We are perfectly right on track, stay tuned until 2022 civ7 will be announced.

Move along, please! Nothing special to see here.

.

 

[TheMarshmallowBear]

After Sid Meier, Brian Reynolds and Jeff Briggs left MicroProse we had years of uncertainty whether there EVER WILL BE a sequel to civ2, because funnily enough Sid Meier had not the right to make a game called like Sid Meier's CIVILIZATION.

Firaxis' civ3 was then the blueprint: vanilla, 1st exp, 2nd exp, complete edition, rinse & repeat. Worked for twenty years & 3 sequels till last fall:
The complete edition was named platinum edition. So what? From my point of view they can call the Expansions in the future Mobrungtilae ... It's all hollow words.
And the lead producer had the intention to patch the WorldBuilder one more time, but maybe changed mind (instructed by superiors).

There is no need for any kind of explanation. We are perfectly right on track, stay tuned until 2022 civ7 will be announced.

Move along, please! Nothing special to see here.

.

While I am holding out for EP3 (because there are few things missing in terms of Civilizations and stuff) I wouldn't be surprised if this is it for Civ 6, it had a good run, all they now have to do is release the DLL for the modders and stuff. What'll happen it'll happen but for the past 3 iterations the pattern has repeated and so far the pattern ahs stayed the course.

 

[CPWimmer]

So just to clarify, you're saying that in the past expansions/patches for Civs IV and V were delayed due to FXS working on Colonization/Beyond Earth/X-Com? If that's the case, I'll readily concede that defeats my point entirely, but that's not my recollection.

To be clear "delayed" is only our own construct.
Nothing has been announced, and therefore nothing is technically "delayed".
We had predicted (so far incorrectly) that they were going to release a patch, with additional content "soon". We see signs in the tea leaves, but as everyone knows they haven't told us anything.

I was not tracking the development cycle for Civ 4 or 5, so I can't speak to their actual timelines.

What I am saying, is that in the past, resources were pulled/transferred (or just left) form the flagship product (Civ) to work on other things. It's a common cycle for all software development. We know that Firaxis is looking into creating a 3rd Product Line. It makes business sense that they would take some people with Civ experience and move them on to that project. Doing this could impact the delivery speed to which Civ 6 releases come out the door. I am not saying that IS what has happened, I am just saying that it is 100% possible - and would be in line with common business practice in the industry, including at Firaxis.

My personal suspicion is that this "delay" is caused by the work to synch-up whatever comes next (patch or content) with as many of the various platforms Civ 6 is now available on as possible.