Sorry, but the Author of the thread is really right.
EVERY good Game/Engine has the possibilty to work on even really old devices. So look back in time, there was Quake, Quake2, 3, ... and they supported like the newest Hardware u can get. But if u wanted, u could even play that **** on crappy old hardware. Ok, u could have to change resolution down to 320x240, but it worked!
So, that engine is not really top, if it cant handle old sucks. All it would had to do was just to let out featues and making that graphiks not making look as good, but working!
Second, ok, market says graphics is important for an game. But hoo? civ4 ? its an round based strategic game! Graphics not all, and for old pros the new graphics is just amusing but not more. The game concept works with just old 2D technology, and it would have been quite good if the game would have worked on some older Hardware too.
At least, Firaxis will feel it, because i think that outa there would be about 400% more civ4 player if they could play the game...
I think they just forgot that "old laptop" players, and similar...
No - myself i got no problem, i have an really good new pc and my civ4 runs totaly good. But I knew some ppl who cant afford the newest hardware, and they have also just about 2,5 years old machines, and cant run it...
thats just lacking...
At least, the new graphics engine seems to waste most resources. I think about 90% of the resources the game needs are because of the graphic engine. Thats really too much. At last, when there would be the possibility to switch featues off to make it better playable or playable at least, it would be ok, but thats not the fact...