I don't see how this game is addicting?

[CivIVMonger]

I love civ 4, but iv'e never played more than about 2 hours in a row (unless I was sick or something) but you have to adimit it's a slow, turn based, actionless, strategy game with a somewhat crude play model. (don't get me wrong for 1 Minute here,)
it's an awesome, fun strategy game, it just doesn't seem like a "play for hours on in type of game" It's VERY fun but imagine playing Risk all night I mean it's a fun game but I don't know anyone who would play risk all night. if this doesn't make any since just son't post anything. I read a few things like "you don't know how many times I haven't gone to bed until 2 because of this game." oh by the way, the me and team congrats on the diety acomplishment. (I don't see how anyone can beat it on diety.)

 

[AfterShafter]

Eh, it's one of those "if you don't get it we can't explain it" type things. I've got to admit, my honeymoon with Civ IV ended a while ago and I don't play it for massive stretches any more very often... But when I get into an interesting game, it's really tough to turn it off. For the first year or two, I was constantly at risk of staying up a few extra hours playing an engrossing game. Now it's more once every month or so I'll lose myself in a Civ game.

The how? There's always that next big goal. "Oh, I'll quit after I take Charlemagne's capital... Oh wait, I've got it now, but I'm so close to getting liberalism... Darnit, got liberalism, but Stalin just DOW'd on me! Ok, I'll just stave off the assault and then quit. Wait, Stalin's stopped, but now I'm so close to getting Versailles on the far side of my empire - ok, just that and then it's bed time"... That's a pretty plausible facsimile of a Civ session run amok for me - I'm like a rat chasing down my next food pellet. But, as stated, that's not as often as it used to be - as to be expected with a game that is years old!

I think assaulting Deity is killing this game for me actually... It's a kind of morose obsession at this point - but I've come *so* close I just can't turn back now. Maybe my enthusiasm will spring up again when I drop down and I don't feel like the CPU has a knife at my throat the whole game, and it's actually safe to play around a bit?

 

[smackthewise]

I find it VERY addictive, I can play for an entire day (on the rare days I'm not busy). What I find addictive is the complex interactions between science, war, city management, culture, economy, espionage, resources, city placement (founding in strategic locations etc) and diplomacy all of which i try and use extensively each game (obviously focus on some more than others depending on the game). I love creating/implementing strategies that can take 100's or 1000's of civ years to come to fruition. But this can take a lot of civ hours to get done
I also love to play at 420, which gives the game an epic scope and different sense of enjoy-ability that you don't get normally. These games I tend to go for the cultural win

 

[Tavenier]

I am also very addicted at this game. But I have been since Civ1, back when I was 14....

To me every era has its charms. The start has the exploration and finding good city sites thing for me. And the thrill when I researched Iron Working or Animal Husbandry and then finding Iron or Horses closeby.

Then comes the massive build up phase, where I decide what my strategy will be and where I spread my religion.

Then there is the expansion phase, where I select a target and conquer some (or most) cities from. In this phase I also colonize some island to get more fish/clam/crab for my future Sids Sushi (of other resources, depending on what my future corporations will be).

And so on. I love this game, because every phase has its own choices. And since BtS I find the late game more intersting too. With corporations and more choices in units. Also the naval battles are great (I play mostly the Big and Small maps). Yesterday I won a cultural victory with Frederick. And I can't wait to start my next game!

On a final note. There are weeks/months where I hardly play Civ. But then I read something or watch something that inspires me to start a new game of Civ. Like a book on voyages of discoveries, or a documentary on a war, or something.

 

[Shurdus]

On a final note. There are weeks/months where I hardly play Civ. But then I read something or watch something that inspires me to start a new game of Civ. Like a book on voyages of discoveries, or a documentary on a war, or something.

This last statement also holds true for me. Sometimes I feel so overwhelmed by this game that I indeed feel like I suck and the game has a knife on my throat the entire time. I sometimes cannot find the heart to continue a game if everything goes wrong for me. Then I read something that is truly great and I feel like I can do that and it inspires me to try a new game. Before I know it, I should be going to bed but I just want to complete a few more turns...

If you do not get this then I guess it will just not happen for you. Some maps are so interesting I can play the entire thing in one sit, others I quit the game and care not to finish a map.

 

[dirtyparrot]

It's like anything else, the level of "addiction" depends on the person.

 

[Rusty Edge]

The how? There's always that next big goal. "Oh, I'll quit after I take Charlemagne's capital... Oh wait, I've got it now, but I'm so close to getting liberalism... Darnit, got liberalism, but Stalin just DOW'd on me! Ok, I'll just stave off the assault and then quit. Wait, Stalin's stopped, but now I'm so close to getting Versailles on the far side of my empire - ok, just that and then it's bed time"... That's a pretty plausible facsimile of a Civ session run amok for me - I'm like a rat chasing down my next food pellet. But, as stated, that's not as often as it used to be - as to be expected with a game that is years old!

It's a lot like that for me , too. I'm excited to see what's going to happen next..Can I complete this quest? Can I get Shaka to friendly? Can I get my WoodyIII maceman to Medic II ? Wait! I just want to flip this next city! Uh-oh! Dizzibella has started the AP.
I just want to circumnavigate the Earth. OOoh! The New World! Where's the juiciest city site and what new luxuries does it have in store for me? Can I snag Ethanol Corp and monopolize the oil supply?

Anyway, for me each game is an unfolding story, just like getting into a great book. With Civ, the world is my canvas, and I can paint it any color I choose, put whatever I want on each part of the picture, build whatever I see fit in UTOPIOPOLIS.


Over the years I've found that when I immerse myself in the game I can make my Real Life problems go away for a while, and when I get back to them, they don't seem so bad as Cathy's backstabbing Cossacks.

 

[arikajohnson]

Because you get to make stuff.



It's a planner and organizer's delight.

 

[Rusty Edge]

Because you get to make stuff.



It's a planner and organizer's delight.

My wife's quite the planner and organizer, but she won't take up the game "It's too much like work! I'd need spreadsheets! " ( She's one of the vice-presidents for a multi-national corp. )

 

[guenzak]

It's VERY fun but imagine playing Risk all night I mean it's a fun game but I don't know anyone who would play risk all night.

I've played Risk all night....and longer And usually I am sad when it's over.

Too each his own

 

[arikajohnson]

My wife's quite the planner and organizer, but she won't take up the game "It's too much like work! I'd need spreadsheets! " ( She's one of the vice-presidents for a multi-national corp. )

You should tell her that playing Civ could make her a better VP.

 

[bestbrian]

You should tell her that playing Civ could make her a better VP.

Yeah, she could bring a stack of Praets to the Boardroom and become President.

 

[Rusty Edge]

Yeah, she could bring a stack of Praets to the Boardroom and become President.

She says" It doesn't work the same way in the Real World. There are no wolves hiding in the woods to come eat people for me."

 

[Lemon Merchant]

She says" It doesn't work the same way in the Real World. There are no wolves hiding in the woods to come eat people for me."

No, but there's Bears in the Stock Market to watch out for.

 

[smackthewise]

And Bulls too!!!!



lol, I hope people would get that joke

 

[sydhe]

Why not? People got addicted to Myst, which is like a mystery about plumbing.

 

[Lemon Merchant]

Why not? People got addicted to Myst, which is like a mystery about plumbing.

So that's why the sequels basically went down the toilet...

 

[Rusty Edge]

No, but there's Bears in the Stock Market to watch out for.

She says they already got her.