[GS] I think it's time to get off the hype train

[acluewithout]

I'm really liking the look of Gathering Storm.

I've been on here for over year, basically plugging for three things: fix England, make governing and colonialism more interesting, and rebalance the combat part of the game.

I've had a big win on the first. England look playable and interesting, even if maybe less powerful than Vanilla and RnF (and, hey, I was looking for fun not a power). The second, we'll, not so much although looks like Governors have been rebalanced a bit and there's a suggestion we might get a third expansion which would surely rework at least the governing bit a little if it happens. On the third, looks like units will be rebalanced - we have new needed units and a new resource system - but the devils in the detail (so far the numbers look out of whack, and seems insane Heavy Cav don’t need two resources - HC are already way to accessible).

And then there's all the other stuff. And there is so much of it. New mechanics. Rebalancing other mechanics (harbour and coastal cities in particular). A lot of it looks great, but it's hard to know how it all fits together. Civ is about the numbers, and the numbers aren't clear, and frankly FXS don't have a good track record getting the numbers quite right first time so there will be patches and mods and more patches. Basically, the game will come out Feb, but likely won’t be playable until maybe April.

And then there is the realisation other stuff isn't getting work. I've mention governance and colonialism already, and maybe unit balance, but the AI may be no better and tier two and three buildings still look sad. IZ and Workshop still sad. Campus still way, way too powerful. And that’s a different sort of disappointing - my God the development cycle for this game is crazy long - but maybe all this will get sorted in mods or patches or another expansion?

And there's Rockbands? And Canals? And Coastal Flooding? And new Civs which look really interesting? We've had all these Civs in Vanilla and RnF which were basically a nice middle ground with good economic buffs that leaned into the existing game. A good set of base Civs. Now FXS are building on that with Civs with really out there with mechanics, real Endless Legends Stellaris play the game totally different Civs. At this point, I wouldn't be surprised if we got a Hive Mind Civ.

I'm exictied. Then disappointed. Then confused. Then excited. Do Knights need horses and iron? Will the AI be able to use canals or world Congress? OMG, Skirmishers for the win! At this point, I’m not sure I’ll be able to manage all these new mechanics. It’ll take me a while to get my head around everything (which may even be fun).

Seriously. We’ve gone from no info from FXS to complete information overload. I’m not even really complaining - lots of GS looks good, and it’s great FXS are communicating, and videos with Ed and Sarah are so fun.

But, personally, I think I’ve had enough info. Enough discussion. I think I’ll just wait until the GS comes out. It’s getting a little overwhelming. That there’s so much in GS, and FXS is providing so much information, is a nice problem to have. ...but I think I might just catch-up again after Christmas...

Still. Inca look cool. I hope we get Llamas.

 

[TPangolin]

The issue isn't that Firaxis' marketing is providing confusing information - but there are consequences to their marketing. Anyone who has maintained information threads in the past on various platforms knows the importance of a codified list of all the changes. Firaxis doesn't need to release this because most likely a) There are restrictions for how much freedom marketing/community/social teams receive with most likely more than a few layers of red tape and b) fans will generate content based on what they decide to tease and drop.

If you're weirded out and confused, the messenger shouldn't be shot. Instead find your handy dandy community list of what's going to be included and have that the devs care as much about the game as you do.

Well of Souls

TL;DR

 

[Ezumiyr]

It's only overwhelming because you force yourself to track all this information. That's partly why this recent marketing innovation called "hype trains" is really, really bad. It encourages people to try to know everything about something that's not even released - you're supposed to have an opinion before it's even out. Makes people buy and defend the changes online, and engage in active disccusions (which is free advertisement even when it's mostly critical of the new game mechanics). And once it's released, you've got hype backlash since it's not as good as people imagined.

So yeah, get off that hype train. It's just a game, it won't be worse and better because you managed or failed to get all the infos about it. Watch the videos and read the infos when you're bored, but don't waste time thinking too hard about it. Wait and see is the best approach.

 

[Eagle Pursuit]

The issue isn't that Firaxis' marketing is providing confusing information - but there are consequences to their marketing. Anyone who has maintained information threads in the past on various platforms knows the importance of a codified list of all the changes. Firaxis doesn't need release this because most likely a) There are restrictions for how much freedom marketing/community/social teams receive with most likely more than a few layers of red tape and b) fans will generate content based on what they decide to tease and drop.

If you're weirded out and confused, the messenger shouldn't be shot. Instead find your handy dandy community list of what's going to be included and have that the devs care as much about the game as you do.

Well of Souls

TL;DR

Exactly. I find sources like this to be of endless value.

 

[thecrazyscot]

The hype train is just picking up steam for me.

Choo choo!

 

[Mr. Shadows]

I've been following each release, but not very closely. When I first boot it up it will be on Prince or lower, and I'm going to spend a lot of time playing with the new toys before I think seriously about strategy. I want it to feel fresh, I want to be surprised and I want to be unsure of the best play for a while. It's fun to read watch the teasers but I'm deliberately keeping a certain distance.

 

[Xur]

The only hype train I’m getting on is the one that has news about the AI. So far my chances of buying the expansion is at about the same chance of a white christmas where I live - 8%.

 

[Archon_Wing]

lol, for the most part I pretty much ignored 90% of speculation for Rise and Fall and just played it when it came out. Probably the same here.

 

[WillowBrook]

You're only safe on a hype train when you know you can step off at any minute. You can return at any time, although it may look different. I'll be relatively scarce here the next two weeks due to the holidays. So I may miss the excitement of real time discussion of the new tunnel mechanic as it's explained in a livestream, and other such stimuli. But it's only a game, and I can always read old discussion threads if I have time. And I know I'll let myself be pulled back in when real life allows...

 

[acluewithout]

The issue isn't that Firaxis' marketing is providing confusing information - but there are consequences to their marketing. Anyone who has maintained information threads in the past on various platforms knows the importance of a codified list of all the changes. Firaxis doesn't need to release this because most likely a) There are restrictions for how much freedom marketing/community/social teams receive with most likely more than a few layers of red tape and b) fans will generate content based on what they decide to tease and drop.

If you're weirded out and confused, the messenger shouldn't be shot. Instead find your handy dandy community list of what's going to be included and have that the devs care as much about the game as you do.

Well of Souls

TL;DR

I’m certainly not criticising FXS. And WoS is a great resource.

I was more just commenting on how much information there is, particularly relative to the lack of information until now, and how there seems to be little value following the new information all that closely - leaving aside “it’s just a game”, it looks like GS will be good, but the devil will be in the details (specifically, the numbers), so there doesn’t seem to be huge value tracking the rest of the updates.

In other words, I think we mostly have as much clarity about stuff as were going to sensibly get.

 

[V. Soma]

I guess youtube player gameplays will give us a clue about things in around mid-January...

 

[Disgustipated]

Regardless, I will be buying the game (or getting it as xmas gift) no matter what. In the past I generally stay in the dark about new games or expansions, but lately I've been into the hype train. That's not entirely accurate. I still don't get my expectations up too high, but I enjoy the new information and planning how I'm going to play the new civs in game. For example, I'm dreaming of the perfect Petra city for the Inca that have a good mix of desert hills and desert mountains.

As I said, I keep my expectations reasonable. I know there will be bugs, the AI will struggle to utilize these new features (I'm skeptical AI will use tunnels effectively if at all). And while I enjoy the shiny new toys, I know there will be limitations.

 

[CivLuvah]

I would like to give a simple explanation as to why the hype train this time doesn't feel like it's going as much as (I) wanted it to be - the leaks. I remember I was so hyped for R&F because almost every civ reveal, every mechanic reveal, felt like a surprise. Now that we have the info at hand before they even announced the new expension, we knew what to expect with regards to mechanics, we knew what's going to be reveal with regards to the civs.... and in the end you feel you have too much info because you already have the info.

 

[Giskler]

I gotchu fam.

 

[jddods]

But, personally, I think I’ve had enough info. Enough discussion. I think I’ll just wait until the GS comes out

Bye

 

[Guandao]

I'm already off the hype train. I'm not preordering this expansion. I want to read all your complaints about it after it is released.

 

[AriochIV]

I would like to give a simple explanation as to why the hype train this time doesn't feel like it's going as much as (I) wanted it to be - the leaks. I remember I was so hyped for R&F because almost every civ reveal, every mechanic reveal, felt like a surprise. Now that we have the info at hand before they even announced the new expension, we knew what to expect with regards to mechanics, we knew what's going to be reveal with regards to the civs.... and in the end you feel you have too much info because you already have the info.

Doesn't really bother me. The highs aren't as high, but the lows aren't as low.

 

[Wizard-Bob]

I am more excited (ok, hyped) for GS than for any patch or expansion before, and I've played Civ consistently since Civ1. I really love the direction they are going in regards to the importance of playing the map, and the unique flavor of civs / leaders.

Civ6 may not be the toughest strategic challenge, but it sure offers me a lot of variety and FUN!