Inside Soren's Presentation (Some Real Gems!)

[warpstorm]

Not to say they INTEND to actually follow through, but there's an entire string of pages where they talk about crossing genres.

And how a lot of the time that was a fiasco...

 

[dh_epic]

I reiterate.

But forget semantics. I think we will agree that they can't put out the same game over and over... just as much as we agree that they can't totally revamp and cross genres or anything crazy like that.

The 1/3, 1/3, 1/3 thing is right in there, after all the discussion of "staying the same" and "adding all kinds of awesome stuff".

They devote just as many pages to consistency and caution as they devote to overcoming cynicism and expanding the audience. No need to be difficult or put words in others' mouths.

 

[warpstorm]

But being difficult is my function here...

 

[dh_epic]

But being difficult is my function here...

Heh. Beyond a certain point, being adversarial ceases to be intellectual or humorous, and becomes a waste of time and energy.

 

[dh_epic]

This is pretty funny, and some of it applies to what we've been talking about

http://www.somethingawful.com/articles.php?a=2220

Direct quote, even:

Quote: "We saw what people liked in the old series and..."

Indicates: The developers played the old games and ask people what they liked about the old games.

True Meaning: They did this so they can remove everything people liked and replaced it with call to power and civ 3.

 

[Soren Johnson]

Hi everyone... it's nice to see all the interest in Civ4. We're a long, long way from announcing anything concrete about the game - largely b/c a lot of things might change between now and when we ship (in the distant future). However, I can certainly share one important point just so no one worries unnecessarily. Civ4 will be turn-based, and it will be tile-based.

 

[Padma]

Thank you! Soren!

 

[Daniel Khan]

However, I can certainly share one important point just so no one worries unnecessarily. Civ4 will be turn-based, and it will be tile-based.

I wonder if he said that just to keep that guy from strangling him.

Good news.

 

[sbporter]

I would welcome expansion of the 'groups' concept beyond armies; naval fleets, air squadorns, worker pools, etc...

Another (possibly hard to implement) idea is sepretist revolutions; e.g. if a chunk of land is negleted or of a different nationality, it might separate. This leads to the notions of civs starting at different times (great idea) and non-historical civs (interesting idea). If these aren't implemented directly, I hope the python-scripts will allow for us to add it...

Simon

 

[shadowdude]

Hi everyone... it's nice to see all the interest in Civ4. We're a long, long way from announcing anything concrete about the game - largely b/c a lot of things might change between now and when we ship (in the distant future). However, I can certainly share one important point just so no one worries unnecessarily. Civ4 will be turn-based, and it will be tile-based.

I didn't know that you frequent these forums!

 

[Padma]

I didn't know that you frequent these forums!

Why do you think we decided to open up this Civ4 forum? Not just to let you guys let off some steam, but *also* because we know the Firaxians are here, reading.

 

[Harrier]

Thanks for the info Soren.

 

[Slax]

Thanks for the link to the PP presentation file. Is there an original thread for the presentation, or is this it?

 

[Diogenes183]

I mostly liked what Soren had to say.

One thing worries me though. Taking rioting and corruption out of the game? C'mon! Those things force the player to make decisions. Otherwise the game just turns into who can conquer the other guys cities.

 

[dh_epic]

I agree. But just because they take rioting and corruption out doesn't mean they won't replace it with something more interesting. Domestic issues are key, otherwise your country is a mindless expansionist war machine.

 

[Jon Shafer]

I agree. But just because they take rioting and corruption out doesn't mean they won't replace it with something more interesting. Domestic issues are key, otherwise your country is a mindless expansionist war machine.

Yup, and I don't think Soren wants to make CIV into that.

 

[Diogenes183]

Cynic though I may be, I trust in Firaxis. They have proven their excellence. It was also very good of Soren to keep players in the loop.

 

[dh_epic]

I'd like to think that they're doing this because they genuinely haven't figured everything out, and want to know what we'll love / hate... Not to say they'll do everything we say, but I could see them taking a handfull of our ideas, watering them down, and fitting them into the vision they have.

I just hope their vision isn't way off the mark.

 

[warpstorm]

I can tell you this. They won't just take the average answers on these forums. At best that would make a mediocre game. They also won't take ideas that don't fit into the model they have for Civ in mind (for example, they will not make the game more difficult for new players to get into, so ideas that increase complexity by a lot will be rejected out of hand).

 

[dh_epic]

Yep. Someone ought to create a sticky, with some notes regarding complexity from Soren's presentation, so people don't get carried away. I know I used to, I'd like to think I've improved since then.