Is it late to buy the game considering online playing

[IMACIVFAN]

I have set my eyes on the Complete Edition like I did to Civ 4 Complete Edition years ago.

But I am most concerned about the popularity of online playing as it is great fun playing against human players.

How crowded (or well...not crowded) in the game lobby? Also will I be playing online via the Steam Cloud or Civ5 the game itself offers a separate online platform which is independent from Steam?

Please update me with the intelligence, thanks in advance

 

[Frostedthread2]

You'll be playing through steam, but I wouldn't place my whole expectations on online if that's why you're buying the complete game. The game itself is 5 years old and the modding community peaked with the G&K expansion pack. You'll find games online but they're not as abundant.

 

[IMACIVFAN]

Oh I see.
Sad to hear that.

Can't find a better RTS or Turn Base game one of these days.

Back to Civ 5, learnt a lot from youtube that there are many new features in the 2 expansions. You can use religion and spies to conquer the world. How does that fit into the big picture?

The game is priced at $31 roughly, and sounds like a good deal.

Any chance of getting online players without waiting for an hour ?

 

[Gordon Brittas]

That's basically, like asking if there is a good online community for FIFA 2011. Come on.

 

[reddishrecue]

Yeah, or NBA '08 for basketball on PS3.

 

[joncnunn]

If your looking for MP players, you might want to check the multiplayer forum:

http://forums.civfanatics.com/forumdisplay.php?f=406

 

[BruinBound]

My experience in these kinds of things is that the people who are serious and love the game will still be around. Getting a group of regulars to play with is probably the most important piece of successful, fun, and competitive multiplayer. If you are good with that alone, I'd recommend going for it. If you want more player variety and excitement around MP, then it may fall short.

 

[IMACIVFAN]

Thanks for the pointers and hints.

Okay, so I cut the deal for a not so crowded MP community, and buy the game for SP.

Now academic question: how good is the AI?

I know in Civ 4, at higher AI level, the AI cheats. I guess cheats is in the sense that AI knows all about my empire, every bit of information are there. Is it the same in Civ 5?

I watched some Civ 5 video on the tube, and I am very excited about using Culture to influence and conquer the world, is that really implemented in the game and achievable?

Also, you can use religion to change relations between nations, is that also true and vividly simulated?

Does diplomacy in BNW offer more options than in the vanilla and how does it play out overall?

Thanks.

 

[reddishrecue]

The deity level AI gets spoiled so much more than the player that it becomes very difficult.

Influencing is achievable with the use of tourism, but like all the other difficulty levels, it is apparently harder to do at the deity level.

Religion has its benefits whether you're influenced or someone else is influenced by your religion where tourism increases and influence is greater when you're going for a cultural victory.

Diplomacy in BNW has a new world congress that enacts different options such as ban luxury ivory for example or embargo a hated civilization. You can use city state allies to get more votes for the world congress decision that is getting voted for or against.

 

[joncnunn]

Thanks for the pointers and hints.

Okay, so I cut the deal for a not so crowded MP community, and buy the game for SP.

Now academic question: how good is the AI?

I know in Civ 4, at higher AI level, the AI cheats. I guess cheats is in the sense that AI knows all about my empire, every bit of information are there. Is it the same in Civ 5?

I watched some Civ 5 video on the tube, and I am very excited about using Culture to influence and conquer the world, is that really implemented in the game and achievable?

Also, you can use religion to change relations between nations, is that also true and vividly simulated?

Does diplomacy in BNW offer more options than in the vanilla and how does it play out overall?

Thanks.

Civ IV actually turned off AI using highly fluid info (such as where units deep within your territory are located) because Civ III players were using the AI knowledge of it against it.

The fertility formula continues to be aware of hidden future strategic game resources. (Which is actually shared by the adviser on where to settle cities so you can "cheat" to)

In effect the Civ V AI isn't nearly as good as Civ IV, but that is because of game play mechanics and how they developed it. (How good the AI could be at something was a strong consideration for Civ IV, it wasn't at all for Civ V)

Consequently, the Civ V AI needs its handicaps when the human is playing at Prince a lot more than Civ IV did (and yes the Civ IV AI did have a handicap in two key areas when the human was playing on Prince.)

BNW and diplomacy; nothing really new here. It did though add mechanics that give more reasons for AIs to hate others (and the human if you aren't careful) than before. In addition, ideology based wars will occur in late game in BNW.

Yes, you can win by culture in Civ V, but only recommended on standard map size and below.