Is Multiplayer neglected?

[Kordanor]

That last piece of information came not from 2k Greg but someone claiming they were copy/pasting an email from 2k Greg. And it contradicts information from some of the previews. So I wouldn't list it as something that officially came from 2K until we see someone with a 2K name actually post it here.

As I said in the other thread: The quote might be fake, you are right. Anyways:

1st review of shacknews by Brian Leahy:
http://www.shacknews.com/onearticle.x/65521

Civ V will support simultaneous-turn multiplayer out of the box, though other multiplayer modes will be added later.
...
Hopefully, additional multiplayer modes that don't rely on simultaneous turns are in the works.

then we got the review stating its turn based at http://kotaku.com/5633827/how-to-beat-three-people-at-civilization-v-multiplayer

. You can only type in the chat when it's your turn. But another player doesn't have this problem, and you can still chat through Steam.

IGN goes the same road as kotaku at http://uk.pc.ign.com/articles/111/1119474p1.html

As you play on the right side of the screen you'll see each player's score and whose turn it is.

And now we got the review on shacknews by Brian Leahy http://www.shacknews.com/onearticle.x/65623

Multiplayer is currently limited to simultaneous turns, but games can be set aside and picked up again down the line through auto-saves. Manual saving of multiplayer games is not possible. More modes are planned following the game's release.

To add even more chaos we have the review at http://www.destructoid.com/civ-v-multiplayer-makes-turn-based-pick-up-the-pace-183931.phtml

Players will have the option to choose between solo style turn-based and simultaneous turn-based play for multiplayer, with timer settings just like in Civ IV.

In addtition we have the mail (fake or not) statement from 2k greg.

What we want to believe now is basically upon anyone himself. We could assume that the mail is fake, the shacknews reporter mixed everything up/had to idea what he was talking about / the IGN /Kotaku reviewer had an stone age build with a very basic prototype MP Version which was turn based...well, yes everything is possible.

But until we do not have any official statement, it doesn't look to good to me. Otherwise they had no problem with just saying "yes, both is in game!"

 

[VikingMaekel]

I think the turn based MP had some serious issues (IGN makes a report about choppiness and what not and the hope that they would iron it out before Civ V went gold).

So what I think is that they decided to go ahead with the release, take out the buggy turn based MP, solely leaving the working simultaneous MP in and release turn based MP through a patch once they feel it is in a stable state.

IF, big if, that is true, then I can understand it. I can understand that if something doesn't work out, you leave it out to refine and patch it in. BUT I would like for them to come forward with it, that yes turn based isn't in the game because of problems and that they are working on it to patch it in asap.

 

[krunsh]

That last piece of information came not from 2k Greg but someone claiming they were copy/pasting an email from 2k Greg. And it contradicts information from some of the previews. So I wouldn't list it as something that officially came from 2K until we see someone with a 2K name actually post it here.

Yeah it came from me, I have no way of proving anything but I'll copy and pass the whole thing here:


Subject: RE: One simple question about multiplayer
Date: Fri, 17 Sep 2010 15:19:08 -0700
From: Greg.Laabs@2kgames.com
To: xxxx

I believe what the writers in those instances meant by “not your turn” is when you have finished your turn and are waiting on the other players to finish theirs. Either that or they were genuinely confused and thought they were playing sequentially!



From: Maxime Dub [mailto:xxxxxxxxx]
Sent: Friday, September 17, 2010 3:02 PM
To: Greg Laabs (2K Games)
Subject: RE: One simple question about multiplayer



Thanks for the quick answer... still, it's kinda weird. Here are two quote from multiplayer preview... This REALY look like sequential turn

From IGN multiplayer review: http://pc.ign.com/articles/111/1119474p1.html

''As you play on the right side of the screen you'll see each player's score and whose turn it is. There's a chat field in the upper right of the screen for engaging in civil conversation or trash talking. Between turns you can survey your territory and then when it's your turn to move, it'll let you go at it, moving troops, setting up research and production queues, building mines and roads and whatever else you need to do to gain the upper hand. ''

From Kotaku: http://kotaku.com/5633827/how-to-beat-three-people-at-civilization-v-multiplayer

''You'll discover a hopefully temporary idiosyncrasy of the in-game text chat option (you don't try the voice one). You can only type in the chat when it's your turn. But another player doesn't have this problem, and you can still chat through Steam.''

'You will have rejoiced in other successful moves. You learned that, while it wasn't your turn, you could queue land purchases — gold spent to hurry city expansion rather than waiting for organic, natural growth.''

Subject: RE: One simple question about multiplayer
Date: Fri, 17 Sep 2010 14:51:25 -0700
From: Greg.Laabs@2kgames.com
To: xxxxxx

Hey Maxime,



Right now, only simultaneous multiplayer is supported. Turn-based play may come in the future, as we plan on expanding the multiplayer options with patches.



Kotaku must have been mistaken about how the game worked in their preview, as we have never had a version that has turn-based multiplayer.



2K Greg



From: Maxime Dub (xxxxx)
Sent: Friday, September 17, 2010 2:49 PM
To: Greg Laabs (2K Games)
Subject: One simple question about multiplayer



Hi, I've posted this question to you a few time now but I think you missed it (Or don't know the answer...).

A new review have said that multiplayer is only simultaneous turn, is that true? Earlier multiplayer preview had said otherwise, some of the previewer (From kotaku I beleive) were playing sequential turn and described it like this: You can see wich turn it is by looking at the name on the right of the screen and you can queue order even if it's not your turn.

As it been removed? I can understand how you want to make the game faster for multiplayer... but I personaly think that I'll hate it now that it's one unit per tile and since I mostly play with friend there's no reason to be worried about the other player waiting (At the worst you use the timer...)

So?
Thanks you,

 

[taylor_cu]

multiplayer sucks for civ anyways.

Noob.

 

[Marcus I.]

As anyone played hotseat? was it fun? it is not a bit bothering to have the other player watching your civ on your turn? or does most people organize it so they don't watch the other player?

I'm wondering because one of my friend wich I use to play Civ 4 online with won't have a good enough computer for Civ 5.

Sure its fun, I often do it. You can sit together, have a good beer and a pizza and discuss vis-a-vis your next combat plans. When you have communism you make the Alliance which was planned from the beginning and the game is perfect.

Quite obviously you cant fight against each other, thats rather pointless.

From what I heard, Hotseat will probably not be included in the first version and this is disgusting to me.

 

[krunsh]

Quite obviously you cant fight against each other, thats rather pointless.

That's what keep me away from hotseat... I don't think I would enjoy a coop game of civ. maybe I'll try one day (If they release hotseat) a 2v2v2v2 or something like that.

 

[Falcan]

What's this about multiplayer not having animations? Is that only when units are fighting, or does that mean what it says NO animations. So when you/someone move a unit it just teloports in out of somewhere? When you send a plane to attack someone, they cant tell where it came from?

Ugh, I'm not liking the sound of multiplayer, hopefully it works out.

 

[Kordanor]

@Falcan I guess it's also the same with moving, if you look back to Civ4.
What I meant with guessing it's only combat was more directed towards that the game still has animations like idle animations and so on.

From the manual:

Simultaneous Turns Games
A multiplayer game is a “simultaneous turns game.” In this style of game, you and your opponents
take their turns simultaneously. Everybody moves units, conducts diplomacy, maintains
their cities all at the same time. When everybody’s done everything they want to do, the turn
ends and another begins. You can use a Turn Timer when playing in this format as well.
Simultaneous Turns games can be a whole lot of fun, but they’re not for everybody. We
recommend
that you get a bunch of practice in turn-based Civ V before you jump into a
simultaneous game.

So, in MP we will only have simu turns. And it does sound as they are like in Civ4, meaning we will get a RTS feeling with it which I guess is not that looked forward to.

 

[Falcan]

So, if someone orders some archers to shoot arrows at one of my units, I wont see any arrows fly through the air to alert me what just happened? All I see is -2 above one of my units heads?

 

[Kordanor]

So, if someone orders some archers to shoot arrows at one of my units, I wont see any arrows fly through the air to alert me what just happened? All I see is -2 above one of my units heads?

Yep, maybe it's possible to get an alert for that. In the stream on ustream however this was not the case.

 

[Cashew]

So, if someone orders some archers to shoot arrows at one of my units, I wont see any arrows fly through the air to alert me what just happened? All I see is -2 above one of my units heads?

Yep, maybe it's possible to get an alert for that. In the stream on ustream however this was not the case.

It's probably going to work like it did in Civ 4. Your units will still have their standing animations and so will all your cities, but when something is happening it will happen instantly as far as combat goes so that people don't have to waste time waiting to see what happened. It's probably going to apply to movement as well; although, combat animations and slow moves were split into 2 selections in the Civ 4 options menu.