First off, especially after struggling through elemental war of magic, I have to say that this realease was fantastic, better than I could have hoped for. I think that the all the hyperbole about the AI and "The game needs a Do Over" and "Doesn't feel like CIV" is nonsesne, from my perspective at least. My opinion is that this is a great game, and I like the things that were simplified and abstracted. And I think that some of the things that people are complaining about only apply to epic pacing, which is kinda not fair, but whatever.
My Two biggest issues with the game are:
1) Managing Happiness and finding the RIGHT resources
Happiness is low. First go around to all my cities and set them to "avoid growth". Then I try to figure out What resources do I need? Well I know which ones I have but that doesn't help. Ok. I need marble, that's good. Who has marble? I have no idea. Try trading with every single civ, and look at the map in super-squint mode. Uh. Ok I found marble, it's all the way over here. Let's send a settler/worker and grab marble.
Ok now I have marble and I am happy again. Go around and turn off "Avoid Growth" on all my cities. I hope I didn't forget any!
Wait someone delcared war on me! I just lost access to.... Wait the message went by too fast. Dang it looks like I lost two resources, which ones? Looking around..... IN the meantime go back to every city and set them back to avoid growth so my units perform OK in combat. Ok, I guess I lost dyes. Ok, who has dyes (talk to every single other player, nobody seems to have dyes.)
Next I realize that a city-state has dyes. I'll have the 250 gold to bribe them in 2 turns. Ok now I've done it! Go back and set all cities back to NOT avoid growth. Whew.
Wait the city state was attacked, I'm not getting dyes anymore, ok go back and set all cities to AVOID GROWTH again.
etc.......
2) Diplomacy, what are they thinking? (No, not what was firaxis thinking) what are the other civilizations thinking? Who are they at peace with? Who are they at war with? Whoa re they friendly with? Do they like me or hate me? Are they afraid of me? England declares war on the ottomans, then the war ends. Egypt asks for an alliance with me. Well will that tick off england or the ottomans? How do I know? I have no idea. I think I remember seeing that the ottomans had a pece treaty with Egypt like 100 years ago, do they still have that treaty now? Can't find out!!!!! Wait what was that one city-state that Egypt pledged to protect? Who
knows?
Anyway that's the only two issues I have, I can work around them so they are not game killers, but there's got to be a way to mitigate some of that pain.
My Two biggest issues with the game are:
1) Managing Happiness and finding the RIGHT resources
Happiness is low. First go around to all my cities and set them to "avoid growth". Then I try to figure out What resources do I need? Well I know which ones I have but that doesn't help. Ok. I need marble, that's good. Who has marble? I have no idea. Try trading with every single civ, and look at the map in super-squint mode. Uh. Ok I found marble, it's all the way over here. Let's send a settler/worker and grab marble.
Ok now I have marble and I am happy again. Go around and turn off "Avoid Growth" on all my cities. I hope I didn't forget any!
Wait someone delcared war on me! I just lost access to.... Wait the message went by too fast. Dang it looks like I lost two resources, which ones? Looking around..... IN the meantime go back to every city and set them back to avoid growth so my units perform OK in combat. Ok, I guess I lost dyes. Ok, who has dyes (talk to every single other player, nobody seems to have dyes.)
Next I realize that a city-state has dyes. I'll have the 250 gold to bribe them in 2 turns. Ok now I've done it! Go back and set all cities back to NOT avoid growth. Whew.
Wait the city state was attacked, I'm not getting dyes anymore, ok go back and set all cities to AVOID GROWTH again.
etc.......
2) Diplomacy, what are they thinking? (No, not what was firaxis thinking) what are the other civilizations thinking? Who are they at peace with? Who are they at war with? Whoa re they friendly with? Do they like me or hate me? Are they afraid of me? England declares war on the ottomans, then the war ends. Egypt asks for an alliance with me. Well will that tick off england or the ottomans? How do I know? I have no idea. I think I remember seeing that the ottomans had a pece treaty with Egypt like 100 years ago, do they still have that treaty now? Can't find out!!!!! Wait what was that one city-state that Egypt pledged to protect? Who
knows?
Anyway that's the only two issues I have, I can work around them so they are not game killers, but there's got to be a way to mitigate some of that pain.
