My [[very late]] First Impressions {long post}

[tnick777]

First off, Hi guys... New here but not new to the forum world so don't worry I won't be annoying..

Second, yes I just got the game after a long debate... I was weary after seeing the reviews for the game (I LOVE Civ IV and I wouldn't want this game to change my view on the Civ series), and I was waiting for it to come out on Mac (I'm a macbook pro user, but there's a large array of PC's in my house too). But Sunday I finally bit the bullet and decided... what the hell.
And got it...

I played a marathon continental map all the way through the tech tree (at settler mind you; not because I'm bad, but because I didn't want to be thrown into a game over my head with a new game when I'm trying to figure stuff out...)

And here's a list of the +'s, -'s for CiV and the WISHES I have for Civilization VI (CiVIlization)

The Positives

• The graphics, my GOD this game is beautiful. While it's not "realistic" per se, the entire map, all (most) of the units are breathtaking, and the actual designs of the cities/units are amazing!
• The next thing I really like is the option to buy tiles. I really diliked the way borders grew in Civilization IV. One, it wasn't organic looking at all, and two you really didn't lose anything when your borders grow. Now you have to think, can I afford to get more land? Is dropping ~1500 gold for a tile good or do I want to use that in other ways?
• I also like how it feels like a Longer Game to me. I ALWAYS play marathon/huge map because it feels more realistic to me and it utilizes more strategy, and this game feels like it takes a LONG time. Usually I can wrap up conquering the world in Civilization IV by ~1900... But at 1900 on this game I'm STILL just occupying part of the next continent. I think it has to do with cities having the ability to protect themselves... It takes a lot of units and planning to succesfully launch an invasion. However I do find myself clicking the end turn button a lot without really doing much.
• I also LOVE the addition of Nuclear Bombs to accompany Nuclear Missiles (ICBMs). This is very realistic and it's better than having Tactical Nukes and ICBM's. I really like how an ICBM can actually REMOVE a city now if it's small enough. It's something small but I love it.
• The next thing I like is well.. Two things. It's City States and City State World Wars. I like the city states because they... give you something to do? I love befriending them and then doing their missions... In those times of peace when you're just expanding and building it's nice to have something you're trying to work towards. (and the occasional gift or whatever is nice too). The thing that comes with the City States is the possibility of a City State World War... When I attacked Bucharest all of a sudden 10 of the city states I wasn't allies with declared war on me! It was crazy yet really fun! It made me wonder... Why can they do that with Civs?
• The big change that impacted my game the most was the removal of unit stacking. It's engenious. It has made he giant stacks of death a thing of the past and it's made it a lot more balanced. The only problem is the logistical issues I've encountered but all in all I love sweeping accross an empire with units of infantry... Looks so nice. Plus it's also helped me seige more than one city at a time... Instead of "city hopping" which was my tactic in Civ IV.
• A way they added the taste of realism was limited resources. I love how you have to pay a lot of attention to your resources and it makes you decide what you want. In the early stages of harvesting Uranium for use, it was tough deciding "okay do I want to have this for a nuclear arsenal.. Or do I want a nuclear reactor?" It's just a new, realistic, and in my opinion, interesting way of dealing with your resources.
• One small aesthetic I like is how the city looks. They look great, especially in the modern+ age. I like how the majority of "down town" is situated near water, etc. It's just something small but I think that looks amazing.
• I don't know if this was in Civ IV or not but I like how you can't end turn unless EVERYBODY has done somethong. In Civ IV I think I used to end my turn prematurely a lot, having a stack on some island and needing to move before the end of the turn or else something would happen... I dunno.
• Early in the game I really liked the tech research agreement to take place of tech brokering. I think the tech brokering wasn't fair because Civs really didn't like trading technologies...But now having the option to go in on an investment with a Civ makes them more likely to do it with you.
• Back to the cities I like how cities spawn differently on Sand vs Grass. When you spawn a city in the sand it's small (unless next to water) and it looks unhealthy. When you spawn a city on grass it looks big and like it will grow. Just another Aesthetic.
• I love how the leader screens look, especially Askia. I like how each are in their own area, speaking their native language, with music relevant to their cultures... Againg I must say... Askia is by far my favorite Civ, tells a lot of his history.
• Hexagons! I love the Hexagons! No need to explain cuz I know everybody else loves it too but it's the BEST.
• Another small aesthetic thing I like is the music. It's so relaxing and cinematic. It gets dramatic in war, etc. It's very well composed and it sounds great accompanied with the beauty of the game.
• While "spock" was a good narrator in Civ IV The CiV quote guy and the Quotes are great! His voice is so important sounding and the quotes are actually very good... And I like how all the wonders have quotes associated with it. Some are very inspiring, and others (George Bush) are funny.
• I like one tweak to the AI that helps them know when they're potentially about to get invaded. It's smart cuz I usually tell them the truth... I like how the presence of military units around their borders causes discomfort... It's a good addition.
• Last (probably not, but all I can think of), I like how cities defend themselves. It was always a pain having a unit protect a city in cIV, but now it's great... I do think it's kinda funny though when you're doing an air raid on a city in the early ages and rocks are being flung at your planes.

The Negatives

• Okay, I really hate the big robot of death. It's kinda tacky and in real life I honestly doubt something like this will ever be used. While it's fun to watch it prance around empires raining missiles down on people: I just don't like it. I think the "Fusion" tech could have gone towards something like a Fusion Reactor or something that could really help, or maybe a hydrogen bomb or something.
• When I found out there was No Religon I was almost hell bent on NOT getting this game... I did obviously. Understandably Religion didn't leave a gaping hole like I thought it would, it still is a missing element to the actual idea of Civilization. Up until even today (with Islam) religous backed wars are a thing of reality... I think toning down religion was a faux pas and they need to reinstate it but with a better engine than Civ IV)
• Another small aesthetic issue I have is how your Advisors look the same throughout the ages. Maybe they don't cuz I stopped looking but I hate sitting there looking at what I should maybe do with my science in the Future Era and looking at a guy in a turban... I'd like it to change by epoch.
• As much as I LIKE the pictures they have for after a wonder is completed, and the quote that comes with it (it's really grown on me), I still miss the Wonder Animations. I think those really made the game look nice.
• I really like keeping track of demographics, and I really miss Population Milestons. While small I always found it rewarding seeing the "Your Burgeoning Empire Now Holds 100,000,000 Souls!" notification. Just something.
• Another perspective thing I miss (like the population) is the ability to have the Global View. I just liked being able to zoom out and see the globe and seeing how my country looked in relation to the rest of the world... Just an aesthetic thing I think they could have improved rather than dismissed.
• Oh my god the Leader selection is abysmal. One leader per civilization? Not to mention there's hardly any Civilizations to chose from anymore, but I think the shallowness in that pool is a problem. If I want to play against Russia I'd like multiple times represented.. Stalin sometimes, Catherine other times... I dunno.
• Speaking of Civs, I hear you have to Pay to download stuff!? Alright I heard some people griping that we're complaining about having to buy more playable factions/mods but come on... I bought a $50 game that I could have pirated illegally, at least make it worth buying... Support it and keep us playing.
  [*]I think all nationalities need 2 special unites, and 1 special building. It's a shame that they didn't do that... It makes some civilizations more attractive than others. For America they easily could have made the Assembly Line the special building to replace a Factory... I dunno.
  [*]Alright, I'll say it Great People are useless. They're only good for golden ages and research... I don't even want to bother using the Great General for what he's supposed to be used for... It was so much easier tethering him to a unit.
  [*]They really need to Hide the Pillage Button. I hope I'm not the only one who's pillaged their own land on accident...
  [*]The workers are still best autimated. It's a shame but my interest in the workers ends after I press the button to build them. I wish there was something more to do... There's no reason not to automate them.
  [*]The game is kinda boring... not gonna lie.. Especially during periods of non-war. You pretty much build and press end turn... nothing to do.
  [*]In all this game does feel like it was rushed out to the public. It's a shallow game in general when you're not going to war.
  [*]I really hate how Units are helpless at sea. While I understand why, I wish you could tether a battleship or something to them to protect them as they go accross the ocean when they're embarked.
  [*]While it's annoying, it is realistic, but I still don't like it. What am I talking about? Why the Strict Rebase area of course... When I'm on another continent waiting for a nuclear bomb to get manufactured before I declare war... It's kinda hard waiting to rebase 3+ times before I have it in a deployable area.
  [*]I'd like to have an advisor tell me what countries have what resource. I get so many cities crying about cotton but I don't know where it is and it's hard for me to tell who has it... Maybe they can help point it out... Like... hey there's some cotton just outside San Fransisco, go get it. Or hey, Gandi has some cotton, get it.
  [*]I don't get why City States ask the world to build. It's just weird... It doesn't make too much sense either in a real world perspective... "make the Louvre", "the what", "the louvre", "uh... what's that... it doesn't exist, so how can you ask for something that doesn't exist"... I dunno.
  [*]Uuuuuuughhh. Why am I still being prompted to Build walls in the future era!? They should be obsoleted sometime! There's no reason to have walls when you're using bombers and stuff like that... Plus having a wall around a cluster of sky scrapers looks well... goofy.
  [*]I still don't get why my workers are building improvements in other countries. Lolwut.
  [*]Barbarians are kinda sad. They're still floating around in galleys... I think they should stay at my epoch or the one behind me cuz it's almost sad when I have my infantry mow down a unit of "brutes"... Almost looks like a slaughter.
  [*]Is the Airlift option gone?. I miss being able to airlift units... Why would they get rid of that?
  

My Wishes for CiVIlization

• I would like World Wars! Have alliances get tangled and a big global war erupt... It would be amazing. (it's possible now but I want it to happen easier)
• I'm a chart guy and I want more charts. I'd like to see the progress graphs, etc.
• I'd like Civil Wars... I'd like it if cities in a region/over seas got so mad they seceded and rebelled causing a war..
• I'd STILL like More Civs... At least 1 more Native American Tribe (Powhatans.. cuz I'm Powhatan ), a few more European countries (why was Spain left out!? Maybe add Poland or the Papacy), the Maori? The Aboriginals? And MAKE SURE THEY ALL HAVE 2 units and 1 unique building.
• Unique wonders for each Civ... I'd like to see the Statue of Liberty be for the Americans, the Pyramids for the Egyptians... etc. Oh and it'd be cool seeing the Burj Dubai or the Sears Tower in your city icon too...

Sorry that was so long... Just wanted to see what others thought.

Flame on

 

[Ronin228]

I agree with all! I really am bored and depressed with this game already.

I also hate that there are no real ICBM's, nuclear missiles only have a range of 8? What crap! I miss real ICBM's from Civ4!