New BTS Interview on IGN (w/ New Screenshots!)

[Thunderfall]

[IMG=right]http://www.civfanatics.com/gallery/files/1/ign_bts_516a_thumb.jpg[/IMG]IGN has posted a new interview with Alex Mantzaris, lead designer of Civilization IV: Beyond the Sword. It includes some very interesting new info about the new corporation feature and changes to the espionage feature. Five new screenshots are also included.

Here is a summary of the new info:

• Joao II of Portugal: Imperialistic and Expansionist; Unique unit: Carrack
• Sitting Bull of Sioux: Protective and ?; Unique building: Totem Pole (acts as sort of an extra barracks for archer units)
• Corporation:
  • Corporations consume specific resources in order to provide benefits to their city. The more instances of resources they consume, the more food, production, commerce, or resources they supply.
  • The downside is that any city hosting a corporation has to pay a maintenance fee for its services.
  • It really pays to consume a Great Person to found the headquarters of a corporation, since the city with the headquarters gets royalty income for each city in the world hosting a branch of that corporation.
  • Players can block foreign corporations from operating in their cities by adopting the Mercantilism civic, and they block all corporations, even their own, by adopting the State Property civic.
• Espionage:
  • There is now an espionage slider that gives you the ability to divert part of your income towards espionage activities against other civilizations. Once you have reached certain thresholds of espionage investment, you start gaining some automatic intelligence benefits over rival civilizations.
  • Great Spy is a new Great Person type and can perform the typical great person actions. Great Spies can also infiltrate into enemy cities, giving you a significant advantage in espionage against that civilization.
  • You can send your spies into foreign territory to gather further intelligence and to perform various missions of destruction and propaganda.
• Space Race: The space race is now more suspenseful because victory is not achieved until the spaceship actually arrives, not when it's launched. Therefore, you may pull out a victory even if you launch late, by building a faster spaceship and overtaking your opponent on the way to Alpha Centauri.
• New Unit: The paratrooper can perform jumps onto strategic spots in enemy territory before an invasion.
• New Unit: The Cuirassier is a new mounted unit that takes the place of the old Cavalry unit in the technology tree. Cavalry has been pushed back to require rifling.
• New Unit: The Anti-tank Gun is an inexpensive early counter to Tanks.
• New Wonders: The Statue of Zeus (doubles the war weariness of other civilizations fighting against you), the Mausoleum of Maussollos, the Cristo Redentor, the Shwedagon Paya, and the Apostolic Palace.
• Scenarios: One of them is like Civ in space.
• Advanced Starts: a pre-game setup phase which allows players to purchase cities, improvements, buildings, technologies, and units. It works in both single-player and multi-player. The player decides what to purchase and where to place it. When everyone is done, the game starts with players controlling relatively balanced, advanced empires with a working infrastructure. This mechanism is ideal for those who want to jump right in and experience a balanced game in the modern era, without having to start with nothing but a few settlers and units.

Thanks to WoolyWoolwine83 for posting about it on the forum.

>> Discuss the article here!
>> See all BTS Screenshots

 

[Leif]

I should probably reserve my copy pretty soon.

I can't wait to try out everything.

So, Anyone else think Sitting Bull might have a new trait in addition to protective?

 

[Thunderfall]

So, Anyone else think Sitting Bull might have a new trait in addition to protective?

That's for sure.

 

[Vrenir]

It all sounds good except for one thing: "Sitting Bull, the Native American leader" with a Totem Pole as a UB. Native Americans are not a single ethnic or political group by any means; it's like making an African civilization instead of the Mali, the Egyptians, or the Zulu. Sitting Bull was Sioux, and the Sioux did not build totem poles. Hopefully we will have some modder corrections in short order, though I would love it if Firaxis had a last minute change of mind and created Sitting Bull for the Sioux with a Tepee or Burial Mound UB.

I know that I can change this in a mod, but it'd just be nice if it were correct as is.

 

[texasgoldrush]

From the screenshots, we can now confirm....the Mayans are a new civ along with the Babylonians, Dutch, Portugese, and Native Americans.

 

[Martinoheat]

This looks like a really worth while expansion, all the ideas are excellent! I'm just glad I'm away traveling about America the month before it comes out, or else I wouldn't be able to stand the wait!

Corporations and Espionage are looking especially exciting !

 

[Luckystrike77]

From the screenshots, we can now confirm....the Mayans are a new civ along with the Babylonians, Dutch, Portugese, and Native Americans.

More native americans, and Portugal/Netherlands added. I really hope they've made a great New World Scenario that is worthy to be played.

 

[Mauritania]

So they've nicked the espionage systems and a scenerio from Galactic Civilizations II then?

 

[sneaky]

In the other thread it was confirmed that Pacal the Great of the Mayas is the leaderhead pictured.

 

[jkp1187]

It all sounds good except for one thing: "Sitting Bull, the Native American leader" with a Totem Pole as a UB. Native Americans are not a single ethnic or political group by any means; it's like making an African civilization instead of the Mali, the Egyptians, or the Zulu. Sitting Bull was Sioux, and the Sioux did not build totem poles. Hopefully we will have some modder corrections in short order, though I would love it if Firaxis had a last minute change of mind and created Sitting Bull for the Sioux with a Tepee or Burial Mound UB.

I know that I can change this in a mod, but it'd just be nice if it were correct as is.

Agreed. It's really really weak if they keep Sitting Bull's civ named "Native Americans". That would be like creating a civilization called "The Europeans". What are the Aztecs and Incans supposed to be? And let's not even get into the nomenclature issues that this causes with the actual Americans.

Otherwise, though EVERYTHING ELSE looks awesome. I can't believe I have to wait another two months!

 

[LlamaCat]

It sounds like Sid really took our conversation to heart the other night when he called for my advice. Seriously, it almost sounds like they read my posts... I've been advocating for a Great Spy and increased espionage for months. Nice!

 

[Innawerkz]

So they've nicked the espionage systems and a scenerio from Galactic Civilizations II then?

Who in turn nicked it from the Masters of Orion series. Despite a superior model being available, the Galactic Civilization II: Dark Avatar espionage system is garbage. I have more faith in Firaxis & Civilization designers than simply rehashing that poorly implemented feature from GC2.

I am curious how one generates 'Great Spy' points. Your Palace? The Kremlin? Scotland Yard? Religious Shrines? Pentagon? Forbidden Palace? Or will they appear faster the higher your 'Espionage Slider' is set? Hmm...

Corporations sound amazing. And boosting Mercantilism's potential usefuleness and adding one more 'interesting decision' before auto-piloting into State Property sounds perfect for mixing up the late game!

 

[madscientist]

Warlords had great additions but one thing that was suttle but great was the 100% damage for chariots against Axemen, simple but a big change is early strategy. I think waiting for Cavalry until you get rifling is as big a change although not sure where the cuissar falls.

 

[Mirc]

Space Race: The space race is now more suspenseful because victory is not achieved until the spaceship actually arrives, not when it's launched. Therefore, you may pull out a victory even if you launch late, by building a faster spaceship and overtaking your opponent on the way to Alpha Centauri.

That's not "new", but it's good to have it back.

 

[turacu]

I've got an observation from the screenshots that has me a little worried - the one entitled "Navy" seems to only show the regular Modern Era naval units.

Do you think that means there aren't any new, modern naval units?

I would be sad.

 

[Thorn]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Thunderfall View Post
Space Race: The space race is now more suspenseful because victory is not achieved until the spaceship actually arrives, not when it's launched. Therefore, you may pull out a victory even if you launch late, by building a faster spaceship and overtaking your opponent on the way to Alpha Centauri.

That's not "new", but it's good to have it back.

And if only they would let us continue to duke it out ON Alpha Centauri after we get there in the form of Alpha Centauri II...

 

[milan]

And if only they would let us continue to duke it out ON Alpha Centauri after we get there in the form of Alpha Centauri II...

That would be great .

I like the improvement in espinage & the corporations.

 

[morikaweb]

And if only they would let us continue to duke it out ON Alpha Centauri after we get there in the form of Alpha Centauri II...

I'd even pay for a updated version of the original smac.

As far as the Native Americans are concerned, I cant believe they would do something so stupid. I truly hope they fix it before the launch.

 

[GoodGame]

Sounds like a must buy. Hopefully the leaders's count isn't double-counting the Warlords's leaders. Sounds like unique buildings are in, and probably tons.

The new units sound cool, though they didn't mention the privateer again. I'm troubled! I hope we're still getting hidden nationality units.

Corporations rules sound excellent. So if a GP = a corporation, does the flavor of the corporation = the type of GP? A GM = Coca-cola, and a GS = Sony?

The new spy system sounds like a rip of the GalCiv2 espionage, but I guess that's ok since its a good system. EDIT: Sorry if I'm disagreeing with others, but its an ok system. Merging some old school Civ spying into will make it even better.


The new space race sounds a little blah. From that GalCiv2-like map I was hoping they were doing more involved space colonization in the standard game. Still if linking maps becomes available, a solar system scenario of maps within maps would be cool, at least on 'Small'.

Also they didn't mention new techs for the late game!

Fanboys must buy

 

[mrwhite89]

That's a lot of new additions to the game.....I really hope they all balance well. If BTS can keep the industrial/modern part of the game competitive, it will definitely be worth the 30 bones.