New Civ 4:BTS Interview with Mantzaris on IGN!

[ChrTh]

how would that work out when the AI also places towns at the same time?

btw I am amazed that some of you hail the SOZ wonder. You mean, you didn't have enough WW issues already? You are begging for more of that ? Did you ever think about that on higher levels the AI might actually built that before you?

Statue of Zeus probably expires at an relatively early point (Divine Right?), so unless it's your neighbor the SOZ will have limited impact on you.

I imagine the AI will be selective in building it, I can't imagine one of the more 'peaceful' leaders going for it often (if at all)

 

[Watiggi]

I'm not sure whether it will boost Free Market.I'm sure corporations are a double-edged weapon.If you have a weak economy perhaps it has the same effect of a too fast expansion where mainteinance costs can have worst effect than the bonus to food, production or whatever else a corporation can give.One thing is sure Economic Civ choice will become a lot more interesting.Just curious whether Environmentalism will get some bonus to strenghten it, and what will be its relation with Corporations.

I never said it would boost Free Market, I said it would indirectly boost Free Market. By making State Property eliminate the corporations bonus and by having Mercantilism make it less enticing for other civs to deal with you (not sure how that'll work, just like trade I presume), it makes Free Market (and I guess Enviromentalism) more valuable for getting the most from corporations.

With the changes to mounted units aren't war elephants going to way too overpowered where they now?

What do you mean? I don't see how they would be too over the top with these changes.

 

[Methos]

btw I am amazed that some of you hail the SOZ wonder. You mean, you didn't have enough WW issues already? You are begging for more of that ? Did you ever think about that on higher levels the AI might actually built that before you?

Statue of Zeus probably expires at an relatively early point (Divine Right?), so unless it's your neighbor the SOZ will have limited impact on you.

I imagine the AI will be selective in building it, I can't imagine one of the more 'peaceful' leaders going for it often (if at all)

From my understanding of the article, the builder does not receive the doubling from SoZ, so its worth building and keeping it out of your opponents hands.

 

[ThERat]

From my understanding of the article, the builder does not receive the doubling from SoZ, so its worth building and keeping it out of your opponents hands.

But that means we need to have that wonder for denial purposes only, as WW doesn't cripple the AI on higher levels. The human however suffers big time, so it doesn't really give a big bonus in SP games...as I said, you need it for denial purpose only

 

[Monado]

But that means we need to have that wonder for denial purposes only, as WW doesn't cripple the AI on higher levels. The human however suffers big time, so it doesn't really give a big bonus in SP games...as I said, you need it for denial purpose only

In earlier announcements for BtS, it has been stated that the AI is smarter and will no longer need hefty bonuses to compete with a smart human. I originally thought this would mean the AI gets less health and happiness freebies on levels above noble. MAYBE the suffer from the same amount of war wariness now as well. This would cause the AI to suffer the effects of the Statue of Zeus.

Hey kids,

It's Steve from IGN. I meant to send out a heads up about the interview before we posted it but I'm traveling this week and my web access has been spotty. I would have asked Charles to do it but he's from Canada so he's a little slow, eh? Anyway, I just wanted to point out that the leader in the screenshot is Pacal of the Maya.

Thanks Steve!
Almost everything I hoped to be included in the expansion has been confirmed already. Native Americans, Privateers, Mayans, and the Babylonians.

Just waiting to hear about the Mayan UB (Ball Courts hopefully).

 

[DrewBledsoe]

With the changes to mounted units aren't war elephants going to way too overpowered where they now?

If you mean Cavalry coming later, then elephants stay useful a little longer, although a pikeman stops them dead in their tracks (in fact even a humble spearmen has generally a 50/50 winning chance), And eles are rather situational don't you think?(only really good against knights, when knights are excellent against anything but eles and pikes), plus you need Ivory of course, which given a huge map is probably only 1/6 games.

 

[Alsark]

Does anything else think the Mayan leader, Pacal, looks like a total jerk? He's probably going to declare war on me for not accepting his corporation - Illegal Drugs 'R Us.

 

[Catharsis]

He does look a bit like he's run into a window.

 

[GoodGame]

I'm guessing that's Mayan, and vague enough to be edited into Indonesian.

@Alsark, are you sure it's Pacal? Smoke Jaguar seems like a better choice to me. Maybe he's mad that we just stole the Ancient Astronaut wonder? Or your human sacrifice was not sufficient enough for Mathematics?

EDIT: Wanna bet what the UB will be?

Stela? (yet another obelisk thing)

Ball court (universally mesoamerican though)?

a Mathematics-founded Observatory (replaces library? More culture less science?)?

 

[Monado]

I'm guessing that's Mayan, and vague enough to be edited into Indonesian.

@Alsark, are you sure it's Pacal? Smoke Jaguar seems like a better choice to me. Maybe he's mad that we just stole the Ancient Astronaut wonder? Or your human sacrifice was not sufficient enough for Mathematics?

EDIT: Wanna bet what the UB will be?

Stela? (yet another obelisk thing)

Ball court (universally mesoamerican though)?

a Mathematics-founded Observatory (replaces library? More culture less science?)?

Its already confirmed as Pacal.

Ball courts were Mesoamerican, but the Mayans some of the greatest courts, including the one at Chichen Itza.

 

[Horizons]

Native Americans get a totem pole as their unique building. Why not a casino?

 

[GeoModder]

Native Americans get a totem pole as their unique building. Why not a casino?

It's more fun toying with tied cowboys.

 

[Martinus]

Statue of Zeus probably expires at an relatively early point (Divine Right?), so unless it's your neighbor the SOZ will have limited impact on you.

I imagine the AI will be selective in building it, I can't imagine one of the more 'peaceful' leaders going for it often (if at all)

I think SoZ is very good for a peaceful builder who wants to be left alone - it is a perfect defender wonder, since it makes attacking the owner much less desireable.

 

[scy12]

This looks like an extremely different game. I am happy that the company behind this is Firaxis because other companies would just name it Civ 5 and get over with it.

I want to learn more about the Leaders. Firaxis , leak more information !

 

[LlamaCat]

I wonder what the name of my 5th Great Spy will be when playing the Incas... coming up with historical names for these units will be interesting.

 

[NikNak]

I am especially excited by the way Corporations and the revised space victory will work. I couldn't care less about the scenarios, but they're usually fun to check out at least once.

 

[mice]

: Advanced Starts are a pre-game setup phase players use 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 could be good for SGs. Set up a modern start and play Epic speed, short turnsets, with variant that is based on the set up that you purchase. For example set up a corporation oriented empire and have a corporation oriented variant/goal.

Also, threads like the ALC can spend 5 pages discussing where to move the settler. Imagine the discussion if you had to decide where to place 5 cities and what infra to build.

I think late starts could become very popular.

 

[ChrTh]

I think SoZ is very good for a peaceful builder who wants to be left alone - it is a perfect defender wonder, since it makes attacking the owner much less desireable.

I guess it depends on the cost. Unless I was planning on wreaking havoc with all of my neighbor's economies via phony war (not necessarily a bad idea, to be honest), I think I'd rather spend the hammers on troops.

I also don't think the AI will see it as a deterrent to starting war (if I have it), just make them more likely to offer peace sooner.

 

[Dom Pedro II]

First, what I have a problem with: I think they actually went from under-representing spies and espionage to OVER-representing them... this extra commerce slider is really iffy to me. There's so many other things that could potentially make more sense as a commerce slider than espionage. And Great Spies? There's already a number of other great people like Great Statesmen and Great Explorers that, to me, take priority.

But... we'll see. Maybe it will be more fun. I hope so, but my initial reaction is that this is a step in the wrong direction.

Now, what I am happy about: I like the Wonders, however, and I really like that the Civ4 team has been thinking much farther outside the box than Civ3. I would be annoyed if all the wonders were just "gives a free bank" or "gives a free library" or "gives +50% culture". I'm glad they're really being creative with new wonder effects.

I also like the corporations, and I really like that they have made Mercantilism, Free Market, and State Property actually have real depth with their corporation restrictions!

I don't really care a whole lot about new civs and leaders, but those are always a nice addition if they're properly balanced.

I also like that they've brought back the old space race conditions where you actually have to land on Alpha Centauri (or rather the fictional planet orbiting it) to win. But what I really wish is that they would have some more build up. I mean, humans haven't even gone to Mars because it's expensive and requires technologies that have only recently become available... Alpha Centauri would be such a vastly longer journey and require so much more experience with space travel and technological breakthroughs.

On the other hand though... pushing back the space race victory into some kind of futuristic world just gives those creative game developers time to develop a next-generation set of futuristic units that I will probably find too impractical and silly and really kill the effect for me, so perhaps I should be grateful

 

[seasnake]

Can't wait, Mayans are in and that makes me Happy.
Also, like the fact that four new general units have been mentioned for the epic game: privateers, paratroopers, tank guns and Cuirassiers. This means not every UU per new civ will replace the knight or horse archer, they'll spread them out better. I hope there are a few more general units as well to add to the depth of the game.
The corporation and espionage angle is going to give more variety to the game, so you have more ways to play.
Basically, this is going to be the best 30 bucks I've invested in an EP. Just have to wait ...