New Patch - First Impressions?

Now that its finally out, what are your first impressions of the new patch now you've played it?

I've discovered that tall empires seem more competitive early one, and as expected, the HG seem very powerful.

I've found diplomacy to be more stable also. What are your first impressions?

 

I think they have made some nice improvements but overall it really doesn't have anything compelling enough to justify me spending any more significant time playing it. At this point I think I'm going to devote my time to other pursuits and hope that they add some more content with a few more patches/expansion, or at least release a decent mod kit.

 

Archers cost as much as warriors now. Babylonian Bowmen rush anyone?

 

The happiness adjustment seems to favour annexing cities outright rather than leaving them to puppet ...

 

It's a bit too early.
Only thing I noticed in the first turns is some strange AI city placement.

 

This patch also installs updated versions of the Civ5 manual in the program directory. This is especially nice for the German version that now finally shows the correct keyboard shortcuts.

2K offers the updated manuals also for download here:
http://www.2kgames.com/manual/civ5

 

Lots of Stone, marble has become rare.

BUG - twice now, when i click on hexes i can't turn them off without restarting..

 

Why the hell aren't mods working properly?

 

My first impression is that lowering the happiness from luxury resources completely destroys my saved game: I was trying to get my -7 up by acquiring a new source and building coloseums. Now it's suddenly -26 and my entire empire is screwed. My troops won't fight, I can't use my settler to expand near new resources and my cities won't build.
Basically I can throw away this saved game and start over, so I'm not happy about this.

 

Like it, I actually had to really think about my social policies early on, and I played as America and built the Colossus for the first time! More options, yee haw!

 

Yeah, my saved games suck as well now with overwhelming unhappiness. I thought I could finish my 2 ongoing games before the patch came out...

My saves with mods don't work at all

 

Because, as usual, the devs didn't pay any attention to the modders?
Okay, that's not quite fair. The way XML and Lua updates work would make it basically impossible for any decent-sized mod to be compatible with a patch of this scope.

Regardless, it's going to take several days for the more popular mods to be compatible with the patch.

 

Oh, just started my first post-patch game as Monty.
Jaguars have been buffed and now start with Woodsman.
Anyone other changes that were not in the patch notes ?

 

First impression:

India is worse than I expected. Puppetting or settling in the early game for India is crippling, the happiness hit is just incredible.

OTOH the Hanging Gardens *is* very nice. But what do I do beyond my super-city?

 

Mods never work after a patch. Give the modders a few days minimum to update their code.

 

Well they did mention saved files would likely be screwed. Mostly because puppet empires don't really work as well anymore so all those TP spammed cities that take 50 turns to build anything are now costing you a whole lot more than they give you in return. Well that and you likely didn't get the policies you would need to be expanding with the type of empire you have.


The Hammer reductions are reallly reallly nice for wider empires.

 

I've to admit that I'm possitive about the first 100 turns in a new game.
Although I haven't played civ5 for a month, the game goes faster. (faster unit animation)
Gameplay has also improved.
Lizzy had already finished the Tradition tree at turn 100 (epic speed), combined barb unit attack, finishing a policy tree gives an extra bonus...

 

Take monarchy, build lots of happiness buildings in capital to net positive happiness, settle next couple of cities directly onto luxuries, ally with CS's, acquire meritocracy, theocracy, build the FP, etc etc etc.

 

You better check this thread.

 

I haven't played since November 1, 2010 but I always download the patch as soon as it's out. Go figure.