New to Civilization

[Redlion]

Since I am planning to start playing Civilation and have not yet obtained a version, is it necessary/recommended to start with Civ1,or can I reasonably start with Civ2 or even Civ3?

 

[AlanH]

I never played I or II before I got Civ3. Never did me any harm, and I may even have avoided developing some hangups due to changes in the game play.

 

[GoldBerg]

Since I am planning to start playing Civilation and have not yet obtained a version, is it necessary/recommended to start with Civ1,or can I reasonably start with Civ2 or even Civ3?

all different games that finally base on Civ.1 concept.
if you like the pure strategy/game without too much odo about nothing
and it should be load fast and be playable even on a 286 computer in DOS mode
as well as on a big AMD processor machine with up to winMe
or run it with XP under 'DOSBOX' freeware
- use Civ.1.

in my view
i get totally LOST while playing the 'bigger' civ versions
although civ.3 looks great on screenshots
and civ.4 will even look better.

but all those units that finally do the same
(defense, fight, diplomatics, build)
are -imho- too confusing

and the landscape views -for example- in civ.2 and civnet
were too scrambled to identify clearly & fast
what hinders -in my view- a good gameplay
( i want to play a game
not study in economic magister
nor i am a fanatic in military warfare
that MUST know every type of killing machine and play with it... )
and
all those 3D gimmicks *shudder* -
i don't even like to THiNK about civ.2, civ.3 and civ.4 ...

well
we had much hopes in 1994
about an other civilization game, another version
that would be look as cool as civ.1.dos 2D graphics;
just with the possibility to hold
1000s of cities and units,
bigger maps,
map editor,
better diplomatic interface with more options
and LAN/WAN connection abilities.

and what did we get?

civ.2 and freeciv (after that).

what a bringdown. period.

 

[trada]

I agree and think the whole of New Zealand agrees to.