No 3D view: HOMM4 graphics are quite enough!!!

[Portuguese]

Please, don't do the game in a heavy 3d environment!!! Just like Heroes of Might and Magic IV it would be quite enough and it may permit bigger maps/scenarios with much more detail, using our computer resources in a far funnier producing way!!!
Don't crap it with such a decision!

High detail, good graphics is the best option!
Pleaaaase!

PS: What is your's opinion on this?

 

[warpstorm]

I think it is a bit too late for this, as this decision was made months ago.

 

[Portuguese]

What? Grrrrrrr!
Bah

BTW, thx warpstorm for the news.
(let's not kill the messanger... )

 

[sealman]

I think it is a bit too late for this, as this decision was made months ago.

well... was the decision to go with a 3B enviroment or not?

And don't worry, I won't kill the messenger.

 

[warpstorm]

Soren said that they were going 3D at the GDC (and their hiring of Moose to work on Civ3 pretty much confirms it).

 

[snoochems]

If civ4 is going 3D, then you can cross me off the list of potential buyers that's for sure.

GAMES DONT HAVE TO BE 3D TO BE GOOD!!!! IN FACT, USUALLY WHEN AN ORIGINALLY 2D GAME GOES 3D, IT SUCKS BALLS!!!

NO NO NO NO NO....!!!!

I want "epic" games of Civ. I can't see how epic can be done in 3D.

Is there some kind of petition or something to sign to convince firaxis otherwise.

It's really really disapointing news. Mark my words here and now... all you civ fans are in for some serious dissapointment. This game is obviously going to target the mainstream no-thinking wanker. Just think of all those man hours it takes to make the 3D game over the 2D one. I bet if they spent that time in actually working on the game mechanics, the game would be sooooo much better for it. And think of all the problems assoiciated with 3D. You have higher system specs, you have glytches, crashes, 3D engines falling over... you have less on the screen at once. Too make up for the processing power, they'll be making the game smaller....


THIS TOTALLY SUCKS.

 

[thestonesfan]

If civ4 is going 3D, then you can cross me off the list of potential buyers that's for sure.

GAMES DONT HAVE TO BE 3D TO BE GOOD!!!! IN FACT, USUALLY WHEN AN ORIGINALLY 2D GAME GOES 3D, IT SUCKS BALLS!!!

NO NO NO NO NO....!!!!

I want "epic" games of Civ. I can't see how epic can be done in 3D.

Is there some kind of petition or something to sign to convince firaxis otherwise.

It's really really disapointing news. Mark my words here and now... all you civ fans are in for some serious dissapointment. This game is obviously going to target the mainstream no-thinking wanker. Just think of all those man hours it takes to make the 3D game over the 2D one. I bet if they spent that time in actually working on the game mechanics, the game would be sooooo much better for it. And think of all the problems assoiciated with 3D. You have higher system specs, you have glytches, crashes, 3D engines falling over... you have less on the screen at once. Too make up for the processing power, they'll be making the game smaller....


THIS TOTALLY SUCKS.

Ever try decaf?

 

[warpstorm]

I will just say that I disagree with you, snoochems. The presentation has little to do with the gameplay.

3D is not significantly harder than 2D to program (I can say this with confidence having done 3D programming for nearly a decade). For some things like artwork it is in fact faster, because you can skip the step of rendering your 3D artwork to 2D (which is how all the art for Civ3 was done - they did it all in 3D first and then took renderings of it).

What makes you think that the person doing mechanics (Soren) is the same as the person doing the 3D (Moose)?

I will go on record saying that it won't be a disaster. I think Soren will make sure that there is a real strategy game in there.

 

[thestonesfan]

Stuff looks just as nice in 3D these days, anyway. I would have been concerned a couple years ago.

And there are lots of benefits, also.

 

[snoochems]

Try to understand, this is BAD news. Civ has gone down the toilet.

You watch... Civ 4 will come, it will have half page reviews in game magazine, which will mostly go on about how buggy, slow, and shallow the game is.

And why???? why 3D???? some games ARE better 3D, but only because it adds to the realism, and the atmoshere. Games like Racing games, FPS's, flight sims.... they would all suck 2D. But then there are games that should be 2D. And civ is one of those games. (so is sonic)

 

[snoochems]

Another thing... i love BIG games. I alot of civ fans i know LOVE EPIC games too.

Actually the worst thing that i thought was crap with Civ 3 was the limit of the number of cities, and units are on the map at one time. (and how bad the AI was at putting cities soooo close together... but that's another story). ALso, in big games, AI turns would take ages, and i have a decent rig (3.2GHz, 1GB RAM etc). Imagine what it would be like in 3D????

 

[warpstorm]

Why do you think 3D would be slower? When I program it, most of the work is done on the video card. The Gamebryo engine that they are using is fairly friendly to lower end systems (which you don't have, in any case). On high end systems, there should be little work done on the CPU for the graphics.

The AI issues and size/unit limits you bring up have nothing to do with 3D and weaken your argument.

Two benefits that I can think of immediately are more or less infinite zoom levels and no fixed resolutions, both of which are issues with Civ3.

 

[dh_epic]

I don't think 3D will be harmful. Most games go 3D anyway to attract a wider audience, and I don't think Civ is going to do anything drastic like go FPS.

To me this seems like a no-brainer. Soren pretty much eluded to keeping the interface largely the same, so I bet the game won't even feel particularly different. ... just more opportunity for detail, which many people love.

(Although I do have a mild interest in seeing topography, like Sim City introduced.)

Although I'm worried that 3D may confound mod making. A lot of early 3D games ran into this problem, in comparison to games with simplified maps. Then again, if people can mod the textures, I'll bet they can get a lot of milage out of the same spearman model.

Mind you if the tools are REALLY user friendly, I'm sure people won't care -- let people pick the body type from a drop down menu, some accessories, and some clothing textures. e.g.: dude on horse, plus gun and funny hat.

 

[sealman]

Why do you think 3D would be slower? When I program it, most of the work is done on the video card. The Gamebryo engine that they are using is fairly friendly to lower end systems (which you don't have, in any case). On high end systems, there should be little work done on the CPU for the graphics.

Thanks for the info... I always thought most of the graphic work was done on the CPU and was in the camp that higher visual graphics slowed games down. Forgot all about Graphic Cards.

 

[Bobisback]

I think 3d is better, IMO.

 

[fret]

@snoochems - I think you are viewing 3D in a limited manner.

Look at the progression from The original C&C games to C&C Generals in full 3D, it didnt (IMO) lose any of the gameplay, it enhanced it if anything through a more sophisticated viewing engine.

 

[Bobisback]

Look at the progression from The original C&C games to C&C Generals in full 3D, it didnt (IMO) lose any of the gameplay, it enhanced it if anything through a more sophisticated viewing engine.

Now I disagree with you on this one I think C&C Generals was the worst C&C I have ever played, I think EA games really messed C&C Generals up(and I am a real C&C fan I have all of the C&C games)

 

[Warman17]

Well lets not start debating about C&C

Anyway, i think a move to 3-d may not be such a bad thing, though it will be different. When i heard it was going 3-d i was mostly thinking palace and city views, not game, but maybe it'll be game too. Also in the presentation about civ4 that's come out, if you look on the page with the circles, civ4 does not cover all of the civ3 fan base. That means some of us will be dissapointed.

 

[cpikey316_]

How about a FPS bit where you can explore your cities and palace and stuff. Might be a useful little distraction

 

[Warman17]

O_o, erm...no