PolyCast Episode 103: "For What It's Worth"

[hennord]

Thank you kindly. Note that there is going to be a blend of CivIV and CivV coverage on the show into the immediate future still.

Don't get me wrong. I prefere civ4 anytime. I just wanted some updated material on civ5.

 

[anti_strunt]

The ironic thing is that the V AI is objectively better than IV's, but is hamstrung by bad gameplay rules/balance which limits it.

I've heard this mentioned before, but I've never understood specifically what was improved. Could you elucidate?

 

[Rusty Edge]

No. Some things (like unit selection) went away simply due to 1upt. Others (workers not interrupting orders while barbs are a VISIBLE THREAT, issues attempting to move a unit when playing quickly, shoddy-autopathing by threatened units on multiple-turn move orders) remain intact straight from the problems list of civ IV.

The ironic thing is that the V AI is objectively better than IV's, but is hamstrung by bad gameplay rules/balance which limits it.

So the answer to the question of satisfaction with the UI, is, in a word, no.

Thanks. I figured some of your issues would be moot with 1 UPT, but I couldn't remember the others.

I suspect that a lot of issues are related to paths. Someone here at CFC made a mod to speed up the late game in BTS, explaining that much of the lag was due to calculating trade routes. I think some similar issues exist with regard to Go To commands in Civ V. 1UPT, smaller scattered armies that need to be shifted across the empire whenever you're backstabbed and essentially one road, result in a confounded and confused computer.
I've had a number of fatal hangs about 600 turns into a huge/epic game.

I was hoping the patch would prevent my guys from going swimming without permission, but I lost a catapult to a barb trireme last night.

While I didn't find the infinite sprawl of roads and cities in Civ III astheticly pleasing,
I'm begining to suspect that a combination of Civ IV roads and Civ V railroads might be both prettier to look at and more practical to use.

 

[Rusty Edge]

I've heard this mentioned before, but I've never understood specifically what was improved. Could you elucidate?

I think automated city management options are an improvement over the IV governors.

 

[anti_strunt]

I think automated city management options are an improvement over the IV governors.

Really? They often make objectively inoptimal tile assignments...

 

[Rusty Edge]

Really? They often make objectively inoptimal tile assignments...

I'm sure they often do.

I'm sincere. In my spot checks I've found the allocations closer to what I would choose to do manually in V than in IV. Preferences are a personal thing. For me the game is more of a story than a puzzle or equation.

 

[DanQ]

Don't get me wrong. I prefere civ4 anytime. I just wanted some updated material on civ5.

Ah -- appreciate the greater context.

 

[BeCivilized]

Just wanted to say that I enjoy your show, have been listening for years, and have listened to every back episode. I look forward to each new one. Great job.

 

[DanQ]

Just wanted to say that I enjoy your show, have been listening for years, and have listened to every back episode. I look forward to each new one. Great job.

On behalf of myself and the rest of the PolyCast panel, thank you for the kind words and continued support longtime listener.