Sid Speaks -- PolyCast Episode 50: "That's What The Tank Said to the Spearman"

[DanQ]

"The Wonder, the Grandeur, the One". Firaxis Games Director of Creative Development Sid Meier joins Daniel "DanQ" Quick, Makahlua and Imran Siddiqui with Annalee "Cartimandua" Barney for the landmark fiftieth episode of PolyCast, an official podcast of Apolyton Civilization Site (ACS). Firaxis' Online Marketing Manager Dennis Shirk assisted in recording Meier's audio.

Entitled "That's What The Tank Said to the Spearman", it runs for 44m59s. The summary of topics is as follows:

- 03m06s | Civilization Series (Part 1)
Public reception to Civilization: Revolution to date as well as its very successful North American release and accolades for its game controls and interface. Future modding prospects in the series a la Civilization IV and playing on square vs. hex grids.
- 11m03s | Civilization Series (Part 2)
Possibilities of Civ having a Massively Multiplayer Online (MMO) incarnation, Civ reflecting society, conducting historical research and Sid's Civ playstyle: warmonger, builder or in combination.
- 19m21s | Sid's Games
Pursuing original and revisiting existing Intellectual Property (IP), new IP hints, goals in designing Alpha Centauri and how hard it can be for game developers to sell their ideas to publishers.
- 26m00s | Strategy Gaming
Having Artificial Intelligence (AI) mimick human-like analysis 'in the moment', returning strategy to less complex and more streamlined gameplay.
- 31m24s | Miscellaneous
On controversy over violence in videogames, reactions of close family and friends to entering the gaming industry, feedback provided by Sid's wife and son into his games, three favourite PC games not from his company and if only able to take one by himself to an exotic island, and the question he always wanted to be asked but hadn't and its answer.

Feedback not only welcome, but encouraged.

 

[Aleenik]

Iv never herd any PolyCast...guess i gotta go listen to all 49 others after i watch this 1..
Long as heck woot

EDIT:They goof around alot..
I hope SID makes more games....i hope he makes CIV5 though i bet he wont..

EDIT: so far im past where civ talked about a MMO..he seemed to give strong encouragement to the idea

LOL Chuck Norris is the spearmen who killed the tank

 

[DanQ]

Iv never herd any PolyCast...guess i gotta go listen to all 49 others after i watch this 1..
Long as heck woot

-- I hope you do decide to go back and listen to at least some of our older episodes, and that you enjoy them.

EDIT:They goof around alot..

Who us? We certainly aim to inform Civ, but we also want to entertain while doing it.

I take it you have enjoyed/are enjoying the episode?

LOL Chuck Norris is the spearmen who killed the tank

I see you have a new signature line that reflects this -- nice. If I can make a suggestion, I hope you'll add a link to the show to include with it, and possibly a bit of a lead-in "e.g. Sid says..."

 

[King Flevance]

This was a pretty good show Dan.
My fav part was probably the discussion of hex versus squares. I do think that the time has past where hexes mean complexity. A hex map just means the game has a hex map. BTW, the 1 liner "It's hip to be square" cracked me up. Perhaps a new opening menu song for 5.

 

[DanQ]

This was a pretty good show Dan.

Thanks for the kind review.

My fav part was probably the discussion of hex versus squares. I do think that the time has past where hexes mean complexity. A hex map just means the game has a hex map.

I still prefer squares myself, but that was one of the more memorable discussions for me as well... no doubt in large part because it's a question I personally put in.

BTW, the 1 liner "It's hip to be square" cracked me up. Perhaps a new opening menu song for 5.

 

[AmazonQueen]

Very entertaining
First PolyCast I've listened to but it won't be the last.

 

[DanQ]

Very entertaining
First PolyCast I've listened to but it won't be the last.

Glad you enjoyed this episode and to have you as a new listener. Hope you'll try some of our older shows as well, e.g. from our second season (which started this past January).

 

[Grey Fox]

I think I prefer squares too. (I like how they implemented them in JA2, with diagonal moves/actions costing aprox. 1.5 times more, as in one move West cost 2, and one NW cost 3)

I really like your shows, and this was one of your better ones, partly because of Sid and partly cause you all seemed extra witty this time. Might have been cause of the exitement of having Sid on the show?

I also listen to and enjoy ModCast since I am a modder and aspiring Game Designer/Programmer/Artist.

 

[MqsTout]

Are there transcripts made? Listening to audio, especially for that long, is annoying.

 

[cephalo]

Lemme tell you why I favor hexes. While it's true that hexes provide many advantages for adding complexity such as facing etc., you don't have to actually use them. The best thing about hexes in my mind is that they are much more organic looking. That's useful when the thing that you are modeling is also organic. When you talk about things like 'city radius' you can see that a big hex looks much more like a circle than than a BFC ever could.

If the next Civ game has a fully 3D map with hexes along with altitude, you could make some absolutely gorgeous looking maps with real multi-hex mountain peaks, dangerous looking mountain passes, waterfalls and all kinds things that really make you believe in the world you're given. You'll forget that there was ever a thing called a Big Fat Cross.

 

[King Flevance]

Oh yeah, I also wanted to add in that I really enjoyed the bloopers section at the end of it. You guys should definatley make that part of the show now.

 

[DanQ]

I really like your shows, and this was one of your better ones, partly because of Sid and partly cause you all seemed extra witty this time.

How long have you been listening to the show out of curiosity?

Might have been cause of the exitement of having Sid on the show?

Could very well be.

I also listen to and enjoy ModCast since I am a modder and aspiring Game Designer/Programmer/Artist.

Are there transcripts made?

Unfortunately not. Transcription is a time-consuming and tedious process, but we'd more than welcome volunteers to transcribe this and indeed any of our episodes! We've had a couple transcribed in the past by someone who was generous to contribute their time to do so, but he was doing it alone and it's hard to keep the momentum going.

Listening to audio, especially for that long, is annoying.

That's a matter of personal preference in my view; that said, we do both recognize and appreciate the position. We wish we had transcripts ready within a week or two after any and all of our episodes are published, but again we are in need of volunteers to do so. Until if and when that happens, we won't.

I know it's not the same thing by far, but if you're finding the length of the episode too long please consider listening in chunks, e.g. by topic section according to the episode summary. Hopefully you'll be able to enjoy the listen then!

Oh yeah, I also wanted to add in that I really enjoyed the bloopers section at the end of it. You guys should definatley make that part of the show now.

The bloopers section was about three times as long in this episode as it is typically this season in part because of how many and strong they were (in my assessment anyway). Last season we had separate blooper reel releases, and after some discussion decided to include at least some of these clips at the end of episodes themselves. This way, they are part of the show already no?

 

[Grey Fox]

How long have you been listening to the show out of curiosity?

Not for that long. Probably since about episode 35 (probably not every episode since then though). I might go back and listen to episodes I've missed sometime.

And I think I've listened to every ModCast episode.

 

[cephalo]

The bloopers section was about three times as long in this episode as it is typically this season in part because of how many and strong they were (in my assessment anyway). Last season we had separate blooper reel releases, and after some discussion decided to include at least some of these clips at the end of episodes themselves. This way, they are part of the show already no?

Not to mention all the time you'd save from not having to edit the show.

 

[DanQ]

Not for that long. Probably since about episode 35 (probably not every episode since then though). I might go back and listen to episodes I've missed sometime.

Fair enough -- thanks for being a frequent listener.

And I think I've listened to every ModCast episode.

Not to mention all the time you'd save from not having to edit the show.

It doesn't save me anytime actually , but in these instances that's fine by me.

 

[Joesocwork]

I just finished listening. You guys & gal did a great job! You sounded a little nervous and giddy, and that was understandable given who you were interviewing, but it sounded like you had a lot of fun! You asked a lot of good questions and evoked a lot of good responses. And Sid did a good job of conveying the balances between being a business and a craftsman while still showing that the agenda is about having fun!

 

[DanQ]

I just finished listening. You guys & gal did a great job!

Thank you kindly.

Was this your first time as a PolyCast listener?

You sounded a little nervous and giddy, and that was understandable given who you were interviewing,

On the giddiness part, if not for the blooper reel I don't know how you could possibly tell.

but it sounded like you had a lot of fun!

You asked a lot of good questions and evoked a lot of good responses.

And Sid did a good job of conveying the balances between being a business and a craftsman while still showing that the agenda is about having fun!

Three cheers for Sid!

 

[Joesocwork]

Thank you kindly.

Was this your first time as a PolyCast listener?

Yes, I've lurked in the fandom for a long time but only became active about six weeks. Your PolyCast was a nice find.

On the giddiness part, if not for the blooper reel I don't know how you could possibly tell.

I'd say it was the excessive giggling. Some of it had an anxious quality to it. But that was certainly understandable.

Your voices were clear and distinct. I'd didn't recall any umm's/uh's or excessive or uncomfortable pauses.

Three cheers for Sid!

He's certainly The King!

Good job again!
-----
Joesocwork, aka "Joe The Social Worker"

 

[Lars_Domus]

I haven't been able to tune in for a couple of episodes now, so imagine my surprise when I finally get around to it and one of them turns out to be a Sid-special. That's awesome! He fit right in, too

Good job on episodes 48 and 49 as well. I particularly enjoyed the discussions on collateral damage in 3.17 and the alleged controversy of Colonization, and, as always, the general silliness.

Keep it up

 

[DanQ]

Yes, I've lurked in the fandom for a long time but only became active about six weeks. Your PolyCast was a nice find.

I'd say it was the excessive giggling. Some of it had an anxious quality to it. But that was certainly understandable.

Annalee's been on the podcast with Maki, Imran and myself for the past four months while we've been doing it for almost two years. Still, we were all more anxious than usual to be sure!

Your voices were clear and distinct. I'd didn't recall any umm's/uh's or excessive or uncomfortable pauses.

(Some of that was admittedly in post-production.)

I haven't been able to tune in for a couple of episodes now, so imagine my surprise when I finally get around to it and one of them turns out to be a Sid-special. That's awesome! He fit right in, too

Good job on episodes 48 and 49 as well. I particularly enjoyed the discussions on collateral damage in 3.17 and the alleged controversy of Colonization,...

Thanks.

... and, as always, the general silliness.

Keep it up

Good job again!

It helps that we're .