sillyness of the game

[smartus]

Ha, well for me, it's really annoying...it really makes me mad when she's winning just because of her AI bonuses and then she has the nerve to do that.

It is "Civilization" after all...otherwise, we could just be playing a squirrel empire game...first band of squirrels to take over the park wins; build new nests, train different types of squirrels, use nut/berry/stick resources, etc...silly example but you see what I mean. Historical realism is one part of the game, and the game loses a lot of its ability to really pull me in when I see the dumb things that they put in.

Maybe I'm too demanding, but I just thought I'd see if anyone felt the same way. I still love the game.

Squirrel empire? Neat, is anybody going to MOD this? Please, please, please!

 

[Tronicoz]

the description for the hardest difficulty is: haha good luck sucker or something like that

 

[Lucky The Fox]

I also didn't like the inclusion of Al Gore. I heard about the story behind it before but still, couldn't they just make an easter egg out of it instead of using his full portrait as a symbol?

Then there's the question of what would be a good symbol for it. @-sign is too simple.

 

[Rince]

Then there's the question of what would be a good symbol for it. @-sign is too simple.

A series of tubes maybe.

*cough*

Rince

 

[Rince]

double post

 

[King Flevance]

Or a "wireframe" image of the earth.

 

[ParadigmShifter]

Or PWND, I HAXXOR UR T3X in big letters. EDIT: I think it would need an LOL N00B at the end as well.

EDIT2: Maybe they just need an Al Gore Great Person who can only build the internet but will means you never win any votes in the UN.

 

[Lucky The Fox]

A series of tubes maybe.

But Civ IV game out too early for that.

 

[Psyringe]

Personally, I'd prefer a more serious, and less cartoony approach for Civilization. I'm not saying that jojes don't work with 4x games - they do, GalCiv is a good example for a game where the jokes add to the atmosphere.

However, many jokes in Civ4 are just silly (instead of funny). I think they need a better writer for their dialogue. Whoever wrote the dialogue for Caesar should really be stuffed with salad until he chokes.

 

[Mad Hab]

However, many jokes in Civ4 are just silly (instead of funny). I think they need a better writer for their dialogue. Whoever wrote the dialogue for Caesar should really be stuffed with salad until he chokes.

Agreed!

I guess the key-word here is "immersion". I remember when playing Baldur's Gate the time I eventually arrived at the city of Nashkel. It was a very troubled place, with pretty desperate citizens. I was completely absorbed by the ambiance, feeling oppressed by the heavy athmosphere... Until I started reading the jokes the writers placed on the village's graveyard. The jokes - which were not nearly as lame as Civ IV's jokes - were so out of place that they snapped me out of my 'trance', and destroyed the feeling of immersion I had.

On Civ I, I remember to feel cold sweat when I discovered Genghis Khan or Stalin were my neighbors. On Civ IV you just say: "Look, it's Caesar, that funny little fellow! Let's see if he needs my extra clam..." The art and the text do nothing to add tension to the game - on the contrary, they can take you out of your 'trance' with stupid comments like "I studdied on killin' you"...

Cheers,

Mad Hab

 

[Gaius Octavius]

I think I'm going to start playing with the actual quotes mod. It doesn't fix the cartoonish graphics, but it does give the dialogue a more epic feel.

 

[Rusty Edge]

Exactly, it's the atmosphere that's lacking. The game is fun mechanically speaking; the actual building and fighting parts are complex and engaging. The game just feels empty sometimes because of the silly atmosphere; it's too much of a caricature and doesn't take itself seriously.

I understand how the anachronistic leaders can be used in an iconic sense throughout different ages to create some attachment to civilizations; I also understand the paradox of using historically accurate figures and civilizations in inaccurate situations. I can get around that enough with a "recreating history" line of thinking, since all the countries and religions would be in different places.

I just think that the game killed a lot of the epic feeling that it could have had, and personally, I want a game to make me feel something, to put me into a mood, a setting, a context. Would Gladiator have been an engaging movie if the emperor made jokes about salads? With all the effort they put into creating such a detailed game engine, they could have dressed it up better, in my opinion. SMAC was about as funny as I like it, in a more intelligent type of way; I enjoyed the stereotypical factions (crazy Russian scientist, bureaucratic UN, fundamentalist Christians, etc.), but I don't enjoy puns and completely obvious, dumb-humor types of jokes.

Again, I'm not doing this just to complain, I am just curious to see if this is an accurate reflection of the gaming audience or not.

Did it help the immersion in Civ III to see Hannibal in a suit?

 

[Grimus]

I guess it just depends on everybodies individual personality, it stinks for those that are unhappy with the way things are.

I like the way the game is; while some think it's too silly and it ruins their gaming experience.

If the game went a little further, and had quotes like "Zomg, you noob!!11" or "YoU HaXX0r!!" or "I am too 1337 4 u!!!" I would be absolutely appalled and it would ruin "my" gaming experience. Though, I'm sure there would still be some that wouldn't mind this and may even think it's funny or enjoy it!

Everybody has their own personal tastes... including the developers.

 

[ParadigmShifter]

I hear that multiplayer games are good if you want quotes like that.

 

[Holycannoli]

This isn't meant to be a rant, but just a thoughtful question: Is anyone else bothered by the sillyness of the game sometimes? The dumb comments from other leaders that are supposed to be funny, Catherine slapping you, ... sometimes I am disappointed that the makers put in a streak of sillyness into an otherwise classy, elegant game. I know the point of the game is to have fun, but I really think it could have done without it.

I know what you mean. When I first saw some of the silliness I missed Civ 3and it's more serious tones. Leaderheads especially. There's something about Civ 4's leaderheads that bother me. Maybe they're too cartoonish. Maybe they're just not serious enough. Maybe they don't ever change clothing now. It's something about all three. It's as if they purposely didn't even bother trying to make them look and act realistic (which is exactly what they did)

The other silliness I found quite humorous. Al Gore for The Internet is pure gold! But I do wish leader dialogue and leaderheads were more serious.

Did it help the immersion in Civ III to see Hannibal in a suit?

For me it did. For me, not seeing the leaders change appearance as they advance in ages hurts immersion. Why does Stalin dress in a 20th century uniform in the dark ages? Why does Caesar still dress like an ancient Roman in the modern age? One of the things I loved about Civ 3 was the way leaders' appearances changed through the ages.

 

[Gaius Octavius]

Holycannoli, I have to ask... does your avatar have anything to do with how you feel?

 

[brianshapiro]

the developers think they need to make it fun to a broad audience by using cartoony leaders and puns, but people are attracted to atmosphere and immersion. thats why people enjoy historical epics in cinema, as long as they're a little more interesting than Jane Austin period pieces. The only people you'll turn off by using more historical atmosphere are people not interested in playing a civilization game in the first place.

 

[T.A JONES]

Did it help the immersion in Civ III to see Hannibal in a suit?

Hey know one should say Civ3 isn't guilty of a lil bit of this. Ever Check the sad antics of a culture win, worse the diplo!? But, Civ3 mixed the right tone most the time. Like King said, more good put downs less lame jokes.

Id rather see the leaders get a change of clothes then keep the same childish cartoon pose... Besides admit it! era turnovers are cool!

"Era one - pillage!
Era two -pillage!!
Era three -pillage!!!
Era four - hostile takeover on the stockmarket" " / *Goldflash

No one mentioned this for CIv4, but I believe the LH's 'funny self portrait' street vender style, makes the game to sweet for most tastes.

Combine that with the sad script and Star trek stars hosting the show and it starts to urk me.. The baby bannanas dropin n baskets and lil fishys splashin in the seas don't do much to apease the '3's' crowd ether.

 

[DrewBledsoe]

My only comment on the matter, when you first meet Alexander The Great,and he says something about "banding together and finding people to conquer, cos wouldn't that be way cool .......

Makes me cringe and want to reply "Awesome Alex, dude", and tell him you've a "totally excellent and most beaudacious plan" to conquer the known world and rescue the beautiful princesses, but we'll need So-crates help....

Most excellent Alex dude...

 

[ParadigmShifter]

Don't forget the Great Artist Beef-Oven as well. Alexanders line has to be worse than Caesars.