Rushton
Mr 700 minutes
So, I´ve been playing now for several months and I played Civ2 for years. I now feel that I am in a position to make some informed comments on the game.
The takehome is that it is a great game, not least because the replayability and just one more turn are still there. However for me it is not the masterpiece that civ2 was for a number of reasons and unfortunately pretty much all of these were truly avoidable.
OK, so first the good new things that make the game exciting and addictive: [dance]
1) Culture. This is a superb idea and makes peaceful gaming really fun. It adds a whole new layer of things that mark Civ 3 out as being more interesting than any other similar game.
2) The resources. I like the idea that they need to be controlled by you and connected by road. Great.
3) The film of the game at the end. Not new but it is fun.
4) Thr trading is good (up to but not including the last patch)
5) The civ specific abilities and special units are fun
6) Great Leaders. Another great idea.
Now the bad things.
1) The graphics aren´t very good (the sea for example is a horrid set of blue colours). CTPII is much better.
2) There are no wonder movies or explanation of what the wonder does. This is an inexcusable omission. Even Civ 2 had these.
3) There are no nice movies when you win. This is also inexcusable. The last game I played took me 2 weeks and then all I got was You have won a domination vicotry! PATHETIC [punch]
4) The balance of the game play wasn´t right when released (corruption, tree chopping etc). Now no one can say that it was when we have had 3 patches in as many months! The last one fixed a number of problems but messed up the tech part of the game completely so that it is little better than at the beginning.
5) The game skips about apparently randomly which is very irritating when you are trying to do something specific. This is addressed in the latest patch but as this patch screws up the tech part of the game it doesn´t help
6) No unit stacked movement till the latest patch made for a very tedious late game.
7) Too few government types.
8) No tech poster AN AWFUL CRIME I can´t plan strategies out over a beer anymore!
9) Several game crash bugs I´ve had 2 different but well known ones and had to re-install the game once.
10) Aircraft and bombarding units (artillery etc) are A COMPLETE WASTE OF TIME! I mean a whole squadron of stealth bombers can´t kill a warrior. I never build either type of unit as it is a waste of shields. Horsemen, cavalry or tanks are worth producing but little else. Civ 2 was better in this respect.
11) Can transport settlers by air - Eh?
I have probably forgotten a few things and may add them later.
So the take home well I can´t stop playing the game but it is far from perfect.
Score:
Original: 7 out of ten
Second patch: 8 and a half out of ten
Third patch: Six out of ten
There is a 9 and a half possible I reckon
Paul
P.S Feel free to tell me that I am talking rubbish!

The takehome is that it is a great game, not least because the replayability and just one more turn are still there. However for me it is not the masterpiece that civ2 was for a number of reasons and unfortunately pretty much all of these were truly avoidable.
OK, so first the good new things that make the game exciting and addictive: [dance]
1) Culture. This is a superb idea and makes peaceful gaming really fun. It adds a whole new layer of things that mark Civ 3 out as being more interesting than any other similar game.
2) The resources. I like the idea that they need to be controlled by you and connected by road. Great.
3) The film of the game at the end. Not new but it is fun.
4) Thr trading is good (up to but not including the last patch)
5) The civ specific abilities and special units are fun
6) Great Leaders. Another great idea.

Now the bad things.

1) The graphics aren´t very good (the sea for example is a horrid set of blue colours). CTPII is much better.
2) There are no wonder movies or explanation of what the wonder does. This is an inexcusable omission. Even Civ 2 had these.
3) There are no nice movies when you win. This is also inexcusable. The last game I played took me 2 weeks and then all I got was You have won a domination vicotry! PATHETIC [punch]
4) The balance of the game play wasn´t right when released (corruption, tree chopping etc). Now no one can say that it was when we have had 3 patches in as many months! The last one fixed a number of problems but messed up the tech part of the game completely so that it is little better than at the beginning.
5) The game skips about apparently randomly which is very irritating when you are trying to do something specific. This is addressed in the latest patch but as this patch screws up the tech part of the game it doesn´t help
6) No unit stacked movement till the latest patch made for a very tedious late game.
7) Too few government types.
8) No tech poster AN AWFUL CRIME I can´t plan strategies out over a beer anymore!

9) Several game crash bugs I´ve had 2 different but well known ones and had to re-install the game once.
10) Aircraft and bombarding units (artillery etc) are A COMPLETE WASTE OF TIME! I mean a whole squadron of stealth bombers can´t kill a warrior. I never build either type of unit as it is a waste of shields. Horsemen, cavalry or tanks are worth producing but little else. Civ 2 was better in this respect.
11) Can transport settlers by air - Eh?
I have probably forgotten a few things and may add them later.
So the take home well I can´t stop playing the game but it is far from perfect.
Score:
Original: 7 out of ten
Second patch: 8 and a half out of ten
Third patch: Six out of ten
There is a 9 and a half possible I reckon
Paul
P.S Feel free to tell me that I am talking rubbish!

