Special Edition- Missing Feature?

[Omega124]

I'm not buying the game out of Steam, and no, its not because I don't like them, but because I prefer owning a physical copy of Civ 5. The physical Special Edition was recently just been announced, with 5 trinkets, the CD of the entire soundtrack (Which, after just seeing the Civ 4 soundtrack, let alone the effort they're putting into it in this game, it's going the main seller in this special edition), an artbook, and one thing I know I forgot and too lazy to check up.

However, one glaring thing was missing from the features. Babylon. We all know that the Digital Deluxe version is going to have that civ, while the regular version from both sources do not. I heard that we physical buyers wouldn't be denied the civ, and that it would be included in our Special Edition, but it wasn't included in the special features.

So, is Babylon seriously going to be Steam exclusive, or does the Special Edition have Babylon?

 

[CTH]

I belive it is confirmed that babylon is steam exclusive right now, and it might or might not come as a dlc later.

I think it is confirmed in the "3 community manageres from 2K" thread, the special edition thread has alot of talk about this "issue"

 

[StStutter]

Babylon is definitely Steam exclusive. I don't see this changing, I'm sure it was in some kind of contract.

Steam however does let you burn your files onto a dvd to back them up, so if this is good enough for you, you could still buy the Steam version.

Otherwise, Babylon will definitely be modded inand may even eventually be released as DLC.

 

[davelisowski]

Otherwise, Babylon will definitely be modded inand may even eventually be released as DLC.

Yeah, everyone will have it eventually. I don't think it's worth it just getting through Steam.
But some people are suckers for 'unique' content. If you normally use Steam, or would rather start getting games and stuff from Steam, then it's worth it.

Mods or some future patch will make Babylon available. No telling how long that'll be though.

I bet if you purchased a physical copy there will be some code or authentication thing to allow access to download that stuff for your game... in-game downloader(?)

 

[ZimbuTheMonkey]

Yeah, everyone will have it eventually. I don't think it's worth it just getting through Steam.
But some people are suckers for 'unique' content. If you normally use Steam, or would rather start getting games and stuff from Steam, then it's worth it.

Mods or some future patch will make Babylon available. No telling how long that'll be though.

I bet if you purchased a physical copy there will be some code or authentication thing to allow access to download that stuff for your game... in-game downloader(?)

Okay, I'm getting the impression that you seem to think that retail copies of the game will be independent from Steam. This is not the case.

Civ 5 requires steam, it doesn't matter where you purchase it. The DLC, if any, will be released on Steam.

 

[tom2050]

It would be a Public Relations Nightmare if 2K never ever released the Babylon content after the release of the game (so it was only available for Steam pre-orders). This would be a monumental failure on part of 2K. It is just as nit-witted for them to do as they are now, but can't blame them for being as everyone knows 2K is.

I would guess that they will eventually release it as DLC some time after.

 

[timtofly]

If they were held in legal terms, they did not call it a "Limited" Deluxe edition, therefore it should be available after the release date. The only thing you get for pre-ordering is the "map pack". Whether you want to call it DLC or an "add-on", It makes sense that Steam would have contracted for the ability to "offer" it since after all, Steam is an online source of DLC.

 

[onedreamer]

Civ 5 requires steam.

As far as I understood it requires steam only if you want DLC and internet simultaneous multiplayer.

So, is Babylon seriously going to be Steam exclusive, or does the Special Edition have Babylon?

Put it in the funny way: the special edition is special in that it does NOT have Babylon
It's just one civ who cares? We can't even expect the Babylonians to protest since they are no more. They will definitely be modded in ASAP. First Civ to be modded in, actually, I assume.

 

[ZimbuTheMonkey]

As far as I understood it requires steam only if you want DLC and internet simultaneous multiplayer.




Put it in the funny way: the special edition is special in that it does NOT have Babylon
It's just one civ who cares? We can't even expect the Babylonians to protest since they are no more. They will definitely be modded in ASAP. First Civ to be modded in, actually, I assume.

No, it ALWAYS requires Steam, but it does not require a constant connection to the internet if you are in offline mode. If you uninstall Steam, it will dispose of the Civ 5 installation as well.

 

[DefunKt]

As far as I understood it requires steam only if you want DLC and internet simultaneous multiplayer.

Civ5 requires Steam in any case, sorry. You need it to launch the game, no matter what are you going to do.

 

[tom2050]

As far as I understood it requires steam only if you want DLC and internet simultaneous multiplayer.

There was a big debate over this... because if you don't have internet access and do not know anyone with internet access, then you can't play the game because Civ 5 has Steam built into it (steamworks) so it is part of the game. You must install and run the Steam client program (no matter where you purchase the game from) and you must be online to install the game, although being online to play is not required (you can go into offline mode). So even for players that want to play offline only; you must sign up to steam online during install and must become a steam member.

Hope I got all that right.

 

[onedreamer]

wow this sounds pretty constrictive... is there anything official on the matter?

 

[timtofly]

http://www.civilization5.com/#/news/

4th article down with the aquaduct. May 6 2010

 

[tom2050]

wow this sounds pretty constrictive... is there anything official on the matter?

Well, I don't care for Steam that much myself, so my answer is obviously bias'd a bit.

It's all official from Valve, 2K and Firaxis. If you have internet, steamworks is there choice of DRM (which is better than some other DRM's out there); requires internet for install to verify the purchase so-to-speak... but you don't need internet to play the game.

There are a bunch of threads discussing all this stuff probably on page 2 or 3 (or further back) of the Civ5 General Discussions forum.

Steam does have some benefits though to MP gameplay, in game browser, ranking mods, etc... chat with friends, good MP capabilities. So there are upsides as well.

 

[onedreamer]

http://www.civilization5.com/#/news/

4th article down with the aquaduct. May 6 2010

Thanks... I guess this is game over for me.

 

[Mark Havel]

It would be a Public Relations Nightmare if 2K never ever released the Babylon content after the release of the game (so it was only available for Steam pre-orders). This would be a monumental failure on part of 2K. It is just as nit-witted for them to do as they are now, but can't blame them for being as everyone knows 2K is.

I would guess that they will eventually release it as DLC some time after.

Well, that might just not happen. Bioware and EA are quite fans of exclusive DLC given to various retailers. Dragon Age and Mass Effect 2 came with a lot of special armor/weapons DLC, each one given exclusively to a particular retailer (eg Gamestop, Steam, Amazon, Play.com,...) on pre-order and they are still not sold or available separately on the Bioware Social Network. If Firaxis and 2K doesn't want it to be, the sole and only way to have an official Babylonian Civilization might be a Steam pre-order.

There was a big debate over this... because if you don't have internet access and do not know anyone with internet access, then you can't play the game because Civ 5 has Steam built into it (steamworks) so it is part of the game. You must install and run the Steam client program (no matter where you purchase the game from) and you must be online to install the game, although being online to play is not required (you can go into offline mode). So even for players that want to play offline only; you must sign up to steam online during install and must become a steam member.

Hope I got all that right.

You got it all right, yes.
One of the plus side of this equation is that you won't need the game disc at all, you can just enter the serial key to Steam in the activation menu and the game will be permanently tied and added to your account. You'll then be able to download it anywhere including on a MacOS X platform if the game is ported.

Here is the official post on this matter.

 

[Schuesseled]

bablyon has been confirmed as steam exclusive for yonks, it may or may not be available as dlc after release, we don't know that.

 

[The_J]

Thanks... I guess this is game over for me.

You maybe want to change your user title and to join one of the social groups......

 

[Zorbane]

FYI its quite common now for high profile games to have "special" features for each retailer. Don't be surprised if GameStop, Amazon, WalMart, Best Buy (and maybe more!) get their own pre-order bonuses announced.

 

[Zhahz]

I still buy music on CDs. I like to have them and the art, I like to play them in my car, rip them on my PC, rip them for my MP3 player. I get multi-use out of them. To me there is a difference between CD quality and MP3 quality (like some prefer vinyl to anything else). I have a huge special CD shelving unit in my living room with my hundreds and hundreds of CDs - it makes me giddy to look at it.

But when it comes to games, I'm digital purchase all the way these days. Game boxes are nothing special, most manuals these days are a joke and in-game help is almost always better/more robust/up-to-date, I hate media in the drive, have to store DVDs for that rare install/reinstall then figure out what I did with the game key, and so on. You could get a defective DVD. :/

With a digital purchase, there's no disc in the drive, you can always find your game for reinstall (assuming you remember where you bought it activating is usually pain free since they keep track of your key/serials for you, and you have no clutter around your desk.

So, dunno, I see no reason to have the DVD or even a backup copy. If you need to reinstall that frequently you probably have bigger and more widespread PC concerns!