Ten Questions for Sid Meier at GameDaily

[Ginger_Ale]

A few weeks back, we announced that GameDaily was accepting question submissions for its interview with Sid Meier, director of creative development at Firaxis. Well, the answers to the ten selected questions are now here, covering a wide variety of topics. You can read the interview at GameDaily, but here is an excerpt:

I've read about your interest in possibly working on an MMO. What is your next genre of game going to be? Are you going to be making a new kind of game in the future?

I'm exploring lots of exciting ideas right now. A Civ MMO is a really intriguing idea and we're spending time thinking about how we could make it the fun addictive experience Civ players expect. Beyond that I have some new ideas that are quite different from games I've made in the past - and that's all I'm able to tell you right now. Stand by for more information in the near future!

>> Read the interview at GameDaily

 

[RedRalph]

I think you can draw the conclusion a Civ MMO is definite. He mentions it 3 or 4 times.

9. You've confirmed that there will be a Civilization 5 for the PC. Considering how well the development of Civ Revolution for consoles is going, do you think Civ 5 might also be released on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3? Is there any reason why we can't have epic 12 hour games on a console as well? Also, in what direction do you think Civ games will go in the future - so far it's been about improving graphics and adding more options - where can you go from here?

Sid: That's news to me! I'm not sure where you would have heard that, but the truth is that we haven't confirmed that there will be a Civ V. We've just finished Civ Revolution and are making decisions now on what's next for the Firaxis teams. We'll get back to you with more information in the near future.

As for where Civ could go in the future...as I mentioned above, a Civ MMO is definitely an interesting idea and could take the game in exciting new directions. We're still exploring those ideas.

 

[JungleIII]

O.K... I'll ask - what's an MMO?

 

[Balderstrom]

Yeah, and oddly denies that there has been any work towards CIV V at all.
I guess any developer would want to be able to cash in on the MMO cow.

Massively-Multiplayer-Online
vs
MUD: Multi-User-Dungeon

 

[Lillefix]

O.K... I'll ask - what's an MMO?

Massively multiplayer online game. Thousands of people plaing Civilisation on the same map at the same time. Until now, people have mostly attached it to role playing games(World of warcraft), but I see no reason why it couldn't work for a game like civilisation. Perhaps some kind of expanded democracy game, where you can vote and become president or minister and so on. It might work, but on the other hand they tried to make a dinosaur game too.

 

[RedRalph]

Yeah, and oddly denies that there has been any work towards CIV V at all.
I guess any developer would want to be able to cash in on the MMO cow.

Massively-Multiplayer-Online
vs
MUD: Multi-User-Dungeon

He didnt, he just denied that it had been confirmed (the question was errouneous)

 

[Luckystrike77]

Massively multiplayer online game. Thousands of people plaing Civilisation on the same map at the same time. Until now, people have mostly attached it to role playing games(World of warcraft), but I see no reason why it couldn't work for a game like civilisation. Perhaps some kind of expanded democracy game, where you can vote and become president or minister and so on. It might work, but on the other hand they tried to make a dinosaur game too.

Hmm, doesent sound like my cup of tea. But I'd like a classical type CIV5 where it's possible to play 18-34 Civs without any servers breaking down, and everything is moving slow motion.

 

[RedRalph]

Can anyone explain what a Civ MMO might look like? Are we talking 200 nations on one map, each a player>? Isnt that just a big MP game? and how could it stay turn based?

 

[Balderstrom]

An MMO wouldn't be turn based, it would have to be real-time.
I can vaguely picture it, perhaps something like Travian - where the world resets every 4-6 months, with winners for various things, Best WarMonger, Best Culture, etc.

I really can't picture it completely ongoing like WarCraft or the other MMORPGs. I definitely wouldn't be interested in that in the slightest. If it was handled as RealTime and server resets every X number of months it could be workable and possibly interesting. But again I doubt I could be convinced to pay 10-15$ a month for the priveledge of playing a game.

 

[RedRalph]

Jesus I dont like the sound of that - not at all... maybe it will come with the option of playing traditional turn based Civ... hopefully anyhow.

Still, I dont understand how it would actually play. Would you still be the leader of a country, or would you be a unit?