thanks Firaxis, another preview

[mitsho]

the preview is from Yahoo! and can be found here:

http://gamesdomain.yahoo.com/preview/1120114

the quote that made my day:

In addition to wild animals, players also have to worry about the ever present barbarians. Although barbarians can't develop a full culture like competing civilizations, they create independent cities and small militias. Smith described them as a sort of "mini-civ" that can cause trouble at any time.

Well, to be correct, the first statement is just bad, but the second is fantastic, wonderful, ... Minor Nations, here we go...

mfG mitsho

EDIT: The link seems only to work if you copy+paste it into your adress bar. Don't know why though?

 

[toh6wy]

I don't know why the first statement would be "bad," but I agree that barbarians building their own cities and units is definitely cool.

 

[Stile]

That does sound good. So does this:

"Right out of the box we'll support up to 18 players -- every civ being in a match," said Smith. "We're also going way over the top with modability."

Apparently games with all available civs playing are supported. Civ3 of course was only designed around 8 civs.

 

[mitsho]

@toh6wy I mean the statement that animals are some sort of a barbarian unit! this is just plainly unrealistic and probably also not that fun....

mfG m

 

[Xen]

Awesome! :d

 

[warpstorm]

@toh6wy I mean the statement that animals are some sort of a barbarian unit! this is just plainly unrealistic and probably also not that fun....

mfG m

Other than the graphics, how is this less fun than the curent Civ3 barbs? To me, they sound like they fill the role of the early game, Civ3 barbs.

 

[Sickman]

Borders can be closed to prevent foreign missionaries from proselytizing, but that only works in the short term. After all, if your borders are closed, you can't trade with other civs.

didn't know that by closing borders no trading happens...

That said, all civs begin with an equal set of nearby resources, so any early foraging is at your own risk.

Equal set?
So Inuits start with equal set as Egyptians?
Doesn't sound really reasonable to me.

Although barbarians can't develop a full culture like competing civilizations, they create independent cities and small militias

Yay!
But those wandering animals are just a joke.
Next we probably see dinosaurs in the game.

For example, Julius Caesar will be quite expressive during negotians, while Genghis Khan will offer little more than a raised eyebrow.

Doesn't really sound anything spectacular to me.
Firaxis should just admit they are too lazy to make animations for more expressions so some leaders are left with small nods and raising of eyebrows. Just like they did by leaving eight more leaders from the game so each civ would have two.

 

[Red Threat]

What we definitevely needed

 

[mitsho]

Other than the graphics, how is this less fun than the curent Civ3 barbs? To me, they sound like they fill the role of the early game, Civ3 barbs.

there's a whole thread on this subject going on for several pages. The main argumentation is that some wild animals cannot hurt a civilization, an army or even a group of around 100 persons (the 'size' of the first settler units which could also be bigger...).

 

[V. Soma]

I believe that the equal set of resources for every civ means NOt that each civ will get the SAME resources at hand, only that they all will have the same amount of SOME resources...

 

[Grohan]

Cool, barbarian cities IMO barbarians in Civ3 were just annoyance but now they are better.

 

[Civrules]

Thanks for the info Mitsho.

 

[CyberChrist]

I just hope that the 'worry' players get from Wild Animals has to do with the Wild Animals being a threat to Domesticated Animals and Crops rather than units of any sort (though I suppose an argument could be made for workers and scouts being in danger).

 

[OLX]

Yes, this is all good, But do the Barbarians have the ability to capture other Civs cities?

 

[Darwin420]

[QOUTE=Gamesdomain]"18 civ multi-player"[/QUOTE]

HOORAY!! This is gonna be AWESOME.

Not sure about the wild animals, but, hey, I always protect my settlers anyway, so no big deal for me.

 

[Himalia]

18 player support for multiplayer !!!!! Excellent im so pleased with this.

 

[CyberChrist]

I don't see anything about being able to have 18 opponents in multiplayer at the same time anywhere in that preview, but it would be awesome if it was true of course.

 

[Invisible Rhino]

Woo-hoo! Barbarian cities are BACK!

 

[Lockesdonkey]

Question: Do the Mini-civ barbarians all act together, or does each tribe of Barbs become a minor civ in itself? If the latter, than I can hope that some of my ideas on the UN might be implemented in the expansions, if nothing else. Either way, this question pops up: Can you "civilize" the barbarians, catapulting them into being a minor civ? If so, will they be indebted to you and serve as buffer or vassal/client states?

 

[Don Uittone]

Either way, this question pops up: Can you "civilize" the barbarians, catapulting them into being a minor civ? If so, will they be indebted to you and serve as buffer or vassal/client states?

In your dreams. They are nowhere near that stage, the development team I mean...