The Expansion

[Illuminatiscott]

Every day we are getting a clearer image of the final version of Civilization IV. The line dividing content left in and content left out is daily ever more focused. Our task, in turn, grows clearer as well. The content that is left out may very easily be part of the expansion(s). Thus, we have work to do; we must hone the leftovers into an expansion that is one of the most important ever. How do we do it? The same way we are doing this right now.

Many of you have had your dreams crushed after looking at the list of confirmed content. Your hopes and ideas were shattered. Well now is your chance. Take those shards of genius and mold them into an expansion that is in our hands, in our minds. Consider this the end of the beginning, and the beginning of the expansion...

 

[Trajan13]

Probably a good idea. If we come up with a focused vision for cIV part 2, we might be listened to. Of course it is just as likely that Firaxis will include glitzy features and simplify the thing to death... but let's be hopeful. I at least have faith in Sid as creative director. My wish list -

1. Cuturally distinct units - A must I say. I saw it in another thread, and it's a really good idea. Make asian spearmen look asian, not greek. Even if it's just minor things like skin color, it's a nice touch.

2. Civil War/Seccession - Need I say more? It's been beaten to death by many people, but it is such a part of history it is almost a crime to make a game that is supposed to be based on human history and ignore it. There are many good threads on it.

3. Minor Civs - I favor this one above most of the others. We can include some borderline civs that we're not sure whether to call them full civilizations, it can be tied in with #2, It can expand upon the barbarian concept... see dh_epic's "Vision" document, says it well.

4. Random Issues - Again, a dh_epic idea. Wonderful if you ask me. Have balanced issues generated randomly or triggered by certain things, allow you to RP a certain national playstyle. I prefer this to Random Events actually.

5. More civs - It kinda says it all. For the hell of it, these are my pics -
-Portugal
-Netherlands
-Poland(or Poland-Lithuania)
-Khymer
-Ethiopia
-Scandinavia
-Iroquois
-Austria
-Mesopotamia(because of cultural and geographical similarities, I think we could represent Babylon/Assyria/Sumeria as one. Or just go with Sumeria.)
-Carthage or Phonecia(they could cover each other)
-Turks/Ottoman Empire
-Hebrews(or Melanesians, but Hebrews is probably the better choice.)

My best recommendations to the development team - Listen to what people here have to say. We are your most dedicated audience, and come hell or high prices on x-packs you will always have us to sell to, assuming you don't completely alienate us. Find the balance between us and a mass-market approach. We have some great voices, I would recommend personally that you listen to dh_epic and Aussie_Lurker, they present well thought out ideas and have vision.

 

[Illuminatiscott]

as far as civs go, the choice i must see is Minoans. It might also be cool to have a whole "mythology" expansion, wherein each civilization has units based upon their mythologies, even with civs such as atlantis and those "lost civs"

 

[mastertyguy]

About civil wars, you won't get killed, lots of poeple agree with that. It will probably be in the first version. But if it is not in the first version, it should be in the first expansion.

 

[Superkrest]

im all for civil wars or conflicts in some way...but what tops my wish list
1) a strategicly advanced AI that doesnt have to get bonuses to be as good
2) A full service important millitary (navy air etc.)
3) 3rd party negotiations.
4) an expansion set that shows that someone important has spent time in this forum

 

[Superkrest]

im all for civil wars or conflicts in some way...but what tops my wish list
1) a strategicly advanced AI that doesnt have to get bonuses to be as good
2) A full service important millitary (navy air etc.)
3) 3rd party negotiations.
4) an expansion set that shows that someone important has spent time in this forum

 

[Illuminatiscott]

4) an expansion set that shows that someone important has spent time in this forum

Amen to that. Game developers really should spend more time listening to their fans. There is a simple test to prove that they do. If dams and/or bridges and/or canals show up in IV or the expansion, they were listening. PEOPLE WANT THEM. It's unmistakable. The forum arguments aren't over whether or not to have them, its over how to have them done.

 

[Superkrest]

i totally agree...i may not agree with everything people throw out there...but i usually have some idea on how i would make it work...and theres a thousand other people who will add to what i suggest and so on and so on....i have to imagine that in this forum alone lies the almost perfect civ game

 

[Napo981]

I agree with all of you

But I think we're in a kind of a dead zone right now. Too late for civ4 vanilla but too soon to talk about expansion because we don't know enough of civ4 vanilla to foresee what good changes would be.

On the very least we can throw out some ideas and hope they will still be ok for an expansion.

 

[Illuminatiscott]

Dead zone, yeah. But is it worthless to work on the expansion soon? no way. It is possible that playing the actual game could blind us to what we expected. But by working before the game comes out, we have a different perspective.

 

[Superkrest]

very very good point...we may be so infatuated by the new game that we no longer visis this ideas and suggestions forum..allowing those devolopers to ignore us some more j/k, but seriously getting all the original ideas out now..may end up being better then trying to improve later

 

[Texan General]

While I could probably go on for days on things I would like to see there are a few that seem to spring to the forefront.

1. Civil Wars
2. Multilateral negotiations
3. Civil Wars
4. Better trading system
5. Better Military system
6. did I mention Civil Wars?

 

[mastertyguy]

I am not sure you did...
My wish list:
1. Civil wars
2. Secession
3. One nation splitting in two
4. Internal conflicts
5. Babylon

 

[Napo981]

Here my list too :

International treaties
Civil wars ( a classic, now!!!)
Commerce re-designed, should allow blockable trade route

 

[HourlyDaily]

1. Minor Civs, vassal states. That C.W. thing again.
2. Expanded AI in relation to trade/diplomacy. Vastly extended possibilties for
UN/peacekeeping
3. 12 or more new Civs, most Civs to get two leaders for the sake of variety.
4. Units, units and units - more flavour and unique units and definitely region-styled
units.

Most importantly - bigger maps! Some of us love as much content as you can stuff in a box. And thankyou to the Civ development team and the people whose ideas I'm rehashing in this post.

 

[ComradeDavo]

But I think we're in a kind of a dead zone right now. Too late for civ4 vanilla but too soon to talk about expansion because we don't know enough of civ4 vanilla to foresee what good changes would be.

On the very least we can throw out some ideas and hope they will still be ok for an expansion.

Agreed.

I think we should wait for the game to come out first, before we start withh all these ideas. However it would be 'wise' to maybe start gathering them together once the game has been released, to ensure that they start working on the expansion with our ideas in mind, rather than start the expansion then hear stuff from us during the later stages.

I'll do a small wish list anyways.....

1. Civil wars!
2. More Unique Units (this might need more techs as well)
3. SCENARIOS!
4. More civs
5. 'Minor' civs

 

[Turner]

Why don't y'all wait and see what Civ4 is about before deciding it needs an expanion....

Or is that too radical of an idea?

 

[Superkrest]

no not radical...but this idea may keep this very forum active lol

 

[mastertyguy]

@ turner: Ah! We like that! So I'll do a list of things I want to see "in the civ franchise":
1. Civil wars
2. Minor civ
3. Lots of civ
4. More importance for sea units
5. More importance for fighters
6. Better AI
7. Random stuff

 

[Dimitrius]

1-amphibious sea assaults for all ealy civs(maybe with archers) so some guy cant line his coast with warriors and block any early attempts of landing.
2- as in civ 2 conquered civs should give up 1 free technology to conqueror(as in real life you get to learn secrets mastered by the conquered peoples)
3- earlier sharing of maps for team play(navigation was too far for most mp 90 turn games)
4-stockpiling of sheilds(if someone builds your wonder, you can save sheilds till you get another wonder technology, instead of wasting 180 sheailds on a temple)