This is really a message to the Civ team, I looked on the offical site and saw no message boards, so I am going to post these ideas here where it looks like the community is interested and where the civ team most likely goes to view fan reaction and advice.
Civilization is by far the best game I have ever played. With that said I do have a few suggestions for the next version of the game. What I find is the most important thing missing form the current game is that civs' can not split into TWO. Let me explain.
If you truley go back to the first civilizations they were made up of many local tribes. These tribes all had different Warlords. Some times these tribes didn't agree with each other and split apart to form TWO out of ONE, usually with force. Out of those TWO spring FOUR, and out of FOUR - EIGHT. This has gone on through out time and just recently a certian World Power "The English" split apart to form The USA and Australia.
What the next version of the game needs is the ability to go to WAR with YOURSELF - CIVIL WAR. When you decide to change governments the AI should look at the Capital and all other cities and decide wich ones will aprove and which ones you no longer control for the duration of change of government. These cities and units that YOU built are now coming after YOU. When the governmnet change has taken place an option box pops up and asks you which CIV you now want to play, or go back to the civil war to recapture your cities. If you decide for instance when playing the English that after the colonies are built up you just want to play the colonies when the option box appears after the WAR choose "New Civ", name it, choose color, leader, etc... and you have successfully split apart from your original Civ. This way when starting from 4000 bc (which should be 6000, or even 8000 bc to be more accurate. Don't believe the History Channel - read Anthropology text books) the first civs can grow out of one spot and populate the world slowly by splitting and moving instead of having a civ like America starting in 4000 bc.
All civs should not be available to you right from the start. Only when time passes, techs researched, and civs split do you have the option to choose a new civ, or stick with your original.
Does this makes sense. It is hard to explain because this would change the entire way this game is played. It will make it more realistic and exciting as you never know when your beautiful 35 city Civ will decide "you are just too big" and fall into Civil War. The other quick thing I want to mention (I know I am forgetting some of the things I wanted to say) is that when a Civ invades and captures enemy cities they are only part of your Civ until they decide your welcome is worn out, so a captured capital can reclaim its idenity and start fighting back again.
As it is now I look at Civilization III and Conquests as the foundation to an amzing game that just isn't for entertainment, but a precious teaching tool. The education in Geography (when playing on a world map) and the education in diplomacy, technology, trade, and most importantly WAR. Because WAR is what got us all here today. The importance of defending yourself, if you don't have a military you better have freinds that do or people will just come and take your land. The importance of protecting your friends when they are attacked, and the importance of going to war to make sure your place in the future is secure. I could go on and on - but this game should be used in every classroom to show kids the reality of Civilization and the human struggle against itself, its past, and its ideals.
If I think of other points I will post them here, but I really want to hear reaction from the boards and hopefully we all can brainstorm some ideas that will end up in the next release of Civilization. Cheers - Atem Ra
Civilization is by far the best game I have ever played. With that said I do have a few suggestions for the next version of the game. What I find is the most important thing missing form the current game is that civs' can not split into TWO. Let me explain.
If you truley go back to the first civilizations they were made up of many local tribes. These tribes all had different Warlords. Some times these tribes didn't agree with each other and split apart to form TWO out of ONE, usually with force. Out of those TWO spring FOUR, and out of FOUR - EIGHT. This has gone on through out time and just recently a certian World Power "The English" split apart to form The USA and Australia.
What the next version of the game needs is the ability to go to WAR with YOURSELF - CIVIL WAR. When you decide to change governments the AI should look at the Capital and all other cities and decide wich ones will aprove and which ones you no longer control for the duration of change of government. These cities and units that YOU built are now coming after YOU. When the governmnet change has taken place an option box pops up and asks you which CIV you now want to play, or go back to the civil war to recapture your cities. If you decide for instance when playing the English that after the colonies are built up you just want to play the colonies when the option box appears after the WAR choose "New Civ", name it, choose color, leader, etc... and you have successfully split apart from your original Civ. This way when starting from 4000 bc (which should be 6000, or even 8000 bc to be more accurate. Don't believe the History Channel - read Anthropology text books) the first civs can grow out of one spot and populate the world slowly by splitting and moving instead of having a civ like America starting in 4000 bc.
All civs should not be available to you right from the start. Only when time passes, techs researched, and civs split do you have the option to choose a new civ, or stick with your original.
Does this makes sense. It is hard to explain because this would change the entire way this game is played. It will make it more realistic and exciting as you never know when your beautiful 35 city Civ will decide "you are just too big" and fall into Civil War. The other quick thing I want to mention (I know I am forgetting some of the things I wanted to say) is that when a Civ invades and captures enemy cities they are only part of your Civ until they decide your welcome is worn out, so a captured capital can reclaim its idenity and start fighting back again.
As it is now I look at Civilization III and Conquests as the foundation to an amzing game that just isn't for entertainment, but a precious teaching tool. The education in Geography (when playing on a world map) and the education in diplomacy, technology, trade, and most importantly WAR. Because WAR is what got us all here today. The importance of defending yourself, if you don't have a military you better have freinds that do or people will just come and take your land. The importance of protecting your friends when they are attacked, and the importance of going to war to make sure your place in the future is secure. I could go on and on - but this game should be used in every classroom to show kids the reality of Civilization and the human struggle against itself, its past, and its ideals.
If I think of other points I will post them here, but I really want to hear reaction from the boards and hopefully we all can brainstorm some ideas that will end up in the next release of Civilization. Cheers - Atem Ra
