UI improvements coming

[AriochIV]

I watched the interview, and the developer didn't actually say the game was unfinished.

However, I'm not thrilled with the mindset that they can release the game with "good enough" functionality and use the buyers as playtesters, and push core development work to post-release. Any more than I'm thrilled about being asked to pay for DLC content before the release of the base game without even being told what content is in them.

It's not the end of the world right now (unless Civ7 is unplayable on release, which is unlikely but a distinct possibility), but as long as gamers make excuses for them, developers will push this boundary farther and farther, and things will get worse and worse.

 

[ombak]

I don't think calling it "good enough" is a fair characterization, but more than that, calling it core development work is just the opposite of what it is. On whatever type of prioritization system (an agile board? kanban? whatever they use today) they have, the core stuff is going to be done by release. That "gone gold" milestone is the core product.

I think it's important to separate the understanding of modern software development timelines conversation from any "making excuses". They are not one and the same. It is entirely possible this will be unplayable on release (unless the newest videos are showing the release build) and no one should make excuses for that. But a dissatisfaction with the UI because it does not display certain info or other info is not displayed as you would want it to be (and on top of that, a UI none of us have even interacted with yet) doesn't mean they've failed to provide a core part of the game or release something unplayable.

 

[Zaarin]

unless the newest videos are showing the release build

I think Van Bradley mentioned that his Exploration Age gameplay was the release candidate build.

 

[theadder]

I’ve wondered lately if the game is going to get review bombed at launch. It seems likely to me. Everything launches somewhat unfinished and a Civ game especially won’t really be completed until the second expansion is released at a minimum.

 

[TheMarshmallowBear]

I’ve wondered lately if the game is going to get review bombed at launch. It seems likely to me. Everything launches somewhat unfinished and a Civ game especially won’t really be completed until the second expansion is released at a minimum.

People called Civ 6 and Civ 5 unfinished too.. particularly Civ 6... so.. I doubt it.

 

[SammyKhalifa]

I watched the interview, and the developer didn't actually say the game was unfinished.

However, I'm not thrilled with the mindset that they can release the game with "good enough" functionality and use the buyers as playtesters, and push core development work to post-release. Any more than I'm thrilled about being asked to pay for DLC content before the release of the base game without even being told what content is in them.

It's not the end of the world right now (unless Civ7 is unplayable on release, which is unlikely but a distinct possibility), but as long as gamers make excuses for them, developers will push this boundary farther and farther, and things will get worse and worse.

But hasn't it been this way since games stopped being distributed on DVD-ROMs?

 

[stealth_nsk]

People called Civ 6 and Civ 5 unfinished too.. particularly Civ 6... so.. I doubt it.

In my memory Civ5 had more rough start. They didn't test late game properly and it was catastrophic, with notorious carpet of doom being only one of the large bucket of problems.

 

[King of Prussia]

Civ 5 was super rough until the first expansion imo. We will see how rough Civ 7 is, but from what i seen so far, i think its in a better state. Who knows if they will continue to do major expansions like in past titles.

 

[Zaarin]

Who knows if they will continue to do major expansions like in past titles.

I think it's safe to say they will.

 

[Siptah]

I think it's safe to say they will.

I‘m not 100% sure it will continue as before. A full scale expansion would be something like $50 for civ 7. FXS could split this in half and instead of having a large expansion with 9 civs, 6 leaders, and 4 unrelated mechanics ship packages of 5 civs, 2 leaders and 2 related mechanics for $30-40. This would also mean a more constant, focused output. Granted, not everybody will buy all expansions then, but maybe this won‘t be the case in a 10 year development cycle anyways. So, I could see no more „major“ expansions being a thing, and instead have two small ones a year.

 

[Zaarin]

I‘m not 100% sure it will continue as before. A full scale expansion would be something like $50 for civ 7. FXS could split this in half and instead of having a large expansion with 9 civs, 6 leaders, and 4 unrelated mechanics ship packages of 5 civs, 2 leaders and 2 related mechanics for $30-40. This would also mean a more constant, focused output. Granted, not everybody will buy all expansions then, but maybe this won‘t be the case in a 10 year development cycle anyways. So, I could see no more „major“ expansions being a thing, and instead have two small ones a year.

Fair. Generally what I mean is that I think we can presume that Firaxis will continue to put out smaller collections of civs and leaders and larger expansions of civs, leaders, and mechanics at intervals, whether or not they pattern exactly like prior expansions. There are definitely mechanics that need polishing or expansion, and the devs have already hinted they're thinking about mechanical expansions.

 

[SupremacyKing2]

If the game isn't finished, they shouldn't be releasing it next week.

Sure but the release date was likely set by the publisher, not Firaxis. And in today's age of over the air updates, release dates don't really matter as much. It is not the old days when games were released on physical media and sold in stores. Now games are downloaded and can be patched any time.

 

[SammyKhalifa]

And it seems like I'm in the minority, but I'd rather play an "unready" version now and live with the issues than a more polished release six months from now.

 

[The_goggles_do_nothing]

There is going to be a thread complaining about how the UI 'ruins' the game, how exploits 'ruin' the game, the number of civs 'ruins' the game, etc. What wonderful times we live in.

 

[SammyKhalifa]

There is going to be a thread complaining about how the UI 'ruins' the game, how exploits 'ruin' the game, the number of civs 'ruins' the game, etc. What wonderful times we live in.

And someone will say they're going to sue somebody for blah blah blah

 

[Architect]

The level of jaded and old men yelling a clouds in this thread is nuts.

The UI is the last thing I care about in a Civ game. I've watched many videos since the embargo lifted and while people aren't allowed to give their "review" the amount of hours played, the excitement in the streamers voices, the already finding cool combos, and just general positive attitude about this game gives me an indication that this is looking like a great launch of a version 1 of a Civ game.

Great Interview btw! Some real awesome questions.

 

[theadder]

People called Civ 6 and Civ 5 unfinished too.. particularly Civ 6... so.. I doubt it.

I think that the negative reviewing has become a lot more aggressive since then.

 

[Eagle Pursuit]

I think that the negative reviewing has become a lot more aggressive since then.

And the more it happens, the less effective it is.

 

[theadder]

And the more it happens, the less effective it is.

I hope so.

 

[lo24681]

Saw this screenshot from VanBradley on reddit, appears they changed the minimap a bit.