What I know I'm going to like about Beyond Earth

[gunnergoz]

Although I've yet to play it, I have absorbed a lot of information and watched many videos and preview games. All this leads me to believe BE is going to be a blast to play. What follows is strictly subjective, your mileage may vary.
- The Aliens: they are really interactive. And really new. Try living in harmony with barbarians in a previous Civ game. It can't be done. The Aliens in BE are realistic co-participants in this strange new world and they may, or may not, let me share it with them. Even if I try really hard to co-exist, they may not allow me to. Fantastic!
- The Factions: No more historical baggage. For me as a lifelong reader and student of history, sometimes my biases creep into my leisure activities and I find it hard to stomach playing some games or taking up some sides because of the underlying history. That's just me, it's silly and I admit it. But BE gives me a fresh slate of players to build upon and create my own history with, without feeling weird about it.
- The Tech Web, Virtues and Affinities. Wow, what a neat bunch of ideas brought together in one game. It is like a Lego Set for the mind, what with all the possible combinations and permutations. And so many of these concepts are familiar ones that I have read about in sci-fi novels over the years and in BE, they are almost like old friends come to life. The only thing missing is Sleeper's Orgazmatron.
- The Game: Enough like Civ V to be familiar, different enough that I'm sure it will long challenge me to learn its nuances, tricks and traps. The designers have done a masterful job of creating a new adventure from an existing toolbox. They have impressed me alot in interviews and panels as being thoughtful folks with a zeal for what they are trying to accomplish.
- It's Civ in Space. Sci-Fi. What's not to like? Not since SMAC has Civ seriously revisited this theme and it is about time. What's more, the designers admit they have drawn on a wealth of sci-fi and visionary writers for inspiration and ideas. Many of these writers were my own favorites in their genre. How neat to bridge two lifelong hobbies, gaming and reading.
My perspective, I admit, is heavily biased in favor of BE. I'm a longtime TBS player and fan of Sid Meier's products since Civ I. So this comes with a lot of expectations but, given what I know of BE already, I can't imagine how I'm could possibly be disappointed. I can't speak for anyone else, but I for one am glad this came is coming out and believe me it can't come out soon enough.

 

[rastak]

Although I've yet to play it, I have absorbed a lot of information and watched many videos and preview games. All this leads me to believe BE is going to be a blast to play. What follows is strictly subjective, your mileage may vary.
- The Aliens: they are really interactive. And really new. Try living in harmony with barbarians in a previous Civ game. It can't be done. The Aliens in BE are realistic co-participants in this strange new world and they may, or may not, let me share it with them. Even if I try really hard to co-exist, they may not allow me to. Fantastic!
- The Factions: No more historical baggage. For me as a lifelong reader and student of history, sometimes my biases creep into my leisure activities and I find it hard to stomach playing some games or taking up some sides because of the underlying history. That's just me, it's silly and I admit it. But BE gives me a fresh slate of players to build upon and create my own history with, without feeling weird about it.
- The Tech Web, Virtues and Affinities. Wow, what a neat bunch of ideas brought together in one game. It is like a Lego Set for the mind, what with all the possible combinations and permutations. And so many of these concepts are familiar ones that I have read about in sci-fi novels over the years and in BE, they are almost like old friends come to life. The only thing missing is Sleeper's Orgazmatron.
- The Game: Enough like Civ V to be familiar, different enough that I'm sure it will long challenge me to learn its nuances, tricks and traps. The designers have done a masterful job of creating a new adventure from an existing toolbox. They have impressed me alot in interviews and panels as being thoughtful folks with a zeal for what they are trying to accomplish.
- It's Civ in Space. Sci-Fi. What's not to like? Not since SMAC has Civ seriously revisited this theme and it is about time. What's more, the designers admit they have drawn on a wealth of sci-fi and visionary writers for inspiration and ideas. Many of these writers were my own favorites in their genre. How neat to bridge two lifelong hobbies, gaming and reading.
My perspective, I admit, is heavily biased in favor of BE. I'm a longtime TBS player and fan of Sid Meier's products since Civ I. So this comes with a lot of expectations but, given what I know of BE already, I can't imagine how I'm could possibly be disappointed. I can't speak for anyone else, but I for one am glad this came is coming out and believe me it can't come out soon enough.

- The Aliens: I agree.....looks super interesting. In Pete's game I would really be torn between keeping them quiet and getting them out of my way.

- The Factions: Can't say I care much either way.

- The Tech Web, Virtues and Affinities. - Tech web sure looks interesting and the whole Virtue horizontal and vertical bonus thing will be interesting. Affinities look awesome from the let's plays.

- The Game: Yea, I can't wait to play. The guys making the game do seem very passionate about what they are creating.

 

[Gradac]

I was never really a sci-fi fan. This game actually is my second bite of it (first being several years ago when I read Herbert's book Dune).

I know it does sound strange for an era that we live on, but, I was always "down to earth" and interesting only of history of man kind not so much what will be.

After Civ3, series become too much sand boxed for me, I hated when I start as Romans and get Americans by my side or similar non historical stuff. Civ4 was specially off, that's why I never liked it as much, they withdraw in a right direction with Civ5, for me but not quit enough.

However CivBE looks perfect to be sand box game because it's, well, in future. Science Fiction (and fantasy, although I am still not sure where the tiny line is in between two, since, if it is not happened in reality it is always fantasy to me, even if it might be science explainable or possible).

That's why I am so looking forward for this game, I am even afraid to say, how promising it does look for lot of fun to play.

 

[Magma_Dragoon]

I like the flexibility we have when founding cities. Desert, tundra, ice, and water are no longer worthless junk tiles, just need some work and they can be good as grassland or plains. No more workboats, no more lighthouse, no more hydro plant, no more being pigeon-holed into founding on a hill on a river on the coast beside a mountain when I'd really rather not.

 

[ggmoyang]

There's lighthouse, but this time there's hammer bonus too.

 

[Magma_Dragoon]

Alright, prioritize coastal locations, but this time I can make fish n' chips appear with weather sats so I'm not wasting half the workable tiles on useless water tiles.

 

[Khaim]

Space-lighthouse makes all coastal tiles into 2f 1p 1e, which is a decent early/mid yield. But I agree, the terrain flexibility is something I'm really looking forward to.