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Civilization: 25 years, 33M copies sold, 1B hours played, and 66 versions

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Re: Civilization: 25 years, 33M copies sold, 1B hours played, and 66 versions

#81

Post by thristian »

pella wrote: post #10

free & opensource version: http://www.freeciv.org/ web version: https://play.freeciv.org/

A couple of years ago I got the Civ bug and couldn't get any of the official versions running reliably under Wine, so I tried playing FreeCiv for a bit.

Man, that AI. In Civ 1, on the lower difficulties I could happily defend myself and expand my borders and explore the world. FreeCiv doesn't exactly have a "difficulty" setting—it's got like twelve pages of buttons and sliders—but on the default difficulty it seemed like I always spawned next to two or three other civs that would near-immediately grind me to paste.

I really, really wanted to like FreeCiv, but I don't think it likes me.

Re: Civilization: 25 years, 33M copies sold, 1B hours played, and 66 versions

#82

Post by pimeys »

zem wrote: post #42
mattzito wrote: post #24

I started playing civilization when I was 12 or 13 (Civilization 1), and still, to this day, the closest thing I have to meditation is playing Civ V. I travel a decent amount, and one of my great joys is being on a plane without wifi but with inseat power (Civ V on the mac is a ridiculous power hog), and knowing that I've got X hours of civilization to play with no one to bother me. My strategy isn't great, I have ev…

not sure if it's just because I'm older and less into gaming, but civ5 seems markedly less fun as a game than civ1 and civ2 were. I just couldn't get into it, and I used to spend entire nights on the older games.

I've played Civilization 1 and 2 and Alpha Centauri when I was a kid, kind of liked 3 and 4 even more, but they were not such a big deal for me anymore. Had a long pause I didn't play at all, and then picked up the fifth installment with the Brave New World DLC. And oh my, how good that is... I really recommend to get the game with that DLC, it adds very important aspects to the game, like religion, tourism, trade routes and the world congress. For the first time ever the cultural victory is super fun to play, no need to fight wars if you don't want to.

Now I have the Beyond Earth with Rising Tide waiting for me, but that game doesn't scale that nicely to my television... And oh, btw, Civilization 5 played with the Steam Controller comfortably from the sofa is a very nice experience.

Re: Civilization: 25 years, 33M copies sold, 1B hours played, and 66 versions

#83

Post by creshal »

foobarian wrote: post #38
eru wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You should also check out the first Master of Orion. The origin of the 4X name, and still one of the best examples of the genre. (There are fan-made patches available. Make sure to get them.)

Also worth mentioning Master of Magic. It's Civilization I with spells.

Age of Wonders is similarly good (part 1, at least, I never got into the later ones).

Re: Civilization: 25 years, 33M copies sold, 1B hours played, and 66 versions

#85

Post by yread »

zem wrote: post #42
mattzito wrote: post #24

I started playing civilization when I was 12 or 13 (Civilization 1), and still, to this day, the closest thing I have to meditation is playing Civ V. I travel a decent amount, and one of my great joys is being on a plane without wifi but with inseat power (Civ V on the mac is a ridiculous power hog), and knowing that I've got X hours of civilization to play with no one to bother me. My strategy isn't great, I have ev…

not sure if it's just because I'm older and less into gaming, but civ5 seems markedly less fun as a game than civ1 and civ2 were. I just couldn't get into it, and I used to spend entire nights on the older games.

I also don't really like 5 and I think 2 was by far the most balanced one and fun to play. SMAC had an amazing story and varied factions but the replayability just wasn't there for me.

Recently I've found Endless legend and that is a bit of cross between SMAC and Civ 5. Very pretty but a lot of depth too, different strategies possible, varied factions, you HAVE to make custom units (there are only 5 by default, each has ~6 slots for one of 20 pieces of equipment). The combat is completely fucked up though.

EDIT: oh yeah and another thing I kinda like about it is how there is no civilopedia or good tutorial so you have to figure stuff out

Re: Civilization: 25 years, 33M copies sold, 1B hours played, and 66 versions

#86

Post by vacri »

yen223 wrote: post #60
vacri wrote: post #49

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I really do not understand the appeal of 5, though clearly it has appeal as it has tons of players active on Steam. 4 was the pinnacle for me - exploring and finding "that amazing city site". 5 for me... all cities are 'balanced' to be identical, and don't even vary that much if you turn them off. Every game kinda plays out the same. I have to uninstall 4 because I see the dawn light appearing through the window. 5 j…

Personally, I prefer V's combat mechanics over IV's, and V sure looks prettier.

I always found it amusing that in 5, archers ('missile') had a longer range than any gunpowder longarm ('infantry'), from muskets to modern rifles. I understand the gameplay concept, but it's just stupid when some ye olde archers can hit your riflemen and they can't hit back. I actually think that the transposition of unit tactics onto the world map doesn't make good sense at all; it's an ersatz experience.

Re: Civilization: 25 years, 33M copies sold, 1B hours played, and 66 versions

#88

Post by somedangedname »

jhanschoo wrote: post #50
kinghajj wrote: post #39

Nobody else has mentioned this, but something Civ has taught me is how to appreciate realpolitik. Nothing makes it more clear than when you catch yourself having thoughts like: - "Washington spawned too close for comfort; they're a threat to my peoples' long term security. Annihilate them first." - "Hmm, the Mayans have some strategically valuable territory..." - "Hey, the Persians are way back in the Renaissance, wh…

If you're interested in realpolitik in games, I'd like to recommend the excellent Crusader Kings II game and its DLC. You play as a feudal ruler, and find your character plotting murders, marrying off daughters, and conspiring for claims to titles.

My views about the Princes in the Tower[0] changed drastically after playing this game. Pretenders to the throne are a danger to the realm, even the very little ones.

[0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Princes_in_the_Tower

Re: Civilization: 25 years, 33M copies sold, 1B hours played, and 66 versions

#89

Post by drrob »

ekianjo wrote: post #43

I highly prefer Colonization to all the Civilization episodes I have played. Colonization feels more focused, more tangible, and yet still manages to be a great management game with credible threats with multiple parties: natives trying to fight back for their land, other European powers trying to establish successful colonies on their own, and ultimately the royal power you will fight against to secure your Freedom.…

Completely agree. There is something massively satisfying about surrounding your colony with ploughed fields and roads into the mountains, maximising the resource gain. And finally recruiting a proper blacksmith to make tools, as opposed to the Firebrand Preacher I've had temping for him for ages.

Re: Civilization: 25 years, 33M copies sold, 1B hours played, and 66 versions

#90

Post by elthran »

jhanschoo wrote: post #50
kinghajj wrote: post #39

Nobody else has mentioned this, but something Civ has taught me is how to appreciate realpolitik. Nothing makes it more clear than when you catch yourself having thoughts like: - "Washington spawned too close for comfort; they're a threat to my peoples' long term security. Annihilate them first." - "Hmm, the Mayans have some strategically valuable territory..." - "Hey, the Persians are way back in the Renaissance, wh…

If you're interested in realpolitik in games, I'd like to recommend the excellent Crusader Kings II game and its DLC. You play as a feudal ruler, and find your character plotting murders, marrying off daughters, and conspiring for claims to titles.

Then you'll end up trading those normal realpolitik thoughts for "I'll marry my heir off to my sister because she's a genius", "I'll just have these 5 children assassinated for their father's land". Choose your own poison.
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