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Civilization 3
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Posted by: Gunslinger
I just got it yesterday, and the creators have outdone themselves once again. I'm already hooked. Strategy fans should check this one out.
Posted by: redwench
been playing it for the last few days. its good. but i think i prefered call to power and alpha centauri. its like they took a step backward with the graphics and the movies. (or in the current case, lack thereof) 
Posted by: Ghalo113
Alpha Centauri is the greatest game I've played in so long, I think it's the fact that you can buy your power. And of course, land twenty or thirty orbital string marines into the heart of enemy territory.
Posted by: Gunslinger
I much prefer the diplomatic victories. I fight my battles when I have to, but I like technology and diplomacy better than conquest.
I didn't play much of CtP or AC, but I'm enjoying Civ 3. It may not have some things that the other two have, but it is still an incredibly fun game. Quite complex.
Posted by: Ghalo113
True, playing and getting allies is helpful, because I never really noticed that fighting a full blown war, e.g. hovertanks, copters, infatry, is expensive.
Posted by: Asmodai
I was actually pretty disappointed with Civilization 3. The computer cheats like a madman, which really annoys me. They got rid of many features that I really enjoyed from Civ2, most notably caravans and spies. Additionally, I've found that it's about impossible to become the research giant, no matter how hard I try, they always seem to be able to keep up. Very annoying.
I don't mind a difficult game mind you, it's just that if the computer cheats as heinously as it does in this game that I become frustrated. There are better ways to make the computer more difficult, they just went for the easiest.
Some good things from Civ 3? Luxury and Strategic Resources are neat-o. I like the way trading is done, even though I lament the loss of my Wonder Powering Caravans.
All in all, I think I will continue to play Alpha Centauri and CivII when I want to play a game like this, as it's much more entertaining and fulfilling for me.
Posted by: Gunslinger
Agreed. Caravans are gone. However, I like the simplified version of trade. Basically, each city has it's own natural resources. When a connection is made between two cities, it automatically opens trade for the goods that another city needs. While this may be a little oversimplified, it has the companion feature of colonies. You can build colonies outside of your cities and connect them to your cities with roads. You build colonies over areas rich in a specific resource, such as silk. Once one city is connected to a silk colony, the resources are shared throughout the entire civilization.
As an added challenge, colonies are vulerable to attack just as colonies in the real world were (and are). You have to divert forces to protect them, or they are quickly rendered useless by enemie civilizations and barbarians. It provides another level of strategy.
I've also found that it is much more difficult in Civ 3 (than it was in Civ2) to run a full out assault on a civilization and just conquer them. Whatever the cause of this (computer cheating or otherwise) doesn't really matter. I've found myself actually having to lay siege to a city. I would position tropps to cut off it's roads and raze it's workers and colonies and other terrain improvements. I fought off defenders as best as possible, until the city collapsed into disorder and was easy pickings. It was an element that could be utilized in Civ 2, but now seems necessary in Civ 3.
I think I'll stop now. I plan on writing a review of Civ 3 from a players standpoint - outlining the new (and old) fundamentals and the ups and downs of the game.
Stay tuned.
Posted by: Asmodai
You bring up some nice points in your message above. I do like that colony aspect as well in this game. I think maybe I need to sit down more with combat and do as you did. I never really tried to lay siege, I'd mainly just try to bum-rush and beat my way in. Next time I play, I'll try it that way.
Anyway, I'm looking forward to your review when you're finished with it.
Posted by: Gunslinger
I've got to play a lot more of the game until I do that - but I have some good ideas to write about.
Also, combat is still ever more difficult than I first though. I'm still playing on chieftain mode. While playing last night, I was conquered. I had my territory, and somewhat of an expansion colony up to another land mass since my original was an island. Anyway, the Germans were very near (on the same continent to my expansion). Their cities started to grow, and they expanded further - and I saw their borders approach mine. Preparing for the future I built 7 fortresses on the border between my border cities and LOADED them with soldiers. I was WELL protected. I even had some reinforcements in the back part of the land. I thought I was ready to go. Well, anyway, they started thinking they had right of passage, and were having military units in my city squares - which disrupts production. So, I set up the diplomacy screen, and asked them to remove their units - they then declared war. I was ready. They attacked that first city and failed. I unloaded. I emptied my fortresses, and launched a huge onslaught on their 3 border cities. I laid siege to the middle one, and went full out on the outer - smaller and less defended cities. Well, my siege was broken. The other cities were defended. My enormous army was annihilated - and this is still in chieftain mode. They then proceeded to push me back - and destroy my reinforcements. My entire expansion was conquered. About that time, I see 3 ships landing on my main island. I wasn't prepared. My capital was taken. I ended the game there.
Anyway. Call this a precursor to a review on combat. I'm done talking now. Just sharing my moments of defeat.
I'm starting a new game tonight.
Posted by: Spork Lover
It is pretty addicting, I sat down playing it for 8 hours straight!
The new interface is heaps more user friendly than the millions of buttons to push civ2
Posted by: Gunslinger
I may touch on the user interface differences in my article/review - but I'm not expecting much from that area. I may hit some of the major improvements but I won't be going into detail on the physical interface.
I'll be hitting more on the game mechanics - unless there is an insatiable desire from the denizens to read stuff about the interface.
Posted by: redwench
im always insatiable.
Posted by: Spork Lover
I like interface.... I like having to go through advisors.... Much like pax imperia 2 I hate how they have the diplomatic, espionage setup though
Posted by: ewok_kebab
Have you tried demanding ludicrous amounts of money from peace loving computer opponents.I managed to have India paying me 20,000,000 gold per turn at one point. Funnily enough I won that game.Funnier still was they still had money in the treasury on the diplomacy screen.
Posted by: Fenix2004
I dident want to get it because of no multiplayer. The computer gets too easy to beat after a while and I get bored. multi gives more replay value
Posted by: Gunslinger
Ummm, 20,000,000 per turn?
Ummmm, are you sure?
I could play a game of Civ 3, with the maximum number of rival civilizations, a long game, through all the ages, and still, the total income for the entire game for each civilization wouldn't come close to 20 million. Not half that. Not a fourth of that.
20,000,000 per turn........no.
Clarify that for me?
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