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A glance at Civilization Online's robust character creator
Let's cut to the chase: Past the break, we have two videos embedded showing off Civilization Online's character creator, which you can use the next time anyone starts talking about the challenges of body sliders with stylized art. It doesn't take much to see that the characters here are pretty heavily stylized, but despite that, the character creator features a huge array of options, sliders, and details. Many of the creation options are controlled by a grab-and-pull system similar to the one seen in The Sims 4, making adjustments to body dimensions more instinctive. There's no official timeline for when Civilization Online will come to the US, so you'll have to either wait or get familiar with Korean if you want to try this out for yourself.
Civilization Online closed beta trailer features building, battles, and drumming
There's something about a good Civilization trailer that always makes me feel downright nostalgic, and I think that factor is the world music being sung. We've got another trailer in this grand tradition for you to watch today, this one from G-Star covering the upcoming Civilization Online. Civilization Online is currently in Korean closed beta, but from the looks of this video, it's coming along nicely. The trailer shows players working together to construct a bridge over a chasm, build cities, assemble armies, and engage on that most sacred of pre-fight rituals, happy drumming. Check it out after the break!
Watch two hours of Civilization Online unfold
Unless you're in Korea, you don't have much of a chance of getting into the Civilization Online beta test, but at least you can enjoy it vicariously! A beta tester posted over two hours of in-game footage of this MMO strategy hybrid. The video covers a wide gamut from the introductory tutorial to horseback riding to building to sieges. There are also plenty of exciting menus and map screens for you to brush up on your Korean as well! Even without knowing the language, one can get a pretty good handle on how Civ Online looks and plays. The advance peek starts after the break.
Get a feel for Civilization Online with this beta video
The first round of closed beta testing for Civilization Online has wrapped up in Korea, and the folks at XLGAMES have put together a video showing off this online spin-off from the classic strategy series. The nine-minute video shows the collaborative efforts to build up a town and the equally collaborative efforts by enemy forces to destroy it. Also there are Dalek tanks, hot air balloons, and large mosh pits of Roman citizens. See for yourself after the break!
Civilization Online review rounds out with combat and replay
Looking at Civilization Online with longing might not be a great idea, as there are currently no plans for a release here in North America, but Steparu has been reviewing the beta, and if you'd like to find out what it's about the last part is available now. This final portion covers the game's combat mechanics, how players can get into games in progress, and gives an overall assessment of how the game is shaping up through testing. While the combat in the game is fairly standard -- tab-targeting, hotbars, and WASD movement rule the day -- it does offer players a variety of options with both main and sub classes, along with a variety of vehicles and mounts that have their own combat uses. Overall, the game gets pretty high marks as what it's meant to be, a very PvP-focused game that sees factions warring for dominance again and again. Which is probably what you expected from the name, really.
Civ Online review looks at building, PvP, and more
Steparu's back with part deux of an ongoing Civilization Online review. There's a lot to digest this time around, including bits about progression, the building and card systems, era changes, and realm-vs.-realm PvP. The review contains a good amount of video content, too, and we've included a seven-minute clip focused on building after the cut.
First look at Civilization Online's beta
Civilization Online's first beta test is in full swing and Steparu has some impressions based on last night's initial test. First off, you need a Korean ArcheAge account to access XLGames' Civ MMO, but for now, we can live vicariously through Steparu, who describes the game as a "3rd person RTS with RvR mechanics." Be sure to check out the entire impressions article as well as an hour-long video that we've embedded after the cut.
Meet Civilization Online's four civs
XLGAMES announced its four civilizations from Civilization Online today, although sadly the Mole People were absent from this list. The four civilizations are China (led by Qin Shi Huang), Rome (led by Julius Caesar), Egypt (led by Hatshepsut), and Azteca (let by Montezuma). Civilization Online will be going into closed beta testing within the next few months and is slated to launch in Asia in 2014.
Civilization Online is 60% done
XLGAMES' Civilization Online is 60% completed, Jake Song said in a recent interview. Song said that the multiplayer online version of the classic Civilization series is more than halfway done in preparation for its open beta. He also announced that testing should commence in the first half of this year. One interesting tidbit that came out of the interview was a classification of Civilization Online as a more casual spin on the series that won't require as much time invested as the single-player variants. [Thanks to Dengar for the tip!]
Civ Online to launch with four civilizations and win conditions
In an interview with 2P, XLGames CEO Jake Song talked a bit about upcoming Civilization Online and delved deeper into how the game will function. Civ Online, which is currently not officially scheduled for a North American release, will go live with four playable civilizations: China, Rome, Egypt, and Aztec. Each civilization controls three starting cities that cannot be conquered; players must strike out on their own to found cities once they have gathered enough resources. Song also revealed four of the game's classes, confirming Engineers, Miners, Soldiers, and Farmers for release. Players will be allowed to change careers if desired, though career-swaps carry risks. Progression requires that players develop skills in order level their characters up. Technology advances will be made based on how players focus their resources. Civilization Online will be different from previous Civ games thanks to its MMO nature. However, Song confirmed that the game will have several win conditions that end the session, such as a player conquering all other civilizations or launching a spaceship. When a player wins, the game starts over with everyone back at square one. [Thanks to Dengar for the tip!]
Civilization Online not currently planned for North America
You might be tremendously excited about Civilization Online right now, especially if you read our interview with Jake Song yesterday. But if you live in North America, it's time to crank that excitement down to a dull interest because XLGAMES and 2K Games are not currently looking at a release in the region. 2K Games PR Manager Brian Roundy delivered the bad news: "Civilization Online is developed by South Korea-based XL Games in partnership with 2K, and will be available first in Korea. No release date has been set. There are no plans for a North American release at this time." This doesn't mean all hope is lost, of course. It might be that the studios are holding their cards close to their chest or that they don't want to commit until they see how it performs in Korea. But if you were camping in front of a retail store (why?) for this release in America, you should probably go home for now.
Massively Exclusive: Jake Song introduces Civilization Online
You might have heard about a little project called Civilization Online, a new MMO in development based on the popular Civilization series of turn-based strategy games. You also might have heard that XL Games CEO Jake Song, of ArcheAge and Lineage fame, is overseeing the project as Executive Producer. But chances are, that's really all you have heard. Until now, that is. We had the opportunity to sit down with Song, XL Games Senior VP Jung Hwan Kim, and Producer Garrett Bittner from 2K Games to get the scoop on the project. Follow along for all the juicy details about building up civilizations in a new open world environment, including crafting, PvP, and more!%Gallery-195539%
XLGAMES developing Civilization Online for Asia
ArcheAge may be foremost on the minds of MMO fans when they hear about XLGAMES, but as we reported last summer, the company is also working with Take-Two Interactive to bring Civilization Online to fruition. Unfortunately there's no word yet on when (or if) the title will be available in the West. Take-Two's latest press blurb says that Civilization Online is being built exclusively as a connected experience and exclusively for Asia. XL CEO and Lineage/ArcheAge guru Jake Song is overseeing a team of "more than 100" developers working on the project.
Civilization Online announced for Asia
Take-Two Interactive announced Civilization Online this morning for Asia, another milestone in its continental market expansion. In partnership with Korean-based studio XLGAMES, the game is being built "from the ground up" as an online-only experiences for the Asian market.Civilization studio Firaxis is mentioned as lending its expertise and vision, but the game is being created "under the leadership of " XLGAMES CEO and MMOG designer Jake Song, who helped create Lineage. A team of "more than 100" are working on the project in Seoul."Over the last four years, we have been focused on creating an ambitious portfolio of online and social games with some of the most revered companies in Asia such as Tencent in China, Nexon Korea Corporation and XLGAMES in Korea, GREE and CyberAgent in Japan," said Take-Two Asia president Hubert Larenaudie.Take-Two notes that response in the region to NBA 2K Online, which launched yesterday after months of beta testing, has been very encouraging. It hopes to find that same success with the Nexon-partnered Pro Baseball 2K and Civilization Online.Take-Two chief operating officer David Ismailer concluded today's announcement, "Civilization Online is an example of how 2K can leverage its successful franchises, beyond sports, to create entirely new experiences in genres that resonate with customers in this region."
