Civilization-4
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Humble Sid Meier Bundle: Civ 3, 4 and 5, plus Ace Patrol, Railroads
Humble Bundle offers three tiers of entry into Sid Meier's epic, world-building simulation games: The first package offers Civilization 3 Complete, Civilization 4: The Complete Edition, Ace Patrol, Ace Patrol: Pacific Skies and Railroads for any price you want. The second tier adds Civilization 5 and its Gods and Kings DLC if you pay more than the average, and the third tier packs in Civ 5's Brave New World DLC for $15 or more. The Humble Sid Meier Bundle is live for two weeks and benefits the charity Action Against Hunger, a humanitarian organization with the goal of ending world hunger. As always, spend more than $1 to get Steam keys with your Humble Sid Meier Bundle order, and split whatever you pay among Humble, the developer and the charity.
Stardock announces dev investment fund, showing two new games this year
Developer Stardock has announced the beginning of an investment fund to support up-and-coming developers. When Stardock sold distribution service Impulse to GameStop, it earned "some unprecedented opportunities," says CEO Brad Wardell. The fiscal boon will help "to keep Stardock small and invest in start-ups."These spinoffs, says Wardell, "should produce things that will help future start-ups in the technology industry." Some of the partnerships are already underway, though "not far enough along in what they're working on to publicize anything." Wardell's plan is to reveal more about the fund this summer, with news about the companies involved coming later.Elsewhere in Stardock's customer report, Wardell says the company's internal teams are toward two new games to be revealed this year. One or both games may be the result of Stardock's work with consultant Soren Johnson, the former lead designer on Civilization 4.Wardell also says Sins of a Solar Empire: Rebellion was "immensely successful," and that we can expect more from that series in the future.
Steam Daily Deal: Sid Meier's Civilization franchise downsized 75%
Sunday is a great day to explore and conquer new lands, whether across the Mediterranean, throughout Asia, or around the fresh vegetable aisle of your local supermarket. Steam is here to help with this quest, offering Sid Meier's Civilization 3, 4 and 5 for 75 percent off.Civilization 3 Complete is $1.25 today, Civilization 4 is $5 and 4: The Complete Edition is $7.50. The Civilization 5: Gold Edition bundle is $12.50 and includes the game, the Gods and Kings DLC pack, five scenario packs, four Cradle of Civilization packs, the Explorer map pack and the Babylon DLC pack. Each bit of content is 75 percent off on its lonesome, if you simply need to bulk out your Civilization library.
Soren Johnson joins Stardock, 'at least for a while' [Update]
Soren Johnson, who you may remember as Civilization 4's lead designer, has joined Stardock to oversee the design of the developer's entire line of upcoming titles."We've brought on board someone many of you know – Soren Johnson (designer of Civilization IV) who has come to Stardock, at least for awhile, to oversee the design of all our games," Stardock CEO Brad Wardell said on his company's official forums. "I think his impact on our upcoming (think 2014/2015/2016) will be pretty obvious."Up until now, Johnson (not pictured above) had maintained his post at Zynga as design director, after joining the company in September of 2011. Prior to that, Johnson spent over four years as a lead designer and programmer at Electronic Arts, working on such games as Spore. We've reached out to Stardock for more information about Johnson's role in the company, and what the temporary qualifier in the announcement may signify, if anything.Update: A Stardock representative has clarified to Joystiq that Soren Johnson is only working as a consultant at the developer, and is not on staff. Joystiq has contacted Johnson for clarification on his position at Zynga.
GameFly adds BioShock, Civ 4 and X-Com: Enforcer to unlimited PC service
GameFly and publisher 2K Games have expanded their partnership for the rental services' "Unlimited PC Play," adding several titles that have high-profile sequels or expansions launching this year. BioShock, Civilization 4 and X-Com: Enforcer are available now for free to members."With our upcoming releases of BioShock Infinite, Sid Meier's Civilization V: Gods & Kings and XCOM: Enemy Unknown on the horizon, we're taking this opportunity to introduce or re-introduce fans to these beloved franchises," said 2K Games marketing senior VP Sarah Anderson.Here's a chance for GameFly members with PCs to check out some of the best PC games available... along with X-Com: Enforcer.
Build a mighty Civilization on the cheap at Amazon this week
If you have a little bit of spare change and a lot of free time, Amazon has quite a deal for you. The retailer's deal of the week offers both Civilization IV and Civilization V at a hefty discount. Either game can be had for a mere $9. If you need a strategy guide, Machiavelli has you covered.
Civilization 4 and 5 marked down for Amazon Deal of the Day
When it comes to kicking off a campaign of wholesale world domination, there really is no time like the present. Actually, there's doubly no better time than the present, as both Civilization 4: The Complete Edition and Civilization 5: The Only Edition are on sale today through Amazon.
Civilization 4 and 5 on sale this weekend through Steam
Two Civilization titles that are sure to stand the test of time are on sale this weekend through Steam. Civilization 4: The Complete Edition is $7.50, 75 percent off the regular price. It includes the core game, plus the two expansion packs (Warlords & Beyond the Sword), along with the Civ 4 spin-off Colonization. Civilization 5, in both the regular and "digital deluxe" editions, is 40 percent off, allowing your wallet to complete download production of the games for $29.99 and $35.99, respectively. This civilized offer will be extinguished next Monday. [Thanks, Steve]
Christopher Tin wins Grammy for Civ 4's 'Baba Yetu'
Christopher Tin's "Baba Yetu," otherwise known as "that Civilization IV song that won't get out of your head," won a Grammy for "Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalists" at the 53rd annual music awards. The track, which is the first piece of video game music nominated for a little gramophone, was recognized so many years later because it was the opening track on composer Christopher Tin's debut album, Calling All Dawns, which also won a Grammy for "Best Classical Crossover Album." Tin's "Baby Yetu" has been a mainstay of Video Games Live for several years and can be seen performed live on the show's DVD/Blu-ray (and on the YouTubes). "We're so proud of Christopher's Grammy Award victory and what he has accomplished," said Video Games Live CEO Tommy Tallarico in a statement this morning. "This historic moment will continue to bridge the gap between mainstream music and video games. It is an honor to perform his music in our show." The award-winning song and the entire Calling All Dawns album are both available through iTunes.
Civ IV theme nominated for Grammy, first game music ever nominated
The slow-to-adapt music industry has finally caught on that Christopher Tin's "Baba Yetu," an amazing piece composed for Civilization IV, is worthy of a Grammy nomination. The song was originally created for the 2005 game, but has since made the pro choir circuit over the years, and has also become a staple of Video Games Live. The track, which is nominated in the "Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalists" category, is from the composer's debut album, Calling All Dawns. Video Games Live Executive Producer Tommy Tallarico tells Joystiq that this is the first time a song made for a video game has been nominated for a Grammy award. He explained, "We've worked very hard through the Game Audio Network Guild for the past decade to gain game composers the ability to be nominated for a Grammy and to get the recognition they deserve. ... We've always been very honored to work together with our good friend Christopher Tin to bring this wonderful song to the world. As video games start to evolve more into our culture and become a bigger part of mainstream society, we're hoping to see a lot more of this kind of thing happening in the future." The 53rd Annual Grammy Awards will be held on February 13, 2011. Best of luck to Tin on grabbing the Grammy: he'll win an award and hold a record that will stand the test of time.
'Civilization 4: The Complete Edition' for $10 on Games for Windows Live
Civilization 4: The Complete Edition is on sale through Games for Windows Live for $10. That's 75 percent off the regular price. The sale began today and will stand the test of time ... until September 1, 2010, when a sneak attack will wipe out the deal -- or so The Oracle foretells. The Civ 4 complete edition includes all the expansion packs for the epic critically acclaimed strategy game, including Colonization, which is more of a spin-off. It's certainly an amazing deal, but just remember that Civilization 5 will be out September 21. We doubt that one will cost $10.
Civilization 5 will convert Civ 4 maps automatically
Jon Shafer, a.k.a. "Trip," is a veteran Civilization modder and mapmaker -- he's made his name in the Civ community by posting his own mods and strategy guides on the forums for years. And oh yeah, he's also the lead designer of Civ V, which is probably one reason why user-created mods and maps will play such a big part in the official game. Players will be able to upload and share them with others directly in the game itself. The user-created catalog will even be populated with plenty of content right at launch, because Shafer tells Bitmob that "you can import Civ 4 maps into the world builder and convert them into Civ 5 maps, including all the units and cities and stuff on it -- the conversion process will just do that for you automatically." Presumably, the process will also translate the maps from squares to hexes, which means Shafer and everyone else's maps from the last Civ are just a conversion away from being playable in the new game. Which is good -- some Civ fans would have a tough time without their Middle Earth maps.
Direct2Drive's Spring Sale: Star Trek Online, Civ 4, Torchlight and more discounted
Once again, downloadable gaming retailer Direct2Drive has chosen to reduce the price of a whole gaggle of its offerings. Encheapened titles as part of the "Spring Sale" include interstellar MMO Star Trek Online ($29.95), Nazi-vanquishing sim The Saboteur ($14.95), mine-raiding RPG Torchlight ($9.95), world-dominating strategy title Civilization 4: Complete Edition ($9.95) and every X-Com game ever made, except for, you know, the new one ($4.95). To see the complete list of discounted games, click past the jump. Now look, Direct2Drive. You really, really need to chill out with all of these sales. If you keep discounting the prices of your games with such regularity, then people are going to start thinking that these are your normal going rates for these titles. During the off-times when you're not holding a sale, they're going to start thinking that you're just having a temporary ... expensiveization. That can't possibly be good for business.
April Fools: Civilization V to feature 'Extreme Diplomacy'
Firaxis and 2K Games today announced "Extreme Diplomacy," a new feature for Civilization V, the upcoming installment of the tired strategy series. In an attempt to get the masses playing the turn-based snore fest, the series will add a fighting game death match arena: "two world leaders enter" ... "one world leader leaves." The victor is said to gain control of the defeated's empire. The publisher has also announced an Über Edition of Civ V, which includes an 8-button joystick "to bring the classic fighting arcade game feel to these Extreme Diplomacy battles." Each faction leader will also have a super move, and we've listed the first six moves to be revealed after the break. Finally, Civilization will have some action!
Direct2Drive discounts Civilization IV, Supreme Commander this weekend
Perhaps in celebration of Civilization V's recent reveal, Direct2Drive is offering Civilization IV -- as well as the standalone Civilization IV: Colonization -- for 33% off. Other deals on the direct download service this weekend include Supreme Commander: Gold Edition, Majesty The Fantasy Kingdom Sim: Gold Edition, and more. If you're one of the few who doesn't "get" the Civilization addiction epidemic, which has swept the world over the last two decades leaving workplace productivity in shambles, consider yourself luckier than the folks in the video after the break. Yes, Civilization Revolution was solid, but CivIV has the uncanny ability to turn the sweetest old lady into a crazed destroyer of all mankind. Basically, It's fun for the whole family. Shortcut: See all weekend deals on Direct2Drive
Civilization IV 'Complete' releases May 12 for $40
The Civilization IV franchise appears to have come to a close as 2K Games announces Civilization IV: The Complete Edition, releasing May 12 for $40 on PC. The epic bundle includes Civ IV, the Warlords and Beyond the Sword expansions, plus the standalone Colonization expansion (it's practically a different game)."The Complete Edition" title makes it sound like Civ IV won't be making another encore. We really have no idea what Firaxis is currently up to and we're unaware of any E3 plans.
Joystiq E3 eyes-on: Sid Meier's Civilization IV: Colonization
Sid Meier's Civilization IV: Colonization is an interesting title in its marketing and presentation. The Civ IV tag is put on the game to give an idea of what to expect for those who don't remember the original Colonization, but the game is also clearly based on the Civilization IV engine and uses similar assets. Also, given some of the well-designed mods in Civ IV expansion, Beyond the Sword, we were wondering if Colonization would end up being a glorified mod or appear to be an actual new game? We still haven't come to a conclusion on that question, but there's a lot in this stand-alone product that certainly goes beyond what we'd call "a mod." For starters, and it really bites that we can't show the UI or find videos, the interface and music are different from Civilization IV. Also, the graphics have been given a nice boost and, seeing them in person, it's certainly noticeable. Senior Producer Jesse Smith also walked us through several other things that make Colonization different from Civ IV. %Gallery-24746%
Big Versus compares Civilization Revolution to PC predecessors
Wipe away those tears, sunken-eyed PC loyalists. We know you're upset that Firaxis appears to have turned their back on you in favor of the somewhat fairer console waters, but perhaps the latest edition of Big Versus on Joystiq's youngest sibling, Big Download, will mend your tattered hearts. The console-exclusive Civilization Revolution is measured against the PC-exclusive Civilization IV in this installment -- are PC gamers being robbed of an important chapter in the seminal turn-based strategy franchise, or are they dodging a dumbed-down, oversimplified bullet? You've got to read to find out -- but knowing you brainy PC types, that shouldn't be a problem.
GameTap Thursday: Civ IV Warlords, Descent 3 and American Deer Hunter
Some more Interplay titles return to GameTap this week, but the really nice addition is that of Civilization IV's expansion, Warlords. It added several new elements to the excellent turn-based strategy game, like the Great General unit, vassal states and unique buildings for each nation. Civilization IV: Warlords (Windows) - The expansion to Civ IV. There are also several scenarios in Warlords to try out if you're not looking for the full-blown world conquering experience. Descent 3 (Windows) - Shoot everything in 360 degrees of blasting awesomeness (for a third time). American Deer Hunting (Windows) - PETA will thank you for playing this game instead of being a real man and killing yourself a big ol' buck. GameTap's free games list gets several new additions this week. We've placed the full list after the break and bolded the new titles for easy reference.
Readers pick best Civ IV webcomic: Ctrl+Alt+Del
Of all the webcomics made for Firaxis' Civilization IV: Beyond the Sword, Tim Buckley of Ctrl+Alt+Del had his pair of comics voted most popular by a closer-than-usual margin. The strips played on historical anachronisms and World Wonder rule sets. We're really hoping voters didn't choose the strip for the Buttsylvania line. Second place goes to Dueling Analogs' Steve Napierski (our favorite), and third place to Scott Kurtz of PVP Online. Thanks to everyone who voted, and since we're returning to our usual routine next week, be sure to let us know of any game-related webcomics you stumble upon this week (and last week, too).
