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Civilization IV: Beyond the Sword unleashes July 23
Looks like July is the month for strategy and simulation aficionados. 2K announced today that Civilization IV: Beyond The Sword releases the week of July 23, and internationally by the end of July. As we discussed before, this expansion is a welcome relief for players who typically don't take the route of combat in winning the game. Civ IV: Warlords was a great expansion to the series and hopefully Beyond the Sword will give non-war inclined players more viable options to victory. One of the features we're looking forward to is the "advanced starts" option. It will allow players to "buy components of a custom-tailored empire and begin play in the later part of the game, allowing them to experience many of the new features of the expansion pack in a shorter amount of time." That'll be great for those of us who give up somewhere around the 18th century because Shaka's at the door, Stalin is building up for an attack and Elizabeth just won't trade anymore. [Via Press Release]
From Firaxis to Maxis: Civ IV designer leaves to work on Spore
Soren Johnson, lead designer for Civilization IV, has left his nearly seven-year gig at Firaxis to work on Will Wright's Spore. Johnson had previously worked with Spore publisher Electronic Arts when he interned there and programmed for the PlayStation titles Knockout Kings 2000 and 2001. The news originally surfaced earlier today on Civilization site Apolyton and was later confirmed by Electronic Arts, according to GameSpot. The decision requires Johnson to move from Maryland to California. There is no indication as to why Johnson left Firaxis or in what facet he is helping with Spore this late in the game's development cycle. (The title, having been in development since 2000, is scheduled for release by the end of this year.) Of course, there's the obvious possibility he'll be helping out with the civilization phase of the game. Johnson's personal blog has not been updated since this year's Game Developers Conference. As Gamasutra notes, Johnson had been working on an original IP for Firaxis; its fate is currently unknown.
Beer to thank for consumer electronics explosion?
Beer has certainly found its place in worldwide culture, but claiming that it's the foundation for all of the consumer electronics that we enjoy today is probably stretching it. Nevertheless, the controversial (or just plain sarcastic) Charlie Bamforth proclaims that "beer is the basis of modern static civilization," touting his three decades at Anheuser-Busch as a knowledge base. Essentially, Charlie insinuates that beer spurned innovation in ages past by making the early brewers think outside of the box, which subsequently led to tents, then cities, and by extension, iPods, laptops, and USB-powered oddities. Granted, the man's linkages make entirely more sense when inebriated (or at least tipsy), so if you're looking to prove just how important alcohol is to your gadget collection, grab a few cans and hit the read link below.[Via Inquirer]
Firaxis to revisit X-COM in Civ IV: Beyond the Sword
Firaxis' Tim McCracken recently updated the official Civilization IV site with details on a very intriguing scenario in the coming Beyond the Sword expansion. The scenario, "Afterworld," is "a tip of the hat to the Gollop brothers and the original X-COM team." "Afterworld" sounds like a squad-based, sci-fi scenario that is heavy on combat and light on everything else. "There are no leaders. No cities. No technologies. It's not the typical game of Civ. It's Afterworld." McCracken doesn't say much more, but Firaxis doing an X-COM homage is enough to make many gamers drool. More than we usually do, we mean.
Civilization IV: Beyond the Sword announced
Strategy junkies get ready to be home bound this summer, 2K announced the second expansion for Civilization IV entitled Beyond the Sword. The expansion will be out by the end of July and focus on the late-game time period after gunpowder. This puppy is big with ten new civs, 16 new leaders, five new wonders and a slew of other additions. Civilization IV's last expansion, Warlords, focused on combat. Beyond the Sword is designed for the players looking to dominate through other methods. Corporations will allow players to trade resources throughout the world, espionage will be allowed earlier in the game and the race to Alpha Centauri will require more strategy. There will also be advanced starts, allowing players to skip ahead and experience the new content. Which is great, but like Damion Shubert said at GDC, "There's still nothing like that first hour of a game in Civilization when players are just starting their empire."
Sid Meier keeping eye on Civilization for consoles
In a recent interview with Gamespot, Sid Meier, the man who built an empire with Civilization, says a version of the strategy masterpiece may finally make its way onto consoles. While promoting Civilization Chronicles on Gamespot, a compilation set of Civilization games I - IV, Meier responds to EA's successful porting of classic PC genres like RTS' to consoles by saying, "Yes. I think the latest consoles have the processing power to deliver fun experiences with the bigger strategy games. It's definitely something we've been keeping our eyes on and we'll let you know where we'll go from here."PC Civilization addicts can still seek treatment, but for those who think quitting is for losers, Meier says they'll keep making more Civ as long as the fans want it, he also says they are looking into digital distribution for Civ IV campaigns and other "ideas." No announcement of a Civilization V. Love the Civilization, now let's talk about that sequel to Alpha Centauri ...
Shelley on the history of Civilization
Ensemble Studios' Bruce Campbell Shelley has been a force in strategy gaming for over 20 years (PC Gamer proclaimed him a "Game God" in 1999). Anyone who's ever played Civilization I and II, the original Railroad Tycoon, or the Age of Empires and Age of Mythology titles should be familiar with his work. What you may be less familiar with is the iterative design process he and former MicroProse colleague Sid Meier used to craft the very first Civilization game. In a recent interview, Shelley offered a little history lesson on the "design by playing" methodology -- a process he and his design teams still use at Ensemble today. The strategy pioneer fondly recalls being the second person ever to play the first Civilization prototype on a 5 ¼" floppy disc, and also describes how working with Sid Meier is like going to a game design university. In discussing the influence of Civilization on AoE, Shelley had this to say: "There is certainly some Civilization in the Age of Empires series. The vision for the original Age of Empires game was something like the historical and economic aspects of Civilization merged with the gameplay of Warcraft and Command & Conquer."See also: Metareview - Age of Empires III vs. Civilization IV
Sid Meier likes the Wii
During an interview with Shacknews, Sid Meier talked up tons of topics, however all we care about is what he had to say about the Wii. Apparently, he has had a turn with the console and from what he played (Excite Truck and Wii Sports Tennis, to be exact), he liked.Shacknews: What are your thoughts on the Nintendo Wii? Do you think it will offer exciting new game play possibilities, or do you see it as more of a flash in the pan? Sid Meier: I just attended a demonstration of the Wii and it's a very fun system. We played Tennis and Excite Truck and had a blast. The controller is definitely a unique approach and is pretty intuitive. It won't work for all games, but it makes lots of sense for games that require individual character movements (like tennis, baseball, sword fighting, driving etc.).
2K Games publishing Civilization compilation, Jade Empire PC
For those discerning gamers who prefer to employ their hands in sculpting lives and constructing sprawling empires, 2K Games have announced the forthcoming release of a completely compelling compilation of Civilization games. Though the chosen title, Sid Meier's Civilization Chronicles, may lead you to believe that the package comprises a stack of yellow paper hastily scribbled upon by the esteemed Mr. Meier and thoroughly detailing his development trials, tribulations and battles with encroaching madness ... it actually just contains all the games in the series. Those would be: Sid Meier's Civilization I Sid Meier's Civilization II Civilization II: Fantastic Worlds Civilization II: Conflicts in Civilization Civilization II: Test of Time Sid Meier's Civilization III Sid Meier's Civilization III: Play the World Sid Meier's Civilization III: Conquests Sid Meier's Civilization IV Sid and Nancy's Civilization 2K6: Stoned Age (unconfirmed) In addition, the undoubtedly heavy box will house a Civilization tabletop card game with over 250 custom cards, a 96-page book detailing the history of the series, a making-of DVD, tech-tree posters, podcast MP3s, wallpaper images and, err, more (it says here). Grab it from a shelf this October and, should you choose to pay for it, hand the inept cashier $69.99. 2K Games also revealed that they will be publishing the PC (that's personal computer, in this case) version of Bioware's martial arts RPG, Jade Empire. Picking it up in lieu of the April 2005 Xbox version will net you enhanced graphics and AI, new fighting styles, more monsters, an art booklet and an unusual desire to dispense flying kicks. Get it this January and struggle to find out why Sid Meier's Jade Empire isn't a real game. Read -- Sid Meier's Civilization Chronicles press release Read -- Jade Empire PC press release
Civilization causes missed book deadline
Ever spent months getting absolutely nothing done because you're so obsessed with a game? You're not alone. British sci-fi author Iain Banks has admitted that his next book, Matter, will be delayed due to the author's crippling Civilization addiction. The Independent reports that the author of The Player of Games played the game for three months straight without getting any work done.To solve the problem, Banks eventually had to "delete all the saved files and smash the CD." There's always the chance of a relapse, though -- maybe someone should tell this guy about Civilization Anonymous.[Via Idle Thumbs]
Metareview - Civilization IV: Warlords
Just in case Civilization IV hasn't consumed enough hours of your life, Sid Meier and his team at Firaxis are giving you one more reason to spend the rest of the summer indoors. Warlords is the first expansion pack to 2005's near-unanimous PC game of the year, and was built with the aggressive Civ gamer in mind. There are six new playable civilizations, including the Barbarians, and a new warlord unit to help pump up your military production. Get to war! Yahoo! Games (90/100) likes the diverse settings: "There are scenarios for all tastes, from combat-oriented conquests like Alexander the Great or Genghis Khan, to diplomacy heavy episodes like Chinese Unification or The Rise of Rome. These scenarios provide new and distinctive experiences no matter how many times you've played Civilization IV." GameSpot (86/100) notes the bias toward ancient warfare: "These new scenarios are engaging, though they do skew a bit toward ancient-world settings and conflicts. Still, the campaigns here are interesting, and each features a unique challenge. These scenarios are essentially modifications of the core game, and they feature rewritten tech trees and unique units that are appropriate for their settings. There are also a number of new wonders of the world." GameSpy (70/100) questions the value of this expansion with so many free mods available: "The biggest problem with Warlords is simply one of value. For all the fun the scenarios, new units, and new civilizations add to the game, they simply don't push the game far enough. The only really new gameplay element added in Warlords is the vassal state. This is a gameplay dynamic that allows a player to offer political subservience to another empire." See also: Metareview - Age of Empires III vs. Civilization IV Metareview - CivCity: Rome
Metareview - CivCity: Rome
What do you get when you combine the Roman Empire building of Caesar, the city planning of SimCity, and the wonders and tech trees of the ever popular Civilization? It would probably look something like CivCity: Rome, developed by Firefly Studios (Stronghold, Space Colony), where your task is to create and manage the economy of ancient Rome, collect taxes, and keep your citizens happy. The critics have been all over the map so far, but there is an alternative right around the corner for aspiring urban planners. VU Games plans to release the long-awaited Caesar IV in September, which should provide a basis for comparison -- and give Firefly some time to patch the buggy CivCity. IGN (82/100) appreciates the attention to detail: "CivCity: Rome is definitely full of Roman flavor. Not only are the structures and commodities designed to heighten your appreciation and understanding of Roman life, but even your citizens will give you insight into topics as diverse as makeup and warfare. If you crave more information, the Civilopedia and the manual offer some interesting commentaries on the buildings and activities of a Roman's daily life." GameSpot (66/100) has issues with CivCity's look and feel: "For starters, the game is ugly. Although it is nifty how roofs peel back to show you citizens going about their daily lives, and how clicking on homes and businesses create arrows connecting them to their wandering citizens, the jagged visuals are three years out of date." 1UP (50/100) isn't bullish on the game's combat system: "Once you've struggled with troop facing, watched them surround and ignore an invader, and shrieked as enemies walk right through closed city gates, you'll convert entirely to the boring (but less troublesome) map-level warfare. You can also opt to entirely skip this disappointing tradeoff by sticking to the peaceful game, though at a cost of about one-third of the game's content."
New Civ IV patch won't melt your Mac
If you're currently playing the Mac version of Civilization IV, you should download Aspyr Media's new patch. The update fixes a power hungry bug that causes excessive CPU usage, particularly in Power Mac and iMac G5s. Inside Mac Games discusses some additional Civ IV issues that Mac gamers should be aware of.
Mac Civ 4 shipping soon, trailer released
Mac gamers who've had their fill of Civilization III Complete won't have much longer to wait for a new strategy fix. Aspyr Media, one of the largest publishers of Mac games, will be releasing Sid Meier's Civilization IV on June 30 in Mac Universal format. Apple is hosting the official trailer, as well as dozens of other game trailers, in an effort to promote gaming on the Mac. Think different and get civilized! See also: 2K's Firaxis trifecta for 2006 Apple's new portable gaming beast
Warlords! Civ IV expansion in development
Having already sold over 1 million copies of Civilization IV, Sid Meier and his team at Firaxis will continue to feed your strategy cravings when they ship the Warlords expansion pack this summer. The greatest military leaders in history will be honored in six new scenarios, and you can use them to construct a broad-based international military force to get food to the people who need it. "Can I get a Coke?"
Sid Meier, Soren Johnson on state of games
GameSpy spoke with industry luminary Sid Meier and Civilization IV co-designer Soren Johnson at DICE last month. The Firaxis dynamic duo weighed in on everything from the state of PC gaming to World of Warcraft to escalating game budgets. Here are some quick takes: Meier: "I think there are a lot of opportunities for the PC to make a comeback. It has some inherent strengths. Connectivity, certainly. Massively multiplayer games. Email! The things that a PC does well, what snuck it into the home in the first place, is still there." Johnson: "I think the thing is, if you're going to make a multiplayer game, the days of trying to 'shoehorn' in multiplayer are over. As an aside, I think we're almost reaching a point where single-player games are getting under-served. One reason I really enjoy World of Warcraft is that there's so few good single-player RPGs for the PC right now."
Mario Party, Civ IV help give Amazon.com record holiday season
It was a very good holiday season for Amazon.com. The ever-popular online store has reported approximately 108 million items have been ordered since November 1st - their best holiday season yet. In their press release, Amazon.com notes that "video games were popular this year," citing their top sellers as Mario Party 7, Civilization IV, and Age of Empires 3. Top in video game hardware were, unsurprisingly, the three portable consoles: the pearl blue Game Boy Advance SP (not Micro?), the electric blue Nintendo DS, and the Sony PSP value pack. How many of you used Amazon this year for the majority of your holiday shopping? [via Gamasutra] Read
Rematch: AoE III vs. Civ. IV, who's buggier?
The two went head to head in a metareview showdown: Civilization IV versus Age of Empires III. AoE III won in sales, but got edged out in overall rankings, but then it was revealed that Civilization IV was playing injured. Reports of buggy software flooded the nets, and then it was AoE III's game to lose. Then today, a reader informed us that AoE III suffered from a plentitude of bugs as well. The forums are buzzing with comments like: vodka-mike: Ensemble's devs and brass should feel ashamed [of] this release. Vincedia: OK, so we bought this game, get it home, start to play, and find out we are paying to Beta test? I've had the game for a bit over 2 weeks now and I still can not stop the crashing to desktop. gman: What I haven't seen is a response from ES at all. There are hundreds of posts just like this one, on this forum alone! Is this a case of two competitors both rushing their competing titles out the door only to have them compete against another rushed product? Or was the lucrative holiday season looming, so the "patch it later" mentality kicked in. We love Sid Meier, but we want him to know that the DS doesn't work that way. Now, if Microsoft brings AoE to the 360, maybe they could patch it... but let's not even think about that.
Civ IV needs fumigation and delousing
Civilization IV has been winning accolades from game critics, but customer experience with the title has not been quite as positive, with widespread reports of buggy software behavior piling up at Amazon.com and at other sites that accept user feedback (MetaCritic, too). We're talking roach infestation here. In sum, gamers complain that the game simply overpowers even gaming rigs with multiple gigs of RAM. Here are some typical complaints: "Even after a clean uninstall/reinstall of Civ4 and the updated ATI drivers, I continued to get the increasing (and ultimately fatal) number of late-game crashes on my Sony VAIO desktop (3.6GHz P4, 1GB RAM, WinMCE SP2, RADION X600)." (Bruce Webster, on Amazon.com) "2+ minutes game load time, 1+ minute between turns (large pangaea) and circa 1999 graphics which lag and sputter make this game unplayable for all but the most devoted of Civilization fans." (Duane Pye, on Amazon.com) "I think the game itself is pretty interesting, but what does it matter since I can't play a game all the way through? Once I get to the 1800s or so, the game crashes every 2 or 3 turns." (Lawrence Wisne, Jr., on Amazon.com) "I installed this on two computers. On one, the graphics completely don't work. While there are ways to fix this, they basically involve cheating and revealing the whole map. No no no. On the other computer, the game runs at a snails pace. I have to wait 3 minutes between ACTIONS. ACTIONS, not TURNS. It took me 7 hours to advance 20 turns. This is NOT an acceptable rate." (S. Wong, on Amazon.com) Chance are, the game can be quite fun and is worth $50, but we can't encourage anyone to buy a game that was released in such a raw state. It's a shame to see a game with such giant promise taken down by a Lilliputian army of defects. [Thanks, Jake]
Metareview: Age of Empires III vs. Civilization IV
Whilst Age of Empires III and Civilization IV are classed in the same genre as strategy games, they have very different styles. AoE is real time and has a permanent "down with the troops" view and feel. Civilization IV, on the other hand, is turn based and features a lot of micromanagement. Rather than trying to represent one age as best as it can, it tries to cover the whole of civilization; from cavemen to spacecraft. The two games took the 1st and 2nd place on the PC games sales chart for the week ending November 13th. So we thought it'd be very appropriate to write up a versus metareview of the two games - in the style of our previous F.E.A.R. vs Quake 4 metareview. Take the jump to find out what reviewers thought of these two strategy game behemoths.
