Video Game Spotlight/Talkback #52 - Sid Meier's Civilization IV (PC)

[Bird Boy]

http://www.gamestop.com/common/images/lbox/646074b.jpg

http://www.gamestop.com/common/images/sscreen/646074s1.jpg (http://www.gamestop.com/common/images/lscreen/646074l1.jpg) http://www.gamestop.com/common/images/sscreen/646074s2.jpg (http://www.gamestop.com/common/images/lscreen/646074l2.jpg) http://www.gamestop.com/common/images/sscreen/646074s3.jpg (http://www.gamestop.com/common/images/lscreen/646074l3.jpg) http://www.gamestop.com/common/images/sscreen/646074s4.jpg (http://www.gamestop.com/common/images/lscreen/646074l4.jpg) http://www.gamestop.com/common/images/sscreen/646074s5.jpg (http://www.gamestop.com/common/images/lscreen/646074l5.jpg)

Release Info:
US: 10/25/05
Rated: E10+ for "Teen" (Violence)
MSRP: $49.99

Short Description:

With over 6 million units sold and unprecedented critical acclaim from fans and press around the world, Sid Meier’s Civilization is recognized as one of the greatest PC game franchises of all-time. Now, Sid Meier and Firaxis Games will take this incredibly fun and addictive game to new heights by adding new ways to play and win, new tools to manage and expand your civilization, all-new easy to use mod capabilities and intense multiplayer modes and options. Civilization IV will come to life like never before in a beautifully detailed, living 3D world that will elevate the gameplay experience to a whole new level. Civilization IV has already been heralded as one of the top ten games of 2005, and a must-have for gamers around the globe!

Features:

Faster-Paced Fun – Gameplay has been streamlined for a tighter, faster, and more compelling experience.
Greater Accessibility and Ease of Play – An easy-to-use interface will be immediately familiar to RTS and action game players, and newcomers to the series will be able to jump in and play.
Tech Tree – Flexible Tech tree allows players more strategic choices for developing their civilizations along unique paths.
More Civs, Units, and Improvements to enhance and grow your empire.
Multiplayer –LAN, Internet, PBEM, and Persistent Turn-Based Server (PTBS) offer players all-new strategies and ways to play when competing or cooperating with live opponents.
Team Play - Whether playing multiplayer or single player, team play offers a new way of setting locked alliances that result in shared wonder effects, visibility, unit trading, and shared territory that delivers a plethora of new strategic and tactical options.
Civ IV comes to life! - Beautiful3D world with dozens of fully animated units (including culturally unique units), and totally customizable armies. Cities and wonders will appear on the map. Wonder movies are back!


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Want to order this game and support Toon Zone at the same time? Then order it from Amazon (http://www.amazon.com/) by clicking here (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000BI4GP6/toonzone03/)!

Looking for bonuses with this game? Both Gamestop.com (http://www.gamestop.com/product.asp?product%5Fid=646074) and EBGames.com (http://www.ebgames.com/ebx/product/255945.asp) are offering pre-order bonuses.


Official site: http://www.2kgames.com/civ4/

(Source(s): ESRB (http://www.esrb.com/), Gamestop.com (http://www.gamestop.com/), Amazon (http://www.amazon.com/))

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Previous Editions of Spotlight:
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#47 - Killer 7 (GCN / PS2) (Plus Talkback) (http://forums.toonzone.net/showthread.php?t=141154)
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Thansk to Ben (http://forums.toonzone.net/member.php?u=1081) for suggesting this weeks Spotlight! Want to see a certain game spotlighted? Then send it in (http://forums.toonzone.net/private.php?s=&action=newmessage&userid=34)!

[I.R Joey]

I loves me some Civilization man...

The only thing I think they need to improve is to get some futuristic weapons for when you pass the 21st century (One of Call to Power's better features). And while they're at it they might as well add some future wonders.

[Ben]

I am giddy as a person can be at the release of this game. I bought it off Amazon and had it shipped to Karl to be shipped to me because you can't directly import games from the States, but as soon as it gets here, it is ON. I say we set up a Toon Zone tournament.

[I.R Joey]

I am giddy as a person can be at the release of this game. I bought it off Amazon and had it shipped to Karl to be shipped to me because you can't directly import games from the States, but as soon as it gets here, it is ON. I say we set up a Toon Zone tournament.

I'd be cool with that, but it would have to be sometime in late December or early January when we all have the free vacation time to do it.

[Shnay]

What kind of tournament do you have in mind, Ben? I was thinking about getting some TZ multiplayer going too, but I was thinking more along the lines of a big game with anyone who wants to play. A tournament could work if there are tons of people who want to play, but so far I haven't seen much to indicate that. Either way, the previews that I've read have indicated that the multiplayer actually works well this time 'round, so it should be fun.

Anyway, I'll be picking the game up on day one, but that's not when I'll be installing it. Civ is far too foul a temptress to have around when you've got a lot of work to catch up on.

The major changes to the game (religion, civics, the graphics) seem nice, but nothing terribly exciting. The smaller changes, however (improved AI, changes made to combat statistics, more tech tree combinations) may add up to be a greatly improved experience over past Civ games. There have always been a number of minor annoyances that go along with the Civ series, and judging from the interviews, the devs really tried to address those problems head on in Civ IV. Let's hope they succeeded.

[Ben]

A big game could work if we can all manage to be on at the same time. Do you know if this one has that play-by-e-mail feature that one of the other ones (can't remember if it was Civ III or II) had? That might help.

[Shnay]

I'm pretty sure there's a play by e-mail option in there. We might not even have to go that way, though. There are supposed to be a ton of options to make multiplayer adaptable to different situations. Supposedly, the game was built with multiplayer in mind from the beginning (not as an afterthought, as with previous Civ games) so there are a lot more options to make the game managable for a number of people. You can adjust the map size and the number of years the game lasts. You can also have AI step in for a player that has to leave or set rules that a civilization is out of the game after they lose a certain amonut of cities. Supposedly, you can play a full multiplayer game in, like, two hours with certain settings. I forget many of the details, but anyone interested can hit up Gamespot or a site called Civ fanatics for more.

I've heard that some people with ATI video cards are having trouble playing the game (even with the latest drivers). Hopefully this will get patched quickly.

[Tak Mazé]

The Civ series is one of my faves :) Quite possibly the first series of games I ever played. I thoroughly enjoyed Civ when I was a kid, and Civ2 when that came out. I don't particularly like any of the other games though, I don't even know why. However, I must say that Aplha Centauri was a breath of fresh air.

[I.R Joey]

The Civ series is one of my faves :) Quite possibly the first series of games I ever played. I thoroughly enjoyed Civ when I was a kid, and Civ2 when that came out. I don't particularly like any of the other games though, I don't even know why. However, I must say that Aplha Centauri was a breath of fresh air.
My story is similar, I got CIV 2 because I thought it sounded interesting. I played it for a bit and thought it was alright. The next day I decided to start at 8 in the morning....

I didn't stop playing until like 5 in the afternoon, it was that good.

And I've heard of crazier stories, like people playing the game at work during closing hours and still being there in the morning.

That's great gameplay.

[Ben]

Watching the trailer is fun (http://www.2kgames.com/civ4/downloads.htm). That guy sounds a lot like Martin Sheen.

Re: addictiveness, even after playing Civ for more than 10 years, I can still keep going for more than 12 hours on a single game without hardly noticing. I look up and the clock says 10 again, only this time it's a.m. and I have only four hours until work. It is a great good and a great evil. :)

[g_UnIt_GaNsTa]

So I guess I can play another addicting game where my tank platoon is destroyed by a rabble of spearmen?



This literally happens to me quite often in other Civlization games.

[Matthew Williams]

Getting this in the next few days. :)

[EinBebop]

I'll be picking this up in about three weeks (along with a new videocard) if I meet the system requirements. Sadly, I have not been able to find them online.

[Shnay]

Watching the trailer is fun (http://www.2kgames.com/civ4/downloads.htm). That guy sounds a lot like Martin Sheen.It is Martin Sheen.
After a two day run around with the people at EB, I picked up my Collector's Edition. The CE comes with some interesting stuff. The game is packaged in a fancy leather bound case and comes with a full soundtrack. There's also a big poster of the tech tree, but I was one of the lucky few to receive the French tech tree. (http://www.2kgames.com/civ4/techtree_support.htm) Though I could probably figure out what "Mathématiques" means, it's a little dissapointing. I sent away for a new one, but I'm not sure how long it's supposed to take.

I've read about a few technical issues people have been having on other message boards, so I installed it just to check if it would work. It does, and it looks great. I'm going to try to free up some time this weekend to play it.

[Ben]

It is Martin Sheen.

Seriously? How did you find that out?

[I.R Joey]

Okay just wanted to pop in again and say that I clicked on the link in Ben's signature.

That has to be one of the funniest things I've read in a long time.




Funny...and so terribly true.

[Shnay]

Seriously? How did you find that out?I just remember people talking about it when the trailer was released. A Google search for "martin sheen civilization iv trailer" confirms it. And if you think that's cool, Leonard Nimoy does extensive voice work for the game, quoting the likes of Buddha and Homer as you discover new things.

[Anyone00]

You have got to love the first time satellite research is completed :D

[Shnay]

I've played a bit of Civ IV now, and while I'm a little mixed on some aspects of the game, I'm certain about one thing: I am out of practice. The last Civ game I really got into was II, and that was awhile ago. While the basic mechanics of the game still feel natural to me, I've lost the mind for Civ-specific strategy I once had. In the few games I've played at various skill levels, I always felt that I was either advancing too slow and every other Civ was leaving me in the dust, or I was advancing too fast and couldn't keep track of what to research, what to build, or how to organize my military. As with the first two Civ games, I'm slowly learning from my failures, and should feel "comfortable" with the game soon.

There have been a number of changes made to the game, some subtle, some glaring, and (for the most part) they really improve on an already great game. The refined culture system, the introduction of Great People (they weren't in III, were they?), and a revamped city specialist system really make the peaceful game a lot more enjoyable. In the first two games, I would always play as a very military nation. In Civ IV, picking which wonders to build to maximize your culture output or figuring out which Great Person you want your city to produce is really engrossing. It's easy to get caught up in the ways of peace and forget about defending yourself (Catherine and Alexander reminded me that this may not be wise...and they did so simultaneously).

Religion is the new addition most talked about, as it is the most visible change. While religions can have lots of cultural and economic effects, I like their effect on diplomacy the best. You can send missionaries to foreign nations to convert them, which will cause diplomatic negotiations to go smoother, as you are "brothers of the faith." It's also funny to see Gandhi the Jew attack Montezuma the Hindu for worshipping false gods.

Religion is only one of things that shapes the diplomacy game, which is also a lot more interesting this time around. If you work to cultivate allies, you can actually rely on them to help you out when you need it. Choosing who to make friend and who foe is a great strategic element.

Some changes in the game I'm kinda unsure about at this point. Not because they're bad, they're just different, and I'm not quite used to them. The economy, for example, is far more abstract than it was in Civ II. In Civ II, you had to pay upkeep for improvements like city walls, and had to pay to support military units that were out of the city. In Civ IV, your money goes to "civic upkeep," where things like Monarchy or Environmentalism will cost a certain amount of gold each turn to keep running. Also, you have to pay more money the more cities you have, but the improvements within those cities costs you nothing. Again, this isn't really a bad system, it's just very different from what I'm used to.

There are some tech issues with the game that are a real problem. There's a memory leak issue that makes the late game unplayable for some, slow for others, and unnoticed by a few. With no time estimate for a patch to fix this and other serious problems (some can't play the game at all), this is a bit of a black eye on an otherwise solid release.

[Ben]

Hopefully my copy will arrive today or tomorrow.

There have been a number of changes made to the game, some subtle, some glaring, and (for the most part) they really improve on an already great game. The refined culture system, the introduction of Great People (they weren't in III, were they?)

Nope, they weren't.

It's easy to get caught up in the ways of peace and forget about defending yourself (Catherine and Alexander reminded me that this may not be wise...and they did so simultaneously).

:D I've been there.

Some changes in the game I'm kinda unsure about at this point. Not because they're bad, they're just different, and I'm not quite used to them. The economy, for example, is far more abstract than it was in Civ II. In Civ II, you had to pay upkeep for improvements like city walls, and had to pay to support military units that were out of the city. In Civ IV, your money goes to "civic upkeep," where things like Monarchy or Environmentalism will cost a certain amount of gold each turn to keep running. Also, you have to pay more money the more cities you have, but the improvements within those cities costs you nothing. Again, this isn't really a bad system, it's just very different from what I'm used to.

Hm. That's not how it was done in Civ III either. I know in Civ IV they tried to do things to keep people from micromanaging all their cities every turn and thus gaining a somewhat unfair advantage.

There are some tech issues with the game that are a real problem. There's a memory leak issue that makes the late game unplayable for some, slow for others, and unnoticed by a few. With no time estimate for a patch to fix this and other serious problems (some can't play the game at all), this is a bit of a black eye on an otherwise solid release.

I don't know if this is true, but I heard a dev said a patch is coming this week or next.

[EnAll]

What does the Collecters edition contain?
and, if you need help coordinating a Civ IV tournemant, PM me.

[Shnay]

What does the Collecters edition contain?You get a soundtrack of the game, a big tech tree poster (though mine, and many others', is written in French), a keyboard diagram, a fancy case for the game that resembles a Bible, and a spiral bound instruction manual. Nothing too great, but it didn't cost anything, so the spiffy box and game manual are nice freebies. The soundtrack makes for good background music, too, but it's probably not anything you'll listen to too much. Don't get me wrong, I love the music in the game (the title screen song in particular is superb) but it's not something I have much desire to listen to outside of playing.

Hm. That's not how it was done in Civ III either. I know in Civ IV they tried to do things to keep people from micromanaging all their cities every turn and thus gaining a somewhat unfair advantage.I think I read the main reason behind the economy switch is to prevent spamming cities like crazy, which people apparently did in III. At the moment, I'd say I prefer the economy of II, because commerce felt less abstract and more valuable, but it's possible that the system in IV makes for a better game overall. I'll have to play around with it a bit more.

[EnAll]

You get a soundtrack of the game, a big tech tree poster (though mine, and many others', is written in French), a keyboard diagram, a fancy case for the game that resembles a Bible, and a spiral bound instruction manual. Nothing too great, but it didn't cost anything, so the spiffy box and game manual are nice freebies. The soundtrack makes for good background music, too, but it's probably not anything you'll listen to too much. Don't get me wrong, I love the music in the game (the title screen song in particular is superb) but it's not something I have much desire to listen to outside of playing.

Thanks. Now I know I didn't miss anything important.

[Ben]

Hallelujah! Hallelujah! My copy has arrived!

Courtesy of gentleman and scholar Master Karl R. Olson Esq. I am now the proud owner of Civ IV Presell Edition. :) I'm playing Indigo Prophecy first because it will be shorter and I need to write a review for Tuesday, but after that it is on.

EDIT: OK, I just started up my first game, and dude! Original opening sequence!!! With original theme music!!!! Read by Leonard Nimoy!!!!!

[Ben]

It's easy to get caught up in the ways of peace and forget about defending yourself (Catherine and Alexander reminded me that this may not be wise...and they did so simultaneously).

I've been playing with this "buffer state" idea where you expand almost to the limits of the continent you're on, but keep one or two extremely weak civilizations on diplomatic life support on your borders. That way aggressive enemies will go after them first, giving me some time to pull my head out of culture and amass some military. The new diplomacy system really adds so much to the game. It makes strategy much more interesting and complicated.

Some changes in the game I'm kinda unsure about at this point. Not because they're bad, they're just different, and I'm not quite used to them. The economy, for example, is far more abstract than it was in Civ II. In Civ II, you had to pay upkeep for improvements like city walls, and had to pay to support military units that were out of the city. In Civ IV, your money goes to "civic upkeep," where things like Monarchy or Environmentalism will cost a certain amount of gold each turn to keep running.

I like it. In the previous Civ games I always got incredibly bogged down by costly city improvements and had to sacrifice science or keep conquering. This way I can leave science on 100 and not worry about it. I also like how the upkeep means there isn't a clear "progression" in the civics like in previous games. It can be economically advantageous to keep even the most primitive option for a long time, until you find another that fits your needs better.

There are some tech issues with the game that are a real problem. There's a memory leak issue that makes the late game unplayable for some, slow for others, and unnoticed by a few. With no time estimate for a patch to fix this and other serious problems (some can't play the game at all), this is a bit of a black eye on an otherwise solid release.

This is irritating. In the late game my computer is chugging along like nobody's business. But then this is another motivator for peace -- if there are too many wars going on at one time the game becomes so slow it's unplayable. :p

So who's up for 'net play?

[Matthew Williams]

me! me!

Though I need to invest more time in the game. My skillz are seriously lacking. Perhaps someone can teach me? ;)

[Ben]

Though I need to invest more time in the game. My skillz are seriously lacking. Perhaps someone can teach me? ;)

Of course! Lesson one: the unit currently destroying your capital is called a war elephant... ;)

EDIT: TZ Civ Action Happening Wednesday (tomorrow) at 8:30 p.m. EST! Pm me to join the fray!

[EnAll]

Hey guys, think we can get another Civ game going that I'll be able to play in? I couldn't last time becaue my computer was being upgraded and repaired.

[Shnay]

I wasn't able to make the last game either. I'm in the final stretch for this semester at school, so I probably won't have time for a couple weeks. During winter break, though, I'd be up for a game.

[Ben]

I wasn't able to make the last game either. I'm in the final stretch for this semester at school, so I probably won't have time for a couple weeks. During winter break, though, I'd be up for a game.

Me too, since incredibly I will actually get a winter break. It's from Dec. 16 to Jan. 1, and I'll be in London with the family (Dad's working there). Really looking forward to it! My little brother will also be able to join in.

[EnAll]

Then how about we try for 12/24 at 3:00 PM EST?

[Captain Harlock]

How's the functionality of the game nowadays? I've read on several gaming sites about crashes and lock-ups towards the end of games. Have these problems been addressed in the patches?

[EnAll]

How's the functionality of the game nowadays? I've read on several gaming sites about crashes and lock-ups towards the end of games. Have these problems been addressed in the patches?
I believe so, though I've never had any problems, except I couldn't play the movies before the patch, but now I can.

[Ben]

How's the functionality of the game nowadays? I've read on several gaming sites about crashes and lock-ups towards the end of games. Have these problems been addressed in the patches?

My computer starts panting near the endgame on a standard size map or larger, taking a long time between turns, but I haven't had a crash yet. The patch solved a couple of video issues.

[Shnay]

How's the functionality of the game nowadays? I've read on several gaming sites about crashes and lock-ups towards the end of games. Have these problems been addressed in the patches?I get a little chug-a-lug near the end of a standard map. I haven't tried larger maps yet, which is where most of the trouble is supposed to happen, so I can't comment there. Some people say the largest maps are unplayable even before the endgame, which is unfortunate if true. As for the patch, I didn't notice any difference in performance, but I didn't have any glaring tech issues before the game, either.

On a side note, I still haven't spent all that much time with the game. Winter break should be the opportunity I need to practice enough to go from bad to not-as-bad.