Announcing Civilization Network!

Sid Meier · October 21, 2009, 12:15

Hello Civ Fans!

I wanted to let you know we’ll soon be looking for beta testers to help us develop a unique new way to play Civilization. Ever since we finished Civilization® Revolution™ last year, I’ve been looking at ways of expanding the Civ gameplay experience to include solo, competitive and cooperative play to take advantage of the uniqueness of social networks. We’re calling this project Civilization® Network™ and the full game will be available next year on Facebook. Civilization Network will allow you to join together with your friends to create the world’s most powerful, richest, smartest, or just plain coolest civilization. You can coordinate your strategy to win great battles, share your technology to jump ahead of your rivals, lobby your family and friends to form your own government and win vital elections, manage and grow your cities to maximize production and happiness, spy on your enemies, and work with your friends to create the great Wonders of the World. The game will offer everything you enjoy in Civ in a fully persistent environment - you can play as much as you like, whenever you like, and it’ll be free to play.

We’ll offer a closed beta of the game soon, so stay tuned for details on how you can sign-up to participate. The full game will launch in 2010. For more information about Civilization Network, including development updates and behind-the-scenes posts from me and the Firaxis team, join our Facebook fanpage here: www.facebook.com/civnetwork.

Thanks and Stay Civilized!

Sid Meier
Director of Creative Development
Firaxis Games

Theben · October 21, 2009, 16:16

He has but 1 post. The old Sid had posted here before so clearly this is an impostor.

If it is true, I'd hate to finally be forced into using social networking sites.

Nikolai · October 21, 2009, 16:17

Is this the real Sid Meier? The tension rises. Let the speculations commence!

Also,
sounds interesting.

I want into the beta now.

Riesstiu IV · October 21, 2009, 16:41

Sid, I'm really happy for you, Imma let you finish, but Creative Assembly had one of the best strategy games of all time.

snoopy369 · October 21, 2009, 16:43

Seems real to me. I don't recall the username Sid posted under in the past, if he did so, that's before my time certainly. I don't see him listed in the list of celebrity usernames.

Anyhow, Sid, assuming that's you, you or your designated intern/lackey/PA should send one of us an email from your firaxis [or 2kgames?] account (I am snoopy369 ta gmail.com) so we can give you the firaxis user title, so it's more clear to our always-paranoid userbase that you're you

snoopy369 · October 21, 2009, 16:56

OK, email received, thanks!

Robert Plomp · October 21, 2009, 17:27

Yes, it's the real Sid, hence his abilities to create the news item and the (now improved) 'Firaxian' title

Thanks for making the position even more formal snoopy!

I was not expecting such a civ itteration, and eventhough I'm not (yet!!) on social networks (except linkedin), I can see a lot of potential here for a civ game!
Will this finally be the massive multiplayer game?
Starting with 2000 ancient tribes on a very huge map, where only through time the real biggies endure? (and the others start a new game)

Time for speculation

Nikolai · October 21, 2009, 17:32

I remember reading the old MMO ideas back in the time of the List, I was facinated, dreamt of it, could see it for my very eye. I really hope some of those ideas, "...if only one idea" as we said, will see the world. Firaxis has listened to our ideas before, so I think we are in for some real fun!

Nikolai · October 21, 2009, 17:36

Okay, I just have to post this:

Quote:

10.1) Massive Multiplayer Online Civ - Bloodlines
In the context of Civ 2: The game would be played on an earth world that is much larger in size than any civ. You would build cities and civilizations to actual scale, and some players would play regions within civs, and can rebel and try to start their own civ, etc.
New benefits: Fun.
Discussion: You would play a bloodline that could marry with others and have children. If your bloodline dies out you have to restart the game.
Marrying would be the equivalent of making an alliance. Each member of your familly would be listed. Government would be such that you can tell different players, if you have completely captured their bloodline, to control a region for you, which they would do under the threat of eradication. The converse is of course also possible, and rebellion remains a possibility.
In a republic, the players in that civ would control different factions in the senate and would have to do actions to get them more popular so that they got more power. In general, play could move as in SMC’s simultaneous mode. New players would start along the edges of civilization and in historical areas. In the game you could “launch huge realistic campaigns against others, or manage a real looking and acting civ…”

AAHZ · October 21, 2009, 17:58

Come on Sid, Facebook apps?

please make Civ 5 or SMAC 2.

Oerdin · October 22, 2009, 01:14

Cool, I didn't see this notice.

snoopy369 · October 22, 2009, 10:35

Aahz, you're obviously way behind the times...

Getting old?

Adagio · October 22, 2009, 12:56

I saw this news earlier today, sounds great. Already joined the group on facebook about this

I would love to join the beta, unfortunately I doubt I will get much time to play

Jeje2 · October 25, 2009, 08:49

Hello (Long time since last)

Just read this news.

This year I have become quite addicted to FB games (Knighthood, Mafia wars & King of the World)

I see great potential in here for Sid and his team - so please PLEASE make us a great experiment. (Take a serious look at other FB games as well - what is good, what isn't, etc. and learn...)

Now my worry is that I'll not be able to leave FB in the future at all, if Civ turns out to be good

-Jeje2

PS. Were can I sign up for beta-testing?

sumshirbir · October 26, 2009, 22:13

I would love to join the beta, unfortunately I doubt I will get much time to play