note: This is The Column, a part of Apolyton where mainly Markos and Dan write whatever we want :). Well, not just the two of us. The Column is open to everyone. If you feel like writing submit your article to civ2@gamestats.com

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#11 COMMUNITY SPIRIT In his back-to-back exposition, Dan discusses the beneficial factors of a community #12 TWO SIDES OF ONE COIN Indifference causes Markos to mull over the pros and cons of exploding "Civ" product numbers. COLUMN ARCHIVE

It is almost difficult to mentally calculate how many months civII has been out. If you can work out the answer you will be surprised!!!

Of course Apolyton CS did not start the moment that CivII came out. I'm sure some of us/ many of us? can remember the Ultimate CivII Site-and that odd forum (boy, are we glad to be rid of that). It does seem a long time ago.

The question is, will it still be here in a few years time. A rather interesting discussion emerged yesterday- one in which I and Markos attempted to determine how long Apolyton CS would go on for. What is your estimate? Markos said 18 months. My own estimate might have been a little pessimistic at 9 months- so changed to 11.

A few of you might be thinking, why can't this site go on forever. It seems like it could. But, how many of us remember playing the original CivI. How many of us still visit a CivI website? Not very many. Some may say that this site is better grounded and so it should always be popular. I disagree-I think this site has grown and flourished, but eventually it'll die. When only a trickle of people come to the site there will be no incentive to work on it. The fact is that expectation has been building so about upcoming games, CTP, AC, that as I observed in my Manifest Destiny preview, they might as well stick great

SECOND OPINION

I would like to note two things: 1) I was a bit pessimistic too :) I think we will go on for much more than that! 2) About Civ I: our civ1 section gets about 10,000 hits/ month, and judging from our guestbook, some people still play it... Markos Giannopoulos

propellors on the boxes, thats the only way they're going to get the games off the shelves faster than we snatch them off!!

I must admit to a twinge of regret, that maybe this site will one day be forgotten, but at the same time the challenge is that we have to keep continually changing, adapting. Games will come & go in accordance with technology, with society etc.

Which bring us on to the future, what does the future hold for Apolyton? Well- we are continuing to diversify with the Alternate Civs and Civ:CTP Sections. Through the experience the Apolyton team has gained so far these new sections(especially the CTP one) will be even better. It will be a progression.

It is important to remember this, every time you think your efforts may be wasted- they aren't. So keep on adding new sections-keep on making suggestions in the forum.

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Jaspreet(or Jaspers) is a student in London(England). He is a massive fan of CivII, and generally strategy games. He enjoys writing, especially fantasy(check out his Story of CivII).

The opinions expressed on this page doesnt necessarily express Apolyton CS or GameStats.
It is just the personal opinions of the writer.