Solver: Civ 3. What's your view on the game, is it better or worse than Civ 2?

DanQ: I don't know how many people are aware of this or not (and perhaps even less have had the opportunity to read it), but I reviewed "Civilization III" in the 16th (November, 2001) issue of 'Strategy Player Magazine' which has sadly since been shut down. I believe that now is an appropriate time to publish it in its entirety online:

"I can say without hesitation that, as any fan of the series can attest, the anticipation leading up to the release of Civilization III was almost unbearable. I only say “almost” now because it is finally here! Visually, the revamped interface is somewhat reminiscent of the Call To Power series yet organized in a more eye-appealing and practical manner. Sound is realistic, albeit irritating after an hour or so, and the music is both appropriate and engaging. Diplomacy has again been stepped up and the end result is truly worth the time and effort put into it. The multiple, non-militaristic winning conditions that have been introduced are both creative and intriguing while the element of world domination ever remains a distinct possibility for the household conqueror in all of us. It’s not just the big guns (pardon the pun) that have changed either. A quirky sort of high note in my book is the ability to change the advancement your civilization’s scientists are presently researching with a click of the mouse, a helpful option that had not been realized until now. It may be a minor consideration but they quickly add up.

For those new or looking to re-orient themselves to the series, the tutorial runs you through the basics in a timely and efficient fashion, and with the manual read to assist you at a moment’s notice, frustrations are eased if not effectively eliminated. While the learning curve is not steep, to appreciate CivIII for all its nuances one must commit themselves to finishing a full game or two which could taken dozens of hours – and in this reviewer’s opinion, it would be worth every minute. One of the most persistent criticism of the Civ series, aside from lacking or lacklustre multiplayer capabilities which I will address in a moment, is the micromanagement hell that can result in the later stages of the game. Production queues and tolerable domestic advisors assure you that this need not be a burden you have to carry into CivIII… unless you like that sort of thing.

Finally, as I eluded to earlier, I have but one notable gripe and one gripe alone: lack of multiplayer support. While Firaxis has stated that work in this area is well under way and that it will be incorporated into a patch to be released in the near future, there will be those who decide to either set the game down quickly or not pick it up at all because of the absence of out-of-the-box multiplayer facilities. This is a loss for both the Civ community and the turn-based strategy market as a whole that has been struggling as of late to redefine itself in the face of growing network gaming popularity.

Bottom line: Civilization III is the rightful heir to previous incarnations in the series and the opportunity to play it first hand should not be passed up by anyone who claims to be a serious strategy gamer".

Solver: What are your thoughts on the upcoming Civ3 expansion pack?

DanQ: If Firaxis is able to deliver on what has been reported and confirmed to make-up "Play The World" to date -- and I believe that they will -- then I am all for it provided that it is reasonably priced. This is the hang-up I'm currently on now more than what is and what is not included in terms of features. In other words, I do not believe that fans should have to shell out the cost equivalent of a new game when that is not what they are getting: it's an expansion pack. I am concerned about the likelihood that this will happen because a) it has happened in the past with other Civilization-related add-ons (although this is not to say that they are the only set of add-ons that have had too high a price-tag associated with them) and b) based on some of the prices I have seen online realtors set during pre-order periods. Tip: get the discounts while you can, folks!

So, what should be included in the cost of the expansion anyway? Amongst other things, compensation for those developing/promoting it (numbers, expertise, experience, time), covering expenses, piracy compensation (an unfortunate but realistic need today)... in other words, money definitely needs to be made from "Play The World" -- we are talking business here. However, gamers may be a hearty lot but we are not necessarily a well-to-do lot financially speaking. I don't pretend to be a marketing or accounting whiz, but when volume is what you're going for you want your product to be "priced to go" for both that know they want it whatever the cost AND those that may be sitting on the fence when they pass through the front door (or webpage as the case may be).

To whomever puts their John Hancock on the dotted line approving the suggested retail price for "Play The World", please, please, keep these points in mind.

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