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November 2001
NOT FLAWLESS, BUT SOLID
(30 November 2001, 22:34 EST/Civ3) A 8/10 final score is what Strategy Gaming Online's Christopher Johnson awarded CivIII in his review of the game posted on the said site today. Despite some flaws, he feels that it is a solid game for any and every strategy gamer to pick up and run with.
I had a lukewarm reaction to Civilization III the first time I played it, Johnson explains in his concluding paragraph. In many ways there are things in Alpha Centauri and Call to Power that are simply done better than in [CivIII]. This is not to say that [CivIII] is a bad game, but I just feel it could have done more to try and innovate a genre it helped create.
Accompanied by five screenshots, the following is the breakdown of the individual category scores he gave the game which led to the aforementioned overall score: 8/10 (Graphics), 7/10 (Sound), Interface (8.0); Solo Gameplay (8.5/10), Replay (8.5/10), and last but not least Learning Curve (7/10). -DanQ
ADDICTED SOMETHING BAD... OR GOOD
(30 November 2001, 22:27 EST/Civ3) JoyStick101.org's Jon Goodwin is looking for helps -- or perhaps not -- to combat his latest addiction, Civilization III. To start his saga, this gamer gives us a little background to his situation that so many others can undoubtedly relate to:
It’s 2:30 AM. My wife is sleeping and I know I have work in less than five hours. It’s at this point that I have the internal debate over whether I should stay up all night or not. Either way I’ll pay for this marathon session in the morning – but I’m betting that when noon roles around I’ll be spending my lunch hour in front of the computer screen playing [CivIII].
Goodwin discusses his friends' and acquaintence's attempts to assist him to get him into a gaming equivalent of detox, but this blurry-eyed gamer confesses that it has all been to no avail.
For me, it’s too late – I’m hooked. Just like when I discovered Alpha Centauri. What makes this type of game so entrancing is the open nature. You start by making your own rules. The planet size, the conditions of victory, even the terrain is up for grabs. This sense of openness only increases once the game starts. You can try to develop peacefully – or ravage your enemies as you see fit. Bicker over trading resources or technologies – you could literally spend years with this game without exploring every aspect of it.
At this very moment, Goodwin is continuing his search to hear of similar stories of gaming addiction. -DanQ
NEW UNITS!
(30 November 2001, 22:04 EST/Civ3) It's reality! The first custom units for civ3 are here!
Made by BlueO with the use of Flicster, here are
Attack Chopper - I think Civ3 is missing this vital modern unit. If the tank can be say to be modern era swordsman, then the chopper is modern era horseman. The chopper should be classified as a land unit with the ability to treat all terrain as roads. Its attack value should be 24 - same as modern tank, but the defense value is only 12 - slightly lower then the modern tank. Its movment speed is 3, so it doesn't move faster than a modern tank on the road. It so sweet, to fly through 9 tiles of rough terrains. Its too bad, the chopper can't fly across water, but on the other hand, the chopper can't realistically end its turn in water...
Air Transport - Another missing vital unit, the air transport. The air transport is a helicopter upgrade that has the maximum opertional range (eight). In addition, the air transport can carry more units... two, as well as vehicle units. I had hope to increase the range to 12, but 8 is the limit.
Download and comments on the forums -MarkG
CHIPS&BITS TOP10 24-30/NOV/2001
(30 November 2001, 21:38 EST/Misc) The top remains the same on Chips&Bits
SILENT HUNTER II PC is still in the #1 position. CIVILIZATION III PC is unchanged at #2. RETURN TO CASTLE WOLFENSTEIN PC has climbed to #3.
1. Silent Hunter II $39.95
2. Civilization III $44.95
3. Return to Castle Wolfenstein $49.95
4. Metal Gear Solid 2 PS2 $49.95
5. Empire Earth $39.95
6. Dark Age of Camelot $39.95
7. Ghost Recon (Tom Clancy's) $44.95
8. IL-2 Sturmovik $39.95
9. The Sims: Hot Date $29.95
10. Russo-German War $39.95
-MarkG
TRIVIA: ABSOLUTE LOVE HURTS
(30 November 2001, 0:36 EST/Civ3) Civ3.com, the official CivIII website, has been updated yet again with the latest installment of the long-running CivTrivia series. Good luck to all participants!
Today's question:
What powerful man told the New York Times, in 1971: “Power is the great aphrodisiac”?
-- Charles De Gaulle
-- Henry Kissinger
-- Richard Nixon
-- Mao Zedong
While it is still early in the day, at the time of this posting Gramphos is in the lead with 2460 followed closely by PK with 2430 points. -DanQ
WHEN WILL THE GAME BE OVER
(29 November 2001, 21:38 EST/Civ3) Rorschach, a reviewer at GameOver (GO), has given CivIII a green light for purchase and awarded it a 92% final score in the latest in a string of reviews for the game that has been posted online.
Some game reviews are more difficult to write than others. The rare few, like this one, are almost intimidating because of the franchise that the game under review represents, the GO staffer begins. I found that playing Civilization III was, exactly contrary to Eddie Money’s hypothesis, like going home again. [CivIII] is more like its predecessors than unlike them. [..]
Games like Civilization provide for nearly infinite possibilities. This one’s going to stay on my hard drive for awhile, and will probably be the game that eats all my spare time, at least until Master of Orion 3 comes along. -DanQ
BUY IT IN A HEARTBEAT
(29 November 2001, 21:22 EST/Civ3) The tag-team review of CivIII over at Frictionless Insight resulted in both team members recommending that the game be purchased by all gamers.
This is simply a great game, summizes co-reviewer Enkindu. While it is easy enough to criticize minor points, Civilization III has that ineffable quality that is the need to play "just one more turn". No matter how far along a player may have progressed through history, it is necessary to play just a little longer to build one more city, complete a railroad, discover electricity or conquer another civilization.
[W]hile making no world-shattering departures from its predecessors, [this game] improves the game enough to be a wholly worthwhile purchase. Some changes are minor, some are deceptively simple but radically influence gameplay. All enhance the fun this series has always delivered.
While fellow reviewer Wrathful offers some stark criticisms, he concurs with Enkindu's conclusion.
One can make further niggling criticisms of the interface here and there, but the fact that such nuances are the sum total of my criticism suggests, to me at any rate, that Civilization III is a game that has achieved a benchmark-setting level of polish and perfection.
The thanks for the news tip goes to BluesNews. -DanQ
NOT WORTH PASSING GRADE, SAYS GF
(29 November 2001, 14:33 EST/Civ3) If there is one thing that can be said to be consistent about the opinions expressed and final scores given in reviews on CivIII, it's their inconsistency in terms of positive and negative reviews. One of the most damning of the latter was published today on GamesFirst where staff writer Paul Cockeram is less than impressed to say the least. While he gives high points for the addition of culture to the mix, he finds the new emphasis on resource discovery and historical accuracy elements to be worth nothing more than to be sent to the chopping block. On behalf of GF, this reviewer concludes:
Devotees of the Civilization industry will probably find enough new gizmos... to make buying this version worthwhile. Newcomers will probably find enough here to entertain them. But if you liked CivII just fine, or if you don’t need a turn-based conquer-and-rule-the-world fix right now, then it’s likely you’ll be better off waiting for Master of Orion III. Or even CivIV.
Cockeram awarded CivIII an abysmal 2/5 stars, one of the lowest known scores given to the game to date. -DanQ
MAC PORT NOW IN BETA STAGE
(29 November 2001, 14:23 EST/Civ3) The Mac port of CivIII hit beta according to a news release issued yesterday by Westlake Interactive, the company hired to produce the port by Firaxis Games.
The beta period for [the game] is very nearly over -- we've finished most of our testing at this point, said Westlake's Brad Oliver. At this point, we're waiting for the final patch code from Firaxis for the first CivIII PC patch so that we can integrate that into the initial Mac release. We've also added in a few bug fixes as well that have been passed back to the Firaxis guys.
As per the game's editor, Oliver confirmed that this was the next item on the agenda but added that it would probably not make it into the box for the port's scheduled February, 2002 launch date.
No timeline yet on when it'll be done, but it probably won't ship in the box. The editor will run under OSX and most likely OS 8/9 as well.
Thanks to CivFanatics for the news tip. -DanQ
NEW INFOGRAMES ANNOUNCEMENT ON TRANSLATION PROJECT
(29 November 2001, 11:58 EST/Civ3) Infogrames(IG) has released a new announcement on the issue of the German translation project. Here it is, translated by Lemming (many thanks!), in it's entirety (almost)
During the last days we've received numerous questions and complaints regarding the unofficial Civ3-Translation-project. So we will explain the reasons for our actions in the following statement:
Generally we would like to say that we welcome ideas and concepts coming from fans and/or members of our community. We have already supported various projects in the past and will continue to do so in the future. However, in some cases - like the current translation project - we are forced to refuse any support.
The game Civilization III is, like many products of all kind, protected by copyright. Firaxis, who (directed by Sid Meier) has invented and created the game, is actually holding the rights. Now if someone wants to change parts of the product or to use parts of the product in any other ways as intended, the involved group or person has to ask for a written permission from the copyright holder or his legal representation (in this case Infogrames). This procedure should be common knowledge after all. For example no private person has tried to translate the latest Harry Potter novel into German and put it onto the internet, just because the English version comes out first. The author or his publisher would try to stop that for understable reasons. So this is also true for Civilization III. Certainly the creators of the translation project tried to reach Infogrames per Email - but that is no privilege to start the project without an appropriate permission. Regrettably the response time of these emails (email-adresses) is much longer than we would like it to be. However you can also contact us everytime by phone or mail. Unfortunately the project group didnt use one of these possibilities.
Our contract with Firaxis says that we have to take immediate action in case of any copyright violation, so we had to take the necessary legal steps. Because the initiators of the project are actually part of the Civilization-Community, we decided not to react with an interim order but only with an injunction order (I hope i got this right). This is the most lenient action we could have taken to preserve our and Firaxis' claims. This injunction order was sent not only to the head of the fan-project but also to the operator of the website www.civ3.de, where we first read of the translation project. In both cases, Infogrames paid the costs which usually arise from an injunction order. We reached a settlement with the operator of the website, after he signed the injunction order and there are no further steps planned against him. Unfortunately the head of the project has only insufficiently signed the order and threatened multiple times to have a bad influence on the public mood in the forums, if we dont agree to his demands of taking back the injunction order. In his last Email he suggests to admit his own negligence if Infogrames publically apologizes for various points, which in the end have only arised because of his actions and not of ours, and if Infogrames considers hiring him as a community manager. But for us that's out of question not only because of what has happened in the last few days.
Finally we want to say that we are sorry for the fact that a project, that in the end was started to help other Civilization-fans had to go this way... Moreover we are hoping that the project leader reconsiders his point of view, so that we dont have to take any further legal actions.
In the last paragraph of the lengthy announcement, IG says that it's own translation of civ3 is almost finished, but does not give any possible release date for it.
What all this means for mod makers? Well, if you take it strictly and want to be safe, the next time you modify a text or graphic file of Civ3 you have to mail or better to write a letter or phone them AND then wait for their response before doing anything. On the other hand, one can argue that Infogrames wont care about rules modifications or graphic patches.
So, do you feel like taking risks in your life? :) Comment about this on the forums. -MarkG
STORIES SECTION AND CONTESTS
(29 November 2001, 9:11 EST/Civ3) Our Civ3 Stories section has just opened! In it, we will feature the best stories posted in the stories forum as you vote them every week.
Run by Anatolia and already on the second week, we are having a contest to choose the best story of the last 7 days. Winners earn a discount on the Apolyton Store.
So, do you have a story to tell? -MarkG
MORE STRATEGY FROM VELOCIRYX AND OTHERS
(29 November 2001, 8:00 EST/Civ3) Update on our strategy pages, with Velociryx's ultra-huge "part 2" as well as two more threads.
- Vel's Strategy Thread - Part Two by Velociryx (27-11-2001)
- Obtaining Scarce Resources by eMarkM (26-11-2001)
- Wonder Guide by Alex 14 (28-11-2001)
More on the Civ3-Strategy Forum. -MarkG
TRIVIA: HAPPINESS IS A WARM GUN
(29 November 2001, 0:24 EST/Civ3) Civ3.com, the official CivIII website, has been updated yet again with the latest installment of the long-running CivTrivia series. Good luck to all participants!
Today's question:
What did Mao Zedong claim “grows out of the barrel of a gun”?
-- Patience
-- Political power
-- Revolution
-- Wisdom
Although it is still early in the day, at the time of this posting Gramphos is in the lead with 2450 points followed closely behind by PK with 2420 points. -DanQ
PRIMA SICS LAWYERS ON HG
(28 November 2001, 21:50 EST/Civ3) In another round of lawsuits relating to CivIII [see November 26th story below], Prima Games (PG) has forced Hurricane Gaming (HG) to remove a strategy guide for the game posted on the latter's website on November 10th on threat of legal action.
Prima, the company behind the official CivIII strategy guide, informed Hurricane via their parent company Random House Publishing that they had an exclusive agreement with Infogrames, CivIII's publishers, to produce and market a guide for the game. According to Doug Walsh, Hurricane Gaming's President/CEO, in an open letter explaining the sudden removal of the guide, written by Michael Lummis from their site, [t]he 32 page [document] which sold for $2.50[US] apparently contained too much helpful information and infringed on Prima's rights to the game.
In response to the notice, Hurricane Gaming executives made the difficult decision to remove their guide from their site as per Random House's request earlier today. While no official confirmation has been given by either side in the dispute, it is presumed that the lawsuit will not go ahead given Hurricane's prompt action in the plaintiff's favour. Despite the frustration behind the ordeal, Walsh used the opportunity to express a positive point about the incident.
Although this is an upsetting setback that greatly disappoints us, we also see this as confirmation that our content is of the highest quality.
To give a general idea as to how many copies of HG's CivIII guide were purchased and downloaded before its removal, the defendants reported that of the 500 daily visitor average to the site, less than 2% of that number had taken up on the opportunity to acquire the document in question. -DanQ
FIVE QUESTIONS WITH MEIER
(28 November 2001, 21:27 EST/Civ3) George Jones is one lucky individual -- he was given the opportunity to do what so many Civ fans have wanted the chance to do themselves for as long as they can remember: interview Sid Meier, the man with the vision behind the beloved and long-running gaming series. Jones had Meier's complete and undivided attention to address five questions on behalf of Gamers.com that were posted this morning.
While all the questions asked have been put forth in previous interviews, the brief article addresses some of the more popular ones including the game god's favourite games of all time (putting aside his own) and how Meier got into the gaming industry in the first place.
Gamers: When did you first realize that Civilization "had it"?
Sid: I knew we had created something special that I really enjoyed playing, but I had no idea it would be as big of a hit as it's been. It's amazing that ten years later people are still having fun with Civ.
The credit goes to BluesNews for scooping this story earlier today. -DanQ
EP STAFF MEMBER YEARLY PICK
(28 November 2001, 21:19 EST/Civ3) Greg Bemis, Co-ordinating Producer of TechTV's Extended Play web-based television show, was the sole member of the ET team to put in CivIII as his recommend title for 2001 in the site's annual staff recommendation showcase posted last Wednesday.
The Civ series has always been excellent, so it's hard to believe they actually improved on an already great design, Bemis praises. The scope of CivIII is so massive, beginners might feel a little intimidated, but those who stick with it will be rewarded with a game that's almost infinitely replayable. Fun, clever, and refined, CivIII proves that games are far more than kids' stuff. -DanQ
PCGAMES.DE FINAL SAY
(28 November 2001, 21:14 EST/Civ3) German gaming magazine PC Games has posted their review of CivIII on their online portal. Thanks to AltaVista's Babelfish service, we are able to provide a loose translation of selected quote below.
Civilization 3 is as attractive as Cher in the morning after the OSCAR award, says review staff member Jochen Gebauer. In the end, PCG inked their bottom line score as 85%.
Thanks to CivFanatics for the news tip. -DanQ
WATCH A REVIEW THIS FRIDAY
(28 November 2001, 21:00 EST/Civ3) TechTV's Extended Play feature, a weekly Web-based television show produced weekly, will be reviewing Civilization III part of their show's November 30th installment live beginning at 9PM EST and will represent the only PC title being examined this time around. According to CivFanatics, the final score the game was awarded by the ET team gave it a respectable 4/5 (80%). As for how they came to this bottom line, you will need to catch the show this Friday evening.
Hosted by Adam Sessler and Kate Botello, the show markets itself as being your guide to games, gaming, and the gear that goes with it. If you are unable to catch the premiere broadcast, you can catch a re-run on Saturday, Sunday and the following Friday at various times via their website. -DanQ
NICE, BUT PREDECESSOR BETTER
(28 November 2001, 20:46 EST/Civ3) Intelligamer (IG) is the latest online gaming site to offer its final word on Civilization III. The game received a 4/5 star rating from reviewer Christian Schock.
I am sure I'll take some flack from people for my final rating of "only" four stars [to the game], the IG staff member writes in closing. Sure there are improvements but they are balanced, in my opinion, with important problems that make the game less enjoyable. The bottom line is that serious Civilization fans will buy [CivIII] no matter what I say and most likely enjoy playing it. But for my money, Civilization II is still the better game.
According to the site's rating guide, a 4/5 score equates to [a] fun, well designed game that will appeal to even those who don't normally play games of the genre. -DanQ
ANOTHER `CIVILIZED OUTING`
(28 November 2001, 20:32 EST/Civ3) CivIII has been well received by Luke Guttridge from the United Kingdom's Ferrago who personally dropped us a line to let us know of its posting.
The whole game is highly addictive from start to finish, and those who enjoy Sim games will find Civ a trickier initial proposition, but a subsequently far-deeper and more satisfying one, Guttridge concludes in awarding the game a 93% final score. [W]hilst Civ III may be something of a daunting prospect initially; it is however a hugely involving and vastly immersive game, that deserves a chance.
Epic, immersive, clever, addictive and ultimately brilliant. -DanQ
INFOGRAMES PR: THE DOMINATOR
(28 November 2001, 16:30 EST/Misc) Infogrames has sent out a press release, first distributed yesterday via their website and sent out to major gaming industry news centers, claims that the company is burning up the charts. From the PR:
"We’re thrilled with the performance of our PC titles thus far this season and believe that it’s only the beginning,” said Wim Stocks, Senior Vice President of Sales and Distribution for Infogrames, Inc. “These rankings are yet another indication that Infogrames has proven itself to be a leader across all genres, and we will continue to publish games that keep people of every age and experience level coming back for more.” [..]
Sid Meier’s Civilization III, the hotly anticipated third installment in the best-selling strategy franchise, moved to the #2 position on the PC charts after debuting in the #1 slot the week of October 28. -DanQ
TRIVIA: EXTREME CENSORSHIP
(28 November 2001, 16:20 EST/Civ3) Civ3.com, the official CivIII website, has been updated yet again with the latest installment of the long-running CivTrivia series. Good luck to all participants!
Today's question:
What Middle Eastern leader was assassinated in 1981, thirty months
after signing a peace accord with Israel?
-- King Faisal
-- Reza Shah Pahlavi
-- Abdal Nasser
-- Anwar Sadat
At the time of this posting, PK is in the lead with 2420 points followed closely behind by radius with 2370 points. -DanQ
LEGAL ISSUE OVER TRANSLATION PROJECT CLOSES
(28 November 2001, 9:41 EST/Civ3) The legal issue that started when Infogrames sent a "cease and desist order"(we'll refer to it as c&do) to Kai Fiebach has now ended.
Kai was the head of a project created by civers to offer (for free) a German translation patch to german-speaking buyers of Civ3. Despite the fact that Kai informed Infogrames on their intention and offered the fans' help on the translation process, Infogrames responded with a c&do to him as well as the hosts of civ3.de which provided web space for the project(Infogrames released an announcement on the issue which you can read on our news item on Nov.26).
Today, Kai informed us that on advice of his lawyer he signed the c&do to avoid further legal problems. Infogrames in a show of good will decided to pay the fee($850) of their lawyers, although Kai had to pay the fee of his own lawyer(signing the c&do could mean that Kai would have to pay for Infogrames's fees as well). Also, the c&do to civ3.de hosts were replaced with a non-disclosure agreement between them and Infogrames, after the removal of the web pages of the project.
We should note that under the c&do, Kai Fiebach faces a $10,000 fine if he involves himself with modification of Civ3 in any way in the future.
Since civ3(like all civ games) is a highly modifiable game, the remaining big issue for the entire civ community is what Infogrames considers as an acceptable modification of the game. We will keep you updated on this critical matter as new information becomes availiable. -MarkG
TRIVIA: MAO MONEY
(27 November 2001, 16:33 EST/Civ3) Civ3.com, the official CivIII website, has been updated yet again with the latest installment of the long-running CivTrivia series. Good luck to all participants!
Today's question:
What was China’s 1958 economic reform program, blamed for 20 million deaths in the ensuing famine?
-- Cultural Revolution
-- Four Modernizations
-- Great Leap Forward
-- Great Proletarian Revolution
At the time of this posting, PK is in the lead with 2420 points followed closely behind by Gramphos with 2400 points. -DanQ
TRAFFIC PEAK REPORT: NOV. 26
(27 November 2001, 6:04 EST/About) Yesterday was one more record braking day for Apolyton.
Forum users: 953 (registered and guests) users at 16:17est (previous record (936) on Nov. 12)
Daily unique visitors: 23,873 (previous record (23,840) on Nov. 5)
Also, the monthly unique figure are running close to 400,000 for the month of November(228,000 in October).
Finally, yesterday the Column was sent to over 8,000 subscribers for the first time
Many thanks for your continuing support! -MarkG
COMPUTER SWEDEN REVIEW
(26 November 2001, 19:55 EST/Civ3) One of Sweden's largest computer gaming magazines, Computer Sweden, has has posted their review of CivIII entitled "Civilization III -- Loved and Hated". Written in Swedish, below is a short excerpt translated by Håkan Eriksson:
[CivIII] is back like in it's palmy days. But shine even more if you could play it over the Internet..... brings me back to my old patterns. The first day I played until three o'clock in the morning.
Thanks to CivFanatics for the news tip. -DanQ
TRIVIA: DESTROYER OF WORLDS
(26 November 2001, 19:52 EST/Civ3) Civ3.com, the official CivIII website, has been updated yet again with the latest installment of the long-running CivTrivia series. Good luck to all participants!
Today's question:
What was the code name of the A-bomb dropped on Hiroshima from the plane pilot Paul Tibbets named after his mother?
-- “Big Boy”
-- “Bad Boy”
-- “Little Boy”
-- “Sonny Boy”
At the time of this posting, Gramphos and PK have a share of the lead with 2400 followed by radius with 2390 points. -DanQ
PATCH (HOPEFULLY) SET FOR NEXT WEEK
(26 November 2001, 19:20 EST/Civ3) Jeff Morris posted the good news
Hey guys. I wanted to drop you a line about the upcoming patch. We've sent it off to testing and baring any unforeseen problems it should be available some time next week. That is not a promise that it WILL be available next week however, since any number of things can cause a reset. We're on v1.14f right now, it being the 7th patch we've submitted to testing, only to find showstoppers.
To avoid any unecessary... drama :) nothing is set in stone. Problems could be found, forcing one more round of programming and testing. Fellow Firaxian Dan Magaha supplemented the report by commenting that old save game files should be backwards compatible with the patch as will old BIC files. Many thanks to Jeff for the update. -MarkG
C196# WHAT MAKES A GOOD CAR
(26 November 2001, 19:08 EST/Misc) Now sent to over 8000 civers, the Column gets closer to #200!
WHAT MAKES A GOOD CAR
Not exactly a "if civ3 was a car" comparison
By Howling Chip
-MarkG
13 NEW, 3 UPDATED FILES
(26 November 2001, 9:19 EST/Civ3) Beware! Civ3 files flood :)
New files:
- FLIC Editor: Change unit graphics(!!) by Moeniir
- Civ3Breeed utility - Correct Starting Locations by Mortioso
- Civ3 Reference File by LoneWolf5050
- Map of France by LouLong
- A New Look at the World (map) by ThaddeusAlexander
- Copper, Zinc and Nickel Resources Mod by Cossack
- Kitaria - Large Size map by Accipiter
- More City Names mod by Sevorak
- A New Look at the World II (map) by ThaddeusAlexander
- 10 Man Island - 256x256 by OmniGod
- Dhaeman's Mod
- Map of Ireland by OmniGod
- Little graphic change to the mines by m_m_x
Updated files:
- Civ3CopyTool 0.73 by Gramphos
- Balancer mod 1.41 by monkspider
- Blitz mod by korn469
Our files forum now contain 60 files(more or less :)) -MarkG
STRATEGY SECTION UPDATE
(26 November 2001, 8:15 EST/Civ3) Additions to our Strategy section since it's opening last week:
- How science works and why there IS a 4 turn cap by regoarrarr (14-11-2001)
- Quantitative Analysis of Civ Traits by nato (20-11-2001)
- The economics of food velocity in a Despotism by absimiliard (20-11-2001)
- Surgical Wars by gachnar (15-11-2001)
- Tactics: invading AI continent in Modern Age by Out4Blood (13-11-2001)
- Combat System Explained by Valant (03-11-2001)
- Picking the right Civ! by SoulAssassin (11-11-2001)
- 3-Step approaching for beating Deity by randomturn (14-11-2001)
- Management by Corruption by Comrade Tribune (18-11-2001)
- A Strategic Analysis of the Special Units by RobC (16-11-2001)
If you have found a good strategy thread, please post a note about it. -MarkG
CHIPS&BITS TOP10 17-23/NOV/2001
(26 November 2001, 3:38 EST/Misc) Something in this world continues to be terribly wrong, as Civ3 is #2 on the Chips&Bits chart behind a game with boats :)
SILENT HUNTER II PC is still master of the waves at #1. CIVILIZATION III PC remains in the #2 spot. METAL GEAR SOLID 2 PS2 is selling well at #3.
1. Silent Hunter II $39.95
2. Civilization III $44.95
3. Metal Gear Solid 2 (PS 2) $49.95
4. Empire Earth $44.95
5. Dark Age of Camelot $39.95
6. Ghost Recon (Tom Clancy's) $47.95
7. Alien vs. Predator 2 $37.95
8. Need for Speed: Motor City $39.95
9. Return to Castle Wolfenstein $49.95
10. The Sims: Hot Date $29.95
-MarkG
INFOGRAMES ON GERMAN TRANSLATION FAN PROJECT
(26 November 2001, 3:31 EST/Civ3) On Thursday, Infogrames Germany posted the following announcement on it's website(infogrames.de):
With an injunction Infogrames has halted a translation of Civilization III by a fan group. The grounds for this action are, among other things, the infringement of the copyrights that belong to Firaxis and Sid Meier. On this point, Frank Holz, Marketing Director of Infogrames: "All content of computer games is subject to copyright. Infogrames at this time has no choice but to formally stop the translation project. In this regard we are obligated to Firaxis, and this also applies from a legal standpoint. Of course, however, we are stunned by the commitment with which this group of fans approached this translation. Because we want to support fan projects more in the future than before, we are now checking out in discussions with Firaxis what possibilities for cooperation in this regard exist. Yet it must be kept in mind that the German localization by Infogrames is already well apace and deals with the entire game, while the fan group, as clearly stated by project leader Kai Fiebach, is only translating parts of it"
"Legal actions first, discussions on cooperation afterwards? Doesnt sound like good marketing to me", MarkG said to himself...
Thanks to Gaius Marius for the translation. Check out the rather heated discussion on the forums. -MarkG
FAN SERVED CEASE AND DESIST ORDER
(25 November 2001, 14:41 EST/Civ3) A grassroots effort is gaining momentum this weekend in an attempt to help a fellow Civ fan after it came to light that Infogrames (IG) Germany served a private citizen with a cease and desist order for attempting to translate parts of the English (US) version of CivIII into German. Accompanying the order is a $500 bill for the lawyer fees for drawing up and issuing the order.
The defendant, Kai Fiebach, spearheaded a campaign with a group of other CivIII fans in attempt to translate various components of the game into German in response to the game's US release with a self-imposed deadline of this Christmas. With a slated release for March, 2002 in their home country, the team -- frustrated by the extended wait -- organized itself through a website in an attempt to provide a service that Infogrames would not be fulfilling until early next year.
In a cruel twist, it was Fieback who informed IG of his and his crew's project and even offered to join forces with the company's localization team if only the game would be released sooner. Sadly, the response was one alleging copyright infringement on the part of Fieback and his teammmates. The website offering the translation effort was taken down not long after this notice was received and the group has effectively been disbanded as a result.
The story was broken yesterday on Slashdot and has generated a firestorm of response by in large supportive of Fiebach. Our thanks to Thue, Honcho7, UberKruX and Joe Heller for alerting us to this development. -DanQ
TRIVIA: BEFORE METRIC
(25 November 2001, 13:24 EST/Civ3) Civ3.com, the official CivIII website, has been updated yet again with the latest installment of the long-running CivTrivia series. Good luck to all participants!
Today's question:
What could be saved by "a pint of sweat", according to Gen. George Patton?
-- "A barrel of tears"
-- "A bucket of guts"
-- "A gallon of blood"
-- "A fifth of whiskey"
At the time of this posting, PK is in the lead with 2380 followed by Gramphos with 2360 points. -DanQ
GSPY GOTY 2001 AWARDS
(24 November 2001, 22:08 EST/Civ3) The 2001 edition of GameSpy's "Game of The Year Awards" is here and this time, the industry giant has opened up its voting booths on its website as opposed to simply utilizing their weekly mailing list to send out the numerous ballots. Civilization III is on the block for 'PC Strategy Game of The Year' alongside some other titles from this past year which include Cossacks and Stronghold.
The voting will continue up to and including December 23rd with results expected to be released shortly thereafter. -DanQ
POTENTIAL STOCKING STUFFER
(24 November 2001, 1:03 EST/Civ3) One of the thirty-five(!) PC strategy games being recommended by gaming network stalwart GameSpot (US) this holiday season is none other than the latest title from Firaxis Games, Civilization III.
[This game] is the follow-up to one of the most popular strategy games ever made, proclaim the GS staff. It's also a triumphant proclamation that strategy gaming is alive and well and still able to keep you rooted in front of your computer for hours at a time.
The latest incarnation in the Civ series is in good company alongside the likes of -- in alphabetical order -- Black & White, Empire Earth, The Sims: Hot Date and Tropico. -DanQ
THE `GUARDIAN` APPROVES
(24 November 2001, 0:52 EST/Civ3) Another day, another review of CivIII in a notable European newspaper. Britain's well read Guardian included its review in its November 22nd edition and after weighing and citing the pros and cons of the game's varying elements, awarded it 4/5 stars.
The latest installment is, on the surface, similar to its forefathers. [..] None the less, initial impressions are slightly disappointing. Sure, the graphics have been tarted up a bit, but little else seems to have changed. However, start playing and the improvements become apparent.
The article concludes:
Unfortunately the style of CivIII means the same elements that appeal to the fans will put others off. For example, the extensive micro-management necessary even in the early stages can be overwhelming while those with slower PCs will face delays as opponents make their move. And disappointingly, there is no multiplayer included. Despite this Civilization III, with its subtle improvements, is a worthy update [to the series].
Thanks to both CivCenter and CivFanatics for the news tip. -DanQ
DAZZLING, SAYS ITALIAN GAME SITE
(24 November 2001, 0:45 EST/Civ3) Next Game.IT, a notable Italian gaming site, has made their final say on CivIII known to its readership. The two-page review, posted on Thursday, was written in Italian but a functional translation on a general level is possible thanks to the free services provided by AltaVista's reknowned Babelfish engine. What follows is a brief translation that was generated from a quote extracted from the full write-up:
The official heir of what the greatest game for PC of all the times is considered has arrived, new and dazzling but with those sapor of ancient that a lot appeals to to us.
Full credit for this news tip goes to Voyager's Site. -DanQ
IT`S GOT WHOOP, SAYS VDX
(24 November 2001, 0:32 EST/Civ3) Voodoo Extreme decrees that CivIII sure knows how to open a can of whoop-you-know-what in its high praising review of the game posted this past Thursday. Indeed, reviewer Manveer "Eidolon" Heir's lone concern is the pending departure of his loved ones for the prolonged lack of attention he has subjected them too. To quote part of the introduction:
The Civilization series is only one of the greatest games of all time and Sid Meier is the man responsible for games such as Railroad Tycoon, Alpha Centuari, and Pirates! Could this game possibly be bad? It’s possible but it sure as hell didn’t turn out that way. Civilization III is one of the finest turn-based strategy games ever created –- period.
As the review progresses, Heir cites one downside to the game that has been brought to attention by fellow fans and critics alike.
Normally, this portion of the review would be reserved for discussing the flaws of the game, but CivIII has no real flaws. My only real major gripe is that there is no multiplayer – I would have loved to play with my friends for days on end trying to create the best civilization, but it was just not to be, I guess. -DanQ
CIV OF THE WEEK: AMERICANS
(24 November 2001, 0:26 EST/Civ3) The official CivIII website was updated on Friday with a discussion on the last of the sixteen civilizations that were included in the game: the Americans, led by former President Abraham Lincoln. Their special unit? The F-15 bomber.
[T]he F-15 was the first military aircraft with a genuine "look-down/shoot-down" capability, the product of pulse-Doppler radars that could detect fast-moving targets against cluttered radar reflections from the ground, the description on the site reads. The F-15 is an upgraded version of the standard jet fighter. Both require oil and aluminum to build, but the F-15 has a more powerful bombard strength and twice the rate of fire, making it a much more powerful unit for bombing runs.
With this posting, the detailed discussions on the 'real-life' histories of the numerous civilizations represented in the game is complete as is the "Civ of The Week" feature. -DanQ
TRIVIA: PICTURESQUE SPEECH
(24 November 2001, 0:20 EST/Civ3) Civ3.com, the official CivIII website, has been updated yet again with the latest installment of the long-running CivTrivia series. Good luck to all participants!
Today's question:
What premier proudly pronounced, in 1934: “We have buried the putrid corpse of liberty”?
-- Adolf Hitler
-- Benito Mussolini
-- Joseph Stalin
-- Josip Broz Tito
At the time of this posting, Gramphos and PK are tied for the lead with 2330 points apiece followed by radius with 2250 points but it is still early in the day. -DanQ
GS INSTANT POLL: THANKFULNESS
(23 November 2001, 21:14 EST/Civ3) In the spirit of Thanksgivving festivities in the United States, the familiar GameSpot "Instant Poll" wants to know which from a list of gaming titles released this year gamers are most thankful for. The options are: Aliens vs. Predator 2, Civilization III, Dark Age of Camelot, Flight Simulator 2002,
Return to Castle Wolfenstein, The Sims: Hot Date and Wizardry 8.
At the time of this posting, CivIII is in second with 22% of the popular vote trailing Return to Castle Wolfenstein noticeably which has received 34% of the ballots cast. -DanQ
TRIVIA: CZECHS AND IMBALANCES
(23 November 2001, 21:01 EST/Civ3) Civ3.com, the official CivIII website, has been updated yet again with the latest installment of the long-running CivTrivia series. Good luck to all participants!
Today's question:
Who reassured Britain that the Munich Pact meant “peace in our time”?
-- Neville Chamberlain
-- Winston Churchill
-- Adolf Hitler
-- Franklin D. Roosevelt
At the time of this posting, Gramphos and PK are tied for the lead with 2330 points apiece followed by radius with 2250 points. -DanQ
NPDI TOP10 4-10/NOV/2001
(22 November 2001, 11:29 EST/Misc) Gamespot reports: Infogrames Entertainment took four of the top five spots on NPD Intelect's latest weekly list of best-selling games, boosted by sub-$20 prices on three of its four top sellers. The publisher's family-friendly game division, Humongous Entertainment, took the lead with Backyard Basketball, its latest cartoon-style sports game.
Best-selling games for the week of November 4-10, 2001:
Rank / Title / Publisher / Average price
1 / Backyard Basketball / Infogrames / $17
2 / Civilization III/ Infogrames / $48
3 / The Sims / Electronic Arts / $41
4 / Backyard Football 2002 / Infogrames / $17
5 / Roller Coaster Tycoon / Infogrames / $19
6 / Bob the Builder: Can We Fix It / THQ / $17
7 / Zoo Tycoon / Microsoft / $29
8 / Aliens vs. Predator 2 / Vivendi Universal / $40
9 / Dark Age of Camelot / Vivendi Universal / $39
10 / The Sims: House Party / Electronic Arts / $28
In the previous week Civ3 was holding the top 2 spots on the chat with the Standard and Limited editions. -MarkG
15000 LOGINS
(22 November 2001, 3:59 EST/About) We only needed 3 days to go from 13000 to 14000 logins, but it took 11 days to reach 15000. That's a little bit beow 100 registrations per day.
As for other traffic related news, our music station has hit #1 in the Games and #37 in the Pop/Rock category, in just it's 3rd day.
As always, many thanks for your support!
-MarkG
TRIVIA: REMEMBER THE ARIZONA
(22 November 2001, 0:39 EST/Civ3) Civ3.com, the official CivIII website, has been updated yet again with the latest installment of the long-running CivTrivia series. Good luck to all participants!
Today's question:
What World War II battle sank four Japanese aircraft carriers, turning the tide for the Allies?
-- Java Sea
Marianas
Midway
Solomon Islands
At the time of this posting, Gramphos and PK are tied for the lead with 2310 points apiece but it is still early in the day. -DanQ
REVIEW FROM BRAZIL
(21 November 2001, 23:43 EST/Civ3) Civ fan Mauricio Gibrin sent in word that the Brazilian website Portal Terra has posted a review of CivIII in Portuguese, giving it a perfect 5/5 "pac man" score.
With the assistance of Babelfish, AltaVista's free online translation service, what follows are notable excerpts from what PT staff writer Mad Hab had to say about the game.
The effort of the Firaxis producer was considerable -- Civ III bring an enormous amount of new developments in relation to the other games of the series. [..]
Exactly thus, [Civ III] obtains to capture the attention of the player with constant and diversified challenges, and will make many fans of the strategy games to promise to diverse same times itself that they will only play ' plus a turn '... -DanQ
INVASION OF HISTORY CHANNEL
(21 November 2001, 23:32 EST/Civ3) The advertising campaign for CivIII is realizing new areas of coverage everyday from print ads in non-gaming magazines [see story below] to full-blown television spots on stations such as The History Channel. The following communique was published recently on the events in question from 'History Guy'
At around 9:12 this evening, as I sat and watched Egypt: Beyond the Pyramids on History Channel, on popped a commercial for Civ3! Looked really good, and they had leader animations for Cleopatra, Caesar, Gandhi, Lincoln, and Joan, as well as catapults firing, warriors with clubs, panzers blowing things up, wonders etc. Anyway, it looked real good.
'madrigal61' on CivFanatics also submitted a report as follows:
I was watching a special about Ancient Egypt on the History Channel last night. What blew me away is that CIV3 was extensively advertised during the two hour special. It had Cleopatra and Joan of Arc talking in the diplomacy screen... It was the first time I've seen a game advertised on TV. :)
Given these reports, it is most likely that as a result CivIII is first Civ game to be advertized on TV. -DanQ
WALKER, ON GAMESPOTTING
(21 November 2001, 23:29 EST/Civ3) GameSpot (US) PC News Editor Trey Walker has devoted the November 16th edition of his piece of "GameSpotting", a weekly write-up by the network editorial staff on what's going on in the world of gaming, to CivIII as a follow-up on what he discussed about the game before [see story below].
Apparently, his 'non-violent' experiment went awry.
It didn't take long for me to learn that the transition from a peaceful democratic society to a heartless aggressor can be rocky, Walker admits. Unfortunately for me, while I had been spending the last thousand years building churches, my neighbors had been drafting soldiers and stockpiling ammunition, perhaps foreseeing what was to come.
On the brighter side of things, I learned a valuable lesson: If you plan to start a war in Civilization III, start it before 2030.
Accompanying Walker's write-up is a poll based on the content of his article. It asks whether or not the respondent has ever regretted attacking on of their closet alies -- in the game, of course. At the time of this posting, 44% of ballots cast are in favour of the only when I have lost option followed closely behind by a straight-forward affirmative response with 40% of the popular vote. -DanQ
USERFRIENDLY ON CIV3 (AGAIN)
(21 November 2001, 21:18 EST/Civ3) It seems like Illiad is being inspired by our forums! Just a couple of days ago you might had noticed a certain forum thread on civ3's music.
If that's the case then yesterday's UserFriendly comic should be very faimliar... :)
Many thanks to star mouse for the report. -MarkG
PC GAMER REVIEW: 92%
(21 November 2001, 21:12 EST/Civ3) BLackraven42 reports that the December, 2001 "holiday" issue of PC Gamer has a two-page review of CivIII.
[A]lthough it has been [an extremely long wait], the end result makes it worthwhile: Civilization III is a fantastic game that takes the core gameplay of CivII and pushes it in new, exciting directions, begins PCG reviewer William Harms. [W]hat makes CivIII such a great game is that, just like CivII, it beldns a simple start with a vast array of options and pulls them together into a detailed, compelling, and seamless gaming experience. [..]
It's not a revolutionary leap forward, but it's still an absolute to joy to play.
The final rating was 92%. -MarkG
TRIVIA: PARTY HEARTY
(21 November 2001, 17:34 EST/Civ3) Civ3.com, the official CivIII website, has been updated yet again with the latest installment of the long-running CivTrivia series. Good luck to all participants!
Today's question:
What political party did Chiang Kai-shek lead to fleeting victory in China?
-- Boxers
-- Communist Party
-- May Fourth Movement
-- Kuomintang
At the time of this posting, Gramphos and PK are tied for the lead with 2310 points apiece. -DanQ
FILES: 1 NEW, 2 UPDATED
(21 November 2001, 9:28 EST/Civ3) What's in our Files forum:
- NEW Copper, Zinc and Nickel Resources Mod by Cossack
And updates on
- Civ3CopyTool v0.65 by Gramphos
- Save Game Editor v1.01 by jimmyh
If you want to post a new file, please follow the instructions on the forum. -MarkG
C195# CIV III AND MOO3, PART II: TBS HAS A FUTURE
(20 November 2001, 20:35 EST/Misc) Closing to 8000 subscribers, the Column is here one more time.
195# CIV III AND MOO3, PART II: TBS HAS A FUTURE
We're here to stay!
by Master Marcus. -MarkG
NEW SCIENTIST COVERAGE
(20 November 2001, 18:16 EST/Civ3) While New Scientist Magazine does not cover games in terms of content, it does carry a half-page ad for CivIII in its latest issue. Gerry Quinn describes how Infogrames attempts to "civililize" readers of the publication in the following post copied from the PC.Strategic newsgroup:
[Giant letters] IN YOUR WORLD
[Large letters] IS PROFIT THE PRIORITY?
The text, in its entirety, reads:
Civ III requires the careful and efficient utilisation of natural resources, which can yield significant income and strategic advantage. To succeed you must master production, which if uncontrolled can be catastrophic, resulting in pollution, causing Global Warming and climate change. Crucial economic and environmental decisions will be yours in Civ III - the game that tests your worldly judgement.
That's it folks. No screenshots. No mention of cities, armies or technologies. Maybe it's a subtle ploy to inveigle hippie types into the joys of world domination! Although why they think a science magazine has a readership so environmentally obsessed I don't know. If I saw an ad like that for a game I didn't know anything about, it would turn me right off it...
Thanks to CivFanatics for the news tip. -DanQ
AVERAGE, WITH SILVER LINING
(20 November 2001, 17:58 EST/Civ3) Russian gaming network FreeLancer has offered up their review of CivIII. Writer Yuri Bushin gives his opinion on the game's high and lows and both sides seem to influence equally as the final score he awards is a 7.4/10. He says that while the game is a logicial and well-executed progression in the series, there is not much it offers in terms of new elements beyond cosmetic changes such as graphics.
The main advantage of the game is that it did not get worse then the previous game in the series, says a relieved Bushin. [However], Civilization belongs to the kind of games, which right after seeing the light of the day, become exhausted. In such games one can make something better, rebuild something, but cannot make radical changes in general. It is the decoration that is being changed not the action itself.
He elaboartes on his criticisms by saying that he was expecting more from this title.
The game has almost returned to its creator, but there are no cardinal novelties that have become so attractive to many gamers since release of Alpha Centauri.
Still, the FL review welcomes any opportunity to endorse or recommend the game in any fashion.
[I]n spite of all drawbacks and critics by Civilization fans, the game is pretty good; moreover, there are no alternatives to it! It was unique and it is still that way [as] there are no plans for the sequel to Alpha Centauri. This game is definitely worth of buying!
Thanks to BluesNews for bringing this news to light. -DanQ
TRIVIA: CONTROL TO MAJOR TOM
(20 November 2001, 17:38 EST/Civ3) Civ3.com, the official CivIII website, has been updated yet again with the latest installment of the long-running CivTrivia series. Good luck to all participants!
Today's question:
Who took just eight days to complete the first solo flight around the world, in 1933?
-- Amelia Earhart
-- Howard Hughes
-- Charles Lindbergh
-- Wiley Post
At the time of this posting, PK is in the lead with 2280 followed closely behind by Gramphos with 2280 points. -DanQ
GAMEPEN: EDITOR`S CHOICE
(20 November 2001, 17:32 EST/Civ3) Brian Rubin has completed his CivIII review for GamePen. At the conclusion of his four-page final look, the GP staffer awards the game 4.5/5 stars and in turn gives it a "GamePen Editor's Choice 2001" seal of approval.
Suffice it to say, Civilization III is a fantastic game, that, while not without it’s small share of problems, will undoubtedly delight old and new fans alike.
This is a game I could easily recommend to anyone, and will undoubtedly do so if asked. Now, you can stop reading this, go outside (you know, that place where the sun is), and find a place to buy this game.
Thanks to GamePen Senior Staff Writer Jonah Falcon for the news tip. -DanQ
ACS STORE: LOWER INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING RATES
(20 November 2001, 7:59 EST/About)  Many of you have complained about the shipping costs of our store for countries outside the US.
Well, we are very glad to announce to you that international shipping rates have been lowered for the holidays. New rates as follows:
Canada - $4.30 for the first item and $1.65 for each additional item.
All Other International Destinations - $7.00 for the first item and $4.00 for each additional item.
We're looking forward to your feedback. If you order something, dont forget to send us a photo for our album! -MarkG
APOLYTON MUSIC STATION
(20 November 2001, 7:32 EST/Misc) Making use of cool mp3.com feature, we have opened the Apolyton Music Station!
The responsible for the original idea and the list compilation was Paris of Top40-Charts.com
This means that you can now listen to cool music while browsing Apolyton! You can make suggestions for songs you'd like to see in our program on the forums. -MarkG
A NEW LOOK AT THE WORLD
(20 November 2001, 6:39 EST/Civ3)  New file of the day: a different World map by ThaddeusAlexander. The huge-sized map is aimed for fun games not realistic ones, according to the creator.
In other files news, ancient one more update of his "unofficial patch". -MarkG
TRIVIA POINT MISHAP
(19 November 2001, 21:34 EST/Civ3) If you played today's edition of CivIII and answered the question correctly, you may have noticed that you received 0 points for your efforts. Dan Magaha, Firaxis Games' webmaster, addressed the issue in Apolyton's forums today.
Apparently the firm that developed the question put "zero" down as the difficulty level, and that's what determines the point value. No way to correct it now without cheating somebody out of some points, so it'll just go as a freebie. -DanQ
`FATHER`S` LATEST IS PERFECT
(19 November 2001, 20:14 EST/Civ3) The Danish newspaper Politiken gave Civilization III 5 out of 5 possilble stars in their November 8th issue. Their review was accompanied by an article on Sid Meier calling him the father of computergaming.
Thanks to CivCenter for the news tip. -DanQ
TRIVIA: FAMOUS FIRSTS
(19 November 2001, 20:11 EST/Civ3) Civ3.com, the official CivIII website, has been updated yet again with the latest installment of the long-running CivTrivia series. Good luck to all participants!
Today's question:
Umberto Nobile was the first to pilot an airship across this, in 1926:
-- Alps
-- Atlantic Ocean
-- North Pole
-- South Pole
At the time of this posting, Gramphons and PK have a tie for the lead with 2280 points apiece. -DanQ
APOLYTON ASH GREY HOODED SWEATSHIRTS
(19 November 2001, 7:07 EST/About) A new line of products have been added to our storeThe new sweatshirts come at a price of $27.99 and will be availiable until January 1, 2002. Our two more offers are still going on, check them out! -MarkG
13 NEW FILES!
(19 November 2001, 4:25 EST/Civ3) 13 New or updated files of the weekend:
- Animated Leader Head - Bill Clinton by thecrazyroach
- Wonder Screen Editor by thomsonlau
- EraSplash screens by BeBro
- Map Making Utility by LookANinja
- Animated Leader Head - Tony Blair by thecrazyroach
- build queue with easy to understand info by Nemo
- Save Game Editor v1.0 by jimmyh
- Real World Map by Selanne
- Raised land by Sn00py
- World Map by GeorgeG
- Blitz Mod by korn469
- Balancer Mod 1.32 by monkspider
- Unofficial patch 1.35 by ancient
-MarkG
REVIEWS: APOLYTON DAY 5
(18 November 2001, 20:08 EST/Civ3)  The last of MarkG's "first impressions" has just been posted. The full review should be done in a few days...
So, check out Apolyton Review: "Day 5". -MarkG
CIV OF THE WEEK: GERMANS
(18 November 2001, 19:24 EST/Civ3) The Germans are the "Civ of The Week" over at the official CivIII website. Led by Otto Von Bismark, the people's unique unit is the Panzer or, in native German, Panzerkampfwagen (which translated into English means 'armoured fighting vehicle').
Despite the role of the central role of the Holy Roman Empire, the subsequent history of Germany is marked by the rise and fall of feuding principalities, the site describes the nation. It would be a thousand years before Germany was reunified under a single ruler.
In Civilization III, the Germans are considered a Scientific and Militaristic civilization, therefore, they start with Warrior Code and Bronze Working, and have significant bonuses to scientific pursuits and military activities.
Next week, the dossier of the game's one civilization yet to be profiled will be unveiled: the Americans. -DanQ
TRIVIA: FAMOUS FIRSTS
(18 November 2001, 12:06 EST/Civ3) Civ3.com, the official CivIII website, has been updated yet again with the latest installment of the long-running CivTrivia series. Good luck to all participants!
Today's question:
The first “limited-access” highway, with entrances and exits in place of intersections:
-- Bronx River Parkway
-- New Jersey Turnpike
-- Pennsylvania Turnpike
-- Merritt Turnpike
At the time of this posting, PK is in the lead with 2280 points followed closely by Gramphos with 2250 points. -DanQ
CHIPS&BITS TOP10 10-16/NOV/2001
(17 November 2001, 13:03 EST/Misc) The latest slaes charts from Chips&Bits.
SILENT HUNTER II PC is still hangin in there at #1. CIVILIZATION III PC hasn't budged from #2. METAL GEAR SOLID 2 PS2 is just in and at #3.
1. Silent Hunter II IBM CD ROM $39.95
2. Civilization III IBM CD ROM $44.95
3. Metal Gear Solid 2 PS 2 $49.95
4. Empire Earth IBM CD ROM $44.95
5. Dark Age of Camelot IBM CD ROM$39.95
6. Alien vs. Predator 2 IBM CD ROM $37.95
7. Need for Speed: Motor City IBM CD ROM $39.95
8. Civilization III Collector's Edition IBM CD ROM $59.95
9. Stronghold IBM CD ROM $39.95
10. Asheron's Call: Dark Majesty IBM CD ROM$24.95
This is the secord sales report from separate sources in which Civ3 holds 2 positions in the top10, with it's Standard and Limited Editions. -MarkG
TRIVIA: HISTORY`S BLOODIEST BATTLE
(17 November 2001, 0:38 EST/Civ3) Civ3.com, the official CivIII website, has been updated yet again with the latest installment of the long-running CivTrivia series. Good luck to all participants!
Today's question:
What World War I battle lasted 140 days and cost 1.3 million lives?
-- Gallipoli
-- Passchendaele
-- The Somme
-- Ypres
At the time of this posting, PK and Gramphos are both in the lead with 2240 points apiece followed closely by radius with 2160 points. It is still early in the day so these positions are in no means guaranteed by the end of today's trivia edition. -DanQ
WHAT`S YOUR FINAL VERDICT
(16 November 2001, 20:06 EST/Civ3) Strategy Gaming Online wants to know what you think of CivIII in their latest instant poll. At the time of this writing, 41.6% of the 646 respondents to date have decreed that it could be better, but still better than most games.
24.6% say they are disappointed, which is currently the second most popular response, followed closely in the third by those on the opposite end of the scale in saying that it is the best computer gaming title yet -- their number is currently at 23.8% of ballots cast. Rounding out the poll options is the assertation that CivII and Alpha Centauri were better, presently with 9.9% of the vote. -DanQ
NAY A FLAW, SAYS AFTONBLADET
(16 November 2001, 19:54 EST/Civ3) The largest newspaper in Sweden, Aftonbladet, has given CivIII a perfect 5.5 score.
A fantastic journey through histroy -- [this game] has all the things Civilization II had and more. If you're going to buy one game this year, buy Civilization III!
Thanks to CivCenter for the news tip. -DanQ
MAKING THE LIST, CHECKING IT TWICE
(16 November 2001, 19:47 EST/Civ3) Gaming industry giant and stalwart GameSpy has been releasing various instalments of their Holiday Buyer's Guide 2001 over the past couple of weeks and the long awaited PC write-up is finally here to round out the extensive series of guides. As expected, Civilization III is on the list but is not as high up as you might expect.
Yes, the classic is back, the GameSpy staff write. All the turn-based strategic gameplay we loved, plus new enhancements to keep us hooked. [..] [CivIII] is a joy to play for hardcore and casual strategy fans alike.
The latest title from Firaxis Games finished a decent 6th out of 15th titles behind the following listed in reverse ranking order: Battle Realms, Operation Flashpoint, Aliens vs. Predator 2, Max Payne and in the number one spot Return to Castle Wolfenstein. -DanQ
STRATEGY SECTION OPENS
(16 November 2001, 8:29 EST/Civ3) We have just opened our strategy pages. In it you'll find some of the first great strategies that have been posted in the Civ3-Strategy forum.
We also need your suggestions of more posts that are worthy of being included in the strategy section. If you have seen a post or generally a thread that has helped you become a better player, please post about it.
In our strategy section you can also find a search box to find even more strategies from the forum. -MarkG
GEORGE BUSH / MOOD SHIELDED HEADS
(16 November 2001, 5:52 EST/Civ3) Files updates of the last 24 hours
Animated Leader Head - George W Bush
By thecrazyroach. Add George W Bush as your American leader animated head!
Mood Sheilded Population Heads
By Rickk. Extremely unhappy people are maked with a very angry black smiley face sheild. Unhappy people have a red frowny face.
Content people have a white face (with slight smile, to match most of the content faces). And Happy people have a golden 'toothy' face.
Also, monkspider and ancient have updated their mods. -MarkG
1ST CIV3 TOURNAMENT!
(16 November 2001, 4:04 EST/Civ3) Continuing our civ2 tradition, we are starting the 1st Apolyton Civ3 Tournament. The idea is the same: everyone plays the saved game which starts 4000bc. At the end of the tournament(November 30), the winner is determined by the highest civ3 score.
The details of the game
 Theme: Ancients Civs
Size: Standard Map
Ocean coverage: 60%
Land form: Pangaea
Climate: Normal
Temperature: Temperate
Age: 4 billion years
Barbarians: Restless
Civilization: Babylonians
Level: Regent
Opponents: 7 (Romans, Egyptians, Greeks, Aztecs, Persians, Chinese, Zulu)
Victory types allowed: All
- Download the tournament game
- Submit your (zipped) saved game by attaching it on this thread -MarkG
TRIVIA: SERBIAN TERRORISM
(16 November 2001, 0:22 EST/Civ3) Civ3.com, the official CivIII website, has been updated yet again with the latest installment of the long-running CivTrivia series. Good luck to all participants!
Today's question:
What Austrian archduke’s 1914 assassination set off World War I?
-- Albert Francis
-- Francis Ferdinand
-- Ferdinand Frederick
-- Frederick Albert
At the time of this posting, PK is in the lead with 2240 points followed closely by Gramphos with 2210. It is still early in the day so these positions are in no means guaranteed by the end of today's trivia edition. -DanQ
IMPROVED AND MORE ADDICTIVE
(15 November 2001, 20:32 EST/Civ3) What makes CivIII a sweet success is its improvements and increased addictiveness over previous incarnations in the series; this is according to Gamitopia's review of the game, penned by staff member Lucas Pawelczyk.
Overall Civilization III is a game that is for sure to please Civilization fans, especially those looking for some updated and improved gameplay, he concludes on behalf of GT. If you haven't played any of the Civilization games yet then this game is definitely something you should look into. Just make sure you are ready for a few days without sleep.
The final assessment for the game came in at an impressive 93% approval rating. The only cons Pawelczyk cites are two in total: first, what he perceives to be lackluster graphics and the obvious downfall of the lack of multiplayer support. -DanQ
NOT SO HOT, SAYS GAMEPRO
(15 November 2001, 20:23 EST/Civ3) Not everyone was entirely satisfied with what they saw in Civilization III, and one such reviewer that felt this way made what even he admitted to be a difficult decision: the guts to say so.
Star Dingo, reviewer for GamePro, awarded the game only 3.5 out of a possible 5 stars. He begins dispensing his take on the latest title in the Civilization series with the following snippy remark:
What do you do to improve on a game millions perceive as holy without pissing off its disciples? Civilization III’s answer: You don’t really have to do a damn thing.
Dingo expresses his underlying view throughout his write-up that the game plays off of the popularity of the series without adding much of anything beyond cosmetic changes which he characterizes as being standard at that. It is this, Dingo says, that makes it little more than a decent facelift and a gameplay balance patch. Nonetheless, he concludes, it is a half-decent tile.
[CivIII] is a rich, timeless, and time-sucking strategy game—if you thought it felt more like a math test than a video game back in 1991, then 10 years’ time probably won’t have changed your mind. It's still just [Civ], holy and true. -DanQ
CIV3 RELEASED IN EUROPE
(15 November 2001, 19:03 EST/Civ3) Civers from at least UK and Italy report the release of Civ3 in Europe!
Check out the Release Info forum for details. -MarkG
AN ACE IN THE HOLE
(15 November 2001, 11:30 EST/Civ3) There has been a score of positive CivIII reviews published in recent weeks but none has yet to award it that elusive and exclusive club known as the "ace", the 'perfect' score... until now. HappyHippo.com was more than pleased to do so in their review of the game written by site staffer MarkusJ. Overall rating: 5/5 stars.
Quote from the review's closing paragraph:
It is always difficult to make a good successor to a game that was a huge success. However, I think that Sid Meier and his team succeeded at this not only once but twice -- Civilization III is even better than Civilization II was. The game has (among other things) gained the good innovations of Alpha Centauri, and some annoying unnecessary overhead has been removed from the game. -DanQ
IN ONE WORD, IT`S `FUN`
(15 November 2001, 11:16 EST/Civ3) On Monday, GameVisions' John "Award" Del Percio gave CivIII what is undoubtedly one one if not the highest score he has ever awarded to a title that he has reviewed: a whopping 98%, which equates to being 'fun' according to the site's grading system. The four-page, twenty-four screenshot final look at the game is not surprisingly quite favourable to the efforts of Firaxis Games in their lastest work.
What can I say except "bravo!", Del Percio exuberantly concludes. It's yet another perfect game from Firaxis, and one that will most decidedly make you lose at least a month's worth of sleep in a very rapid fashion. [..]
Civilization III is most definitely the finest turn-based strategy game to grace the PC, and will likely remain that way for some time.
Finally, the GV staffer closes with the following announcement:
I'm proud to nominate [CivIII for the categories of Best Game and Best Strategy in the 2001 Top Pupil Awards!
Time will tell as to what awards, including GV', the latest incarnation in the Civilization series will win. -DanQ
PCG: IMPRESSED, HIGH GRADE
(15 November 2001, 11:05 EST/Civ3) PCGamer (US), the world's largest computer gaming print publication, reviewed CivIII in its December issue and awarded it a 92% final score.
[The game is] a detailed, compelling, and seamless gaming experience [and] [t]his is one game that you can't afford to miss, concludes the PCG staff.
Thanks to CivCenter for the news tip. -DanQ
TRIVIA: DON`T HOLD YOUR BREATH
(15 November 2001, 10:39 EST/Civ3) Civ3.com, the official CivIII website, has been updated yet again with the latest installment of the long-running CivTrivia series. Good luck to all participants!
Today's question:
What did the Confederates christen all of the submersible crafts they used to deploy mines, during the U.S. Civil War?
-- David
-- Namor
-- Nautilus
-- Turtle
At the time of this posting, PK is in the lead with 2210 points followed closely by Gramphos with 2170. It is still early in the day so these positions are in no means guaranteed by the end of today's trivia edition. -DanQ
SIMGOLF DEMO RELEASED
(15 November 2001, 6:20 EST/Misc)  Firaxis released a demo of the upcoming Sid Meier's SimGolf (and it's certainly "Sid Meier's", since Sid is listed on the credits as both the designer and one of the two programmers!).
The 39MB download allows you to get a taste from the game. I couldnt play it for a long time(my employer assumes that i'm working ;)), but here are some screens
Many thanks to kolpo for the news tip. If you download the demo, please post your impressions on the forum. EA lists "Early 2002" on the official site as the release date. -MarkG
CIV3 IN BOTH #1 AND #2 SALES POSITIONS!
(15 November 2001, 6:12 EST/Misc) Gamespot reports: Infogrames' latest turn-based strategy game, Sid Meier's Civilization III, took the two top spots in NPD Intelect's latest weekly list of best-selling games
Best-selling games for the week of October 28-November 3, 2001:
Rank / Title / Publisher / Average price
1 / Civilization III / Infogrames / $49
2 / Civilization III Collectors Edition / Infogrames / $60
3 / Zoo Tycoon / Microsoft / $23
4 / The Sims / Electronic Arts / $40
5 / Dark Age of Camelot / Vivendi Universal / $38
6 / Stronghold / GodGames / $34
7 / Command & Conquer Yuri's Revenge / Electronic Arts / $27
8 / Flight Simulator 2002 / Microsoft / $70
9 / Aliens Versus Predator 2 / Vivendi Universal / $44
10 / Asheron's Call Dark Majesty / Microsoft / $20
The chart is based on retails sales in the US.
Related forum thread -MarkG
CIVSTATS, EARTH, TALIBAN, CITIZENS!!
(15 November 2001, 6:04 EST/Civ3) 4 More files in our files forum:
CivStats
Microsoft Excel 2000 file containing: Enhanced tech tree, Terrain and resource data, Unit stats, Improvement/Wonder stats
Earth Map
New map of earth. Lots of screenshots linked in the thread
Taliban
A militaristic/religious civ lead by Osama Bin Laden, leader head graphics included!!
Citizens w/ Mood Badges
The original Civ 3 heads with an added badge (color-coded smiley faces - e.g., a small blue frown = unhappy) indicating their mood.
Also, ancient's mod is now in v1.25 -MarkG
EXTRACIVS UNIQUE UNITS?
(14 November 2001, 18:50 EST/Civ3) Contuining the preparations for the "Apolyton ExtraCivs Pack", Locutus has started five polls on the unique units of some of the civs
- Mongols
- Arabs
- Chinese
- Germans
- Spanish
Your vote counts, participate now! -MarkG
FURY OVER LE CONTENTS
(14 November 2001, 15:25 EST/Civ3) Some Civ fans are not pleased with the contents of the Limited Edition of CivIII, which has a slightly higher unit price than the "standard" version, and they're looking for answers. One such disgruntled individual, who goes by the moniker LaRusso, started a thread on the subject in Apolyton's forums demanding an explanation. In particular, he is furious over the lack of 'Designer Notes' in the tin.
Dan Magaha, Firaxian Web Wizard and forum regular, responded that the decisions as to what accompanies the game in the final packaging is up to the publisher -- in this case, Infogrames -- and not them.
To be honest, I don't know much about the LE or its contents, other than the tin, manual, and fold-out tech tree, because I've actually seen them, Magaha explains. We haven't even gotten our copies here yet, so I really don't know what else is or isn't in the box. Typically, though, the packaging and contents of game boxes are driven by the publisher, but I don't really know what happened in this case. -DanQ
ANCIENT`S MOD 1.2
(14 November 2001, 7:45 EST/Civ3) The third file of the day is one more mod, this time by Ancient.
Ancient's Unoficial Civ3 Patch v1.2 adds Fascism and Fundamentalism, two new technologies, introduces "Rate Caps", reduces corruption and much more.
Our files forum now contains 31 files. -MarkG
BALANCER MOD 1.0
(14 November 2001, 5:04 EST/Civ3) Monkspider released v1.0 of his Balancer Mod.
The changes includes the addition of Fascism, as well as changes in the other goverments, various changes on units and wonders, and many more.
Full details in the forums. -MarkG
ALPHA CENTAURI MAP
(14 November 2001, 3:35 EST/Civ3) RangerOne314 has creatred on more map, a 100x100 conversion of the Alpha Centauri (you know, from SMAC, remember that game? :)). Check it out!
In other "files news", Gramphos released v0.62 of Civ3CopyTool. -MarkG
TRIVIA: SITTING ON HANDS
(13 November 2001, 22:12 EST/Civ3) Civ3.com, the official CivIII website, has been updated yet again with the latest installment of the long-running CivTrivia series. Good luck to all participants!
Today's question:
What revolutionary told Mexicans: “It is better to die on your feet than to live on your knees!”
-- Pancho Villa
-- Miguel Hidalgo
-- Benito Juarez
-- Emiliano Zapata
At the time of this posting, Gramphos and PK are tied for the lead with 2140 points but it is still early in the day. -DanQ
MAKING THE GRADE |
