First Impressions

Velociryx · October 1, 2008, 06:02

Got the game for my B-Day and have played through 3 complete and a partial.

It's interesting...sort of a "Civ-Lite" simplified and watered down. TOTALLY playable and worth playing, but more of a "beer and pretzles" version of Civ than what I'd call "real" civ.

I'm not sure it should be in the running for Strat game of the year tho (it's fun, but IMO, too lite a game to be taken seriously in the strategy department).

Once you get used to the controls, they're not so bad, and it IS kinda cool to play on the 42 inch TV (Confession: I enjoyed it so much that it prompted me to move one of our computers downstairs and hook IT up to the big TV....Civ 4 and EU2 never looked so good...or HUGE!) - Wireless keyboard and mouse...ohhhhh yeah!

I'd give it 3 stars out of 4. Totally worthwhile game, great if you don't wanna spend all day (if you have a couple hours to burn and want to have a good time, this is your guy, no question).

I would recommend it to any of my strategy loving friends, so that says something, but again, I would caution them that it's more a beer and pretzle game than a deep strategy game (I have a lot of purist friends who would be ticked at me if I didn't give them the proviso).

Engaging game.

-=Vel=-

PS: One thing I can't get past tho...I HATE that the leaders talk in gibberish.

DeepO · October 5, 2008, 08:41

Happy birthday, Vel!

I'm enjoying this game for a while now. And I agree completely, it is not a deep strategy game, just a fun thing in between... but that was just what I needed too, as I can't find the time anymore to play for days on end. So I like the format. There are more advantages than flaws.

My biggest complaint, though, is that the hardest difficulty level is deity. I beat it in my third game, and ever since I might have lost once or twice. If I read some of the comments on cfc and here, it seems that many civ vets come to consider the game as a puzzle: how to solve the game of the week before 3000 BC, how to milk an AI most efficiently, etc. We really could need another level in, to preserve some of the challenge.

As it stands, I've fallen for the same puzzle trap, it seems. My personal goal is to get to AC before 1000 AD... and I just can't get it. 1025 a couple of times, but I always miss 1 or 2 turns. I've found that the map generator is too general to make much of a difference on this date: all maps are more or less the same. I miss the terra algorithm...

anyway, enjoy it for what it is: it won't be breaking any strategy boundaries, but it's a fun little game that some of us enjoy after months of (casual) play.

DeepO

Velociryx · October 7, 2008, 08:37

Thank you, sir!

And you are well ahead of me in terms of mastering the game then....I'm nowhere close to 1025, but I'm enjoying every game, which I count as a good thing!

Now, tell me what's been going on with you?! It has been far too long, my friend!

-=Vel=-

Cookie Monster · October 7, 2008, 16:58

I bought the game the day it came out and enjoy it very much. I don't consider myself a hardcore strategy gamer, although most of my video and PC games are TBS games.

One observation: Many of the purists dismiss this amazing little game because it does not live up to their standards. There is no rule in life stating that the only games one should be playing are hardcore complex strategy games. Sometimes a little beer and pretzels does a body and mind good!

Velociryx · October 8, 2008, 13:26

Well said! And like you, I am enjoying this find very much indeed!

-=Vel=-

DeepO · October 9, 2008, 12:27

Originally posted by Velociryx

Now, tell me what's been going on with you?! It has been far too long, my friend!

-=Vel=-

Far too long indeed... and I miss the good old days. But then again, over the past years other priorities kicked in and I simply don't have the time anymore to be posting around here for hours each day

What has happened? I changed jobs twice since the original GS kicked off, and every time it seems to take more of my evenings. But I enjoy it too much to take it easy. I've been with an American girl for a year, she migrated to Belgium, got me hooked on the PS3, then couldn't cope with the stress anymore and left me... I kept the PS3 while she's still in Belgium, so I guess we both ended up with something good out of it all

The latest project has been a house I bought (not so easy when you're single, I must say), which I've been renovating over the past half year. That's not so easy as it might sound as I can't even paint because of my paralyzed arm... the result of which is that I've been buying a lot of dinners and drinks for friends and family who are doing all the work. Busy evenings indeed: either somebody is working at home and I'm around, or I'm taking someone for a dinner, or there's work to take care of. The moments I can relax are in many cases spent on CivRev, as I too enjoy every game.

What about you, how's your health lately? And how does it go with Candle'Bre?

DeepO

Velociryx · October 9, 2008, 12:36

A new girl and a new house! WhoooHooooo! Go you!

Sounds like your life is rolling along beautifully, my friend! Now, if the world economy doesn't melt down completely and take us all with it....

I'm happy for you, sir! Sounds like good things in abundance for you!

Candle'Bre is inching closer...slow and steady, that's us. The biggest milestone to date is the completion of a total of four novels around which the game is built...having them DONE really gives us a solid grounding in terms of knowing what's "feature creep" and what's genuinely supposed to be there (books have been sent off to a publisher--BAEN Books--for evaluation, and I'll keep you posted!

Health wise...meh. Turning 40 is not for the faint of heart, and since I already got a sometimes uncooperative ticker, it has had its breathless moments, but I'm still kickin', and as long as that holds true, I'm a happy fellow!

And when you get your house just the way you want it, if you find yourself with an odd evening free here or there, PM me here, and we'll have a chat on some messager proggie or another, and I'll give you real time updates...

-Chris

TCO · November 26, 2008, 15:40

I hope it has real acted videos for the advisors. Hate CGI

Adm.Naismith · December 3, 2008, 06:54

Originally posted by Velociryx
I'd give it 3 stars out of 4. Totally worthwhile game, great if you don't wanna spend all day (if you have a couple hours to burn and want to have a good time, this is your guy, no question).

I would recommend it to any of my strategy loving friends, so that says something, but again, I would caution them that it's more a beer and pretzle game than a deep strategy game (I have a lot of purist friends who would be ticked at me if I didn't give them the proviso).

Engaging game.

Hi Vel!
I've had many doubt about Civ:Revolution for DS, because of fear of a "too stripped down, kind of Civ" console game.

To be honest, I don't play Civ IV BTS since many months now, and when I started a couple of game I discovered I have forgot too much about figures & tactics. The balance change of the last couple of patches (official and unofficial) also is a problem for me, because I applied without checking pro&cons on the readme or the forum.

Anyway, may be I can get a copy for Santo Natale (as we call Christmas here in Italy

) with a new DS console. I can't steal anymore one from my children, you know: they are grown enough to fight for it!

So, thank you for your suggestion, and thanks to DeepO too!

verconsystems · December 15, 2008, 17:46

The CGI advisor's are really well done. Civ Rev (PS3 with 1080p) made me buy BTS since it left me unsatisfied.

UnOrthOdOx · January 26, 2009, 10:20

I took a look at it, finally, this past weekend.

My son bought it with some of his birthday money after Christmas. And, other than showing him some very basics, I hadn't touched it. He's been playing on Warlord quite gleefully.

I'm an emperor level player in virtually all Civ games, because I typically don't like the micro needed for Diety. So, my first game I did what I normally do with a new civ game, go to Monarch, random leader, and played to get my bearings.

Tanks vs hoplites was no fun, so I stepped it up to emperor, and played the Aztecs. Ludicrously overpowered heal after victory made for a cannon army that had every possible upgrade and a great general which more or less single handedly mopped the map.

A second game random leader stuck me with rome. Tanks vs archers again...

Seems the AI is severely lacking. They change gov't A LOT, for instance. That's a lost turn every time, (unless that's one of their cheats). And, going to war with them seems to more or less freeze their tech level, or at least SEVERELY limit it, which is really disappointing. (might be they're all going fundamentalism asap) Wouldn't be bad if they didn't ALWAYS start asking for your great people as soon as you settle them. Soon, their all at war with you, switched to cash and rushing units, it seems. Survive that onslaught and you out-tech them seems to be how the games have played out.

I'll probably be playing Diety as well, but I wanted to look at some of the scenarios first. Some of those sounded more interesting.

I did get a chuckle when my son asked how it was one of the enemy pikes managed to injure one of my planes, though. That's Civ, son...that's Civ...

zsozso · February 3, 2009, 10:24

Long time ago I was an addicted SMAC/X player, but I had to stop playing because I spent way too much time with it and I could not really afford that (life and all those obstacles...

)

Now my kids are playing games all the time, but they are still too young to appreciate the depth of SMAC. So I bught CivRev on PS3 for them. They love it, but even more then them, I love it

Exactly for the same reason as Vel said: it is simpler shallower than SMAC, but that allows for a quick few hour game that is still fun. That much time I can spare now and then and it does not drag me into series of overnight games.

Of course, you need to play it at the highest difficulty otherwise the AI is a real push-over.

Now, the question: any of you guys would be interested to setup some online games ?
I am thinking from roughly 10pm EST time-frame any day.

Zsozso

UnOrthOdOx · February 5, 2009, 09:19

That's 8PM my time.

It would be possible for me after 8:30, on night my wife is working and I don't have some Halloween things to work on. So...possibly this Saturday, provided you don't mind me having to take a break now and then to check the skull I'll be baking in the oven.

ColdPhoenix · February 5, 2009, 11:25

Originally Posted by UnOrthOdOx

...have some Halloween things to work on....

Aren't you starting a little early?!

UnOrthOdOx · February 5, 2009, 21:21

Originally Posted by ColdPhoenix

Aren't you starting a little early?!

No such thing as too early.

As my wife's friend puts it:

Some people hunt and fish
Some golf
Some work on cars
UnO Halloweens.

zsozso · February 6, 2009, 11:58

Originally Posted by UnOrthOdOx

That's 8PM my time.

It would be possible for me after 8:30, on night my wife is working and I don't have some Halloween things to work on. So...possibly this Saturday, provided you don't mind me having to take a break now and then to check the skull I'll be baking in the oven.

Sounds good to me!

So far I have been playing with the user name Eniko_Ati -- names of my two kids, who are the "official" owner of the PS3

I'll see if I can create a new login for myself with Zsozso name tonight. If that works I'll post again here.

UnOrthOdOx · February 6, 2009, 21:53

Originally Posted by zsozso

Sounds good to me!

So far I have been playing with the user name Eniko_Ati -- names of my two kids, who are the "official" owner of the PS3

I'll see if I can create a new login for myself with Zsozso name tonight. If that works I'll post again here.

Well, I'm afraid something's come up.

We'll be spending the night at my parents this Saturday, and helping finish with their flood cleanup. (My dad has a traveling job, never knows when he'll be in town, so just got the call it's tomorrow)

Looking at my wife's schedule, looks like next week's days are Teusday, Thursday, Friday.

Teusday and Thursday should be open. Friday, with any luck, I'll be mass-producing skulls.