PCGamer Magazine

[Aeson]

I heard there's an article on CivBE in their paper edition with some new screenshots and info. Anyone have a copy? They don't sell them in the newsstands here ...

[Nikolai]

I haven't seen it, but my guess is not much new is revealed, and some of the info will turn out to be wrong when the game is released. Game sites and mags have a tendency to misinterpret stuff, and games change during development.

[Ming]

I don't think it's anything we haven't already seen. The stuff from the "paper" edition are available in digital form.

These are the two things they have done so far.

http://www.pcgamer.com/2014/04/12/civilization-beyond-earth-announced-civ-is-going-to-space/

http://www.pcgamer.com/2014/04/12/civilization-beyond-earth-interview-everything-you-need-to-know-about-the-new-factions-aliens-technology-and-more/

[Lorizael]

Darn, I was hoping this thread meant someone had got a hold of it. It looks like there's some new info, from what I've seen. I'm sure not all of it is accurate, but it can at least give us an idea of what the developers are thinking.

[Lorizael]

From Twitter, a supposed screenshot from PC Gamer's print preview.

[Lorizael]

Okay, I bought a digital copy of the issue. There's definitely some interesting new stuff in here. I'm going to try not to repeat stuff already mentioned about this article or in other sources.

Tom Senior got to play with the game for a little while, and he was apparently the first non-Firaxian to do so.

On terrain, he mentions that the glowing green miasma apparently damages units who breathe it for too long. Later in the game, you'll be able to harness power from geothermal vents in the canyons we've seen. There will be a desert biome, a Vulcan biome full of fungus (not volcanoes?), and an aquatic biome as well. It doesn't sound like those choices are all there are.

On affinities, he says that each affinity has "equally potent economic and scientific routes." Which suggests it's more than just your military units that change based on your affinity. Good to hear.

Early during his playthrough, he mentions that his workers "lay down a couple of farms and a mine." So some things haven't (yet?) changed. When you first build a city, it's only an outpost and needs to be fed materials via supply routes of some kind. That's interesting and new.

If you guys have questions, I can try to answer them. However, the answer will probably be, "The article doesn't say." Also, there are a few new screenshots, and the one I posted above is one of them.

[Nikolai]

Tom Senior got to play with the game for a little while, and he was apparently the first non-Firaxian to do so.

Eh. Not so sure about that.

[Lorizael]

/me shrugs. That's what it says in the table of contents on Page 6. It may not be true, of course.

[Nikolai]

First journalist, probably.

[Lorizael]

Yeah, that makes sense.

[Aeson]

I really like the way the terrains are looking. A little harsh on the transitions still, but that's probably something they're still working on. The units do look very "distinguished" based on Affinity, which is really cool. I always wished Civ could have more variation on units/buildings based on civilization. Having 3 only makes it easier of course!

Has there been any mention of building styles being differentiated by Affinity as well?

[Aeson]

A quick Google turned up some of the other images, I'm assuming from the article:

[Lorizael]

I really like the way the terrains are looking. A little harsh on the transitions still, but that's probably something they're still working on. The units do look very "distinguished" based on Affinity, which is really cool. I always wished Civ could have more variation on units/buildings based on civilization. Having 3 only makes it easier of course!

Has there been any mention of building styles being differentiated by Affinity as well?

I'm pretty sure the answer to your question is yes. From what I understand, buildings, leaders, and units will change appearance based on your affinity.

And yes, those are the other screenshots from the article. Having not really played Civ5... is that the way borders expand there, too?

[Aeson]

Civ V borders meld to the terrain more like they did in IV, so aren't so straight and blocky. It probably just is something that will be refined later, though it might be intentional to make it more rigid? It does give it a sorta "techy" feel ... though could still stand to have at least a bit of the edge taken off.

[Aeson]

Actually, looking more closely at the borders in Civ V, they're just rounded for the most part. Never really noticed it before.