FreeCol - Free alternative to Colonization/C4C

[Petrell]

FreeCol is rather faitful remake of original Colonization with improved graphics and focus on moddability. This is a good change for those who have never played the original to see what the game is about and for old fans to refresh their memories.

FreeCol 0.7.4 was just released. It fixes number of bugs in previous release and is the last version before 0.8.0. Some of the bugs that were fixed:

- Mistyping in transfer dialog prevents saving or ending turn
- Buttons stop working
- AI gets stuck in infinite loop
- Indian settlements can be visited multiple times

Bug fixes in 7.4
New features in 7.4

Freecol - SF


FreeCol 0.8.0 is scheduled for release on Friday, July 11th. Main goal of this release is to make game more moddable but also adds new nations, sounds and music. Planned features:

- Allow the game to be customized using XML-files.
- Support different sets of graphics.
- A file format for packaging changes to graphics and rules.
- Units now slide between tiles while moving.
- Sound effects for dragoons, artillery capturing a colony, building
complete, church and blacksmith.
- New sound effects for artillery and buying/selling goods.
- Short music clips for Aztecs, English and fountain of Youth
- Named regions and nicer placement of native settlements.
- New nations added: Portuguese, Swedish, Danish and Russian
- Games with up to eight European players are now supported.

Feature requests implemented for this version
Bugs fixed for this version

You can also check new art and animations being made for future releases in graphics mailing list. There is also been some work on nationally distinctive colony architecture and distinctive indian tribe settlements and other artwork. New contributions are always welcome (wether its code, graphics, sound or music) *hint* *hint* .

[Grandpa Troll]

I just downloaded

I am wondering if anyone else has played this version?

I never heard of Colonization, until our great site started to promote it

Im taking up the torch and putting on the mantle, to learn and be active in our forums pumping up and promoting its future

Now, do you build settlers and such when getting to your new world?

I know you build a settlement just curious where you expand from there?

Ill probably learn, I am assuming we have near a month prior to release of the newest version, so time to at least get my mind set on direction to grow

[Niptium]

I have played a few games, and I have to congratulate people who go out of their way to make a freeware program like this. It's great and really, thumbs up.

I have to say though, that if you pick it up to play MP, think twice... 'Cause waiting anywhere from 5-10 minutes for each turn dependig on how many you are is a big step back from the Civ4 multiplayer experience. I can't stand such a slow MP anymore.

[Dale]

Gramps, if you're looking for a good AI game, forget it.

The AI sucks donkeys.

Which is a shame because the rest of the game is great!

[Grandpa Troll]

Originally posted by Dale
Gramps, if you're looking for a good AI game, forget it.

The AI sucks donkeys.

Which is a shame because the rest of the game is great!

Dale, I am in awe of your abilities and of course indebted to you for your Alms in purest Superior Stewardship Station in Life!

I am playing a little to get used to what to look forward to with the latest version.

Are you able to share at this point any "rumours" of how this freeware version and the new upcoming release parellel in play?

Thanks

Gramps

[Dale]

You know I can't answer that.

Let's just say, since the final version of C4C, I haven't loaded BtS. I think there will be a lot of that.

Plus, I've already given everyone one little thing in another thread that's different to the original. Though I'm not sure anyone picked up on it.

[Niptium]

WHAT ?

The guy has been playing COL all this time and he hasn't said a freaking thing !INSANITY !

[Dale]

<------ Firaxis BETA tester.

[Krill]

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Chump

[Grandpa Troll]

Originally posted by Dale
<------ Firaxis BETA tester.

What?



You some kinda weird Lab rat experiment?

Hope no irreversible effects come out of your being used

[Niptium]

Wow ! So unfair, I have been CRAVINg for informations, I had all these little questions about this game (remember I started playing original Col at 12 in 1994) and you were sitting on these informations...

I really hope you feel guilty if I learn I have a cancer out of all this waiting and you could have done something !

[Dale]

Originally posted by Krill
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Chump

You're just jealous.

[Niptium]

Originally posted by Dale
You're just jealous.

Count me in that bandwagon

[Krill]

Originally posted by Dale


You're just jealous.

Why? I've been a Firaxis Beta tester before, I know just how badly they treat testers who disagree with their idea of balance. I'm sure you know the saying if you pay peanuts you get monkeys; well, they need to up their pay if they want some decent coders.

[robinp]

Now better than ever with v 0.8.0

I was ecstatic when I found that FreeCol 0.7.4 would play on my old "Windows Me" (better than Freeciv does).

Now I've had the new (Beta-plus?) version of 0.8.0 for a month. Not enough sleep. Just as well I don't have a day job.

Yes, in reply to another post on this thread, the AI are a bit dumb. But they weren't brilliant in Col1. Try the "Very hard" option if you want to give them a better chance. Developers are working on it.

Comments can be added to wiki pages as well as in this thread; see:

http://civilization.wikia.com/index.php?title=Talk:FreeCol&action=edit

I have played a few games, and I have to congratulate people who go out of their way to make a freeware program like this. It's great and really, thumbs up.

I have to say though, that if you pick it up to play MP, think twice... 'Cause waiting anywhere from 5-10 minutes for each turn dependig on how many you are is a big step back from the Civ4 multiplayer experience. I can't stand such a slow MP anymore.