Questions For "Civ4Col" Developers: PolyCast

[DanQ]

Sometime next month, Civilization IV: Colonization is expected to be released worldwide to the gaming public. It is a highly anticipated sequel to the original Colonization released more than fourteen years ago; as expectations run and momentum rises higher and higher, questions remain. This month, gamers have an opportunity to ask those questions of and directly to four key individuals at its developer Firaxis Games in a special edition of PolyCast (PC), an official podcast of Apolyton Civilization Site (ACS).

Civ4Col Lead Artist Mike Bates, Lead Programmer Alex Mantzaris, Designer Ed Piper and Producer Jesse Smith will join Daniel "DanQ" Quick and a fellow co-host from ACS' PC series to discuss the game. To ask these gentlemen questions, you can either post them or leave a voicemail: (301) 637-7659 (North America), +44 121 288 7659 (Europe) or VoIP for free via Skype.

Where identities are verifiable and service available, those whose questions are selected for use in this special will receive a three-month subscription to "PLUS!", ACS` optional subscription service. Questions must be submitted on/by 11:59PM EDT on August 4th for consideration and will be screened for appropriateness and suitability. ACS is the only known community to produce its own Civilization podcasts.

[Niptium]

As an harcore Colonization fan (I like it better than the Civilization franchise), I'm submitting these questions so, feel free to reformat these questions and to chose which ones are pertinent. Thank you to DanQ and Apolyton for making this possible ! Wow, I'm so ecstatic to see we are gonna get great questions coming from a core-gamers crowd.

1- Assuming that Firaxis discussed the possibility of adding more players to the Colonization experience (Portugal comes to mind to most fans of the serie, Sweden also had a colony on the Delaware for 17 years) what were the obstacles to adding a 5th or even a 6th nation and why did you chose to stick with the original ''big four'' ?

2- Is there a possibility of having an expansion pack for Sid Meier's Civilization IV: Colonization ?

3- Fans of the original were a bit worried that this remake wouldn't try to renovate the 1994 gameplay experience. The developpers have stated that there is in fact some changes will be introduced (J. Smith mentionned ''barns'' in a recent video interview). What are the biggest changes to the 1994 gameplay formula ?

4- Speaking of diplomacy, the original Colonization had a limited system of interactions with the other colonial powers, the Fatherland, and with the Indians. In what ways did you enrich diplomatical encounters towards each of these ?

[Verrucosus]

Here are my questions. Please, feel free to choose, ignore and edit:

5 - The pompous official title makes it sound like a third Civ4 expansion. If it is not, some customers expecting one might be disappointed. Others might even skip the game because they think two expansions are enough. Why not just call it Colonization II?

6 - A "feature" that makes Colonization almost unique among strategy games is the absence of a technology tree. Will the new game have one? If so, will the speed and direction of research be controlled by the colony or by the mother country? If the colony has a say in research, will this reduce the heavy focus on economic development that characterised the original game?

7 - Have you increased the complexity of the combat model that was very simple in the original game? Again, how has (or would have) such a change affected the character of the game as a whole?

8 - Apart from unwanted wars and tax increases, are there any additional features that make it clear to the player that his colonial empire is not a sovereign nation?

9 - In the original game, the prospect of having to fight the Royal Expeditionary Force has the great effect of making every decision seem important in forging a colony that can stand that test, but the revolution itself is often either short or boring. Reports about constitutional choices after declaring independence suggest that the post-independence phase will be more interesting this time. Will there be enough time for these choices to make themselves felt and, again, how will this change the character of the game as a whole?

10 - What are the minimum and recommended system requirements?

11 - The music selection for Civ4 was very well received. Please tell us about the music for the new game.

12 - Although barbarians, Indians and mindworms might disagree, the Civ games are essentially about settling and conquering a virgin world. It's not least this epic "4000 BC feeling" that makes them different from Paradox or Total War games, for example. Beyond the colonization of the Americas, can you think of other historical topics that are appropriate for a Civ spin-off?

13 - Assuming that Colonization sells well and given Brian Reynold's important role in creating the original version, what are the practical prospects and problems involved in creating Alpha Centauri II?

(Okay, the tie-in for question #13 is a bit forced, but we cannot waste this opportunity to pop the SMAC-question, can we?)

[Dale]

14. Considering the success of Colonisation and this opportunity to create/expand a sequel, why the decision NOT to include other arenas of the Age of Exploration such as Africa, India and South-East Asia?

15. Will there be an expansion / DLC that includes other arenas of the AoE?

[Verrucosus]

Sorry, forgot one:

16. Is the 300-year-turn limit inflexible or is there (a) an extension during a protracted war of independence like in Col1 or (b) a speed setting like in Civ4 (quick, standard, epic)?

[Dubhghlas]

As has been reiterated elsewhere in this sub-forum, SMAC is unlikely to be touched by Firaxis, since the rights are still tied to the old publisher and no indication that will change anytime soon.

I espcially expect that, after the fiasco that was Call to Power, and given that the whole point to SMAC at the time was to be an end around under the THEN rights dispute over Civ, you won't see any effort by Firaxis on SMAC unless and until the current rights holders cry uncle and surrender them.

[snoopy369]

I do suggest that the questions be limited to Col-related questions, and not involve other games except as they relate to Col... that makes them more likely to be answered

[Verrucosus]

I have read elsewhere about the SMAC problem. From what I understand, it's tricky but not impossible to overcome. I would not seriously expect a frank and certainly not a lengthy answer to the SMAC question (if it were asked). Asking a question that is this unlikely to be answered should be considered a formality (like opening question time with "Will the Prime Minister list his engagements for today?") or better a demonstration of stubborn conviction (like ending every speech with "by the way, I believe that Carthage must be destroyed").

If Dan's guests go home and tell Jeff Briggs that even in the most intricate interview about Colonization, somebody is bound to bring up "that stupid SMAC question", I'm happy enough. (And for the moment, I'm happy enough about Colonization anyway.)

[Niptium]

Who really cares about the SMAC franchise. If Firaxis wanted to make a follow-up they'd call it another star system (Beetlejuice, Orion - oh no wait that one's taken) r just name it Civilization Stars or anything and they could do it. This thread is about Colonization - and should remain about it.

[Verrucosus]

I do agree about that last bit. Then again, I was the last guy to ask a Colonization question. On that note:

17 - If founding fathers are unique (like great wonders) and the chance of getting any one is dependent on your colony's focus on his particular area of expertise (trade, military, etc.), is it at all possible to target a particular founding father by the way in which I play or can I only increase my chance of getting any of a particular category?

[DanQ]

Thanks to all who submitted questions -- the timeframe in which to do so has now past.