What's in Civ4. Just the facts, ma'am.

[frekk]

My biggest hope if for a better AI - one that doesn't need so much starting bonuses to be able to compete. An AI that sees a value to having a homogenous, unbroken homeland territory. An AI that doesn't build useless remote polar colonies unless there's some benefit to doing so. An AI that can figure out a succesful overseas attack requires landing a lot of stuff at once. An AI that can figure out you're going to land more troops on the coast somewhere near your initial beachhead, and know that it's a good spot to try to intercept them at sea. An AI that protects its resources, especially things like iron, rubber, coal. An AI that knows how to use artillery and air power properly, knows how to mass it for effect. Etc etc.

[Brent]

Polar colonies: I just wish they wouldn't build them in the middle of my territory where I didn't because it was inhospitable. Otherwise, I have no problems with the AI being dumb enough to easily beat.

[Max Sinister]

Originally posted by Odin
I am hoping for a more realistic socio-economic model (as others said, it's not all about wealth and population, otherwise China would rule all ).

They've only got the population, wealth is yet to come. Their army is already the biggest (not the strongest)

[pchang]

I want public works instead of individual workers
I want different strategies to be viable ways of winning
I want network play against other humans and servers to hook game players up

[WhitePapi]

It would be nice if the AI was a little more intellegent. I am tired of being able to abuse the "Right of Passage" agreement over and over again.

I would also like some new kinds of interaction with the AI. I don't think that it should be restricted to trade. I think that information, such as exploration maps and feelings about other empires should be shared.

An armoured/protected transport group should be available. Not just with the function of an army, but more or less for the start of the game when you send a settler out, that settler should be able to either group with a warrior, or defend itself somewhat.

[Dinner]

I want an AI that's better at choosing city locations. How many AI cities have you seen which could have been placed on a geographic choke point or in the middle of the desert when just a few squares away was better land?

[Locutus]

My first post has been updated with the info from the PC Gamer article (and a bunch of other sources, but I already added those a week ago).

[Gatekeeper]

Hmm. I'm assuming there will be an Earth map — with cultures in their historic starting locations — with Civ IV, correct? Or is that an unknown yet? Then again, if the game is as moddable as they say it will be, it probably wouldn't take much for a player to make such a map.

Gatekeeper

[Locutus]

That's not known yet. Though I think all other Civ games had one, so it would be odd if Civilization 4 didn't...

But yeah, if it doesn't, I'll bet some fan will have made an Earth map within a week of release

[Brent]

I sure want Firaxis to do as much of that sort of work themselves as possible, a world map and a few regional world maps.

[Dinner]

I really ify about Civ4 right now. I consider MP to be par for the course in the internet age and I wouldn't buy a new game that didn't include MP; the exception being an adventure game like Pirates! where MP wouldn't work at all. The idea that a game must be super simple in order to appeal to the 13 year olds who buy most games just doesn't add up either as there must be some happy medium where those of use who can think a bit should be able to get ahead but the basics should be simple enough for zit faced kids to still understand. If Civ 4 is to simple and doesn't challenge intellegent people then I don't see a reason to buy it.

Religion and 3D is nice but I don't consider either one a "killer feature" like Firaxis has been claiming they will be. Civ 3 barely kept my attention for half as long as Civ 2 or CTP2 so I truly hope Civ 4 is more complex then Civ 3 or what will be the reason to buy it?

That said they can eliminate some of the boring parts of the game and make things flow better by getting rid of workers and putting in a Public Works fund or by having a group combat system like CTP2. Both would be more realistic, would streamline play, and would make the game more fun.

[Gramphos]

Soren posted and gave some more info on the removal of unfun elements in the game.

http://www.apolyton.net/forums/showthread.php?postid=3476968#post3476968

Polution will be replaced with a '[color={qcolor}]more comprehensive "Health" system[/color]'

[Locutus]

Thanks for the heads up. Not that it was needed in this case (since I was all over that thread already), but thanks anyway. I incorporated it in the first post

[Gramphos]

Originally posted by Locutus
Not that it was needed in this case (since I was all over that thread already)

I knew you would be that, it's more about collecting things in the right place.

(And have a reason to escape the studies for the exams )

[Solver]

I really ify about Civ4 right now. I consider MP to be par for the course in the internet age and I wouldn't buy a new game that didn't include MP; the exception being an adventure game like Pirates! where MP wouldn't work at all. The idea that a game must be super simple in order to appeal to the 13 year olds who buy most games just doesn't add up either as there must be some happy medium where those of use who can think a bit should be able to get ahead but the basics should be simple enough for zit faced kids to still understand. If Civ 4 is to simple and doesn't challenge intellegent people then I don't see a reason to buy it.

While I agree that games should have MP now... the inclusion or non-inclusion of MP will not impact my decision to buy Civ4. I will anyway play much more single payer than MP in Civ4. it's what I want in a Civ-game, a good single-player experience, something that many games lack now, aiming for MP.

Heck, in many games, I don't even touch the MP mode. Like, in Doom3, I completed it twice in SP, played a few custom maps, but haven't played any multiplayer. The only games I buy for multiplayer are Age of... by Ensemble Studios.

EDIT: What's up with Civ3 multiplayer anyway, the forum's just about dead. CtP1 people play more online games than Civ3 people, judging by the forums.