Potential Release timing of CIV 4 !!!

[Nikolai]

You get more and more funny... Though I am curious to see what happens when we get to know the thruth... Over at PEF they know nothing of this btw, and just laughts of it...

[Alex]

icett is my new hero!

[Nikolai]

Again to calm you all! Paradox has bought Civilization rights and CIV 4 will be released by the first half of 2005. Be patient, CIV 4 is very near!

[Slip_Oz]

God I hope not. Paradox would murder this game. They are really not suited to the style of gameplay in Civ. Their games are far too incremental and stats based. One of the strengths of Civ is its structured gameplay. E.g. population units. You don't get 1% more people per turn and not notice the change, you get a new population unit after 10 turns and thats a noticeable difference. This idea goes through the whole design and is completely at odds with Paradox's design. If for one much prefer the Civ style as I'm playing a game and not taking a history lesson I know some of you will disagree!

[Locutus]

Originally posted by Trip
Definition of publish:

"To prepare and issue (something) for public distribution or sale."

That would be a pretty accurate description of game development as well, or for baking cookies for that matter

Originally posted by Araanor
I Don't know if you're trying to be funny.

Going by how the terms are used in the games industry, publishing and distributing are two clearly separate activities. They're often handled by the same companies, publishers. Atari are not publishing Paradox games.

In this context they are effectively the same.

What does a game publisher typically do besides distributing the game? Bluntly put, they only get to design the CD label, do tech support and put their logo on the final product. Of course this is grossly oversimplifying the situation but that's basically what it boils down to. Development companies actually design the product, publishers physically issues copies and distribute and sell them. The difference between self-publishing and external publishing is merely in how much influence the companies involved have over things like distribution format, retail price, box/manual/CD art/logo's, tech support, etc. This power distribution differs per company (and often even per game) anyway, so this so-called 'self-publishing' is merely a matter of semantics. As it stands, Paradox can't sell a single copy of any of their games without the aid of a publisher like Atari or Strategy First, even if the word used to describe the activities of these latter companies for a specific game is not 'publishing'.

In the context of Civ4, the suggestion would be that Firaxis would design the game, Paradox would publish it and Atari or Strategy First or someone else would distribute it? I don't think so! If true, I think that would be a first in the history of the gaming industry and not a very smart move as it would merely reduce the profit margin for all parties involved.

[Locutus]

Originally posted by notyoueither
But who the hell bought it, but doesn't want to say?

Nervousness encroaches.

One possible theory I can think of that Firaxis has bought the rights but they haven't found a new publisher yet and don't want to announce anything until a deal has been finalized.

Or it may be something mundane like the fact that whoever bought the rights plans to announce the acquisition as part of a more comprehensive financial report (like Atari did), which may simply have been planned at a later date. I mean, it all seems like a really big deal to us hardcore fans, but for a large publishing company it might just be one of many deals.

[Aramis]

Originally posted by Nikolai
Who is icet a DL of?

Most important question on this thread remains unanswered.

[Nikolai]

I'm wondering if he isn't a DL after all. He's active over at Paradox too, pestering the mods with multiple thread on the same topic, asking what will be the next game...!

[Locutus]

I hope he's not a DL, that would put an end to our entertainment once he's found out

[Maquiladora]

http://cyberex.eiak.org/M4/M4_2_view.html?no=767

Ah, Google. You think someone with such inside knowledge of the games industry would have contacts already.

http://www.singles-bar.com/details.a...ip=Matrimonial

[Jon Shafer]

Now that's low.

[Nikolai]

@ Maq



.......and icett...

[Paddy]

so have we had any further notice on a release date?

[Solver]

Confirmed as "late 2005", no word beyond that. Realistically, since they didn't say "fall 2005", I think it's quite possible that they're going for a Christmas release. I am definitely willing to wait an extra month or two in order for the game to have decent playtesting.

[Addled Platypus]

first half of 2005 is just about over

any takers?