(newish) Interesting Screenshot

[Myrddin]

I assume the tile details are:

3 food
1 gold
+2 health - I assume that 'health' must work in some way like 'waste for food'. If there are no longer fixed governments with tile bonuses/penalties then tiles must always produce the same but there must be a way of varying growth rates - voila health

[Robert]

but the health boxes (Red crosses) are there because there's Fresh Water........

[Alex]

Perhaps units located on tiles with fresh water have a bonus to their health, meaning they can repair any damages faster than on other tiles (but still slower than in a city, I'd assume).

[Maniac]

Originally posted by Soren Johnson Firaxis
It does have some Trade Mission functionality

Anyone know what Trade Missions are btw?

[The_Aussie_Lurker]

Hi guys, couldn't resist doing a little 'speculation' of my own !
OK, we know that the health of your nation is going to be as vital as its treasury, so clearly tiles like fresh water add to a cities 'Health'. If I had to make a guess, I am betting that health and food combined effect how quickly your cities grow or decline-though health might also effect the chance of plagues and other diseases effecting your nation (assuming plagues make a reappearance).
As for the centre screen, I reckon the icons are-in order:
Disband, Fortify, sentry, attack/defend and explore.
OK, now I have to say that I REALLY like the fact that fresh water is important in the game-as I asked for something along these lines back before civ3 !
I am a bit disappointed that gold still seems to be generated DIRECTLY from a tile-as I really feel that the gold your city gets should depend on how many food and shields the city collects each turn-modified by the city's wealth! Anyway, perhaps that may yet change.
Another thing that seems odd is that the desert tile produces THREE food. This might just be because its a demo screen-and the numbers are just arbitary-or it might mean that the amounts of food and shields might cover a MUCH bigger range!
Lastly, I too would LOVE to know what these 'trade missions' are, and how they connect into the wider trade and diplomacy systems of Civ4. Wanna give us any clues Soren?

Yours,
Aussie_Lurker.

[Maniac]

Originally posted by The_Aussie_Lurker
Another thing that seems odd is that the desert tile produces THREE food. This might just be because its a demo screen-and the numbers are just arbitary-or it might mean that the amounts of food and shields might cover a MUCH bigger range!

The same as in Civ3 no doubt: deserts next to rivers become "flood plains" IIRC, producing much more food.

[Addled Platypus]

could the red-pinkish colored line in the top right corner be a border?

Do we realy want multi units in the game.
Might be cute at first, then a distraction later..what does it realy bring to the game?

[The_Aussie_Lurker]

Platypus. From what I hear, the 'Multi Units' are the result of an ability to combine units into an army-which is what these multi-units represent. Its just that thus far we have only seen homogenous groupings of units. Yet apparently if you combine, say, a pikeman with a knight, then the unit graphic will show those units together as a 'multi-unit' (which is far better than the army approach in civ3, which required you to constantly remind yourself of what was there AND could never be upgraded!)
Anyway, hope that clarifies things and Soren, if I am wrong, please feel free to correct me !

Yours,
Aussie_Lurker.

[Robert]

could the red-pinkish colored line in the top right corner be a border?

I'm quiet sure about that.

Platypus. From what I hear, the 'Multi Units' are the result of an ability to combine units into an army

I think that's not true.
A multi unit just shows a single unit. Perhaps it shows it's strength. (3 units = low, 4 units = avg, 5 units = strong)

[The_Aussie_Lurker]

Well, the 'multi-unit' theory is based on information coming from interviews in both PCZone and that German computer magazine. So, unless they are completely wrong, then my theory is correct !

Yours,
Aussie_Lurker.

[Ninot]

I'm fearful of the art. I was hoping for a darker looking game.

[Robert]

Originally posted by Ninot
I'm fearful of the art. I was hoping for a darker looking game.

why would anyone prefer a 'darker looking game'? It's not "Return of the Sith"

[Modo44]

Originally posted by CyberShy
why would anyone prefer a 'darker looking game'? It's not "Return of the Sith"

Because games like Sims make me puke?

[Robert]

If computer games make you puke you reeeeeeaaaaally need to go outside some more, instead of staring at your screen all the time

[Ninot]

I don't know why anyone would prefer a darker looking game, but I know I do.

I forget who said it, but someones girlfriend said the mountains look like teepees. I agree with her. Not my preference for how they'll look, but I'm not gonna buy Civ IV for the graphics either.

I'll just have to hope that more graphics mods will come out.