Beyond the Sword: Alex Mantzaris Interview!

[Dale]

For those wishing for a look into the mind behind BtS:

http://www.strategyinformer.com/pc/civilizationivbeyondthesword/interview.html

Some points that interested me:

On wonders/leaders/units:

Alex Mantzaris: My favorite new Wonder is the Apostolic Palace. This Wonder allows you to leverage your diplomatic standing to manipulate the world like never before. Build it and civilizations sharing your religion can vote on resolutions you put forth, like stopping and starting wars, enforcing trade embargos, or even assigning cities to their “rightful” owner! One of my favorite leaders is Queen Boudica of the Celts. Not only was she impressive in real life (she almost kicked the mighty Romans out of Britain), but in terms of gameplay her charismatic and aggressive traits have an awesome synergy. In terms of units, the coolness factor of Privateers and Paratroopers has finally returned to Civilization, only this time the AI knows how to use them. Beware!

Privateers/paratroopers

On Scenarios/Mods:

Alex Mantzaris: More than just “Campaigns,” the mods we are including with the game are more like games in their own right because they have a very high replay value. They range from fantasy to hardcore WWII simulations and range in time from the Renaissance to centuries into the future. Some are played on random maps, while others are played on heavily researched historical maps.

WW2

On Game modes:

Alex Mantzaris: One option that I think will prove popular in multiplayer is the ability to select any leader-civilization combination.

Kick-ass!!!!!!!!

No new screenshots though.

[Harovan]

Re: Beyond the Sword: Alex Mantzaris Interview!

Originally posted by Dale
WW2

Does that mean we get a Hitler leaderhead?

We should immediately make a thread about this!

[Solver]

Now now...

[Will9]

Charismatic and agressive plus free Guirilla I :drool:

[Kuciwalker]

No, Will9, the correct equation is: Charismatic + Aggressive + Praetorians = pwn

[Pinchak]

Does anyone know if BtS will piggyback off Warlords?

The new features sound cool indeed, but it would be a bummer if you had to give up other cool features like warlord emergence, and other Warlords expansion features.

[Solver]

Uh. Boudica is Charistmatic. That's a Warlords trait. How could BtS not have the Warlords stuff in it then?

[kiky]

Originally posted by Kuciwalker
correct equation is: Charismatic + Aggressive + Praetorians = pwn

[Targonis]

Originally posted by Solver
Uh. Boudica is Charistmatic. That's a Warlords trait. How could BtS not have the Warlords stuff in it then?

Just my opinion here, but some features such as leader traits would probably be added if you didn't have them before, but they may not give the leaders added in Warlords, Vassal States may not be given, great generals may not be an option for those without Warlords, and so on. Just because SOME features of Warlords may be provided with Beyond the Sword doesn't mean all of them will be. The world wonders added with Warlords might also not be available without Warlords.

[Solver]

While that is possible, it honestly sounds to be more trouble that it's worth on Firaxian behalf.

[Wiglaf]

Yes but will BTS include the features of vanilla civ4? ??

[Nikolai]

I'm not in this subforum so much these days, but it seems like you've a troll available every time I check in Wiggy.

[Robert]

Originally posted by Targonis



Just my opinion here, but some features such as leader traits would probably be added if you didn't have them before, but they may not give the leaders added in Warlords, Vassal States may not be given, great generals may not be an option for those without Warlords, and so on. Just because SOME features of Warlords may be provided with Beyond the Sword doesn't mean all of them will be. The world wonders added with Warlords might also not be available without Warlords.

That would give huge problems for MP games.
What if a non-warlords owner will play against a warlords owner?

[Sabre2th]

Didn't Conquests include the changes from Play the World?

[Kloreep]

They're actually doing Charismatic+Aggressive? Interesting. I would have figured Firaxis would stay away from it, much like they've avoided Ind-Phi civs.