Real life Civilzation analogies

[VonSharma]

From time to time I read something about world history or the present day which I realize I can completely relate to for some odd reason. Then I realize its because I've played thousands of hours of civ and that the guys (and girls) at civ got some things so right. A couple of cases:

- http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7550162.stm
Basically when you build your first galley and send it out exploring

- Don't have the link for this anymore but its intuitively obvious why elephants would have an advantage over horse units but a 50% bonus? Then I was reading about when Alexander was crossing a river to do battle against one of the Indian emperors near the Hindu Kush and as soon as Alexander's horses got a whiff of the elephants, the horses were so scared the Greeks lost control of them. It wasn't just the sheer size. (of course Alexander was able to improvise and clean up).

- About two years ago, President Bush went to India and pretty much traded a technology (nuclear) for a resource (a box of mangoes). I know in Civ4 you can't trade techs for resources, but it happened in real life.

[Verrucosus]

Re: Real life Civilzation analogies

Originally posted by VonSharma
- About two years ago, President Bush went to India and pretty much traded a technology (nuclear) for a resource (a box of mangoes). I know in Civ4 you can't trade techs for resources, but it happened in real life.

Mr Bush seems to play Civ3.

[patcon]

Don't forget when the Native Americans founded Islam, discovered Horseback Riding and traded it to the Spanish for Archery, and built the Taj Mahal in Philadelphia.

[VonSharma]

hahahah

[Metaliturtle]

What about when the Greeks built the great wall, founded Buddhism, adopted pacifism, and then went to war with Genghis?

[Unimatrix11]

Wether or not - or rather: to what extent - civ4 reflects history is a very complex topic. So complex, it could be the academic work of a cultural scientist, i guess. One basic assumption should be made tho: Civs main purpose is not to do that, but to be a fun game. One should not, for example assume, that ´communism failed´ because the cremlin only works in a system of ´free elections´, just because one could be lead to believe that in when playing civ. Also, some things in civ are so abstract, that it can be confusing, if not impossible, to name the real life pendant for it (i.e. the ´invention´ of ´music´ or ´education´). One also has to keep in mind, when trying to learn from civ, about the real history (which one probably can), that its categorizing and abstraction (putting into drawers, so to say), could possibly even be misleading about seemingly corresponding real life situation. On top of all that, the picture of history being conveyed by it, can only reflect the points of views of some chosen people (in even that only within the restrcitions of gameplay-value), that might, even if matching those of historians, be off the real thing.

There are various examples of civ being off, that , in contrast to those mentioned above, lay in the game-mechanics. Like: ancient greek had a republic (with a constitution), but not never had the pyramids and depending on your point of view, never had nationalism either. Now in contrast to that, ancient egypt had the pyramids, but never was a republic. One could be mislead to believe, that the pyramids must have been built in greece. Actually if i ever hear someone claiming that, i would reply, even if not knowing the person at all and wether he/she plays civ or not: "You play too much civ", as i could be pretty sure, where that misconception came from.

[Blaupanzer]

Re: Real life Civilzation analogies

Originally posted by VonSharma
- About two years ago, President Bush went to India and pretty much traded a technology (nuclear) for a resource (a box of mangoes). I know in Civ4 you can't trade techs for resources, but it happened in real life.

1) US did not trade India this technology; they developed it independently. Bush, who has said neither N. Korea or Iran should ever be allowed to develop this tech, blessed India's development by offering to exchange maintenance and safety measures with them. The mangoes were a bonus. (On the other hand, we just ignore Pakistan's role in providing N. Korea with the tech.)

2) The Afghanis have figured out how to get back at their occupiers by exporting a negative resource: Heroin. Is this the moral equivalent of poisoning multiple wells? Civ does not address the issues of civil war or non-state actors well at all.

[Blaupanzer]

Re: Real life Civilzation analogies

Double post.

[VonSharma]

I'm not trying to say Civ is a complete algorithym of how history will/has unfolded, but as a lover of Civ who has logged thousands of hours playing it, I find a certain joy when I come across a some course of events in civ that reflects on real life. I also feel I learned more through some of the scenarios from Civ3, especially Rise of Rome, than I did/could from reading any account of history.

[VonSharma]

< 1) US did not trade India this technology; they developed it independently. >

Well the US clearly is trading/giving this technology to India right now. If you follow the news, you will see that the Congress party in India lost its majority to get this technology.

[Theben]

I tried pointing a long stick at a police officer on horseback. I still lost.

[MoonWolf]

Originally posted by Theben
I tried pointing a long stick at a police officer on horseback. I still lost.

[rah]

My maintenance costs go up as my family's population goes up.

[Tattila the Hun]

And they demand more luxuries?

[rah]

Yep and if I don't run emancipation and let the women vote, my wife and daughter become very unhappy.