Who here will give Civ IV a try?

[Carolus Rex]

I will buy it when the price comes down...

Carolus

[DrSpike]

I've been playing it for 2 months now and I know all you Civ2 stalwarts will like it, so get it.

It's really very good.

[rah]

I just got it, and I'll say it's better than III. I'm enjoying it, but the jury is still out on long term playability.
I think it has better potential for MP. We'll see.

[DrSpike]

The MP is great, I've spent more time playing it than SP. However, it's simul (though TB is an option), which I guess you wont like, and the ladder kinda sucks. That might not bother you though.

[duke o' york]

I'm guessing it's better than III - it has to be!!!!

But if any well-meaning soul would care to post the link to the demo, then I may well be prepared to blow my hard-earned cash (and all my friends) on it, but I'd like to try it first before I commit £30!

[DaveV]

Originally posted by duke o' york
But if any well-meaning soul would care to post the link to the demo...

It's in the Apolyton directory, under Civ4/official. Try this link

[DrSpike]

Just buy it. It has the DrSpike Seal of Approval (TM).

[duke o' york]

It's big!!!! 3 hours big!!!!

But hopefully enjoyable. I also have ToT to play (hopefully at some point) this weekend, and the only reason I bought it was to play curt's Doctor Who scenario!
Visit the Scenario League for the chance to download a piece of Civ II (ToT) history!

[rjmatsleepers]

I was given a copy for Christmas and I'm hooked. It's a bit like those early days of playing Civ II when the AI actually seemed to be a problem! Civ IV has lots of interesting strategic problems, and some new ways of winning. My own personal gripe; I wish they'd kept the different space ship configurations to give you something to think about in the end game.

RJM at Sleeper's

[DrSpike]

Well you do have to research different techs and build different parts. I'm not sure what you mean.

[duke o' york]

He means that in Civ II you can build a big SS for maximum points, or a smaller one for a quick victory.

[DrSpike]

Hmm, I actually don't think that adds much.

[duke o' york]

Of course it does! This option means that even in the late game you can rescue victory from the jaws of defeat, or really rub it into the loser by winning by a huge margin.
There isn't the need that there was in Civ III to entirely build your civ with the aim of winning by building the SS - you can turn even the lesser cities into important production centres for SS parts, and then only up to the point at which you can launch the smallest spaceship capable of reaching AC.

[DrSpike]

Well that's just it. The only reason not to go for the smallest ship is score. Since the real challenge is early landing, the different sizes of ships add nothing.

And we are comparing Civ2 to Civ4. In Civ4 smaller cities can also contribute to building the smaller parts.

[rjmatsleepers]

Originally posted by DrSpike
Hmm, I actually don't think that adds much. The only reason not to go for the smallest ship is score. Since the real challenge is early landing, the different sizes of ships add nothing.

Perhaps it doesn't add a great deal, but it increases the interest at the end - and not just because it varies your points score. If you (or the AI) launch a slow space ship, there is the possibility of launching a faster ship and overtaking the slow one. And because the game continues until landing, there is the possibility of bringing down the AI ship, or of losing your own.

Originally posted by DrSpike

And we are comparing Civ2 to Civ4. In Civ4 smaller cities can also contribute to building the smaller parts.

In Civ2, all cities can contribute to building the space ship by adding vans to a wonder and then converting to an SS part. In Civ4, you can shoot yourself in the foot by building in a low production city. Mind you, rushing SS parts with vans is probably an exploit.

However, I still think the other features of Civ4 make it a rich and interesting game.

RJM at Sleeper's