Civ Rev demo: First impressions.

[donarumo]

I could not disagree with Wiglaf more. I like the graphics for CivRev. I mean, you're playing a game where all aspects of the graphics are representative. Little about any Civ release could be compared to reality with respect to graphics.

This game, based on the demo, seems like the exact type of Civ game I could really groove on. I don't know about you, but previously, when playing a Civ game, I had to really want to play before I opened the game. Because I know all the complicated thinking and long hours that would be involved. CivRev feels like a game you could pick up and play anytime.

The 'random' rewards are a nice addition and absolutely add to that one more turn factor. I didn't see it the demo but the thrown room should help this as well. The additional media and information in the Civilopedia is going to be a welcome resource. I always end up learning something when playing a round of Civ regardless of the platform as I inevitably wander over and start reading about a culture or unit. CivRev's reference area is packed with goodies.

The battles feel like something is happening more than any previous Civ. Even in Civ IV, a battle between two units still felt like two icons bumping up against each other. I know this does not really add something to the strategy or gameplay but an enhancement of feeling can go a long way to getting me to play the game and enjoying the experience.

I understand where Wiglaf is coming from and this may just be a personal preference but the graphics all look fine to me. I do wish the leaders were a little toned down but I have no objection to Firaxis not taking everything so seriously with this release. I mean, a giant Roman city is nuking a giant Encryption city with a missile the size of Rhode Island, how serious does this need to be?

[Seedle]

@people responding to Wiglaf: Stop feeding the troll!!!

As for my impressions, I think I'll rent this but I can't see this game being worth 60 bucks. The one thing that most stands out to me is how fast time moves. Unless there are many, many more turns in the later years than in the early, it seems that a tech victory will be difficult. I'm just researching knights and pikes when the demo ends, on chieftain. I guess maybe beelinery is more important in this game. On the other hand, I did manage to win a domination victory with just horsemen. The first great person you pop seems to have a big influence on what you should do in your game. I can't imagine trying to win domination on higher difficulties without a great leader letting me make elite units out the gate. I would imagine the other great people are similarly influential on their respective victory conditions.

Final word: It is civ lite, but if you were expecting something else, you haven't been paying any attention to what has been previewed about the game.

[reds4ever]

Yep, I reckon it will make a nice change to just be able to kill a couple of hours with a game of Civ instead of having to earmark the rest of the weeks free time to finish it.

[RobC]

Originally posted by Seedle
@people responding to Wiglaf: Stop feeding the troll!!!

As for my impressions, I think I'll rent this but I can't see this game being worth 60 bucks. The one thing that most stands out to me is how fast time moves. Unless there are many, many more turns in the later years than in the early, it seems that a tech victory will be difficult.

There are many many more turns in the later years. Like earlier versions of CIV, the number of years each turn represents gets smaller and smaller as the game progresses (e.g. 100 years per turn early on, and 5 or 10 years per turn as you get to the industrial/modern ages...)

[reds4ever]

Its supposed to represent the speeding up of technological progress....

[Simplicity]

I started out kind of positive, but after a few plays, I'm really feeling more negative about CivRev. I'm fine with the graphics. They're kind of cool even. Though I don't need Mr. Science Guy poping out and going "Bloooooobpobpoboo!" every 3 minutes. I'm tired of the dang Simlish.

My problems are the following:
(a) No real resources. Sure, Iron is on the map. But you don't need it to build anything as far as I can tell. Resources just grant a miniscule bonus to your cities. +2 hammers on this square is not fun. Killing some guy to get at the iron IS.

(b) Armies. On the one hand, it's cool to form a large group and tromp around with them. On the other, it appears to be the minimum unit of force. Every AI city is defended by an army. Why do I have to bother with the units if they are so useless?

(c) Unknown city defenses. This is really really annoying. Even if I have a SPY IN THE CITY, I can't tell what I'm up against? In play, you wind up throwing army after army at a city until you win or your back is broken. I guess it's useful if your Peacey McPeaserson but that's not usually how I play...

(d) Unintuitive aspects. Culture. How do you know when your city grows? Will the manual tell us? Technology that makes terrain better. Would be nice if I could go look at my terrain real quick. Combat. What the heck counters what? Bonuses? What gives them? Sure would be nice to know.

Positives:
Road building with gold. Yay.
Scouts on the galleys/galleons. Yay.
First to research bonuses, economic, cultural milestones. Yay.

[snoopy369]

Peacey McPeaserson Good one

[Agathon]

Unknown city defenses. This is really really annoying. Even if I have a SPY IN THE CITY, I can't tell what I'm up against?

In the demo once a unit reaches elite status you can select from a number of powers. One power allows you to see what is defending a city (I think it is the "Ranger" power). The power stays with the unit, even if it is a member of an army.

It's a good reason to preserve elite units instead of keeping them as cannon fodder.

[Felch]

I totally got a kick out of the demo. It's easy, but that's chieftain for you.

I did find the controls a little awkward at first. But by the second run through, I was definitely getting the hang of it.

It's not the same game as Civ though, so don't expect it to be.

I'm looking forward to the full version.

[UnOrthOdOx]

Originally posted by Agathon


In the demo once a unit reaches elite status you can select from a number of powers. One power allows you to see what is defending a city (I think it is the "Ranger" power). The power stays with the unit, even if it is a member of an army.

It's a good reason to preserve elite units instead of keeping them as cannon fodder.

I never got that as a power option.

Which bears some questioning. What determines which powers pop up to choose from? Anything? Random chance?

Why not just give us the lot, and let us choose? Getting 2 random ones to choose from (what seemed to be the case) rather sucks.

And some of my units later got a second power while others didn't (with roughly same number of wins and odds vs). What triggers that?

[Felch]

Originally posted by Simplicity
(a) No real resources. Sure, Iron is on the map. But you don't need it to build anything as far as I can tell. Resources just grant a miniscule bonus to your cities. +2 hammers on this square is not fun. Killing some guy to get at the iron IS.

This is a throwback to Civ II, when resources were just production bonuses. It's definitely a change of pace from fighting over strategic resources.

(b) Armies. On the one hand, it's cool to form a large group and tromp around with them. On the other, it appears to be the minimum unit of force. Every AI city is defended by an army. Why do I have to bother with the units if they are so useless?

I build armies to fight, and send individual units to explore.

This is a strange mash-up sort of game.