How long did it take you to really understand Civ2?

[rwprice]

How long did you play Civ2 until you really "got it"? What I mean is, did you immediately grasp the goal and point of the game, or did it take you a while to really understand? I don't mean fully understanding all the intricacies of gameplay, but rather the "big picture". I'm still fairly new to these types of games, and really new to Civ2, but sometimes it feels like I'm just pointlessly moving units around on the screen. Figuring out the main purpose isn't always clear, and I'm wondering if anyone else has felt this way. I'm going to keep plugging away, but I'm interested in knowing how most of you learned the game and became proficient at it.

[Chris 62]

I first played civ-1, so I had a good idea of what was going on. But after all this time, there are things I learn both the fine people here and the game itself that make it seem as if I don't know the game at all. Also, it is like a new game at each difficulty level. Don't get overwhelmed. Even if you don't beat the game the first time out, you can learn plenty just by playing, and you will soon be winning all the time, but still loving it, because it is always different.

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All knowledge begins with the phrase: I don't know.

[Dis]

I still don't understand it

to answer your question better, I'd say either the first or second time I played it.

I never played civ1, but have watched others play civ1 and colonization. And I played 7 cities of gold, so the concept was familiar to me.
[This message has been edited by Dissident (edited March 28, 2001).]

[Smash]

The pieces began to come together when I found Apolyton and started playing OCC and Multiplayer.Both had steep learning curves.

OCC because of Paul and the other players involved in the early Fortnights.Before I could win but only one way and not every time.

Multiplayer because of some hard lessons and some really good allies that played mentor for me.Learn fast or perish

The quality,experience and knowledge level of Apolyton on-topic posters is/was the biggest single factor though.By far

Its an on-going thing.

[Scouse Gits]

I'm still learning ...

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Scouse Git[1]

"Staring at your screen in horror and disbelief when you open a saved game is one of the fun things of a succession game " - Hueij
"The Great Library must be built!"
"A short cut has to be challenging,
were it not so it would be 'the way'." - Paul Craven

[Chris1111]

I'd say after the first few times playing it. I quickly learned that expansion and science were verrry important .

*looks fondly back on the days of "losing" at warlord level when the game was fresh and new*



[This message has been edited by Chris1111 (edited March 29, 2001).]

[johnmcd]

I remember trying to kill a buffalo with a warrior for about two hours on my first night and becoming highly frustrated with the whole experience. Later I built a Great Library in a city as I thought it would be pointless to build a normal one only to have to upgrade to a great one later. Once you get over that sort of hurdle its a fairly shallow learning curve that seems to carry on indefineatly, it is this endless learning curve, even after three years that keeps me at it. If anyone claims to know everything I'd be most surprised.

[rwprice]

Thanks for your replies. I go through this cycle each time I pick up a new game. The excitement of getting something new gives way to the challenge of figuring out the mechanics of gameplay. This usually involves reading the manual and/or going through the tutorials. After that, it's time to start one of my own. After a little while, though, I start to realize that now I'm going to have to really learn how things work and what all the little "secrets" are. That's where the work begins, and also where I often get discouraged. I'm going to persevere with Civ2, though, and try all kinds of different things until I have a good feel for the game.

Just in case anyone misunderstood...what I meant by "understand" is not the same as mastery. You can understand a game and what you're supposed to do without having mastered it yet. Mastery can take years, as some of you have said.

[Lefty Scaevola]

Not long at all, about 20 turns, and all the needed was some learning of the tile imrovements, interface, and goernments. But, I was previously skilled with smac and had read the civ2 manual well (my control freak habit, I never like to play a game as a complete amateur). Got up to within about 3-5 catagories of the top "magnificent" on my first game.

[George Garrett]

Hi rwprice...to better understand the game, I suggest that each time you start a new game, that you have a goal in mind...for example, in following the tutorial, say, after it leaves off, can you go on to make the U.S.A. mighty among nations? If you play the Rome scenario, can you re-create the
Empire, in all its glory over the opposition of the Greeks, Babylonions,
Mongols, Persians, and other formidable opponents? If the WW2 scenario, can you have the Allies win it by 1945? If you embark on conquering the world,
can you knock off 6 AI civs before 2020? Or land on Apolyton with your DIY
spacecraft before that date - or both? (as I have just done! ) There are also lots of interesting challenges throughout these forums, that, if taken up by you, could greatly assist your understanding of Civ -suggestions, anyone, that would help rwprice?...if you play Civ, you must have some interest in empire building - why not go to the map editor, create your dream country to your satisfaction, then stamp out 4 -20 clones of that country to see what various AI civs can make of terrain identical to your own, in competion with your own Civ driven by human intelligence?
I believe that once you heve a goal in Civ, you will understand what the game's all about...even if it takes you a while to find a way to that goal, by trial and error. At the very least, I suggest you try one game at Deity
level...there. very quickly, you will understand that the aim of Civ, basically, is to survive, let alone, grow, flourish, prosper and conquer(which is what Civ means to me). Good luck!


[This message has been edited by George Garrett (edited March 29, 2001).]
[This message has been edited by George Garrett (edited March 29, 2001).]

[Marquis de Sodaq]

The basics come fairly quickly, although I remember using the tech/improvement/unit poster for a long time. What's good about this game is that there are many various approaches that can all bring you success. Remember that if it begins to feel stale, it's your playing style, not the game! Check out these forums for countless ideas of what to try to accomplish...

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"There is no fortress impregnable to an ass laden with gold."
-Philip of Macedon

[Smash]

quote: I remember trying to kill a buffalo with a warrior for about two hours on my first night and becoming highly frustrated with the whole experience.

Ever finish that Capitolization wonder?
How come I can't finish it with freights?
I thought it was finished in 10 turns?
wtf is going on here?Where is that dam manual?

[Dis]

buffalo with a warrior- I can't stip laughing at that

yeah a few concepts escaped me fore a few games. captialism being one of them. democracy took a little while to get the hang of.

[War4ever]

not really reading the manual (i am a guy!) my triremes kept sinking even though i knew they could. When one wouldn't i would send it off on crazy expeditions only to have it sink never realized there were odds to this sort of thing

the hut and special pattern had me roaming endlessly for many millenium ..... took forever to figure that one out.

being a warmonger... it took forever for me to realize that gifting techs to the ai or er uhm.... making peace is highly exceptable......

fortresses ... never realize their power until i came to Apolyton..... in fact Apolyton ruined the game for me...... i was able to beat deity after a month of coming here..... never looked back since....

MP is the real test..... its all about getting that terrain..... and then controlling its power

[Exile]

Another thing that hasn't been mentioned yet; Civ2 has some startlingly fresh possibilities. Given the right scenario, the game can be more than or entirely different from, the typical conquer-or-be-conquered game. The Jules Verne scenario, included w/the MGE package is a completely different experience than the default game. In that scenario the player must approach the entire game with the idea of exploration, discovery, interaction w/"the natives," and a bit of ingenuity when it comes to "tech research." There are all kinds of surprises that playing the default game will simply not prepare you for. All is not what it seems.

And this is just one example. There are dozens of scenario-laden sites on the web, w/every period, fantasy, and extrapolation you could think of. And if you can think of a new one, the scenario creation tools in Civ2 will allow you to create it!

Salutations,
Exile