Question: What was your 1st CIII game like?

[Aramis]

With the impending release of C3C, and my ardent anticipation, I've been thinking about the wonder and fascination of my 1st game, and hoping I'll get that same feeling back. Since we have a few weeks let's talk about that first experience. I'd really like to know what the game was like for you.

For myself, I had never played earlier versions and was somewhat daunted by the manual. I tried to read it, but I wanted hands-on experience ('impatience" I belive that's called), so I jumped right in, on Monarch level, having no idea what to expect. I played as the Aztecs, for no reason beyond they seemed somewhat cool, and promptly treated the game like the board game 'Risk.' I had zero idea what to do with the workers beyond building roads, had no idea how to manage the economy, and attacked everyone I met. Diplomacy (novice that I was) was not an issue. I was trounced very fast, but had a blast the whole time. I remember thinking that I'd never get the hang of the game, but I kept at it and I'm glad I did.

The game fascinates me. Tell something about your first experiences w/CivIII. What did you expect? What went right or wrong? Why did you stick with it?

We've got some time to kill before C3C.

--Rob

[Egbert]

I first tried Civ3 in the game store and thought it was loathsome and promptly decided it would be a complete waste of money. I remember nothing about that partial game. (I had played plenty of Civ1 and Civ2).

Some months later I trotted off to the games store to buy some other game (Anno 1503?) but it turned out that was still a long way off from release. I noticed a half price Civ3 and for some reason bought it, I have no idea why. Anyway, I have been happily playing for over a year now, and shelled more money for PTW.

[Aramis]

[PrinceBimz]

Re: Question: What was your 1st CIII game like?

Originally posted by Rob_S
With the impending release of C3C, and my ardent anticipation, I've been thinking about the wonder and fascination of my 1st game, and hoping I'll get that same feeling back. Since we have a few weeks let's talk about that first experience. I'd really like to know what the game was like for you.

For myself, I had never played earlier versions and was somewhat daunted by the manual. I tried to read it, but I wanted hands-on experience ('impatience" I belive that's called), so I jumped right in, on Monarch level, having no idea what to expect. I played as the Aztecs, for no reason beyond they seemed somewhat cool, and promptly treated the game like the board game 'Risk.' I had zero idea what to do with the workers beyond building roads, had no idea how to manage the economy, and attacked everyone I met. Diplomacy (novice that I was) was not an issue. I was trounced very fast, but had a blast the whole time. I remember thinking that I'd never get the hang of the game, but I kept at it and I'm glad I did.

The game fascinates me. Tell something about your first experiences w/CivIII. What did you expect? What went right or wrong? Why did you stick with it?

We've got some time to kill before C3C.

--Rob

Well I first discovered civilization on the SNES. This was before I even had a computer. When I played it, that was my favorite game, me and a friend of mind were seriously hooked! It was downright addicting! Not long after I noticed Civ2 for the PC. As you guess, not long after I got a PC. Civ2 was the first game I purchased for my new PC, the very first game out of nearly 100 that would come afterwards. I had so much fun with it. Several years later, when SMAC and the CtP series came around, I had even more fun with those. Now when Civ3 was released in the last quarter of 2001 and I got that one, WOW, this was the best. Let me tell you my favorite hands down.

So my first game of Civ3, don't remember all of the details but man was it fun. I was loving (and still do) the graphics and all of the awesome animations. The resources and luxuries, trading, diplomacy, nearly all of it was improved. Now this was a sequel! Look here it is almost exactly 2 years later and to no surprise it is still as fun or even more fun as it was when I first played it. Probably more fun now that I know how to play better.

[Harovan]

My first game was a standard/continents/all-average map game as Germany on Regent, just to get a feel what it's about. I never finished that game, I abandoned it in the industrial age in the mid of a gigantic war which I was winning, because I had seen enough. My second game, at Monarch under otherwise same condition, I won by space race.

[Dominae]

In my first game I was stuck on a large peninsula with nothing but Plains and Forests (with Plains underneath, of course!), but no access to fresh water. It's a good thing I was awestruck by the game, because that's the kind of starting location that would make most players quit in disgust.

After flipping through the Civilopedia for about half and hour, I figured out I would have to wait until Electricity to make my cities productive. Yeah right! Quit, restart.

I played the Persians, mainly because 'Immortal' sounded cool (and still does, although somewhat misleading).


Dominae

[spy14]

I cant believe how much people can remember about their first games! I played (probably) as the English on (probably) Warlord. I do remember though that it was fun and set me up to play countless others games of Civ, and I had a fair grasp of what I was doing as I played Civ2 Gold and CTP II before it.

[PeaSoup]

heh, I remember keeping a copy of the PDF manual on my computer so I can read it at school..

ya, my first game was India, monarch, standard map.. I think I won via a diplomatic victory.

[eris]

I had played CTP for a while, as a somewhat mild addiction. I tried Civ2, but it seemed like a step backward, primarily because of the lack of stack moves. I moved on to other thngs for a while. The loved ones bought me a copy of PTW for Winter Solstice. I had to avoid explaining that it wasn't a whole package and tactfully went to the store to buy Civ3 so I could use the PTW gift.

I read the manual. I often read manuals, and it often helps, too. I browsed the Civilopedia while trying a couple of practice runs. I decided I was ready for a game. I played Cleopatra on Chieftan. Knowing what I know now, I made terrible mistakes. I let the workers automate, etc. However, I had a good starting position and a bit of stubborness and had picked a huge map so I had room to work in. I found out I was a builder. Every city had everything in it I could build. Every city had troops in it. Diplomacy and Trade seemed like a great game concept, but all the deals offered seemed like highway robbery, and nobody liked me. (That hurt! I had been playing nice!) Then someone got uppity and declared war. I had a good time using my over-developed military to trounce them. I found out that taking over cities made for a bigger empire. This was fun! Let's go take out some other little Civ! I stumbled through the tech tree, having some idea of what it was all about and what I would want. I did find the science slider and kept it pushed up, so I did keep a big tech lead. Then, when I was busily crushing some poor helpless Civ who had mistakenly declared war, I suddenly got a culture win. (I had been building every possible thing in my cities, remember?) I was kinda disappointed at first. Then I liked that I had done a "peaceful" win (not counting the three Civs I had eliminated).

I liked the graphics, and the epic story feel. I missed Wonder movies as eye candy because I had enjoyed them in CTP. I was glad I started at the easiest level, but I knew those Civs were smarter than the ones I was used to. I knew that I would have fun working with them as things got up in levels. The complexities looked easy enough to work with (I had just won!) and complex enough to offer a variety of opportunites.

I was hooked.

I'm glad I jumped in at PTW. I have played a bit with vanilla Civ3, and much prefer PTW, especially because of the stacked unit movements. Also, I think the earlier versions were buggy enough to affect gameplaying enjoyment. I'm glad I missed that.

I became a builder, going for Spaace and Diplo and Cilture winds in different ways. Then I found these forums. Then I became a more aggresive builder. Sometimes, much more aggresive.

[vmxa1]

First game, I am lucky if I can remember my current game.

[David Murray]

Sorry but you won't get the same sense of euphoria as you did with your first game.

It's like me with GTA3 and Vice City. Vice City is the better game but the feeling I had when I first played GTA3 was earth shattering.

Oh yeah, and my first few games of Civ2 and Civ3 were quite good too

[gunkulator]

First game was Caesar on Regent level. Legions just sounded so cool so I had to try them. I've played CivII enough to beat diety easily and I have to say, it handicapped my playing. I tried the typical CivII strategy of booting everyone off my continent early although I waited until I got Legions. "Golden Age"? What's that? I'll just ignore it...

Boy was I surprised to see my Legions lose against Spearmen, not just in a rare event but pretty regularily. Also shocked at that first stack of 4 AI Swordsman taking my Spearman guarded city. Hey, wait! I had city walls! What's that? Only a 50% bonus now? Oh.

Built the FP in a city right next to the capital (dumb dumb dumb!). Tried sending Settlers in Triremes over the ocean. Lost 'em all.

Ordered my very strong neighbor out of my territory instead of meekly allowing the intrusion. War declared. My empire wiped out. Game over.

[Stuie]

Originally posted by vmxa1
First game, I am lucky if I can remember my current game.

I know I played the Romans, and I know I got totally run over by the AI. That was two years ago and I don't remember anything else.

[self biased]

heh. it was christmas day, and this was my ex's flagship gift. i finished my game that day. in a moment of weakness, i went through the tutorial, and ruled the world. later Civ became my refuge... but ming prowls these forums, and i'm forbidden to talk about those days.

[Brundlefly]

Well, you know, I had waited so long to play Civ3, had heard so much about it. Then , one day , I got the feeling it was "time". I placed the CD in the drive and began playing. It was like nothing I had ever experienced before. I got so excited that the game ended after only 30 seconds. I was left feeling like "Is that all there was to it"? I lit up a cigarette, turned off the computer, and left the room. But I'll have a memory that will last forever....