Civ 3 news at gamespot!

[dexter4dxm]

i was under the impression that in Civ3 the aqueduct isnt built in every city, like in civ2.

and about the aritillery and cannons, i think it's safe to assume they will need to be maned. Even howitzers should have to be manned, and i'm sure that's how it will be in Civ 3

[TechWins]

and about the aritillery and cannons, i think it's safe to assume they will need to be maned. Even howitzers should have to be manned, and i'm sure that's how it will be in Civ 3

Will they be able to be maned by tanks? Or will you have to use infantry such as marines? If it is infantry Firaxis needs to expand upon Civ3's modern day, infantry units. Either way I think it's another step forward in improving warfare.

i was under the impression that in Civ3 the aqueduct isnt built in every city, like in civ2.

If that's true would their still be a city improvement to increase your pop. from size 8? If so what would it be? I sure hope their is a city improvement that will do this. Without one there wouldn't be much restraint on city growth.

This preview has increased so much optimism in me about the game. Not that I already wasn't optimistic.

[lockstep]

TechWins: Your theory about the dots (ancient vs. firearms units) is what I thought at first, too. But look again at the older screenshot. First, at the German city of Stuttgart, then, to the lower right of the screenshot. This is definitly the same sort of unit, but the German unit has four and the Egyptian unit just three dots. Moreover, in the city of Memphis there is a phalanx with four dots.

Remember what the very first CGW preview stated? 'What´s changing: Health points for units.' Looks like Firaxis has come up with a new system.

[Nikolai]

Originally posted by TechWins
I wonder what these satellites do. What did they do in SMAC, I don't remember them?

The satelites aviable in SMAC was:

*Nessus Mining Station: +1 mineral all bases
*Orbital Defence Pod: Missile Defence
*Orbital Power Transmitter: +1 energy(money) all bases
*Sky Hydroponics Lab: +1 nutrient(food) all bases

[lockstep]

Another indication: In the lower right corner of the screenshot (http://www.civfanatics.com/cgi-bin/a...19-19-2225.jpg) you can see veteran knights with four hitpoints. Compare this with http://www.civfanatics.com/cgi-bin/a...16-16-2225.jpg (the famous 'pink french' screenshot): regular musketeers with three hitpoints.

[TechWins]

I'm not really sure if I like that. I mean a tank should receive more hit points or health points, whatever it's going to be called, than a warrior. I hope there is more to this system to make that hold true (tank being stronger than a phalanx).

The satelites aviable in SMAC was:

I don't remember, were these all seperate things to build? Was the missle defence like the SDI? Fill me in more.

[lockstep]

I'm not really sure if I like that. I mean a tank should receive more hit points or health points, whatever it's going to be called, than a warrior. I hope there is more to this system to make that hold true (tank being stronger than a phalanx).

Well, the tank will surely have a higher defense and a much higher attack rating.

Actually I think that Civ2, while getting rid of Civ1´s 'phalanx beats battleship' absurdity, made things a little bit too complicated with attack rating, defense rating, hit points and firepoints. If you did without firepoints and tweaked the attack and defense ratings, you´d achieve roughly the same gameplay effect. Firaxis has probably implemented this in Civ3.

[tniem]

By far the most interesting element of the article was it alluding to the game being finalized by fourth quarter as promised. That suprised me. In recent weeks we have seen the date withdrawn off of a website and one review say the game should be ready by spring 2002.

I know, that until Firaxis says something I shouldn't listen, but for the first time I actually believe that the game is going to be released this year and that it might actually be ready for release.

[Nikolai]

Originally posted by TechWins
I don't remember, were these all seperate things to build? Was the missle defence like the SDI? Fill me in more.

They were build as regular base improvements, but you could build as many as you managed to. You could stop as many planet busters/nukes as you had defence pods, of course with a certain percent feasibility of failing.

For example, if you had 5 defence pods, then you could most possible stop 5 planet busters, but the 6th would hit. Another thing was that even if you had 50 defence pods, a solar flare could destroy them all... Hated it!

[To_Serve_Man]

Some things from the Civ3 Updated news...

and acquire resources by capturing mines, building structures (such as the Roman aqueduct, which provides irrigation to their lands once it's built),

Notice everyone, it says Roman aqueduct. Then it gives a discription to what it does. It looks as if we will have Civ Unique City Improvements as well as Units.

I always thought it was funny in Civ2 when you built a city anytime out of the ancient time. It might not have happend much, but building aqueducts, collusems (i spell that right?), etc seemed funny.

Elite soldiers can withstand far more punishment than normal troops, and they have a small chance of becoming a great leader--an advanced soldier unit that can actually recruit soldiers and raise armies from a player's towns on reputation alone.

and

if they add too many factories to their cities, their neighbors may become upset or even hostile over the pollution. However, pollution may be a small price to pay for some of Civ III's advanced technological developments

Ok... Civ3 sounds like a RPG now. Armies can recruit their own soldiers? It seems ok, and I kinda like it... but Civ3 is getting pretty funky with the new features. Does anyone else see RPG traces in Civ3?

[tniem]

Originally posted by To_Serve_Man
Notice everyone, it says Roman aqueduct. Then it gives a discription to what it does. It looks as if we will have Civ Unique City Improvements as well as Units.

Except historically it was the Roman Aqueduct so I think them mentioning it is just so you know what they are takling about. I don't believe we have enough to actually claim there are going to be unique buildings or that there will be bonuses for certain buildings for certain civs.

I always thought it was funny in Civ2 when you built a city anytime out of the ancient time. It might not have happend much, but building aqueducts, collusems (i spell that right?), etc seemed funny.

A great suggestion that I have heard in the past is to have a few groupings such as science, taxes, military, etc in cities and in later stages of the game allow the newest building to replace all past buildings. It would allow you to build cities late in the game and have them matter without buying all kinds of outdated city improvements.

Ok... Civ3 sounds like a RPG now. Armies can recruit their own soldiers? It seems ok, and I kinda like it... but Civ3 is getting pretty funky with the new features. Does anyone else see RPG traces in Civ3?

Adding some elements of other genres could help the civ series improve and grow. I guess it depends on how it balances into the game and how much it is going to matter, but it seems like an interesting concept. Certainly want to read more when civ3.com comes out.

[java4me]

Tniem has a point there!

[To_Serve_Man]

Originally posted by tniem
Adding some elements of other genres could help the civ series improve and grow. I guess it depends on how it balances into the game and how much it is going to matter, but it seems like an interesting concept. Certainly want to read more when civ3.com comes out.

I totally agree. RPGs for the most part gives you the feeling that what your doing is unique to you. Unlike Civ2 were you didnt really get that feel cause in reality, you were the same as everyone else, accept a different color and city names. I say they should add much more.