Why I'll Stop Visiting This Forum Once Civ3 Comes Out

[HawaiiFive-O]

Hi there, as the old line goes, "Long time lurker, first time thread starter".

I've been visiting this forum for months now. I've read with interest just about every thread. I've been here for each dissection of each dribble of information we managed to glean from all available sources, be they Finnish Gaming magazines to the official Civ3 website.

Once the game comes out, I'll stop coming here for a good couple of months. Why? I've found that game forums actually _decrease_ my enjoyment of new games.

Maybe I'm too much of a lemming, but I find my impression of a game being swayed by the expressions voiced on a forum. I also learn about ridiculous game warping strategies that I would _never_ have thought of (OCC anyone?).

Black & White was ruined by my visiting those forums. CTP2 as well. After awhile, all the negative press you read colors your opinions and you start to look at the _faults_ as opposed to what was done well.

OTOH, I'm glad I didn't stop by the EU forum until after I had achieved a level of comfort with the interface/game mechanics. EU is, quite simply, the best game I've played in years. And part of the enjoyment was mastering the game on my own. And I learned something about myself, namely my Catholic upbringing kept manifesting itself in a desire to drive the Turks from the European continent .

I am confident I will enjoy Civ3. The lack of MP doesn't faze me, as I have no interest in it. I will play the crap out of Civ3, then come back here, to find out everything that is wrong with it- after I already know it is one of the best games I have ever played (crosses fingers...).

How about you?

[yin26]

Very good point. I might join you. Hey, could you try to convince me to re-load EU again? Maybe give me some insight to get past the first overwhelming and cluttered hours? Thanks.

[HawaiiFive-O]

Yin26:

It is so hard to get past EU's obtuse interface.

The game designers deliberately sought to miserly dispense the details of game mechanics- in direct conflict with the modern gamers' desire for total knowledge.

If you can get past that, no other game has engaged my _emotions_ as thoroughly as EU.

But this is not the EU forum, and this threatens to drift off topic. So I'll bring it back in line by reiterating my point- do forums actually detract from your enjoyment of a game, or enhance it?

[yin26]

Do forums actually detract from your enjoyment of a game, or enhance it?

Most often detract unless I have already discovered much of the game on my own, as you said. (Please shoot me a mail regarding EU if you have time...)