Modern city view VERY disappointing!

[Ilkuul]

I have to say I was very disappointed with the modern city view from Avault.

The artwork is beautiful; but what's all this empty space everywhere inside the city??? Do they imagine a modern city has vast tracts of empty land in its suburbs? The downtown skyscrapers are fine; but the rest looks like an unfinished building lot with occasional city structures scattered about at random!

Neither Civ1 nor Civ2 were like this -- esp. Civ1 showed the city all together in a compact area with the improvements and wonders distributed among the other buildings in a much more natural way.

Anyone else feel the same?

[SerapisIV]

I agree, skyscrapers next to open fields and a few houses? Hopefully though the city-view was from a cheated map as it appears that it's a very low population city and has way, WAY too many wonders to be a city in a regular game game.

[EnochF]

It could be better, there's no doubt, but I'm not complaining (much). It's very tricky mixing in ancient, medieval, industrial and modern graphics.

I'm more concerned about the banks with the drive-up windows in the Renaissance and the "ancient" wooden courthouse with white painted windows.

[Earthling7]

You mention Civ1 + 2. Civ1 was fine, but the Civ2 city view was useless. I never even bothered to look at my wonderful cities. They effectively removed the cityview from Civ2 as far as I'm concerned.

[Hakkapeliitta]

I agree also. That looks quite stupid with all the empty space. I really hope that is a low-population city. I didn't like Civ2 city view either, maybe because big cities looked like small villages. Civ1 had a good city view, I liked that. I also liked the marching animation(s) when you captured a city.

[Steve Clark]

But...this screen has absolutely no bearing on gameplay, it's just for cosmetic and flavor. So who care what it looks like since no gameplay decisions are made from it? IMO, it's just another example of Firaxis wasting time on needless art when such resources could have gone into gameplay issues.

[RobC]

Originally posted by Steve Clark
But...this screen has absolutely no bearing on gameplay, it's just for cosmetic and flavor. So who care what it looks like since no gameplay decisions are made from it? IMO, it's just another example of Firaxis wasting time on needless art when such resources could have gone into gameplay issues.

^ What he said.

[Steve Clark]

This is like Uber arguing vehemently that the color the Jaguar Warrior's underwear was wrong.

[Boris Godunov]

Um, this shot is kinda old---from the preview video for the LE. And more recent city shots of even the ancient city showed every tile filled with buildings. This was just a test shot.

Cheers.

[Akron]

Originally posted by Steve Clark
But...this screen has absolutely no bearing on gameplay, it's just for cosmetic and flavor. So who care what it looks like since no gameplay decisions are made from it? IMO, it's just another example of Firaxis wasting time on needless art when such resources could have gone into gameplay issues.

Well, if they are gonna waste their time with city building art, they should at least do it right.

Good thing it has no effect on gameplay.

[Pembleton]

Originally posted by Boris Godunov
Um, this shot is kinda old---from the preview video for the LE. And more recent city shots of even the ancient city showed every tile filled with buildings. This was just a test shot.

Cheers.

I suspected this and wanted to post my guess but I wasn't sure.

It's funny how so many criticisms here are based on misunderstood or false information.

[Adm.Naismith]

Originally posted by Steve Clark
But...this screen has absolutely no bearing on gameplay, it's just for cosmetic and flavor. So who care what it looks like since no gameplay decisions are made from it? IMO, it's just another example of Firaxis wasting time on needless art when such resources could have gone into gameplay issues.

IMHO IF it is a main city view in a real game (not a "just for screenshot" mock-up) it will probably show an "half backed" result of a mandatory in modern games Firaxis effort not good enough for modern standard.

But, really, I don't want to start another thread about "graphics vs. text only" I'm already tired of it, sure you are too, Steve

[Steve Clark]

Originally posted by Adm.Naismith


IMHO IF it is a main city view in a real game (not a "just for screenshot" mock-up) it will probably show an "half backed" result of a mandatory in modern games Firaxis effort not good enough for modern standard.

But, really, I don't want to start another thread about "graphics vs. text only" I'm already tired of it, sure you are too, Steve

Oh yeah, but I had to get in one last cynical slam before we move to the Civ3-Strategy forum and discuss things that really matters.

[Ilkuul]

Originally posted by Boris Godunov

Um, this shot is kinda old---from the preview video for the LE. And more recent city shots of even the ancient city showed every tile filled with buildings. This was just a test shot.

Originally posted by Pembleton

It's funny how so many criticisms here are based on misunderstood or false information.

Well, I'm glad to hear that this may be an 'old' screenshot, and I really hope you guys are right about that. I'm not one to criticise just for the sake of finding fault, and I'll be only too happy if the real game shows well-filled cities!

I agree with others who've posted here that the city view is a minor matter of eye-candy compared with the really important issues of game-play; but I would also echo Akron's comment that "if they are gonna waste their time with city building art, they should at least do it right"!

[donarumo]

Also, although we will find for sure in less than a week, the large modern buildings may be some sort of wonder - like the pyramids or hanging gardens. It looks out of place enough like these other large structures.