The Value of Critics

[Roy H Smith]

From: MrFixitOnline

"All previous versions of Civilization shipped with a map editor, but scenarios were very tricky to design, and so this time there is a full scenario editor included. It feels a little shoddily made, and compares rather poorly with the contemporary scenario editors of games like Age of Kings, but is a huge improvement upon the text file fiddling of old. Unlike other scenario developers, Civilization III is vastly customisable, and this is a facet of the game often overlooked. If you don't like an aspect of the game, like the suffocating corruption, then simply edit the rules and make the game play as you want. Civilization II was modified so much that almost entirely new games were formed from its chassis, and the more powerful editing tools of part III offer hope for even more variation."

What do you think?

[yin26]

LOL! Another expert fires up the load screen and comes to more brilliant conclusions!

Civ3: Best Editor Ever!!!

[Encomium]

OK then,

1. How do I toggle ON the Cheat Mode in Civ III??

2. How do I build scenarios as we all did in Civ II??

3. I do I turn off (or minimize) this Culture Flipping CRAP??

4. How do I get bombers to sink warships??

5. How do I get privateers and submarines to damage the trade and commerce of an enemy civ when they are on his trade routes?? (That is the main purpose of naves, which is unknown to Foraxis).

6. How do I allow an invading force to use roads in enemy territory??

7. How do I upgrade units in an Army??

8. Why don't Great Leaders supply a combat bonus??

9. How do I cut back on the absurdly long lag time between turns with many civs??

10. How do I stop the rampant AI cheating??

11. Why is the AI Advsors, especially the Diplomatic one, so stupid and suicidal??

And so much more.

Can I Edit THOSE, Firaxis???

I thought not.

[OneInTen]

I think this line is key:

the more powerful editing tools of part III offer hope for even more variation.

(emphasis mine)

In the future, once the editor is completed (as Firaxis have acknowledged the editor is not yet complete but will be in the future), then it may be a more customisable game than civ 2. Thus, there is hope.

Besides, for those users who aren't so technical, the editor as it stands is already more powerful to text files which were an inaccesable medium to them.

Not everyone is a power user you know.

I think it was a pretty fair and even handed synopsis really.

[yin26]

Civilization III is vastly customisable, and this is a facet of the game often overlooked.

No emphasis needed.

[Dida]

Re: The Value of Critics

Originally posted by Roy H Smith
From: MrFixitOnline

"All previous versions of Civilization shipped with a map editor, but scenarios were very tricky to design, and so this time there is a full scenario editor included. It feels a little shoddily made, and compares rather poorly with the contemporary scenario editors of games like Age of Kings, but is a huge improvement upon the text file fiddling of old. Unlike other scenario developers, Civilization III is vastly customisable, and this is a facet of the game often overlooked. If you don't like an aspect of the game, like the suffocating corruption, then simply edit the rules and make the game play as you want. Civilization II was modified so much that almost entirely new games were formed from its chassis, and the more powerful editing tools of part III offer hope for even more variation."

What do you think?

LOL. Another overhyped aspect of the game.

[OneInTen]

Indeed yin, because I believe it to be correct.

Ability to make scenarios and vast customisability are not the same. Related, but not the same.

[yin26]

Yep, this is why all the people who want to tweak and mod Civ3 are simply beside themselves with joy!

[OneInTen]

I can:
Add units
Remove units
Change unit costs/values

Add techs
Remove techs
Change tech costs/effects

Add buildings
Remove buildings
Change builing costs/effects

Add luxuries
Add stretegic resources

Change map sizes
Change corruption factors
Change AI advantages/disadvantages per difficulty level

As well as a bunch of other stuff that I know is there and I can't think of off the top of my head while at work.

Lets get some perspective here - it may not be everything some people wanted, but it still is a vastly customisable game. Not completely customisable, that is true, but I think it is a fair assessment to call this vastly customisable.

[yin26]

Fair enough. Meanwhile, the mod community thinks the editor is total fraud.

[OneInTen]

Then I guess I'm indirectly saying that I think that this review is fairer and less biased than the mod community's review of the editor then, aren't I?

If they really sare calling it a "total fraud" that is.

[yin26]

Considering that some of the most ardent fans of Civ3 are modders and they have, one after the other, thrown their arms up at not being able to do basic things with the editor, what you are really saying is that Civ3's editor is good enough for the person who really doesn't intend to do much with it.

In that regard, Civ3 is stellar.

[OneInTen]

I'm saying it's able to vastly customise the existing game. It's probably not capable of creating a new game (which is what a mod really is).

[Libertarian]

I'm saying it's able to vastly customise the existing game.

Yes, and I can declare that pigs fly by redefining "fly" to mean "wallow in mud".

[Zoid]

As always yin and Lib hit the nail right on the head...