What game should Civ3 have been?

[DrFell]

Originally posted by DetroitDave
All I was basically looking for was a civ 2 with slightly more units and techs, and a much improved. I have never been for eye candy, just a quality game

Yep, a more balanced version of civ2 with updated graphics, a bigger tech tree, better multiplayer options (simultaneous moves that work), and maybe even a version of the culture that is in civ3 (but implemented in a different way) would make a great game. After all, civ2 was similar but more balanced than civ1, and it did really well.

[The Andy-Man]

i agree there, nice graphix etc are pointless in a game like civ. i said before, they could still use Civ1 grpahicx, it would still be a good game.

as for bombers, they were imensly useful in WW2, they werent acurate, but without them the allied invasion would have failed, hitler would have bin able to invade england etc.

also, the mosquito bombers of WW2 were fairly accurate.

[Jac de Molay]

Late Edit- A much improved AI I meant to say. I sorta like the older look of the game. Reminds me of my Stratego and Axis and Allies days

Dave

[optimus2861]

Originally posted by Martinus Magnificus
Why build bombers anyway (both in real life and in Civ 3)?

Because what bombers can do, is strike a distant target without having to engage the enemy army first. If you've got air superiority over the target, you can even strike with immunity. Even the best-planned ground assault is going to take casualties. This "loss of life" factor isn't modelled at all in Civ (any version) which is a shame.

in Civ 3 I can't imagine a single reason to build them.

I can. If I want to hurt my enemy without engaging his army. If I'm going to conquer him anyway, I'd still want them in a support role. But even in SMAC, I've had great fun sending waves of planes into enemy territory just to bomb terrain improvements and kill terraformers, to cripple enemy production when I can't deal with him/her directly. (This is SP, obviously, in MP that wouldn't work as well I imagine)

(The irony is that after a faction submits to me, I end up redoing all their terraforming myself ).

That leaves only population decimating as a valid reason, IMO a rather unrealistic one (you don't honestly believe that the allies bombed the helll out of german cities during WW2 just to decimate the german population, do you?).

Well, the whole history of bombing in WW2 is kind of contrived. It all started out of the mistaken belief that bombers could win the war on their own, then the ante was upped to terror bombing, and with Bomber Command being reluctant to relinquish its "strategic" role, it kind of took on a life of its own.

[Dis]

well I'm in the minority here. But all I really wanted was civ2 with better graphics and animations. I just got tired of the static civ2 graphics.

essentually all I wanted was bells and whistles.

I really didn't expect the programmers to go to such extreme lengths to hurt the human player. Lack of challenge wasn't the reason I stopped playing civ2. I wish they understood this. Yes before you say it, I realize I can always play on warlord level of civ3. But is that fun? I think not. I shouldn't have to be punished to have a fun game.

There was absolutely nothing wrong with the gameplay in civ2. Just a few things needed changing like army support. That is one thing I love about civ3. I hated my armies being supported from cities in civ2. I couldn't send out caravels in democracy because of the unhappiness problems sometimes.

But I realized after test of time, that a successor to civ2 was impossible. In TOT they took a near perfect game and screwed it all up. Amazing. I only bought civ3 after everyone said it was so great the first week it came out. That is my fault.

[Aeson]

I think Civ3 is a great game the way it is, but certainly could be improved. A type of Social Engineering and Unit Workshop should have been included with Civ3. It really would have been fun to be able to choose between equiping units with your choice of weapons, armor, and specialized training. Also it would be fun to be able to keep playing after launching, continuing your empire on Alpha Centauri. It would use the same game engine as Civ3, and the tech tree, improvements, datalinks and wonders have already been developed in SMAC, all they would need is a graphical face lift. If those things were included in an expansion pack I would definitely buy it.