Anyone else switch civ specifics off?

[Sandman]

I have started playing with civ-specific abilities switched off. I find that the gameplay experience is more enjoyable.

For me, the unique units and abilities just mess up the game, as some are much more useful than others. Now the civs start the game even.

The city governer doesn't waste time by continually suggesting ancient unique units for your space age civ. He still suggests old units, but at a decreased rate.

Golden ages are still in the game, when you complete a wonder which matches your civs characteristics.

All civs have the ability to make scouts, but barbarian villages often kill them off. The AI doesn't use the scouts, just warriors.

Does anyone else do this?

[Scooby_Doo]

I tried it once, and only got through a few turns before I decided to turn them back on. Although it has the advantages you mention (and I do agree that the Unique Units are quite unbalanced to each other in some cases), I just felt as though I'd paid for civ-specific abilities and so, dammit, I'm gonna use them!

A bit like buying a Kit-Kat and finding it has no biscuit in it, although the chocolate is the best bit, I still complain about the lack of biscuit.

Perhaps I'm just strange

[Zouave]

Unique Units and Civilization characteristics are one of my favorite parts of CIV3. Taking these out seems like it would make the game little different from CIV2 in many ways. Maybe you like CIV2 better?

[Carbon Copy]

Good news/Bad news

It's not a horrible thing, but I usually prefer to play with civ-specifics on.

One the one hand, turning it off makes spawning next to the Zulus or the Persians much less dangerous, but on the other it also nixes the civ traits like Industrious or Religious along with the unique units. Dammit, if I'm going to be playing as France, I want my Industrious-ness! Being able to build scouts is still a cool ability, though (almost the entire bonus of playing as an expansionist civ right there).

[davidttm]

Re: Good news/Bad news

Originally posted by Carbon Copy
I usually prefer to play with civ-specifics on.

One the one hand, turning it off makes spawning next to the Zulus or the Persians much less dangerous, but on the other it also nixes the civ traits like Industrious or Religious along with the unique units. Dammit, if I'm going to be playing as France, I want my Industrious-ness! Being able to build scouts is still a cool ability, though (almost the entire bonus of playing as an expansionist civ right there).

Thanks for your post. I thought this only affected the UU's. I've been wondering why my civ traits didn't seem to work. I'm not crazy about the UU's but this makes playing with them worth it.

[The Andy-Man]

i find that religeous and industral traits are way to powerful, thats why i only ever use the egyptians (tile improvemtn in 1 turn, plus no anarchy, so a democracy declaring war isnt a problem, cos when war weariness is in, then just change).


imo, ind and rel are just to good. thats the only reason i can think to turn civ specific off, but i am dependant on being religeous otherwise i have to be a monarchy all the time (with AI declerations + war weariness)

[DaveV]

Re: Anyone else switch civ specifics off?

Originally posted by Sandman
Golden ages are still in the game, when you complete a wonder which matches your civs characteristics.

Am I the only one who sees a contradiction in having a golden age generated by your civ-specific characteristics, when you have civ-specific characteristics switched off?

I thought the "civ-specific disabled" mode would be a good one for multiplayer, since then there's no fighting about who gets what civ. But having the golden age based on your civ's traits makes picking the "right" civ even more important: if you plan on building the pyramids and want an early golden age, pick Egypt. Pick the Germans if you want to be able to build ancient wonders without a golden age.

The civ-specific abilities give a nice variety to playing against the computer, but could be the source of many arguments when setting up a multiplayer game.

Another point against this option as currently implemented: having to research two more techs than usual would hardly address people's fears about the start of the game moving too slowly...

Edited for clarity.

[Moonsinger]

Lately, I turn off the culture victory condition because I have always won by culture victory and I'm sick of that. I dream of watching my spaceship taking off someday.

[Munroe]

I like them too much to remove them ... maybe not so much UUs.

[lockstep]

Re: Re: Anyone else switch civ specifics off?

Originally posted by Sandman
Golden ages are still in the game, when you complete a wonder which matches your civs characteristics.

Originally posted by DaveV
Am I the only one who sees a contradiction in having a golden age generated by your civ-specific characteristics, when you have civ-specific characteristics switched off?

As the peaceful golden age trigger was added shortly before Civ3 went gold (see the readme.txt), this is simply a bug.