When will Civ3 end?

[Caesar]

Still the year 2000, or later, or open-ended?

Caesar.

[Caesar]

What're the arguments for a game that doesn't end? Like SimCity?

C.

[I c e d a n]

Heard of the Sweep of Time? Some people say it's just a marketing hype (god I can't remember the word!). But I have a feeling it's not.

It goes: Dinosaurs, Civ3, SMAC2.

So...Civ3 will probably end where we are able to travel to Alpha Centauri, either because the world is being destroyed or just because we want to.

[Empress]

I'm all for a neverending game of civ. It is kinda annoying when you have a good civ going to be forced into retirement...

[I c e d a n]

Yeah I agree.

It would be great if the game could continue forever, but that isn't exactly possible without starting to get bored. I mean in Civ2, you can keep playing forever, but the game begins to become very boring. The computer even gives up! (I hated that)!

The Sweep of Time Trilogy makes this good, because you have the length of 3 games. So this trilogy SHOULD last a VERY long long time anyway! Infact, I see this trilogy lasting at least 5 years because of how long it will be. So I wouldn't be too worried about there being an ending.

[phoenixcager]

The main problem with a neverending game is that there would be no new technology and wonders. So that the longer you go on, the more time seems to stand still.

[Deathwalker]

I think the whole technology thing should be drawn out so that you can not go to Aplha Cent till at least 2500AD. So rather that just set the end further, beef up the earlear years and add more tech their so it is unlikley to end in 1500AD also add a lot more tech between Apollo and going to AC?

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I have walked since the dawn of time and were ever I walk, death is sure to follow

[UltraSonix]

In the other thread recently I think the general consensous is that 2200 is a good ending date. 2020 is definitely too soon.

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No, in Australia we don't live with kangaroos and koalas in our backyards... Despite any stupid advertisments you may see to the contrary...

[Caesar the Great]

Ahh no, not caesar!

[phoenixcager]

CtG: haha....

Ultra: But doesn't the gap between the present and 2200 have to be filled by techs that are presently non-existent. I think most people don't like the idea of sci-fi type techs in the later years (like what they did in CTP)

[Builder]

my idea :

in 2020 the player will be asked if he wants to finish the game, if he chooses yes he will get some addon to his score(20%?) because if he would have countinued the game he wuold've get more score, probably.

if he chooses to continue he will be able to use all those new techs&wonders.

the points addon is important in order to balance the score a player gets in both options.

[Adm.Naismith]

IMHO, date limit is important only if and when related to game aim.

When a game is already on the route to inevitable victory, I find boring to drag it until the formal winning conditions are met. I liked open end games like Sim City, but to a point.

If "Raise and Fall of civilization" will be somewhat implemented the game will be kept interesting until late turns. A stronger A.I. can do the same, but I suppose that is an hopeless aim with current affordable game tech

Score mean something, but to me not so much to add some % if someone keep playing endless the same game: we are buying a software that can start a new game, why keep to use that button only once?

OTOH, if one of the available end game will be to survive as long as possible to an Armageddon magnitude disaster (total nuke exchange, unstoppable pollution and climate change, earth hit by asteroid, invasion by an alien force - using same race of SMACX, etc. ) a later end of game will have the taste of an hopeless fight to survive.

It can be (optional, for players who hate SF ending) what happens after the launch of Starship Unity to Alpha Centauri. While the starship is your seed of hope for the future (mankind will come back, at the end of SMAC 2 ), you boldly face the flood to the game over. Move your cities, raise up your defence, mutate and adapt... your dead will be sure, but how greatness to the end!

Then, collect your ego bit by bit and start a new Civ game...

How do you feel that suggestion?

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Admiral Naismith AKA mcostant

[red_jon]

Perhaps another ending could be the creation of a Utopia- the people should be incredibly happy, no-one unhappy, little to no pollution and different factors depending on the government. For example, Communism would be a truly equal society.
I mean , isn't a perfect world what man has been stiving for since the beggining of humanity?

(Plus, you could sabotage people "Utopia" attempts, if a nation is almost there, with many happy people, you could create civil unrest using spies!)

[Va-Toran]

You shouldn't be forced into ever retiring, but should be able to choose when to retire. Although the tech tree should not add futuristic technologies.

[Adm.Naismith]

Stuff2, I respect your opinion, still your:

quote: I don't think that AC should be the next game in a sequel. Instead the following game will scale out their focus so that it will include the whole solar system and maybe a few nearby solar systems. And the third game should be about the colonization of the whole galaxy.

but Sweep of Time has already been announced as Dino+Civ3+SMAC2, AFAIK!
If it will be only by "marketing glue" or by a real game link, I think it's another story.

Red Jon, Utopia can be another path to the victory, but I fear it will be too easy for any other AI or human civ to stop you (you already suggested to use spies).

Va Toran, I probably miss something of your idea, sorry in advance:
- Civ 2 already left you free to retire when you like; it simply put a time limit to game score
- If you can keep to play forever but the tech tree must stop, your research will hit a wall very quickly: not realistic nor funny IMHO. Or do you mean you like "Future tech #36" instead of proper named one?

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Admiral Naismith AKA mcostant