Can Civ3 manage a strong on-line presence? Or will we all be beating the computer a few days after buying the game, left with:[list=1][*]PBEM games that take months to finish (great on the personal schedule but lousy for how darn long they take); [*]Hotseat games that require eveybody to be in the same room (fun enough when possible, which is never for me); [*] Praying that scenario designers outdo themselves (I would consider scenarios a different civ experience, not necessarily the one I bought the game for);[*] Trying increasingly silly challenges -- forget the "One City Challenge" how 'bout the "No City Challenge"? -- to keep things interesting (more a logic puzzle than a game)?[/list=a]
In my case, unless I can play against other human beings and have everything wrapped up in 2-3 hours, I just don't see how I'll get much challenge/fun out of the game after a few weeks AND have it fit my busy schedule (8 hour on-line games won't fit into my lifestyle, for example, and I imagine most people are the same).
Obviously, PBEM, Hotseat, scenarios and challenges all have their place, and I hope they are supported in Civ3. But I'm not sure anything can replace the fun of logging in to a crowded Civ3 site, finding a room full of friends, and battling for a few hours to determine a victor.
But to finish a civ game in 2-3 hours, how would we need to set it up? Timelimits are fine but artificial. Total points are the same way. "Last man standing" or "Election as World Leader" are the most satisfying to me, but can that be done in 2-3 hours with Civ?
So, my questions:
Do you think MP games are important for Civ3?
If so, how would you suggest it be done?
In my case, unless I can play against other human beings and have everything wrapped up in 2-3 hours, I just don't see how I'll get much challenge/fun out of the game after a few weeks AND have it fit my busy schedule (8 hour on-line games won't fit into my lifestyle, for example, and I imagine most people are the same).
Obviously, PBEM, Hotseat, scenarios and challenges all have their place, and I hope they are supported in Civ3. But I'm not sure anything can replace the fun of logging in to a crowded Civ3 site, finding a room full of friends, and battling for a few hours to determine a victor.
But to finish a civ game in 2-3 hours, how would we need to set it up? Timelimits are fine but artificial. Total points are the same way. "Last man standing" or "Election as World Leader" are the most satisfying to me, but can that be done in 2-3 hours with Civ?
So, my questions:
Do you think MP games are important for Civ3?
If so, how would you suggest it be done?
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