Perhaps Best For Hotseat: Civilization- The Boardgame

[Comrade Tribune]

This is NOT a joke!

I really hope I am the first who has noticed this:

"Hundreds of professionally sculpted plastic playing pieces that represent cities, settlers, armies, navies, artillery, and air units from 4 different eras.

Over 100 full color Technology and Wonder cards.
› A giant 46” x 36” gameboard featuring the artwork of Paul Niemeyer."

http://www.eaglegames.net/

Discuss.

[Comrade Tribune]

"Plainfield, IL – February 8, 2002 – Eagle Games, Inc., a boardgame design and manufacturing company, announced that it has licensed the rights to publish the boardgame version of the best-selling PC game, Civilization from Infogrames. The most recent title in the series, Sid Meier’s Civilization III was developed by Firaxis Games and published by Infogrames. Civilization: The Boardgame is scheduled for an August, 2002 release.

Finally, a boardgame version of the classic PC hit! “Sid Meier’s Civilization is widely considered to be the best computer strategy game of all-time,” said Glenn Drover, President of Eagle Games, citing the multitude of awards garnered by the franchise over the years as well as the 4,000,000 units of Sid Meier’s Civilization software sold. “We are extremely excited to be able to bring this computer classic to boardgame players around the world. The quality that we put into all of our products will do justice to the Civilization franchise and really make the boardgame version shine.”

When asked about the unique advantages of a boardgame version of a PC product, Drover said, “Players will be able to play REAL face-to-face multiplayer matches, the pieces will be in REAL 3-D, and the social experience that players get when playing boardgames cannot be matched by a computer terminal. And finally, it’s just really cool to move all those miniatures around the gorgeous antique-style map.”

The Boardgame will feature over 800 detailed miniature plastic pieces representing armies, navies, settlers, leaders, and cities from four different historical periods (ranging from 4000 BC to the near future). Additionally, the game will contain a colorful, gigantic 46” x 36” gameboard featuring the artwork of Paul Niemeyer; over one hundred cards depicting technological advances and Wonders of the World; and three sets of rules from Basic to Advanced. These elements immerse the player in the excitement, flavor and visual appeal of this classic game, while providing fast, fun gameplay. Assets and reviews of current products may be viewed on the company’s website: www.eaglegames.net
"

[asleepathewheel]

I remember reading about this a few months ago, the press release, before they had a website.

Pieces do look good. Sounds interesting

And I thought risk took a while to play out. Can't imagine sitting around a table for hours and hours toplay this. would be fun though, but painful.

[FrostyBoy]

oh yeah I forgot about this, it looks pretty amazing..

[Comrade Tribune]

Some more tidbits

From the game designer (Glenn Drover):

"Obviously, a boardgame can never do all of the things that a computer game can. Especially when it comes to fast bookkeeping and alot of variables. (Nor would anyone even want to try).
Therefore, we determined very early that the boardgame would not try to track individual city production or development, but each civilization would track it's TOTAL production and builds could happen whereever the player wanted to allocate them (kind of a national allocation of resources)."

"Civilization (the computer game) is, at it's heart, a game of conquest.
Oh sure, there are other ways to win, but there is nothing more sure than conquest of your enemies. Even the most peace-loving civilization must attack their enemies to own their continent, and to defend themselves. Early expansion is the surest way to be in a dominant position in the late game.

That having been said, Sid Meier's Civilization: The Boardgame will not require a player to ever declare war to win. Just as in Age of Imperialism, it will actually be beneficial to avoid long wars that might weaken a nation. It really depends on the people playing the game.
A family who wants to expand and grow their civilizations, can play an entire game in that style without any conflict at all!

I believe that Civilization: The Boardgame will be a great fit for your family gatherings."

"We will be treating shield, gold, and light bulb production as one commodity. It will represent the time, energy, manpower, and therefore money resources of the entire society. The player will be able to allocate them to do several things including:

Grow/ Improve Cities
Create new settlers
Build Military Units
Build Wonders
Discover Technologies
Develop the economy
Luxuries/ Happiness

Since money is really just a way of tracking WORK/TIME/VALUE, a society can allocate these resources in any proportion that it wants.

By streamlining the accumulation and expenditure of a society's work/time resources, we will be able to streamline the design (and thereby make the game playable) while maintaining the spirit and effect of the same function in the computer game."

[Comrade Tribune]

# of Civs

"Variety IS the spice of life. I am guessing that we will offer at least 12-15 different Civilizations."

[Grumbold]

If it actually plays as well as it is talked up, then I'll undoubtedly add it to my list of regularly played boardgames. That doesn't mean it will be able to replace the desire to play Civ III multiplayer - for those that want to - which will be a quite different (and undoubtedly longer) experience.

[Dr. Stiby]

This game looks and sounds great. I know there has been an older version af a CIV boardgame, though I never got to play it, nor even see it. Is anyone familiar with the old boardgame, and if so, does this game seem like the same to you?
About this game, how will we be able to put our soldiers into the triremes and frigates??

[dbconfessional]

The original Civilization board game by Avalon Hill is what Sid based the concpet for the computer Civilization on. The original board game was nothing nearly as advanced as even the first Civ PC game. It was centered around the ancient world (babylon, egypt, Greece) featured a small board and didn't progress past theiron age I believe. It was still a very fun game, but this new board game has been long overdue. I can't wait.

[civman2000]

yes I've been following this game (though not too closely) since it was announced and an axis & allies website i sporadically visit linked to it.

[Grumbold]

The original Civ boardgame was one of the inspirations for PC Civ but its a completely different game in play balance and 'feel'. I would not say it was less advanced, just a different concept. You had to manage your empire from the stone age through to the pinnacle of Ancient/Mediaevil achievement. A faithful PC version of the game was made as Avalon Hill's "Advanced Civilisation" which you can find on a few abandoware sites. There are several threads discussing it in detail in the Other Games areas of this site.

[Cookie Monster]

Intrigueing. Will have to pick this one up when it comes out.

[Rhuarc]

This looks pretty cool, it will be so satisfying to destroy another person who is sitting right there next you!