Wonder Movies

[laissez-faire]

Do we know yet that PtW is going to have wonder movies? I thought that was one of the shining points of Alpha Centauri. It would be quite an investment of time and money for Firaxis, but it would have also elevated the game to the next level.

Just my opinion. Yes, this is my first post.

[Tiberius]

Wellcome to Apolyton, laissez-faire.

We don't know for sure that PtW is not going to have wonder movies, but I'd bet my salary for a year that it won't. (Don't try to make the bet with me, though, the sum doesn't worth it )

PS This is my first post, too...with my new avatar

[Tiberius]

I'll quote from civ3.com:

We have created a beautiful and fun world in Civ III and felt that the Wonder movies of the past would take you out of that world and interrupt the gameplay experience. In Civ III, building a Wonder triggers a reward screen that captures the flavor of the Wonder movies without disrupting the flow of your game.

I see no reason why Firaxis would have changed their attitude toward wonder movies in the meantime.

[Adm.Naismith]

Originally posted by Tiberius
I'll quote from civ3.com:

We have created a beautiful and fun world in Civ III and felt that the Wonder movies of the past would take you out of that world and interrupt the gameplay experience. In Civ III, building a Wonder triggers a reward screen that captures the flavor of the Wonder movies without disrupting the flow of your game.

Or, with different words: we had to cut some costs, and many people skip wonder movies after some games, so we can safely remove them and survive

No way to see the movie come back. I hope at least they add the Wonder stats and game effects on the Wonder Picture, as some graphic MOD already did.

And a decent movie for every different victory path must be a need! How can they only make a good "launch the starship" movie and released "half baked" diplomatic victory screen?

[Tiberius]

Originally posted by Adm.Naismith
And a decent movie for every different victory path must be a need! How can they only make a good "launch the starship" movie and released "half baked" diplomatic victory screen?

You are absolutely right. The diplomatic and cultural victories leave such a bad taste in the winner's mouth.

I don't know about the domination or conquest victory, since I've never achieved one

[laissez-faire]

Thanks for the welcome. I have been "lurking" for a while now. Finally got myself involved.

We have created a beautiful and fun world in Civ III and felt that the Wonder movies of the past would take you out of that world and interrupt the gameplay experience.

Actually, I thought the movies in AC helped to further involve me in that 'world'. I remember the first time I ever played it and ended that evening (or early, early morning) thinking I really had transcended into a god. I agree with Naismith in that they must be trying to cut costs. Well, the product suffered IMHO.

[Caliban]

Originally posted by Tiberius
I don't know about the domination or conquest victory, since I've never achieved one

Be sure: These screens suck, too. I support the idea of victory movies as some kind of reward, but i don't think wonder movies are needed (In AC, I looked at them one time, then I always skipped them).

Btw, do you know the movies in WarCraft III? If Firaxis could hire the artists who made THESE... that would surely be worth seeing!

[Carver]

Somewhere else I saw a Firaxian explain simply that the benefits of wonder movies didn't justify the investment. Most people only watch them once...yada yada... I think they should stick to that justifacation rather than trot out this "gameplay experience" stuff.

[WarpStorm]

I remember reading in an interview that the movies cost a big chunk of the development cost for SMAC and that the payoff wasn't worth the expense. These days if you were to bother putting them in and they weren't up to the level that, say, Blizzard does, people would complain anyway. I'm sure Blizzard spends a pretty penny for their movies.

[laissez-faire]

Yes, WCIII movies were unbelievable. Very intense.

[- Groucho -]

But the movies are so cool! It is a shame that they are gone. I bought SMAC when it first came out and I still, all these years later, watch the wonder movies when I play (which is often). Combined with the voice-overs they are, IMHO, the best piece of eye-candy ever devised for a game. So many games (Warcraft III is a prime example) fill their cut-scenes with dialogue that is just abysmal. That Paladin wiener in the first act of Warcraft III has lines that are the script-writing equivalent of scrubbing a file across your teeth. ogod - make iT STOPPP!!!! SMAC, OTOH, has witty, intelligent quotes that develop the characters while informing and amusing the listener. Fantastic stuff.

[WarpStorm]

Actually, now that you mention it, it's the voice overs and little quotes stories I miss much more thean the full blown movies. Especially the brain in the box one.

[WarpStorm]

Firaxis, I want SMAC 2 with full production values and an AI that actually understands how to play (I don't care about the scenario editor though for SMAC).

[Dida]

YES, we need a good movie for every victory conditon.

[WarpStorm]

A movie for each victory (and loss) would be good, I don't need them for each Wonder.