Slingshot's Impressions of CTP2

[Slingshot]

So there I am at Compusmart, and about 10 copies of CTP2 are staring there in front of me for only CDN$69.99.

I pick it up, and I swear the face on the box says "you will buy this copy!"

In a panic I put the box back. Time to leave the store...

Three hours later, I'm sitting in front of my computer with a shrink-wrapped copy of CTP2 next to me. I was terrified about opening the thing. Recall that last time the excitement lasted about 10 minutes, and I was out $60!

It actually took me about 15 min of reading the Apolyton reviews before I opened the CTP2 box (thereby making it difficult to return to the store). The thing that got me was Darth Veda's positive spin.

The other thing was the extra PR work that the Actigrammers did on our Apolyton site.

So far, I've played for about 6 hours. It is definitely more immersive than CTP. In fact, the difference is like day and night!

But I still am not sure if it will be as good as Civ II was when I first played it.

To start:
- The intelligence screens do not let you compare your own civ to the one you're looking at. For example, the Germans have a population of 395379. What's my population?

- It is not as easy to figure out what you're producing in each city. You can't easily find out the city's happiness like you could in Civ II.

- Lot's of things are different. To be fair, I'm starting to get the feel of the unit movement commands.

- Overall, the graphics are "cleaner" than CTP

- Sometimes the drag-and-drop goto command doesn't seems to work.

- The army managment thing is taking a while to get used to.

- I'm not so certain that use of the billion mayors is so intuitive.

- It is great to see that ancient time goes nice and slow... after 192 turns it is still 580 BC!!!

*** The greatest frustration is still a feeling not being able to quickly find all the information you need.

*** The greatest relief is that CTP2 seems worth playing. With CTP I gave up after about 10 hours. Gone are the days when slavers and clerics were beating on your door every turn. Gone are the days when every other civ was uninterested in cooperating.

To the noble Actigrammers: THANK YOU!
[This message has been edited by Slingshot (edited November 25, 2000).]

[Monkey]

You know, I think there is some virus going around, first DarthVeda catches the CTP2 bug and proclaims it as good, which made you go out and get it. Now your post made me ever so sure I want this game. Can't someone come up with a "CTP2 sucks" post already so I stop myself from spending more money on games?

[tonic]

A look at the threads here and at CtP2-Suggestions especailly the Patch#1 would give a good idea. Looking at the Poll conducted some 15% are negative ie
It's not that cool after all 5 / 5%
Not really worth the money 7 / 7%
I will return the game 3 / 3%

I'm exercising caution at this stage.

[Slingshot]

As far as I can see, the biggest problem is getting all the information you need in order to play a good game.

In CivII I felt that the player had a lot of control - the single City Screen was a wonderful thing that is not a part of CTP2. There is a city screen with a bunch of tabs, and then some empire-wide management screens.

Maybe this is the price of stacked units, but it is not always easy to see what kind of units you've got in Rome. The advisors are a help, but you have to click on an advisor button each time you want their opinion.

The tech tree is different from CTP1 as well, so there's a bunch of relearning.

[MarkG]

quote: Originally posted by Slingshot on 11-25-2000 09:45 PM - It is not as easy to figure out what you're producing in each city.

hit F2

quote: You can't easily find out the city's happiness like you could in Civ II.

hit F2 again

[Slingshot]

From playing CTP, CTP2 and the SMAC demo it seems that I'll have to face reality:

There will never be a game quite like CivII. And CivII no longer cuts the mustard.

Time for me to move on!

[Kautilya]

"As far as I can see, the biggest problem is getting all the information you need in order to play a good
game."
I felt that way at first but once you get used to it the CTP2 interface is pure sweetness compared to Civ 2 especially the army manager,unit manager and national manager.

For instance if you want to disband all your hoplites at one go you can do it. If you want to switch your prodcution in 10 cities to say tanks all at once you can do it. I also the love the way you can arrange virtually any table you like in asceding/descending order. Very convenient.

[Slingshot]

Pure sweetness...

So now I should think about doing these things.

But on the topic of the army manager:

Do you ever have difficulties splitting armies?

I have tried to make two armies from a 12-unit stack, but it after doing so I always get the wrong army selected. Say I make a 2-unit army (weak units) and a 10-unit army (strong units). Now I want to remove the weak, 2-unit army and replace them with two fresh ones on the next tile.

Any suggestions?

[MarkG]

it will be complicated if someone tries to give you directions so experiment a little with it, until you get used to it...

[Carrion]

Only one complaint about the army manager or rather stacking. In CCTP you could have a stack of mixed units and still bombard a city. In CTP2 you have to make an army with only units that have the bombard capability. Thats is my only major gripe about the game. Other than that I'm having a blast playing it. Well worth my 50 bucks.

[colorme]

Carrion,

you can still bombard with a mixed army. Just select any one cannon out of the (mixed) army, and the bombard option will show up. if you use it, all cannons will bombard.

BTW, this is clearly an issue of bad interface and should be fixed in a patch.

[MarkG]

actually, i'm certain that just right-clicking on a stack with artillery or cannons gives you the bombard option...
are you sure your stack has artillery?