Age of Empires Vs. Civilization

[Jag02]

I am a big Age of Empires fan and was wondering how Civilization: CTP stacked up against it. So if anyone reading this has played both, please respond and tell me your opinion.

[hexagonian]

AOE is really a race up the tech tree and a race to point and click. In that sense, I don't enjoy its frantic pace as much as CTP, because I like to take my time, although I can do that in the scenerios, because the AI isn't too bright. The map editor is great, because its so easy to work with.

CTP is a much better game than when first shipped because of the various mods and the first patch available. I had looked forward to its release, read all the bad press and got discouraged, but went out and got it anyhow. Got CDs mod and have come to enjoy it. It is somewhat buggy (several crashes), compared to AOE. Once again, the AI isn't too bright, but I have yet to play it on the Diety level. Best of all, I can play at my own pace. I get more immersed in a game of CTP than AOE.

[The Ellimist]

This is a bit biased, since I haven't played CTP yet. But I think that Age of Empires is better. Each civilization gets its own set of benefits: Assyria gets better archers, Babylon gets faster priests and better walls, Korea gets stronger Legions and better towers, etc.

I don't think a comparison is possible- CTP is turn-based, AoE is real-time.

[St Leo]

I have never tried CtP but AoE is a great game in its own domain. The civilizations are decently balanced(although I am yet to see anyone use the Babylonians in multiplayer) and historically appropriate. The sea combat is a joke(the ships are supposed to RAM and BOARD, not shoot silly projectiles at each other) but it doesn't hurt the game. I don't find a lack of formations a downside because I think of the units as being from 50 to 100 dudes strong. The multiplayer bouts tend to be fairly short but I do recommend this game to everyone.:-)

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St. Leo
www.sidgames.com/imperialism/
www.sidgames.com/sidportal/
www.sidgames.com/forums/
Member of the AUP!

[fasteddie]

i've played both and i'll say aoe (and starcraft for that matter) are better for my taste than all civs just because of the speed. But really, i've been sucked into playing ctp even though it has many flaws. And i won't go back until Water Starcraft is released .

so really i like them both. if your bored with aoe then try it out!
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i've seen the man use the needle, (seen the needle use the man) --megadeth



[This message has been edited by fasteddie (edited August 03, 1999).]

[Jag02]

Thanks to the people who responded so far, I am also curious about Civilization II and how it stacks up. (vs. AoE) I figure more people have played Civ 2 and might have an opinion (I heard Civ 2 was better then CTP.)

[fasteddie]

i haven't played civ2 but since ctp is soo customizable it could surpass civ2 in the near future... expecially with patch 1.2 which will give scenarios, play-by-email, and modification management (for multiplayer).

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i've seen the man use the needle, (seen the needle use the man) --megadeth

[Alex]

I've played both Civ II and AoE, and I think that Civ II is far, far better. Of course, there is a main difference: Civ II is a TBS, while AoE is RTS. I really don't like real time strategy, for the lack of what I call "strategy". As pointed out before, AoE is a game where rush tactics and mouse dexterity are necessary to win, and that doesn't suit my tastes.
As for Civ II vs. CTP, well, Civ II is the best. It is a game far more stable than CTP, with a well balanced gameplay and a strong sense of immersion. CTP tried to emulate these features, but failed. The reasons for this are many and varied: bugs that made the game virtually unplayable, wrong choices on the interface design, poor diplomacy and so on.
Civ II is still a game which I play with great pleasure. Alpha Centauri comes close, very close.

Alexnm

[Delthalaz]

Yes. Civ II is far far better. First of all: Age of Empires is a complete rip off of Warcraft 2. They stole absolutely everything, without one original concept. AOE is a REAL TIME STRATEGY GAME. Civ and AC ARE TURN BASED! COMPLETELY DIFFERENT GAME GENRES HERE!
Civ II on the other hand is an amazingly great game. CTP is an ill programmed piece of #$#@. Alpha Centauri is better than Civ II because #1: after a while you get stick of climbing up the tech tree and want to use guns NOW!
#2: The Diplomacy in AC is soooo much better..
#3: Its really cool to beat civ II by colonizing alpha centauri then start a new Alpha Centauri game and beat that too (by transcending)
#4: INTELLIGENT GOVERNERS! It really reduces the obscene amounts of micromanaging needed..
CTP sucks. I bought it. It sucks. It is a rip off of Civ II with a few new stupid technologies that arent as good as the Alpha Centauri and they just wanted to make money without a good game. "Hey lets make a CIV game" they said. "Lets rip off Civ II concepts and make them worse!"