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Okay, I said I wouldn't have time for a while but I found some. 
I just want to make a few things clear right from the outset:
1. I applaud very loudly the work that has gone into CTP2 by the Poly fans. The strength of the mods is clearly evident by a number of facts:
- Rave reviews in game magazines
- Some of the highest ranked mods on Poly are CTP2 mods
- Even now 5 years after release the mods are still regarded as some of the best for any strategy game
Clearly CTP2 has left its mark on the gaming industry. Maybe not so much on the strength of its gameplay, but on its inovations and moddability. CTP2 breathed life into the Civ-genre with inovations that were sharply different to the Civ-series. This is now obvious in some of the features in Civ4. I believe Firaxis had no choice but to embrace CTP2's inovations and address each shortfalling to create a uniquely Civ game with CTP2 ingredients. Also it's clearly obvious that CTP2's moddability and the genius within the CTP2 community inspired Firaxis to the level of Civ4's moddability. (It wouldn't surprise me if some of the CTP2 modders are beta testers). No one can deny that all of us were a part of that. In fact, I'd go as far to say that we the Poly CTP2 community have shaped Civ4's design a massive amount, second only to the beta testers. This is a MASSIVE achievement for a game with such a rocky history as CTP2. And I'm proud to have been a part of that.
2. My leaving of the CTP2 arena were for my own reasons. I had a massive design in the original Ages of Man. However my inability to be able to mod in certain key elements led me to head off and start programming my own game. This is still happening, but at a slow rate.
It had nothing to do with Civ4. CTP2 just simply couldn't handle my design so I wanted to create an engine that could.
My interest in Civ4 is simply because I love grand strategy games. TBS or RTS or whatever, I love the depth of grand strategy. With that in mind, of course I'll be drawn in by Civ4, it's the next big release of a grand strategy game.
However, I do know where my roots originated from. There are elements of CTP2 I'd love to see in Civ4. For example true stacked combat, not pseudo 1-on-1 combat that the Civ series traditionally takes. MAD is another concept that CTP2 brought that I feel no Civ-genre game should be without.
But I'm also realistic. The CTP2 community is fast dwindling to those rare few highly devoted fans. If I create a mod, I want it to be played. I want to influence the play style of many folks, and try to create a fun experience in a different way. That will not be met in CTP2. Thus my hopes in the moddability of Civ4. If Civ4 is truelly as moddable as they say, then I will be in up to my arms in xml and python. Who knows, when the SDK comes out I'll most likely dive head first into it.
Barry Caudill said in a Gamespot interview (I think) and Jesse Smith said on "Attack of the Show", that Civ4's moddability is so deep that with the SDK CTP2 styled stacked combat will be possible. Thus I know where I'll be come january 2006.
I feel the future of modding lies in that direction. Civ4 is appearing to be a massive leap forward in openess within the gaming industry. I would however love to see a complete CTP2 patch, maybe even integrated into AOM. At the very least, Stan deserves that after 2 years on the mod.
At least give him that.
Dale
I just want to make a few things clear right from the outset:
1. I applaud very loudly the work that has gone into CTP2 by the Poly fans. The strength of the mods is clearly evident by a number of facts:
- Rave reviews in game magazines
- Some of the highest ranked mods on Poly are CTP2 mods
- Even now 5 years after release the mods are still regarded as some of the best for any strategy game
Clearly CTP2 has left its mark on the gaming industry. Maybe not so much on the strength of its gameplay, but on its inovations and moddability. CTP2 breathed life into the Civ-genre with inovations that were sharply different to the Civ-series. This is now obvious in some of the features in Civ4. I believe Firaxis had no choice but to embrace CTP2's inovations and address each shortfalling to create a uniquely Civ game with CTP2 ingredients. Also it's clearly obvious that CTP2's moddability and the genius within the CTP2 community inspired Firaxis to the level of Civ4's moddability. (It wouldn't surprise me if some of the CTP2 modders are beta testers). No one can deny that all of us were a part of that. In fact, I'd go as far to say that we the Poly CTP2 community have shaped Civ4's design a massive amount, second only to the beta testers. This is a MASSIVE achievement for a game with such a rocky history as CTP2. And I'm proud to have been a part of that.
2. My leaving of the CTP2 arena were for my own reasons. I had a massive design in the original Ages of Man. However my inability to be able to mod in certain key elements led me to head off and start programming my own game. This is still happening, but at a slow rate.
It had nothing to do with Civ4. CTP2 just simply couldn't handle my design so I wanted to create an engine that could.My interest in Civ4 is simply because I love grand strategy games. TBS or RTS or whatever, I love the depth of grand strategy. With that in mind, of course I'll be drawn in by Civ4, it's the next big release of a grand strategy game.
However, I do know where my roots originated from. There are elements of CTP2 I'd love to see in Civ4. For example true stacked combat, not pseudo 1-on-1 combat that the Civ series traditionally takes. MAD is another concept that CTP2 brought that I feel no Civ-genre game should be without.
But I'm also realistic. The CTP2 community is fast dwindling to those rare few highly devoted fans. If I create a mod, I want it to be played. I want to influence the play style of many folks, and try to create a fun experience in a different way. That will not be met in CTP2. Thus my hopes in the moddability of Civ4. If Civ4 is truelly as moddable as they say, then I will be in up to my arms in xml and python. Who knows, when the SDK comes out I'll most likely dive head first into it.
Barry Caudill said in a Gamespot interview (I think) and Jesse Smith said on "Attack of the Show", that Civ4's moddability is so deep that with the SDK CTP2 styled stacked combat will be possible. Thus I know where I'll be come january 2006.
I feel the future of modding lies in that direction. Civ4 is appearing to be a massive leap forward in openess within the gaming industry. I would however love to see a complete CTP2 patch, maybe even integrated into AOM. At the very least, Stan deserves that after 2 years on the mod.
At least give him that.
Dale
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