Do you really believe civ3 will be shipped without Multiplayer support ?

Robert Plomp · September 8, 2001, 18:20

Let's be honest, I just don't believe civ3 won't have MP out of the box.
I have a few reasons for this:

- They have officialy stated many times that civ3 would have MP out of the box. (literary)
- If they will have to break their promise, would they do that by emailing just one person, rather than making it a public announcement
- Games like this that will be shipped these days without MP support will for sure get very bad critics
- There isn't any official statement that backs up the idea that the game will be released without MP.

but what do you think..........
is this - no MP out of the box - rumor a hoax or reality ?

Gramphos · September 8, 2001, 18:27

I hope that all this just is rumors, and that Civ 3 will ship with Multiplayer. Firaxis has said in there FAQ that the game will come with multiplayer all the time, and I don't believe they will change that. (Unless they had enough preorders already

)

Still I'm not 100% sure to be realistic.

Inverse Icarus · September 8, 2001, 19:15

hope and belief are two entities.

i HOPE it ships, but it is QUITE FEASIBLE that it wont.

MidKnight Lament · September 8, 2001, 19:27

I like to think of myself as more of a glass-half-full guy, but the signs are definitely not good. I don't think we're going to get it out of the box, and when we do get it, yes, we will have to pay for it.

I don't even play MP very much, but I'm pretty disappointed if the rumours turn out to be true. To have good MP-ability a game needs to be built that way from scratch. Adding it later simply is not as good. And it is indeed a bad omen for other parts of the game.

I'm hoping we're worrying over nothing, but I fear that's not the case.

manofthehour · September 8, 2001, 19:46

Also on Amazon.com they are advertising Civ3 and one of the features is a multiplayer mode. Why would they tell someone in an email and not someone trying to sell there product?

Slax · September 8, 2001, 20:24

Quote:

Originally posted by manofthehour
Also on Amazon.com they are advertising Civ3 and one of the features is a multiplayer mode. Why would they tell someone in an email and not someone trying to sell there product?

Oh, gee, I don't know, .............$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ ?

Skanky Burns · September 8, 2001, 20:50

Quote:

Originally posted by Slax
Oh, gee, I don't know, .............$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ ?

If Firaxis informed Amazon that there was MP in Civ 3, but then released Civ 3 without this feature, then Firaxis could be sued... costing mega$$$$$$$$...

monkspider · September 9, 2001, 01:00

Here's the good word from www.amazon.com

"Full set of integrated, multiplayer options "

Would they really advertise this if the multiplayer won't be available until spring?

Here's the link
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/se...854269-1246205

tniem · September 9, 2001, 01:43

But if MP was going to be included then why don't they just say so. It has been over two days. They have to have heard us by now and still no official word one way or the other. That makes me tend to believe the rumors are probably correct.

Robert Plomp · September 9, 2001, 03:20

maybe they're sick of all those apolyton rumors
and they don't want to show up every time we're running in fear around. After all they're not our nanny.

And besides that, it's weekend and on friday Dan must have been working on the civ3.com update

Gramphos · September 9, 2001, 04:41

Quote:

Originally posted by CyberShy
maybe they're sick of all those apolyton rumors
and they don't want to show up every time we're running in fear around. After all they're not our nanny.

Yes, it took them a while to stop the rumor about Nationalism being a government, why would them like to stop a rumor like this quick? It stops us from complaining on other things

Skanky Burns · September 9, 2001, 05:06

Quote:

Originally posted by Gramphos
Yes, it took them a while to stop the rumor about Nationalism being a government, why would them like to stop a rumor like this quick? It stops us from complaining on other things

LOL No, not *another* conspiracy theory regarding Firaxis

Ralf · September 9, 2001, 05:21

Take a good look at the pre-released game-setup screenshoot. Is ther a button somewhere leading to a secondary multiplayer-screen? Now, where would they put a link to this optional MP-screen, if not in a player setup-screen? Above isnt "proof" of course - but its beginning to look like MP is destined to be delayed, and instead added to the expected expansion-pack. And is that such a terrible thing? Im sure they put the delay into good use.

Gramphos · September 9, 2001, 09:25

Interesting results. It seems to show that we have no clue.
****
******
***************
******
****
(*=1 vote)
It follows the theoretic result of what this would be, and shows that we don't have a clue.

Robert Plomp · September 9, 2001, 11:46

[quote]Ralf: Is ther a button somewhere leading to a secondary multiplayer-screen?[quote]

There has never been such a link, not even when they were still intended to include MP months ago.............
I assume MP can be behind "new game"

When you select "New game" the next options appear:
- random world
- earth game
- custom earth
- scenario
- multiplayer

or something.

tniem · September 9, 2001, 11:47

Quote:

Originally posted by CyberShy
maybe they're sick of all those apolyton rumors
and they don't want to show up every time we're running in fear around. After all they're not our nanny.

Ahh but demo was right on the mark. So have others. It appears that this one is as well.

Quote:

And besides that, it's weekend and on friday Dan must have been working on the civ3.com update

I think he has it done before Friday. It should just be a quick upload.

Urban Ranger · September 9, 2001, 12:29

Quote:

Originally posted by CyberShy
I assume MP can be behind "new game"

When you select "New game" the next options appear:
- random world
- earth game
- custom earth
- scenario
- multiplayer

or something.

Yes, that sounds right. You also get to choose difficulty level and some other options as well.

Father Beast · September 9, 2001, 12:55

Maybe when they say multiplayer out of the box, they mean hot seat

Kc7mxo · September 9, 2001, 12:55

If you consider the predeccesors of Civ3, neither civ1 nor civ 2 had mp. It was only in expansion packs that it was added.

And who is going to trust anything amazon.com says? They have trouble making a proffit! Let alone being a source of information.

Is it listed on the civ3.com feautres page? mmm. quite telling isn't it. developers always like to toot their own horn. its a matter of pride.

But as always, things can change. Perhaps it will, perhaps it won't. But it having or not having mp will certainly have no effect on my purchase.

Admiral PJ · September 9, 2001, 14:32

I don't believe the information that teacher guy got from a PR person, teachers don't know anything which is why schools don't work. and PR people know even less

It will be nice trying civ3 out Multiplayer wise, I haven played a proper multiplayer game.

PJ

ProfessorPhobos · September 9, 2001, 16:26

Quote:

Originally posted by tniem
But if MP was going to be included then why don't they just say so. It has been over two days. They have to have heard us by now and still no official word one way or the other. That makes me tend to believe the rumors are probably correct.

Ahem, if I recall correctly, the rumor was first posted Friday evening. It is now Sunday.

Does anyone else see why the Firaxis website spokesperson might not have responded yet?

Anyone?

(It's the weekend. They might be home with their families.)

Robert Plomp · September 9, 2001, 17:15

Quote:

kc7mxo: If you consider the predeccesors of Civ3, neither civ1 nor civ 2 had mp. It was only in expansion packs that it was added.

civ1 and civ2 were released in a period that multiplayer games weren't common.
Right now we're in the internet-era. Every game that can possibly be plaid with multiple players has mp support.

Quote:

Ahem, if I recall correctly, the rumor was first posted Friday evening. It is now Sunday.

Does anyone else see why the Firaxis website spokesperson might not have responded yet?

Pherhaps because it's weekend ?

tniem · September 9, 2001, 18:14

Quote:

Originally posted by ProfessorPhobos
Ahem, if I recall correctly, the rumor was first posted Friday evening. It is now Sunday.

Friday morning at 11 am was when it was posted. Since then there have been emails written and time for Dan to have at least seen what was happening.

Quote:

(It's the weekend. They might be home with their families.)

We are a month and a half before release and that means they have less than a month to go gold. All they have is a month and they are going out with their families? That is unlike any gaming company I have heard about. At this point I would expect that with two games in developement that are both supposed to be out this fall that they are working all weekend. Now that could be a reason for not coming on and telling us something. But they are working and if not I am even more worried.

Skanky Burns · September 9, 2001, 20:23

Quote:

Originally posted by Admiral PJ
I don't believe the information that teacher guy got from a PR person, teachers don't know anything which is why schools don't work. and PR people know even less

LOL

My thoughts exactly

mactbone · September 9, 2001, 22:50

Yeah, everybody likes working 56+ hour work weeks with no weekend or time for family. Especially since this is the first weekend for the NFL and basically the first week for College Football.

tniem · September 9, 2001, 22:54

Quote:

Originally posted by MacTBone
Yeah, everybody likes working 56+ hour work weeks with no weekend or time for family. Especially since this is the first weekend for the NFL and basically the first week for College Football.

I didn't say they like to do it but this is the end. They are pressed for time. They are working all weekend.

In the gaming industry I have heard that 70+ hours the final couple weeks are the norm. I think they were working over 80 hours at Lionhead before Black & White. This may lead to errors but if you have a deadline and you have to meet it, then what else are you going to do.

Blizzard tells the story when StarCraft was being designed one of their designers took his labtop to the hospital while his wife was giving birth. He worked on the game all through labor. I am not saying it is necessarily a good idea or that they like doing it - just that it is the norm. And that I would assume if they are pressed for time that they are doing this.

Urban Ranger · September 9, 2001, 23:17

Why are they pressed for time? So what if they won't clear things up till a little later? Why are we taking an unconfirmed e-mail message as fact?