Civilization3 Strategy Guide

marcuspeddle · October 2, 2001, 07:39

I just saw the advert for the guide but the game isn't even out on the shelves yet. Does anyone know how this works? Is the guide written by the playtest team or by Firaxis workers who stay up all hours of the night? I would think that you couldn't write a strategy guide until you had spent a few weeks playtesting the final product. I followed the link to Chips 'n' Bits but there was no information about the guide at all. Anyway, when you have Apolyton there's really no need for a strategy guide.
Anyone know anything about the guide? (no conjecturing, ma'am, only the facts.)

Provost Harrison · October 2, 2001, 07:45

Personally when I start playing I like to get stuck in and figure out strategies for myself (apart from gaining some basic UI and game mechanical information from the manual), I really do not want to be spoonfed how to play the game in minute detail, that should be left up to the curious mind...

Sava · October 2, 2001, 07:55

Quote:

Originally posted by Provost Harrison
Personally when I start playing I like to get stuck in and figure out strategies for myself (apart from gaining some basic UI and game mechanical information from the manual), I really do not want to be spoonfed how to play the game in minute detail, that should be left up to the curious mind...

Agreed, plus the same stuff in that book will be in the strategy forums once the game is released. I mistakenly bought a Civ 1 strategy guide back in the day, and it was tailored to a newbie type.

"TIP>>: Build settler units to expand your empire!!"

Wow THANKS FOR THE ADVICE!!

<---put your tongue back in Provost (Robert Redford)

<---SoulAssassin (played by James Gandolfini)

Ironwood · October 2, 2001, 15:46

Any strategy guide that comes out before the game sucks. It's advice is based upon a beta. Most of them give very vague advice due to the possibility of game numbers changing just before release. Their purpose is not to help us play the game, but rather to suck money out of our bank accounts and into corporate profits. "Official" strategy guides officially suck.

Jaybe · October 2, 2001, 16:03

I disagree, Ironwood. While a strategy guide may have some errant information in it, it should have gobs of useful information and statistics that is hard to get elsewhere.
Case in point:
the Civilization: Call to Power Strategy Guide was quite useful to me, actually providing several months of entertainment prior to my buying the game. Had lots of info that served as a handy reference, too. You learn which things to dismiss through those AHA's when playing the game.

dainbramaged13 · October 2, 2001, 16:32

hmmm.... civ3 strat guide release date on amazon = september

tniem · October 2, 2001, 21:10

Alan Emerich, the current Lead Designer on MOO3 and former writer of strategy guides such as that of Civ and MOO, wrote a highly informative and interesting article as why strategy guides released around game release time by their very nature are awful. Read it at http://hometown.aol.com/aemrich111/a...1/decline.htm. And decide for yourself.

monkspider · October 2, 2001, 21:40

I am so desperate for something to whet my Civ 3 appetite, I plan on buying the strat. guide the day it comes out. Yes, it may be somewhat inaccurate, yes it may feature simpilistic advice. But there will no doubt be some interesting pictures and enough new information to create many a thread here on Apolyton.

I don't disagree at all that the concept of the early strategy guide release is inherently flawed, but I will nonetheless buy it, just to try for a cheap civ 3 fix. (I'm in a cold sweat with a blanket in my mouth over here!)

isaac brock · October 2, 2001, 21:58

tneim:

Your link is broken, and I don't appreciate it.

dainbramaged13 · October 2, 2001, 22:07

Quote:

Originally posted by monkspider
I am so desperate for something to whet my Civ 3 appetite, I plan on buying the strat. guide the day it comes out. Yes, it may be somewhat inaccurate, yes it may feature simpilistic advice. But there will no doubt be some interesting pictures and enough new information to create many a thread here on Apolyton.

I don't disagree at all that the concept of the early strategy guide release is inherently flawed, but I will nonetheless buy it, just to try for a cheap civ 3 fix. (I'm in a cold sweat with a blanket in my mouth over here!)

you *have* a scanner, correct?

no?

you *will* buy a scanner!

*waves hand slowly upward, trying to look like obiwan*

monkspider · October 2, 2001, 22:58

I do have a scanner, and i was in fact the one to scan large portions of the computer games article for the forum about a month or so ago. I will definitely try to my best to a ton of stuff scaned for my fellow apolytoners. Just as i hope others share some of the Limited Edition stuff with those who are unable to find it anywhere. But don't worry! I will try spend a lot of time scanning stuff for everyone once I get it.

Nemo · October 2, 2001, 23:53

there are SOOO many differnt playing syles and ways to win civ...i think strategy guiedes are a waste of $$$$ for Civ type games. besides...you can find strategies for free all over theinternet before teh final release even hits store shelves.

Skanky Burns · October 3, 2001, 08:28

Quote:

Originally posted by monkspider
I will definitely try to my best to a ton of stuff scaned for my fellow apolytoners. Just as i hope others share some of the Limited Edition stuff with those who are unable to find it anywhere. But don't worry! I will try spend a lot of time scanning stuff for everyone once I get it.

Deal!! You scan the strategy guide in here, and ill scan everything interesting from the LE when I get it

Ill even scan the actual tin, so you can print it out and build your own one