No Wonder movies- oh well

Sarxis · October 12, 2001, 23:48

Here is some info from a recent Firaxis interview:

"Do cut-scenes, such as Wonders movies, play an important role in the
Over all feel of the game? What another animations (cut-scene or otherwise) will feature in the game?

NR-B: We decided not to have wonder movies in CIV III mainly because we’ve spent a lot of time creating this beautiful immersive world and the wonder movies take you out of the world and interrupt game-play. The decision was influenced by feedback from CIV players who let us know that the wonder movies were not that important to them. There will be some very cool in-game visual rewards when you build a wonder. We do have an opening movie and a victory movie. I came up with the concepts for them, and our team created them. The rest of the game is chock-full of beautiful character animation."

Which is great IMO. I never had the wonder movies enabled, but they were fun to watch (once) outside of the game by loading them up in a player.

So as they say in Michigan: .... Cya!

[oh, and btw, here is a link for that interview: http://www.gamesweb.de/index.php?sit...ew=641&seite=1 ]

Imran Siddiqui · October 12, 2001, 23:54

Yeah, this was confirmed a while back.

Falconius · October 13, 2001, 02:57

Turned them off in Civ II after seeing them all once. So I won't miss them.

GodSpawn · October 13, 2001, 05:34

Yeah, I turned them off too.

cyril25376 · October 13, 2001, 09:53

I will miss them, because I did like them.

Akron · October 13, 2001, 10:12

They were enjoyable the first 3-4 times I played the game, but after that I turned them off. As long as they will replace it with something to display your achievement, I won't miss the movies. But I'm happy they still kept the opening and victory movies.

squid · October 13, 2001, 10:54

civ2 had some great movies. Darwin's voyage, etc, looked awesome. And good music. I always watched them.

However, Alpha Centauri's were rather cheap computer generated animations and collages, often reminiscent of tron or something. The artwork went down a notch. I skipped AC's after the first time.

Though I support Firaxis, I think the argument they have for "takes you out of the game" is backwards. Possibly the argument was used because they really didn't want to spend the artistic time on them? Anyhow, they don't take you out of the game if you turn them off. If you leave them on, they draw you into the game by associating real video with what is animaed on your screen. It makes things seem that much more real.

So, Firaxis, I am not buying your "takes you out of the game" argument. You probably did not have the time to do it right (go ahead and say it please, there is nothing wrong with that) since it does not take you out of the game.

If anything took you out of the game it was the text screens in SMAC.

Crouchback · October 13, 2001, 11:10

I'll miss the sense of achievement, seeing those first few frames just after the message popped up telling me another civ had just started/was about to complete the same wonder. But didn't Dan mummer something about an impressive display on the map itself?

David

Sabre2th · October 13, 2001, 11:32

Wonder movies were fun....once. I enjoyed them, but turned them off after only 1 or 2 games. Firaxis made a good choice here. By leaving out movies, they gave themselves a little more time to work on the important stuff.

ogotai · October 13, 2001, 11:55

WHAT A F***

NO WONDER MOWIES ?!?!

Sid, what is with you? I still remember movies from Civ2... They were so good!

Squid:

Quote:

civ2 had some great movies. Darwin's voyage, etc, looked awesome. And good music. I always watched them

I agree with you, and I always wathed them!

Quote:

Though I support Firaxis, I think the argument they have for "takes you out of the game" is backwards. Possibly the argument was used because they really didn't want to spend the artistic time on them? Anyhow, they don't take you out of the game if you turn them off. If you leave them on, they draw you into the game by associating real video with what is animaed on your screen. It makes things seem that much more real.

I'm with you Squid !!!

NR-B:

Quote:

the wonder movies take you out of the world and interrupt game-play

You must be kidding !!!

Quote:

There will be some very cool in-game visual rewards when you build a wonder.

Nothing can replace with the same effect WONDER MOVIES !!!

When I played Civ2, I often had built wonder only for oportunity of seeing a WONDER MOVIE !!!

Todays possibility allows to create ewen greater WONDER MOVIES than they were in Civ2 - these were movies, not animations...

I WANT WONDER MOVIES !!!

NO WONDER MOWIES ?!?!

WHAT A F***

Sarxis · October 13, 2001, 18:45

Well, I am still glad they are gone. Even though the movies were cute, they really didn't add a whole lot to the CIV experience. But, be upset if you must.

Crouchback · October 13, 2001, 19:17

Except now it seems we get a crappy popup instead, which both interrupts the game play and gives no sense of reward or achievement.

Bad choice all round IMO.

David

Skanky Burns · October 13, 2001, 21:45

Actually i think the wonder popups look good, much better than a movie that took a few precious seconds to load, then forcing me to click to kill it...

dainbramaged13 · October 13, 2001, 21:55

I agree with anunikoba that they arnt important, but with squid on that why do they take us out of the game? they made it more real, for me... anyway. the one part im wondring about is this

Quote:

The decision was influenced by feedback from CIV players who let us know that the wonder movies were not that important to them.

did we really say that? because i would have guessed there would be more people like ogotai on these forums than annunukoba

Asesino_Virtual · October 14, 2001, 00:58

Wonder movies sucked!. They really put u out of the atmosphere. I think was a good choice to get rid of them. Really sucked.

Lorizael · October 14, 2001, 01:10

I liked the wonder movies, too, but they got old.

But I saw the wonder pop-up and it looks really cool so I'll be fine.

The real "sense of achievement" is when you look back at that city 1000 or 2000 years later, see the wonder still standing, and see the age bonus for cutlure it gives you.

To look at the city view and see modern sky scrapers right along side the Pyramids.

That, is an achievement.

Sarxis · October 14, 2001, 01:15

Quote:

Originally posted by Lorizael
I liked the wonder movies, too, but they got old...

The real "sense of achievement" is when you look back at that city 1000 or 2000 years later, see the wonder still standing, and see the age bonus for cutlure it gives you...

That, is an achievement.

Yes!

The movie never really added to my sense of achievement: "Oh look, I acheived a wonder movie- joy!

".

But just possesing the wonder, and reaping the benefits, is where the achievement lies. (plus, the city monument screen thing I keep seeing looks like a good substitute for the movie)

SteveJH · October 14, 2001, 01:46

IMHO, the wonder movies would have been more tolerable if they weren't soo damn long and didn't have corny music.

I turned them off after my second game because I already knew they they showed and wanted to get back to my game, instead of waiting 3 minutes.

Simpleton · October 14, 2001, 01:55

The movies were cool the first few times but like most I turned them off after a few plays. Still though they will be missed.

Shiva · October 14, 2001, 01:58

They were ok the first time but after that they got quickly stale. So did most in Smac (although I still would let longevity play, I still love the "get off my land you peacekeeping son of a").

Rasputin · October 14, 2001, 01:59

as a MPer I am glad they gone, a waste of programming time to implement sometihng that is maybe olny used once!!

ogotai · October 14, 2001, 12:14

I see you all want only to watch your statistics, numbers, tables... I want something more, i like when game has a good graphics, sounds, movies, and music - this all creates climate of the game! Not only gameplay...

Did anybody of you see Diablo 2 ? Can you imagine this game without movies..?

I think todays games must have video movies, it's a standart. Now it's 2001AD, not 1994...

Grumbold · October 14, 2001, 13:14

I admit I don't get the arguement. If we're going to get a popup with a picture anyway, how much more distracting is it if it animates? You could always slap a play button down near the city view so it only runs if you want it to. Of course it might have slowed down multiplayer

Better to say that the effort was put to use elsewhere.

For real newbies a link to the civilopedia screen reminding them what this thing they just built actually does and when it expires would have been nice.

LaRusso · October 14, 2001, 13:19

civ movies are a waste of money. once you see them it is over. it was kinda cool in civ 2 but i really do not need them today. game looks gorgeous and i am satisfied

Kramsib · October 14, 2001, 13:46

They weren't so long to put you out of the atmosphere.

I used to like watching at them every time I played and only switched off when I was playing a Mod Scenario because of the different new wonders.

They are only excuses for not working.

Faboba · October 14, 2001, 13:49

Quote:

Originally posted by Asesino_Virtual
Wonder movies sucked!. They really put u out of the atmosphere. I think was a good choice to get rid of them. Really sucked.

I hardly know you yet I hate you.......

Faboba · October 14, 2001, 13:52

I'm finding myself growing more and more supportive of all Firaxis do. So long as they produce ( and all things say they have ) a game worthy of being the sequel to Civ 2 then they can be forgiven

This said though I did love the wonder movies and will probably whip out my civ 2 CD every so often to rewatch either the Great Library or Di Vinchi's workshop ( possibly the greatest 20 seconds of my life. And my computer didn't even light up a fag afterwards or expect me to call it! )

ogotai · October 14, 2001, 17:19

Kramsib, Faboba - I thought, that I am only one, who had liked the wonder movies, thanks