strategy guide

[Gryphon]

i know there was talk about the stategy guide and the fact it was going to be released early has anyone gotten it and if so any good info in it?

[ixnay]

AFAIK, it was pushed back past the release date.

[donarumo]

EB lists the guide as the 24th (If I remember correctly), a week before the release. Doubt it will actually come out on that date but you never know.

[Gryphon]

thanks ixnay i hadnt heard anything and too lazy to check

[The Templar]

A strategy guide for a game that only Firaxis has played so far? Boy, I bet that's worth the money.

[donarumo]

Hey, it'll be good to get a list of units, wonders, etc. for $16.00 a week before the game ships.

[Howling Chip]

I enjoy the strategy guide (although this is based on the SG for CTP1) primarily to read the historical writeups and game analysis of the wonders, enhancements, and unit attributes.

Often an SG will also clarify how some game mechanics work where the game manual falls short.

If Firaxis kept play testing and development closed, it would not be the first time that Prima had a game developer actually write the SG.

[Ozymandous]

Originally posted by donarumo
Hey, it'll be good to get a list of units, wonders, etc. for $16.00 a week before the game ships.

Or let someone else spend the $16 and get the info for free when they post it here..

[Gryphon]

A strategy guide for a game that only Firaxis has played so far? Boy, I bet that's worth the money

well since the publisher lists it as published i guess you should get out your wallet unless you think its full of the screenshots and knowledge posted here.

[Ironwood]

Yeesh. I strategy guide with a pre-game release. Personally, I think the game community should boycott such monstrosities. As for me, if I want a strat guide, I'll be waiting for a high quality unofficial strategy guide. A proper one simply can't be written without at least a month of playing the actual game, let alone a few months messing with pre-release betas. I'll bet you anything, the strategy guide will be inaccurate in terms of which civs have which CSA's, at least. IIRC, a few of those changed pretty late in the dev cycle. It wouldn't surprise me to see, on their units chart, a UU called the "Crusader" or something like that.

[Blaupanzer]

One real use for strategy guides associated with Firaxis games has been to answer the "how did they calculate that" and the "why does that work like that" questions. The manual tends to tell you what a statistic means in the game, rather than how it was caldulated. Same for game effects (Wonders, Advances, Improvements); the manual tells you what happens in relation to these, but not why the designers settled on those effects or solutions.

[fluxcapacitor]

Maybe we'll be lucky enough come release day to find out that the new Civilopedia is just as detailed as the Datalinks are in SMAC/X. While a not a substitute for a well written and informative strat guide, the Datalinks are very, very comprehensive w/ many game formula's listed. Realistically, I don't expect to see this though, which is a damn shame being such a backstep from AC.

[Pembleton]

Originally posted by Blaupanzer
One real use for strategy guides associated with Firaxis games has been to answer the "how did they calculate that" and the "why does that work like that" questions. The manual tends to tell you what a statistic means in the game, rather than how it was caldulated. Same for game effects (Wonders, Advances, Improvements); the manual tells you what happens in relation to these, but not why the designers settled on those effects or solutions.

My use for strategy guides is for other people to buy them for the information you speak about and then repeat what's in there on the net. Of course a lot of that information may also be gained idependently of the guide. I'm sure most of the tables and statistics not included in the manual will eventually be posted here and other Civ fansites.

Real strategy is gained from expert players who have exchanged ideas and have had weeks/months of experience, not from a strategy guide.

[cassembler]

You know what I really hate about strategy guides is when a game is designed so that you HAVE to buy it... For instance, the only way to get past level 2- after you're hooked to the game- is to magically jump onto the invisible bridge and flip the invisible switch after fighting the invisible monster by using the "special secret code".

THAT BEING SAID, the strategy guide for games like CIV are not essential, and for that, I think they are great for anyone who's got $20 to blow and wants something to read in study hall (and who's already read the manual 18 times)...

[cassembler]

...strategy guide with a pre-game release. Personally, I think the game community should boycott such monstrosities.

Hey, boycotting something just because you don't like it is missing the whole point. Boycott something that kills kids or causes cancer for maximum effect.

[Urban Ranger]

Originally posted by donarumo
Hey, it'll be good to get a list of units, wonders, etc. for $16.00 a week before the game ships.

That seems to be such a waste of good money. You will get the same thing with the game manual.

[tniem]

Well if the book is being published on release date that means they have had to have the book ready for editing and publishing about six weeks ago. Firaxis was still changing stuff so that means if the strategy guide writer has even played the game it was an old beta version with the wrong numbers. No way is it worth the money. Want more evidence, read what Alan Emerich, a former strategy game writer has to say http://hometown.aol.com/aemrich111/a...11/decline.htm

[Adm.Naismith]

Having in this board Velocyrix, one of the best man in show for writing Strategy Guides for SMAC, I'd suggest to wait the man and see.

He already announced his interest for a Civ III similar effort and, while the last guide version for SMAC come a bit too late IMHO, his work was excellent since the first release.

Vel is our strategy analyst, have faith in him (and in some others great players who deserve credits fro the help they give to Vel).

[Sarxis]

Funny you should mention Vel, because I think with the new gameplay concepts in CivIII, he (being a 'builder' of sound mind and judgement) will probably be having a blast with this game.

I can also forsee him getting a guide together for CivIII, and perhaps, even making some real money thins time around for his efforts.

[Deathwalker]

I thought it was oging to come out after the game now

[Zardos]

It looks like the strat guide will be shipped on 10/24 according to EBWorld. The funniest thing that I discovered was a "review" of the stratgey guide

http://www.ebgames.com/ebx/editorial...popf_id=203584

[Jim Cobb]

Two lines from an anonymus reader. Ya gotta wonder who wrote it. I've pre-ordered for semi-professional reasons and will be glab to answers questions on it here.

[Adm.Naismith]

Originally posted by Zardos
The funniest thing that I discovered was a "review" of the stratgey guide

Disgusting! A payed review before the book is printed seems really awful to me.
I really feel the need for starting a boycott campaign ... Nah, too much effort.

[Zardos]

FYI -- the strategy guide release date has been pushed out to October 31st according to ebworld's web site. I was looking forward to being able to do some bed time reading before the game came out, but ahh, no luck.

[SerapisIV]

A customer on 10/7/2001 writes:
A GOOD GUIDE TO THE BEST STRATEGY GAME EVER!

This book will definitely improve your CIV III performance. A must have for any Civ III player!

http://www.ebgames.com/ebx/editorial...popf_id=203584

Can anyone say publisher written?