Why Firaxis should release builds to Apolytoners

[Slingshot]

Let's start a thread that will convince Firaxis to be more open with its program development.

I know that most at Firaxis are worried that people will steal their ideas. That is something we could address.

But most of all, we should give them a long list of reasons as to why sharing with Apolyton can help them:
- sell more copies of Civ III (let's say 25% more)
- win more awards in more categories
- make the very best game of 2001

Maybe there already is an "old-boys club" of Apolytoners with priveledged information about Civ III. Maybe these people already have a "Firaxis Hot-Line," where they simply make a call to get Sid out of bed at 3AM so he can listen to their newest ideas.

But let's assume that the whole list of registered Apolytoners could do better than that!

Good examples are:
- 500 pages of bright ideas
- 1,000,000,000,000,000,000 hours of Civ gaming time
- The "Essential 5"(TM) lists
- etc.

[pris]

Sounds like a nice idea in principal but I don't think there's any benefit in it for Firaxis or Apolyton users. Basically they need to get on with developing their vision of the game, design by comittee doesn't work.

[Slingshot]

I agree that design by committee is slow and labourious. I also know that you can't please everyone.

But Firaxis (and Activision) have a gold mine of free idea creation resources here.

If these companies were the ones to put together questions for the polls before a product was released, they could get lots of imformation, quickly.

Obviously they could not have everybody write long stories about how they envision radical changes to each build, but they could get some quick responses (say in the form of questionaires).

During a major milestone, a prototype of the final product could be sent out, and Apolytoners could organize the Essential 5 fixes.

I am thinking about how Activision did things with CTP. Remember it was due to be released, then they ran it past quality control, and they had problems. Then they ran it on a beta test, and there were still problems. Despite all of this error- and balance-checking, when it was released many Civ-addicts had serious problems with it.

It can't be that hard for a design team to make a point of throwing out a new idea each week. The feedback would probably stimulate a lot of fruitful discussion within days - and everyone would benefit from it. To me, words like "We're still alive." or "We look at the forum all the time." is too noncommital.

Good companies are proactive, and they capitalize on the value of their clientele.
[This message has been edited by Slingshot (edited March 08, 2000).]

[Adm.Naismith]

Slingshot, I like the idea of customer committed into the development. It's now more widely available because of Internet power, still it's a bit limited to us, the game fans here on fans'sites (Apolyton and others).

We already do a lot of useful work with The List and Essentials 5, may be we can do some more on a beta testing. IMHO there is no way we can help on first builds and prototyping.

Firaxis should be more positive with us, trying to list what's in (at this stage) and what's out (definitelly) related to The List suggestion. It's some form of secret revealed to the other companies, but I think Firaxis can survive with it.

If Firaxis can cut off The List enough, I think we can do another, more focused help.
Of course we will have some criticism from players who don't like the chosen way, but it will be a fact of life, at least when the game will be almost finished and revealed.

I think will be better if we don't waste our and Firaxian time with suggestion out of CIV III guidelines, when they will be available.

Some "why this idea doesn't fit" explanation will help to understand Firaxis position against some smart but not proper to CIV III concept.
Every Apolytoner should then understand why his/her dreaming CIV III shouldn't be exactly the same of other millions of customers, and survive with it .

------------------
Adm.Naismith AKA mcostant

[Youngsun]

Another good suggestion from Slingshot!

I think Slingshot is damn right! Firaxis should know it is more beneficial to interact with Apolyton. I have never seen anything that is better off when it ignores hard core fans.
[This message has been edited by Youngsun (edited March 13, 2000).]

[Atahualpa]

I think Firaxis should produce their own vision of the game, but give us the power to change and modify the game. Something like CtP with an own powerful programming language, open source AI and a great editor tool, that lets you change all text files quickly.
This would be IMO what would make Civ3 a great game.

ATa

[Slingshot]

Adm.:

I agree! Even if Firaxis were to say things in point form, like:

- Borders looks good. We want to expand on SMAC. Give suggestions.
- Forget stacked combat. Let's look at other options.
- Sid wants Civ III to be made up of dinosaurs. What does Apolyton think?

THEN we would have something to chew on. Right now, it's just a bunch of ideas floating around.