Wonder movies.Why no more?

[darkangel]

I hope in the next patch they put an "add movie" option in the wonder features box. I have some great from different sources I want to make into movies.


On a related note I wonder if they would also allow a user defined soundtrack for each Civ. Currently I run Ultra Player in the background with some really cool ethnic tunes - It really helps set the mood!

[crayonx_2K]

Jeffrey Morris wrote:

And we still delivered some stunning wonder portraits in their place.

Ok, some are kind of neat looking, but I wouldn't call them 'stunning'. Guess you can't please everyone?

Movies, pictures, whatever, not a big deal for me. As long as the wonders are funtioning as intended.

[BigNick]

Originally posted by Jeffrey Morris FIRAXIS
we felt we could get more repeated 'bang for the buck' by spending that energy elsewhere.

Hear, bloody hear. If there's a tight deadline to work to, fix the gameplay, then the basic art, then the speccy one-offs. I wish more game companies were stricter about prioritising for gameplay rather than what will look good on box covers and promo movies.

[yin26]

So that explains the WEEKS AND WEEKS of effort on the damn 3D bobbing heads? THAT was a good design decision?

[yinyan8]

my 2 cents: Don't need the wonder movies. But if some people really really want them, is it possible to rip them out of civ2 and play them in civ3?

Again, didn't really need the wonder movies; the only thing they were useful for were if I needed a refrigerator break or something that has too do after having too many refrigerator breaks. But escpecially don't need the wonder movies if they weren't cost effective. Maybe next time a token wonder movie with moving clouds or something?

The same for SMAC, the wonder movies were okay, but I think the biographical scenes displayed during diplomacy were a stronger thematic effect. So the bobbing 3d heads are a nice touch in the same vein, enhancing the diplomatic experience; the diplomacy is part of the reason I like Civilization 3 better than Empire Earth or Europa Universalis II (though those are nice games for reasons that differ from what makes civ3 a really good game; like their out of the box network capability...).

Anyway, if you have a really good subwoofer, constructing a wonder is just as good as before when you had wonder movies; you can't beat that really low bass "doon" sound. Really dramatic.

[darkangel]

I really want to add some clips from SMAC as well as Civ2. I am really into the emersion aspect of the game. That was the hook that first got me. The game play kept me.

[darkangel]

The bobbing heads are so déclassé they really annoy me! Further the “Stunning” wonder images leave me feeling compelled to ask “why?” and “what was the art director thinking about or on?”

[Claymore]

We knew you would buy it anyway...we needed to hit the christmas launch date to maximize sales & profits....we didn't want to spend the time & money.

[DTRY]

Originally posted by Jeffrey Morris FIRAXIS
Wonder movies were never part of the plan...they're things that most players skip after one viewing...

I watch wonder movies everytime I complete a wonder. Although it is the same movie I watch in every game (like Great Wall).

More unit models and animations (era-ized leaders/workers/settlers/armies being prime examples), diverse backgrounds, states and eras for diplomacy heads, and culturally diverse cities and citizens.

I never care about that. Plain 2D is enough. It doesn't matter if you create the best units animations ever because they're repetitive. For example, units such as riflemen are put in almost every city. When you produce about 20 of them you'll get boring watching the same animation. In contrast, a wonder movie happens only once in a game. Do you think what is more interesting?

And about the leaders'head in diplomacy screen, I think using the negotiator in CivII is better. I think it's kind of disrespect to all leaders to modify their faces. For example, Alexander the Great looks like gay, The Great Soul Ghandi smiles like a retard. And the worst thing is the picture which he gets kisses. He is a Holy man for heaven's sake! It's as bad as making the pope get kisses. Indians won't be happy if they see that.

And the advisors models is very disappointing. Why did you choose advisors from Firaxis'employee? That makes no sense. The advisors in CivII can reflect their position and personality better than CivIII.

I am not saying CivIII is worse than CivII, but I think the 3D grapics you put in can't be compared to the simplicity of CivII.