Civers Edition vs. Standard Edition

[Zer0_T0lerance]

We've heard some talk about Civ3 having a Civer's Edition along with a Standard Edition. I agree that their should be Civer's Edition, but I think that perhaps the Standard Edition should be released in Aug 2001 as expected. But Firaxis should work on a Civer's Edition of Civ3 for up to another year afterwards. Let me tell you why. . .

The Standard Edition should contain the basic features of the game and should be capable of running on the widest possible variety of machines. I would expect this version to have almost all the units, advances, improvements, and wonders as the Civer's Edition will have. The game should begin and end at the same time the Civer's Edition will, and should be able to run with up to 32 civs. This version should be distributed entirely on CD-ROM.

The Civer's Edition, however, should greatly expand on the basic features of the game, adding much more advanced features for those who want them, such as the ability to have up to 100+ civs in a single game, as well as added features like extraterrestial civs and galactic maps, as I've mentioned before. This edition should be distributed entirely on DVD-ROM and solely designed to run on high-end machines. This makes sense because by August 2002, and at the rate computers are improving, will be running computers with 2.5-3Ghz processors and memory standards will be much higher; programming limitations (if there are any) should be much less. There should be absolutely zero technological limitations to the rule.

Maxis used this same strategy for SimCity 3000, with the release of SimCity 3000 Unlimited a year after the initial release of the original version. I think Firaxis should use the same strategy for Civ3. What do you think?


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Zero
[This message has been edited by Zero_Tolerance (edited November 10, 2000).]

[Deathwalker]

NO WAY, we should not have to wait a year andd the game should not be to different from the oringal only with more programs like the utilities in FW.

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I have walked since the dawn of time and were ever I walk, death is sure to follow

[Zer0_T0lerance]

TALK ABOUT BEING IMPATIENT!!!

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Zero
[This message has been edited by Zero_Tolerance (edited November 10, 2000).]

[Ralf]

Its commercially totally unrealistic!

I dont know how many copies of SMAC, Firaxis have sold. A few hundred-thousand perhaps? Lets say 600.000 - I really dont know. What about Microprose/Civ-2? A miljon copies? One and a half?

No check the number of registrated Apolyton-members there are: 7207 members. Now add the non-registrated and all the members from the other much smaller Civ-related bulletin-boards. How many? 15000 perhaps?

The truth is that of the 1-3 miljon (perhaps more, lets hope) copies of Civ-3, Firaxis can hope to sell - only a small fraction is 100% diehard dedicated propellerhead fans like yourself (and me). The rest is just casual strategy-gamers, no more no less.

Any future "Collectors edition" of Civ-3 will most likely include extra scenarios *only*. It was the case with Civ-2 and it has always been the case with *every* successful strategy-game "collectors edition" out there, since the dawn of computer-gaming history.

Starting to mess around with the code by adding tons of new advanced features is simply not commercially viable. It just aint. There is only so and so many dedicated civ-fanatics out there, who would really appreciate such a super-complex Civers edition. And these (comparibly) few fans *still* only buys one copy each. Its just aint enough money in it.

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The Sims is a special case: It was a piece of software that did attract huge crowds of NON-GAMERS as well - and its perhaps have sold over 10 miljon copies (a guess)
Neither Ctp-2 and Civ-3 can hope to sell that much - these games is just to specialized - they attract only true gamers.
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As for the AI-technical problems in order to realize your grand fantasy about 100+ civs: well, i dont want to go through these problems again. Heres a thread that you probably not interested to read:
http://apolyton.net/forums/Forum6/HTML/001848.html?18
[This message has been edited by Ralf (edited November 10, 2000).]

[Zer0_T0lerance]

quote: Originally posted by Ralf on 11-10-2000 02:59 PM Its commercially totally unrealistic!

Think. If Firaxis sent a reduced-priced upgrade coupon with the Standard Edition then there wouldn't be a commercial problem. And to prevent loss of this coupon, Firaxis should make it a digital coupon that can be used to order the upgrade online. And it order to prevent each coupon from being used twice, each one should have a serial number that can only be used once. That serial number should be secured with the latest SSL Encryption technology to prevent it from being hacked.

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Zero
[This message has been edited by Zero_Tolerance (edited November 10, 2000).]

[Tical_2000]

Are you kidding me? A civver's edition? Isn't everyone who will buy a Civ3 game a 'civver'? Aren't they entitled to the full version of a game even if they don't have state of the art computer hardware? I trust the boys at Firaxis are smart enough to ignore this suggestion.

[Zer0_T0lerance]

quote: Originally posted by Tical_2000 on 11-10-2000 10:06 PM Are you kidding me? A civver's edition? Isn't everyone who will buy a Civ3 game a 'civver'? Aren't they entitled to the full version of a game even if they don't have state of the art computer hardware? I trust the boys at Firaxis are smart enough to ignore this suggestion.

Buddy, its too late. The idea for a Civer's Edition is already underway. Check out www.apolyton.net/civ3


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Zero

[Zer0_T0lerance]

quote: Originally posted by Ralf on 11-10-2000 02:59 PM Any future "Collectors edition" of Civ-3 will most likely include extra scenarios *only*. It was the case with Civ-2 and it has always been the case with *every* successful strategy-game "collectors edition" out there, since the dawn of computer-gaming history.

I say it's the 21st Century and its time for change!



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Zero

Keep in mind that MicroSoft my issue window 2001 without any dos. The 640 base K maybe gone. That should open the door for programer to go wild with games. They will not have to deal with dos any longer.
I agree with Zero-Tolerance about his suggestion. This has already been does, with Simcity 300, The Sims, and Civ 2 TOT. In each of these games they added feature to an existing. You are quite right about where computer will be in 2002. On another post I said Intel and AMD were trying to make a 1.1 chip and was told right away that in fact they were making a 1.3 chip and going for the next level. At this speed we will see the 2g chip around next spring or summer, 3g next winter (2001) and probable a 4g in 2002. Also a DVD drive cost less than $100.00 in the US right now. I just paid $267.00 for a PIII 600 intel in Aug. 2000. So the price of upgrading to a 1 to 1.5g chip by 2002 should be down around $200.00
For some of you younger people. In Feb. 1992 I bought a 486/33 without a CD drive. In late 92 some of the games were showing up on CDs. I bought a cd drive late 92. In 93 you could still buy some games on disk. By 94 almost all games were on CDs. I think by 2002/3 most games will be on DVD, and after 2004 all games will be on DVD. I,m not trying to make anyone mad, but that is were the industry is going.

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[This message has been edited by joseph1944 (edited November 10, 2000).]

[airdrik]

And by that time they will have the DVD-R drive so you can write your own DVD's.
About them putting out a smaller edition first, I think that is what they are going to do anyway in spite of what you say in this post. What features they put in which edition is what could or should be discussed(in this thread or in another thread?).
yay, I'm a chieftain!
[This message has been edited by airdrik (edited November 10, 2000).]

[yin26]

The direct link is here. Of course, I love the idea of a Civer's Edition!