The Ultimate Civ Problem Thread

Roy H Smith · April 9, 2002, 12:14

Now...just pick ONE game defect, the one that drives you nuts.

--

For me it's luck. Check out my last game.

I start on an island, no luxury resources, only Iron so far. Too small to build any real number of cities. Too far away from the "mainland" to trade resources (assuming I could afford 1000 gold/turn for furs). Forget Wonders, techs, etc.

Forget ships vs air power...this is the game killer. Difficulty level means nothing when positioning (which you cannot control) determines your resources, your tech growth, and who your enemies are. I even get to deal with with Size 5 max cities thanks to unrest.

Until this is fixed the game is a coin toss.

And for those of you who think you're psychic enough to tell me that I'm "still playing with Civ 2 strategies" or whatever lame excuse is being offered this week I challenge YOU to invest 50 hours IRL in this and tell us if YOU thought it was a good use of your time.

What a great game. Screwed solid on Turn 0...yep...sure hope they fix that Spearman vs Tank thing. Definitely worth the 99+% rating all the mags gave it.

petey · April 9, 2002, 12:20

Not every game is going to be a winner.

If you find yourself in a situation like that, just start a new one. If you hated it so badly, why did you spend fifty hours on it. Just restart and get a new location.

Probably one out of every three games I quit quickly. If you're not enjoying where it's going, don't waste time with it and get into one you can have fun with

notyoueither · April 9, 2002, 12:36

50 hours to discover you're on a small island with no Iron and surounded by Sea and Ocean? That's a pity.

ACooper · April 9, 2002, 14:07

Mr. Smith it truly does sound like the problem is more with you than the game. Restart the game if you don't like the position you are in. (it's wimpy, but if it's that big of a deal to you)

Wait, maybe the guys at Firaxis could release a easier difficulty setting for you.

Roy H Smith · April 9, 2002, 16:00

petey: "If you find yourself in a situation like that, just start a new one. If you hated it so badly, why did you spend fifty hours on it. Just restart and get a new location."

I didn't spend 50 hours of it but it would take 50 hours to finish (huge maps). Found I was screwed after an hour. No tech, no units, nothing to do till I could buy Magentism (not fun tapping on the space bar for a few hours). A claassic case of game Stagnation, one of the BIG DON'TS of Brian Reynold's design philosophy.

notyoueither: "50 hours to discover you're on a small island with no Iron and surounded by Sea and Ocean? That's a pity."

Nope, only 1 hour, but imagine playing for 50 hours to finish the game. I gave up when I saw how screwed I was. Totally destroyed before I made my first movie - that's not great game design.

ACooper:" Mr. Smith it truly does sound like the problem is more with you than the game...Wait, maybe the guys at Firaxis could release a easier difficulty setting for you"

I didn't program the game. The game created a no-win possible position on turn 0. I seriously wish I'd found this site before wasting $50 on the game. I'm guilty of trusting the name on the box (and it's seems I'm hardly alone in that error.)

And to make it really, really. really, really simple for you (because you somehow missed the point) difficultly level means nothing. Cheiftain...Diety...no difference when you are screwed.

As for assuming I'm a bad player: I beat the highest levels on Civ, Civ2, and SMAC usually, with no exploits. I've played Multiplayer Civ 2 and never been beaten. Or even close to it.
I'd love to play Multiplayer Civ 3 but that's not an option is it?

notyoueither · April 9, 2002, 16:20

RHS. The point is that Civ3 will put you in no win situations from time to time. That is one (un?)fortunate aspect of the game. It is up to you, the player to recognize this and decide whether you wish to continue "against all odds" or not. I have done that and won. I have done that and lost. However, my cussed determination to be able to beat the game no matter what the whims of fate have dealt me is on me, not the designers.

ACooper · April 9, 2002, 16:26

nye: ditto. well said.

Coracle · April 9, 2002, 19:33

So many to choose from!!

Maybe tech trading; maybe the stupid AI. Perhaps those idiotic unit values. So many more, such as AI cheating. Useless colonies, and that damn Culture Flipping garbage. Corruption, too.

But the one that has made me most angry is the ridiculous nonsensical diarrhea-flood of settlers and workers boldly marching into my terrirory, or settling on pieces of land no one in their right mind would settle on.

Tuberski · April 9, 2002, 20:14

My biggest beef is the the corruption model.

Zachriel · April 9, 2002, 20:26

Quote:

Originally posted by Roy H Smith

I challenge YOU to invest 50 hours IRL in this and tell us if YOU thought it was a good use of your time.

You need to learn the Luxembourg strategy.

Hey, Joan, baby. You look great. Give me some saltpeter.

Why Catherine, that dress looks lovely on you. Could you possibly lend me a little gold?

My dear Bismark, here is your annual tribute. What do you mean, it's not enough? And by the way, would you mind telling your panzers to stay off the palace lawn?