PTW/Age of Mythology shipping dates

sboog · October 28, 2002, 10:43

Can you all believe that PTW and Age of Mythology are going to be released within a few days of each other?

What do you think of this happening? This may strain the bank account or cause some of to have to choose between them right at first.

sboog

alva · October 28, 2002, 11:33

halloween, + other hollydays like christmass are coming up

Solver · October 28, 2002, 12:20

Yeah, it really seems like this is the period when most games are released. Anyway, I've been playing Age of Mythology for a month now, so all my attention is now ready for PtW.

WarpStorm · October 28, 2002, 12:37

I'll pick them both up. Money is no object when we are talking new games.

The reason why they do this is that there only so many days between now and Christmas.

Solver · October 28, 2002, 13:30

Erm, I still don't get it why Christmas boosts sales so dramatically. If a new civ game comes out, I'm certainly not going to wait for the New Year or any other special day to get it, I just want it, no matter what

.

Mannamagnus · October 28, 2002, 13:51

I'm not convinced that PtW is worth the money for somebody who's not interested in playing civ online.
If I 'd have to choose for either I'd go for AoM.

Solver · October 28, 2002, 14:12

Civ and AoM *are* different, and yes, PtW is good even if you don't want to play online.

vmxa1 · October 28, 2002, 14:22

xmas sales are a big deal to even games. This is a time when parents wander into the game stores for the first time all year and buy something. Non game store will have a lot more traffic than normal also andsome will grab a game that they see. True gamers will not be swayed (except maybe to do less in order to avoid the crowds).

Stuie · October 28, 2002, 16:07

Quote:

Originally posted by Solver
Erm, I still don't get it why Christmas boosts sales so dramatically...

Well, in the US anyway, retailers get around 20% of their total annual sales during the Christmas shopping season (typically last week of November through the end of the year). That means they are getting 1/5 of their business in about 1/11th of the year. Given that, there is a huge impetous for game publishers to have their game(s) "fresh" on the shelves of retailers (and thus still getting a good amount of shelf space) in order to get a fair sized slice of that business. The PTW release seems to be well positioned to grab a good share of the pie.

YMMV in Latvia.

Solver · October 28, 2002, 16:21

Quote:

YMMV in Latvia.

Stuie · October 28, 2002, 16:39

Sorry...

YMMV = "Your mileage may vary"

ducki · October 28, 2002, 16:57

Quote:

Originally posted by Mannamagnus
I'm not convinced that PtW is worth the money for somebody who's not interested in playing civ online.
If I 'd have to choose for either I'd go for AoM.

I'm not interested in Multiplay, but I am interested in PtW.

Why?
New Wonders.
New Improvements.
New Interface enhancements.
No more "hidden" key commands.

But most of all...

8 new Civs.

For me, MP is just a little, tiny bonus.
It's all the other stuff that's important to me.
And definitely worth a mere $30 US.

I know a lot of people are gaga for MP, but I've never been all that big on internet gaming. Even when I played MMOGs, it was mostly with my wife in the other room, so I'd be just as happy with or without MP. Of course, a lot of people want MP because Deity is boring for them - they need the challenge of human intelligence, which is great, but I struggle at monarch.
If I can get just one more Industrious Civ, I'll be happy.

October 28, 2002, 21:47

I will be getting both Friday Nov 1. PTW is paid for and I reserve Age of Mythology.

The Pioneer · October 29, 2002, 04:10

Is AOM any good? I am a big fan of the series and I am still playing AOE off and on. I am not sure that my computer can run it though. I may have to wait until next year when I get a new one.

Does anybody know if PTW will be published in english here in Germany? I couldn't find any info on that! Or is it possible to take any version and install with the original (i.e. english ver.)?

So long...

vondrack · October 29, 2002, 04:58

Quote:

Originally posted by The Pioneer
Does anybody know if PTW will be published in english here in Germany? I couldn't find any info on that! Or is it possible to take any version and install with the original (i.e. english ver.)?

I have read somewhere that the PtW box will include both the English & the German version (though they will remain mutually incompatible with respect to e.g. savegames).

alva · October 29, 2002, 08:25

Quote:

I'll pick them both up. Money is no object when we are talking new games.

The reason why they do this is that there only so many days between now and Christmas.

While money might not be a problem, time is

WarpStorm · October 29, 2002, 08:55

Quote:

Originally posted by alva848
While money might not be a problem, time is

You got that right.

Solver · October 29, 2002, 11:43

Pioneer, I've been playing AoM for at least a month now, and damn, it rocks! It's slightly ahead of AoE2, and is my RTS choice now. I also got a review up here.

Mannamagnus · October 29, 2002, 14:02

Quote:

Originally posted by The Pioneer
Is AOM any good? I am a big fan of the series and I am still playing AOE off and on. I am not sure that my computer can run it though. I may have to wait until next year when I get a new one.

Check Http://aom.heavengames.com

Mannamagnus · October 29, 2002, 14:09

Quote:

Originally posted by ducki But most of all...

8 new Civs.

Aren't these just variations on a theme? I mean all combinations of the different traits allready exist so aren't they just the same civs with different names and different UU's?

WarpStorm · October 29, 2002, 14:48

No, besides the UU (which can be a major difference, the Vikings are not the same as the Zulus) the AI will each have different build priorties.

Solver · October 29, 2002, 15:13

I'm very disappointed there are no new traits, meaning that UU will be the only real difference. Upsetting somewhat.

WarpStorm · October 29, 2002, 15:22

Well, there is the build priorities thing I just mentioned. Plus there is the culture group. Both of these are subtle, but real differences.

vmxa1 · October 29, 2002, 15:37

Basically true, but still not a bad thing.

Solver · October 29, 2002, 16:16

Yeah, bild priority might be that, but some people are anyway modding the AI priorities as suggested by Soren to get a better AI. The culture group thing is very subtle, as all it changes it the look, not anything related with gameplay, unless I'm much mistaken.

WarpStorm · October 29, 2002, 17:09

You are mistaken.

AI civs treat members of their group better diplomatically and if you have culturally linked starts on you will tend to start near other civs in your group.

Off course, if you mod away the build differences and turn off cultural linked starts, there won't be a difference, but whose fault is that?

Demerzel · October 29, 2002, 17:53

apart from the UU what exactly do these new 8 civs in PtW give you that one of us couldn't add as a new civ for themselves? plus can't you add new (unique) unit's by yourself anyway?

unless i'm wrong then, the new civ's dont really amount to anything usefully new at all that a modder couldn't do?

not trying to disparage PtW here, just trying to get an exact idea of if I chose to buy PtW ( which I most likely won't ), what useful features I'd exactly be getting for my money...

ducki · October 29, 2002, 18:04

Correct in that there are no new traits.

For me, so what?
I like to "get into" whatever civ I play. It's not just about the win, so having 8 new characters to play with new UUs is great.

Plus, this gives you 8 new potential enemies, fun with Historical Linking on or off.

But for me, it's about having new civs to play as. Yes, the Celts being Religious/Militaristic are very similar to the Japanese and the Aztec, but I doubt they will play identical. Even Japan-Aztec don't play identical - despotic GA vs. Middle Ages GA(assuming wonders don't force one.)

More civs for me!

WarpStorm · October 29, 2002, 18:17

Quote:

Originally posted by Demerzel
unless i'm wrong then, the new civ's dont really amount to anything usefully new at all that a modder couldn't do?

This is true.

It would take me a long time to do the animations for the UUs and Leaderheads, though. There's that whole time value of money thing, too. For me to find a set of good units and leaderheads for 8 new civs and link them up in the editor would take me way longer than it would to earn the $30 that PTW costs (and even more to actually do the artwork myself). Of course, YMMV.

In addition, I can play with all 24 at once.

notyoueither · October 29, 2002, 19:54

Plus the AI is tweaked a bit more, the new orders, the new objects workers can build, and other refinements. Plus the ability to bash on Uber when the urge strikes...

Going without is certainly an option. Heck, one of the guys I work with was still playing 1.07 when I asked him about it a week ago. He wasn't even aware that there were patches.

Many people may opt to pass on PTW. Their choice and a perfectly fine one it is. For me, I'll be picking it up in a New York minute as soon as it hits shelves in my area.