I guess I've got to wait until spring/summer, then...

quote: Originally posted by jordanz19 on 01-08-2001 11:50 PM I think that is the old FAQ that was there since early last year, I don't think its been changed

We have added to the FAQ, and plan to continue adding to the FAQ. In cases like the Hasbro/Infogrames situation, there really isn't much to report right now, so we'll wait until there is to address that one.

YAY! From the FAQ:

quote: More powerful and intuitive customization tools.

quote: Great nations can produce gifted leaders from history, each one capable of leading your civilization to martial glory. Whether helming an army on a distant battlefield or passing their personal experiences onto future generations of soldiers, these towering figures can single-handedly alter the course of history.

quote: Increased technological finesse can be found in Civilization III's reworked Zone of Control rules. No longer can a Phalanx hold a vulnerable pass as effectively as a mechanized infantry regiment. The ability to intervene in surrounding terrain is now determined by mobility and ranged weaponry, rather than the universal privilege of being just any military unit.

quote: In CivIII, ranged weapons such as catapults, artillery and battleships can bombard enemy fortifications such as city walls and fortresses. This allows for a general 'softening' of defenses, which provides a substantial bonus to direct-fire units.

quote: Originally posted by MarkG on 01-09-2001 02:34 AMthe publisher is Hasbro Interactive, which was recenlty sold by Hasbro to Infogrames

Thanks for the clarification MarkG.

It seems to me like the Firaxis guys are spending way too much time on "eye candy". Nice animated units don't make a good RTS game. Smart AI does. Personally, I turn off most animations after just a couple games, as they quickly become very annoying and get in the way of the game itself.

I'm afraid of buying yet another great looking Civ clone, with the same crappy AI. I wish the developers spend at least as much time on the game engine as they do on the interface.

Firaxis, please remember this: what made Civ great was NOT it's looks. It's the game concept, and the AI.

quote: Knights in a Western European Civ would be Samurai in an Asian Civ would be something equivalent in a native American Civ, etc.... Just give a little flavor to different civilizations. Or, they could give each Civ a unique unit/tech. a la Ages of Empires (i.e. Janissaries, Tarkans, Mangudai, Huskarls, Cataphracts, etc.)

That would be awesome, and worth more to me than animated units. (Which are fun, but do get turned off after a couple of games.)

Well, I'm saving up for a new computer, and I guess I better get a rocket. Plus a weeks time off work, and a stockpile of pre-packaged food. I'm gonna lock myself in, put on the headphones, and disappear from this world.

What do we think- is pre Christmas 2001 a realistic possibility?

quote: Originally posted by Aredhran on 01-10-2001 04:43 AM While I'm quite glad to have something to look at and start the hype about a game I'm eagerly waiting for, I still have to be somewhat negative. It seems to me like the Firaxis guys are spending way too much time on "eye candy". Nice animated units don't make a good RTS game. Smart AI does. Personally, I turn off most animations after just a couple games, as they quickly become very annoying and get in the way of the game itself. I'm afraid of buying yet another great looking Civ clone, with the same crappy AI. I wish the developers spend at least as much time on the game engine as they do on the interface. Firaxis, please remember this: what made Civ great was NOT it's looks. It's the game concept, and the AI. Aredhran

A good point, and believe me, one I think the team is cognizant of. I personally don't believe that a good-looking game and a great-playing game are mutually exclusive, especially since we're talking about two different types of labor here: programmer / designers and artists.

Having incredibly skilled artists who can make the game look great doesn't mean that the designers can't design a fun game or that the programmers can't
make it happen, at least IMHO. My personal feelings are that this game is going to be both fun to play and great to look at.

quote: Originally posted by The Mad Viking on 01-10-2001 10:34 AM What do we think- is pre Christmas 2001 a realistic possibility?

What obviously we all have been hearing is Q1 2002. I think that still may be too soon. I think realistically middle to late 2002.

quote: Originally posted by The Mad Viking on 01-10-2001 10:34 AM What do we think- is pre Christmas 2001 a realistic possibility?

What we all have been hearing is Q1 2002 release. Judging by track records that may be too soon. Probably middle to late 2002 with the only Christmas release chance being Christmas 2002.

We have a nice looking web site and 3 (!) animated units to look at and it's already the strategy game of the millenium...

This gives me bad vibes... [CR thinks about the enthusiasm and hype before SMAC, ToT and CtP were released]

Thanks, Firaxis

quote: Originally posted on the Civ 3 website unique benefits depending on the Civilization you choose

Yes, finally, unique civilizations.

------------------
- Biddles

quote: unique benefits depending on the Civilization you choose

Bad idea. This belongs in scenarios, not in the main game.

Considering that they have been promising this web site for months I would have expected more.

Also:

quote: It's obvious now the blue colour on each unit represents the colour of each civilization, what I wanted to say is, PLEASE allow to change the colour for any civilization (including your own)! I remember games that gave you one colour, and it was fustrating being blue, blue, blue, blue, blue, blue every damn time

I could not agree more. Surely it would be as easy as breathing (or there abouts) to implement this facility in the final game. At last, a chance to play in red...

By the way bagdar a few posts earlyer you asked what units will look like when defending, to me it looks like there gona use the attack image for the deffend image (hey it worked for ctp2 the only problem was the rest of the game sucked)

A change is as good as a rest, as they say. Surely Firaxis could include a very simple 'customisable colours' option, which traditionalists like your good self could switch off?

Anyway, back to the original topic of the new(ish) official Civ III site:

Great site, layout, unit pics etc....

isn't it about time for an update though?

quote: Originally posted by JosefGiven on 01-14-2001 07:22 AM Fiera, I'm sorry you feel this way. Didn't you get cheesed of playing solely in white, in all your single-player games of Civ II?

No, in fact I always played in yellow, as the Spanish.

quote: A change is as good as a rest, as they say. Surely Firaxis could include a very simple 'customisable colours' option, which traditionalists like your good self could switch off?