Topic: Civilization V

[idolminds]

OMGOMG

2K Games Announces Sid Meier’s Civilization® V in Development at World Renowned Firaxis Games Studio
Gaming’s most prolific strategy franchise takes the PC experience to new heights this fall

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--2K Games, a publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ: TTWO), today announced that Sid Meier’s Civilization® V, the newest entry from the genre-defining strategy-based franchise, is currently in development at Firaxis Games for PC. Civilization V reinvigorates the classic turn-based strategy genre with an astonishing new engine built from the ground-up for this flagship edition of the Civilization franchise. Players are introduced to an entirely new combat system, deeper diplomatic interactions and a cavalcade of expanded features that deliver a fully immersive experience[Does this mean a couch is required?] providing hours of entertainment as players build and defend their empire on their quest to become the greatest ruler the world has ever known.

“Each new version of Civilization presents exciting challenges for our team”
Civilization V takes this definitive strategy game series in new directions with the introduction of hexagon tiles allowing for deeper strategy, more realistic gameplay and stunning organic landscapes for players to explore as they expand their empire. The brand new engine orchestrates a spectacular visual experience that brings players closer to the Civ experience than ever, featuring fully animated leaders interacting with players from a screen-filling diplomatic scene and speaking in their native language for the first time. Wars between empires feel massive as armies dominate the landscape, and combat is more exciting and intense than ever before. The addition of ranged bombardment allows players to fire weapons from behind the front lines, challenging players to develop clever new strategies to guarantee victory on the battlefield. In addition to the new gameplay features debuting in Civilization V, an extensive suite of community, modding and multiplayer elements will also make an appearance.

“Sid Meier’s Civilization franchise has been recognized as one of the greatest PC game franchises of all time with millions of units sold worldwide,” said Christoph Hartmann, president of 2K. “Civilization V takes the franchise further by offering players a more immersive experience with deeper strategies; heightened tactical combat; vast, realistic landscapes to explore, battle over and claim as their own; and an in-game community hub where Civ fans can share content and compete against each other without leaving the game. This marks a new era that will forever change the franchise responsible for sleep deprivation and reduced productivity for nearly two decades.”

“Each new version of Civilization presents exciting challenges for our team,” said Sid Meier, director of creative development at Firaxis Games. “Thankfully, ideas on how to bring new and fun experiences to Civ players never seem to stop flowing. From fully animated leaders and realistic landscapes, new combat tactics, expanded diplomacy and shared mods, we’re excited for players to see the new vision our team at Firaxis has brought to the series.”

In addition to Civilization V, Firaxis Games is also currently developing Sid Meier’s Civilization® Network™, a Civ game for Facebook. With Sid Meier leading design, Civilization Network will offer yet another option for world domination to both the casual gamer and the biggest fans of the series. It’s another way to access the famously addictive world of Civilization.

For more information on Sid Meier’s Civilization V, please visit www.civilization.com. To find out more about Sid Meier’s Civilization Network visit www.facebook.com/civnetwork.

This time, its on hexes!

[Pugnate]

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH!

The game has me bad. It has me so bad I avoided the 4th for so long till my sister bought it.

Not going to avoid this one. Will just take some vacation time.

[MysterD]

I hope 2K don't push shitty DRM on it - i.e. Bioshock 1; Bioshock 2.

[idolminds]

I think Firaxis gets some say in that. Civ4 was pretty light on DRM and allowed you to install one copy on many systems for LAN (if I remember correctly). Civ is guaranteed to sell and to sell for several years, so it probably doesn't need to be "locked down".

EDIT

Now I remember. Civ4 had a disc check but it only occurred when you launched the game. So they pretty much said you could install it on multiple systems and pass the disc around at a LAN to launch them all.

[MysterD]

I hope Firaxis has a say in this.
If I actually recall, Civ 4: Complete Edition has NO DRM.

[scottws]

Dang it, I didn't get Civ IV all that long ago it seems.  Still, the changes sound like they could really make the new game interesting, and not another skin of Civ III.

[Pugnate]

http://pc.ign.com/articles/107/1075587p1.html

They've removed religion and espionage from Civ 5... crazy. I can't believe they did that.

Anyway read this:

The first suspicions of a market-driven compromise are usually generated by the dreaded "A" word, accessibility. While it's true that some game systems, like religion and espionage, have been removed, fears that Civilization Revolution on the console has dumbed down the gameplay of the PC sequel are unfounded. In the case of Civilization V, accessibility just means the developers want to make it easier to understand and manipulate the complexity within the game. Most of these are merely matters of convenience rather than cutting back and, with that in mind, it's clear that the interface for Civ Rev has definitely impacted the presentation in Civ V.

Just a touch worried.

[idolminds]

Shacknews has a look.

Sounds really interesting to me. I like the sound of the combat changes, really mixes things up.

[scottws]

Anyway read this:


Just a touch worried.

Sounds like an insult to console gamers to me.  It's like, "Console gamers are stupid and won't be able to figure out Civilization.  We have to dumb it down for them."

[Pugnate]

I don't like this new system where you can't stack massive armies in single tiles. That just isn't Civilization, and some of the greatest civilizations in the history of earth have had massive massive armies. Having a great number of average level armies is a tactic in itself. I hope they give better terrain advantages in Civ 5. For example, it would be cool if archers had attack bonuses when operating from hills etc.

I still don't like the removal of religion from the game. What is the history of earth without religion? I am wondering if they removed it completely, as in as a tactical weapon, or if they will still let you build churches, mosques, and temples in the game. I hope it is the latter at least.

While I can contend with the toning down of religion in the game (though not complete removal), I find the removal of espionage a bit inexcusable. What would give them reason to remove that aspect of it?

I can almost see the headlines written previews for Civilization VI now... "RELIGION AND ESPIONAGE ARE BACK!"... I bet that will be the major selling point for Civ 6.

I do appreciate the improvements in AI though. The AI in Civ 4 while fun, was a bit silly at times.

[scottws]

I never used espionage in any of the Civ games.

[PyroMenace]

I've never even played a Civ game, ever. Just was one of those series that passed me up.

[Pugnate]

Pyro... go buy the gold edition of Civ 4. Satisfaction guaranteed. You just need to give it 30 minutes.

[PyroMenace]

I would... but I just have waaaaay too much games on the table at the moment, so much I'm a little scared to give the list.

[Pugnate]

Yea I know what you mean. If you ever find yourself traveling with a laptop, this is the game to eat away those 8 hours of waiting at Heathrow.

[idolminds]

Hey, you guys remember when I was really excited about this game? Not anymore.

2K Games’ Sid Meier’s Civilization® V Shipping with Steamworks

Steam exclusive digital deluxe edition and pre-order bonus item announced

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--2K Games and Valve today announced an agreement to power all PC versions of the highly anticipated Sid Meier’s Civilization V with many of Steamworks’ features and offer a special Digital Deluxe Edition via Steam. In addition, customers who pre-order the regular or Digital Deluxe editions of Sid Meier’s Civilization V on Steam will be rewarded with a free map pack when the game launches in fall 2010.

Sid Meier’s Civilization V players will enjoy the benefits of the Steamworks’ features included in all PC versions such as auto-updating, Steam Achievements, downloadable content, multiplayer matchmaking and more.

Sid Meier’s Civilization V Digital Deluxe Edition will expand players’ conquests with the new Babylonian civilization and their ruler, Nebuchadnezzar II (c. 630 – c. 561 B.C.). As King of Babylon, gamers will be able to expand their empire with advanced Babylonian Bowmen to rightfully earn the title of Nebuchadnezzar the Great. Sid Meier’s Civilization V Digital Deluxe Edition will also include an in-depth “Behind the Scenes at Firaxis with Civilization V” video feature, as well as the game’s epic soundtrack.

Gamers who pre-order any version of Sid Meier’s Civilization V from Steam will receive the downloadable bonus content, Cradle of Civilization Map Pack: Mesopotamia, for free when the game is available. The map pack will let players experience the traditional Western and Middle Eastern “Cradle of Civilization.” The pack will include the Fertile Crescent with the Nile River valley to the west and extending east down the Tigris and Euphrates river valleys to the Persian Gulf. Leaders will be able to explore new terrain, cultures and conquests.

FUCKING FUCKITY FUCK FUCK!

Well, at least I still have Elemental to look forward to. And I know that is safe from Steam.

[MysterD]

Civ 4: Complete = $10 on Steam for their Weekend Deal.
Includes: Civ 4 + all expansions and stand-alone expansions (Warlords, Beyond The Sword & Colonization).

Also, Civ 3: Complete is $1.25 on Steam
Includes: Civ 3 + all expansions (Play The World & Conquests expansion).

[idolminds]

I like how my nerd rage post over Civ5 requiring Steam is immediately followed by "Buy these Civ games on Steam!"

[MysterD]

I like how my nerd rage post over Civ5 requiring Steam is immediately followed by "Buy these Civ games on Steam!"

I think Impulse sells them, as well...
Probably isn't on sale right now there, though.

Personally, I'd rather have the DRM-Free DVD Edition of Civ 4: Complete.

[Quemaqua]

Fuck you, Sid.  Fuck you.

[Pugnate]

http://www.shacknews.com/onearticle.x/64680

I love the series to death, but is that really worth $100?

[PyroMenace]

Yea, special editions are one of those things where you really do vote with your wallet with, its something that the big triple A developers can go all out with and test consumers with.

[Pugnate]

Yea I agree. What they have to realize is that if they are going to charge $100, they should add extras that justify the price tag. This has fewer extras than more $75 CEs I've seen.

[MysterD]

Civ 5 - System Requirements revealed.

[Ghandi]

Whenever I meet a new civilization in this game I immediately declare war and start demanding everything that they have, because fuck them.

[MysterD]

Whenever I meet a new civilization in this game I immediately declare war and start demanding everything that they have, because fuck them.

How well/bad does that strategy usually work out for you?

[iPPi]

i prefer Starcraft to Civilization.

[Cobra951]

The play Civilization games in prison?

I don't get about half the Penny Arcade's.  Sad, I know.

[MysterD]

The play Civilization games in prison?

I dunno...good question.

Maybe they do play games in prison? I dunno.

Maybe it's only a metaphor for these guys being glued for lots of time periods playing these long-winded games, feeling like they're stuck in a "gaming" prison?

Maybe both literal and metaphors are both right? Damned if I know.
*shrug*

[Ghandi]

How well/bad does that strategy usually work out for you?

It's a pretty terrible strategy, but I'm no ones bitch. Lets just say that I research how to build walls pretty quickly.

[Pugnate]

The play Civilization games in prison?

I don't get about half the Penny Arcade's.  Sad, I know.

Still more than I get.

[angrykeebler]

I like to become BFF's with other Civs then places my armies around their key cities. Then, in a holocaust of betrayal and violence, I gut their country in one fell swoop.

I'm pretty much a Sith Lord.

After that, most other countries refuse to ally with me because I gain a bad rep. That's when I break out the nukes.

[scottws]

The play Civilization games in prison?

I don't get about half the Penny Arcade's.  Sad, I know.

From what I gather, a lot of them reference comics from the past few days or things they are talking about on the site.  Or current events.

[Pugnate]

If you don't see me around for a few days, know it is because I bought Civilization 5 on Steam.

[scottws]

It's going to happen to me someday too.

[idolminds]

IGN has sunk to a new low. What a horrible article.

[scottws]

The guy continually references previous games, but at the same time it seems this is his first experience with a Civ game.  He's looking for it to tell a story, something it has never done.

He just doesn't get it.  I guess that's okay.  A lot of people don't.  But to shoot fire at the game because of it?

[Quemaqua]

That is an incredibly idiotic article.  It's not really poorly written, it's just that the entire premise is idiotic.  Who the fuck could really be that stupid?  At least it was written more intelligently than most IGN articles, but that's honestly the dumbest stance I could imagine someone taking on the game.  It's like complaining that Tetris doesn't have enough in common with Shakespeare.

[Pugnate]

I didn't even bother reading it because I like what brain cells I have left to remain intact.

[MysterD]

Shacknews -> Two DLC coming for Civ 5 on next Monday (Oct 25th).

Mongols Civilization and Scenario Pack DLC = FREE.
Babylonian Civilization Pack DLC = $4.99