Slashdot Mirror


First Reviews of Civilization V

An anonymous reader submitted linkage to a story explaining why Hemos has been twitching for a week in anticipation: "Defying the urge to phone-in an unambitious sequel and coast on past successes, Sid Meier's Civilization V is anything but a lazy rehash. It feels almost as if someone described the concept of the renowned 19-year-old turn-based strategy series to a talented designer who'd never played it, and let him come up with his own version. It's similar enough to be familiar to veterans, different enough to be fresh, and its polish and accessibility make it a great place for new players to pick up one hell of a Civ addiction."

11 of 380 comments (clear)

  1. Just...one...more...turn... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Just... another... one...

    1. Re:Just...one...more...turn... by mark72005 · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Ok, it's midnight. One more turn.

      One more.

      Five more.

      Oh crap, sunrise! I gotta go to work!

      One more.

  2. Re:A veteran Civilization fan... by jpapon · · Score: 4, Insightful
    # Processor: Dual Core CPU # Memory: 2GB RAM # Hard Disk Space: 8 GB Free # DVD-ROM Drive: Required for disc-based installation # Video: 256 MB ATI HD2600 XT or better, 256 MB nVidia 7900 GS or better, or Core i3 or better integrated graphics

    Seriously? That's too much for you? I'm sorry that you haven't bought (or upgraded) a computer in 4 years, but I don't see why developers should have to cater to you by making their products worse for the rest of us. A system meeting these requirements wouldn't cost more than MAYBE $200 used.

    They need better hardware to make the AI smarter, not just for better graphics.

    --
    -- Let us endeavor so to live that when we pass even the undertaker shall be sorry. -- M. Twain
  3. Re:DRM? by emkyooess · · Score: 4, Insightful

    My review: It forces Steam on your machine. Therefore, it's a "don't purchase" title.

  4. Re:A veteran Civilization fan... by InkDancer · · Score: 5, Insightful

    You are in grad school and have three kids. When were you planning on playing video games?

  5. Goddammit stop being so happy you guys by poity · · Score: 4, Insightful

    We still don't have Alpha Centauri 2
    That's all I ever want.
    Nothing else.
    Just that.
    :(

    --
    your thin skin doesn't make me a troll
  6. Re:DRM? by Hatta · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Because that's providing all the wrong incentives. If you financially reward those who put DRM on their games, you'll just keep getting DRMd games. Simply refusing to buy punishes those who put DRM on their games at essentially no cost to yourself, since there are always other ways to entertain yourself.

    I don't particularly care that the publisher demands DRM. That publisher, and any developers they sign, do not get my money. If you're a developer and you want my money, don't sign with a publisher that requires DRM. It's that simple.

    --
    Give me Classic Slashdot or give me death!
  7. It blocked installs till 10 AM local time too by Shivetya · · Score: 4, Insightful

    One person on CIV Fanatics reported they got the game early but were unable to install it till the appointed time. Steam blocked them.

    To me this is unacceptable. They had the boxed game. We have a DRM system which states that that is not enough to play a game. They reserve the right with thirty days notification to change/void the agreement.

    In other words, they can prevent you from using the product you purchased. No longer is the $50 for having a game you can play when and where you want to, it only applies when and where they permit you.

    Steam is invasive and essentially arbitrary.

    I did find it humorous how many derided the retailer at being at fault for selling the game. With users like this what hope is there for the old model.

    --
    * Winners compare their achievements to their goals, losers compare theirs to that of others.
    1. Re:It blocked installs till 10 AM local time too by vadim_t · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Yeah, because of one person, who got prereleased game ahead of schedule, you're not going to buy any Steam games because of some nefarious potential problem that may, or may not ever exist.

      That's entirely correct. It proves there's a way for steam to decide when you can and can't run the game. Just the fact it's possible at all is so loathsome I will never pay a cent for such a thing.

      First off, I have no problems with Steam or Apple or some other DRM that is minimally invasive. It is a fact of life. The key for me is that I don't need to be logged into Steam Servers to play the game, except for the one time activation. Seems reasonable to me.

      No, it's not a "fact of life". It's an arbitrary limit imposed by the company which could not be there.

      Activation is unreasonable. What if the activation server goes away in 5 years from now? I still play 10 year old games sometimes.

      I find it humorous how many people complain about non-existent "potential" problems.

      Because those potential problems were demonstrated multiple times to be actual problems. Like the several music services with DRM that went out of business and left people unable to play the music they paid for.

      Car Analogy: You should not drive a car because you may be in an accident, which is part of the great big evil conspiracy by the Insurance Companies, Oil Companies, Car Companies to get you to buy new cars, pay money on regular basis etc. After all there is potential for something bad happening.

      A car that never crashes is not possible due to the "fact of life" as you put it, that wear exists, humans and roads aren't perfect and so on.

      However, DRM is an entirely artificial addition and there's no physical law that says it has to be there.

  8. Re:CAN'T FREAKIN WAIT by westlake · · Score: 4, Insightful

    The only way you got to Mega cities was mostly to do with keeping people happy, not so much about keeping them fed, and since Religion gave you an early burst in happiness, you had a more productive city than everyone else, so you generated more research, and were able to get a great person sooner (usually a priest! no doubt). Then they get to Monarchy sooner so they can just do that "military keeps people happy" civic and then they've got an a mega city that works because its so well defended. So then whoever gets the first priest ends up using the priest to get another religion. And Bam, before you know it, One person has founded 4 or 5 of the religions, and has an amazing economy because of it, has good culture to spread better than you can, and has the happiness available to use slavery to catch up on the infrastructure

    Historically, that strategy worked pretty out well for the Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Chinese, and many others.

  9. I'll give the shortened version by elrous0 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Ten years from now, when Steam no longer works or supports your game, you'll find out that you were just renting it.

    --
    SJW: Someone who has run out of real oppression, and has to fake it.