10-01-2001 10:45									#1
	TOT - a desperate question Suffering from ads?

All,

I'm considering buying TOT tonight. Ive got Civ2 right now. Outside the wierd and wacky scnearios, does TOT improve on the Civ2 game, or is it the same thing with addons.

Are there different units? Graphics? Play-aids? Management tools?

Is it worth it for the traditionalist?

Thanks,


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Bluevoss-

	10-01-2001 01:40									#2
	Increase the size of your Attachments

You could regard it as Civ2.5. It has 16bit graphics, so the bitmaps are more colourful, unit and terrain animations, more unit slots with more special abilites and upto 4 maps. It is clear that the greater potential is for scenarios and scenario making as the events/macro lenguage is increased. If you don't play scenarios and not interested in making them then I probably would not bother.

	10-01-2001 02:06									#3
	Increase Your PM Length

Bluevoss,

1. Yes, new unit sets for the sci-fi and fantasy games.

2. Units and terrain are now animated. Otherwise the artwork is a step backwards - dark and blurry.

3. Playaids and management tools - the editors are gone, changes must now be made manually. Otherwise, it's the same game.

4. Worth it for the traditionalist? I'm certainly one when it comes to civ and I play ToT most of the time. Why? Mainly because there's so much more scope for those who are willing to make a bit of an effort. It has:

-up to 4 maps. You can control which units and/or civs can move to which map.
-a massive increase in the size and capability of events.
-new features like impassible terrain and invisible or unbribable units.
-it supports avi.(video) files.
-and of course, it has animated units and terrain and supports multi-player.

	10-01-2001 15:21									#4
	Avatar Enlargement: We've got the solution

Actually Bluevoss,
I have given up on CTPII (I only mention that, coz that's the part of the forum I usually see you in) I have just started a brand new game of TOT. It is very much the same as CIVII exept for what the other guys that have replied to you have mentioned. It is all true, especially about the graphics being dark and blury. There are 2 setings of how you can view your layout, one is a city layout and the other is a map layout. One of them is just as the original (can't remember off the top of my head which one it is) exept somehow the graphics are a bit more chunky *shrug* I find it difficult to see the units and what they are, at firts glance they all look the same (to me) but you will get used to it Other than that, I would assume that because it is using practically the same (modified) interface as CIVII, it would most likely have alot of bugs rules out. The only one I have seen is that it goes through periods of slugginess at certain times, on and off (not sure why)
All in all it is basically the same game as CIVII, the main difference is the backdrops/units/graphics/animated tiles etc...
Also, I will add that it is 'still' my favourite CIV verson and kicks A$$ over CTPII 'bigtime'...well, until they fix the AI problems and more importantly the 70,000 bugs and glytches!
Yeah, go get it


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It's better to close your mouth and let everyone 'think' you're stupid, than open it and let everyone 'know' you are.

	11-01-2001 10:41									#5
	Increase Your PM Length

MrL,

Yeah, I agree. I figured the best thing was to get TOT and keep an eye on the CTP2 base to see if any headway is made.

Its really too bad, because if CTP2 was as good as it should have been (i.e. no bugs, okay AI, and population negatives working), I'd rather play it. Like you said, the graphics are cleaner.

CTP2 has three major advantages over TOT. One is the game rule changes (PWs, trade routes, etc). All those things are so much better. I love fixing things without settlers and trading in goods that are actually sitting right there on the map. Both make so much sense that going back to Civ is a bit of a pain.

CTP2's map generation is far better. The landscapes make more sense that TOT. If there was one thing that used to drive me nuts in Civ2, it was those long stringy contenents - I didn't know where anything was after a while. Give me CTP2s well-defined land masses any day of the week.

The last thing I really like is the timescale. In TOT, most games you are already through with the ancient era when you finally bump into someone else. In CTP2, you have legeons and hoplites in battles, Triremes fighting triremes, archers being used all over - great fun. Sometimes I used to play CIV2 with seven races and a small map, just so we would bump into each other sooner.

Anyway, I'm going to keep playing TOT. You know how much CTP2 pisses me off with some of its silly things. I think what irritates me the most is that it should have been a great game to play over and over, if they'd only released it with all the basics that players WERE expecting.

Oh well, I guess you and I are the CTP2 government in exile on this board.



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Bluevoss-

	11-01-2001 01:37									#6
	Got spare money?

Ive got test of time, its great but I dont noticed that its missing the flair of civ 2. There are no wonder videos, advisors etc. and there is no replay at the end of the game.

Now i cant remember if i did a full install or not, can anyone tell me if those cool things from civ2 are still in test of time (original game)?

Thanks

	11-01-2001 02:43									#7
	Support Apolyton

I know this is obvious, so don't take my head off, but have you updated your drivers. I had a problem with murky graphics on ToT until i updated and I had a very up-to -date computer.Haven't had a problem with the graphics since.

	11-01-2001 03:11									#8
	Help yourself to an AD-FREE life

Bluevoss, if you like games with slower technological development you can adjust the tech paradigm in the rules.txt to slow down research to a more suitable pace. You might also want to increase the # of rows in the food box to slow down growth.

My evaluation of TOT is that it's fundamentally the same game to play (when you play the original version of civ using TOT: as has been mentioned there are four types of games to play), but the game engine allows more modifications to be made.