20-11-2000 07:45									#1
	Would you recommend the game to me :) Support Apolyton, buy Civilization III: Complete

Some of you might remember. I was the big decryer of CtP and railed against, what I called "stupid units" and the tarnishing of Sid's legacy. I played the game a couple of times, and hated it. I wasn't drawn in, and I basically wasn't a fan. I disliked the DUMB units (lawyers, ugh) and the easyness of pirating, etc.

I was and am a SMAC fan. I loved the borders, the diplomacy, the factions, everything.

So, CtP2. What do you think? And why should I buy such a game?

	21-11-2000 10:01									#3
	Support Apolyton, buy GURPS/ Alpha Centauri

Imran,

I would recommend this game to any Civ/SMAC lover, even those who disliked Civ CtP, because I'm one of those and I am really enjoying CtP2.

I didn't get Civ CtP when it came out, I only bought it after the patches were finished and the mods for the game were sorted out. I added the patches and the recommended mods and was VERY disappointed in the game. I thought it was clunky (hard to navigate), very unpolished, un-engrossing, and not that well balanced. I really tried to like the game but never got far with it.

In contrast, CtP2 is very engrossing game, to me at least. It's also much easier to navigate even though it's a lot different from Civ or SMAC, the focus of the game is empire wide management rather than city management so it takes some getting used to. They've done a good job of minimizing micro-management tedium while maintaining a good hands-on feel. I've also found the AI and city "mayors" to be well done. I've seen the mayors make some really smart choices, so far I'm leaving the mayors on, in SMAC I turned them off after a few hours. These guys seem to have some actual intelligence!

And finally, this game has that most important commodity, it has that "just one more turn" feel to it. With Civ CtP I never felt connected to the game, I could take it or leave it, but with CtP2 I find myself completely losing track of time, and then when I see how late it's getting the addiction of making just one more move, hit that next turn button just one more time, sets in

"OK dear, I'm coming, I'll be right in, just let me play one more turn, OK?".


John-SJ

	21-11-2000 00:02									#4
	Support Apolyton, buy Call to Power 2

Imran, if you dont want to shell out the 50 or so bucks for it, borrow it - cause it really is worth it. Yes, the improvements should really have been implemented in CTP I, but thats another argument for another time. It is quite good so far, well balanced, good feel, much better than the first title.

At the very least though, it sure as hell beats sitting through a November in New Brunswick!

	21-11-2000 08:12									#5
	Support Apolyton, buy Galactic Civilizations

Glad to see you Imran. I haven't bought it and don't know if I ever will. Just thought I'd mention that I'd read that you can remove units in the game that you don't like... The diplomacuy is supposedly a lot lot better and then there several things that was always better in CTP than in SMAC, like the macromanagement, the easyness of making tile improvements and underwater bases. Just my thought. I'll decide about this game when it arrives in Sweden.

	21-11-2000 08:45									#6
	Increase Your PM Length

Hi Freddz!

John, sorry to hear that. Micromanagement was one of my FAVORITE things about Civ/SMAC and that is one thing that dissapointed me about CtP. Although I think I might take up Robi's suggestion to borrow it and then decide if I should buy it.

And what do you know about New Brunswick?

Main question (one of the biggest bad decisions made with CtP and now repeating with CtP2): Why isn't there a demo to try out the game?!

	22-11-2000 00:42									#7
	Suffering from ads?

Imran,
I grew up in Jersey.

Anyway, after finishing my 2nd game, I like this better than CTP I. I really wanted to like the first one, but it lost its addictiveness after a while. This game seems, so far, to bring that back. Personally, so far I like the methods of micromanagement in the game, and the mayors, though not geniuses by any stretch, seem to be a little more efficient than SMAC. I am not jumping on the CTP II/ Activision bandwagon blindly here, but I really like what I have played so far. After acquainting yourself with where to find the info, the new menu systems are quite handy.

Thumbs up so far.

Are there Icebergs on the Raritan yet?

	22-11-2000 01:26									#8
	Get a bigger avatar today!

Cool, Robi... I just wish there was a demo for a test run. It sounds cool, so I might wait and buy it cheap (maybe even used).

Iceburgs.. no, but getting close . Soon is Thanksgiving Break, so I get to go back to Home home: Toms River.

	22-11-2000 07:13									#9
	Support Apolyton buy from Amazon

Imran,

You shouldn't take my comments to mean that there is no micromanagement at all, but it has been reduced somewhat. In it's place there is a new layer of global management that is not supported in other Civ type games. This new management style requires a new mindset to take full advantage of, but CtP2 is every bit as much a "hands on" game as SMAC or Civ.

Here's an idea, if you have a game playing friend, convince him to go in halves on the game. If you both hate it you only lose half, if one of you likes it, he can buy the others share. My guess is, you will probably end up buying a second copy!

John-SJ