20-01-2003 04:52									#1
	What is the least necessary feature of each Civ game? Remove this text

To continue he comparation, let us discuss what features of each Civ game were the greatest waste of code and disk space. I'd like examples that neither made the game better nor worse.

Civ 1: The copy protection quiz
I am convinced that the copy protection quizzes in the games of the early 90's worked to some extent, but why bother to make one which pops up in mid-game, is soluble from gameplay knowledge and is merciful enough to let you continue the game even if you were wrong. Microprose were lucky because enough people are law-abiding and pay for their games.

Civ 2: The Throne Room
You soon get tired of building the Palace in Civ 1 & 3, but the Throne room in Civ 2 wasn't even exciting in the beginning.

Last edited by Optimizer on 20-01-2003 at 04:57

	20-01-2003 14:58									#2
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There are always units/buildings that never get built. I think the worst ones are some of civ3's later units......paratroopers for example.

	20-01-2003 22:04									#3
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Paratroopers can be good though. They were very effective for the AI in Civ2.

	20-01-2003 22:11									#4
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They're a useable unit in civ2, though not great. It was Civ3 to which I was referring though......where they, not to put too fine a point on it, suck donkey balls.

	20-01-2003 23:58									#5
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The explorer unit, useless in civ2, beyond useless in civ3.

The galleon/frigate magnetism combo never sees much action.

Stealth fighter AND bomber in civ3. One unit is more than enough to represent these modern day Zeppelins.

Radar artillery. Never even seen it.

Colonies, hardly ever had a reason to build one.

Fortresses and airbases are only sporadically useful in all civ games.

Freshwater Sea in SMAC only appeared very occasionally.

	21-01-2003 00:11									#6
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quote: Originally posted by Sandman The explorer unit, useless in civ2

Don't let any of the 2x production 2x movement King level Civ2 MPers hear you say that. It is a very popular unit amongst that crowd.........and sometimes useful in SP.

In Civ3 I totally agree though.

	21-01-2003 03:30									#7
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SMAC-some of those unit abilities that come in really late like grav struts and cloaking device. the game is wrapped up long before then. oh, and the ability to get singularity reactors before quantum is a bit odd

civ3 - resources

* Method ducks

	21-01-2003 04:07									#8
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Civ3 - seagoing units. Seriously, blockading was a pain... well, maybe I just didn't know how to use them.

	21-01-2003 04:15									#9
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Most people didn't like the non-lethal bombardment from sea and air. They changed it so it was an option whether some bombardment could kill in later patches though.

	21-01-2003 05:16									#10
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Really difficult choice. In SMAC, I'd say sea pods, but I know there are people who positively adore them.

	25-01-2003 21:49									#11
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the explorer is a great unit in king x2x2 games....6 MP allows you to grab those unguarded cities by trireme....

but i dont' play that arcade crap anymore

	31-01-2003 09:42									#12
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Seriously, you folks are missing the point. Lots of those things should have been important parts of the game but weren't for one reason or another.

Least necessary features are things like the detail map in SMAC. I bet most of you didn't even know it existed.

Someone prove me wrong by telling me where it is?

	31-01-2003 15:40									#13
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In smac, the least necessary feature, is propably the altitude-map. It does not add to the gameplay - it only slows older pc's down.

	31-01-2003 15:52									#14
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Well, I don't know where the detail map in SMAC is, but I never read the manual

-Jam

	31-01-2003 20:34									#15
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Civ 2: All the zoom levels

	25-05-2005 07:46									#16
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Disagree...I would zoom up and down in Civ2 constantly

It got to be second nature with the "z" and "x" key as I studied the map and considered strategy. Just awesome, simply awesome.

This is perhaps why I soured so quickly on Civ3 when it came out -- the two level zoom just didn't cut it. I was spoiled by Civ2.

	25-05-2005 14:52									#17
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quote: Originally posted by aaglo In smac, the least necessary feature, is propably the altitude-map. It does not add to the gameplay - it only slows older pc's down.

There was this option to let the map appear 'flat'.
But if you mean the altitude itself, it is very usefull for increasing the energy output of landtiles...

	25-05-2005 16:11									#18
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quote: Originally posted by moomin Really difficult choice. In SMAC, I'd say sea pods, but I know there are people who positively adore them.

And the same goes for ctp1/2, but it's worse in SMAC because they come too early in the game

	09-06-2005 19:04									#19
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Espionage in Civ3 - beyond checking out garrisons before war is declared, I have not tried planting a spy or anything else since early days. Too likely to fail, too expensive.

Civ3 - Levels above Monarch - wasted on me

	25-06-2005 16:25									#20
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quote: Originally posted by DrSpike Don't let any of the 2x production 2x movement King level Civ2 MPers hear you say that. It is a very popular unit amongst that crowd.........and sometimes useful in SP. In Civ3 I totally agree though.

Explorers are good for sending in as Commando units before an invasion. Send them in 5 or so squares behind enemy lines, and then pillage. It prevents reinforcements arriving to the enemy front line. Extremely useful in the age of railway.

	25-06-2005 18:03									#21
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I posted that pre-conquests.

	25-06-2005 21:16									#22
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It´s always funny how some threads are resurrected and the debate goes on like the previous comment was made yesterday rather than 18 months ago...

Last edited by Dr Zoidberg on 25-06-2005 at 21:58

	26-06-2005 03:30									#23
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The best are those from exact a year, and sometimes a month, ago. Even a quick glance won't show the 'gap'.

	26-06-2005 08:29									#24
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It all shows that more units doesn't necessarily make for a better game. They need to concentrate on making the AI smarter and less predictable.

	26-06-2005 10:20									#25
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I always plant spies in civ3, because that way I get to know exactly how big the enemy military is, and how much of it is left at any point during the war. This is immensely useful information.

I also like stealing military plans, if you have the money, before attacking an enemy, since you get to see where everything is, including ships out nowhere.

In civ3, I think Coloseums are pretty useless buildings- not worth their cost.

	26-06-2005 13:16									#26
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Army intelligence is sometimes worth trying, yeah, but even that on the highest levels has too low a chance of success to make it a great tactic. Tech stealing is almost impossible.

Colosseums are a touch pricey yeah, but still usually get built at some stage.

	26-06-2005 13:50									#27
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quote: Originally posted by DrSpike I posted that pre-conquests.

Did the rule change after Conquests?

	27-06-2005 13:31									#28
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It's been so long I can't remember exactly what happened, but there was a change in explorers at some point to make them more useful.