01-03-2003 06:16									#1
	The "Acceptance" curve Support Apolyton, buy Civilization 2

I don't have the game. (a disclaimer i guess)


After reading many many of the posts here (my mind is swimming), I have come to the conclusion that MOO3 perhaps suffers from an "acceptance" curve.

Meaning that the game was designed to be such a HUGE HUGE universe simulator, unseen in any other game, that the dev's had no choice but to take micromanagement out....and replace it with an AI that performs that function.

I mean, if the size of the star systems is to be believed, I can understand wanting to design an AI that takes care of the individual planet details...ABSOLUTELY!!!

And this is what needs to be accepted. Perhaps as a new "type" of game...

Accepted because the games before it had management of individual planets/cities at their core because the overall scope of the game made that feasible.

If you want to make a game that simulates rule over such a HUGE star system, them making AI the key role in managing individual planets may have been the only way to go.

Can you imagine the micro hell involved if a game encompasses hundreds of planets in your empire?


Of course, you can (and will) , argue about whether they did indeed create an AI capable of doing this.

I mean to say that from what I have read MOO3 seems to have such HUGE ambitions. And as such, perhaps the designers deserve a LITTLE slack, because they seem to have tried to create a new type of game.

And in their effort to make AI the pivotal detail in such a game they didn't get it all right.

First efforts into new arenas rarely do get it right the first time.

I myself will not buy the game, i'm gonna wait for Galciv, it seems more my speed.

I guess my bottom line is that AI is absolutely crucial to a game that aspires to such heights, and until it is shown that the AI can handle it, i'm out.

	01-03-2003 06:58									#2
	Got spare money?

The controls are different, but it's because the general flow of the game differs.

Once you get used to them, I find it makes late game rounds MUCH shorter. I still micromanage more than I need to because I'm uncomfortable with the AI customization. Even without that to help, it's still swifter. The few problems I'm having now are unrelated to the controls. On the whole, it's a fun game, and it'll be even better if a couple of small things are added.