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Greetings everyone,
these are the news of the week(6-12/August).

On Apolyton, the big news is still the release of Civilization 2:Test of
Time. Simply said, our civ2 section is THE place to find all the new about
ToT, and our forums is THE place to discuss it(this wasn't too boaestfull,
was it? :)).
Other than that(as if the following is much less important :)), we had an
interview with Tim Train on the upcoming SMAC expasion pack, Alien
Crossfire|(SMACX for short). Most probably, the most interesting
information we got from Tim is that SMACX is actually in beta phase and
"should be available in mid-fall"
Finally, our CTP files database now has a "visitors rating" feature, where
everyone can rate from 1 to 10 the files of database. Files can now be
sorted according to the rating, and the script contains an block to
disallow multiple votes on a file. The SMAC DB will be upgraded tonight,
and you should expect to see the same feature in the Civ2 DB quite soon.

In the "Friends" part of the newsletter, news only from History of
Civilization and Mr Temba's Civilization. If you have a civ2, ctp or smac
site and want your news included here, mail Dustin Dunn at dustind@home.com


And now, in detail
=========The news from Apolyton=========
----------------------------
**Civilization II Section

PATCH UNDERWAY
(August 12, 1999) ToT Producer Alex De Lucia today confirmed that the
first patch is underway:
"Guys - wehave already begun work on a patch for Test of Time. We are
currently adressing the issues we found in QA before release but deemed
not serious enough to hold up shipping the game. We have since noticed a
few issues here as well - notably the UltraString and missing description
for Marco Polo's Embassy problems. Please help us with this process by
sending all relevant info and save games ( if you have an event related
error - sending a save game before the event didn't occur would be more
helpfull ) to our consumer service guys - support@microprose.com We will
be co-ordinating with them to get the issues and get them fixed ASAP. No
release date set for the patch just yet but my best guess is early
September".
Talk about a timely response to Civer's concerns! The response from the
community to this news has been overwhelmingly supportive so far.

BUG CONFIRMED
(August 12, 1999) With the help of some Apolytoners, the first bug in ToT
has been confirmed.
Here's what John Possidente, co-designer with Mick Uhl, posted the
following in our ToT forum yesterday:
"We've found that sometimes, arriving at Centaurus does not give you the
technology that it's supposed to (Ultrastring Theory).
With help from a couple of Apolytoners, (you know who you are) I think
I've found the problem. Somehow, we released an events file that has a
single error in it. (Patch time!)
To fix it yourself, go into the events file for the Extended Game (with
any text editor) and search for the first appearance of the text
AlphaCentauriArrival" (no quotes). Five lines after that, you'll see a
line that reads:
whom=TRIGGERATTACKER
Change it to be:
whom=ANYBODY
Save the file, overwriting the old one. Hope that helps".

BEST SELLER!
(August 11, 1999) Though it has not yet been publicly available for a
week, Hasbro Interactive's Civilization II: Test of Time is making a big
name for itself!
According to The Dragon's Den sales records, ToT is currently it's #5 Best
Selling PC Software Title at the moment.
Even better news comes from EBWorld, who list ToT in the #2 spot on their
top-selling PC Games list.
As more gaming companies release their numbers, so will we. Know another
outfit where Test of Time is a hot commodity? Mail us about it!

NAME THAT PRICE
(August 11, 1999) Got word from Luke Lucius that The Dragon's Den has ToT
listed for $34.95US, or $54.95CA, plus $5US for shipping.
Garrett Petersen, aka Tornado7, today announced in our ToT forum that he
made his purchase at CompUSA in Long Island, New York (USA) for $44.99US.
Although these are all the prices updates for today, we cannot thank
enough all of those Civer's out there who have mailed us about ToT's
availability in their area. If you have some information in this field
that we have yet to comment on, please email us today!

(August 10, 1999) In an effort to bring you the most complete coverage of
ToT's planet-wide availability, below is another one of the many choices
open to you when trying to decide where to buy your copy from:
With free shipping, DiscSoft is an inviting outfit to get a copy of
ToT. With a $65US pricetag, however, some may just as well consider the
aforementioned cost having been lumped together with the game's retail
value.

(August 8, 1999) More ToT spottings have come in, including the first into
our mailboxes from Canada. Sherrick McCray, who is actually from Edmond,
Oklahoma (USA), informs us that he discovered ToT available for $34.99,
including shipping, at Valuesoft, which itself is Canada.
Now, one more price listing to add to our continuing search...
The CD-ROM Outlet, although a little confused about the game's
release date, now has online ordering of the game available at a price of
$56.95US. You must register for a gratis account to use their service.

(August 7, 1999) The first reports on global ToT availability and pricing
are slowly but surely coming in.
Jason Davis has informed us that he pre-ordered ToT from Babbages in
Spokane, Washington, available as of yesterday for $49.99US plus tax.
We too have done some more digging of our own, and here's an ongoing list
we're compiling.
GameDealer, owned and operated by UGO, lists ToT at a rate of
$39.95US. You must still Pre-Order it, so copies of the game have not
arrived there yet. This is presently the cheapest place online to buy ToT
from, by a margin of 4 cents. Computers4Sure too has ToT in their computer
game database, but is listed at $40.99US, and no items are currently in
stock as of the date of this article. At CompSource Inc. you can buy ToT
from them with a pricetag of $45.24US, but they insist that you call for
availability beforehand. McGlenn.com lists an asking price of $41.80US for
a copy of ToT. It is not yet in stock. Tot is now available for ordering
from Interact CD-ROM Store for $44.95US. The most expensive of the group
known to date, Beyond.com has set their price for a copy of ToT to
$50.45US; only pre-ordering is currently available. Watch out for shipping
charges here! While it can be as little as $5US for the continental US, it
will be at least a whopping $24.95US in extra charges to get a copy of ToT
from them to you if you live in Canada, Western Europe, and several other
popular destinations. As mentioned a couple of days ago, both Chips & Bits
and EBWorld have marked ToT at $39.99US.
Please continue to send us your reports! The hope is that this section can
become a central destination for those looking for ToT in their neck of
the woods (and also, obviously, where the best price/service is at). So
have you got something to pass our way along these lines? If so, than send
an email to DanQ today!

(August 3, 1999) There is, as of yet, not a common consensus as to what a
copy of Civilization II: Test of Time is going to run the gamer in terms
of a bill. For example, it is listed the Chips & Bits and EBWorld websites
as $39.99US, but is reportedly being offered for less elsewhere, and even
in considerable excess of $40 before taxes elsewhere still.
As ToT shows up in stores in the coming days, it would be helpful to a lot
of others if you could pass along any info you have on price and
availability of the game in the place where you live. If you have such
information, please send a) the price, b) the store, and c) your locale to
DanQ and it'll be posted here for all to read shortly thereafter.
On the subject, John Possidente offered the following reminder to Civer's
just today: "The folks who make the pricing decisions are in the retail
end of things, not at MicroProse/Hasbro Interactive. We on the development
team lobbied for a $20-40 price point. How successful we were, I don't yet
know". &SKU_NUMBER=000076930995488&newformat=1

OFFICIAL ToT P.R.
(August 10, 1999) Hasbro Interactive yesterday published the official
Civilization II: Test of Time press release.

3 NEW ToT SCREENSHOTS
(August 10, 1999) You got 'em, baby! The filenames are gameshot1.jpg,
gameshot2.jpg, and gameshot3.jpg, and all come to us courtesy of the Evil
Avatar website. Enjoy!

THE NEXT FAVOURABLE REVIEW
(August 8, 1999) The second known review of ToT has been made public, over
at the GamePower website.
Reviewer Mark H. Walker, a longtime electronic entertainment journalist,
has given ToT a positive 3.5 out of 4 possible bolts rating. Here are some
of things he had to say on the game, which covers a lot of ground:
"With the release of Microprose's Civilization II: Test Of Time, the
franchise's book finally shuts.
It is, however, a fitting closing. At its heart, Test Of Time is
Civilization II redux. The game uses a similar economic and research
model, and the combat engine is identical. Unfortunately, the clunky
interface -- you can't scroll with the mouse -- still waits to be updated,
and the micromanagement still waits to be eased. But, as every game
reviewer for the past three years has written, these are only minor flaws.
Test of Time is not just another add-on package. World leader wannabes may
not only conquer the original world, but an expanded version that includes
Alpha Centauri, a science-fiction milieu, a fantasy setting, and a Midgard
scenario that is similar to the universe found in Civ II Fantastic World.
Test Of Time introduces simultaneous multi-map gameplay. In the
science-fiction game, each map depicts a different world; in fantasy
contests, each represents a different realm, such as the sea, land, air,
and underworld. It is no longer enough to be a big fish in your own small
pond; you must now consider what is happening the next pond over.
When all the blasting is said and done, the Civilization II book will
close. Fortunately for the storied franchise, Test Of Time sends it out
with a bang".

IN THE ZONE
(August 8, 1999) Microsoft announced on Friday that Civilization II: Test
of Time was now available for free multiplayer matchmaking on the MSN
Gaming Zone.
With almost 34,000 gamers online at any given time, engaging in hundreds
of games every waking moment of everyday, "the Zone", as it is commonly
referred to, has placed itself in the forefront of online gaming. Hook up
with your friends on the Zone today!

SPECIAL DEAL
(August 8, 1999) An interesting note was passed our way by an avid Civer
who asked to remain anonymous. Read on and you will likely understand why.
According to the source, MicroProse (MPS) is offering an enticing deal
through the Digital River online store. Here's an excerpt from the mail
sent out to some VIP customers:
"As a valued MicroProse Insider, you can pre-order your copy of
Civilization II: Test of Time CD-ROM game NOW for the special price of
$44.95 plus shipping and handling. Also, be one of the first 2,000 people
to take advantage of this offer and get a Civilization II: Test of Time
Strategy Guide absolutely free, a $19.99 value! This special offer is
available only to MicroProse Insiders for a limited time, so act now"!
The anonymous tipster also had this to add: "I ordered it through them as
fast as I could... Shipping was $8, so I paid $53 total, but for that
price I'm getting a $20 strategy guide for free, so I figure
even with shipping (and the $44.95 being the "official" retail price) I'm
saving $12 off buying them both ($65 versus $53). They shipped the order
Thursday via UPS ground, so I'm hoping to see it show up early next week".
If anyone else can "second" this, please get in touch with DanQ as soon as
you can.

THE COLUMN: THE CIV COMMUNITY AND FORUM UNCIVILITY
Dracon doesn't want to listen to excuses -- he wants to see change.


----------------------------
**Civilization: Call to Power Section

RATE THE FILES!
(August 10) A dream has come true today. Our CTP Files Database now allows
visitors to rate the files. Thomas Mathison(a.k.a. Mentat) worked on this
for several weeks, and really deserves a big "thank you" from everyone!
So, what are you doing here? Rate!

AVATAR'S VOICE
(August 10) Reviews of CTP continue to pop up all over the place... or, at
the very least, more and more posted some time ago are finally being
"discovered".
The two-page review from Evil Avatar gives the game only two stars. All in
all, reviewer Sean Seger gave a balanced weigh of the ups and downs, and
provided decently detailed explanations to his arguments. Here are some
excerpts:
"When I first bought Call to Power, I was excited... Alas, my preparations
were for naught. Oh, it's not as if you couldn't play CTP for hours,
because you could. The problem is, the hours of game play would not come
from an engrossing lo ss of the sense of time. It would come from the
game's flawed interface, slow as sap in winter pace, and frustrating
resource hogging.
For all its bad, though, there is good to this game.
The first thing that impressed me were the graphics.The graphics to CTP
are leaps and bounds better. The second thing that jumped out at me were
the new units. The military units have been expanded of course, but the
game designers did a number developing new units to enhance gameplay.
With the military aspect of the game, I liked the newer battle aspects. I
also liked the information it provided as far as defensive and terrain
adjustments.
As for the improvements, gone are innumerable settlers and engineers
building things and congesting the map. Now, there’s a Public Works pool.
This was a huge improvement, and something I hope to see carried over to
any incarnations of Civilization that c ome after CTP.
Unfortunately this game has some serious flaws. The first big problem, and
this is the biggest in my mind: The interface. It is cumbersome and
unwieldy, and made the game so much more of a chore than it needed to be.
The menus. The menus just don’t cut it. Gone are the individual city
screens. The effort was to make the government you run seem more unified,
rather than segmented between the cities. Unfortunately, the cities still
work like they used to.
Other, inexplicable changes include diplomacy. Actually, it’s a rather
crippled and useless diplomacy model. So much of the game is focused on
military and non-military conquest via units built that diplomacy doesn’t
have much of a place. A huge step back ward here.
Civilization: Call to Power could have been a great game. Actually, it
could have been one of the greatest games of all time. New units, new
focuses, and new elements of gameplay added to a classic and beloved game.
Unfortunately, it was saddled with a horrible interface, it was paced
intolerably slow, and it dropped the ball with some classic parts of the
game that helped make Civilization and Civilization II so popular (either
screwing them up, or not including them). Die hard strategy fans might
enjoy this game, but overall this is a poor outing by a strategy
powerhouse in a year when a lot of great turn based strategy games are
being released".


----------------------------
**Alpha Centauri Section

Second So Far
--(August 12 1999) Beyond.com has posted a feature they call The Top 5
Computer Games Of 1999... So Far; SMAC made the list at #2. Who beat it
out for top spot? MechWarrior 3.

Interview: Tim Train on SMACx!
--(August 9 1999) Just like a year ago, we are again waiting for SMAC :)
but this it is Alien Crossfire, not Alpha Centauri. We wondered about some
things and we got Tim Train(Designer and Producer of SMACx) in a cell
until he confessed everything about SMACx :) Well, not about everything
but we got some interesting info from him... Check it all out in the full
interview

Earliest Victory HoF
--(August 9 1999) An update to our HoF today. We added a new set of HoFs
based on the Earliest Victory by difficulty level. Let's see who can top
the current scores... Also, three saved games we added. Mail MarkG or post
in the forums for any comments or ideas for making the HoF better.

The Mindworm Series
--(August 6 1999) An excellent piece of smac fiction, The Mindworm Series
by Googlie is now in our Centaurian Tales sub-section. More will be added
soon, if you have writen or posted in our AC-Fiction forum something and
want to see it here, mail Dan Quick about it.


----------------------------
**CivLeague(hosted site)

Test of Time
--(August 08) For now you can also report any Civ: Test of Time game to
CivLeague and count them toward the ladder or tribe games. We have added a
new pool asking you what you think. We want to know if you think Test of
Time should be included in CivLeague or if it should have its own league.
So, consider this a test run.

Eyes of Night Deleted
--(August 05) Eyes of Night has been removed from CivLeague per his own
request.


----------------------------
**Civilization Scenario Collection(hosted site)

--(August 10) Scenario Update: Prince of Darkness, by Techumseh (Version
2.0).
Two of the best recent scenarios are coming to this site. In the
meantime... WE STILL NEED MORE FANTASY SCENARIOS!


----------------------------
**Scenario League(hosted site)

New art for Sleague!
--(August 8, 1999) The first works of art are submitted by DieHardGamer,
check them out on the art page. All submitted art will be put on this page
before they get their "own" spot on the site.


=========Apolyton's Friends News=========
--------------------------
History of Civilization

10/8/99- the 6th - Competition is opened now. Welcome to Competition
Section of the site and test your knowledge of Civilization!


--------------------------
Mr Temba's Civilization

11/8/99- Ancient Empires -- The End of the Bronze Age by Kull is up in the
Best on Net, with two sounds files.

10/8/99- Added Part III of StarSaga by Giant Squid to the Hosted Scenario
Sections.

9/8/99- You say you wanna check out the new artwork in Test of Time but
don't think its worth $40? No problemo! You can download the units.bmps
from Test of Time in my Scenario Supplies section, courtesy of
DieHardGamer.

8/8/99- A new terrain mod, European Terrain by Stefan de Jonge is up in
the Supplies section along with DieHardGamers excellent Barbarian Paper. A
new small game save is up in the OCC Hall of Fame, Huey has joined the
immortals. There are also two scenarios in the mix to be uploaded, but I
am having technical difficulties downloading them so you'll have to wait
awhile, sorry :(.

BIG NEWS! -- I have (I think) finally fixed the fact that you need to
visit another page to download something from this site! Thanks to Gary
Longo, head of CivNation for helping me with this! If you experience any
problems or find a page where I haven't fixed it yet, send email to
mrtemba@yahoo.com

Even Bigger News -- Enemy of God version 2.4 is out! This may be the last
version for awhile! Download Here


That was all for this week ladies and gentlemen,

Until next time
Markos Giannopoulos - markg@apolyton.net
Apolyton Civilization Site - apolyton.net