Sid Meier's Civilization: Beyond Earth

[Syt]

Seems like a prudent course of action.

[crazy canuck]

Maybe even wait for a bundle of DLCs and the game to go on sale.

[DGuller]

I played through one game, and while the game was as addictive as usual while I was in the middle of it, I really have no desire to start up another one.  It just feels a little soulless, even the interface.  Maybe it will feel better once it's polished up.

[Darth Wagtaros]

I was really looking forward to it. But found it dull after two play thrus. 

[Martinus]

Sadly, I have to agree with you guys. I was all hyped for it, but I find myself going to CiV (with all expansions) if I am in need of a civilisation fix - and not this (and that's even after the Mac version was released so I don't need to do a song and dance to play it).

Perhaps they will release expansions and it will become better (vanilla CiV was also soulless).

[Darth Wagtaros]

Yeah, well I paid fifty bucks for this game. I don't look forward to paying another 20-30 an expansion to make it not boring.

[Martinus]

I think the mistake the developers made is relatively easy to identify - they approach Civ: BE in the same way as CiV - i.e. making the game rich in terms of abstract game mechanics, but rather sketchy/abstract in terms of the narrative content or "fluff".

The problem however is that while it may work in the context of a historical game (since you do not need to explain to people concepts or contexts of stuff such as "Hammurabi", "Pyramids" or "Gunpowder"), it does not work for a sci fi game.

[MadImmortalMan]

The problem however is that while it may work in the context of a historical game (since you do not need to explain to people concepts or contexts of stuff such as "Hammurabi", "Pyramids" or "Gunpowder"), it does not work for a sci fi game.

Yeah I think so. Fictional future stuff needs context. Unless it's Star Wars or something that's already richly developed.

[Razgovory]

This game is almost nothing like Alpha Centauri. I don't have any inclination to play a second round.

Guess it is good that they didn't label it "Civilization: Alpha Centauri" or "Alpha Centauri II".

Yeah, but that's the problem.  Everyone wants a new Alpha Centauri.

[Syt]

The problem however is that while it may work in the context of a historical game (since you do not need to explain to people concepts or contexts of stuff such as "Hammurabi", "Pyramids" or "Gunpowder"), it does not work for a sci fi game.

Yeah I think so. Fictional future stuff needs context. Unless it's Star Wars or something that's already richly developed.

That's all there; unfortunately it's buried in blocks of text in the game's civipedia.

[Martinus]

Exactly. SMAC worked because it fed you this information through things like project movies and tech quotes. Sure, they have tech quotes now but they are not even read by the person that is supposed to be the author (i.e. the relevant leader), just a generic female voice. And there are no wonder movies.

To this day I think that the movie for Planetary Datalinks is inspiring.

[Tonitrus]

I find The Longevity Vaccine inspiring myself. 

[Razgovory]

You can play it free on Steam this weekend.  I've played a little.

[Syt]

Expansion incoming!

http://www.civilization.com/en/news/2015-05-civilization-beyond-earth-rising-tide-fall-2015/

New York, NY – May 18, 2015 – 2K and Firaxis Games today announced Sid Meier's Civilization®: Beyond Earth™ – Rising Tide, the expansion pack for 2014's turn-based strategy title, Civilization: Beyond Earth, is currently in development for Windows-based PC. Created by Firaxis Games, Rising Tide will enhance the Beyond Earth experience by adding a variety of new gameplay capabilities and providing near limitless ways for players to create a new future for humanity on an alien planet. The expansion pack is currently scheduled for release in fall 2015.
Rising Tide will expand Beyond Earth to new frontiers on the planet's surface and across its seas, adding more choices and diplomatic options as players build "one more turn" toward a new vision for humanity's future. New aquatic gameplay will explore the oceans for colonization by dramatically extending the play space, while an overhauled diplomacy system will provide players with additional layers of dynamic choices and options to shape the diplomatic landscape while engaging with the AI and one another.
"Firaxis Games has an impressive track record of delivering robust and innovative expansions that radically change player experience while adding extensive replay value," said Sarah Anderson, SVP of Marketing at 2K. "Rising Tide is no exception, offering new features and overhauled gameplay systems that will challenge players embarking on a quest for planetary domination."
"Rising Tide builds upon the lore of Beyond Earth, breaking away the historical boundaries of the original franchise and furthering mankind's search for a new home in outer space," said Sid Meier, director of creative development at Firaxis Games. "Whether colonizing the planet's oceans, acquiring new Affinities or meeting exotic new leaders, aliens and units for the first time, Rising Tide offers more ways for players to write their own stories on a new world."

Key features of Rising Tide include:
• Building floating settlements and accessing natural resources hidden beneath the seas of the alien planet, while alien beasts with unique abilities inhabit the water and challenge players in distinctive ways;
• Shaping the diplomatic landscape by upgrading traits, changing diplomatic relationships, and leveraging the benefits of your allies, all with political capital;
• Unlocking a dynamic set of Diplomatic Traits while activating different combinations in response to the changing world;
• Playing as one of four new factions, including the Al Falah, a group of nomad explorers descended from wealthy and resilient Middle Eastern states;
• Investing in multiple Affinities to unlock hybrid Affinity units and upgrades for the first time;
• Collecting and combining alien relics via a new Artifact System that unlocks powerful benefits;
• Exploring one of two new biomes, Primordial world, an untamed biome rife with volcanic activity and indicative of a chaotic landscape still forming in the new world.

[Valmy]

Yeah, but that's the problem.  Everyone wants a new Alpha Centauri.

Everyone having excellent taste in games is not a problem