Firaxis cites graphics, controls behind shelving of CivRev for Wii
by Jason Dobson 
{ Feb 5th 2008 at 3:25PM }
The reasoning behind why Civilization Revolution for the Wii was put on hold is likely symptomatic of the machine's surprise success, as Lewis notes that the Wii SKU was added as an afterthought once the world became wise to the console's runaway popularity. The project, as it turns out, was originally just PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 bound, and without a PS2 or PSP version from which to draw art assets "a great deal of work" would have been required to create entirely new graphics for the Wii version alone. Other issues, such as having to shoehorn the game's controls onto the Wii remote only compounded difficulties. Added Lewis: "If we had started the project with all four platforms in mind, it is far more likely that we would not have put the Wii version of CivRev on hold."
This highlights an unfortunate reality when it comes to the Wii, as studios' are quick to cash in on the console's success, provided the amount of work to do so is minimal, something that doesn't exactly paint a rosy picture for Wii game development once developers begin to turn their back on the previous generation. However, Lewis noted that if Civilization Revolution performs well at retail for the existing SKUs, namely the PS3, Xbox 360, and DS, a version released for the Wii "will be more likely."
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
FidliousWong @ Feb 5th 2008 3:35PM
I never knew why they called this series "Civilization." My tactics can best be described as "What if Rome had Firearms?"
rc @ Feb 5th 2008 3:43PM
This is very bad news for Wii fans. If you're a developer you can make a game for the PC, 360 and PS3 with little difference. You have to change everything for the Wii. What will happen when there are no more PS2 games to port.
Zsavior @ Feb 5th 2008 3:51PM
No it is only bad news to WII fans who want the same game everywhere. To me I want original games, I rather they cancel a product than produce a bad game. If they feel they can make more money on the PS3 360 and PC by all means go ahead. Just know that the market supporting the Wii isn't following them.
Game makers will make games for the WII NMH is a show of that it just matter of who is going to cash in on this lucrative base first.
Korova @ Feb 5th 2008 5:15PM
This happened because they were surprised by Wii's success and didnt plan for it. From now on developers will plan for it. Problem solved. Good games ahead, dont throw away your wiimote.
NoHitHair @ Feb 5th 2008 3:49PM
"...studios' are quick to cash in on the console's success, provided the amount of work to do so is minimal..."
Precisely. It is nothing more than publisher greed and developer cowardice that prevents the Wii from receiving the innovative titles it could clearly be utilized for. No one wants to take a chance - everyone would rather dump all their shovelware on the system and accept the steady cashflow of customers too stupid to know otherwise.
Developers and publishers are exploiting the Wii's success to the detriment of any creative gems we could be given.
deaftly @ Feb 5th 2008 3:55PM
Makes ya wonder when dev's stop Ps2 development, do you think they will even give a shit about the Wii seeing its horrible 3rd party sales?
Fernando Rocker @ Feb 5th 2008 4:03PM
Third parties games are selling better on the Wii than the PS3 third party games.
Noob.
Zsavior @ Feb 5th 2008 4:07PM
Well that depends on the devs, and do they want to make money. As stated before they aren't making very good games for the WII NMH did bad in Japan it is doing well over here. Zack and Wiki is s niche game.
Now if a developer wants to actually make money, they will stop acting as if they don't know what to produce and bring over games like FF, or MGS or Tales of Symphonia. RE 4 did great when it was also put on the WII. They don't have to be the same franchises true new ones but still appealing.
They can say they don't give a shit about the WII but the truth is that only hurts the devs. Nintendo still seems to be racking in money, the question is will the devs continue to pass on money because of pure laziness and a unwillingness to adapt and change. Personally I don't believe so, a company like EA sees to much financial gain to say Screw them.
Galaxy, Brawl, TP, people are open to good games, if the devs choose not to responds they can try with 360 ans PS3 nintendo will continue to make money, with or without them at this point. And when the PS2 finally dies down, they will be looking towards the next huge market, they should try and break in now, rather than later.
deaftly @ Feb 5th 2008 4:10PM
Learn to read my entire comment and think a bit before responding and coming off like a jackass, it might help you out a bit in the future here and life in general. 1 day you might not end up being the joke of this site Fernando.
Fatass of Kickassness @ Feb 5th 2008 4:23PM
As much as I love telling Fernando off, there are quite a few examples of Wii ports from the 360/PS3 outselling (one that especially comes to mind is GH3), and I can guarantee you Civilization wouuld have been the same (it just strikes me as one of those games that would do better on the Wii). Also, while some (more than some admittedly) 3rd party games aren't selling, there are plenty that are, and anyone who takes a look at the Npd every once in a while would be aware of this.
Nate @ Feb 5th 2008 4:36PM
Fernando - your statement is patently false. Assuming VGChartz data is correct, the top 5 games published by 3rd parties on the PS3 are COD4, Assassin's Creed, Pro Evolution Soccer, FIFA 08, and NFS Pro Street, together selling 7.6 million copies.
The top 5 3rd party Wii games are Guitar Hero 3, RE4, Rayman Rabbids, Red Steel, and Carnival Games for a combined total of 6.15 million copies. The PS3 third party games beat out the Wii on numbers alone... and that doesn't even take into consideration there are twice as many Wiis out there. The PS3's "attach rate" for 3rd party games is more than double the Wii's.
Catprog @ Feb 5th 2008 6:16PM
@Nate
So if my console sold 10 units but every person who brought one brought every game available then 3rd party game sell the best on my console?
In other words attach rates are meaningless
Catprog @ Feb 5th 2008 6:24PM
@Nate
(wishing there was an edit function)
Why did you leave the best selling 3rd party game out of the equation?
That takes the total of the wii to 8.19 million
In fact if you line them up the first 3rd party wii game not to Outsell the same in the Ps3 is
Dragonball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 2 which only sold 0.19m
The Ps3 game Unreal Tournament III sold 0.20m
Nate @ Feb 5th 2008 4:19PM
Wait wait wait wait... they have a version for the DS and they're worried about dumbing down the graphics for the Wii? Whaa...?
I actually think that Civ isn't a good fit for the Wii. Civ is a long, meticulous, and in-depth strategy game that doesn't really fit with the Wii's target audience.
They said that if they'd started out developing for the Wii they'd have stuck with it. They just don't want to do a crappy port or spend 4 times the effort to re-engineer stuff so it'll work on the Wii. Be happy you're not getting another bad port. The only thing worse than no game, is a bad game you wasted money on.
Fatass of Kickassness @ Feb 5th 2008 4:32PM
Maybe a bad fit for the Wii audience (I disagree with that, this is one of those kinds of games that appeals both to the hardcore and the casuals but whatever) but anyone who would even take a second to think can see that the Wii, with its pointer controls and such, would have been a fine fit, and unlikely to be a 'crappy' port.
Crono (NDF - Knight of the Old School) @ Feb 5th 2008 4:34PM
They've actually said that the core game is identical across all platforms: AI, mechanics, everything. The only difference is in the eye candy.
They've scrapped the wii release because they didn't feel like making low poly assets of the game.
Its a shame, because I likely won't get this game on any other platform.
Vidikron (FU) @ Feb 5th 2008 4:46PM
@Fatass of Kickassness
Since when have Civilation type games been for casuals?
Vidikron (FU) @ Feb 5th 2008 4:48PM
*Civilization
Fatass of Kickassness @ Feb 5th 2008 9:05PM
I know many people who never play games outside of a few games that definitely would be considered 'casual' and yet most of them enjoy the Civilization series.
SoulBlade @ Feb 5th 2008 4:20PM
Dev studios just aren't used to having a console that requires them to make new games vs. having consoles that they can easily port games to and from.
Nintendo makes awesome Wii games because they focus solely on the Wii - they don't have to code their games thinking about the other platforms. It's easier for devs to justify effort on games for the 360/PC/PS3 vs. the Wii, especially given the third party sales trend.
It's true that third party games can succeed on the Wii, but many gems go unnoticed on Nintendo consoles - Zak and Wiki will forever be in that category, and I bet No More Heroes will as well. Capcom shows it love, but I hope they don't lose money on those titles.
Martez @ Feb 5th 2008 4:25PM
Except No More Heroes is not THAT great. But I agree with you in general.
Fatass of Kickassness @ Feb 5th 2008 4:35PM
Dude, have you played the game? The dialogue is amazing, the combat is surprisingly fun, and I've never seen a game so in love with being a game.
jsn @ Feb 5th 2008 4:24PM
The wii can't handle what other modern consoles can and the controls might not be as great as they first appeared to be. No news here.
Fatass of Kickassness @ Feb 5th 2008 4:41PM
Typical jsn trolling. No surprise here.
Now, if you knew jack shit, you'd know that EVERYTHING except the visuals (including AI and such) are identical across ALL platforms, including the DS. The Wii is definately capable of handling this game, and I wouldn't pick enhanced visuals over pointer control.
Is there a PC version of this game? If so fuck the console versions.
Vegeta (aka Ska Oreo) @ Feb 5th 2008 4:55PM
And this is what's pissing me off about third party developers. Even when Nintendo has proven themselves this time around with the Wii, third party developers still fuck them over and then complain that their games aren't selling.
Vegeta (aka Ska Oreo) @ Feb 5th 2008 4:57PM
didn't mean to reply to you.
jsn @ Feb 5th 2008 5:10PM
it's the truth, call it trolling if that's the best you're capable of coming up with. I mean it is the generic message board response these days when presented with a differing opinion and you have no other valid response to give.
Crono (NDF - Knight of the Old School) @ Feb 5th 2008 5:21PM
No, its trolling. It might even be ban-able trolling since you added on the "No news here". Depends on how the mods take it.
Fatass of Kickassness @ Feb 5th 2008 7:37PM
Thats funny, JSN, I could have sworn I posted this 'valid response', um, right after I called you out on being a troll.
Martez @ Feb 5th 2008 4:24PM
"We stopped working on the Wii version because it was actually taking time and effort, something we didn't feel should be put into the version of the game with the largest install base and best control potential. It was really, really hard!"
Great. PS2/PSP assets are to the Wii what the Unreal engine is to the 360. If devs don't have a third of the game already made for them in advance, they won't bother? Get fucked, developers.
LaughingTarget @ Feb 5th 2008 4:25PM
Shoehorn the controls?
**looks at Civ4**
Hmm, plays without having to use anything but the left mouse button. How much more complicated can Civilization get?
Adv2k1 @ Feb 5th 2008 4:33PM
This is retarded. So what if the textures are super high res if your using a control stick for a cursor instead of a pointer.
Nate @ Feb 5th 2008 4:40PM
PS3s support mice in-game (if the devs choose to enable it). Sorry, had to say it.
I am actually not a fan of the Wii's pointer. It's pretty sloppy and annoying to use for long periods of time. The motion control is great, but I wish they'd refined the pointer a lot more.
FidliousWong @ Feb 5th 2008 4:41PM
Umm, it's more than super high res textures....
Obviously assets on 360 and PS3 utilize things like Normal Maps and Emmission Maps. That's a hell of a lot of work to strip down.
Please at least learn SOMETHING about 3D before thinking the only difference is one system has a 51x512 texture and the other is 128x128. It isn't a matter of needing to lower texture resolution, it's a matter of needing to create all new assets.
LaughingTarget @ Feb 5th 2008 4:55PM
MS Paint can compress a 512x512 texture into 128x128. I can do it on Paint.net (free program by the way) with minimal to no quality loss. Hardly an excuse. Besides, Civilization Revolution isn't turning out to be a mighty contender for amazing graphics of the year. Civ is known for a deep and immersing exercise in building a nation and leading it through history, not for bleeding edge technology.
Farseer (GDI) @ Feb 5th 2008 4:42PM
I honestly hadn't even considered picking this one up for the Wii. The convoluted online system that Nintendo has (not) developed made this game a day one 360 purchase in my mind.
Plus, my 360 streams from my home server, so I can listen to my own music while I play strategy/puzzle games.
I'm not saying that strategy games don't have potential on the Wii, I just know that a number of my friends will pick up this particular title too, and the 360 makes online multiplayer much, much, much easier.
Mr Khan @ Feb 5th 2008 4:45PM
I hereby pronounce Firaxis to be idiots, having squandered the one version that would have felt most natural outside of the PC version, and thinking that that the controls would be a problem
Noshino @ Feb 5th 2008 5:03PM
mmm...the PS3 has K+M support...and actually I think a DS version would be the best (and hey, I do hate my DS)
Vegeta (aka Ska Oreo) @ Feb 5th 2008 4:56PM
And this is what's pissing me off about third party developers. Even when Nintendo proved themselves this time around, they still fuck them over with half-assed games then they go and complain saying it's nintendo's fault.
Noshino @ Feb 5th 2008 5:06PM
Vegeta, what Nintendo has been able to prove is that they can make a videogame console that would even sell to the casual gaming crowd...
Is that what you meant by Nintendo proving themselves this time?
Mr Khan @ Feb 5th 2008 5:20PM
It takes time to rebuild bridges. Its natural for publishers to feel wary of putting epic games on a Nintendo consoles after 10 years of failure.
Installations like Fatal Frame IV and Monster Hunter 3 will (hopefully) start to alleviate this, and while Nintendo was able to make an overnight success, it hasn't been proven that 3rd parties can have a sizable piece of the pie by treating the Wii as a full-scale, competing platform instead of a 5th wheel of sorts
Hydoset @ Feb 5th 2008 5:16PM
I am truly dissappointed that this was shelved. I love Civilization and I've purchased every single Civ game for the PC.... but I don't own a 360 or a PS3, and I'm not about to buy one just to play one game.
ZippyDSMlee @ Feb 5th 2008 5:26PM
"...studios' are quick to cash in on the console's success, provided the amount of work to do so is minimal..."
Beautifully said, on a side note the WII mote and NC offers better mouse and KB like options than any other console, controls are not the issue here its the work required to port the graphics engine that combined with a lack of energy and imagination to port a title correctly its not wonder the stale and drained industry is not fooling with it.
Dirt @ Feb 5th 2008 5:28PM
At this point, it would be shooting yourself in the foot to not push a Wii version of your game. I can understand that they might not have the manpower to do it, but you can almost guarantee you will sell more copies on the Wii than one of the other platforms they are developing on over the lifespan of the console.
This isn't bitter hate or anything, it just seems like a really bad move. I own a 360, but seeing developers missing opportunities like this is just staggering.
Sami @ Feb 5th 2008 9:29PM
They've lost a lot of sales with this cancellation, including mine.
t_m @ Feb 5th 2008 11:38PM
I don't get it.
1 - Surely the wiimote pointer would work WAY better and easier than trying to shoehorn civilization's controls onto a gamepad?
2 - Civilization has never been about the graphics. They have never been realistic.. merely representations. Frankly, they could probably use the DS art assest for the Wii and it's be ok. I rather like the idea of a 2d, cartoony civilization.
--
Either way, if I get anything I'm getting the DS version... (graphics and gamepads be damned ;-) )
Worst Review Ever @ Feb 6th 2008 12:38AM
Lazy. Mother. Fuckers.
Burnt Meatloaf @ Feb 6th 2008 7:08AM
Well, you have to give them props in one respect: they won't rush it to market and make it crap.
You do also have to consider that the Wii seriously lacks in memory, and Civ has always been a very memory intensive title due to all the stuff going on in the background, as opposed to using it for nothing more than graphics. You can scale down graphics and animation, but scaling down game logic is not piece of cake.