Joystiq

Sid Meier's Ace Patrol review: Strategy simplified

David Hinkle — Mon, 13 May 2013 18:00:00 EST

There's a certain stigma attached to strategy games, where deep systems and mechanics can hoist a sky-high barrier for the uninitiated. Sid Meier's Ace Patrol sidesteps these stigmas, presenting a turn-based experience so simple that even the strategically challenged will be able to play and excel.

Designed for iOS devices, Ace Patrol is a dogfighting game set in WWI. With a series of taps, intense air combat is engaged over a battlefield of hexagonal grids. Using these taps, players execute everything from strafing to swooping dives, hard banking, the Immelman turn and other expert maneuvers.

Gallery: Sid Meier's Ace Patrol

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Sid Meier's Ace Patrol review: Strategy simplified originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 13 May 2013 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Will Wright shares admiration for the three Ms: Miyamoto, Molyneux, Meier

Sinan Kubba — Thu, 09 May 2013 08:30:00 EST

Bespectacled brain Will Wright is one of the world's most revered game designers, both within the industry and in the more mainstream eye. But which game designers does he admire the most?

Speaking at the Game Horizon conference in the UK via a video stream, Wright said he regards a great number of designers highly, including many up-and-comers. However, the Sims creator reserved special praise for three luminaries from his generation: Shigeru Miyamoto, Peter Molyneux, and Sid Meier.

Nintendo veteran Miyamoto was "obviously" Wright's first choice.

"He always takes the player first," Wright said. "Right off the bat he works with the controller, what does it feel like, how tactile and kinesthetic is what he's working on. He works from the inside out: 'what is the first five second player experience?' So his games have this craftsmanship behind them that's amazing and unique."

The feeling is mutual; a few years back, Miyamoto said he was particularly impressed by Wright as "a very unique person and someone very special." Aw.

Continue reading Will Wright shares admiration for the three Ms: Miyamoto, Molyneux, Meier

Will Wright shares admiration for the three Ms: Miyamoto, Molyneux, Meier originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 09 May 2013 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sid Meier's Ace Patrol lands on iOS May 9

David Hinkle — Wed, 01 May 2013 12:00:00 EST

Sid Meier's next project is an iOS game set in World War I called Ace Patrol, a dogfighting strategy game created by Meier himself. Ace Patrol will launch on the App Store May 9 as a free download.

Ace Patrol is comprised of four campaigns - all downloads gain access to the British campaign and multiplayer side; in-app purchase is required to access the other campaigns. Of course, you can also throw some coin down on the typical tactical and cosmetic boosts, like new planes and elaborate paint jobs.

Multiplayer pits two squadrons against each other, allowing for either hot-swapping a device or asynchronous matches over Game Center.

Gallery: Ace Patrol (iOS)

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Sid Meier's Ace Patrol lands on iOS May 9 originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 01 May 2013 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Civilization 2 10-year-game predicts nuclear wasteland future, Sid Meier 'can't believe' it

David Hinkle — Fri, 15 Jun 2012 20:30:00 EST

A few days ago, a thread on Reddit revolving around a tense Civilization 2 match received quite a bit of attention. Within the thread, user Lycerius detailed a scenario within the game that has been in play for about ten years. The American, Viking, and Celtic nations in his decade long battle remain locked in a 1700-year-long war, fighting over what little resources remain following years of nuclear carnage; in-game the year is 3991 AD. Now Civilization's mastermind, Sid Meier, has weighed-in on the nearly two thousand (in-game) year conflict.

"My first thought was, 'Wow! I can't believe anyone has been playing Civ II for that long,'" Sid Meier told The Associated Press (via Yahoo) in an interview. "It's been more than 15 years since we released that game, and I don't think any of us expected a decade-long game would come out of it. It would be amazing if we could come back in 2025 and find out if someone's had a 10-year game of Civ V going."

We note, for future generations, not to look to the global landscape in Lycerius' Civilization 2 match for hints into our own destiny. It's just a game. We wouldn't want this intense match to become the Mayan calendar equivalent for our family in the far-flung future.

Civilization 2 10-year-game predicts nuclear wasteland future, Sid Meier 'can't believe' it originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 15 Jun 2012 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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These games inspired Cliff Bleszinski, John Romero, Will Wright, and Sid Meier

Kat Bailey — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 16:00:00 EST

Everyone in the industry has a story about their formative experiences with video games, but Jon-Paul Dyson, the director of the International Center for the History of Electronic Games, was a bit more blunt than most.

"Great artists don't borrow. They steal," Dyson said, borrowing a quote from Pablo Picasso as he introduced Wil Wright, Sid Meier, John Romero, and Cliff Bleszinski. Speaking in front of a packed house at GDC, the four industry luminaries shared the games that inspired them as creators, and continue to influence them today.

Continue reading These games inspired Cliff Bleszinski, John Romero, Will Wright, and Sid Meier

These games inspired Cliff Bleszinski, John Romero, Will Wright, and Sid Meier originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 09 Mar 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sid Meier indirectly involved in XCOM: Enemy Unknown

Alexander Sliwinski — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 13:00:00 EST

XCOM: Enemy Unknown's lead designer Jake Solomon may be part of a conspiracy at Firaxis that finds studio head Sid Meier experimenting on employees. Asked by PC Gamer if the legendary creator of the Civilization series is involved in the development of XCOM, Solomon noted he and Meier interact on an almost daily basis.

"I say 'Look, I have this problem. What do you think I should do?' and he's a very gifted designer. He can look at a situation and he can say 'have you tried this?' And I'll be like, 'oh, that's really good.' I claim all the credit for it, but I rely on him so much," Solomon said, before saying too much. "I'm now to the point where I can basically hear his voice in my head, which is probably not healthy. He tells me to hurt people. [laughs]"

Fight the chip inside your head, Solomon! We believe in you.

Sid Meier indirectly involved in XCOM: Enemy Unknown originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 01 Mar 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sid Meier: modern graphics have lowered the barriers of entry to gaming

Mike Schramm — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 03:00:00 EST

In this interview with Game Informer, legendary developer Sid Meier says even he has succumbed to the lure of modern graphics. "I used to love to try and challenge the players' imagination," he says, "to show them a few pixels in 16 colors and try and convince them that they're ruling an empire to stand the test of time. But I think today's player is not really willing to make that investment, so we're able to bring the worlds to life in 3D."

But he also believes that beefing up the graphics has brought in a much bigger audience than games could have picked up 20 years ago. "You had to kind of suspend your disbelief and be willing to step into that world," says Meier. "Today we make it a lot easier," and as a result, players who want more than a few pixels on screen can also get their fix.

Meier's currently the creative director of game development at Firaxis, and though he's not participating directly on XCOM it doesn't mean he's not working. Every morning, he says, he comes out of the shower with "about 10 ideas," and is constantly iterating with his team on different prototypes. "Most of them," he says, "just go back into the trash heap." In other words, anyone who wants to make an awesome game should probably go root around in the garbage cans near Sparks Glencoe, Maryland.

Sid Meier: modern graphics have lowered the barriers of entry to gaming originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 01 Feb 2012 03:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sid Meier, Keiji Inafune and Riot Games folks added to GDC seminar list

David Hinkle — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 23:00:00 EST

Sad your favorite game designer isn't getting his or her deserved time in the spotlight? Well dry those eyes, friend! It's gonna be hard to hold onto that grudge because today industry legends Sid Meier and Keiji Inafune have both been added to the GDC talk docket, as well as League of Legends proprietors, Riot Games. But hey, if you're not going to GDC, feel free to keep crying while you read the rest of this post.

Meier's talk, entitled "Interesting Decisions," will revolve around his viewpoint of gameplay as "a series of interesting decisions" and how developers can recognize and add these kinds of decisions, ultimately providing the player with a more fulfilling experience. Maybe he'll also talk a bit how that philosophy will play into XCOM: Enemy Unknown?

Inafune will aim to analyze the current state of the Japanese game industry in his sixty-minute talk, "The Future of Japanese Games." Along with his unnamed cohorts, he'll delve into the current problems facing the region and analyze the past success of Japanese game development. We imagine he'll also probably suffer through a lot of questions about Mega Man.

Finally, Riot Games offers a postmortem on its successful Dominion expansion for its runaway hit, League of Legends. Lead producer Travis George will offer insight into the expansion's genesis, all the way through production and launch.

Sid Meier, Keiji Inafune and Riot Games folks added to GDC seminar list originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 24 Jan 2012 23:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Build a mighty Civilization on the cheap at Amazon this week

Richard Mitchell — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 04:30:00 EST

If you have a little bit of spare change and a lot of free time, Amazon has quite a deal for you. The retailer's deal of the week offers both Civilization IV and Civilization V at a hefty discount. Either game can be had for a mere $9.

If you need a strategy guide, Machiavelli has you covered.

Build a mighty Civilization on the cheap at Amazon this week originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 10 Jan 2012 04:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Civilization on Facebook aiming for summer launch

Alexander Sliwinski — Wed, 11 May 2011 21:30:00 EST

Civilization World, the Facebook incarnation of the epic strategy series, is expected to launch this summer. A recent piece by CNN, in which Firaxis emperor Sid Meier called Civ World "the most dramatic stretch" the series has seen so far, as Meier expressed a typical Civ multiplayer game can easily span 12 or more continuous hours, but the Facebook version can start and stop over days and weeks.

The last major "stretch" for Civilization -- if you don't consider hex-based boards totally crazy -- was the console-based Civilization Revolution. Despite taking the core elements of Civ and doing a great job of bringing it to consoles, it apparently wasn't good enough for a sequel.

Civilization on Facebook aiming for summer launch originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 11 May 2011 21:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Facebook Civilization game now called 'Civilization World', closed alpha starts Jan. 12

Alexander Sliwinski — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 22:00:00 EST

Civilization Network, Take-Two Interactive's first "social network game," will now go by the more global, less techie-sounding Civilization World. The Facebook title is expected sometime in 2011, and a closed alpha test will begin January 12.

Interested parties can apply now at the Civ World site, and they'll receive a confirmation email by January 10. Those who register will also receive a "special item" to display in their throne rooms. No word yet if plebs who are late to the party will be able to pay a couple bucks for that item when the game launches.

In his public address about the name change, Civ emperor Sid Meier also said that Civ World games will have a "well-defined beginning and end" and players will have "both a final goal to work towards, as well as short-term objectives to achieve as they play. The trophies you unlock with your triumphs will carry over from game to game, and you can show them off in your throne room." Okay, we're intrigued about a Facebook game -- time for some self-flagellation.

Facebook Civilization game now called 'Civilization World', closed alpha starts Jan. 12 originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 06 Jan 2011 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Civilization 5 review: A funny thing happened on the way to the forum

Alexander Sliwinski — Fri, 17 Sep 2010 14:00:00 EST

Civilzation 5 is the love child of a clandestine tryst between Civilization 4 and Civilization Revolution. It is a game that shares genetic markers of both the PC and console iterations of the franchise, luckily receiving the best elements of both -- with a couple good mutations. Civ 5 has the grand, epic feel we expect from the series on PC, but so much of it has been streamlined for the better that Revolution's influence is undeniable.

I'm going to try something different in this review. Civilization has been around for almost two decades and the most divisive moment in the franchise's history was the creation of the console-based Civilization Revolution. With that in mind, I'm going to divide this review into three parts, with sections for [1] Civilization PC veterans; [2] those who enjoyed Civilization Revolution; and [3] "the uninitiated." Read all three perspectives and find out if this latest Civ unites the tribes.

Gallery: Civilization 5 (8/4/10)

Continue reading Civilization 5 review: A funny thing happened on the way to the forum

Civilization 5 review: A funny thing happened on the way to the forum originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 17 Sep 2010 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Civilization 5 demo releasing same day as game, September 21

Griffin McElroy — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 11:30:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

Though Firaxis had previously promised that the demo for its upcoming strategy blockbuster, Civilization 5, would arrive before the full title's release on September 21, an update on the game's official site has announced that the demo will actually be available on the very same day as the game.

Firaxis apologized for the demo's delay in the aforementioned announcement, explaining, "at the time of that announcement, we expected to be able to get the demo out before the 21st, but unfortunately we weren't able to finalize it in the timeframe we had initially planned, and for that we're very sorry." Hey, don't beat yourself up about it, Firaxis. At least we'll still be able to play the demo before deciding whether or not to purchase the full game. Only, now, we'll be extremely bitter while we do so.

Civilization 5 demo releasing same day as game, September 21 originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 29 Aug 2010 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sid Meier's Pirates! for Wii reaches port October 5!

Randy Nelson — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 17:11:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

Continuing the never ending cycle that is The Pirate Game, The Ninja Game and The Zombie game, 2K Games will release its Wii version of Sid Meier's Pirates! on October 5 in North America. (No date for the West Indies, sorry.)

The conversion was handled by 2K China and incorporates motion control for the game's ship-boarding saber duels, along with a couple new minigames (bombardment and lock picking). In fact, even the classic original (and its 2004 update) basically comprised a mixture of minigames, from nautical combat, to diplomacy, to land battles and ... ballroom dancing. Who said pirates aren't classy? Not the dead men -- they tell no tales!

Continue reading Sid Meier's Pirates! for Wii reaches port October 5!

Sid Meier's Pirates! for Wii reaches port October 5! originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 25 Aug 2010 17:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Civilization 5 public demo coming in September

David Hinkle — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 15:20:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

Oh, so you think you're heading off into space for some distant world in September? Nope, you've got more pressing matters here at home. A public demo for Civilization 5 has been confirmed for September, "before the full game is released."

The missive can be found over on the game's official site, which promises more details on the exact nature of the demo and when rowdy road-builders can get their cultivation on, "coming soon." We'll be sure to update you all when we hear something, but in the meanwhile, you can get back to filling the coffers for that special edition you've had your eye on.

Civilization 5 public demo coming in September originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 04 Aug 2010 15:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sid Meier's life, career and a 48-hour game design contest packed into documentary short

Griffin McElroy — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 13:35:00 EST

Regardless of whether or not you've played any of Sid Meier's games, or whether or not you find yourself curious as to how he became a gaming luminary, or whether or not you've got 24 minutes to kill -- you've got to watch Motherboard's latest documentary. Its focus is on the history of Meier's game development career, as well as his participation in the 7th Annual Wolverine Soft 48 Hour Game Design Contest held at his Alma Mater, the University of Michigan.

More importantly, this short film contains all the requisite components of a gripping piece of cinema: hardship, confrontation, self-improvement, triumph, and the imbuing of a lingering desire to go back and play all of the Civilization games again. Seriously, go check it out.

Sid Meier's life, career and a 48-hour game design contest packed into documentary short originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 14 Apr 2010 13:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sid Meier talks player psychology and the year of Civilization

Mike Schramm — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 22:00:00 EST

The "father of computer gaming" gave the keynote at GDC 2010 this past week, and while we really hoped he would tell us a lot about the upcoming Facebook version of Civilization, it got only the barest of mentions during the hour-plus talk. Instead, Meier shared wisdom with the gathered crowd, talking about the lessons he'd learned in player psychology over his long and storied career in game design. First, he talked about what he called the "Winner's Paradox" -- "if you've played Civilization," he said, "you're an egomaniac," since anyone crazy enough to think that they can actually "build a civ to stand the test of time," as it says on the game box, must be pretty full of themselves. And because of that, Meier says his players always believe that if they don't win for whatever reason, fate or the random number generator or the crappy AI must be out to get them. As a result, his policy has become to let the player win -- the threat of punishment is enough to keep it interesting, but in the end, the player should win the game.

He also talked about the "unholy alliance" between players and developers -- not only is the relationship beneficial for both parties (players offer their money, developers offer their time and talent), but it's also one of "mutually-assured destruction," as players can break contact with (or even just belief in) the game anytime they feel it's not fun any more, and developers can "really mess up the game, too." Everything in the game, said Meier, should be designed with an eye towards this alliance -- the AI should live to serve the player, the graphics and gameplay should engage imagination, and even options screens and load/save settings should be developed with an eye towards preserving the relationship.

Civilization Network was mentioned under a section Meier called "my bad" -- along with the original ideas to make Civ real-time (whoops) and make the tech path random, he said that the CN team had considered letting players give gold to each other on Facebook, but during playtesting, found that players never actually did. He did say that the game is deep into testing currently, and that it will allow co-op, singleplayer, and competitive gameplay, and that it will be interesting whether players play for just "a little time a day" or more than that. At the end of the talk, in reply to a question about where he saw gaming going, Meier declared that "this is the year of Civilization!" With CN coming soon and Civ V due out this fall, we can't wait to send our Settlers out into the world.

Sid Meier talks player psychology and the year of Civilization originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 14 Mar 2010 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Impressions: Civilization V or 'I Wanna Hex You Up'

Kevin Kelly — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 03:30:00 EST

We already told you that Sid Meier's Civilization IV was finally getting a sequel with Civilization V later this year, and then we showed you the trailer that contained absolutely no gameplay. But now we've actually seen an early build of the game, and we can tell you how hexy it is. That's right, forget about old Civilization games which had four cardinal directions plus diagonals to choose from when moving your units; this installment ramps that down to to six. That's right! Two less directions! It's a brand new game!

In all fairness, it is Civilization but Firaxis made plenty of substantial changes to it. Besides hexing it up, they've also added ranged units (think archers, artillery, ICBMs, etc) and taken out the ability to stack units up into an army. Also, only one unit can occupy a spot at any given time, meaning you won't be able to bulldoze your opponent from one hex. They've also built an entirely new engine for this game, meaning you'll see some really nifty stuff ... provided you have a DX11 card and a multicore processor.

Gallery: Civilization V (GDC 2010)

Continue reading Impressions: Civilization V or 'I Wanna Hex You Up'

Impressions: Civilization V or 'I Wanna Hex You Up' originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 10 Mar 2010 03:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Direct2Drive discounts Civilization IV, Supreme Commander this weekend

Xav de Matos — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 10:30:00 EST

Perhaps in celebration of Civilization V's recent reveal, Direct2Drive is offering Civilization IV -- as well as the standalone Civilization IV: Colonization -- for 33% off. Other deals on the direct download service this weekend include Supreme Commander: Gold Edition, Majesty The Fantasy Kingdom Sim: Gold Edition, and more.

If you're one of the few who doesn't "get" the Civilization addiction epidemic, which has swept the world over the last two decades leaving workplace productivity in shambles, consider yourself luckier than the folks in the video after the break. Yes, Civilization Revolution was solid, but CivIV has the uncanny ability to turn the sweetest old lady into a crazed destroyer of all mankind. Basically, It's fun for the whole family.

Shortcut: See all weekend deals on Direct2Drive

Continue reading Direct2Drive discounts Civilization IV, Supreme Commander this weekend

Direct2Drive discounts Civilization IV, Supreme Commander this weekend originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 27 Feb 2010 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Civ V trailer lacks mind-blowing turn-based action sequences

Alexander Sliwinski — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 20:01:00 EST

The trailer for Civilization V features what's quite likely the opening cinematic for the game. We can sort of feel 2K Games and Firaxis on the decision not to show in-game footage, as clips of the venerable turn-based strategy game don't really deliver a very sexy initial impact; however, some videos exploring the hextreme overhaul of the map and other changes implemented in the stalwart series' gameplay would be nice for the future.

Now to console some of the guys on staff. They were really hoping for Civilization Revolution II this year.

Civ V trailer lacks mind-blowing turn-based action sequences originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 26 Feb 2010 20:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sid Meier's Civilization V coming to PC this fall

Ludwig Kietzmann — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 11:40:00 EST

In its latest, unyielding attempt to subvert societal productivity, 2K Games has announced Sid Meier's Civilization V, the latest entry in the venerable strategy series. Set to debut on PC this Fall, Civilization V brings "an astonishing new engine" to the polite, turn-based proceedings and promises to excel the franchise with "the introduction of hexagon tiles allowing for deeper strategy, more realistic gameplay and stunning organic landscapes for players to explore as they expand their empire." Most hexcellent news indeed.

"Each new version of Civilization presents exciting challenges for our team," said Sid Meier of Sid Meier's Civilization fame. '"Thankfully, ideas on how to bring new and fun experiences to Civ players never seem to stop flowing. From fully animated leaders and realistic landscapes, new combat tactics, expanded diplomacy and shared mods, we're excited for players to see the new vision our team at Firaxis has brought to the series."

And expect to share your vision with others, as 2K notes that Civilization V will feature an "extensive suite" of community, modding and multiplayer components. It just wouldn't be an accurate model of civilization if you couldn't diplomatically destroy your online friends.

Gallery: Civilization V (2/18/10)

Sid Meier's Civilization V coming to PC this fall originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 18 Feb 2010 11:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Civilization Network beta coming in June

David Hinkle — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 02:00:00 EST

The problem with those hollow boxes littering the cubicles at your workplace is there isn't enough juice, enough substance, within to actually run any kind of program outside of Excel, Outlook or--when you're really bored--MS Paint. So if you're at work and don't really feel like working, you're forced to either scour the web for stuff or watch a neat screensaver. Then, there was hope: Civilization Network for Facebook.

However, it looks like Civilization Network is still a ways off. Variety reports that the beta for the new Facebook game won't actually start up until around June. This will likely come as a big let-down to fans, as the initial announcement back in October mentioned a hunt for beta testers would be underway "soon." We guess "soon" means "maybe in a few months or something."

Report: Civilization Network beta coming in June originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 02 Feb 2010 02:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Civilized Sid Meier presenting revolutionary keynote at GDC 2010

Alexander Sliwinski — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 14:45:00 EST

Sid Meier, creator of Civilization and unwitting architect of countless break-ups over the past 20 years, will keynote the 2010 Game Developers Conference. Meier's presentation will argue that "real-world, historical and mathematical facts cannot form the foundation of a successful game design," but that "the driving force of a game's design should be the psychology of the player."

Meier's keynote will dig deep into psychology, showing designers that "egomania, paranoia and delusion" should be part of their toolkit. Hm, maybe Meier isn't such an unwitting participant in all those divorces after all? GDC will take place March 9-13 at the Moscone Convention Center in San Francisco, and Meier will reveal his tips for mainlining e-crack to the brain on Friday, March 12.

Civilized Sid Meier presenting revolutionary keynote at GDC 2010 originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 27 Jan 2010 14:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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'Civilization Network' announced for Facebook, arriving in 2010

Alexander Sliwinski — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 17:40:00 EST

Sid Meier has announced a Facebook version of the epic Civilization franchise. Dubbed Civilization Network, the game will make its way to the popular social networking site sometime in 2010. The game designer notes on the CivNet Facebook page that the company will be on the lookout for beta testers soon.

Meier mentions that the game will offer everything people love about Civ in a "fully persistent environment" and that it'll be "free to play." Coincidentally, Meier's announcement comes soon after Brian Reynolds, who designed Civilization II and Alpha Centauri, took the job of "chief designer" at social gaming developer Zynga. Apparently the two strategy designers see some major opportunities in the social gaming genre.

[Via Games.com]

'Civilization Network' announced for Facebook, arriving in 2010 originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 21 Oct 2009 17:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Civilization IV 'Complete' releases May 12 for $40

Alexander Sliwinski — Tue, 05 May 2009 23:15:00 EST

The Civilization IV franchise appears to have come to a close as 2K Games announces Civilization IV: The Complete Edition, releasing May 12 for $40 on PC. The epic bundle includes Civ IV, the Warlords and Beyond the Sword expansions, plus the standalone Colonization expansion (it's practically a different game).

"The Complete Edition" title makes it sound like Civ IV won't be making another encore. We really have no idea what Firaxis is currently up to and we're unaware of any E3 plans.

Civilization IV 'Complete' releases May 12 for $40 originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 05 May 2009 23:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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X3F Review: Sid Meier's Civilization Revolution

David Craddock — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: News

History teaches that Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (or "The Gandh" to his pals) was an influential spiritual and political leader of India, a man whose pacifist ways solved many political problems. According to textbooks, kissing babies, implementing civil disobedience for causes such as poverty, and being an all-around nice guy were Gandhi's favorite hobbies.

That's what history says. So there I was in 2024 A.D., trying to bring the Greeks to greatness while mostly minding my own business, and Gandhi decides to show his dark side. Let's be allies, he said. We'll share technologies, he said. Family barbecues, he said. Next thing I know, Gandhi and his lackeys have Sparta, my main science city, completely surrounded by tanks and bombers, the Americans took back New Orleans by overcoming my tank with a catapult (it was a really, really big rock) and Cleopatra decides to stab me in the back by taking the 1200 gold I paid her to attack the Indians for 10 turns and signing a peace treaty with The Gandh after only five turns!

All of that, and why? Because my trigger finger was slick with sweat and accidentally nuked India? Big deal! I said I was sorry!

If there's a video game that better demonstrates the medium's potential for non-authorial storytelling better than Sid Meier's Civilization, I've yet to play it. Rewriting history to my design always proves more fun than decapitating zombies or battling any number of demons. For years, the appeal of Sid Meier's "One more turn!" opus has been enjoyed primarily by PC gamers with ten-plus hours to kill if they want to experience a complete campaign.

Probably to the chagrin of significant others across the globe, Firaxis Games released Sid Meier's Civilization Revolution in early July, a Civ developed specifically for consoles that, while not as deep an experience as any PC version of Civilization, is more than enough to captivate couch-bound gamers looking for something more involved than the never-ending stream of FPS titles.

Continue reading X3F Review: Sid Meier's Civilization Revolution

X3F Review: Sid Meier's Civilization Revolution originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 04 Aug 2008 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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WRUP: Leading the revolution edition

David Hinkle — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: What are you playing?

Without a doubt, the biggest and best release of this week is Civilization Revolution. We're big fans of that Sid Meier guy, so his latest game immediately won us over. You can bet we'll be spending a large amount of time this weekend taking Abe Lincoln and the Americans to the top (their bonuses are just too awesome to ignore).

What about you all? Going to lead the revolution, as we are, or are you playing something else? How will you fill these last few days leading up to E3 2008?

WRUP: Leading the revolution edition originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 11 Jul 2008 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hands-on: Taking on the world in Civilization Revolution

Alisha Karabinus — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 13:15:00 EST

Filed under: Reviews, Features

It's something of an understatement to say that I like the Civilization franchise. I've been playing the games for a decade, and they rank highly on my list of all-time favorites. That means it's difficult for me to look at Civilization Revolution as something outside of the norm -- which it is -- because it looks and feels in many ways like Civ. Looks (and feelings) can be deceiving, however, because this isn't Civ, not really, and that works both for and against the simplified strategy game.

There have been other console Civ titles, and they've all been lacking. The mouse-and-keyboard setup is so integral to managing a huge game that taking it to the controller has just never worked, at least not for me, and attempts to streamline the game in the past simply haven't been terribly successful. That hasn't stopped them from trying, and trying again, and with Civilization Revolution, the result is a lot better than some of the past efforts.

Continue reading Hands-on: Taking on the world in Civilization Revolution

Hands-on: Taking on the world in Civilization Revolution originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 25 Jun 2008 13:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EA: Nobody 'better suited' to do Alpha Centauri II than Meier

Alexander Sliwinski — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 21:00:00 EST

Filed under: PC, Strategy

As part of GameDaily's interview with Sid Meier, the site asked about the chances of an Alpha Centauri II. Meier responded, as almost everyone at Firaxis and 2K Games does, that the rights for a return to Planet is in the hands of EA. The site followed up with EA, which actually responded to the Alpha Centauri question, stating that there is still "a lot of good will toward Sid" from when he worked with the publisher and that, although it's inappropriate to comment on the issue due to the current buyout situation, it "can't think of anyone better suited to doing another Alpha Centauri game."

Meier has been quite diplomatic about the possible acquisition of Firaxis' parent-company, Take-Two, by EA. Our "glass is half full" view on the issue is that although EA hasn't done anything with the Alpha Centauri license in almost ten years, nothing horrible has happened to it either.

EA: Nobody 'better suited' to do Alpha Centauri II than Meier originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 10 Jun 2008 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sid Meier: We're not turning our backs on Wii

Alexander Sliwinski — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: PC, Sony PlayStation 3, Nintendo Wii, Microsoft Xbox 360, Strategy

In GameDaily's 10 Questions feature, Sid Meier explains what happened to the delayed Wii version of his upcoming console-based Civilization Revolution. Meier explains that the company is still trying to decide what to do about the Wii version, but says the console is fantastic and they have "no intentions of turning [their] backs on it."

With work now finished on the Xbox 360, PS3 and DS versions of Civ Rev, it appears the title is on track for a July 8 release. The Civ Rev demo is currently available on Xbox 360 and PS3 to try out the streamlined, yet surprisingly Civ-feeling, console game.

Sid Meier: We're not turning our backs on Wii originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 10 Jun 2008 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Civilization Revolution demo hitting Thursday

Terrence Stasse — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 08:30:00 EST

Filed under: News, Downloads, Xbox Live Marketplace

The turn-based strategy genre is rather under represented on the 360 and the upcoming Civilization Revolution should help to fix that. While the traditionally hardcore conquer-the-world game is rather PC centric, there are tweaks to the gameplay and control scheme that should allow console gamers to get a handle on things fast. Of course, with the release of the demo at 2am on Thursday, gamers should get the chance to give the changes a try for themselves. Games of Civ can go on for hours, so just what form the demo will take should be interesting to find out. Even if it is just a simplified port, the 360 needs to expand its library with more games like this, so give the demo a download tomorrow.

Civilization Revolution demo hitting Thursday originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 04 Jun 2008 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Got a question for Sid Meier? Drop it here

Christopher Grant — Wed, 28 May 2008 06:01:00 EST

Filed under: Business

Our friends at GameDaily BIZ have asked us to loop you all in on the latest in their ongoing user-submitted-questions interview series; with the console-oriented Civilization Revolutions ready to strategize on July 8th, their subject is civilized pirate-enthusiast, Sid Meier. Want to know why he's going all-in with the console release of Revolutions, skipping out on his massive PC audience. Maybe you want to know why his Firaxis Studios are located in the sleepy burg of Hunt Valley, MD as opposed to San Francisco or Seattle or Austin. Or maybe you're interested in what he thinks of a potential EA acquisition of Take-Two (who in turn own Firaxis). Whatever it is you want to know, ask it here and BIZ just may use one of your questions. Sound off.

Got a question for Sid Meier? Drop it here originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 28 May 2008 06:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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PS3 Fanboy hands-on: Sid Meier's Civilization Revolution

Majed Athab — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 15:45:00 EST

Filed under: Hands-on

Also at New York Comic Con this weekend, we headed over to 2K Games booth and tested out Sid Meier's Civilization Revolution. We went straight ahead into a single player game. Out of the 16 civilizations in the game, two were playable on the demo: Romans and Egyptians. We decided to take on the role of the powerful Roman Empire.

When we first kicked things off we noticed right away that the streamlined interface was an intuitive system; we easily shot straight into the natural flow of the game. Things go much faster in Civilization Revolution as compared to the traditional PC games as a lot of commands have been simplified. For example, workers are not controlled individually and automatically carry out preset commands. This is good as it cuts out tedious and repetitious actions within turns and lets you focus more on moving military units and defending your empire.

Continue reading PS3 Fanboy hands-on: Sid Meier's Civilization Revolution

PS3 Fanboy hands-on: Sid Meier's Civilization Revolution originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 21 Apr 2008 15:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Meet Sid Meier at NY Comic Con this Saturday

Alexander Sliwinski — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, Nintendo DS, Sony PlayStation 3, Microsoft Xbox 360

Sid Meier is attending New York Comic Con '08 this weekend promoting his upcoming Civilization Revolution game. He'll be at the 2K Games Booth (#1157) on Saturday, April 19, from 1-3PM. He'll be making chit-chat with fans and "providing autographs." There's +2 internets in it for the guy who gets Meier to sign his man-boob.

Attendees will also get a chance to try out demos of the console-only Civilization Revolution, which should be very close to done now. Revolution is expected to release on Xbox 360, PS3 and DS on June 3. The Wii version is still hidden by the fog-of-war.

Meet Sid Meier at NY Comic Con this Saturday originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 17 Apr 2008 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Civilization Revolution website launched, new info

Majed Athab — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 12:30:00 EST

Filed under: News

The official website for the upcoming console game Sid Meier's Civilization Revolution is now up and running. Civ enthusiasts might want to check it out; the site has a lot of new information on all sixteen civilizations, specifically on their rulers and the unique bonuses each civilization will receive. One interesting news bit is that each civilization not only gets one bonus throughout gameplay, but will get a different bonus as the game progresses into a new age. This brings better balance to more ancient civs in the latter stages of the game and vice versa.

Another revealed detail about the game is the confirmation of downloadable content such as multi-player maps and scenarios for the PlayStation Network. Also there are unlockable maps, scenarios, and mods to be found offline as well.

If you're a big fan of the Civilization series, but too much of a traditionalist to accept having the next game on a console, then you're missing out. Revolution looks likes it's going to be a worthy addition to the series; it's visually on par with Civilization IV and from what we're hearing thus far, it sounds like it's improving on the tried-and-tested formula. If you're interested in seeing more on the game, check out the official website.

Civilization Revolution website launched, new info originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 20 Mar 2008 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Civilization Revolution 'never' coming to PC

Alexander Sliwinski — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 10:30:00 EST

Filed under: Nintendo DS, Sony PlayStation 3, Nintendo Wii, Microsoft Xbox 360, Strategy

2K Games continues to emphasize that the console-centric Civilization Revolution is a totally different branch from the PC's Civilization franchise by telling MTV's Multiplayer that Revolution will "never" come to PC. It's a similar thing to what we were told at E3 last year when we got our first chance to see Revolution.

Jason Bergman, a producer for 2K Games, tells MTV that the game was designed from the ground up to be played with a gamepad. Since the game was announced, many PS3 owners have asked if the game will support a mouse and keyboard. Bergman says, "The answer is no ... The game has not been designed for that [controller]." He highlights again that Revolution is not a port, but an entirely new game. We kinda feel bad for the guy, it sounds like he's been repeating the same defense for the title over and over again since last July.

Civilization Revolution 'never' coming to PC originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 18 Mar 2008 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sid Meier practices diplomacy regarding EA/Take-Two deal

Alexander Sliwinski — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 13:30:00 EST

Filed under: Business

Newsweek's N'Gai Croal had a chance to eat filet mignon last week with Sid Meier and ask him a couple questions about the potential industry-altering EA buyout of Take-Two. Meier's company, Firaxis Games, currently has its titles published by Take-Two's 2K games, but he did work with EA almost ten years ago. Meier thinks as long as EA gives his company the creative freedom Take-Two did that everything should be fine.

Sid Meier fanboys will also recognize that if Meier goes back under the EA umbrella, Firaxis will have access to the Alpha Centauri IP which EA owns. Granted, Alpha Centauri was Brian Reynold's baby, with Meier's name on the cover, but a return to Planet and its diaspora would certainly be welcomed by sci-fi strategy fans. Although, Sins of a Solar Empire is doing a fine job currently.

Sid Meier practices diplomacy regarding EA/Take-Two deal originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 03 Mar 2008 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Civilization: Revolution migrating to stores in June

Chris Greenhough — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: News

Good and bad news reached our inboxes today regarding Civilization: Revolution. The good: the game is still on target for a spring release. The bad: for those of us who are pining for the game, it's kind of the wrong end of spring.

Whereas once we prayed to the DS gods for an April release, it seems they have not found us deserving of such a blessing. June 3rd is the new release date for Firaxis' strategy in the U.S., while Europe will be receiving it on June 6th. Here's hoping Sid Meier is correct about the (very different) DS version being worth the wait.

See also: 2008's Biggest Blips -- Civilization Revolution

[Via press release]

Civilization: Revolution migrating to stores in June originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 20 Feb 2008 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sid Meier's Civilization Revolution gets release date and screenshots

Majed Athab — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 17:15:00 EST

Filed under: Videos and Screenshots, News

Click for high-resolution image.

Sid Meier's Civilization series is one of the most renown turn-based nation-building sims on the PC, but the next title in the franchise won't be going to the platform of its roots. Instead, the latest game, Sid Meier's Civilization Revolution, will be hitting up the PlayStation 3 and other systems. If you want to play the next Civ game it's time to get a PS3; you'll have to get one soon because Civilization Revolution is expected to make its way to retailers by June 3, 2008.

It's not the first time for a Civilization game to make the crossover to the console arena, but Civilization Revolution is the first to be made solely for it. Firaxis built the game from scratch, and have given the control schemes a streamlined interface in order to make Civilization Revolution more console-friendly.

For those unfamiliar with the Civilization series, the goal of each game is to choose a civilization, build it up, and eventually conquer the world either through brutal warfare or cultural influence. To see how it all actually goes down, check out the new screenshots down below.

Sid Meier's Civilization Revolution gets release date and screenshots originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 20 Feb 2008 17:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sid Meier says DS Civ worth your while

Alisha Karabinus — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: News, Screens

As much as we may love the Civilization franchise, is it getting the proper treatment on the DS?It's difficult to tell. When a game is being released for the PS3, 360, and also the DS, naturally, most outlets focus on the consoles. After all, those versions are usually packed with extras and they come complete with glittering screenshots. Civ daddy Sid Meier seems to know what's up, however; despite the lion's share of a recent interview focusing on his older titles and console versions of the upcoming Civilization Revolution, Meier references the incredible Advance Wars franchise and assures everyone that the gameplay on the DS version is going to be exactly the same as it will be with the next-gen versions of the title. Only the interface and look will be different, but the core itself will be the same.

As for the look, we've got fresh, clean versions of those early screens tucked away in our gallery below, and while we're hoping for a little polish prior to release (if Meier can reference Advance Wars, so can we), we're holding out hope that he's right, and that this game will be just as strong as the "bigger" versions.

See also: 2008's Biggest Blips -- Civilization Revolution

[Via GoNintendo]

Sid Meier says DS Civ worth your while originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 05 Feb 2008 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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