Episode 226: Firaxis' Revisionists

[Rob Zacny]

Ed Beach and producer Dennis Shirk sit down with Rob to discuss their thinking behind Brave New World, and making a better Civilization V.

 

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[MikeO]

You do a really nice job on this type of show, Rob (i.e., interviews with developers), and so they are some of my favorite episodes. It was interesting to hear that they think Science might be a little too slow, because it's seemed that way to me, and I do notice since Science victory is one I am commonly going for. But I have never been a Civ min-maxer, in any version of the game. Regardless of whatever problems Civ V may have after BNW, I have been playing it a LOT, so they obviously have done something right. 

[Kordanor]

Didn't listen until the ending yet but I don't think that science is too slow. Actually I thought it was too fast and still is. Not in terms of "does this fit to the year displayed" but in terms of the turns where you use a special unit or a "category of units".

It feels like once you are in the atomic/modern era the science and units coming with it just "fly by". The exception being the rocket artillery, which comes after a long gap, and the introduction of the atomic bomb (and airplanes/submarines).

I think the malus for additional city is a good idea in itself.

[clyde]

Fascinating podcast. I really enjoyed hearing these fellas talk about designing this expansion. I can't think of better questions for Rob to have asked. Hearing about the iteration of Venice, the micro-management concerns with trade-routes, the impetus for the World Congress and the double-meaning of "Brave New World" was all really interesting. Great show; Great game.

[hexgrid]

Does one need to purchase G&K to have BNW?  I skipped G&K, and am not sure I want to lay down $60 for an expansion pack.

[sclpls]

Does one need to purchase G&K to have BNW?  I skipped G&K, and am not sure I want to lay down $60 for an expansion pack.

 

If you just purchase BNW you get all the systems that were included in G&K. The only thing you don't get are the civs & scenarios. I think purchasing just BNW makes perfect sense.

[billt721]

Yeah, just purchase BNW. If you decide later that you want the civs or scenarios from G&K, you can pick it up for $5 during the next steam sale.

[hexgrid]

Fair enough.  I'm thinking I'll hold out until everything is on sale in a bundle.  I put a lot of hours into civ5, but I'm not really feeling the need to go back to it yet even with the improvements.  I find after a while with the civ games the static tech tree starts to annoy the heck out of me, and it doesn't sound like BNW changes that.

[chanman]

My dream is that one day, 3MA manages to round up Brian Reynolds, Soren Johnson, and Jon Shafer again along with Jeff Briggs, Sid Meier and any other civ designers to talk well... Civ. Preferably while actually playing a multiplayer round of Civ at say, PAX.