Anybody else from Delaware?

Weasel · Post by **Weasel** » Tue Aug 21, 2001 4:14 pm

Originally posted by Xandax:
And one of my main targets in Civ II

Nukem

Word · Post by **Word** » Tue Aug 21, 2001 4:17 pm

I remember that game i had it.

Xandax · Post by **Xandax** » Tue Aug 21, 2001 4:17 pm

Originally posted by Weasel:
Nukem

Sure - but that pollutes - gotta watch that global warming

Weasel · Post by **Weasel** » Tue Aug 21, 2001 4:22 pm

Originally posted by Xandax:
Sure - but that pollutes - gotta watch that global warming

I have gone on rampages before.

Weasel · Post by **Weasel** » Tue Aug 21, 2001 4:25 pm

Originally posted by Word:
I remember that game i had it.

Good game...I considered it a tactics game.

Xandax · Post by **Xandax** » Tue Aug 21, 2001 4:30 pm

Originally posted by Weasel:
I have gone on rampages before.

I'm not suprised

- well I think all that have played the game (well almost all) have tried to build hundres of nukes, and launched them all in one turn

fable · Post by **fable** » Tue Aug 21, 2001 5:43 pm

Originally posted by Xandax:
And one of my main targets in Civ II

It's amazing it took Microprose so long to develop it, though, when you consider what a hit the original Civ was. But that was a management problem: the original founder of Microprose, "Wild Bill" Stealey, couldn't care less about followups. Had the same problem with Impressions, when he started that company. And his people skills were no better, either. I remember being introduced to him a couple of times, only to have him turn away as soon as he heard I wasn't interested in flight sims.

His PR folks apologized, but I told 'em I didn't expect better: the guy has no time for people who aren't into the things he likes best. (What can you expect of a game company president that comes to work in a jumpsuit?) Microprose was a great company, in its heyday.

And Sid Meier's mother made the best damn chocolate chip cookies.

[ 08-21-2001: Message edited by: fable ]

Aegis · Post by **Aegis** » Tue Aug 21, 2001 7:09 pm

Microprose does a lot of good games. I still want to buy Civ two.

fable · Post by **fable** » Tue Aug 21, 2001 7:37 pm

Originally posted by Aegis:
Microprose does a lot of good games. I still want to buy Civ two.

I know Sid's working now on Civ III, but it's not due out--I think--until 2002, sometime. I wish his company would do a followup to Alpha Centauri. I really like it.

When Microprose started falling apart about three years ago, many of us were kinda sad. I remember touring their facilities back in the early 90's, when they were still on top; and unlike some companies, there was none of the "Tremble, Mortal, Before Us" attitude that exists in around some other game companies. They had a lot of good stuff in the works, and some interesting possibilities in dev, as well. I remember seeing some designs squiggled up in a boardroom, and asked my PR person, "Is that Mule?" And a Microprose producer with us laughed, and said Yes, but it's only being talked about. Too bad an update of that classic 1986 game never was released.

Hasbro killed 'em, but that's par for the course these days: big non-computer game companies move in, buy up the assets cheap, and think they can just order up success without thought. When they can't, they start firing staff, and then unload what's left. The worst AI I've seen showed up in Microprose's Diplomacy, made by a third party under Hasbro's watch. Risk was a total unimaginative loss. They also did a successor to Civ II that was a dull disappointment, because it was nothing but three new scenarios and the ability to play the game on multiple field levels. It was implemented so badly that some item descriptions were blank, and the diplomacy figures were missing on the diplomacy screens.

But in their heyday, Microprose released the best third person war sims and strategy games, as well as some fine graphical adventures and RPGs. Darklands is *still* cutting edge in some ways. Hyperspeed remains the best game for creating cultural shock when dealing with a multitude of alien races. Magic: The Gathering was truly a fun implementation of the card game, but it was too late in the day--they never put in the money to get it bugfree.

Sorry, I'm just running off at the mouth. Carry on.

[ 08-21-2001: Message edited by: fable ]

Xandax · Post by **Xandax** » Tue Aug 21, 2001 11:23 pm

Originally posted by fable:
<snip>
and unlike some companies, there was none of the "Tremble, Mortal, Before Us" attitude that exists in around some other game companies. <snip>

I know - I at one time made a Civ II page, and wrote them if it was okay to use pictures from the game ei. units etc.
And they replied within a week

I've never fallen for all the other Civ games, Call To Power and the rest.
In my mind none of the are Civ. because they've change resource mangement.
There was nothing like getting a big city to run on just enough food an plenty of shields and trade - *shakes with nostaliga*

Gruntboy · Post by **Gruntboy** » Wed Aug 22, 2001 1:58 am

Microprose was one of the good ol' companies.

@Word: Wrong. My tie was Navy blue with red crosses.

But my, you know how to use a search engine fast don't you?

2 more for ya. 1)In 1913, what were the 5 largest Navies in the world? 2)Which writer had the greatest influence on American military strategy during the 1800's?

@Sleep, ROFLMAO. "Tell me about....." You punk

Vehemence · Post by **Vehemence** » Wed Aug 22, 2001 2:06 am

Anyone remember the F19 Stealth Fighter... A mircroprose masterpiece

Xandax · Post by **Xandax** » Wed Aug 22, 2001 2:11 am

Originally posted by Gruntboy:
<snip>In 1913, what were the 5 largest Navies in the world?

Is this for everybody - because you know, I can't help my self replying.

1 Britain's
2 Germany
3 U.S.
4 Japan
5 France and Italy
7 Austria
8 Russia

Oh - you only need 5 - sorry

Gruntboy · Post by **Gruntboy** » Wed Aug 22, 2001 4:01 am

No X, its just too see how good Word's search engines are.

Austria?! What have you been smoking this morning?

Vehemence · Post by **Vehemence** » Wed Aug 22, 2001 4:09 am

Originally posted by Gruntboy:
Austria?! What have you been smoking this morning?

Could be because of Arnold Schwarzenegger! He's a one man army!

Gruntboy · Post by **Gruntboy** » Wed Aug 22, 2001 4:10 am

He'd have to be bloody strong to haul all of Austria's ships across land to the med....

Tom · Post by **Tom** » Wed Aug 22, 2001 4:16 am

austria has got this really really big lake and there is no way they will let go of it.

or has it got something to do with the austria/hungarian empire or something?

as to the original q

Im from tubaware

runs away

WOO HOOO

Vehemence · Post by **Vehemence** » Wed Aug 22, 2001 4:33 am

Originally posted by Gruntboy:
He'd have to be bloody strong to haul all of Austria's ships across land to the med....

Hey, if he can absorb bullets like paper planes, he can lift a bunch of boats!

Tom · Post by **Tom** » Wed Aug 22, 2001 4:41 am

yep just checked

the austria/hungarian empire did indeed have a fair bit of beach by the med.

wot no flames over tubaware?

Tom · Post by **Tom** » Wed Aug 22, 2001 4:50 am

ohh well

i guess im just talking to my self

sniff

people don aprciate my hugh historic knowledge sniff