Also I liked the previous versions of the Civilization series better. It always took a lot of time to play Civ tidy. But it was earlier primarily due to the fascination of the game itself, it is in CIV IV rather on the engine, which as we have said so many resources eats that you have to wait quite a while with advanced stage of the game, until the computer all the movements, animation and plays a round has finished calculated. One can of course accelerate, by disabling all effects and animations - but what you play then CIV IV?
Some comparisons with earlier versions:
1. The spaceship is still a victory variant. But the construction runs little exciting. In older games you could watch the construction progress of your own spaceship. This is far less spectacular and has implemented carelessly. To build a spaceship makes in CIV IV not fun and should be used to terminate most imho as a method to the game finally.
2. heads of state (some people even have 2 choices) are pretty nice and modeled with attention to detail and remind me of the leader of CIV II, but they were there to see complete (whole body) here but the busts view , They express different emotions by facial expressions.
The lovingly programmed advisors from CIV II who were depending on age also dressed differently and the odd snappy slogan had it, but completely missing here. The consultants were reduced in CIV IV on dry statistics, tables and text passages. The latter are cut literally in the German version for lack of space often and are thus only partially helpful.
3. Every nation has a special unit that brings military advantage, and is superior to available and comparable units of other nations depending on people in different ages. Great except the Indians (faster construction crew) have a civilian special unit for superior Available in all ages and their ilk. I personally feel the special forces very unbalanced and immediately began using this own mods made me (the best part CIV IV!) Better balance.
4. There are new religions. But we must not expect too much, because in CIV IV are firstly not all major religions exist (it lacks the religions of the great ancient civilizations of Egypt, Greeks, Romans, Aztecs, Incas, etc.) and secondly, it does not matter what religion you founded, because there are all identical. It does not matter what you have, the main thing you have a. Without religion we are clearly at a disadvantage. This is just as nonsensical as monotonous. Much more exciting it would have been if it had been received on the specifics of each religions more. But because the inventor has probably had too much fear of conflict. What then ever installing religions, I wonder ...
5. The units are created from the concept rather strange. So helicopters are assigned to the land units and can therefore not fly over water or land on aircraft carriers. You have to be transported by sea in normal transport ships. When a helicopter from a galleon rising country that is a bit ridiculous, with difficulty in every case.
New, exciting and successful, however, the transport system according to which one can "educate" experienced victorious units in many possible directions, which gives them additional strength or skills (eg greater visibility, more movement points, several attacks in the same round or heal other units).
A big plus is the graphical implementation of landscapes and units for me. This really is a treat to see.
6. The best thing about CIV IV that you practically can modify everything. The main parameters are stored in XML files and can be easily adapted to your own wishes and ideas. Own graphics are also mountable. And who is familiar with Python, you can even write your own routines. On the Internet new mods are offered daily.
So I could almost everything bothered me at CIV IV itself "fix" (except the stupid story with the helicopters). This makes the actual gameplay of CIV IV for me. Without all that it would be mediocre at best.
