posted 02-25-99 04:34 PM ET        

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Disclaimer: I think this is a great game.

I was most disappointed to find that the full extent of commerce in the game is to simply declare that one is trading. Civ II had caravans, AoE has merchant ships and stuff, but there is nothing here. As far as I can tell, I don't even need to be producing anything to trade in order to trade!

The big elements of the game seem to be diplomacy, combat, and citizen morale. There's more to life than this. In my personal life I'm not a politician and I don't even own a gun, yet I participate in commerce nearly every day of my life. For something that's such a big part of real life, I'd expect it to play a larger role in a simulation of developing societies.

posted 02-25-99 04:38 PM ET            

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I think the assumption is that commerce in the far future is much simpler than in the old days. I.e. that have jetliners, large cargo oceanliners, etc. The physical establishment of a trade route (very important in the ancient days) is less of a concern in the future. I like the lack of Civ2 style caravans and such, since I found them to be more of a nuisance, but to each thier own. I did like the MOO method of trade, where it took a period of time for the trade pact to reach full potential. If anything I would like to see something like this established, but all in all I find it okay the way it is.

CEO Bernard