posted 03-06-99 11:41 AM ET        

ok, a few thoughts about realistic of the civ series games.
First, the civs is the ABSTRACTION of the reality. You think why the civs are SO simply (I mean its rules)? Because life is so easy? I do not think so.
While this is right, many people say that civ2 is very realistic, that even many its situations (in-game) are reminds some historic facts. So civ2 was a great simulator. And this is its main feature. Because if no this one, this game couldn't keep its popularity till this time. But is this right that civ2 was so complicated and complex as the real life? No. And this could not be so. And this cannot be so now. Because the real life and society is too complex for game even in the statistical look. But we still have realistic civ2. I think this is because designers were able to catch those basic concepts that are just enough to simulate a very high level of abstraction of the real civilization. Yes, some events are like real historical ones. But since that, if we make some beginning conditions near to the real ones, we still will not get the same result. Is this you treat as an unrealism?
Let us look at the thoughts about unrealistic movement. From the other side, the only element that makes this unrealistic is the time that treated as one turn. I am sure that if we treat one turn as a month or so and increase research time (in turns) then this problem, as long as many others, goes away.
From the other side [another opinion], immediate transfer of some troop takes a time, especially in the undeveloped terriutory. Yes, NOW if we want we will quickly transfer troops. This is just because we have transport aviation, roads, and so. But when you were playing some beginning of civ2, you would not say that its movement are unrealistic. Now imagine that the beginning of AC is exactly the same as in civ2 (well, one turn takes just a year, not 20).The territoy is COMPLETELY undeveloped. You do not have avia, or even some roads. I don't think this is realistic to have 10 moves per year.

And about Secret projects. I think I have just now understood what do FIRAXIS mean by they.. It's strange they still did not mention this.

While some of civ2 wonders has strange effects (for example, pyramids), many others has reasonable effects in the history perspective. Do you think that if every civilization builds colossus each would have the same effect? This is stupet. I mean that the secret projects and wonders are just an ABSTRACTIONs, nothing more. Just look at them as on the signs that represents some additional property of your people. This is a sign. This is a something you was able to achieve. Not this is some particular thing or so. It is so complex to implement that nobody can repeat this exactly. I treat SP as somewhat more great than a thing. For example, my scientists (economists, social scientists, and others) were able to create some paradigm, make some ideas that in complex were been able to transform in people's minds, economic, industry and so, that makes some effect. Why other factions cannot make the same? Just because thing you've done is too complex, and it depends of too many factors. They didn't develope this wonder, but they performed some other... Did you ever think why switching to other SP never takes any energy penalty? Because the SP is not a thing that built planned, not some particular thing, it is a concept developed and its implementation. In fact you even cannot plan this, it is more realistic to appear SPs eventually, like techs (with 'blind research'), I think...

Ok. Suppose we've got some unique genius. This genius has developed some unique idea. This idea is very unique and unusual, like our genius. So. This idea is our future secret project. Note that the SECRET project is VERY secure, even more than our front-end techs (wich still may be stealed by probe teams). And now, we spend great resources to implement this idea. We not saying that the implementation of the idea is somehow like 'sign' that represents it. This may be some concept, paradigm, or a complex of actions, some social programs etc. You say, why one cannot repeat the same project? The answer is very easy -- because he just knows nothing about project. It is SECRET, have you forgot it? Of cause, two factions can build the same project at the same time. But this only you think that some particular faction builds the project you think it builds. In fact they are building the project that will be completed in result, not one you have ordered. Why? because if you change your mind (for example, because other faction built one), the other project will be completed (this is why change to the other project takes no energy penalty).

About government switching. In civ2 there was an anarchy period. This was highly realistic, I think...
Well, I don't know why AC lost this thing. Maybe they think that more advanced society can run without this...