In response to my friend’s Blogging is Crack posting, I have decided a series of ‘what I’m really addicted to’ articles is due.
To get us started, addiction is defined by Dictionary.com as:
Anyhow, a recent video card purchase came bundled with Civ 4, a continuation of Sid’s world conquest series. I played the original one until my eyes bled, but eventually gave up because the computer cheated. Recently K acquired Civ 3 (we skipped Civ 2) and I played it briefly, but it was just too much like the original with even more micromanagement. Finally they nuked some of the annoying bits, and I think the game plays pretty well. Enough like the original to re-trigger the addiction, but different enough that I find it fun again (so far I have little evidence for obvious AI cheating… but I’m watching.)
With the holiday vacation I did in fact play the game all night long and well into the next day for a 16 hour single sitting. And I’m already mid way through another game…
December 29th, 2006 at 9:15 am
I like civ III better than IV. To do well at IV requires *too* much micromanagement. I don’t want to monty-haul a game just to be able to win. Jenn is a much bigger fan than I. I’m just less into computer games than I used to be, as you know.
If you want to know how the computer cheatsin IV, ask her and Tim. I’m sure they can give you good examples.
December 30th, 2006 at 4:47 pm
Odd that my reaction would be so opposite. Of course I didn’t play Civ3 long because it reminded me too much of the original to really get my interest. Perhaps I’m just more willing to let the computer do my micromanagement for me with the various automations.
I really enjoy the flexibility of the civic approaches rather than the cut & dry governments, although I’m beginning to find the whole religious evangelism portion of the game to be a bit annoying (more reasons for the AI to hate you with little in return).