My new mod for Civilization IV is available for download and testing. I gave it a .1 version number because it will require several rounds of editing, programming, and enhancing to truly stand on its own legs.
You can download the mod at Fanatics and learn about its ongoing development: http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=460483
As everyone knows, I generally do not like to add video content to the Emerald Tablet, but this short film so captured the feeling of our local gaming group that I just had to offer it to all of my readers. The name of the video is “The Politics of Competitive Board Gaming Amongst Friends” and all about what guys do when they get together to game. In this case it is how friends become sometimes a bit too competitive on a simple game, but what I like about the video is that it isn’t pretentious or unrealistic. It doesn’t degenerate into sophomoric pandering of ninjas and or sword fighting, magic spells, or guttural name calling. It simple is how the game is played all across the country in tens of thousands of homes every week — I am sure you will identify friends in the video and nod your head more than once knowing exactly what is going on:
Here is another free to play internet game from the people that made Ogame. I started playing this a week ago and have as you can see in the picture been doing well. I admit that I have not had any contact with other players and could get beaten up pretty good with only 12 axe wielding indians.
On the same vein of Ogame, Wild guns allows you to pick from white settlers, Indians, or Mexican bandoleers, and build a settlement. From there you can grow crops, chop wood, mine for iron, or extract clay from the soil. After awhile, and as your reserves of raw materials grow, you can add all sorts of buildings.
One of the buildings, the barracks, allows you to build troops of various kinds and you can research new kinds of troops.
I have been playing Wild Guns less frequently than Ogame, simply because it feels like a much slower game.
As you will see, if you decide to play — and if you do remember Server 8 is the place to be — the time to make things is a bit slower. Also there doesn’t seem to be any kind of exploration in the game, unlike Ogame where you can go on expeditions to find raw materials and ships as rewards.
I find myself logging into the game a few times during that day upgrading my various raw material buildings and strategicaly looking at where I should be taking my village.
Take a look at the image below and you will see the Indian face in the uppper right corner. I assume that if you play a cowboy or a Mexican, that a similar face will be there. Clicking on it will lead you through a tutorial of the game. I found it somewhat useful.
I will say that both Ogame and Wild guns seem to lack real good tutorials. Perhaps it is the nature of the game, or perhaps because the designers are German and the English translations lack?
Troy
