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Investigating the Effect of Pace Mechanic on Player Motivation And
Investigating the Effect of Pace Mechanic on Player Motivation and Experience by Hala Anwar A thesis presented to the University of Waterloo in fulfillment of the thesis requirement for the degree of Master of Applied Science (MASc) in Management Sciences Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, 2016 © Hala Anwar 2016 AUTHOR'S DECLARATION I hereby declare that I am the sole author of this thesis. This is a true copy of the thesis, including any required final revisions, as accepted by my examiners. I understand that my thesis may be made electronically available to the public. Hala Anwar ii Abstract Games have long been employed to motivate people towards positive behavioral change. Numerous studies, for example, have found people who were previously disinterested in a task can be enticed to spend hours gathering information, developing strategies, and solving complex problems through video games. While the effect of factors such as generational influence or genre appeal have previously been researched extensively in serious games, an aspect in the design of games that remains unexplored through scientific inquiry is the pace mechanic—how time passes in a game. Time could be continuous as in the real world (real-time) or it could be segmented into phases (turn- based). Pace mechanic is fiercely debated by many strategy game fans, where real-time games are widely considered to be more engaging, and the slower pace of turn-based games has been attributed to the development of mastery. In this thesis, I present the results of an exploratory mixed-methods user study to evaluate whether pace mechanic and type of game alter the player experience and are contributing factors to how quickly participants feel competent at a game. -
2K Announces Sid Meier's Civilization® VI for Nintendo Switch September
2K Announces Sid Meier’s Civilization® VI for Nintendo Switch September 13, 2018 6:46 PM ET The full Civilization VI experience comes to a home console for the first time Join the conversation on Twitter using the hashtag #OneMoreTurn NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sep. 13, 2018-- 2K and Firaxis Games today announced that Sid Meier’s Civilization® VI, winner of The Game Awards’ Best Strategy Game, DICE Awards’ Best Strategy Game and latest entry in the prestigious Civilization franchise, is coming to Nintendo Switch™ on November 16, 2018. Additionally, 2K and Firaxis Games have partnered with Aspyr Media to bring Civilization VI to Nintendo Switch and ensure the experience meets the same high standards of the beloved series. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home /20180913005109/en/ Originally created by legendary game designer, Sid Meier, Civilization is a turn-based strategy game in which you build an empire to stand the 2K and Firaxis Games today announced that Sid test of time. Explore a new land, research technology, conquer your Meier's Civilization® VI, winner of The Game Awards' Best Strategy Game, DICE Awards' Best enemies, and go head-to-head with history’s most renowned leaders as Strategy Game and latest entry in the prestigious you attempt to build the greatest civilization the world has ever known. Civilization franchise, is coming to Nintendo Switch™ on November 16, 2018. (Graphic: Business Now on Nintendo Switch, the quest to victory in Civilization VI can Wire) take place wherever and whenever players want. -
Narrative Representation and Ludic Rhetoric of Imperialism in Civilization 5
Narrative Representation and Ludic Rhetoric of Imperialism in Civilization 5 Masterarbeit im Fach English and American Literatures, Cultures, and Media der Philosophischen Fakultät der Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel vorgelegt von Malte Wendt Erstgutachter: Prof. Dr. Christian Huck Zweitgutachter: Tristan Emmanuel Kugland Kiel im März 2018 Table of contents 1 Introduction 1 2 Hypothesis 4 3 Methodology 5 3.1 Inclusions and exclusions 5 3.2 Structure 7 4 Relevant postcolonial concepts 10 5 Overview and categorization of Civilization 5 18 5.1 Premise and paths to victory 19 5.2 Basics on rules, mechanics, and interface 20 5.3 Categorization 23 6 Narratology: surface design 24 6.1 Paratexts and priming 25 6.1.1 Announcement trailer 25 6.1.2 Developer interview 26 6.1.3 Review and marketing 29 6.2 Civilizations and leaders 30 6.3 Universal terminology and visualizations 33 6.4 Natural, National, and World Wonders 36 6.5 Universal history and progress 39 6.6 User interface 40 7 Ludology: procedural rhetoric 43 7.1 Defining ludological terminology 43 7.2 Progress and the player element: the emperor's new toys 44 7.3 Unity and territory: the worth of a nation 48 7.4 Religion, Policies, and Ideology: one nation under God 51 7.5 Exploration and barbarians: into the heart of darkness 56 7.6 Resources, expansion, and exploitation: for gold, God, and glory 58 7.7 Collective memory and culture: look on my works 62 7.8 Cultural Victory and non-violent relations: the ballot 66 7.9 Domination Victory and war: the bullet 71 7.10 The Ex Nihilo Paradox: build like an Egyptian 73 7.11 The Designed Evolution Dilemma: me, the people 77 8 Conclusion and evaluation 79 Deutsche Zusammenfassung 83 Bibliography 87 1 Introduction “[V]ideo games – an important part of popular culture – mediate ideology, whether by default or design.” (Hayse, 2016:442) This thesis aims to uncover the imperialist and colonialist ideologies relayed in the video game Sid Meier's Civilization V (2K Games, 2010) (abbrev. -
Integrating Reinforcement Learning Into Strategy Games
Integrating Reinforcement Learning into Strategy Games by Stefan Wender Supervised by Ian Watson The University of Auckland Auckland, New Zealand A Thesis submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Computer Science The University of Auckland, February 2009 Abstract The present thesis describes the design and implementation of a machine learning agent based on four different reinforcement learning algorithms. The reinforcement learning agent is integrated into the commercial computer game Civilization IV. Civilization IV is a turn- based empire building game from the Civilization series. The reinforcement learning agent is applied to the city placement selection task. The city placement selection determines the founding sites for a player’s cities. The four reinforcement learning algorithms that are evaluated are the off-policy algorithms one-step Q-learning and Q(λ) and the on-policy algorithms one-step Sarsa and Sarsa(λ). The aim of the research presented in this thesis is the creation of an adaptive machine learning approach for a task which is originally performed by a complex deterministic script. Since the machine learning approach is nondeterministic, it results in a more challenging and dynamic computer AI. The thesis presents an empirical evaluation of the performance of the reinforcement learning approach and compares the performance of the adaptive agent with the original deterministic game AI. The comparison shows that the reinforcement learning approach outperforms the deterministic game AI. Finally, the behaviour and performance of the reinforcement learn- ing algorithms are elaborated on and the algorithms are further improved by analysing and revising their parameters. -
Scott Stephenson History of Computer Game Design
Scott Stephenson History of Computer Game Design Civilization: Sid Meier’s Legacy Acclaimed as one of the greatest computer games of all time, Sid Meier’s Civilization and its follow-up Sid Meier’s Civilization II rocked the gaming world with a delicate balance of strategy and simulation. Listed as Gamespot U.K.’s number one all- time series among both computer and console games, “Civ” and “Civ II” are universally recognized for the level to which their creator, hall-of-fame designer Sid Meier, raised the bar in terms of overall outstanding game-play. Few games have risen to the level of excellence that these games have achieved in computer gaming history. Civilization, published in 1991 by MicroProse, puts the player in the role of a lone settler in a vast, uncharted world in the year 2000 B.C., and gives him the task of building an empire to “stand the test of time.”1 To accomplish this goal, the player must take on the roles of general, city manager, diplomat, scientist, and economist, as winning involves not only managing the art of war against rival civilizations, but also maintaining the prosperity of the player’s empire. The player must balance “the four impulses of Civilization”—exploration, economics, knowledge, and conquest—to become more powerful, either through peaceful negotiations or world domination. In 1996, MicroProse released Civilization II, a sequel that vastly improved on the original Civ while maintaining the integrity of the original’s game-play. The inspiration for Civilization came from the Avalon Hill board game of the same name, set in the Mediterranean area of Europe and North Africa. -
2020 Annual Report
TAKE-TWO INTERACTIVE SOFTWARE, INC. 2020 ANNUAL REPORT 3 Generated significant cash flow and ended the year with $2.00 BILLION in cash and short-term investments Delivered record Net Bookings of Net Bookings from recurrent $2.99 BILLION consumer spending grew exceeded original FY20 outlook by nearly 20% 34% to a new record and accounted for units sold-in 51% 10 MILLION to date of total Net Bookings Up over 50% over Borderlands 2 in the same period One of the most critically-acclaimed and commercially successful video games of all time with over units sold-in 130 MILLION to date Digitally-delivered Net Bookings grew Developers working in game development and 35% 4,300 23 studios around the world to a new record and accounted for Sold-in over 12 million units and expect lifetime units, recurrent consumer spending and Net Bookings to be 82% the highest ever for a 2K sports title of total Net Bookings TAKE-TWO INTERACTIVE SOFTWARE, INC. 2020 ANNUAL REPORT DEAR SHAREHOLDERS, Fiscal 2020 was another extraordinary year for Take-Two, during which we achieved numerous milestones, including record Net Bookings of nearly $3 billion, as well as record digitally-delivered Net Bookings, Net Bookings from recurrent consumer spending and earnings. Our stellar results were driven by the outstanding performance of NBA 2K20 and NBA 2K19, Grand Theft Auto Online and Grand Theft Auto V, Borderlands 3, Red Dead Redemption 2 and Red Dead Online, The Outer Worlds, WWE 2K20, WWE SuperCard and WWE 2K19, Social Point’s mobile games and Sid Meier’s Civilization VI. -
“From the Stone Age to the Information Age” History and Heritage in Sid Meier’S Civilization VI
DIGITAL REVIEWS “From the Stone Age to the Information Age” History and Heritage in Sid Meier’s Civilization VI Angus A.A. Mol, Aris Politopoulos, and Csilla E. Ariese-Vandemeulebroucke Video games are one of today’s quintessential media as a cultural and ideological artifact, entangled with and cultural forms, but they also have a surprising changing perceptions and politics of the past. and many-sided relation with the past (Morgan 2016). This certainly holds true for Sid Meier’s Civilization (MicroProse & Firaxis Games 1991–2016), which is a CIV’S HISTORY AND HERITAGE series of turn-based, strategy video games in which you lead a historic civilization “from the Stone Age As you are reading this review, between 50,000 to 90,000 people are busy building their empires, one turn at a time, in Civ V or to the Information Age” (Civilization ca. 2016). Sid Civ VI (SteamSpy 2017a; SteamSpy 2017b). Since its debut, the Meier’s Civilization VI, the newest iteration of the Civ series has sold more than 37 million copies worldwide and, together, players have played over one billion hours across all series developed by Firaxis and released on Octo- versions (Takahashi 2016). Its roots lie with developer and pub- ber 21, 2016, allows players to step into the shoes of lisher MicroProse in Maryland, USA, where in 1991 Sid Meier and Bruce Shelley launched what would become one of the most rec- idealized political figures such as Gilgamesh, Mon- ognizable and critically acclaimed franchises in the video game tezuma, Teddy Roosevelt, and Gandhi. Via these and industry. -
Rules for Sid Meier's Civilization: the Board Game
…And finally there evolved a species known as man. And there appeared the first faint glimmers of intelligence. The fruits of intelligence were many: Fire, tools, and weapons, The hunt, farming, and the sharing of food, The family, the village, and the tribe. Now it required but one more ingredient: A great leader to unite the quarreling tribes, To harness the power of the land, To build a legacy that would stand the test of time: The civilization. OVERVIEW THE OBJEC T O F T HE GAME “The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their “Let us have faith that right makes might, and in that faith, let dreams.” us, to the end, dare to do our duty as we understand it.” –Eleanor Roosevelt –Abraham Lincoln Sid Meier’s Civilization: The Board Game is a game for two to Each player can win Sid Meier’s Civilization: The Board Game four players, with four players being recommended. Each player in one of four ways. takes charge of a different civilization and attempts to lead their people to greatness. A CULTURE VICTORY is achieved by devoting cities to the arts and spending the culture points gained as a result to advance up the Starting with a civilization composed of a single, humble culture track to its end. The culture track is described in more city lacking even the most rudimentary of inventions, each detail on pages 17–18. player tries to advance their people by building new cities and improving them, researching new technologies, increasing their A TECH VICTORY is accomplished by researching the Space Flight civilization’s culture, and harvesting valuable resources. -
Firaxis Enhances 2K Games' AAA Development Talent
Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. Acquires Firaxis Games; Firaxis Enhances 2K Games' AAA Development Talent November 7, 2005 4:01 PM ET NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 7, 2005--Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ:TTWO) today announced the acquisition of Firaxis Games(TM), one of the world's premier game development studios. Firaxis Games joins the 2K Games publishing label of Take-Two Interactive. Firaxis Games, home of industry icon Sid Meier, is known for developing award-winning, top-rated games with mass consumer appeal. Their popular gaming franchises include Sid Meier's Pirates! and the blockbuster Civilization franchise. Firaxis has a proven track record of best-selling products that will complement 2K's expanding portfolio of high-quality titles. "Firaxis Games, founded and led by industry executive Jeff Briggs, and inspired by the genius of Sid Meier, is among the most innovative and successful development studios in the industry," said Christoph Hartmann, Managing Director of 2K Games. "The Firaxis and 2K Games union is a strong fusion of creativity and vision that will continue to result in the development of innovative games with mass appeal. We're excited to welcome Jeff, Sid and the entire Firaxis team to the 2K family." "This is a tremendous opportunity for Firaxis," said Jeff Briggs, Founder, President and CEO of Firaxis Games. "2K Games is an energetic label that shares our goals and vision for making great games that stand the test of time. We are pleased to be associated with the energy and commitment to quality work that 2K represents, and look forward to a great future together." "2K Games has already been a tremendous partner to Firaxis in the marketing and release of Sid Meier's Pirates! and Sid Meier's Civilization IV. -
Playing Games with Technology: Fictions of Science in the Civilization Series Will Slocombe, University of Liverpool
Playing Games with Technology: Fictions of Science in the Civilization Series Will Slocombe, University of Liverpool Introduction Videogames might be thought to be too recent, and to concerned with entertainment, to reveal appropriately historicised attitudes to technology. However, as this essay will demonstrate, there is value in considering how one type of game, the “4X strategy” game, encodes particular assumptions about technology and its development. Although closely affiliated to the “God game” (a videogame in which the player is given absolute, and often supernatural power over a civilization or tribe’s development), “4X strategy” games are defined by the phrase “EXplore, EXpand, EXploit and EXterminate”. That is, such games encourage players to “explore” the in-game environment, “expand” their civilizations, “exploit” the resources of their civilization’s territory, and “exterminate” rival civilizations. Whilst this phrasing is loaded, it provides a sense of the kind of activities within the game, although it does not foreground the importance of technological research. Using the Civilization series of videogames (six games and various “expansions” over the period 1991- 2016) as an exemplar, this article asserts that “technology trees”, as the underpinning structural element of such many 4X strategy games, reveal not only a specific cultural attitude to technology, but also towards the history of technology. Whilst this essay will describe and examine “technology trees” later, it is important to realise at the outset that these -
May the 4Th Be with You! PREVIEW Copyright Dave Wright 2020
May the 4th be with you! PREVIEW Copyright Dave Wright 2020 Thanks for checking out this early preview of Gaming in the Gospel! All content, formatting, layout and other nonsense is all subject to change. Please pardon all the blank pages, this version is set up for print. There is no official release date yet. Please feel free to email feedback to [email protected] Gaming in the Gospel: when one more turn just isn’t enough... by David Lee Wright Edited & Formatted by Beatriz G. Wright Published by NEBTHOS www.nebthos.com © 2020 David Wright All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced in any form without permission from the publisher, except as permitted by U.S. copyright law. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are from the ESV Bible ® (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version ® copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. For permissions contact: [email protected] Published 2020 ISBN 978-0-578-65834-6 Printed in the United States of America This book is dedicated to the memory of my dad, Dean Wright, 35 years of quality engineering at IBM, keeper of all the floppy disks and all the secret phrases... Stage Selection Foreword ..................................................................................... 7 Hello World .............................................................................. 17 001 Back to the Future Past ...................................................... 27 002 Outta Time Units .............................................................. -
2K Games Gibt Bekannt, Dass Das Action-Strategiespiel XCOM: Enemy Unknown Von Firaxis Games Entwickelt Wird
Pressemitteilung 2K Games gibt bekannt, dass das Action-Strategiespiel XCOM: Enemy Unknown von Firaxis Games entwickelt wird Das ursprüngliche X-COM gilt als eines der besten Spiele aller Zeiten und wird von den Strategiespiel-Experten von Firaxis Games zu neuem Leben erweckt New York, NY – 5. Januar 2012 – 2K Games gab heute bekannt, dass Firaxis Games, das kreative Team hinter der berühmten Sid Meier’s Civilization-Reihe, den Titel XCOM: Enemy Unknown entwickelt, ein Action-Strategiespiel, das im Herbst 2012 veröffentlicht werden soll. Fans des ursprünglichen X-COM werden XCOM: Enemy Unknown sofort wiedererkennen, während es für die heutigen Konsolen- und PC-Spieler in Sachen Strategiespiele Neuland betritt. Der Schwerpunkt von XCOM: Enemy Unknown liegt gleichermaßen auf tiefgreifender Strategie und intensiven taktischen Kämpfen und die Spieler übernehmen die Kontrolle über eine geheime paramilitärische Organisation mit dem Namen XCOM. Als XCOM-Kommandant müssen die Spieler eine schreckliche globale Invasion durch Außerirdische abwehren, indem sie Ressourcen verwalten, Technologien weiterentwickeln und Kampfstrategien sowie individuelle Einheiten-Taktiken überwachen. “Wir freuen uns darauf, auf der Kern-Spielmechanik aufzubauen, die die Fans des Original-X-COM lieben, und die Serie dabei gleichzeitig einer neuen Generation vorzustellen“, so Sarah Anderson, Senior Vice President of Marketing bei 2K. “Mit Firaxis’ XCOM: Enemy Unknown und 2K Marins kommendem XCOM wird 2K Games zwei völlig unterschiedliche Spielerlebnisse anbieten, die beide an das klassische X-COM-Universum angelehnt sind. Jedes Spiel bietet ein einzigartiges XCOM- Erlebnis in unterschiedlichen Genres, so wie es sich die beiden Studios in ihren einzigartigen kreativen Visionen vorstellen.” Das ursprüngliche X-COM wurde im Jahr 1993 veröffentlicht und gilt als eines der besten Spiele aller Zeiten.