I own a PC. I like PC games. But as I said yesterday, the “Civilization” series simply isn’t up my alley. It’s why “Civilization Revolution”’s streamlined approach clicks.
But what if I’ve tired of the players in the lobbies of Xbox Live and PlayStation Network. We’ve heard the complaints before. What if I want “Civilization Revolution” on my PC? Unfortunately, a producer at 2K Games says it’s “never” going to happen.
He repeated the word “never” twice when I asked, actually.
They must really mean it. But why?
“This is not a PC game,” said producer Jason Bergman to Multiplayer. “It’s been designed as a console game. It’s very, very different from ‘Civ[ilization] 4′ and we don’t want it to be looked at as ‘Civ[ilization] 5.’ We don’t want people to think that this is meant to replace the existing ‘Civ’ games. This is a totally different game, created exclusively for consoles. It is never coming to PC.”
And it’s not because Firaxis don’t have the manpower or technical hang-ups. The prototype for “Civilization Revolution” originated on the PC, but the interface was created from day one to be manipulated with a gamepad in the player’s hands. “There was never a mouse interface; it was always designed around a controller,” continued Bergman.
Last week, 2K showed “Civilization Revolution” to the San Francisco-based media (we had a separate demo a few days later at 2K’s offices). Bergman said a common question was over enabling keyboard and mouse support in the PlayStation 3 version. Microsoft doesn’t allow the feature, but Sony’s had no problem with it; look at “Unreal Tournament 3,” for example.
Bergman’s rationale is simple. “…the answer is no, because why would you need to? The game has not been designed for that [controller]; we would have to make a new interface for that. People sort of assume it’s the other way around, like it is with the PC RTSs that are ported. This is not a port, this is an entirely new game.”
While “Civilization Revolution” on the PC appears to be out, reading between the lines, Bergman seems to be suggesting a “Civilization 5″ is in the cards, as well.
Readers, what would you prefer: “Civilization Revolution” on PC or “Civilization 5″ on PC? Could you handle both? I think I just blew your mind.
March 15th, 2008 at 12:04 am
I’m happier with a Civ 5 for PC myself. Why would I buy a PC game not designer for PC in mind if the designers feel it won’t play well and wouldn’t even allow mouse/keyboard support on the consoles?
March 15th, 2008 at 10:23 am
PC gamers complain all the time that we get poor hand-me-downs from the AAA console market, or that our classic series get dumbed down to be playable by a 12-year-old with a controller. It is nice to see a developer recognize that sometimes porting a console-centric game isn’t a good idea, and that creating a spinoff with a slightly different name is better than redesigning an established and beloved series to meet a different market (are you listening, Ubisoft?)
Which would I prefer? That 2K do exactly what it is doing - making console games for consoles and PC games for the PC, mixing the two only when it is appropriate.
April 13th, 2008 at 7:17 pm
OMG
are they stupid?
They think WE [PC players] Dont have gamepad? Or what?!!
Make it for PC - if you have manpower - but I think firaxis sux, they dont have manpower to make it on PC ..
Because PC gamers HAVE gamepad, so this is NOT problem for US.
this is problem for FIRAXIS MANPOWER
shrug.
May 5th, 2008 at 11:55 am
goodluck,
very video games
May 6th, 2008 at 11:41 am
I have to agree with Patrick, I have tried, oh how I’ve tried, to get into Civ. I’ve been trying through Civ 3 and into 4, but I just can’t do it. I find PC civ a nightmare of micromanagement, overtly complex, convoluted and confusing…leading to a totally unforfilling experience…I’ve lost count how many times I’ve installed them, only to uninstall them and few days later.
At the sight of Civ Revolutions I thought “finally!” a version on Civ that will be accessable, more immedaite, that I can enjoy and maybe it’ll help me approach the lumbering beahmoth of it’s older brother…and what do I find? No version is ever going to be made for the PC…and I find the arguement that “they don’t want to confuse us into thinking it’s civ 5″ as a pitifully poor excuse, and more akin to just not wanting to invest the money and manpower as the PC already has Civ IV.
I don’t own a console, I will never own a console, I am, like many, a PC gamer born and bred, if a new game comes along that needs more horsepower I just upgrade a componant in my PC rather than have to throw away my current console and buy another one.
Looks like I am forever doomed never to enjoy Civilization…and it’s not for want of desperately wanting to, or trying.
May 6th, 2008 at 4:19 pm
^Mikey^
Its obvious that civ for pc is not for you. For those of us who enjoy the challenge of complex games with exponential outcomes PC is the only way to go. Did anyone check out Sid Meiers Railroads? They ‘dumbed’ it dumbed it down so much it was painful. The reality is that they civ type games for consoles is like top 40 music, disposal, easy and for kids under 16. Fireaxis et al. no where the money is and gamers who want even more levels complexity will be limited to less and less titles. I cant wait for civ 5 on pc…
May 20th, 2008 at 10:54 pm
I’ll endorse John’s comments - I want complexity and open-endedness, and the PC is where that is at. And I’m afraid that Priceless is spot-on - development will be console driven and targeted at the dribbling masses. PC game designs of ye olde days will fade away into the sands of time. All glitz, no grist.
June 6th, 2008 at 7:48 pm
To Rodier:-
Yes you are stupid if you prefer the primitive gamepad over the 360 degree freedom of mouse and keyboard. I’ve known close to a thousand people who are PC gamers, and none of them use stupid gamepads.
June 14th, 2008 at 9:21 pm
To Yacky:-
A mouse is only more useful than a gamepad when playing a point and click game with slow gameplay features, like the Civ.’s of the past have been. “360 degree freedom of a mouse and keyboard.” has no relevance to a Civ. conversation… Civ. is 2d, and if the new Civ. has 3d camera angles and views, then I’m sure developers that are building towards console gamepads will make the controls function easily, if not better than a mouse. I doubt you have talked to “close to a thousand people who are PC gamers” long enough to ask them their preferences when it comes to controlling their games. Working where I do, I can tell you that 70% of hardcore gamers do prefer a controller, and are disappointed when the option is not available to them.
I do not believe that Rodier was making a claim that gamepads were better than a mouse and keyboard (which would certainly not be the case in past Civ.’s), but was stating, rather, that a PC gamer with a copy of Civilization Revolution would very likely own a gamepad that would funtcion well with its controller based interface, and thus, why not keep the game as it is and release it on the PC as well? Read before getting agitated enough to write about the someone else’s stupidity, so as not to look stupid yourself.
Now in Yacky’s defense… Rodier, the article clearly states that Firaxis has the manpower to create a PC version, and that manpower is NOT the issue. However, with almost their entire fan base being PC gamers, it seems like a poor business choice not to make it for the PC, especially with how easy it would be to do. Only real reason I can see is for keeping it off the PC is piracy, which would keep people from getting the game for their consoles because it is free to steal for the PC. This would lose both the PC sale and the Console sale. My hope is that Civ. Revolution will be released on PC at a later date… and that is a hope that will never come to realization.
June 26th, 2008 at 6:10 pm
great civilization becomes console game i mean xbox360 alredy had gta 4 as exlusive wich meny peps wanted to be pc and now civ becomes xbox360 execlusive what next??? all good games suddenly gona become xbox360 execlusive??? what is it does Firaxis think we don’t have strong enugh pc to support the nice graphics???? i mean meny peps have a powerfull pc and my thoughts are that they lose a chance to gain alot of money by not makin pc relase
June 26th, 2008 at 6:12 pm
Of Civlization Revalutions.