Old World (Civ-like 4x game)

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Cyclonepride

Thought Police
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Apr 11, 2006
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A pineapple under the sea
www.oldschoolradical.com
Haven't been opted into the gaming & hobbies forum, so thought I would place this here.

Just stumbled across the Old World video game (Epic game store). The lead designer made Civilization IV. It's in early access, but the game is mostly complete (they just need to add a bunch more events, and maybe some other details and things).

Imagine Civilization mixed with Crusader Kings.

This game really brings some interesting new ideas to the formula.
  • Your ruler is mortal (each turn is a year). When you're gone, your chosen heir will rule, and you'll carry on with them (based loosely on how you've groomed them).
  • Events happen every year (sometimes many). These events shape your relations with the noble families you rule over, as well as relations with foreign powers.
  • Moving your units and doing things with them all revolve around orders. You get a set number of orders based on your legitimacy score, and once you use them up, your turn is done (so you have to plan well).
  • Technology is card based, with a technology tree like Civilization games, but the cards are somewhat random, some of your path is left up to chance (more realistic IMO).
  • Diplomacy is more involved (mainly through your decisions from events that happen), but it feels much more real than Civ.
  • Scouts are much more useful. Along with revealing more of the map, they can find special places that trigger helpful events, harvest items, and since the map reverts to last known status, you need to use them to actually scout the enemy and what they're up to.
  • The AI is very competent.
  • Overall, with the succession of rulers, random events and everything else, each game plays out a bit differently.
I've been waiting for Humankind, but this should keep me plenty busy until then. I'm already more into than I ever got into Civ VI

Here's a link to the game page:

https://www.mohawkgames.com/oldworld/
 
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Rabbuk

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Mar 1, 2011
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I think it's September 1st. I'll get that too, even though I never really caught on to CK2. This one is supposed to be more intuitive as well.
That game had a sort of easy to play impossible to master vibe to it. Same with hearts of iron which is by the same studio.
 

Cyclonepride

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That game had a sort of easy to play impossible to master vibe to it. Same with hearts of iron which is by the same studio.

I got into Hearts of Iron. But then, I had the first one and read a big manual to play it. With CK2, I went through the tutorial three times, tried to play through a game maybe three times, and each time left because nothing was really happening.
 

BryceC

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Mar 23, 2006
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I love CK2. Still one of the few games I play somewhat regularly. There really isn't a mastering to it... in fact some of the most fun is when you get behind the 8 ball and just have to roll with a bad hand.
 

Cyclonepride

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Apr 11, 2006
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A pineapple under the sea
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Pretty nice review here:

https://www.strategygamer.com/articles/old-world-early-access-gameplay/

"In the end the tightness of everything makes Old World feel more alive, more real and gives greater weight to a lot of the decisions. The trade-off of course is that a limited tech tree, limited geographic scope, and limited empire variety can feel the same quickly. But it’s that CK2-inspired human touch that sets things apart. It really makes the game more endearing and enduring. I believe with some tightening, some additional mechanics, and hopefully the continual addition of new stories, Old World will take its rightful place besides Civilization itself."
 

Cyclonepride

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A pineapple under the sea
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I've gotten further along, with a lot more hours in. If this continues to flesh out like I think it will, it will be better than Civ. I've actually finished two games, which is something I can't say for the last 50 games I've played in Civ V or Civ VI.

My last game is emblematic of what makes it so interesting.

I had 23/25 victory points (victory points are given by meeting legacy goals of leaders (or completing a legacy goal of your predecessor), by settling new cities or taking them from your enemies, and from building wonders).

I was 20 years from the 200 year time limit. I found a wonder that I could build that would take 18 years, so I started that, and then started scanning the map for a city site to settle, or a city to conquer. One turn later, Egypt rushed their chariots in and killed my worker that was building the wonder. Then they killed every worker that I sent to finish it. By then I was probably toast unless I could somehow take/settle two cities.

At year 185, I died, and forgot that I had lost my heirs, and hadn't appointed another one. Oops.