The Eagle games had RPS combat and dice rolling.  The RPS system winner got a bonus, but it didn't ensure victory.

Also, I like how this is still the only thread.

According to the news item on the main page, Civ's being demoed at GenCon. I hope someone is planning on going and wants to post a report here.

I personally liked the Eagle Games version (but prefer Through the Ages).  My biggest comlaints though have already been mentioned.  To truly enjoy that game you needed:

• 3 or more players
• At least 6-8 hours to play
• Lengthy setup
• Very enthusiastic players (a must for any game)

Being an FFG game, i'm sure we can count on lengthy setup still being an issue.  I don't mind this as long as the setup time mitigates play time wasted with complexities and still allows richness and variety.  Enthusiasm is something every game benefits from, but some games are better at inspiring this than others.  Our group has had great success with FFG's game line keeping us coming back for more. FFG is claiming 2-4 hours, which does mitigate my concern about EG's version. Finally the 2-4 player window.  Better than Catan's 3-4, not as good as Arkham's 1-8.  I just hope it plays as well for 2 players as it does for 4.

• Different customizable board for every game
• Different playable factions
• Several routes to victory (like Android but easier to explain and vizualize)
• Many pieces to allow for wonderous complexity that's easy to manage

Yep, wallet is already creaking open...

I really can't wait for the rules to read :O

And who knows, maybe i can use the minis of the eagle version for the FFG version ? If not then, meh, np at all, i can live with counters. I accepted the boring looking counters of ASL already, so i'm sure the FFG unit counters will look by far better.

Bleached Lizard said:

I'm not sure how you can complain about Kevin Wilson. He's given us some of the best strategy games in recent years that FFG has released, and did an amazing job updating Arkham Horror (my favorite game of all time).

Still, I wish this had been the old Avalon Hill game, which also ranks in my top 5 games of all time. Perhaps if enough of us ask, there could be a line of Civilization style games being released by FFG.

What can this mean for card sleeves? Will I finally be able to sleeve my favorite decks with Napoleon Bonaparte and Chairman Mao?

JerusalemJones said:

Oh, don't get me started.  

Speaking of Arkham Horror specifically, I really enjoy playing it, but you could in no way say that any part of it is "balanced" - it's just a random, chaotic mess (which is fine, considering the theme) and the outcome is based mostly on luck.  If Civilisation comes out anything like Arkham Horror, it will be the final straw that will send me round to FFG's offices with a tommy gun (or at least, some very strong words).

I wonder if the gameplay will be based on Civilization IV, whose logo it appears to be imitating, or go boldly into Civilization V, with a hex board and the 1-unit-per-tile rule. Personally, I'm hoping it's the latter, since the less tokens on the table, the easier it is to sort through them.

MarthWMaster said:

Looks like square tiles/spaces and sounds like Civ IV, which I'm fine with it being my favorite incarnation :)

If they include religions, I'd like to see them do more than they did in Civ IV. But maybe that's asking too much. :3

MarthWMaster said:

They have to leave room for an expansion.  

Oh, I suppose.

Dayereth said:

I don't really see how Civ and Arkham can be compared in this way. Also, Arkham is a one player game.

Trump said:

Excellent point!  The Military system in Through the ages is the thing I like least about that game.  It is very hard on new players because they can't see how the raids etc will work.  I think sometimes the military strength part of that game can Hi jack it from newer players.  

I don't mind a Simple combat system in a Civ game as it was stated above you want to focus on growing your Civ in the teck tree and exploring and the military stuff come later.  

It would seam there should be some variable game end conditions that keep this game from dragging on.  If it was king of the mountain that would become extremely boring and just a complicated version of Risk.       

I have had two different CIVILIZATION board games. The Avalon Hill game, which is abfab, and the Eagle games version, which was ebay bait long ago. The Eagle games version was painful. Cool looking, but man! The best thing in the Avalon Hill game was the trading! Man, I would love to see that mechanic or something similiar worked into the resource gathering aspect of the game.

I don't know what to take on this new edition. Based off of CIV Revolution, which I own and still play. I will watch this. This seems like a play a friends version of the game kind of thing to me, rather than set game acquisition expectations so far.

I am beginning to miss dice as well. It works for Rune Wars, was acceptable in Star Craft (Though Star Craft seem like tension would be better in a dice game)