It is known to all, CIVILIZATION 2 is a well-known game. It acquires prominent reputation and has been salt approximately 3 million copies. That seems a myth. However I have tasted CIVILIZATION4, so I figure it is an old-fashion one. But it still has some factors I would like to talk about.

BACKGROUND
Civilization is designed by Douglas Caspian-Kaufman and Jeff Briggs which has been published by Micro Prose at 29th February 1996. It is a single player turn-based strategy game and Entertainment Software Rating Board accessed it suitable for everyone playing. Obviously, at that moment, burn a disk is quite easy, so the first platform for this game is computer, later it is ported to Sony PlayStation. The requirement for computer is 33 MHz, 486 CPU, 8 MB RAM and a CD-ROM. The input methods are Mouse and Keyboard. After the single player game had been published, Multiplayer Gold Edition has been released in 2006.

MicroProse is a famous video game company original founded in 1982 by Sid Meier and Bill Stealey. At initial phase, it focuses on flight, military simulation and strategy game for home company, such as F-15, Gunship, and Civilization. It becomes a corporation known as MICROPROSE SOFTWARE through allowing several game groups join in. Nowadays, the system of MICROPROSE SOFTWARE is comprehensive and systematic.



My Feeling
Positive
1. The setting is quite simply. You just dot the option then click OK.
2. This game is easy to be played. Major part of things you are to do is click mouse.
3. It let me feel I go back ancient time. Old-style design, building and hard-reading English would bring you some unusual feeling.
4. The sea adventure would help you explore your boundary. I assume it has been influenced by Mahan.
5. AI is not bad. Comparing with current game, that seems not clever, nonetheless, comparing with other simultaneous games, it is quite cool.

Negative
1. It do not jump a reminder, I could not know this turn is finished.
2. All units in this game are hard to be picked by mouse, I have to choose several times, and then it would be chose by me.
3. Moving the mini-map is very hard, I have to click cross aim on a tiny-map located in the right-up corner of interface.
4. A parameter is wrong absolutely. For instance, my rifle soldier is killed by an enemy’s archer; the only reason is I do not let my rifle soldiers have a rest.
5. The option is quite simple. Even I could not group my soldiers. That indicates if I thirty for ruining my enemy, I have to press orientation buttons dozens of times for control my troops.



Gameplay
Dot quite a few simple options which are for assisting you to set this game you adapt and then you can start a game you favored. Those options are menu-style, such as which civilization you want to pick, which monarch you like, what is the size of this map; soon you will click OK and create bran-new your own world where you would struggle for surviving and fight to your strong enemies. At the first stage, you only have one setter; this unit would help you build your first city. And the location for this city is quite important. Obviously, the world in this game simulates the reality. You can image that if you sat a city in desert, what would be going on? You murder this city. In this game your position is the greatest ruler of that civilization you chose. So, if you dream to build a prosperous empire, the location of your first city is extremely essential. The ideal environment is that the player should establish first city in flatland nearly river and surrounded by tons of resource. For long-term goal, first city should be constructed nearly by sea. With the expanding of your country, you need more land distinctly. But surface transport is much slower than marine traffic. If you hope your size of realm is larger than you enemies, you should be quick. When you choose a cool location for your first city and press B to establish it, amazing adventure is begin now.

There are three main tasks during playing game internal affairs, military and diplomacy. Double click to open your city; a lot of data would be showed and you are able to manage your domestic events. For example, to make people happy, the throne would build a temple or invest more money on luxury items. That would please your people and make your nation clam. At this situation, you would continue your domination. If you irritate your folks, they would stop produce anything, it would result of this country backward, and even they would betray you. So a wise lord would respect them.

To the next portion, producing some military units for defense is common sense at initial phase of this city. Because maintain army is costly, the sum of it at developing period should not be large. When this nation wants to enlarge its size, more troops are needed. That implies war comes.

Besides, diplomacy is significant evidently. Honestly specking during developing stage avoid fighting with other countries is supreme golden rule until enemy invade. Then through internal channel, heaps of troubles would be solved; nevertheless, got something, lose several others. One factor I would mention is all the treaties is unfair. Bear those and keep developing is the only path to success.

Furthermore, some features are interesting. This game is features entirely new concepts such as group military unit legion. Legion has higher attack and defense value than others, but it cost more money and time absolutely. Firepower and hit point is another one. But I found something ridiculous. For instance, once my rifle solider is killed by archer. In this game, many units’ abilities and strengths are changed, but I still could not understand why archaic solider are able to beat modern solider. The AI in this game is improved. For instance, engineer and setter would improve the surrounding areas automatically, but not longer ignore enemy distinct of control. One cool element in this game is entitled you to consult High Council for advice. It is a good path to make a decision. They would help organize internal affairs and diplomacy. That is quite convenient, but the final decision should be decided by you.

Nobody want to lose, so how to win. There are two solutions. Conquer every other civilization is simple way. Another challenging mode is makes spaceship and reaches Alpha Centauri before others. This game would end in 2020; if the time comes to 2020 and spaceship is not arrived Alpha Centauri the game would still end simply with the scores. Any civilization’s scores is higher than others’, it would win. In addition, even the time is 2020, every other civilization is conquered or spaceship reaches Alpha Centauri, the player can continue playing without marks, expect got further technologies.

How to acquire higher scores than others’? In short, be sensible. In this game a fantastic item is the comprehensive scoring system used to measure scores at the end of each game. The major part of marks comes from population. Each happy citizen contributes two points; each content individual bring 1 point; each unhappy folk worth zero. So if the population is large and maximum of them is happy you would obtain remarkable scores. What is more, each wonder add 20 points. Moreover, if spaceship arrived Alpha Centauri, also have points depended on how many persons still alive. Additionally, each peace turn gain 3 points (no war or conflict). Unfortunately, contamination is horrible; it decrease ten points per square. Eventually, a title would be accessed for player. A magnificent king would gain prominent reputation, reversely; a fool lord would obtain bad evaluation.

Influence
First thing first, for my part, clickable link and moveable windows are creative at the time. Although I have played CIVILIZATION 4, I still feel strongly that is fantastic. It is universally acknowledged that early computer game is hard to be play, especially controlling. When you play those games, you would find it is really hard to choose certain items, even you have to input some code to order them move. Clickable link lead player to control the roles in the game easily, just click your mouse, everything done and moveable windows change the watch manner. In former game, when you want to go to view other materials in the other level, you have to close current window and open the level you want to go. That is boring and redundant. Moveable window let player watch different data easily. Player just needs to move current window aside, then players would get what they want. Even it changes from a top-down view to an isometric representation is definitely convenient. In my view those are feat in game industry. Nowadays, those two factors become very common and popular.

Furthermore, the AI (artificial intelligence) is not bad. One thing I assume it is worthy to be commended is I called advice system. That allows players ask virtual high council. Although normally useless and insipid information would be popped up, that still make players feel cool.

In addition, there are two expansion packs; it inspires other producers to sell a game like this. They sell a game seems complete. If it sells well, they would release expansion pack.

Publish this game gain fame and fortune. As I known so far, this game has been salt around 3 million copies. In 2007 Civilization II was placed on IGN's (Imagine Games Network) 100 top video games of all time. All of those indicate that it is successful.

I could not deny that this game is longevity. Up to today, it is still some other same topic games’ original pattern. And this game has published next visions CIVILIZATION 3 and CIVILIZATION 4. And CIVILIZATION 5 would be released in near future I presume. I suppose it is a classical game.