Aspyr ships Civilization IV: Colonization for Macs
updated 05:40 pm EST, Thu January 14, 2010
Focuses Civ IV gameplay on Americas
Aspyr has released a Mac port of Civilization IV: Colonization, first developed for Windows by Firaxis. The game is based on the original Colonization from 1994, and on Civilization IV, in which players would normally attempt to guide a civilization to world domination through cultural, economic, technological or violent means. Colonization narrows the context to the Americas, with the ultimate player goal being nationhood.
The title also includes improved graphics, and a new tutorial. English, Spanish, French and Dutch factions are available, with new leaders present such as George Washington and Simon Bolivar. The Mac edition is currently available only as a $40 download from GameAgent; players must have at least Mac OS X 10.5.8, a 1.83GHz Core 2 Duo processor and a Radeon X1600 or GeForce 8600 video card. Civilization IV is not required.
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Jul 2009
What about sustainability? Why simply repeat atroc
Must we have more games about reenacting the inhumane past? What about promoting sustainability in a developing society? What about being able to choose to not use slavery for agriculture or industrial purposes? Why merely reiterate colonization or "violent means" or the historical atrocities that has gotten us where we are today?
How about allowing everybody to vote regardless of race, s**, or age (yes, even children), like the Iroquois did for centuries? (See "The Ambiguous Iroquois Empire: The Convenant Chain Confederation of Indian Tribes with English Colonies" — Francis Jennings)
What about doing things differently so we could experience different histories instead of the same inhumane and anti-Nature practices that have already been done? We know the results of that, and that is what we got today. Or at least bring into light the bits of history few know about. Do some research, guys and ladies.
I'm pretty sure everybody has some sort of dissatisfaction with the society they live in today. Certainly providing other options that have been a part of history, though not promoted to the same extent as other options that have made it into this short-sighted game series, would make for a much more interesting game. The ending doesn't have to be an ending, it doesn't have to be about domination, it could be about the continuous evolvement of society and the relationships with every other life-form we have on this planet that we can not escape.
The games are so linear, how about some cyclical approaches? Kind of like in Warcraft III when you had mines that would run out of gold and forests that would actually deplete. Once the resources were gone, they were gone. If you didn't succeed to reach the goal of the stage before running out of resources, then that was it, you lost. With Civilization, the timeline is longer, renewable resources could replenish themselves, if the species of plant or animal isn't made extinct. having to use a different variety of plant or animal for food or products would change the effect, e.g. if all you had left was balsa wood trees because you chopped down all the evergreens for a winter festival then buildings and products made out of wood would be very different. (For inspiration, see "The Difference Engine" by William Gibson and Bruce Sterling.)
I mean, come on, get creative already. History has been done "this" way already. How about alternatives? How about different "futures"?