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Hmm...it will clearly contain some or all of Blake's latest AI tweaks. I suspect that is why he has gone mostly silent at Civfanatics. Based on the massive amount of new content, we can probably expect this to be the only new "feature" with sufficient testing.
Darrell
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Well, it's finally been announced publically... I was expecting this months earlier, honestly. I had the chance to work on BTS, I've seen the full feature list, but I passed on the opportunity. I haven't been involved in work on this at all (although I'm pretty sure there are a couple of RB people who have been).
I'm reserving all judgement until a finished product is delivered. However, given the recent Firaxis track record, I'm rather dubious that we're going to get a well-balanced second expansion. Most signs point to a Civ3 Conquests-like "feature creep" (adding tons of new stuff without considering the effect), but we shall see.
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Babylon, Netherlands, Portugal, 1-2 native americans for the american public.
I know it is wishful thinking that Austria will get its own civilization although I remember the old poll on the firaxis website containing them.
Ah well, I can dream.:D
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There are only two things that are truly exciting to me in an expansion pack. One has been fulfilled by the preview, but the other is still unknown.
Having new official civilizations is always fun for me. I can't wait to read the full release on all the new civilizations and the new leaders. I'm always hoping for a Canadian civilization, but that is highly doubtful.
Balancing the game is something that I look forward to as well. Of course, balancing a game like CIV or any other game is highly complicated and takes a lot of work. I hope BTS will revitalise the game and for all the civ communities. 
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Hi,
Kodii Wrote:Balancing the game is something that I look forward to as well. Don't hold your breath...I hope I'm wrong, but like Sulla I suspect they focused on adding tons of new features instead of adding only a couple and then think about what side effects those might have, trying to balance them.
What I'm looking forward to is the inclusion of Blake's and Iustus' BetterAI mod into the official product (or so I hope!). I don't need even more leaders, wonders and units, and if any new features will be as unbalanced and untested like the Vassal system was in Warlords, I can do without those as well. An improved AI would be a reason for me to buy the expansion, though - although I hope it gets thoroughly tested and balanced (uh...the 'b'-word again...).
-Kylearan
There are two kinds of fools. One says, "This is old, and therefore good." And one says, "This is new, and therefore better." - John Brunner, The Shockwave Rider
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New features are not necessarily bad.
But I gotta admit the corporation idea sounds good(works like religion probably?), but I doubt it will work so well in the game. 
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Kodii Wrote:There are only two things that are truly exciting to me in an expansion pack. One has been fulfilled by the preview, but the other is still unknown. What was one of things that got fulfilled? And what is the unknown?
On League of Legends I am "BertrandDeHorn"
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Kylearan Wrote:Hi,
What I'm looking forward to is the inclusion of Blake's and Iustus' BetterAI mod into the official product (or so I hope!).
-Kylearan
Sorry if this is cynical, but why not just download and run the betterAI mod in 1.61?
Honestly, I don't see how a game like Civ can ever really recieve a good expansion. There are already plenty of units, wonders, civs, and leaders, so adding more doesn't make the game any better for me. On the other hand, all the graphics engine, music, artwork, and interface changes that make Civ4 different from Civ3 won't change in an expansion. So we're left with hopefull changes to game mechanics, which simply seems unlikely to be well integrated. Overall, I'll only buy to be able to keep up with games here and at Civfanatics.
@Sulla - I do wish you would have kept up involvement, even if Soren's absence makes things less enjoyable. It's very nice from our perspective to have an insider to expain things after the game launches, and frankly Blake and anyone else who may be involved doesn't tend to be nearly as open as you were with early converage of vanilla.
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sunrise089 Wrote:Honestly, I don't see how a game like Civ can ever really recieve a good expansion. There are already plenty of units, wonders, civs, and leaders, so adding more doesn't make the game any better for me. On the other hand, all the graphics engine, music, artwork, and interface changes that make Civ4 different from Civ3 won't change in an expansion. So we're left with hopefull changes to game mechanics, which simply seems unlikely to be well integrated. Overall, I'll only buy to be able to keep up with games here and at Civfanatics.
Honestly, I don't see how any expansion could make it worse. How many games are there still being played in the beloved vanilla version ? How many games are played all over ? I think it's quite astonishing how fast CivIV has lost the interest of most of the players. My hope was Warlords would revive the interest, but I was at fault. Beyond the Sword is a new, promising attempt - but after the experience made with Warlords I'm doubtful that it will rise more interest for CivIV again.
This is no general lack of the expansions - but one of the core game. I've enjoyed both Vanilla and Warlords, though I mostly play Warlords since it was released. I certainly will enjoy Beyond the Sword too. But just look around here and over at CFC - and tell me what you see. Thriving communities have another look.
Imhotep
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