Hey guys, I was thinking about purchasing Civilization V for my new iMac but was just curious to see what other people think about it before buying it - I hear the multiplayer kind of sucks, but the game itself is phenomenal - Hows the replay value? If you guys have the game and like or dislike it please let me know why and if its worth the buy!
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Is Civilization V Worth Buying?
- Thread starter Jae Hokes
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McGiord
macrumors 601
Looking at the reviews in amazon it seems like too expensive:
http://www.amazon.com/Sid-Meiers-Ci...E/ref=sr_cr_hist_all?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1
The PC version is less expensive.
http://www.amazon.com/Sid-Meiers-Ci...E/ref=sr_cr_hist_all?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1
The PC version is less expensive.
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if you buy it on Steam you get both the Windows and Mac version... best way to go.
Yes Civ5 is a very good turn based strategy game. Multiplayer hasn't ever been fun to me in this type of game, especially since I like to play large maps that i play off on on over several months.
Civ5 currently my 2nd favorite TBS game, I think it is overall better than Civ4, but they are pretty close. My 1st favorite is Master of Orion 3 (pretty old), but 99.9% of people absolutely hate that game so I must be very weird 🙂
Yes Civ5 is a very good turn based strategy game. Multiplayer hasn't ever been fun to me in this type of game, especially since I like to play large maps that i play off on on over several months.
Civ5 currently my 2nd favorite TBS game, I think it is overall better than Civ4, but they are pretty close. My 1st favorite is Master of Orion 3 (pretty old), but 99.9% of people absolutely hate that game so I must be very weird 🙂
There has been a lot of criticism of the direction CiV has taken in relation to Civ IV. The last few patches have led to better performance and the game has become more balanced. I don't play multiplayer so I can't offer any advice on there. Not sure how well it plays in OSX as I game in Win7, but IIRC if you buy it through Steam you can download either version. Personally I'd say go for it but it's hard to say without knowing which games you play.
I see everyone talk about Steam but im really not sure what that is, could someone ellaborate on that a little more? Does that mean not to buy it off the mac app store? and what is SMAC?
Steam is a digital distribution platform, much like the Mac App Store, that started on PC back in 2004. Last May, they released Steam for Mac and have since been releasing many big titles for mac.
One of the biggest benefits of using Steam is that if a game supports both Mac and PC, you get both versions. So if you buy Civ 5, you will get both the PC and Mac versions for no extra charge. Whatever game you buy on Steam is linked to your account, and you can download your games as many times as you want, there's no limit. You can download Steam here: store.steampowered.com
SMAC = Sid Meyers Alpha Centauri
Thanks alot for your help i had no idea about that website - so basically Steam turns PC games into games you could play on your Mac? This exactly the type of site i was looking for, do i have to pay a yearly fee to be a member? And do you suggest buying all games off steam instead of mac app store?
Any game you purchase that is Mac and PC compatible, works on Mac and PC. However, if it only works on a PC, it will only work on a PC. But you can always run the game through Bootcamp, Parallels, VMware, etc.
Nope, the only thing you have to pay for is the games themselves.
If you have a choice, I'd say yes. (At least if it is cheaper) But you won't have that option with all games.
Also, if the game is available for Mac and PC, with Steam, you get both, with the Mac App Store, you get 1.
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iBookG4user
macrumors 604
Does Civilization V still crash as much as it did when it first came out? I was considering it but I read reviews that said it crashed a lot on the Mac.
Do you need Windows installed on your Mac to have Steam downloaded on your Mac? Is it a requirement to have both, i read the requirements and both are listed but it doesnt say OR they are just both their
Erasmus
macrumors 68030
You only need one operating system. There is a Windows version of Steam, and there is a Mac version of Steam. You use each to download the games that work on that operating system. You can use the Mac version of Steam to buy Windows only games, but you cannot download them and/or play them until you install Windows and Windows Steam. So if you're not going to install Windows, double check what you're buying works on Mac. Also, download sizes aren't listed until you actually buy, so if you have a small download limit, some google searching will sometimes tell you how big the games are before you buy.
edddeduck
macrumors 68020
A few things about Steam to remember, always check if the game you are buying includes the Mac version on the Game page before you hit buy.
Many Mac versions of games are available on other stores but not on Steam so it is always a good idea to check as you don't want to buy a game on Steam only to realise it is PC only as Steam don't sell the Mac version.
A list of places you can buy downloadable copies of Mac games apart from Steam or Mac AppStore include:
Direct2Drive
AmazonDigital
MacGameStore
GamersGate
GameAgent
Sometimes you can find a special deal or a cheaper deal if you hunt around.
Edwin
Does anyone know what the add ons to the civilization games are? Like i see the actualgames and then i see something like Civ 5 bundle pack what are those?
The add-ons for Civilization V are mostly combo packs of a Civilization and a related scenario. However, the Cradle of Civilization and Explorer's Map pack are additional maps for single player games.
DocNo
macrumors regular
What crashing? Civ5 has always played just fine on my Mac Pro, if not slower than on Windows.
And to me that's the biggest advantage of Steam. I pre-ordered Civ5 on Steam, enjoyed it through Boot Camp on Windows. A little after the Mac version shipped, it appeared on Steam for the Mac as well! On Steam you get both the Mac and PC versions for the same price - unless the other stores have changed recently, Steam is unique in that respect. And whatever games you buy from them are available forever. I bought HalfLife2 in 2004 on Steam, and hadn't used Steam for years. When the Mac client came out I installed it, dug up my old Steam logon and lo and behold, the Mac versions of HalfLife2 were there waiting for me to install.
Steam has been doing the Mac App Store concept for almost a decade now. I always look there first, even if games are a little cheaper elsewhere. The convenience and never having to worry about finding media or files or serial numbers to re-install is well worth it for me. And if you wait six months to a year after a games release, they are often on sale - older games are often 75% off. And on major holidays they often have major sales on publisher bundles. It just depends on what you are looking for.
As for Civ5 on the Mac, it's still much slower than the Windows version 🙁 I still find myself booting into Windows to play. If you never launch the windows version and stick with the default video settings it provides, it will run fine nd you will be happy. I made the mistake of launching it in Windows and then setting the max resolution and all the settings on high - I have a Dell 30" monitor at 2500x1900 with a flashed 1GB GTX 470 and it's smooth as butter - so tantalizing I've lost a few nights of sleep recently 🙂
In Mac OSX, it's basically unplayable as you progress in the game. Sigh - Apple really needs to work on their graphics drivers and the variety of cards supported 🙁 I'm so glad I pre-ordered Windows 7 for $50 when they initially offered it just to play games.
Huntn
macrumors Penryn
As a basic rule, I prefer to own the game with the install DVD in my hands so there is some possibility of game resale. Steam is handy, can save you money, can allow you to play older games that you might not be able to find (I'm thinking Vampire:The Masquerade or KOTOR), but when you purchase through Steam or purchase any game from Valve it is registered to you by way of Steam and no resales are allowed. This specifically applies to PC/Mac Steam. Xbox titles are exempt and may be resold regardless if they are published by Valve or available on Steam.
deadwulfe
macrumors 6502a
This is exactly why I buy games through Steam. I don't bother trying to resell games and I don't like having to have switch discs out of my computer to play a different game, so having a physical disc to keep track of is more of a nuisance than a benefit.
DocNo
macrumors regular
Civ5 is the first game in a long time I paid retail for - only because I pre-ordered it. The vast majority of the games I have bought on Steam were on sale for as much or less than the average "used" game went for.
If you churn through the latest releases and rely on selling 'em once you have burned through them, then yes - Steam probably isn't that appealing. But for myself, the benefits far outweigh the inability to resell. Something I never do anyway...
I bought Civ 5 its pretty amazing! A little confusing due to it being my first civ game but im enjoying it...Im thinking about buy starcraft 2 too!
Steam is fantastic. You create an account on Steam, which you will constantly use from then on. You can purchase games off the Steam store, and you can download and install the game as many times as you want, on as many computers as you want. If it supports Steam Play, you can install it on both Windows and/or Mac, for free. They also have killer sales on a regular basis.
The only disadvantage with Steam is the requirement to be connected to the Internet. You can use Offline mode, but it still requires you to link it up to the Internet to turn Offline mode on.
I highly recommend VALVe's games in the future (Team Fortress 2, Portal, Half-Life 2).
The only disadvantage with Steam is the requirement to be connected to the Internet. You can use Offline mode, but it still requires you to link it up to the Internet to turn Offline mode on.
I highly recommend VALVe's games in the future (Team Fortress 2, Portal, Half-Life 2).
deadwulfe
macrumors 6502a
I was out of internet a couple of weeks ago and Steam on Mac OSX let me go straight into offline mode without an internet connection. However, you are correct on the Windows side (needing to go Offline while connected to the internet).
I was never a computer gamer- always a xbox 360 gamer, but ive been playing civ 5 constantly and also am really considering starcraft2 or portal- steam is pretty serious but when u buy the games are they downloaded to your hard drive or to your steam account?
