Daniel FickAssignment 2: Game ReviewCIS 487Professor MaximBasic InformationGame Title: Civilization: Call to Power (Linux port)Company and Author: Loki Entertainment Software (originally Activision) Loki Entertainment Software has now closed.Type: Turn based strategyPrice: $49.95 (original suggested retail price) can only find used copies on amazon.comfor $3.99.ESRB Rating: E (everyone)Platform: PC (Linux)Minimum System Requirements:Linux Kernel Linux kernel 2.0.x or 2.2.x and glibc-2.x Processor Pentium 133 MHz, PowerPC 133MHz or Alpha ProcessorCD-ROM 4-speed CD-ROM drive RAM 32 MB required; 80 MB swap Sound OSS compatible sound card Hard disk Minimum 320 MB free disk space Video X Window System ; 16-bit color Misc Internet connection (for Internet play) ; Network card (for net play)Actual System Requirements:Linux Kernel Linux kernel 2.6 and glibc-2.x Processor Intel Celeron 2.4GhzCD-ROM 52x speed CD-ROM drive RAM 512 MB, 1028 MB swap Sound OSS compatible sound card Hard Disk 40 GB disk space Video X Window System ; 32-bit color Misc Internet connection; Network cardGame SummaryHistory:If you have played previous versions of Civilization then you will notice some very distinct differences between them and this version. this version was originally released by Activision, while the other versions were released by Microprose and Sid Meier. The release by Activision was so popular that the game was ported to Linux by Loki Entertainment Software. It is not a straight port of the game, Loki made improvements and made the keyboard shortcuts fall in line with *UNIX standards. Loki has since gone out of business, but you can see a complete list of the games they ported atwww.lokigames.com.Quick Overview:In Civilization: Call to Power (CCTP) you assume the role of "leader" of your civilization. You start at 4000BC with a band or two of settlers (just out of the hunting and gathering stage). You must build cities, research new technologies, goto war, make peace, and grow. Then have a couple options to choose from in order to win the game. You can become the first race to successfully clone an alien or conquer the world by crushing all those who oppose you. You have until the year 3000AD to accomplish one ofthese goals. Installation: The install is easy enough. You simply run install.sh and it brings up a gui install. You choose the location you would like to install the game to, rather you want to install just the game (320MB) or install the game with all the movies (540MB). Hit next and its installed. You then have the option to play the game with or without the CD, an option thewindows version does not allow due to security restrictions, using the option "-nocdrom".Graphical User Interface:The GUI for the game is smoother in my opinion than the previous versions of Civilization. For those used to the previous versions of Civilization, the GUI may take some getting used to, but i believe once you get used to it, you will find it to be the superior GUI. The GUI is point and click, as with all Civilization games. You may click where you would like your unit to move many turns in advanced, and the unit will choose the shortest possible route to get there. The unit will stop auto moving if he encounters any other units.The city interface is not a separate window as you may be used it, instead the city interface takes place at the bottom of your screen in your control panel. The control panelconsists of 6 tabs. The "CIV" tab allows you to set various setting for your overall civilization. Such as: How long a work day, wages, and rations a citizen in your civilization will have have; as well as set how much productivity you want to devote to science and public works (used to build tile improvements). The next five tabs effect the selected city only. The "MAX" tab will maximize a city for either: food, happiness,productivity, science, or gold. The "LABOR" tab will let you the best way to manage your workers in the selected city, instead of just using max. The "PRODUCTION" tab allows you to choose what is being produced in the city. The "CITY" tab which displays information and statistical data about your city. Finally the "UNIT" tab will show you which units are currently in the city.In the bottom left corner there in a map of the world, or rather the known world. In the bottom right there are 5 buttons, a button with a person on it will cycle you throughyour units, the button with the building on it will cycle through your cities, the end buttonwill end your current turn, the hammer button will bring up the public works panel, and the button with a galaxy on it is the space button and will bring your view above the atmosphere so you can move units and manage cities in space.Gameplay:Ok, you start with your settler unit. First things first, you must build a city somewhere, this first city will automatically have a capitol built in it. This is where it all begins. CCTP allows you to build three different types of cities, under water cities, spacecities, and, of course, cities on the land. But, at this first stage of the game you do not have the technology to build a city anywhere except on land.It is usually a good idea to have military units in your cities in case any ambitious other civilizations or barbarians wander by your city. What to build you might ask? Well you have a selection of 65 units to build. Next to each unit in the "PRODUCTION" tab, it lists the units assault strength, range strength, defense strength, and movement points toaid you in your decision. For a unit to guard your city you want a high defense strength. There are units with special abilities if you highlight a unit in the build list it will tell you want the special abilities are and how they effect the game. For example, there are units that can set up franchises in other civilization's stealing production from their cities, or you can use a slaver to capture slaves from a foreign city and put them to work in your own.You must choose something your scientist to research. Don't worry you have many research options in the research tree. The research system used in CCTP is more orless the same as in previous versions of civilization, but they have made modifications to the technologies.Once you have done the above you will want to build some city improvements foryour city, such as a granary which will let you store food and allow your city to grow. There are many different city
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