The compilation pack is an odd marketing device. Aimed squarely at completists – people who simply must have every part of a beloved series – their success can be tough to gauge.<\/p>\n
I say this by way of the announcement of the new Civilization Chronicles<\/a><\/em> Box Set. All of the Sid Meier Civs, tech trees for each version, a DVD thing with Soren Johnson and friends, a board game…lots and lots of extra stuff<\/a>.<\/p>\n I am responsible for some of that extra stuff. I was offered a chance to contribute to a compilation pack for my favorite series of all time and couldn’t say no. With the generous assistance of Bruce Shelley, Brian Reynolds, Jeff Briggs, Soren Johnson and Sid Meier (of course) I was able to write a history of the franchise largely told through the eyes of those who made it. Most of the Johnson and Meier stuff is contained in an interview with the two. It’s really just me saying a few words and then them talking about Civ<\/em>. It was a lot of fun, and I appreciate that I was convenient enough to hire.<\/p>\n This small part I played is why there have been – as yet – no extensive comments on Civ IV Warlords<\/em> or CivCity: Rome<\/em>. It is also why I won’t be professionally reviewing any 2k Games products in the near future. I want to be clear to my readers that I was – for a brief and enjoyable moment – a contract employee of 2k. For the next few months, any comment I make on either of those games (or any to follow) will have a link to this disclosure.<\/p>\n