For me Civ 2 was peak Civilopedia, and Alpha Centauri was peak content-accompanying-discoveries (with the addition of quotes), but when that style got fed back into Civ 3 it lost something in translation.

I literally did not study for history from grades 6-10 because I had learned 80% of the content by reading Civilopedia entries during gameplay. It's been a huge inspiration later in life as I've thought about educational gaming -- both as a classroom teacher and now as a technologist.

PS - I still quote CEO Nwabudike Morgan and Chairman Sheng-ji Yang on a monthly basis in adult life

> The main negative point of the newer versions is how slow turns get toward the end on large maps with lots of civilizations.

That's not exactly new; it's just if you're playing Civ I or II today, turn processing takes maybe a hundredth of the time it did at the time of release.

Perhaps, but I never played Civ II with less than the largest map and fewer than the most opponents available (even on my LC 575.) Whereas I usually set up games with just one or two opponents most of the time (starting from IV) to keep from getting bogged down in the endgame. (Maybe I just didn't care as much?)

I'm willing to bet you just didn't care as much or just expected it. I played the hell out of Civ II and distinctly remember having to wait for turns to complete as the game progressed.

Eh... I just tried to play a game of Civ VI: Rise and Fall on my Mac and it was bogged down in the BC era with like 2-3 minutes of sitting around between turns.

I need a new computer :D Or maybe just play Civ IV instead.