GeoModder plans on going back through his multiple versions and finding the best starting loaction for us, but if anyone else has suggestions then please speak up.

Sadly I have only the last two versions and I know that 0.23A isn't as good as prior versions for whatever reasons.

And if people feel we should start from scratch that's fine too. I would like to keep matthewv's terrain and resources, some of Belizan's python code, and some other odds-n-ends from the original mod though.

Keeping the terrain: of course!
Keeping most of the resources: obviously!

What are the python -and other odds-n-ends you like to keep?

After sleeping on it I don't know that we need to keep any python if we don't want to. We can keep this really simple so we finish it. ;)

I was going to start another thread for this, but I'll ask all of my questions here:

Do we start with real civs or do the corporation idea?
Do we use He3 as a reason to be on the moon or simple survival?
Is there contact with Earth?
What is the backstory for being on the moon?
Do we need starter civics?

Anyone else have questions that need to be answered?

After sleeping on it I don't know that we need to keep any python if we don't want to. We can keep this really simple so we finish it. ;)

I was going to start another thread for this, but I'll ask all of my questions here:
Do we start with real civs or do the corporation idea?

the corporation as civ design made the mod unique so I would vote to keep it.

however the current SotM version displays neither static or dynamic leaderheads.

I strongly suggest the first new revision of the mod needs to have at least static leaderheads since this will encourage alot of people to start playing the mod again.

without leaderheads I never could keep track of which civ was which.


Do we use He3 as a reason to be on the moon or simple survival?I never saw a backstory in the mod that He3 was the reason the corporations came.

I am not sure how a mod indicates back story - in the civilopedia?

if backstory is important there needs to be a way of pausing the normal Civ 4 startup procedure and displaying a text screen that gives this backstory.


Is there contact with Earth?presumably not since new civs from Earth do not arrive as the game progresses.

a better question, "is there going to be contact with ALIENS?" this is afterall an sf mod.

the aliens currently are only used as the silent entities who left behind debris that functions in the game as goody huts on moon based maps.

the aliens could be

1) new civs that arise as the game progresses (ie relabelled barbarian civs)

2) those who founded the sects that serve as religions. the current mod does not use religion.

3) the key to one of the victory conditions. for example, to build structures and tech as a substitute for the meaningless space race race to Alpha Centauri that the mod never disabled.


Do we need starter civics?there needs to be a serious discussion of modifying the genetic screening civic so that it has some downside. most of the other "special" civics have a huge downside if you adopt them for too long.

I exactly enjoyed playing with the gs civic so I am not suggesting to trash it. at the very least it should make the civ that adopts it xenophobic.

the corporation as civ design made the mod unique so I would vote to keep it.

however the current SotM version displays neither static or dynamic leaderheads.

I strongly suggest the first new revision of the mod needs to have at least static leaderheads since this will encourage alot of people to start playing the mod again.

without leaderheads I never could keep track of which civ was which.

I feel the same way. Someone mentioned that frenchman has sci-fi type static LHs in his library. Maybe we can borrow some or ask him to make more. I'd rather not go the civ route and stereo type civs on how they'd treat the Moon.

I never saw a backstory in the mod that He3 was the reason the corporations came.

I am not sure how a mod indicates back story - in the civilopedia?

if backstory is important there needs to be a way of pausing the normal Civ 4 startup procedure and displaying a text screen that gives this backstory.

Yeah, we didn't include much backstory except in the forums. Also, this was before anyone knew how to do pop-ups and such.

Basically the reason anyone went to the Moon was to send back He-3 to help avert an energy crisis. The concept was that before contact with Earth was lost the He-3 was being "traded" for food with Earth.

I'd rather come up with another reason that corporations or private industry set up on the Moon I think. Research, economy, and military reasons all sound good. Maybe religious as well.

presumably not since new civs from Earth do not arrive as the game progresses.

We need a way to explain that there just happens to be 10-14 groups of people all leaving Earth right before a cataclysm occurs.

a better question, "is there going to be contact with ALIENS?" this is afterall an sf mod.

the aliens currently are only used as the silent entities who left behind debris that functions in the game as goody huts on moon based maps.

the aliens could be

1) new civs that arise as the game progresses (ie relabelled barbarian civs)

2) those who founded the sects that serve as religions. the current mod does not use religion.

3) the key to one of the victory conditions. for example, to build structures and tech as a substitute for the meaningless space race race to Alpha Centauri that the mod never disabled.

Originally I wanted alien bacteria, artifacts, ect. I don't know where I stand now, but I have an open mind about it as long as it isn't hokey.

there needs to be a serious discussion of modifying the genetic screening civic so that it has some downside. most of the other "special" civics have a huge downside if you adopt them for too long.

I exactly enjoyed playing with the gs civic so I am not suggesting to trash it. at the very least it should make the civ that adopts it xenophobic.

Civics were never truly balanced. Do we need more, less, or an overhaul?

Is 0.23A the only version that is CivIV 1.61 compatible? Is that where we need to start? I have 0.20A on my work computer and really don't want to use this to tweak...

* Do we start with real civs or do the corporation idea?
* Do we use He3 as a reason to be on the moon or simple survival?
* Is there contact with Earth?
* What is the backstory for being on the moon?
* Do we need starter civics?

- I also like the corporation idea, but maybe once contact with earth breaks apart and the various businesses are own their own they develop into unique identities.

- Id say He3 was the reason to be on the moon but then research was found to be conducted easier with various things/freedom from certain laws and taxes that would be found on earth/... I'll add more to this later

- You stated that they eventually lost contact with earth... maybe start off with contact and then once it is lost everyone takes a hit to research and funding and all that until a new system can be devised to function

- I'll think about this one later

- Id say most of the civs start off with the same civics with a few minor differences offered because of different political/economic views back on earth i.e. Communist corporation coming from China and a free trade corporation founded in the US

Keep adding soibean. :) I'm not sure we've answered any of these questions completely yet.

Did a readup on Helium 3 extraction on the Moon.
It appears the most economic extraction of this isotope would most likely be a byproduct of regolith mining/processing, so there's no need for a specific He³ resource on the map. Simply a worked mine.

Backstory for being on the moon can be a number of things, depending on the civs present there: Astronomic research, resource gathering, military, physics research. These are the most likely candidates.

At the start of a game, contact with Earth is close to unavoidable. Can you imagine several nations having a refugee fleet with all necessary equipment in Earth's orbit just at the time a Holocaust happens? I can't.

Starter Civics... I think it might be best to have those, if only to represent the Terran background of the factions. But this would also mean we need a special column for these, and all the civs have to start with their specific special civic and shouldn't be able to get away from it until a certain trigger.

I think the current civs in the mod already represent a wide variety of Terran-based civilizations: ESA, NASA, ASA, private mining corporations,... those are the most likely candidates for an upstart lunar colony. They are the offshoots of their mother-civs back on Earth, so don't need change. IMO anyway. :)