Announce - ELITE modpack

ELITE modpack - currently at alpha .5 version

Added Units
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Improved Tank
16/10/2 10 Motorized Transportation Oil, Rubber
A slightly modified version of the original tank, can blitz
Bronze Swordsman
2/2/1 3 Bronze Working
Reflecting armies of the bronze age, a good overall unit that allows non-iron Civs to compete
Mobile Infantry
10/15/2 13 Computers
A weaker, more expensive version of mechinf that allows resource poor Civs to compete
Gun Carriage
0(6)/2/1 5 Metallurgy
The earliest cannon, a simpler gun affixed to wheels, allows resource poor Civs to compete, no capture
Knight Templar
5/4/2 7 Chivalry Horses
An upgraded knight of status, horses are heavy war horses with power and stamina, quality on attack or defense
Heavy Infantry
10/10/1 9 Replaceable Parts Rubber
Renamed and repowered original Infantry, power befitting their real selves
Main Battle Tank
21/14/3 14 Synthetic Fibers
A potent tank, uses latest doctrince and material, but not as advanced as those with resources, has blitz
Corvette
10(4/1/4)/8/7 10 Mass Production
A swift craft, capable of patrol and light interdiction, can be potent in numbers and in ASW defense
Crusader
4/3/1 5 Theology Iron
A dedicated, heavily armed and armored warrior, with the best steel from the best iron
Dragoons
7/4/2 8 Military Tradition
Well trained gunmen and horsemen, but without the resources used to fashion the slightly better cavalry, no ZOC
Biplane
2(3/0/2)/2/4 6 Combustion
The first planes, useful at recon and some light raiding, the dawn of aerial warfare
Ship of the Line
4(4/1/3)/4/4 7 Navigation Iron, Saltpeter
The largest of the cannoned warships, reinforced and made of the heaviest woods and metals
Machabee
2/3/1 3 Iron Working Iron
The UU of the Hebrews, a fine defensive unit
Saracen
3/3/3 6 Feudalism Horses
The UU of the Moors, fine horses give this unit excellent all around utility


Changed Units
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Tank
13/8/2 11
The earliest tanks, with light armor and small cannon, not as strong as those of resource rich Civs
Iron Swordsman (renamed Swordsman unit)
3/2/1 3
Same unit with new animation, iron gives an advantage with a better attack than bronze swordsman
Chariot
3/1/1 3 Horses
The first fast attack craft, with well bred horses and with an improved punch befitting their prowess
Horseman
Now upgrades to Chariot
Pikeman
Now upgrades to Legionary
Longbowman
4(2/0/1)/1/1 4
This bowman gains a zero bombard, to reflect his ability to damage opponents crossing terrain to attack his position
Musketeer
4(2/0/1)/4/1 6
The musketman now has a reasonable combat strength, and a zero bombard to reflect ranged defense
Knight
4/3/2 7
The knight is a soldier on a standard steed, no special horse resource required
Rifleman
6(3/0/2)/6/1
The rifleman has quality attack and defend, as well as zero bombard to reflect ranged defense
Cavalry
8/5/3 8 Horses, Saltpeter
Cavalry ride the best horses, and have rapid-fire weapons for dismounted attack and defense
Infantry
8/8/1 9
Infantry are the backbone of service, but without resources aren't as effective as Heavy Infantry and lose ZOC
Mechanized Infantry
12/18/2 11
Cruise Missile
(16/4/6)/0/1 6 Aluminum
A cruise missile that now has some range to cruise, also can be carried by subs and AEGIS systems
Frigate
3(3/1/3)/3/4 6
A well built craft with decent guns, balanced on defense or offense, and with a better gameplay range
Ironclad
5(4/1/4)/5/5 8 Iron, Coal
A solid improvement over older wooden ships, it's steam powerplant giving solid speed
Transport
1/3/5 10
A reduced defense the reflects the real weakness of commercial shipping, no resource required
Carrier
1/8/5 18 Oil
The carrier gets a speed upgrade to reflect their real speed, and now carries 6 units for improved utility
Submarine
8(4/0/2)/4/4 10 Oil
The submarine gets a slight speed increase as well as increased combat values, as well as zero bombard for standoff
Destroyer
12(6/1/4)/10/6 12 Oil
New combat values and speed to put this ship in line with other ships - she gets ZOC as well as detect invisible
Battleship
18(10/2/4)/16/5 20 Oil
Increased defensive potency and bombardment to give this ship it's rightful rule of the seas
AEGIS Cruiser
14(6/2/4)/14/5 16 Aluminum, Uranium
Strong offense and defense show it's high-tech power, can carry a single cruise missile and has ZOC
Nuclear Submarine
10(6/0/2)/6/5 14 Uranium
Improved strength and speed, and can carries a single cruise missile as well, with zero bombard for standoff
Fighter
4(4/0/2)/4/5 8 Oil
Improved bombing to reflect their real ability, a boost in range, and a flag for offense or defense
Bomber
0(8/0/6)/3/6 10 Oil
Increase in defense to counter biplane
Jet Fighter
8(6/0/2)/6/6 10 Oil, Aluminum
Increased bombing effectiveness as well as a flag to use it
Stealth Fighter
6(8/0/4)/6/6 12 Oil, Aluminum
More combat prowess for the stealth fighter, including AA ability
Stealth Bomber
0(12/0/6)/3/8 24 Oil, Aluminum
A defensive rating so she doesn't go down without a fight
Legionary
Can upgrade to Crusader (due to change at Immortal)
Immortals
Can upgrade to Crusader
War Chariot
3/2/2 2 Horses
An increased defense as they use the finest horses and soldiers, can upgrade to Knights
Rider
Can upgrade to Knight Templar
Musketeer
5(2/0/1)/5/1 6 Saltpeter
A slight increase over the Musketman combat, with zero range bombard
War Elephant
6/4/2 7 Ivory
A fearsome unit, increased combat power but an inability to upgrade this unit
Cossack
8/6/3 8 Horses, Saltpeter
An outstanding unit, well armed and with outstanding steeds, they fight well defensively dismounted
Panzer
18/12/3 11 Oil, Rubber
Improved combat prowess for this already formidable unit, she's till vulnerable to the counter attack, slight bump in cost
Man-O-War
4(4/1/3)/3/4 6
Improved combat, can upgrade to ship of the line, she sails built of fine English oak and no resource requirement
Privateer
2(2/1/2)/2/4 6
The privateer, be she pinnace or sloop, sails with no resources and can bombard the coast to simulate commerce raiding
Cannon
0(8/1/2)/2/1 4 Iron, Saltpeter
No longer can be captured, can destroy weakened units with high powered canister shot (not grapeshot, that's a naval round)
Artillery
0(12/2/4)/3/1 8
No longer can be captured, can destroy land units
Radar Artillery
0(16/2/4)/4/2 12
No longer can be captured, can destroy land or sea units, 2 movement from being self-propelled and efficient firing



Added Resources
---------------
Timber
+0/2/1 Jungle, Forest
Hardwoods good for industry and commerce
Copper
+0/2/1 Desert, Tundra, Hills, Mountains
An important mineral for production and for lesser trade
Seals
+1/1/1 Tundra
Food, ivory and oil, and furs for trade
Fruit
+3/0/1 Forest, Jungle
Fruit groves yield a bounty of fruit and can be valuable in trade
Clay
+0/2/2 Coast, Flood Plain
Land close to water yield clay, valuable for industry and trade alike
Pearls
+0/0/3 Coast
Pearls from oyster beds fetch a precious price in trade
Corn
+2/1/1 Plains Agriculture
A tremendous food, also good for byproducts for industry and for trading as a valuable whiskey mash
Oasis
+2/0/1 Desert, Flood Plains
A spring invites fresh growth in the desert, or an amazing bounty on the flood plain, plus draws travelers to a refreshing spot
Cotton
+0/2/2 Plains Industrial Farming
An important crop, yielding both for industrial textiles and cloth for trading
Silver
+0/1/3 Hills, Mountains
With industrial use and trade, silver is a precious commodity
Tobacco
+0/0/3 Grassland Industrial Farming
The trade value is extreme on tobacco, demanded in all lands
Coffee
+1/0/2 Hills
Coffee is a source of caffeine and energy as well as valued as a trade commodity, found only on temperate hills
Sheep
+1/1/1 Mountains, Hills, Grasslands, Plains, Desert
Sheep provide both food and wool for trade and industry, and varieties live in nearly every clime
Rice
+2/1/0 Flood plains
The bountiful crop grows only in marshed paddies, a terrific food staple with paper and other industrial uses
Potatoes
+3/0/0 Plains Agriculture
Potatoes provide enormous energy as well as nutrition help fight off scurvy
Olives
+1/1/1
Olives are a source of food, as well as an important oil for industry and trade

Changed Resources
-----------------

Changed Terrain
---------------
Forest
0/1/1
Adding the mining bonus back means the insane deforestation in the game should cease - plus makes better sense

Added Technologies
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Agriculture
Ancient Times Horseback Riding, Iron Working Corn, Potatoes
The horse and iron plow allowed for deep crop rotation and growth of high volume and value crops
Early Flight
Industrial Ages Combustion Biplane
The first planes used smaller engines, lesser fuels, and need lots of wing
Irrigation
Middle Ages Engineering Enables irrigation without fresh water
Using canal and aqueduct, as well as natural springs, allows for better timing of irrigation in game
Industrial Farming
Middle Ages Irrigation, Economics Tobacco, Cotton
The concept of farm economics makes 'cash crops' inviting for growing instead of the usual foodstuffs


Changed Technologies
--------------------
Combustion
Industrial Ages Scientific Method, Electricity Biplane
Combustion spawns the search for refining for better, higher quality fuels for improved power
Refining
Industrial Ages Combustion Destroyer, Transport
As fuels improve, units with greater power emerge, with faster, stronger engines
Writing
No longer allows communications trading
Electricty
Allows communications trading with the advent of the telegraph and instant long distance communication
Theology
Allows Crusader unit
Feudalism
Allows Saracen unit
Iron Working
Allows Machabee unit
Bronze Working
Allows resource Copper to be seen
Pottery
Allows resource Clay to be seen
Free Artistry
Middle Ages Printing Press, Music Theory
Shakespeare's Theater had Democracy as a pre-requisite? Anyone bother checking Shakespearean England for a democracy?


Added Civilizations
-------------------
Hebrews
Religious, Industrious Machabee Ceremonial Burial, Bronze Working King David
Religious (duh), industrious indeed, scratching out a living in the Negev isn't easy...
Moors
Religious, Expansionist Saracen Pottery, Bronze Working Caliph Abd Al-Rahman
Religious (duh again), expansionist, they expanded until stopped by their own limits and Christian resistance in Europe


Added Governments
-----------------

Changed Governments
-------------------

Republic
Has the ability to use a single unit as military police, as the Garrison of Rome did, 3% assimilation rate
Democracy
War weariness is low as in Republic, to reflect something rational

Added Improvements
------------------

Changed Improvements
--------------------
Barracks
Now reduces corruption as the barracks and palace guard are ready to control crime
Walls
Now reduces corruption keeping raiders and thieves at bay and with a harder entry and exit to the city
Solar Plant
Now reduces pollution with a -1 pollution modifier (tests pending) to be a useful improvement


Changed Worker Jobs
-------------------
Build Road
4 turns
Rome wasn't built in a day, but the roads didn't take six turns either


Changed World Sizes
-------------------
All Sizes
Optimal Cities Numbers all doubled
Helps tame corruption which clearly was never playtested by anyone with a large Civ...

Changed Combat Experience
-------------------------
Hit points
All doubled
Rate of Fire
All doubled


Changed Difficulty Levels
-------------------------

Chieftain
AI - 100 Corruption - 30
Warlord
AI - 105 Corruption - 40
Regent
AI - 110 Corruption - 50
Monarch
AI - 115 Corruption - 60 Units 1/0/0/0
Emperor
AI - 120 Corruption - 70 Units 2/1/0/1
Deity
AI - 125 Corruption - 80 Units 4/2/1/2 Transition - 3




General Settings Changes
------------------------

Possible upcoming changes
-------------------------

May add heavy self-propelled assault gun like Stug or ISU or US Close support tank with good bombard and decent attack/defend
May add (want to) combat engineer unit with decent combat and reduced worker abilties for front line combat building
May add light infantry unit with treat all as roads flag and 7/7/1 stats
May add early dreadnaught unit
May switch cavalry and dragoons unit graphics
May change tobacco and coffee to luxury resources
May make timber a strategic resource and requirement for Ship of the Line or Man O War
May remove saltpeter as strategic resource (because it sucks)
May add Theocracy as a government
May add production bonus to solar plant, or create Fusion Plant unit with production bonus and remove Nuke Plant bonus



Continued on next post...

Modpack doctrine and goals
--------------------------

Simple - to provide greater enjoyment by increasing the richness of options in the game, adding where things lacked, fixing what was broken, and creating a more varied, and in the end, challenging game to play.

Foremost has been to make strategic resources something that gives a slight advantage, rather than an overwhelming advantage. Most units have slightly less powerful counterparts that don't require resources. Early testing shows success - civs without oil can still produce slightly weaker early tanks, and remain competitive, allowing them to challenge for those resources or hold out until they can make them available/become available.

Adding variety and fixing some of the naval warfare has been a goal. Increased speed should make the navy more critical and useful during warfare.

Science has been tweaked slightly to accomodate additional units and resources, as well as slow the tech progression so you have several turns to enjoy the units and technologies before they become so quickly obsolete.

Resources have been added to give a real world flavor to the game. Each city can take advantage of something different - some will have a nice balance, some will produce grand amounts of food, other will be production powerhouses.

Forests have been revalued to avoid the incomprehesible tendency of the game to deforest the entire planet. While in no way a conservationist or environmentalist, chopping the world to the ground so you can strip mine grassland is farcical. The retention of forest really helps the map and world feel more tangible and real.

Corruption has been further tackled, rewarding those who build a complete city by reducing corruption along the way and allowing even far away cities to be productive when the investment is made in those buildings to reduce it.

Combat has been addressed, not only in the aforementioned strategic resources department, but additionally, combat values and abilities reflect a greater level of realism and gameplay balance. Gunpowder artillery can no longer be captured, and has a weak defense to represent the firepower of artillery troops (who are at times suprisingly well armed). As artillery is very specialized, captured equipment would be of limited use, and as the game allows it to be used multiple times in a turn (bombard on CivA turn, capture and bombard on CivB turn), it is best if simply disallowed. Lethal bombardment has been allowed where appropriate, and early testing indicates it is a success - weakened units can be destroyed, but artillery still is most effective supporting troops, not attacking on it's own.

Any suggestions are welcomed.

The goal of this patch is not to overwhelm you with new units, techs, resources, and improvements, but rather add variety and tweaking that require limited work on your part to enjoy out of the box. If you have to look at the manual more than a few times, this patch has failed. Rather than learn a whole new tech tree and what two dozen new buildings do (note there are no added buildings), you should be able to intuitively figure out this modpack on the fly. Though the changes detailed above look like alot, most are tiny changes that are simply detailed so you know what has been done. You likely would not have noticed half of the changes.

Why Elite? Because this modpack is designed to be best of class. When finished, it should be polished and transparent. Only best of class unit graphics and sounds are to be used, all civilopedia icons to be clear and sharp, all will have entries and look as if they were integrated into the game when it was released. Any hole found will be plugged immediately. It should install with ease, and be playable without preparation.

Release Level
-------------

This modpack (and this document for that matter) is in Alpha release .5 - the first release of any information about the modpack. The next alpha release will be playtestable by anyone willing to take the time to try it. At beta release, I expect only bugs and the occassional piece to be missing. At 1.0 release, it should be flawless (in the eyes of the beholder that is...).

Right now, expect major holes but not outright crashes.

Release has no set schedule.

Participation
-------------

Anyone and everyone who has a suggestion, please give it. No promises made, but I will listen to all suggestions, examine all units, and take in all counsel. Anyone who is good with graphics or thinks they can make a positive material change, PLEASE let me know, be it a new graphic for a StUG unit or a

Civilopedia entry for Corn. All will be taken with pride.

Credits
-------

I am the beneficiary of your good work. Countless hours spent by myself and others has been incorporated in this modpack. If you see something of yours, and would like your name added to this section, let me know who and what and consider it done. I intend to take no credit for anything other than recognizing the genius of the work of others and assembling it into a finished product...

Redistribution/modification
---------------------------

Feel free to modify this modpack on your machine - however, I'd prefer it not be modified and redistributed. Any changes should be 'mods' to this modpack, not integrated and distributed with it. This is not something enforceable, just something done on the honor system. Any good recommendations will likely be incorporated, any that don't make it, feel free to add on to your machine, or make as an add on to this modpack.



Any comments welcomed...

RESERVED FOR FUTURE USE

have any screen shots of the new units, and resources ingame?

You are free to add my governments from my Nine Governments Mod if you want.

I'll see if I can post a screenshot soon, the units are all ones taken from these boards - so you've seen them all before! It's mostly what I consider a smart integration as well as restructuring of the game...

Napoleon, one of my possible to do's is adding a theocracy to the game - I'd like to not overwhelm the game too much, but I think one added government may be appropriate. I did see you added theocracy, so I may use it as a template (or just outright steal it!). If I do, I may rework governments so they have more balances - ups with downs, rather than a simple progression. Attempting to steal from social engineering in SMAC a bit...

Venger

Okay, here you go...a screenshot of a quicky ingame setup.

On the map...resources...

Around Rome, fruit to the NW, rice paddies to the west along the river, copper to the west in the desert with an oasis nearby. To the north, cotton on the plains, corn to NE, timber to the SE, clay due south, and pearls to the east.

Around the Hebrew capital of Jerusalem, fruit trees to the north, clay to the west, olives on the hills to the south, silver in the mountains to the SW, tobacco in the grasslands of the NE, and potatoes to the east. To the far north are sheep, and to the far northeast are seals on the tundra.

Around the Moorish capital of Cordova, you have sheep to the NW, a fruit grove to the NE, cotton to the SE, and coffeee in the hills to the SE. To the NW you have gold in the hills as well as timber to the far NW. Directly north are pearls.

On the map...units...

Around Rome, you have a Bronze Swordsman in the fruit grove to the NW, his shield and helm clearly bronze, to the direct north a Crusader in the trees, and a Knight Templar to the due East.

Around Jerusalem, you have a Machabee fortifying in the city, and a Roman tank to the NW. A machabee stands guard to the north in the tundra, with a Roman Dragoon on station just NE of him. To the west, on the gold hills, a Moorish Saracen stands watch.

Around Cordova, a Saracen is fortified in the city, as another Saracen partrols to the SW. To the far SW, a roman Iron Swordsman stands on the coffee trove on the hills.

Of course, you'd never have such a bounty of resources nearby, it's just there to show you how it looks on the map...

Venger

What graphics do you use for the Ship of the Line?

Originally posted by Nahuixtelotzin
What graphics do you use for the Ship of the Line?

Click to expand...

Someone did an outstanding 'Iron Frigate' (smoking mirror most likely), and that's what I'm using...nobody would likely want to do a true 74 gun ship of the line... but this one will do quite nicely!

Venger

I like the layout and thought behind your mod Venger

Just a couple of questions:
Will you be making it impossible to build cities on Tundra and Desert terrain? It seems a pity to waste this new option in the editor, and it would stop both the AI and players from filling the whole map with cities.
And I especially like your idea of building mines in forests to discourage them from all being chopped down, but do you know if the AI will understand this?

Originally posted by Venger
Napoleon, one of my possible to do's is adding a theocracy to the game - I'd like to not overwhelm the game too much, but I think one added government may be appropriate. I did see you added theocracy, so I may use it as a template (or just outright steal it!). If I do, I may rework governments so they have more balances - ups with downs, rather than a simple progression. Attempting to steal from social engineering in SMAC a bit...

Venger

Click to expand...

You can steal it if you want, just list me in the credits whenever you make the credits.

And good luck stealing from SMAC, Civ3 Edit doesn't have a lot of flexibility with governments...it is actually kinda hard to make them different.

Originally posted by Kryten
I like the layout and thought behind your mod Venger

Just a couple of questions:
Will you be making it impossible to build cities on Tundra and Desert terrain? It seems a pity to waste this new option in the editor, and it would stop both the AI and players from filling the whole map with cities.

Click to expand...

Problem with this is that there are numerous productive desert cities - and tundrad cities as well. What this patch does is give the desert new resources (copper, sheep (yes sheep, visit Nevada sometime), and oasis) as well as Tundra (copper, seals), making these areas more viable and productive. Additionally, the forest mining bonus makes tundra much more viable as well.

And I especially like your idea of building mines in forests to discourage them from all being chopped down, but do you know if the AI will understand this?

Click to expand...

My first full game with alpha .4 had alot of cities with loads of forest - almost too much one might say! But it was great. I think the AI computes the effect of X action on a square, and then chooses. With the forest bonus, it looks like it knows to leave forest alone. Though it will still chop down jungle with a vengeance, but so does everyone in real life...

Venger

Originally posted by Napoleon Hitler
You can steal it if you want, just list me in the credits whenever you make the credits.

And good luck stealing from SMAC, Civ3 Edit doesn't have a lot of flexibility with governments...it is actually kinda hard to make them different.

Click to expand...

Yes, sorta sucks. Social Engineering, while limited and somewhat myopic in SMAC, was a solid evolutionary advance from Civ2, but abandoned and totally regressed in Civ3. Ah well. Maybe in PTW... but likely not.

Venger
P.S. If I lift Theocracy wholesale, I'll slip your name in...

Originally posted by Kryten

And I especially like your idea of building mines in forests to discourage them from all being chopped down, but do you know if the AI will understand this?

Click to expand...

No it doesn't, I tried it. The AI will still keep chopping them down.

PS It has been quite awhile since I tried it, so maybe things have changed since then. I doubt it though.

When I invaded the Southern half of my continent, it was heavily forested. Not alot of terraforming. Let me check a save game...

Okay, here is the Southern half of my original continent - I took this a while ago, but the cities were all large and well established. Other areas too show zero deforestation. I have to think this has been finally solved...

Venger

Originally posted by Venger
When I invaded the Southern half of my continent, it was heavily forested. Not alot of terraforming. Let me check a save game...

Okay, here is the Southern half of my original continent - I took this a while ago, but the cities were all large and well established. Other areas too show zero deforestation. I have to think this has been finally solved...

Venger

Click to expand...

Yes it looks like it has. I guess I'll have to go back and give my Forests a mining bonus. Good! Now if we could just do something about those ugly railroads all over the place.

Yes, it's a joke. Railroad and road should be for transport and connection ONLY, not for tile bonuses. It'll only take 4 Civ games for them to figure it out...

Venger

i have a question. Why is clay in the water? i mean how are you gonna get it?

Originally posted by Civanator
i have a question. Why is clay in the water? i mean how are you gonna get it?

Click to expand...

Obviously he's not using that icon for Clay!

Actually, it is clay, but I think it should be found in plains and grassland as well as the coasts. And I'm not sure if they should be in coast or not.