IMPORTANT: PLEASE VIEW THE SECOND POST.
Spoiler The Asari :
Hello everyone. Here is my first post and the first civ I plan on uploading, The Asari Republics, led by Liara T'Soni!
Trait: (All is One) Culture buildings provide +2 culture.
UU: Asari Commando. Replaces Paratrooper. 10 points stronger and moves 1 extra tile.
UB: Temple of Athame. Replaces Temple. +2 science in city.
Now this is my first time modding for Civ 5 but I've not taken up the challenge alone, I have another enthusiatic Civ and Mass Effect fan helping me, so this isn't a solo project. Our plan is to make all 13 of the main Mass Effect alien races, and hopefully Cerberus, the Collectors and possibly the Protheans too, giving us 16 civs to complete. We decided to start with the Asari first as they're one of the biggest and most iconic races, and because their planned trait (+50% Culture and 1 Extra Spy) seemed easy enough to start with.
Now over developement they changed. We hummed and hahed over who their leader should be. Councilor Tevos would be the most lore friendly choice, being the galactic representation of the Asari, but Liara is a squadmate and more well known and loved. In the end we settled on Liara when we realised that we're going to have to be a bit lenient on our future civs leaders anyway (the Hanar for example) and, even though she's only 106 and a bit more of a loner than a leader, we love her too much.
Another thing that changed somewhat is their trait, as I had difficulty making +50% culture, so I instead used a bit of a loophole to make all their culture buildings unique, but not flagged as being unique to anyone who doesn't look in the files, to produce 50% (rounded up) more culture. I know this may cause problems when capturing cities, and there may be a better way to implement this, but I'll get to that in a second. The spy on the other hand seemed easy enough to include.
EDIT:
So there's no more +50% culture, instead the released version will grant all culture buildings +2 culture, and the Temple of Athame only provides +2 science. Seems much better when it comes to balance.
Well there you go. I can now proudly say it's ready to be released. I did some quick testing andeverything seems to be fineno lead diplomatic screen, more extensive testing would be good but hey, if any problems flag I'm sure I'll be able to fix them quickly now.
Trait: (All is One) Culture buildings provide +2 culture.
UU: Asari Commando. Replaces Paratrooper. 10 points stronger and moves 1 extra tile.
UB: Temple of Athame. Replaces Temple. +2 science in city.
Now this is my first time modding for Civ 5 but I've not taken up the challenge alone, I have another enthusiatic Civ and Mass Effect fan helping me, so this isn't a solo project. Our plan is to make all 13 of the main Mass Effect alien races, and hopefully Cerberus, the Collectors and possibly the Protheans too, giving us 16 civs to complete. We decided to start with the Asari first as they're one of the biggest and most iconic races, and because their planned trait (+50% Culture and 1 Extra Spy) seemed easy enough to start with.
Now over developement they changed. We hummed and hahed over who their leader should be. Councilor Tevos would be the most lore friendly choice, being the galactic representation of the Asari, but Liara is a squadmate and more well known and loved. In the end we settled on Liara when we realised that we're going to have to be a bit lenient on our future civs leaders anyway (the Hanar for example) and, even though she's only 106 and a bit more of a loner than a leader, we love her too much.
EDIT:
So there's no more +50% culture, instead the released version will grant all culture buildings +2 culture, and the Temple of Athame only provides +2 science. Seems much better when it comes to balance.
Well there you go. I can now proudly say it's ready to be released. I did some quick testing and
Spoiler :
Spoiler The Geth :
Legion is a unique Geth mobile platform, designed to operate outside of Geth space and to interact with organics. To that purpose, it houses 1,183 geth programs, as opposed to the roughly one hundred found in other platforms, enabling it to operate independently and speak. Legion regards itself not as a single being, but as a gestalt entity which must achieve consensus to act.
Trait: (Servant of the People) Grants a 3% science boost for every city connected to the capital.
UU: Prime. Replaces Modern Armor. No defensive bonuses and moves 3 spaces instead of 5. Grants a combat bonus to nearby units.
UB: Quantum Processor. Replaces Research Lab. Grants +4 science and happiness and an extra 50% science in city. Costs 1 aluminum .
This is the second of our planned Mass Effect civs, the Geth. Legion and the Geth were complicated to implement due to their rather unique trait and the fact that they don't refer to themselves in the singular, instead they are a networked conciousness. Because of this I studied so much videos of Legion to discover how he speaks, and had to write all new dialogue to remove emotion and any mention of Legion referring to itself as "I", instead replacing it with "we" and other Geth related dialogue. Turns out there is a lot of dialogue in this game. A lot. And I spent hours writing text. I am so relieved it's over.
Anyway the Geth grow more intelligent when more of them network together. Though their trait, a 3% science boost for every city connected to the capital, really isn't that good. Oh they now have 5 cities connected and a 15% boost? That's alright I guess. Oh 30%..? That's.. Maybe we shouldn't let them network together. 60%?!? Wow.. That's quite, wow.. Maybe we shouldn't give the Geth a chance to self-determinate after all..
Trait: (Servant of the People) Grants a 3% science boost for every city connected to the capital.
UU: Prime. Replaces Modern Armor. No defensive bonuses and moves 3 spaces instead of 5. Grants a combat bonus to nearby units.
UB: Quantum Processor. Replaces Research Lab. Grants +4 science and happiness and an extra 50% science in city. Costs 1 aluminum .
This is the second of our planned Mass Effect civs, the Geth. Legion and the Geth were complicated to implement due to their rather unique trait and the fact that they don't refer to themselves in the singular, instead they are a networked conciousness. Because of this I studied so much videos of Legion to discover how he speaks, and had to write all new dialogue to remove emotion and any mention of Legion referring to itself as "I", instead replacing it with "we" and other Geth related dialogue. Turns out there is a lot of dialogue in this game. A lot. And I spent hours writing text. I am so relieved it's over.
Anyway the Geth grow more intelligent when more of them network together. Though their trait, a 3% science boost for every city connected to the capital, really isn't that good. Oh they now have 5 cities connected and a 15% boost? That's alright I guess. Oh 30%..? That's.. Maybe we shouldn't let them network together. 60%?!? Wow.. That's quite, wow.. Maybe we shouldn't give the Geth a chance to self-determinate after all..
Spoiler :
Spoiler The Volus :
Din Korlack is the Volus Ambassador, the galactic representation of the Volus. Annoyed that his people aren't being fully recognised for their incredible aid and work throughout history, he'll do anything he can to make sure his people are treated with the respect they deserve
Trait: (Unified Banking Act) Gold from all sources doubled. Land melee, archer, mounted and gun units receive a 50% combat penalty.
UU: Heavy-Bomber. Replaces Stealth Bomber. Massively more expensive. Moves 5 extra spaces, costs no Aluminum.
UB: Credit Bank. Replaces Bank. Provides a +33% gold boost in city. +4 Gold and +1 Happiness.
This is the third of our planned Mass Effect civs, the Volus. Din Korlack and the Volus were the first civ we made plans for and the one I was most looking forward to creating, and frankly their unique trait we created for them all those weeks ago made us realise how varied and unique we could make each of the races. Due to their massive wealth the Volus should be able to control vast diplomatic power, making it unwise to underestimate them. As every great leader knows, wars aren't just won on the battlefield, and hey, why fight when you can pay others to fight for you?
Trait: (Unified Banking Act) Gold from all sources doubled. Land melee, archer, mounted and gun units receive a 50% combat penalty.
UU: Heavy-Bomber. Replaces Stealth Bomber. Massively more expensive. Moves 5 extra spaces, costs no Aluminum.
UB: Credit Bank. Replaces Bank. Provides a +33% gold boost in city. +4 Gold and +1 Happiness.
This is the third of our planned Mass Effect civs, the Volus. Din Korlack and the Volus were the first civ we made plans for and the one I was most looking forward to creating, and frankly their unique trait we created for them all those weeks ago made us realise how varied and unique we could make each of the races. Due to their massive wealth the Volus should be able to control vast diplomatic power, making it unwise to underestimate them. As every great leader knows, wars aren't just won on the battlefield, and hey, why fight when you can pay others to fight for you?
Spoiler :
Spoiler The Turians :
Adds the Turian Hierarchy as a Civilization, led by Garrus Vakarian.
Garrus Vakarian is a Turian, formerly with C-Sec's Investigation Division. Like most Turians, Garrus had military training at fifteen, but later followed in his father's footsteps to become a C-Sec officer. After being frustrated by politics and the inability to deal justice without red tape, he quit C-Sec and became a legendary vigilante, known only as Archangel, in the galaxies most dangerous crime infested place; Omega. After helping to save the galaxy countless times, he is now a top ranking advisor for the Turians.
Trait: (Treaty of Farixen) Units earn 50% more experience from combat. Military training buildings gain +1 happiness.
UB: C-Sec. Replaces Police Station. -25% spy stealing rate. +3 culture. Gun units built in city receive a +15% combat bonus in friendly territory.
UB: Armax Arsenal. Replaces Forge. Doesn't require Iron. +25% production for land units built in city. Provides +1 iron.
This is the fourth of our planned Mass Effect civs, the Turians. Oh Garrus, how naive it was for me to think that you would be easier to create than most of the other civs. For some reason your complicated buildings and trait were a lot harder to make than first appeared, but at least the happiness you gain from your barracks will make up for the hassle you caused me and Tomatekh (who I must give special thanks to for his help). But now you're complete and can finally help bring justice to the world.
Anyway the Turians don't have a unique unit due to the fact that their entire military, and not one lone unit, is meant to be feared and respected. The military is the cornerstone of Turian society, it is what shapes them, so it would be unwise for anyone to take on the massive might of the Turian Hierarchy. With more experience, faster production, and just that tiny little bit more happiness, the Turians are not to be trifled with.
Garrus Vakarian is a Turian, formerly with C-Sec's Investigation Division. Like most Turians, Garrus had military training at fifteen, but later followed in his father's footsteps to become a C-Sec officer. After being frustrated by politics and the inability to deal justice without red tape, he quit C-Sec and became a legendary vigilante, known only as Archangel, in the galaxies most dangerous crime infested place; Omega. After helping to save the galaxy countless times, he is now a top ranking advisor for the Turians.
Trait: (Treaty of Farixen) Units earn 50% more experience from combat. Military training buildings gain +1 happiness.
UB: C-Sec. Replaces Police Station. -25% spy stealing rate. +3 culture. Gun units built in city receive a +15% combat bonus in friendly territory.
UB: Armax Arsenal. Replaces Forge. Doesn't require Iron. +25% production for land units built in city. Provides +1 iron.
This is the fourth of our planned Mass Effect civs, the Turians. Oh Garrus, how naive it was for me to think that you would be easier to create than most of the other civs. For some reason your complicated buildings and trait were a lot harder to make than first appeared, but at least the happiness you gain from your barracks will make up for the hassle you caused me and Tomatekh (who I must give special thanks to for his help). But now you're complete and can finally help bring justice to the world.
Anyway the Turians don't have a unique unit due to the fact that their entire military, and not one lone unit, is meant to be feared and respected. The military is the cornerstone of Turian society, it is what shapes them, so it would be unwise for anyone to take on the massive might of the Turian Hierarchy. With more experience, faster production, and just that tiny little bit more happiness, the Turians are not to be trifled with.
Spoiler :
Spoiler The Krogan :
Adds the Krogan Clans as a Civilization, led by Urdnot Wrex.
A famed Krogan mercenary, bounty hunter, and clan leader, Urdnot Wrex is also one of the last Krogan Battlemasters: rare individuals who combine powerful biotic abilities with the devastating firepower of advanced weaponry. A long-lived krogan, who has had many adventures during his millenia lifespan, Wrex is deeply concerned with the fate of his people and the future of the Krogan, a once proud and fierce race that was both feared and respected throughout the galaxy.
Trait: (For Tuchanka) Increased population growth. +25% combat bonus for all units except Air and Naval Ranged. Research 1/3rd the amount of science.
UB: Rite of Passage. Replaces Aqueduct. 10% of food kept after a new citizen is born. -1% unhappiness. +15% defensive bonus for melee units built in city.
UB: Books of the Shaman. Replaces Library. +1 science for every nearby worked source of Iron, Coal, Oil and Uranium. -1% unhappiness.
UU: Warlord. Replaces Machine Gun. Heals 10hp per turn. Bonus vs armoured units. Takes reduced damage from ranged. No defensive bonuses. Weak against aircraft.
UU: Kakliosaur. Replaces Knight. Armoured. Can attack twice. Moves slower. Penalty when attacking cities. Requires 1 Iron.
This is the fifth of our planned Mass Effect civs, the Krogan. Culture? Gold? Science? Please, Krogan know that true strength lies on the battlefield. It doesn't matter how pretty you look, or how much money you have, it wont save you from being crushed under the extreme might of the Krogan. Why make friends when you can destroy them where they stand. March into their lands brothers and sisters, watch their armies fall below you as even their more advanced weapons struggle to halt your progress, and take what's rightfully yours!
So here we have Wrex and the Krogan, which caused a whole range of problems for us as we realised; how do we balance the "broken" race of Mass Effect? Especially as the Krogan are feared, something we wanted to translate into civ as well. We realised that the best way to keep them true to the Krogan would be to concentrate on the fact that they were "uplifted" into galactic society, being less advanced than the other races. This way we could give them the massive growth rate and combat that eventually kicked off the Krogan Rebellions, which ultimately led to the Genophage, whilst giving them a science penalty to help combat it. This way the Krogan should have an amazing early game, shaping history and controlling the fate of other races like they did before, but by the mid and late game the other races will be able to use their technological advantage to help combat the Krogan threat. Part of the reason why their combat bonus is so high, apart from the obvious fact that they're Krogan, is so that they'll be able to fight against more advanced races with somewhat of an equal footing, stopping the tides from turning on the Krogan too dramatically. Another problem was the fact that we had so much ideas to work from when it came to unique units and buildings, which is why we managed to narrow it down to four rather than the usual two. We have also adjusted their units so they don't actually look like what they're replacing, as a Machine Gunner isn't a good representation of the Warlord for example.
A famed Krogan mercenary, bounty hunter, and clan leader, Urdnot Wrex is also one of the last Krogan Battlemasters: rare individuals who combine powerful biotic abilities with the devastating firepower of advanced weaponry. A long-lived krogan, who has had many adventures during his millenia lifespan, Wrex is deeply concerned with the fate of his people and the future of the Krogan, a once proud and fierce race that was both feared and respected throughout the galaxy.
Trait: (For Tuchanka) Increased population growth. +25% combat bonus for all units except Air and Naval Ranged. Research 1/3rd the amount of science.
UB: Rite of Passage. Replaces Aqueduct. 10% of food kept after a new citizen is born. -1% unhappiness. +15% defensive bonus for melee units built in city.
UB: Books of the Shaman. Replaces Library. +1 science for every nearby worked source of Iron, Coal, Oil and Uranium. -1% unhappiness.
UU: Warlord. Replaces Machine Gun. Heals 10hp per turn. Bonus vs armoured units. Takes reduced damage from ranged. No defensive bonuses. Weak against aircraft.
UU: Kakliosaur. Replaces Knight. Armoured. Can attack twice. Moves slower. Penalty when attacking cities. Requires 1 Iron.
This is the fifth of our planned Mass Effect civs, the Krogan. Culture? Gold? Science? Please, Krogan know that true strength lies on the battlefield. It doesn't matter how pretty you look, or how much money you have, it wont save you from being crushed under the extreme might of the Krogan. Why make friends when you can destroy them where they stand. March into their lands brothers and sisters, watch their armies fall below you as even their more advanced weapons struggle to halt your progress, and take what's rightfully yours!
So here we have Wrex and the Krogan, which caused a whole range of problems for us as we realised; how do we balance the "broken" race of Mass Effect? Especially as the Krogan are feared, something we wanted to translate into civ as well. We realised that the best way to keep them true to the Krogan would be to concentrate on the fact that they were "uplifted" into galactic society, being less advanced than the other races. This way we could give them the massive growth rate and combat that eventually kicked off the Krogan Rebellions, which ultimately led to the Genophage, whilst giving them a science penalty to help combat it. This way the Krogan should have an amazing early game, shaping history and controlling the fate of other races like they did before, but by the mid and late game the other races will be able to use their technological advantage to help combat the Krogan threat. Part of the reason why their combat bonus is so high, apart from the obvious fact that they're Krogan, is so that they'll be able to fight against more advanced races with somewhat of an equal footing, stopping the tides from turning on the Krogan too dramatically. Another problem was the fact that we had so much ideas to work from when it came to unique units and buildings, which is why we managed to narrow it down to four rather than the usual two. We have also adjusted their units so they don't actually look like what they're replacing, as a Machine Gunner isn't a good representation of the Warlord for example.
Spoiler :
Spoiler The Hanar :
Adds the Illuminated Primacy as a Civilization, led by Blasto.
Blasto is the first Hanar Spectre, an elite group composed of the best the galaxy has to offer. Blasto roams the galaxy meting his violent brand of justice, all while remaining incredibly polite throughout. Or he would, if he wasn't in reality a movie character. Still, he is a proud member of the Hanar who will fiercely stand up for their virtues and rights.
Trait: (Enkindle This) All land and sea units can embark across ocean tiles. Double sea resources and oil. Shrines and Temples provide +1 faith.
UB: Trade Port. Replaces Harbor. Provides a trade route between cities 15% faster naval production and +2 gold and +1 production for all nearby worked sea resources.
UU: Voyage of Light. Replaces Frigate. +1 movement and +2 visibility. Can move after attacking. Provides faith, equal to half the defeated units strength, for every kill. Requires 1 Iron.
This is the sixth of our planned Mass Effect civs, the Hanar. What use is the land if you cannot travel the oceans? What use is science if there's no faith to guide you? The Hanar know that life exists because of the Enkindlers, and because of that their faith is strong. This guiding light and the strength of the oceans will lead the Hanar, as even the strongest of land units are all but helpless in the oceans.
"BLASTO?!? BUT HE DOESN'T EXIST!!". Well the Hanar were a strange one. The problems they presented were different, as it mainly seemed to be about their lack of elements we had to work with. Blasto, for example, came about once we realised that Zymandis wouldn't be a good leader for the Hanar seeing as though he's a big stupid jellyfish who tried to commit genocide on his entire race. Without him our next choice really was Blasto, who is already far more well known than Zymandis in the first place. Their UU and UB came from the trade that the Hanar were regularly involved in, and because we realised the water race really should have a naval based unit. Their trait also grants them a myriad of bonuses, meaning they will be the naval powerhouse they rightfully should.
Blasto is the first Hanar Spectre, an elite group composed of the best the galaxy has to offer. Blasto roams the galaxy meting his violent brand of justice, all while remaining incredibly polite throughout. Or he would, if he wasn't in reality a movie character. Still, he is a proud member of the Hanar who will fiercely stand up for their virtues and rights.
Trait: (Enkindle This) All land and sea units can embark across ocean tiles. Double sea resources and oil. Shrines and Temples provide +1 faith.
UB: Trade Port. Replaces Harbor. Provides a trade route between cities 15% faster naval production and +2 gold and +1 production for all nearby worked sea resources.
UU: Voyage of Light. Replaces Frigate. +1 movement and +2 visibility. Can move after attacking. Provides faith, equal to half the defeated units strength, for every kill. Requires 1 Iron.
This is the sixth of our planned Mass Effect civs, the Hanar. What use is the land if you cannot travel the oceans? What use is science if there's no faith to guide you? The Hanar know that life exists because of the Enkindlers, and because of that their faith is strong. This guiding light and the strength of the oceans will lead the Hanar, as even the strongest of land units are all but helpless in the oceans.
"BLASTO?!? BUT HE DOESN'T EXIST!!". Well the Hanar were a strange one. The problems they presented were different, as it mainly seemed to be about their lack of elements we had to work with. Blasto, for example, came about once we realised that Zymandis wouldn't be a good leader for the Hanar seeing as though he's a big stupid jellyfish who tried to commit genocide on his entire race. Without him our next choice really was Blasto, who is already far more well known than Zymandis in the first place. Their UU and UB came from the trade that the Hanar were regularly involved in, and because we realised the water race really should have a naval based unit. Their trait also grants them a myriad of bonuses, meaning they will be the naval powerhouse they rightfully should.
Spoiler :
Spoiler The Rachni :
Adds the Rachni Hive as a Civilization, led by the Rachni Queen.
The Rachni Queen is the matriarch of the hive-minded, insectoid Rachni species. The largest of her species at about fifty feet long, the Queen is a powerful and intelligent being who guides the soldiers and workers of her brood with a form of telepathic song.
Trait: (The Great Song) +1 production and food from snow and desert tiles. Melee, Gun and Archer units ignore terrain movement drawbacks
UB: Breeding Facility. Replaces Factory. Grants +10% production, +4 food, and an increased defensive bonus to the city it was built. Costs 2 coal and is expensive to maintain.
UU: Brood Warrior. Requires Arsenal to be built. Replaces Artillery. Doesn't need to set up to attack. 20% stronger attack in friendly territory.
This is the seventh of our planned Mass Effect civs, the Rachni. Why should you be restricted on where you want your people to grow? Why worry about those hills that the other races struggle to navigate? No, the Rachni can survive the harshest of enviroments and navigate the toughest of terrain with ease. Use this advantage to overwhelm your foes and thrive where others can't.
So the Rachni were strange in a number of ways. First we knew that we wanted to concentrate on their ability to survive and thrive where others can't, but we also knew that they were a powerful race that once brought the galaxy to it's knees. We needed a way to translate this and make them unique, so we decided to give them a tactical combat bonus rather than a simple percentage combat bonus, and the yields from snow and desert tiles means they can easily survive anywhere, meaning you'll more or less need to wipe them out to stop them.
Another hard part was creating their UB, which went through many iterations before we settled on the final version of the Breeding Facility. We knew we wanted them to be a production based combat civ, but we also needed a way to help with their growth and to help represent their survivability and intelligence. Because of this we granted them a powerful, but expensive for balance reasons, building. The final thing was spy names and the colour that represented their civ. With a lack of Rachni names we decided to grant their spies various music related names and a purpley-brown civ background, to represent their skin colours, with a blue center to represent the Queen.
As a final note I would like to thank a-iccara, from Deviantart, for her incredible help on creating a custom made Rachni symbol for us to use. The help was invaluable.
The Rachni Queen is the matriarch of the hive-minded, insectoid Rachni species. The largest of her species at about fifty feet long, the Queen is a powerful and intelligent being who guides the soldiers and workers of her brood with a form of telepathic song.
Trait: (The Great Song) +1 production and food from snow and desert tiles. Melee, Gun and Archer units ignore terrain movement drawbacks
UB: Breeding Facility. Replaces Factory. Grants +10% production, +4 food, and an increased defensive bonus to the city it was built. Costs 2 coal and is expensive to maintain.
UU: Brood Warrior. Requires Arsenal to be built. Replaces Artillery. Doesn't need to set up to attack. 20% stronger attack in friendly territory.
This is the seventh of our planned Mass Effect civs, the Rachni. Why should you be restricted on where you want your people to grow? Why worry about those hills that the other races struggle to navigate? No, the Rachni can survive the harshest of enviroments and navigate the toughest of terrain with ease. Use this advantage to overwhelm your foes and thrive where others can't.
So the Rachni were strange in a number of ways. First we knew that we wanted to concentrate on their ability to survive and thrive where others can't, but we also knew that they were a powerful race that once brought the galaxy to it's knees. We needed a way to translate this and make them unique, so we decided to give them a tactical combat bonus rather than a simple percentage combat bonus, and the yields from snow and desert tiles means they can easily survive anywhere, meaning you'll more or less need to wipe them out to stop them.
Another hard part was creating their UB, which went through many iterations before we settled on the final version of the Breeding Facility. We knew we wanted them to be a production based combat civ, but we also needed a way to help with their growth and to help represent their survivability and intelligence. Because of this we granted them a powerful, but expensive for balance reasons, building. The final thing was spy names and the colour that represented their civ. With a lack of Rachni names we decided to grant their spies various music related names and a purpley-brown civ background, to represent their skin colours, with a blue center to represent the Queen.
As a final note I would like to thank a-iccara, from Deviantart, for her incredible help on creating a custom made Rachni symbol for us to use. The help was invaluable.
Spoiler :
Spoiler The Quarians :
Adds the Migrant Fleet as a Civilization, led by Tali'Zorah.
Tali'Zorah nar Rayya, also known as Tali'Zorah vas Normandy at various stages of her life, is a young female Quarian and daughter of one of the Admirals of the Migrant Fleet. During her Pilgrimage away from the fleet, a rite of passage the Quarians take to reach adulthood, she discovered information which eventually led to the survival of the galaxy. After helping to save the galaxy countless times, she is now an Admiral to the Quarian people.
Trait: (Keelah Se'lai) Gain 50% more from research agreements. Earn +5 science in every city upon researching Computers.
UB: Special Projects. Replaces Military Base. Grants 33% stronger attack and -25% defense for air, navy, siege and armor units built in city.
UU: Heavy Fleet. Replaces Nuclear Sub. Hovering air unit. Powerful, slow, anti-armor, can't capture cities. Can carry missiles. 2 Range. Requires 1 Uranium.
This is the eighth of our planned Mass Effect civs, the Quarians. Research and technology is the way to advance in this world, and the Quarians are efficient at gaining more from even a minimal amount of technology. Combined with thier powerful machines and vehicles, the Quarians can deliver devestating attacks to protect their people from destruction.
So the Quarians were incredibly difficult to create. We always knew that we wanted to concentrate on one of the most defining aspects of the Quarians, Pilgrimage, and that it made sense for them to earn more from research agreements to represent that. But days upon days were spent just planning them, and they went through many iterations before we finally settled on the final version. They are of course a science based, "glass-canon" race, which represents their weak immune system and the fact they attach incredibly powerful weapons to all of their spacecraft.
One thing that was great about them though was the amount of information there was to work with, there was no shortage of ideas or lore from them. For example we decided to name all their cities after their ships, expecting maybe about a dozen names, and it turns out there's like a bazillion Quarian ship names mentioned in the series. The massive amount of information there was about them was actually quite refreshing.
Tali'Zorah nar Rayya, also known as Tali'Zorah vas Normandy at various stages of her life, is a young female Quarian and daughter of one of the Admirals of the Migrant Fleet. During her Pilgrimage away from the fleet, a rite of passage the Quarians take to reach adulthood, she discovered information which eventually led to the survival of the galaxy. After helping to save the galaxy countless times, she is now an Admiral to the Quarian people.
Trait: (Keelah Se'lai) Gain 50% more from research agreements. Earn +5 science in every city upon researching Computers.
UB: Special Projects. Replaces Military Base. Grants 33% stronger attack and -25% defense for air, navy, siege and armor units built in city.
UU: Heavy Fleet. Replaces Nuclear Sub. Hovering air unit. Powerful, slow, anti-armor, can't capture cities. Can carry missiles. 2 Range. Requires 1 Uranium.
This is the eighth of our planned Mass Effect civs, the Quarians. Research and technology is the way to advance in this world, and the Quarians are efficient at gaining more from even a minimal amount of technology. Combined with thier powerful machines and vehicles, the Quarians can deliver devestating attacks to protect their people from destruction.
So the Quarians were incredibly difficult to create. We always knew that we wanted to concentrate on one of the most defining aspects of the Quarians, Pilgrimage, and that it made sense for them to earn more from research agreements to represent that. But days upon days were spent just planning them, and they went through many iterations before we finally settled on the final version. They are of course a science based, "glass-canon" race, which represents their weak immune system and the fact they attach incredibly powerful weapons to all of their spacecraft.
One thing that was great about them though was the amount of information there was to work with, there was no shortage of ideas or lore from them. For example we decided to name all their cities after their ships, expecting maybe about a dozen names, and it turns out there's like a bazillion Quarian ship names mentioned in the series. The massive amount of information there was about them was actually quite refreshing.
Spoiler :
Spoiler Cerberus :
Adds Cerberus as a Civilization, led by the Illusive Man.
The Illusive Man is the elusive, secretive, and well informed leader of Cerberus. The Illusive Man's real name and his life before Cerberus are both long forgotten. For years, the Illusive Man has been using Cerberus and his immense network of contacts to achieve his goal - that of making humanity ascendant above all other races. He is described as having the best and worst traits of humanity rolled into one man, and he believes that, above all else, everything he does is for the betterment of humanity.
Trait: (Humanity First) Receives 1 extra spy. All spies are recruited fully ranked.
UU: Atlas. Replaces tank. Can paradrop. Bulky, slow defensive unit. Takes reduced damage from ranged. Penalty when attacking cities. Costs 1 Aluminum.
UU: Operative. Replaces Marine. Can move through unopen borders. Works better alone, so does +33% increased damage with no allies in an adjacent tile.
UB: EDI. Replaces Police Station. -25% spy stealing rate. Increases city defenses and increases gold produced in city by +10%.
This is the ninth of our planned Mass Effect civs, Cerberus. Humanity has always strived to reach the stars, to venture into the unknown and discover new worlds. But this doesn't come without a cost, the galaxy is a dangerous place, with death and destruction around every corner. Cerberus understands this, they know that to secure humanity's future we must advance to our rightful place in the galaxy, above all others. Use espionage to change the course of history, to make sure others don't hide the secrets of their technology, and to discover the secrets to unlocking humanity's future.
So Cerberus couldn't have gone any better. We decided to take an espionage route with them due to the fact that everything they do throughout the series is because of their vast spy network and cells. Their operatives, finance, network, research and stations are all involved in some level of secrecy or espionage. Even Cerberus' growth throughout the series, their advanced weapons, armour and technology, happens because of reverse engineering. This also gave us the opportunity to create a truly unique civ that can change the shape of history from behind the scenes and can take many paths to victory. A tactical combat bonus by spying on your enemies? A diplomatic bonus through city-state influence? The ability to keep up in tech without a science boost? The are many paths to choose.
Their UU's and UB's came quite naturally. EDI increases city defenses in every way, and the gold she grants helps represent Cerberus' vast wealth. The Atlas can air-drop up to 6 tiles away, but it's slow speed and promotions cause it to be a purely defensive unit. The Operative is an elite "hunter-killer" style unit that doesn't shine in groups, but on their own they can hunt down and take out stray units stranded away from their allies.
The Illusive Man is the elusive, secretive, and well informed leader of Cerberus. The Illusive Man's real name and his life before Cerberus are both long forgotten. For years, the Illusive Man has been using Cerberus and his immense network of contacts to achieve his goal - that of making humanity ascendant above all other races. He is described as having the best and worst traits of humanity rolled into one man, and he believes that, above all else, everything he does is for the betterment of humanity.
Trait: (Humanity First) Receives 1 extra spy. All spies are recruited fully ranked.
UU: Atlas. Replaces tank. Can paradrop. Bulky, slow defensive unit. Takes reduced damage from ranged. Penalty when attacking cities. Costs 1 Aluminum.
UU: Operative. Replaces Marine. Can move through unopen borders. Works better alone, so does +33% increased damage with no allies in an adjacent tile.
UB: EDI. Replaces Police Station. -25% spy stealing rate. Increases city defenses and increases gold produced in city by +10%.
This is the ninth of our planned Mass Effect civs, Cerberus. Humanity has always strived to reach the stars, to venture into the unknown and discover new worlds. But this doesn't come without a cost, the galaxy is a dangerous place, with death and destruction around every corner. Cerberus understands this, they know that to secure humanity's future we must advance to our rightful place in the galaxy, above all others. Use espionage to change the course of history, to make sure others don't hide the secrets of their technology, and to discover the secrets to unlocking humanity's future.
So Cerberus couldn't have gone any better. We decided to take an espionage route with them due to the fact that everything they do throughout the series is because of their vast spy network and cells. Their operatives, finance, network, research and stations are all involved in some level of secrecy or espionage. Even Cerberus' growth throughout the series, their advanced weapons, armour and technology, happens because of reverse engineering. This also gave us the opportunity to create a truly unique civ that can change the shape of history from behind the scenes and can take many paths to victory. A tactical combat bonus by spying on your enemies? A diplomatic bonus through city-state influence? The ability to keep up in tech without a science boost? The are many paths to choose.
Their UU's and UB's came quite naturally. EDI increases city defenses in every way, and the gold she grants helps represent Cerberus' vast wealth. The Atlas can air-drop up to 6 tiles away, but it's slow speed and promotions cause it to be a purely defensive unit. The Operative is an elite "hunter-killer" style unit that doesn't shine in groups, but on their own they can hunt down and take out stray units stranded away from their allies.
Spoiler :
Spoiler The Collectors :
Adds the Collector Swarm as a Civilization, led by the Collector General.
The mysterious Collector General is a unique Collector who commands and guides the rest of the Collectors with unparalleled efficiency. The General also has a unique ability, he can posses any normal Collector at any time, making them significantly more powerful and unlocking their biotic potential, making them a dangerous foe on the battlefield.
Trait: (Ascension) ???
UB: Processing Vat. ???
UU: Cruiser. ???
UU: Captain. ???
This is the tenth of our planned Mass Effect civs, the Collectors. Your enemies are weak, but as they fall you will collect what you need and grow in strength. Tear them apart, swarm their position, and show them that they mearly prolong the inevitable. Their cities will become your laboratories, and their weakness will become your strength.
So the Collectors were incredibly fun to create and were probably the race I was most looking forward to creating. The main thing we wanted to concentrate on for them was, well, collecting. This led to their unique trait which means *trait information hidden*.
The Captain doesn't have any combat abilities himself, but the influence and power he generates on the battlefield makes him a high priority target, as his mere presence can turn the tide of battle. The Cruiser is one of the best units at weakening cities, and commands almost complete air dominance, but is late game and lackluster against land units. The Processing Vat replaces the Opera House, rather than the Courthouse, as we wanted the Collectors to have less culture and not rely on just capturing all the time. Also, writing dialogue for the Collector General was a blast, he's such a jerk and just doesn't care.
The mysterious Collector General is a unique Collector who commands and guides the rest of the Collectors with unparalleled efficiency. The General also has a unique ability, he can posses any normal Collector at any time, making them significantly more powerful and unlocking their biotic potential, making them a dangerous foe on the battlefield.
Trait: (Ascension) ???
UB: Processing Vat. ???
UU: Cruiser. ???
UU: Captain. ???
This is the tenth of our planned Mass Effect civs, the Collectors. Your enemies are weak, but as they fall you will collect what you need and grow in strength. Tear them apart, swarm their position, and show them that they mearly prolong the inevitable. Their cities will become your laboratories, and their weakness will become your strength.
So the Collectors were incredibly fun to create and were probably the race I was most looking forward to creating. The main thing we wanted to concentrate on for them was, well, collecting. This led to their unique trait which means *trait information hidden*.
The Captain doesn't have any combat abilities himself, but the influence and power he generates on the battlefield makes him a high priority target, as his mere presence can turn the tide of battle. The Cruiser is one of the best units at weakening cities, and commands almost complete air dominance, but is late game and lackluster against land units. The Processing Vat replaces the Opera House, rather than the Courthouse, as we wanted the Collectors to have less culture and not rely on just capturing all the time. Also, writing dialogue for the Collector General was a blast, he's such a jerk and just doesn't care.
Spoiler :
