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Isabelxxx

Prince
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Sep 26, 2010
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Naval Units
New Concepts:


  • Obsoleteness: Obsolete units will not be available in Europe. Colonies are still able to build them as a cheaper version of the most advanced designs. Obsolete units will still be able to upgrade to other units if there are upgrades available in some specific cases.


  • Unavailability: Unavailable units in an era will not be produced neither in Europe nor in the colonies. Therefore these units will tend to disappear because no new units of these types will be build.
    These units will be able to upgrade if possible, this is only possible for some specific units which have not been changed in an excessive way through the new design.
    The new unit will replace their construction in all the fields.


  • Military & Resource Transporting: Transporting is divided into 2 classes: military & resource transporting.
    Units will be able to transport military and/or civil units according to this classification.
    The same is applied to the resources. These are divided into commercial and civil resources.
    Ships with "trade" class will be able to sell/buy resources in other colonies, native tribes & Europe.
    Therefore only some ships will be able to be used in war missions and others in trade missions.

    Ships without any classification will not be able to be used as transports. In general these units are easily identified by the "0 cargo" feature.


  • Naval Class: This classify the ships in some different class which are supposed to have approximately a generic design. Small & maneuverable ships are grouped in Sloop, Brigantine and some in Unrated Vessel; merchant ships will be available as Unrated Vessel, and in a more advanced stage as Galleon; and the more advanced war ships as Frigate and Ship of the line.
    The naval class will allow you to easily identify the ships according to the maneuverability, hull, cargo and strength just by the size related to the naval class.
    Other point to consider is the resources needed to build the ship. While some small ships will only require wood, others could require some new resources as iron, more tools, etc.
    The construction of a fleet will be done according to the resources available, the functions it will have to perform, the enemy ships you will combat against, ...


  • Maneuverability: This basic aspect will be represented in multiple ways. While heavy ships will have advantage in sustained combat, smaller ships have the possibility to move further per turn, to have an improved visibility and a withdrawal chance from combat. Maneuverable ships will be the best vessels against pirates, for reconnaissance and to skirmish against some heavy ships with some first strikes and/or the possibility of obtain a Letter of Marque to become a corsair.


  • Heavy war ships: Heavy ships will be able to cause collateral damage and/ or be immune to it. This represent the use of heavier and stronger hulls in these ships as well as the introduction of cannons with different caliber, range, rate of fire and firepower.
    While these war ships are able to maintain a sustained combat against any naval unit are still less maneuverable than smaller ships, have less speed and can be weakened easily by units which have "1st strike" ability.


  • Ship upgrades: Upgrades are only available for some specific ships -usually some modifications in galleons and derivates-. The resources for upgrading these units will not be supplied only with gold but the ship needs to be in a city in order to provide wood, tools, or whatever resource is needed to modify the ship according to the new design.


  • Ship modifications: Since the crew have been included in DoanE, it will obtain the experience instead of the ship.Other variable to consider is any modification or unique aspect of an specific ship or naval class. This is provided by this new concept.

    As the unit list shows, some ships have a basic ability inherent to the ship but not to the crew.
    This differentiates the nature of the ship in an unused way until now with with all the other changes. While some heavy ships are immune to collateral damage, some smaller ships start with sentry promotion which gives these units special advantage in reconnaissance or escort functions.

    These modifications in the ships which should be considered in a general way of modifications in the hull, cannons, decks, ... can not be obtained through combat experience but with other special requirements.
    To have a vision of this concept imagine the differences between any 2 vessels which are supposed to be in the same class in the reality. Some ships were extremely functional in some aspects but had disadvantages in others; some were built with better resources than others; ... the overall implementations will let you to personalize ships, give variations amongst nations, ....

    The obtainment of these modifications, the promotion tree, the requirements and others will be explained detailedly in a specific section.


  • Crew experience: With the implementation of this concept in previous version many new possibilities can be added. Considering the classification of trade/military ships related with the cargo, the crew could have some specific promotions expanding these concepts.
    Some promotions could give trade bonuses with natives, others when trading in Europe, etc...
    The crew could obtain experience according to the naval class they are accommodated to. It's not the same a merchantman and a frigate.
    "First strikes" promotions can be given to experienced crews in some cases which would represent the ability to reload the cannons, etc.
    Again, the obtainment of these promotions, the promotion tree, the requirements and others will be explained detailedly in a specific section.

Structure for Unit info:
Code:
Military &/or Trade unit || Naval Class || Strength (S) || Movement (M) || Cargo space (CS) || Unique features
#Name: Names between () to be used in the HTML files. The rest should be the screen name.

#Military &/or Trade unit: Units with "trade unit" tag will be able to deal in Europe, other colonies, etc.
Units with "Military unit tag" will be able to transport soldiers. Note this differentiate 2 types of cargo, apart from the commerce.
Units without these tag will not be to transport any resources nor units (apart from the crew).

#Naval Class: Unrated Vessel, Sloop, Galleon, Brigantine, Frigate, Ship of the line.
While the xxx nomenclature will be used to designate the entire class, "xxx" only refers to specific units. This differentiates the bonuses/penalties against others units or the entire naval class.

#Strength

#Cargo space: while the "trade" tag gives the unit the appropriate ability, the cargo space is independent of it. Ships with cargo space are able to embark units &/or resources.
Non "trade" units will not be able to transport any resource but ammunitions, cannons, tools & weapons -note these units are not able to trade with these resources, only transporting.
Alternatively, non "military" units will not be able to transport "soldiers", still able to transport civil units, ammunitions, cannons, tools & weapons .
No value, no cargo space.

#Unique features

#Unavailability: The specified units will not be available neither in Europe nor in colonies. These units will be able to upgrade if possible.
#Obsoleteness: The specified units will not be available in Europe. Colonies are still able to build them. Obsolete units will still be able to upgrade to other units if there are upgrades available.


  • 1st Period:
  1. Bermuda sloop: Trade || Sloop || 2 S || 3 M || 1 CS || Can not sail to Europe. Standard unit.
  2. Caravel: Military/Trade || Unrated Vessel|| 3 S || 2 M || 2 CS || Standard unit.
  3. Carrack: Military/Trade || Galleon || 3 S || 3 M || 2 CS || Spanish UU.
  4. Nau: Military/Trade || Galleon|| 3 S || 2 M || 3 CS || Portuguese UU.


  • 2nd Period:
    • Unavailabilty: Caravel. Bermuda sloop.
    • Obsolete: Carrack. Nau.
  1. Jamaican Sloop: Military || Sloop || 3 S || 4 M || 1 CS || 40% against pirate units. 30% against "Carrack", "Nau" & "Merchamant". 1 first strike. 10% withdrawal chance. Upgrade for "Bermuda sloop". Standard unit.
  2. Merchant Sloop: Military/Trade || Sloop || 3 S || 4 M || 1 CS || -40% against sloops. 30% against "Carrack", "Nau" & "Merchamant". 30% withdrawal chance. 1 first strike. Standard unit.
  3. Corvette: Military/Trade || Sloop || 3 S || 4 M || 1 CS || French UU. 30% against "Carrack", "Nau" & "Merchamant". 20% against pirates. 20% withdrawal chance.1 first strike. Standard unit.
  4. Brigantine: Trade/military || Brigantine || 3 S || 4 M || 1 CS || starts with sentry promotion. 10% withdrawal chance. 1 first strike. Standard unit.
  5. Brig: || Brigantine || 4 S || 4 M || 30% withdrawal chance. Can flank attack against Merchantman, Carrack & Nau . 1 first strike Standard unit.
  6. Hooker: Trade/military || Unrated Vessel || 3 S|| 5 M || 1 CS || 10% withdrawal chance. 10% against pirate units. Standard unit.
  7. Ketch: Military || Unrated Vessel || 3 S || 4 M || 1 CS || 1 first strike. Starts with sentry promotion. 30% against Brigantine. Standard unit.
  8. Merchantman: Trade || Unrated Vessel || 3 S || 4 M || 3 CS || 30% withdrawal chance. 10% when defending against Unrated Vessels. 30% against "Carrack" & "Nau". Upgrade for "Caravel". Standard unit.
  9. Galleon: Military/Trade || Galleon || 4 S || 3 M || 4 CS || 10% when defending against Unrated Vessel, Brigantine. 10% when defending against pirate units. Upgrade for "Nau". Standard unit.
  10. War Galleon: Military || Galleon || 4 S || 3 M || 3 CS || 30% against Unrated Vessel, Brigantine. 40% against "merchantman" & Galleon". . -20% when defending against sloops. Causes collateral damage. Immune to collateral damage. Standard unit.
  11. Galeón (or Spanish Galeón for disambiguation): Military/Trade || Galleon|| 4 S || 3 M || 4 CS || Spanish UU. Upgrade for "Carrack". 10% when defending against Unrated Vessel, Brigantine. 20% when defending against War Galleon. 30% when defending against "Galleon" & pirate units.


  • 3rd Period:
    • Unavailabilty: Carrack. Nau. Jamaican Sloop.
    • Obsolete: Brigantine. Brig.
  1. Cargo Brig: Military/Trade || Brigantine || 4 S || 4 M || 2 CS || starts with sentry promotion. 20% withdrawal chance. 1 first strike. Can flank attack against Merchantman . Standard unit. Upgrade for "Brigantine".
  2. Late Brig: || Brigantine || 4 S || 4 M || 30% withdrawal chance. 20% against Sloop. Can flank attack against Unrated Vessel & Galleon . 1 first strike Standard unit. Upgrade for "Brig"
  3. Sloop of war: Military || Sloop || 4 S || 5 M || 1 CS || 40% against pirate units. 30% against Unrated Vessel. 1-2 first strike. 40% withdrawal chance. Upgrade for "Bermuda sloop". Standard unit. Upgrade for "Jamaican Sloop".
  4. Late Bermuda Sloop: Military || Sloop || 4 S || 5 M || 1 CS || 40% against pirate units. 30% against Unrated Vessel. 10% againstSloop. 2 first strike. 40% withdrawal chance. Upgrade for "Bermuda sloop". English UU.
  5. Late Merchant Sloop: Military/Trade || Sloop || 3 S || 4 M || 1 CS || 30% against "Carrack", "Nau" & "Merchamant". 20% when defending against Brigantine & Sloop. 20% withdrawal chance. 1 first strike. Standard unit. Upgrade for "Merchant Sloop"


(TO DO: SOME UNITS ALREADY INCLUDED WHICH I HAVE NOT LISTED, MINOR CHANGES IN THE BALANCE, UUs FOR ALL THE FACTIONS, PRODUCTION POINTS REQUIRED, )

Art & sources for the units: see post9






Units per faction:
While the list at top enumerates all the available units, this will only show units per faction as well as some special notes, nomenclature or changes in the names for the UUs.


  • Portugal:
    • Nau: proper spelling for the "Carrack", so replaces it. Only for Portugal (Spain use "Carrack")
  • Spain:
    • Carrack: replaces Caravel.


(TO DO: CREW PROMOTIONS, SHIP MODIFICATIONS, PROMOTIONS TREE, ART FOR EVERY PROMOTION, VALUES, SOURCE FOR UNITS ART & MODELS)

Tracing ships
One of the annoying things of Vanilla in naval combat is the impossibility to follow an enemy ship even when your unit has more movement points.
Due to CIV engine, per turns, you are not able to trace an enemy ship through partial movements or in "real time", provoking that movement points are not really important for these units in combat (even when these points are the representation in game terms of speed, maneuverability and possibility to perform longer travels).
Tracing a ship and therefore be traced by the enemy only depends on the square you choose to move randomly.
In the best case while passing turn you can see the enemy movements (if the option is enabled) and therefore see 1 or 2 squares at max. but you need to memorize the movement and what you see it's not the entire path the unit has followed.



The suggestion: a new option with its icon named "Trace Ship" which will let you -when enabled- to select an objective (an enemy ship) to trace it.

By using the option a route line (like the movement route line which has numbers according to the turns required to perform the movement) which links the 2 ships will appear in the screen.

This graphical feature should be visible when selecting your ship (or putting the cursor over the enemy ship) and only if you have used the option selecting an objective.

The "trace ship" option will be enabled only if an enemy unit is adjacent to our unit or in its line of sight (usually 1, 2 or 3 squares depending on the promotions). A ship will only be able to follow other if this is within a logic distance which is its vision radius.

By passing turn the route line is updated showing the path the enemy unit has followed according to 4 methods:
  • Realistic: This is movement point dependent. Enemy unit has"X" mov. points. Human ship has "Y" mov. points. Therefore:

    If X=Y, you are able to know the entire path the enemy has followed and the route line will show it in the screen. The length of the line will be X.
    If x<Y, same than X=Y. You are able to know the entire path followed.

    If x>y, your unit will only be able to know a partial path. Where the squares which the enemy ship have follow and you see are equal to your movement points (Y). Therefore faster units are able to trace others and to scape easily.

    The condition: when using this option your ship is supposed to be following the enemy ship, therefore your next movement is forced to some specific squares which are the adjacent to this last square. Your unit will follow the enemy path until the line of sight is adjacent to the enemy unit (but you still don't see it).







    2 paths (optimized to use the same movements points than the enemy) are possible. One of them gives you 3 final positions, the other only 2.
    Therefore the option should be coded to calculate the best path and force the player to move to one of this 3 last squares. It's not really hard because the best option (in movement point terms) will give you always 3 possible movements, and the others are contained into it.
    The exception are coastal zones or square occupied by other units which will decrease the possibilities. The calculation in general:the better path will be the less restrictive in movement points; being adjacent to 2 enemy units is not a problem if you have still points to scape.
    The only problem is that after tracing the enemy ship (always possible following my statement) you can not assure you will be able to perform other actions.
    Therefore you are forced to follow the enemy until the last consequence and you have not possibility to change your decision after following it a few squares.


  • Advanced & realistic level: Same mechanic than realistic but includes other possibility. I really recommend this.

    Instead of calculate the best path and force the player to follow it until the last 3 (max.) possibilities the code only needs to calculate any possible path. In terms of programming and calculating is less expensive and easier (loop against loop+optimization problem) .

    The conditions:
    Spoiler :
    1.Your unit can move to any square. You can change your decision and abandon the tracing.

    2.The entire route line will not be shown. Instead of that you are only able to see up to 2 squares (in my images as example), 3 squares (with some promotions) or X where X is the radio of your line of sight +1.
    In other words, you are able to see to where the unit has sealed spending 1 movement point, going out of your line of sight. (same system than hard level method)

    3.When you move to any square which is adjacent to one of the enemy unit movement a new enemy movement is shown in the route line. The route line will be showed incrementally when you move your ship to adjacent squares. And again 2º point.
    Note when I say adjacent it really means: in the vision radius. The unit we want to trace is always in our line of sight (usually 1 square = adjacent) and therefore we always will be moving our ship in paths adjacent to the route line; but if our unit can see trough 2 squares (sentry promotion) you only need to see that enemy square and not be "adjacent" to it, therefore we only will need to move the unit to 1 tiles of separation to the route line to active the next square in the route.

    4.1st rule gives us the possibility to move anywhere but what about "flanking" or following alternative routes? Not possible. In order to use the incremental apparition of the route line we need to "discover" in an orderly manner every point of the route.
    If you abandon any path which is contained in the rule 3º you will not be able to continue tracing the enemy.


    These 4 conditions have been created to assure all the possibilities, give a real playability, be logic & simple for the human player & the AI and be easy to implement in the code.

    Therefore the objectives have been satisfied:
    -You can follow the unit through some squares, consider the risk and retreat or try to find the unit by yourself following a possible shorter path.
    -You can always trace the unit if you have enough mov. points.
    -You have total liberty: tracing an unit will not force you to do anything if you decide to not start the tracing.
    -Any possible path is available, you only need to follow the unit. The way you do it is irrelevant.


  • Hard Level: This method will only "draw" the path followed up to 2 or 3 squares depending on the line of sight of your ship. This include any square within the line of sight and the next to them (you are able to see to what square not visible the enemy unit has sealed).
    This will not show you more than vanilla game (unrealistic) but you will not need to memorize paths, enable the see enemy moves option, ...
    No restrictions are needed.


  • Easy level: Same than realistic in the mechanic but your unit is not forced to follow the enemy ship, therefore you can trace an enemy ship and then seal to any other place.Unrealistic and unbalanced because you know where the enemy ship is placed but you don't necessarily follow it, obtaining free information.

Again, I only recommend to implement the 2nd method which is the simplest and better option. Hard & easy level could be added as optional in some type of config. file for those who prefer the vanilla naval system or don't want restrictions. Realistic method could be considered as an alternative harder level but implementing the entire tracing system instead of vanilla.
 
Economy

Horses & new resources
In COl1 they helped any colonist to move further in a turn and to add some bonuses in the strength against nation without horses supply.

Also the horses should be revamped following the lines of this mod:

http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?p=9884098
This minimod adds Horse, Cow, Sheep, and Pig as resources to vanilla Civ4 Colonization. It also adds the Pasture improvement. Horses are no longer produced from excess food by the Rancher profession at Stables and Ranches. Instead, a Horse resource adds +3 Horses to the plains or grassland tile where it resides. A colony must have a colonist work this tile to produce +3 Horses per turn. Improving the tile with a Pasture adds +3 Horses per turn for a total of +6 Horses per turn. Working the tile with a Master Rancher will increase production by 100% for a total of +12 Horses per turn. Building a Stable in the colony will further increase production by 50% for a total of +18 Horses per turn. Replacing the Stable with a Ranch will increase production by 100% to a maximum of +24 Horses per turn, equivalent to the vanilla production rate of three fuly supplied Master Ranchers working in a Ranch.

The Cow, Sheep, and Pig resources are simply food resources equivalent to the Deer resource. Each adds +2 Food to the tile where it resides. Building a Pasture will add +1 food and working the tile with an Expert Farmer will double production.
 
Game Log, Advisors & Interface

War alerts: Central Intelligence Agency
Have you ever been attacked surprisingly with 4 galleons full of units in a place where you could have seen easily the enemy? You were enjoying the music and overlooked these 4 galleons near your best city owned by that nation which hates you....


At this moment there is only an option (over the map in the interface) which shows you as a tool-tip with its icon where an enemy unit is placed within or near your cultural border. Useful for big maps when you are already in war against a civ which could have units in remote places, it prevents unnecessary losses of workers for ex.

The idea, expanding this basic concept, is to show the player warnings in a striking way but to anticipate dangerous situations, not only when the bomb has already made "bang" .
The option I have mentioned only is applicable to units whose owner are in war with you but... what about these possible surprise attack which are pretty obvious? You could have 1 or 2 turns if you are sharp.

A new advisory screen which can be named "espionage" which should show you these type of information. In previous versions a sort of spy, the marauder, was added to DoaNe as a hidden unit.
This expands it in other aspects.

The human can overlook these 5 transports in a remote tile, these 40 units in a stack adjacent to your cultural border which appeared the last turn, those pirate ships, .... but where are the advisors when that happens? They only seem to know how to tell you that you should build 'x' building.

The game could have a screen which shows you exactly that sort of things which in fact will not "tell" you anything you can not know being ultra-careful and making the checks by yourself. The information is already visible on the map or other parts, but too mixed to be able to obtain the necessary info easily.
The warnings are the same that those which are like : " your hjk city will grow to size 10 the next turn", etc.

The method:
-Check the units which are in the line of sight of your cultural borders:

  • "yellow" warnings are 2 or more transports near your borders owned by friendly nations.
  • "red" warnings are " " " " " owned by neutral/hostile nations.
  • "yellow" warnings are 4 or more military naval units near your borders owned by neutral/hostile nations.
  • "yellow" warnings are 5 or more land units (only military units) adjacent to your borders owned by neutral nations. ( is enough checking stacks, not individual units)
  • "red" warnings are 3 or more land units (only military units) adjacent to your borders owned by hostile nations. ( is enough checking stacks, not individual units)
  • Transports include: any unit with cargo space and capable to be a military transport.

-Other customizations (that could be set in the espionage window for ex):


  • The checks can be enabled/disabled according to open borders as an additional option. Usually these situations only lead to war for those civs that you don't have open borders with.
  • In general the checks are only necessary out of the borders. Adjacent tiles in land and any tile in the line of sight in coastal zones.
  • Disable/enable for specific civs. Disable/enable for specific zones or borders near "x" cities.

-Additional info that can be checked and showed:


  • Recent marauder activity known. In your nation and in friendly nations (supposed to be a exchange of information between allied nations).
  • Statistic of espionage. Number of marauders you captured per nation, successful missions in your nation, unknown spies captured, .... just statistic of what the enemy is doing with its marauders in your nation. To know against which nation you should increase your efforts. You have introduced that aspect in DoaNE, now it needs more development and utility.
  • Check changes in the relation of the nation's strength: the percentage showed in the scores. Just a check when the relation variates in a significant way (obviously only when the AI is stronger). In general: when you reaches the 1.0 ratio, as soon as you are below that ratio, etc..

-Type of warnings showed and how to manage the info:



  • Messages in the log (like the warnings for starvation, etc.) which tells you the type of warning (color code), number of units, transport or land units, civ and location. Example:. "Dangerous concentrations of troops have been spotted in our borders: 4 naval transports near the coastal zone of New York"
  • Tool-tips in the map as I mentioned for all the cases written.
  • Only for "red warnings" and/or "yellow warnings", a message window as any other advisor message which requires user intervention.
  • A new section in the espionage window, or just a new advisor window, which should include all the warnings in a comprehensible way, and if made, all the additional info that can be checked.


I will add screen-shots to show where the messages should appear in the log, the windows, the advisor window and the tooltips in the map
This can be expanded and be correlated to other point I would like to see: Piracy.
 
Game mechanics, new concepts


Cartography: new discoveries
Source: "Validation of maps"

(comprehensible explanation in English, to be used in the PDF or change-log)

Over time the new lands discovered trough exploration when using "scouts" (and any derived unit) and naval units will not be immediately added to the map as visible lands but will be registered in maps.


Maps are carried either by the crew of the ship or by the scout who performed the discovery; and can be given to any other scout or crew in order to help its deliver to the governor. Maps can be transferred to crews (ships) by scouts or vice versa; no limitations between units but they must be necessarily able to explore.

In order to activate the new maps (and update your own mini-map) you can send units which own a map either to one of your cities or to Europe.
In general the destination you choose only depends on the available possibilities of transport.





What about the rest of the units? exploration disabled for them?
You necessarily should remove the ability to explore in any other unit. This way the only units able to explore: scouts (and derived units), ships, marauders (?), ...

Military or civil units not able to explore.

I suppose you have done this but no clue in the post.
If any other unit is able to explore and update the map, the concept is useless in the practice. Unless you have applied this method for all the units...

Anyway here it's my contribution...

Basic considerations & rules​

  • Maps should only be activated in your capital (1st city) or in Europe. This prevents you to create new cities near your explorers, activate the map and then abandon the colony in order to continue the process.
  • AI must be set to consider maps as valuable resources.
  • Any unit which is not a scout (and derivative) or a ship must not be able to explore. You can send your unit to unexplored lands but that will not give it maps, discoveries, .... therefore the mini-map will not be updated in any case when using other units.

Cartography: espionage

Source & info: http://www.livesandletters.ac.uk/ev...ts-adventurers-and-spies-1500-1700-conference

Introducing espionage into Civ Col using the marauder. Some missions at this point related with the maps: (mission's name given)

Marauder's missions​
  • "Visit the colonial cartographic record":Maps could be stolen by performing a mission against a unit (scout or ship). Your marauder could be able to draw these maps without performing an aggressive act, as an spy. Then your marauder would need to go back to your cities to deliver the stolen info to the governor and discover the new lands. This option does remove the map from the target.
  • "Examine the ship's log (or logbook)": 2 effects.
    • Active map owned by the unit will be stolen by the marauder by performing a special mission against a ship or a crew. (only if the target has an active map at the moment; if not, only 2º is applied)
    • If the ship or the crew discovered any other place and therefore made a map in the past, these previous maps and any land known by the unit will be transferred to the marauder.
    The marauder would obtain any info annotated in the logbook and any new map. The new map would be removed from the crew and given to the marauder. This mission would be -in general- hard to perform due to the constant movement of the ships, but when possible it would be a great point to consider.
    Then your marauder would need to go back to your cities to deliver the stolen info to the governor and discover the new lands. This option does remove the active map from the target if possible.
  • "Inspect every suspicious document":A single map could be stolen by marauders by performing a special mission against a land unit Your marauder could be able to draw the map owned by the scout without performing an aggressive act, as an spy. Then your marauder would need to go back to your cities to deliver the stolen info to the governor and discover the new lands. This option does remove the map from the target.


Cartography: Expanded mechanics

No so static resource & implementation, dynamic changes between units, in the map and more:

  • Cartographic record: Maps should only be activated in your capital (1st city) or in Europe. This prevents you to create new cities near your explorers, activate the map and then abandon the colony in order to continue the process.
  • AI must be set to consider maps as valuable resources.
  • Exploration: Any unit which is not a scout (and derivatives) or a ship is not be able to explore. You can send your unit to new lands but that will not give it maps, discovery points, etc. therefore the mini-map will not be updated in any case when using other units.
  • Relief: Maps could be transferred to other units when the scout/ship dies if there is unit of the same player in that tile (between units in the stack).
  • Discoveries don't die, units do die:When the unit which has the map dies in a tile, a new icon could appear representing a missing map in the place. That tile would contain the map and any unit which moves to it would obtain the map (and the the entire concept is applied as if the unit would explore by itself). As soon as the map contained in the tile is obtained by an unit the icon and therefore the map should disappear for future uses.
  • Political & exploration points (for Founding Fathers) as well as some other bonuses when performing "x" discoveries:
    1. single unit makes 5 discoveries in the game ---> free scout
    2. single unit makes 10 discoveries in the game ---> 500 exploration +100 political points
    3. single unit makes 15 discoveries in the game ---> 100 exploration + 100 religious points + free (random) immigrant in Europe
    4. single unit makes 20 discoveries in the game ---> 1000 exploration points
    5. single unit makes 25 discoveries in the game ---> 1000 exploration + 500 religious points + free (random) immigrant in Europe
    6. 2 units make 5 discoveries in the game --->100 exploration points
    7. 2 units make 10 discoveries in the game ---> free scout + free marauder
    8. 2 units make 15 discoveries in the game ---> 100 exploration + free inmigrant
    9. 10 exploration points per discovery (by any unit).

Also a basic point we need to define is what "discovery" means. An unit could explore the entire world and made only a discovery while other could move 4 tiles return to the port and repeat the process over the time obtaining unlimited discoveries.
In your screen-shots a ship sealed through a big section of the map; but if your ship had sealed through a few tiles discovering only 4 or 5 new tiles in the map, the result would have been the same: the message and the consideration of that event as a discovery.
Obviously 5 tiles explored or 70 tiles are not the same thing. A counter within the map is necessary.

"x" tiles will be considered as a discovery, "y" discoveries are recorded in the map.


The idea is that a map, the container of the info the unit has recompiled through exploration, could contain 1 or more discoveries. The file only contains the info, therefore it can be constantly updated by the unit before returning to the city as soon as the unit reaches a minimum of new tiles discovered.
When an unit explores undiscovered lands (fog of war) will not made a discovery but when it has explored 10 new tiles for ex.
Then the unit can continue exploring but new tiles will be annotated as a new discoveries: 20 tiles-2 disc., 30-3 discov. ,.... the unit still owns only a map, therefore the update is only necessary for the number of discoveries recorded in the map.
The map contains all the new tiles (and discoveries) in a single "file" but when the unit returns to the city it will count as 3 discoveries for a single unit. Then all these tiles are showed in the mini-map as you have done.

In practice is the same method "in game" but it allows you to differentiate the size of the discoveries made by an unit as well as applying bonuses, etc..


To do: expand the special events & quests

Spoiler :
-Special events or Quests like in CIV. You can place a mysterious map randomly in a place represented with an icon (as I have noted in the last suggestion at top, this is other application); it would be the map of a lost & famous place in America, a treasure map, .... The first to obtain it and return to Europe with it would obtain some type of bonuses: free promotions, gold, free resources, ... anything.
If added the suggestions at top, the other civs could stole you the map with marauders or destroying the unit which owns the map, privateers attacks when sending it to Europe, etc. to try complete the quest.
 

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Variate Stuff from Col 1, Maps, scenarios & Others



Col 1: Horses
They help any colonist to move further in a turn and to add some bonuses in the strength against nation without horses supply.


Col 1: Relations with the Natives
Destroying native settlements yields a quick profit and makes land available, but prevents the substantial long-term gains to be made by friendly bargaining and trading. Destruction of native settlements also counts against the player's final score.

Putting a Missionary into a capital results in a high degree of native anger.


Col 1: European wars
Occasionally they [the kings] might force colonial armies into wars with rival colonies. Wars are common in Europe and the most obvious effect is that the king raises the taxes in order to support them.
In some instances these European wars may be extended to the colonial lands where the nations involved would go into war with their rivals without any other possibility.



Col 1:Natives

More advanced tribes live in larger cities. Conquering them is harder, but yields more treasure.
Tribes could be separated into some categories according to their strength, the size of the cities, .... Nomadic natives would not have the same units, specialist, AI, city placement & size, ....

Semi-Nomadic​

Semi-Nomadic (technically, hunter-gatherer) tribes live in tee-pees.
  • Apache
  • Sioux
  • Tupi

Agrarian​

Agrarian tribes live in longhouses.

  • Arawak
  • Cherokee
  • Iroquois

Advanced​

  • Aztec - cities of golden ziggurats

Civilized​

  • Inca - cities of stone villas
 
I didn't still all read, but I saw a very very good idea.
Tracing ships
I like it!!! I won't implement the second solution.
I thought to an other solution.
If you trace a ship, you will see, the following turn, some colored plots will appear in the game, that will show where the ship can be find.
If you have an experimented crew, there will be only 9 colored plots, otherwise 20 colored plots will appear. Then crew would be able to make mistakes, so even if you cross all colored plots, it will not be in this plots.
 
About anything not related to tracing, take a look at it. I have all the required sources ready. CIV COL really needs variety in all naval aspects, it's something basic to reflect any century between the Renaissance and th Napoleonic era.
Apart from the obvious point: it's "colonization", in heaven's name it needs more ships than caravels & frigates, more promotions than +10% strength, etc.



About your idea:

It's a possibility but totally different...

The point of tracing by using the 2nd method is that it simulates a tracing of ships in real time in a realistic way. As base & unique requirement to trace a enemy ship is following them.

Using your system you are ignoring these points:
-You can trace enemy ships without really tracing neither following them. No restriction in the method.
-You don't know where the ship really is (this could still be applied in some specific cases in 2n method) which in fact is totally opposed to the action you are performing. In other words, if your ship is supposed to be following closely the enemy you can not suppose where the enemy is, you can see them, you know it.

Then others aspect:
-Enemy movement points don't have any influence in that. A ship can move up to its limit; showing possible plots where the units is obvious can not be because of that limits is useless.
-Neither your own ship capabilities have not any influence. What is the point of having faster ships if that will not help you to trace and contact the enemy? Totally opposite to the objective.

And the most important:

If you have an experimented crew, there will be only 9 colored plots, otherwise 20 colored plots will appear. Then crew would be able to make mistakes, so even if you cross all colored plots, it will not be in this plots.

Doing that you don't give any information. That is already given in vanilla by using a simple method:

Suppose you are tracing an enemy ship which has 4 movement points. The enemy is marked as "O". The possible squares where the enemy is placed are marked as "x". Just draw an area with a radius of length=4....

Figure 1: all the available possibilities. 80 squares.

Figure 2: If we introduce our ship (#),which necessarily must be adjacent to the enemy we can delete some of the possibilities. Our ship has the same movement points (4).

Figure3: due to the possibility of seeing enemy movements as an option included in game, you can delete either the top or the bottom of the figure. Either you see the enemy ship going out of your line of sight (top) or you see that the enemy ship crosses your line of sight (bottom). So far we have 36 possible squares. These 2 options can be divided and solved in:
3a can be easily solved if the enemy sealed at right or at left (only 9 possible squares). If the enemy use 2 points in our line of sight the possibilities are only 8 squares. Then considering we have 4 movement points we can explore all the tiles and attack the enemy in the same turn without having possibility of making a mistake. Therefore 3a shows that method is useless.

3b requires more deductions. We can see to which tile the enemy ship has sailed to when going out of our line of sight. Divide the paths in 3 possibilities. Remember that our ship only has 4 movements so you will not be able to seal up to the last square. So take a look at the solution of the figure 3. In all the cases the squares which are possible paths have 10 squares, that is less than the plots your method could saw, even in the best case.
If the unit has spent the 4 movements going to last row (denoted as 1) your unit will not be able to trace the enemy in any case.
Therefore 3b shows the method is not applicable here.

Sum 3a+3b and any other path which doesn't use all the movement points or which spend them in circles you can easily see the method is not giving anything to the human player.

Note that I always have supposed that the AI (or the other human) will always optimize their movements (by sealing to the further place); when that's true in the worst case you can not contact them, in any other your method would not give any new info to the player.
If that is false and the enemy ship performs unoptimized movements it's more obvious that the method is useless.



Code:
Figure 1:

XXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXX
XXXXOXXXX   
XXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXX

Figure 2:

XXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXX
XXX O XXX   
XXX # XXX
XXX   XXX
XXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXX


Figure3a:


XXX O XXX   
XXX # XXX
XXX   XXX
XXXXXXXXX    
XXXXXXXXX



Figure3b:

XXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXX
    O     
    #  


Figure3b solved:

1)

XXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXX
XX     XX
    O     
    #  

2a)

XXXX                 1<--- Your unit is not able to go here.
XXXX
XXXX
XX         
    O     
    #  

2b)

      XXXX          1<--- Your unit is not able to go here.
      XXXX          
      XXXX         
        XX          
     O     
     #  


2c) If the unit is in 2 or 3 you can attack the enemy. In 1 you will not be able to do it.

       X           1<--- Your unit is not able to go here.
       X           2
       X           3
            
       O     
       #


Even being [yours] a good idea considering the variables you want to add (promotions, crew, ...) its totally wrong if you take a look closer at the objective we want to meet by tracing enemy ships. You can not give 20, 9 neither 5 possible pots where the unit could be placed because that in fact doesn't give you any information you can not obtain by yourself. Apart from the reasons I give you at top.

Reconsider the only method which can be successfully used, as it is the 2nd. Believe me that I have thought about it and it is simple as it could be, just following logic statements. Ockham's razor.
 
Expanded the Cartographic concepts, added the necessary icon for the espionage missions action for marauders.

Edit: Almost finished cartographic section. Only left the quests & promotions. Take a look at the red texts because these points are really important before applying your new idea to an stable DoaNE version. I have explained some of them in the other thread "validation of maps". Here it is the complete explanation.

Added some ideas & stuff from the original colonization. These will be added, expanded or explained deeply in other sections as soon as I continue with the suggestions. But here it's a first preview.

Also the "War alerts" idea will be included in CIV 4 in the mod named : BUG. Not sure if that could help you to implement "easily" some or many of the interface changes you wanna do. Anyway it would not be hard to implement without using that method.
 
Added the sources for all the naval units. I will write for which unit is every file.

Added in post 3: economy. suggestions related with horses as well as some extra resources.
I will recompile all the suggestions (lumberjacks, city production, etc.) in the other threads an put them here.
 
I read the "Cartography: new discoveries" part and I have some observations.
First, I agree with the most ideas you wrote.

Maps should only be activated in your capital (1st city) or in Europe
I don't see why we should only activate map in our capital and Europe.
It is not easy to make a colony, we must have ressources necessary to built it.
And after, the king will have to give his consent. I think it is more realist to allow it all our colonies.

Marauder's missions
There are a problem because marauders are saw by a seasoned scout, so how can they steal the map of this latter?

Discoveries don't die, units do die:When the unit which has the map dies in a tile, a new icon could appear representing a missing map in the place. That tile would contain the map and any unit which moves to it would obtain the map (and the the entire concept is applied as if the unit would explore by itself). As soon as the map contained in the tile is obtained by an unit the icon and therefore the map should disappear for future uses.
I don't really agree with that, actually other units can't find the body of scout, it would be eaten by wolfs :hide:.
But more seriously I don't think it is useful to implement this idea.
 
I read the "Cartography: new discoveries" part and I have some observations.
First, I agree with the most ideas you wrote.

I don't see why we should only activate map in our capital and Europe.
It is not easy to make a colony, we must have ressources necessary to built it.
And after, the king will have to give his consent. I think it is more realist to allow it all our colonies.
A note from Renick:
Besides, europeans sell their maps for a little money, so you can know most of the territory with some gold and very quick, another thing is that, this allows to found a city with the explorer, to ad maps to the general map, and in the following turn abandon the colony, and keep exploring.

-Without this limitation in late stages it would be a problem.
-The AI doesn't seem to have the same limitations than the human player, in a few turns they have more than 3 colonies.

By forcing the explorer to return to the capital you limit the exploration to logical terms:

  • AI will not be overpowered by the introduction of this system. Note that adding the cartographic system will not only be a limitation to the human player but an advantage to the AI.
    AI has no problems obtaining many ships, scouts and gold at the start. You need to limit them.
  • No citiy+explorer combo in any case.
  • Exploration becomes a challenge. The explorer needs to return to the motherland (capital or Europe) to really make the world know the new discoveries.
    I can't imagine Colon telling the discovery of America (or what he think was Asia) to colonists who lived in Africa, it simply has no logic.
    To spread the info you need to report the discovery to the nerve center of your colony.
  • And if we consider this:
It is not easy to make a colony, we must have resources necessary to built it.
Exactly, if you don't have many colonies at the start, what's the problem with sending the explorer to the capital?
After all the capital will be near.
  • Port blockade will be a main strategy to consider. Nations without a safe trade route will not be able to advance in exploration (they can still send the explorer overland) because of the privateers.
Also by forcing the explorer to return to the capital you limit the exploration to historical terms:

  • XV century, exploratory expeditions are dangerous. The management required to perform them was proportional to the benefits obtained in a short period of time.
    Usually these expeditions were done personally by the King [sustained by him/her] or by the Viceroy.
  • Any discovery needed to be reported to the authority, the maps needed to be redone with any new info., etc...

Note that the historical reasons are obviously dispensable; but the rest have been considered to balance the game-play with the AI.
That was (not sure in the new version yet) the main problem of DoaNE game-play as I told you some time ago. Just think that the map is something essential for the human player but the AI will not be limited but have advantages if you don't introduce some limitations.


There are a problem because marauders are saw by a seasoned scout, so how can they steal the map of this latter?
I didn't think about it... There are 2 options:
-Instead of that mission, the marauder just could be able to attack the scout. If the marauder wins, he obtains the map. (it's just a combination of the other suggestion with marauder missions)
-Create a spy unit -apart from the marauder- or change marauders to be only visible by other marauders.

I don't think that the spy unit would be a good option yet, maybe a point to consider at advanced stages of the mod, to be added to late era, specialization of marauders, etc.

In my opinion the 1st is the best, it's simple.
The rest of the missions should not be a problem.

I don't really agree with that, actually other units can't find the body of scout, it would be eaten by wolfs :hide:.
But more seriously I don't think it is useful to implement this idea.
Well is just an idea. I would be really angry if my explorer dies loosing all the discoveries XD

Seriously, it would add the option to nations in war to obtain new maps without using marauders.
Just imagine that you see an enemy scout, obviously if you can you will attack them with your military units.
Because of being a military unit it will not obtain the map of the enemy scouter, so the map is lost.... but it has no logic, you simply prefer to attack them with stronger units than scout or marauders, the map should not be lost in that action.
Well if then my scout could take the map I don't see why this is not useful.
Maybe the map should only appear when the scout/ship dies attacked by an enemy unit (an unit from a nation, natives or animals are not considered here).
After x turns it may dissapear. That gives you the option to capture enemy maps when you are in war. Also this gives you the option to recover recently lost maps.

Also check the part in the spoiler:
-Special events or Quests like in CIV. You can place a mysterious map randomly in a place represented with an icon (as I have noted in the last suggestion at top, this is other application); it would be the map of a lost & famous place in America, a treasure map, .... The first to obtain it and return to Europe with it would obtain some type of bonuses: free promotions, gold, free resources, ... anything.
If added the suggestions at top, the other civs could stole you the map with marauders or destroying the unit which owns the map, privateers attacks when sending it to Europe, etc. to try complete the quest.

It's a variation really interesting.
 
AI will not be overpowered by the introduction of this system. Note that adding the cartographic system will not only be a limitation to the human player but an advantage to the AI.
AI has no problems obtaining many ships, scouts and gold at the start. You need to limit them.
I forgot to say you an important information, in start the IA will be limited in its exploration because it will not be able to move if the range between its destination and its one of its cities is greater than 5 plots(it is an instance).
The explorer needs to return to the motherland (capital or Europe)
You convinced me :p, I will implement it.
the marauder
It is a hard part, maybe the marauder shouldn't be saw by the seasoned scouts, i can change it, however I think the marauder must be saw with an other system(I don't know which)
Special events or Quests like in CIV. You can place a mysterious map randomly in a place represented with an icon (as I have noted in the last suggestion at top, this is other application); it would be the map of a lost & famous place in America, a treasure map, .... The first to obtain it and return to Europe with it would obtain some type of bonuses: free promotions, gold, free resources, ... anything.
If added the suggestions at top, the other civs could stole you the map with marauders or destroying the unit which owns the map, privateers attacks when sending it to Europe, etc. to try complete the quest.
It is expected in the following version :)
 
Check again the post. I have edited it.

It is a hard part, maybe the marauder shouldn't be saw by the seasoned scouts, i can change it, however I think the marauder must be saw with an other system(I don't know which)

Just this:

Instead of that mission, the marauder just could be able to attack the scout. If the marauder wins, he obtains the map.
Marauders would still be seen by scouts. And marauders would be able to attack scouts and obtain the map when defeating them.

I forgot to say you an important information, in start the IA will be limited in its exploration because it will not be able to move if the range between its destination and its one of its cities is greater than 5 plots(it is an instance).

I'm impatient about seeing the new version.
 
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