This may seem like a strange thread to some of you here, but I'm already thinking of modding ideas for BtS once I get a copy. Sure, I'll play a few "out-of-the-box" games to get a feel for the new material, but looking through (and dare I say, studying) the prerelease info has left me with a realization that I would like to share.
The Babylonian UB, if I understand it correctly, is a Colosseum replacement that provides +1 health. This struck me as a little weak (because buildings like the Apothecary get +2 health, and the Ottoman aqueducts are +2 happiness), but I figured that colosseums are less expensive since a patch from Firaxis. But then I started looking at other colosseum replacement UBs. The Mayan Ball Court doesn't seem too much stronger, although it is +2 happiness, not a +1.
And then I saw the Greek UB. Perhaps I just never really paid enough attention to the Greeks--I played as them once, but never really looked too much at the UB. I concede that I may have ignored one of the greatest "additional benefits" that a UB can provide in the game. It's a colosseum with +3 culture, +1 happiness, +1 happiness from Hit Singles, and allows two artists specialists. Holy $^%&! And Babylon only gets +1 health?
I decided that I would mod the Babylonian UB when I got the game, and I couldn't decide on a bonus, since allowing artist specialists and extra culture are both already part of the Greek UB additional benefits. I wanted something truly unique. And, then, it hit me: why not give the Babylonian UB the benefit of a mini-Sistine, giving +2 culture to all specialists in this city? It's a boost that gives the Babylonians a culture boost, something that just seems appropriate to me, and it is completely unique from the Greek UB. It gives a player shooting for a culture victory a unique alternative to the typical selection of China (for the Pavilion culture boost) or another Industrious or Philosophical leader; a specialist economy gets unique synergy with it. However, I don't think the game coding has the ability to give limited specialist boosts: there is a SpecialistExtraCommerce tag, but I believe that affects your entire civilization.
So, I suppose my somewhat rambling post has two questions: what do all of you think of that bonus, and is there anyone here skilled enough with Python to mod this benefit in? I'm limited to XML modding capacity, myself, and I have never succeeded in adding stuff to the schema, just modifying it.
P. S.: I know this may seem more appropriate for the Creation and Customization forum, but since it's about the expansion pack before its release, I figured this would be the best venue for discussion.
The Babylonian UB, if I understand it correctly, is a Colosseum replacement that provides +1 health. This struck me as a little weak (because buildings like the Apothecary get +2 health, and the Ottoman aqueducts are +2 happiness), but I figured that colosseums are less expensive since a patch from Firaxis. But then I started looking at other colosseum replacement UBs. The Mayan Ball Court doesn't seem too much stronger, although it is +2 happiness, not a +1.
And then I saw the Greek UB. Perhaps I just never really paid enough attention to the Greeks--I played as them once, but never really looked too much at the UB. I concede that I may have ignored one of the greatest "additional benefits" that a UB can provide in the game. It's a colosseum with +3 culture, +1 happiness, +1 happiness from Hit Singles, and allows two artists specialists. Holy $^%&! And Babylon only gets +1 health?
I decided that I would mod the Babylonian UB when I got the game, and I couldn't decide on a bonus, since allowing artist specialists and extra culture are both already part of the Greek UB additional benefits. I wanted something truly unique. And, then, it hit me: why not give the Babylonian UB the benefit of a mini-Sistine, giving +2 culture to all specialists in this city? It's a boost that gives the Babylonians a culture boost, something that just seems appropriate to me, and it is completely unique from the Greek UB. It gives a player shooting for a culture victory a unique alternative to the typical selection of China (for the Pavilion culture boost) or another Industrious or Philosophical leader; a specialist economy gets unique synergy with it. However, I don't think the game coding has the ability to give limited specialist boosts: there is a SpecialistExtraCommerce tag, but I believe that affects your entire civilization.
So, I suppose my somewhat rambling post has two questions: what do all of you think of that bonus, and is there anyone here skilled enough with Python to mod this benefit in? I'm limited to XML modding capacity, myself, and I have never succeeded in adding stuff to the schema, just modifying it.
P. S.: I know this may seem more appropriate for the Creation and Customization forum, but since it's about the expansion pack before its release, I figured this would be the best venue for discussion.