1989: Scenario Development Thread

Thank you, Lionic! These are exactly the kind of graphics I am looking for. If we can get a few more packs contributed like that we can be done quickly! Maybe I should start a telethon.

OK, I'll try to find some more images like that. Funny that there are no pictures of Detroit Arsenal assembly lines while plenty for various Soviet factories. Now, who is more secretive?

I gave Wolfshade's idea a try

download

Hi Tony! Here are two you can cross off your list:

Agribusiness

Nuclear Decision

Nice! Is the nuclear decision pic based on the DEFCON game?

Samez said:

Nice! Is the nuclear decision pic based on the DEFCON game?

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No, not at all. I just assembled some images I found online. Glad you think it's that good, Samez.

So here's another one from the list that I did last night:

Palestinian State

I've left my gimp (.xcf) files and also put png files in these packs deliberately - I'm not particularly fond of using pre-indexed images for the buildings-large and buildings-small files, as I prefer to lay out those files then index them all at once, so I thought I'd give everyone else the same opportunity. Just toss anything you don't need.

Thanks, Samez and Balthasar! These are really excellent. That definitely is a picture of General Turgidson playing Defcon!

When I get my computer running again I'll be able to post some stuff I've been working on also.

Oooooh, mercy!!!

Where is the workshop? Sorry but have no clue where it was

Tony, I've been thinking of Western Industrial Relocation Wonder. What would you say about using an image like this http://www.kamensky.ru/im/2010/09/19/109.jpg. It could mean a Soviet train transporting Western equipment home.
EDIT. Or this http://www.kamensky.ru/im/2010/09/19/111.jpg?

Angelle said:

Where is the workshop? Sorry but have no clue where it was

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Which workshop?

Nothing is going on in the workshop so don't worry about it.

Lionic, I like that first picture and will use that one. Thanks!

The game survived the transition when I fixed my computer, so new info should be posted soon.

Soviet Tech Tree

Here is a snapshot of Era 1 for the Soviet Union and its Warsaw Treaty allies. The USSR has a much smoother technology progression since it only has to contend with techs in one era, and they are all interconnected. The Soviets can also access better units early on because of their robust mobilization plan and vast stores of equipment. There will still be choices to make, however, since every turn counts and you need to decide which items are a priority. International techs will open up new buildings and allow for trade and alliances, while other techs will open up naval, air, and land units. Eventually, you will be able to build new units using the most modern equipment. The Soviet Union is the largest country on the map and therefore has excellent production ability. Remember, though, that it is hampered by hard economic times and you will have to balance unrest, maintenance costs, and tech progression. The faster you expand, the sooner you can start saving rubles at home. Also, don't forget to trade Aircraft, Electronics, Uranium, and other rare strategic resources to neutrals and allies to help alleviate your budgetary constraints. This will be mutually beneficial as it allows your allies to build better units.

I also think that you could use an image from one of Red Alert videos, the one, were dagger with hammer and sickle strikes at the center of Europe, as Warsaw Pact Expansion, but I just cannot find this image yet.

Lionic said:

I also think that you could use an image from one of Red Alert videos, the one, were dagger with hammer and sickle strikes at the center of Europe, as Warsaw Pact Expansion, but I just cannot find this image yet.

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I think this might be the video you were talking about, but it was actually a dagger.


Link to video.

EDIT: AnthonyBoscia, do you know about the cancelled Paradox Cold War game East vs. West? The soundtrack was leaked and I was thinking it might help if you need any additional music.

Link to video.
I'm not sure about its copyright status though, so you might want to contact the composer over his Soundcloud here: https://soundcloud.com/jamoose

Hey Kevin, I haven't played any Paradox games so I'm not familiar with them, although I've heard they make some good ones. I also missed Red Alert, although I was a big Dune II fan a long time ago. On my friends' computers since I didn't have a PC back then. I did pick up European Escalation 1 and 2 and played a little. I don't play too much in the way of computer games; most of what time I do use is spent modding.

Lionic said:

Yes, but I see now that it falls on the Eastern Germany, which is already under Soviet control.

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The map of interwar Europe may be a little dated for our purposes.

Here's a shot of the Civilopedia menu. I am still doing text work here. Also, there is a full set of terrain and worker action civilopedia entries for Ares' terrain. So if you are using the terrain set in other mods it may come in handy, although it would have a modern era atmosphere.

Map does not fit for 1989 but I liked the idea of dagger.

Pic with smoking guy - looks like he smokes soviet "Astra" or "Prima" (no filter). Nostalgia. My granddad smoked them. Miss him.

When I first started working on this game, I put a lot of thought into how nuclear weapons should be incorporated. The easy solution would be the 'war game' solution, where basically there would be no nukes and the game would be strictly conventional. I thought that this would be kind of an easy way out, though, as nuclear weapons were central to all war planning and foremost in everyone's minds. The unpredictability of how nuclear war could unfold was a major part of their effectiveness as a deterrent. Despite all the planning and strategizing, no one truly knew what the threshold would be for nuclear war would be or whether the number of weapons used could be capped or contained. The problem, though, is that while in real life there is plenty of motivation not to nuke the world, in Civ the consequences of nuclear war are slight.

I spent a bunch of time reading what I could about nuclear war planning and how weapons would be employed. Quite frankly, it made for pretty sickening reading. But when I did some tests, I think that Civ III actually has a pretty good system set up for nukes. To my knowledge, the AI will not launch a first strike, even if they are threatened with extinction. If you launch first, however, they will retaliate, and your rep will take such a hit that neutral nations will attack you. So I went ahead and included nukes in the game, which is where it stands now. Originally I set up a torturous system of techs and upgrades that would require you to upgrade your nuclear forces from standby to active, but this proved too cumbersome. Nukes are now active from the start of the game: you can start the war with a bang if you like.

Russia, America, France, and Britain all start with nuclear forces. ICBMs are set in their historical silo locations (or home bases for mobile missiles) and work just like Civ 3 ICBMs. Submarine-launched missiles are air unit missiles that are based on the appropriate submarines. Although having nukes as air units greys out the Nuke strategy in the editor, it seems that the computer will still use them properly. There are also theater ranged weapons like the Pioner and Pershing IIs. Historically these were being phased out by the INF Treaty of 1987 but in game the treaty did not happen, so they are still in play. From what I've seen, the game gives you a freebie on your first nuke attack. After two or more, though, the AI will retaliate. All nuclear missiles and submarines are marked with the nuclear flag and therefore can't be destroyed by other nukes. So the enemy retains second strike capability.

So it's all up to you on whether the game will degenerate to total nuclear war. I didn't add any post-apocalyptic mutants in dune buggies, though. I'll have to save that for the sequel. As for multiplayer, more thought will have to be put into how to set nukes up so the game doesn't become pointless.

Wolfshade said:

Pic with smoking guy - looks like he smokes soviet "Astra" or "Prima" (no filter). Nostalgia. My granddad smoked them. Miss him.

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They don't make good unfiltered smokes like that anymore? Damned capitalism.