AnthonyBoscia
Emperor
- Joined
- Feb 7, 2010
- Messages
- 1,847
General update. In order to get this done some time this century, I've created some self-imposed deadlines since I lost so much time last year and have much less time this year. I'm going to get out as many units as I can by 31 May, and then switch back over to pcx graphics (interface, tech icons, buildings, etc.). This will go on until 31 Aug, when playtesting will start. The plan is to have something by the end of the year.
The Soviets have been run through on the map and are almost complete in terms of placement; only the SSBNs remain to be placed. A lot of text work has also been completed or is in progress. This includes civilopedia entries for units, buildings, technologies, and civs. It also includes advisor text, labels, and some diplomatic text. This is still an ongoing project but we're on the downslope now.
In addition to making units, a big part of the current work relates to the tech tree and how units and buildings are placed in it. The relationship between production and science needs to be balanced so that there are multiple options on where to focus your efforts. This also needs to be balanced in terms of the civs themselves. The big countries can invest a lot into technology and cash while small countries will not be able to fly through the tech tree.
The tech tree is set up as follows: Era 1 is for the Soviets, East Germans, and Cubans. A few techs will be available here for all civs such as Civil Engineering and Military Engineering, which enable worker tasks. Most other era 1 techs will require the Marxism-Leninism tech specific to these civs. The techs in this era give the Soviets options for mobilizing different types of forces (land, air defense, air, naval, etc), as well as diplomatic options. There are a lot of improvements and wonders that become available if you seize NATO territory and gain access to national resources (like French culture, German culture, etc. which act as luxury resources). You can set up new interim governments in these countries, train native volunteer regiments, and even ship off capital and technicians back to the Soviet Union to improve production back home. The diplomatic techs also enable components of the Political Victory (Space Race) which require many national resources. Some you must take by force, while others like Arabic and Israeli culture can either be seized or traded for.
Era 2 covers mobilization. This covers most unit building options for the rest of the civs starting with reserves and ending with the manufacture of new units. Many non-Soviet Warsaw Pact and Middle Eastern powers have access to eras 1 and 2.
Era 3 is diplomacy, mostly for NATO and European nations. There are some really key techs here that are essential for victory. The international trade tech allows you to make a petroleum trade agreement with oil-producing nations. The OPEC countries start with a small wonder that allows air trade. The International Trade Agreement is also a SW that allows you to connect to this network. Another alternative is the Merchant Marine tech that opens transatlantic trade, giving European nations access to US/Canadian national resources and much-needed oil. Almost all the continental European nations are oil-starved and need to acquire it ASAP if they intend to build anything. Britain and Denmark now have a new set up: North Sea Oil. This is represented by a SW in the Shetlands and Faroes that enables sea trade and each city has a single oil resource. This gives these two civs an oil resource (after turn 1 when the computer calculates trade) but the islands are defenseless and vulnerable against a Soviet AI that just loves to drop Airborne troops and land Naval Infantry on helpless resource cities.
Era 3 will also have options for the NATO Political Victory if you're trying that route. You'll need to hang on to NATO territory, make peace in the Middle East and grab a chunk of Poland so you can make a new Western-friendly government there. My understanding is that two Space Races can co-exist as long as there are ten components each, so fingers crossed that all works during testing. Finally, Era 3 has some more options for things like Stay-Behind partisans, civilian defense, and the mack daddy of all abilities: military alliances.
Era 4 is naval and available to the US, UK, and Italy. Each tech has a little story about the War in the Pacific and slowly makes new naval forces available. These nations have a bunch of immobile units that can upgrade when the time is right. It's a different strategy but if you are big on sneaky naval attacks then there's much to be found here.
The improvements and wonders are a mix of preplaced buildings and stuff you can make in game. There is no Hurry Production option for any civ so you really need to weigh your production options.
Anyway, more to follow in the future on this game and some unit packs will be on the horizon as well.
The Soviets have been run through on the map and are almost complete in terms of placement; only the SSBNs remain to be placed. A lot of text work has also been completed or is in progress. This includes civilopedia entries for units, buildings, technologies, and civs. It also includes advisor text, labels, and some diplomatic text. This is still an ongoing project but we're on the downslope now.
In addition to making units, a big part of the current work relates to the tech tree and how units and buildings are placed in it. The relationship between production and science needs to be balanced so that there are multiple options on where to focus your efforts. This also needs to be balanced in terms of the civs themselves. The big countries can invest a lot into technology and cash while small countries will not be able to fly through the tech tree.
The tech tree is set up as follows: Era 1 is for the Soviets, East Germans, and Cubans. A few techs will be available here for all civs such as Civil Engineering and Military Engineering, which enable worker tasks. Most other era 1 techs will require the Marxism-Leninism tech specific to these civs. The techs in this era give the Soviets options for mobilizing different types of forces (land, air defense, air, naval, etc), as well as diplomatic options. There are a lot of improvements and wonders that become available if you seize NATO territory and gain access to national resources (like French culture, German culture, etc. which act as luxury resources). You can set up new interim governments in these countries, train native volunteer regiments, and even ship off capital and technicians back to the Soviet Union to improve production back home. The diplomatic techs also enable components of the Political Victory (Space Race) which require many national resources. Some you must take by force, while others like Arabic and Israeli culture can either be seized or traded for.
Era 2 covers mobilization. This covers most unit building options for the rest of the civs starting with reserves and ending with the manufacture of new units. Many non-Soviet Warsaw Pact and Middle Eastern powers have access to eras 1 and 2.
Era 3 is diplomacy, mostly for NATO and European nations. There are some really key techs here that are essential for victory. The international trade tech allows you to make a petroleum trade agreement with oil-producing nations. The OPEC countries start with a small wonder that allows air trade. The International Trade Agreement is also a SW that allows you to connect to this network. Another alternative is the Merchant Marine tech that opens transatlantic trade, giving European nations access to US/Canadian national resources and much-needed oil. Almost all the continental European nations are oil-starved and need to acquire it ASAP if they intend to build anything. Britain and Denmark now have a new set up: North Sea Oil. This is represented by a SW in the Shetlands and Faroes that enables sea trade and each city has a single oil resource. This gives these two civs an oil resource (after turn 1 when the computer calculates trade) but the islands are defenseless and vulnerable against a Soviet AI that just loves to drop Airborne troops and land Naval Infantry on helpless resource cities.
Era 3 will also have options for the NATO Political Victory if you're trying that route. You'll need to hang on to NATO territory, make peace in the Middle East and grab a chunk of Poland so you can make a new Western-friendly government there. My understanding is that two Space Races can co-exist as long as there are ten components each, so fingers crossed that all works during testing. Finally, Era 3 has some more options for things like Stay-Behind partisans, civilian defense, and the mack daddy of all abilities: military alliances.
Era 4 is naval and available to the US, UK, and Italy. Each tech has a little story about the War in the Pacific and slowly makes new naval forces available. These nations have a bunch of immobile units that can upgrade when the time is right. It's a different strategy but if you are big on sneaky naval attacks then there's much to be found here.
The improvements and wonders are a mix of preplaced buildings and stuff you can make in game. There is no Hurry Production option for any civ so you really need to weigh your production options.
Anyway, more to follow in the future on this game and some unit packs will be on the horizon as well.