The ideas in this thead may form the basis of a mod to implement it. The goal is to retain the original flavor of the existing cultural policies, while bringing them up to the level where good players consider them all viable for certain goals. A tree like the current Tradition, Liberty, Order, or Freedom are more or less baseline, while Rationalism needs a slight nerf, and the other trees require minor to major buffs. This opinion is my own and while it draws on comments I've already read, I want to hear more.
One of the themes in my changes are the existence of small science buffs in every tree after the three ancient ones. The reason for this is that they all have to compete in social policies with Rationalism for the player's attention. I have significantly toned down Planned Economy in Order, however, and slightly nerfed Rationalism also, so it doesn't seem possible to stack all of these benefits for anything too crazy.
Another theme is that there are, overall, more culture-granting policies, as I do think that the policies come just a little bit too slowly later on if you aren't playing for a cultural victory.
Piety gets the biggest buff because it still competes with Rationalism. Autocracy and Honor get large improvements as well. I've also tried to shore up Commerce's left side by providing non-naval bonuses in addition to naval bonuses.
TRADITION
Opener, Aristocracy, Legalism, Landed Elite, and Monarchy: no change.
Oligarchy: Walls grant +1 culture, and cities with a garrison gain +50% Ranged Combat Strength.
LIBERTY
Opener, Citizenship, Collective Rule, and Representation: no change.
Republic: +1 Production in every city, 5% production to buildings, and the hammer cost of circus, colosseum, theater, and stadium reduced by 50%.
Meritocracy: +1 happiness for each city connected to the capital and -10% unhappiness from citizens.
HONOR
Finisher: no change.
Opener: Culture bonus for all units, barbarian or civ. Other bonuses intact.
Warrior Code: +15% production of all land units and a free great general.
Military Tradition: Military Units gain 50% more Experience from combat. Hammer cost of barracks, armory, and military academy reduced by 50%.
Discipline: +15% combat strength for military Units which have another military Unit in an adjacent tile. Allow 8 units to be maintenance free.
Military Caste: +1 Happiness and +1 Culture from barracks, armory, and military academy.
Professional Army: Gold cost of upgrading Military Units reduced by 33% and +1 Local City Happiness from every defensive building (Walls, Castle, Arsenal, Military Base).
PIETY
Opener: Adopting Piety reduces the time to build Shrines and Temples by 50% and provides a 20% discount on all religious buildings and units.
Organized Religion: +1 Happiness from Monuments, Shrines, and Temples.
Theocracy: +2 Faith from Shrines and Temples. Temples increase gold output by 10%.
Mandate of Heaven: 50% of excess Happiness added each turn to the amount of Culture that may be spent on Social Policies. An additional +1 Culture from Ampitheaters, Opera Houses, and Museums.
Religious Tolerance: +2 science from artist specialists and +2 culture from scientist specialists.
Finisher: Holy Sites have +3 culture and +3 gold. Receive a 10% policy discount.
PATRONAGE
Opener, Aesthetics, Scholasticism, Cultural Diplomacy: no change.
Philanthropy: Gifts of Gold to a City-State generate 25% more Influence. Receive a free Great Merchant.
Educated Elite: Allied City-States will occasionally gift you Great People. Faith and culture from city states increased by 25%.
Finisher: Adopting all policies in the Patronage tree will increase the resting point for influence with city states another 15 and make other players' Influence with City-States decrease 33% more per turn than usual.
COMMERCE
Mercantilism, Protectionism, Finisher: no change.
Opener: Adopting Commerce boosts Gold output in the Capital City by 50%.
Naval Tradition: Observatories provide an additional 10% science. +1 movement and +1 sight for naval combat units. A Great Admiral appears. +2 movement for Great Admirals.
Merchant Navy: A Great Merchant appears. +1 gold and +2 production to Workshops, Harbors, and Seaports.
Trade Unions: Maintenance on road/rail reduced by 33%. +1 science from every Trading Post.
RATIONALISM
Opener, Secularism, Humanism, Scientific Revolution, Finisher, Sovereignty: no change.
Free thought: +17% science from Universities.
FREEDOM
Opener, Constitution, Civil Society: no change.
Free Speech: Double yield from great person tiles.
Universal Suffrage: Specialist population produce half unhappiness.
Democracy: Artists produce +1 culture, Scientists produce +1 science, Engineers produce +2 hammers, and Merchants produce +3 gold.
Finisher: Length of golden ages increased by 50%.
AUTOCRACY
Total War: same.
Opener: Receive 10 science and 10 culture as plunder for each citizen in a captured city. Also reduce unit maintenance cost by 33%.
Militarism: Gold cost for purchasing units reduced by 33%. Garrisons are maintenance-free and increase Local City Happiness by 1.
Police State: In addition to all existing benefits of the policy, gain an extra spy.
Populism: Wounded military units deal 25% more damage. Science increased by 1 for every 5 citizens in a city.
Fascism: Quantity of Strategic Resources produced increased by 100%. Railroad production bonus increased 5%. Great Generals have +2 movement.
Finisher: Adopting all Policies in the Autocracy tree will grant a 25% attack bonus to all Military Units for 50 turns and also grants 10 global happiness permanently.
ORDER
Opener, Socialism, Communism: same.
Planned Economy: Factories increase a city's Science output by 10%. Build Factories in half the usual time.
United Front: Militaristic city states grant units twice as often when you are at war with a common foe. 15% attack bonus when fighting in friendly territory.
Nationalism: Monuments produce an additional +1 culture. Theaters, Stadiums, Ampitheaters, and Opera Houses produce an additional +1 Local City Happiness.
One of the themes in my changes are the existence of small science buffs in every tree after the three ancient ones. The reason for this is that they all have to compete in social policies with Rationalism for the player's attention. I have significantly toned down Planned Economy in Order, however, and slightly nerfed Rationalism also, so it doesn't seem possible to stack all of these benefits for anything too crazy.
Another theme is that there are, overall, more culture-granting policies, as I do think that the policies come just a little bit too slowly later on if you aren't playing for a cultural victory.
Piety gets the biggest buff because it still competes with Rationalism. Autocracy and Honor get large improvements as well. I've also tried to shore up Commerce's left side by providing non-naval bonuses in addition to naval bonuses.
TRADITION
Opener, Aristocracy, Legalism, Landed Elite, and Monarchy: no change.
Oligarchy: Walls grant +1 culture, and cities with a garrison gain +50% Ranged Combat Strength.
LIBERTY
Opener, Citizenship, Collective Rule, and Representation: no change.
Republic: +1 Production in every city, 5% production to buildings, and the hammer cost of circus, colosseum, theater, and stadium reduced by 50%.
Meritocracy: +1 happiness for each city connected to the capital and -10% unhappiness from citizens.
HONOR
Finisher: no change.
Opener: Culture bonus for all units, barbarian or civ. Other bonuses intact.
Warrior Code: +15% production of all land units and a free great general.
Military Tradition: Military Units gain 50% more Experience from combat. Hammer cost of barracks, armory, and military academy reduced by 50%.
Discipline: +15% combat strength for military Units which have another military Unit in an adjacent tile. Allow 8 units to be maintenance free.
Military Caste: +1 Happiness and +1 Culture from barracks, armory, and military academy.
Professional Army: Gold cost of upgrading Military Units reduced by 33% and +1 Local City Happiness from every defensive building (Walls, Castle, Arsenal, Military Base).
PIETY
Opener: Adopting Piety reduces the time to build Shrines and Temples by 50% and provides a 20% discount on all religious buildings and units.
Organized Religion: +1 Happiness from Monuments, Shrines, and Temples.
Theocracy: +2 Faith from Shrines and Temples. Temples increase gold output by 10%.
Mandate of Heaven: 50% of excess Happiness added each turn to the amount of Culture that may be spent on Social Policies. An additional +1 Culture from Ampitheaters, Opera Houses, and Museums.
Religious Tolerance: +2 science from artist specialists and +2 culture from scientist specialists.
Finisher: Holy Sites have +3 culture and +3 gold. Receive a 10% policy discount.
PATRONAGE
Opener, Aesthetics, Scholasticism, Cultural Diplomacy: no change.
Philanthropy: Gifts of Gold to a City-State generate 25% more Influence. Receive a free Great Merchant.
Educated Elite: Allied City-States will occasionally gift you Great People. Faith and culture from city states increased by 25%.
Finisher: Adopting all policies in the Patronage tree will increase the resting point for influence with city states another 15 and make other players' Influence with City-States decrease 33% more per turn than usual.
COMMERCE
Mercantilism, Protectionism, Finisher: no change.
Opener: Adopting Commerce boosts Gold output in the Capital City by 50%.
Naval Tradition: Observatories provide an additional 10% science. +1 movement and +1 sight for naval combat units. A Great Admiral appears. +2 movement for Great Admirals.
Merchant Navy: A Great Merchant appears. +1 gold and +2 production to Workshops, Harbors, and Seaports.
Trade Unions: Maintenance on road/rail reduced by 33%. +1 science from every Trading Post.
RATIONALISM
Opener, Secularism, Humanism, Scientific Revolution, Finisher, Sovereignty: no change.
Free thought: +17% science from Universities.
FREEDOM
Opener, Constitution, Civil Society: no change.
Free Speech: Double yield from great person tiles.
Universal Suffrage: Specialist population produce half unhappiness.
Democracy: Artists produce +1 culture, Scientists produce +1 science, Engineers produce +2 hammers, and Merchants produce +3 gold.
Finisher: Length of golden ages increased by 50%.
AUTOCRACY
Total War: same.
Opener: Receive 10 science and 10 culture as plunder for each citizen in a captured city. Also reduce unit maintenance cost by 33%.
Militarism: Gold cost for purchasing units reduced by 33%. Garrisons are maintenance-free and increase Local City Happiness by 1.
Police State: In addition to all existing benefits of the policy, gain an extra spy.
Populism: Wounded military units deal 25% more damage. Science increased by 1 for every 5 citizens in a city.
Fascism: Quantity of Strategic Resources produced increased by 100%. Railroad production bonus increased 5%. Great Generals have +2 movement.
Finisher: Adopting all Policies in the Autocracy tree will grant a 25% attack bonus to all Military Units for 50 turns and also grants 10 global happiness permanently.
ORDER
Opener, Socialism, Communism: same.
Planned Economy: Factories increase a city's Science output by 10%. Build Factories in half the usual time.
United Front: Militaristic city states grant units twice as often when you are at war with a common foe. 15% attack bonus when fighting in friendly territory.
Nationalism: Monuments produce an additional +1 culture. Theaters, Stadiums, Ampitheaters, and Opera Houses produce an additional +1 Local City Happiness.
