Event Cleanup

I want to take a look at Events and do some cleanup on them. We have a lot of events and I don't think many of them have ever been really looked at. Some events just need some minor touching up, while others I think should be removed as they aren't really appropriate and shouldn't be going off at all. I just don't want to do any changes without posting it first.

Most of what I'm proposing is going to be one of two things.

First, standardizing the entry and exit points for events. Events can have prerequisite techs and obsolete techs. Prerequisite techs can be AND requirements or OR requirements. OR requirements are generally a stand-in for an era requirement (the event won't trigger until you hit a particular era). Likewise, the list of obsolete techs is an OR requirement; as soon as you have one obsoleting tech, that event won't go off any more. I will be standardizing the tech lists on the "starter techs" for each era (the techs that researching actually moves you up an entire era).

For reference, here's the list of starter techs for each era:

• Classical: Alphabet, Athletics, Glass Blowing, Horse Breeding, Mathematics, Monarchy, Ship Building
• Medieval: Civil Service, Engineering, Feudalism, Theology
• Renaissance: Astronomy, Gunpowder, Humanism, Oil Painting, Printing Press
• Industrial: Corporation, Military Science, Photography, Steam Power
• Modern: Aerodynamics, Antibiotics, Electronics, Globalization
• Transhuman: Artificial Intelligence, Automated Traffic, Brain-Machine Interface, Controlled Plasma, Ecological Engineering, Mesh Networks, Metamaterials, Micromechanics, Military Robotics, Powered Exoskeleton, Rapid Prototyping

Second, I think that the events that grant a promotion should require you to have at least one unit of the appropriate type. Some currently do and some currently do not. For example, Hardy Scouts (gives all Scouts Combat I) requires you to have at least one Scout. Axe Hafts (gives all Axeman Shock I) doesn't require you to have anything. I think we should standardize on the event requires at least one unit of the appropriate type to trigger.

Other than that, there will probably be a few events that I'd consider removing or tweaking. I'll post a first batch in the next post.

So here's a first batch of events that I would be tweaking:

City Ruins (the event that gives + with City Ruins in vicinity, not the event that gives Treasure): Obsolete with any Modern tech.

Happy Hunting: Obsolete with any Industrial tech.

Mother Lode: This can currently trigger on any Mine or Shaft Mine. I would extend this to Modern Mine as well.

At the Sword (gives a Light Swordsman or Swordsman +3 XP and Heroes of the Sword name): Extend this to allow Heavy Swordsman and goes obsolete with any Renaissance tech.

Hymns and Sculptures: This can trigger off any Cathedral except Temple of Tlaloc (Naghualism Cathedral), and I left out the Asatru and Shinto cathedrals because of that. I would be extending this event to all 3, so that any Cathedral can trigger it as long as you have at least 10 of them total.

Careless Apprentice: Obsolete with any Modern tech.

Blessed Sea: This can trigger off Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism, or Hellenism. I would remove Hellenism because it can trigger both Blessed Sea and Holy Mountain and I'd rather keep Holy Mountain (Mt. Olympus), but then add to let Asatru and Shinto both trigger it.

Brothers in Need: This doesn't give you anything if you agree to give up a resource. I think it should give you something, but maybe I'm just missing something.

Jade: This should extend to Modern Mine as well.

I think that's enough for the moment.

What exactly is a part of your changes, and what is part of the original text?

Also, is it possible to make the Blessed Sea quest a bit more, you know, possible?

Spirictum said:

What exactly is a part of your changes, and what is part of the original text?

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I'm putting some explanatory text in parentheses before colons, but everything else is a change I'm making.

Tolni said:

Also, is it possible to make the Blessed Sea quest a bit more, you know, possible?

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I think we should. Right now, it requires you to settle landmasses equal to 1.5 x the default number of players for the map size. For any size of Standard or above, we have at least +1, if not more than regular BTS. I think it would be fair if we reduced Blessed Sea to require a number of landmasses equal to the default player number, so Standard size requires settlement on at least 8 landmasses.

Also, another note: Blessed Sea counts to make sure you have at least one cargo-carrying sailing ship. It does this with a Python check, not an XML check, because the XML check would cause the quest to fail if the triggering unit was either lost or upgraded. I'll add a line to check for Cogs.

Given that the Greeks were heavily into settling colonies on various parts of the Mediterranean coast, I would be sad to lose Hellenism's ability to complete the Blessed Sea quest. Marseilles, Istanbul and even places in the boot of Italy all started life as Greek colony-cities.

Arakhor said:

Given that the Greeks were heavily into settling colonies on various parts of the Mediterranean coast, I would be sad to lose Hellenism's ability to complete the Blessed Sea quest. Marseilles, Istanbul and even places in the boot of Italy all started life as Greek colony-cities.

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Greek civilization does not necessarily equal Hellenism. I think we should keep the game capable of handling as many what-ifs as possible.

You're right that it doesn't automatically, but it would seem incongruous if you straight up can't gain that quest with a Mediterranean religion like that.

Arakhor said:

Given that the Greeks were heavily into settling colonies on various parts of the Mediterranean coast, I would be sad to lose Hellenism's ability to complete the Blessed Sea quest. Marseilles, Istanbul and even places in the boot of Italy all started life as Greek colony-cities.

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+1
Hellenism was also a "seafaring religion". Just think of Poseidon, Calypso, the tritons and sirens, the Argo, etc.
As it is not really a matter of balance, it makes no problem for Hellenism to have both quests. Asatru and Shinto could also be viable for both quests.

I would rather like to see it fixed, by changing the found cities on X land masses to found X coastal cities.

Also, a new quest could work: Sacred River for Kemetism, Hinduism and Naghualism. Goal is to found X cities near rivers with the same reward as Blessed Sea.

Could this quest be "fixed" by changing the first civ to found city next to the holy mountain to first civ to build a temple (or rather cathedral?) in a city next to the holy mountain?
Once I failed this quest by a random barbarian city spawn, despite working diligently toward it. I was

Blessed Sea: This can trigger off Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism, or Hellenism. I would remove Hellenism because it can trigger both Blessed Sea and Holy Mountain and I'd rather keep Holy Mountain (Mt. Olympus), but then add to let Asatru and Shinto both trigger it.

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Brothers in Need: This doesn't give you anything if you agree to give up a resource. I think it should give you something, but maybe I'm just missing something.

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I wouldn't even mind axing this quest (it doesn't make much sense for me); but if you wanna fix it, than make it give +1 attitude with your "brother" and +1 in all cities with state religion for some time (e.g. length of a golden age).

Sogroon said:

Also, a new quest could work: Sacred River for Kemetism, Hinduism and Naghualism. Goal is to found X cities near rivers with the same reward as Blessed Sea.

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This sounds like a good idea to me Problem is it should be scaled because there are fewer rivers, hence making the quest easier, unless we improve the idea somehow.

45°38'N-13°47'E;13497580 said:

This sounds like a good idea to me Problem is it should be scaled because there are fewer rivers, hence making the quest easier, unless we improve the idea somehow.

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I think this is at least plausible, but for now I'm more interested in cleaning up the existing events.

Here are some more events that I would like to touch up just a little.

Saltpeter: I wonder if this event should provide hammer production instead of commerce, but it does provide bonuses over several tiles.

Clunker Coal: This needs to be extended to Modern Mines.

Tin: This too should be extended to Modern Mine.

Shaft Mining Accident: Another event that needs to be extended to cover Modern Mines.

Bermuda Triangle: This needs a small update to add Steamers and Fusion Submarines to trigger it. They are currently left out of the list.

Bowyer: Requires at least one Archer unit and obsoletes at Matchlock.

Horseshoe: Requires at least one Mounted unit and obsoletes at Automobile.

Champion: Goes obsolete with any Renaissance tech.

Wining Monks: Add the missing religions (Naghualism, Asatru, Shinto).

Independent Films: Move triggering tech to Motion Pictures.

Axe Haft: Requires at least one Axeman unit and goes obsolete at any Medieval tech.

Tower Shield: Requires at least one Melee unit and goes obsolete at any Renaissance tech.

Smokeless Powder: I feel this needs a bigger window. It's very difficult to trigger as it requires Flintlock but goes obsolete at Scientific Method. I think it should trigger at Gunpowder, go obsolete with Explosives, and benefit Arquebusier, Musketman, and Rifleman.

Stronger Fittings: Needs at least one Crossbowman and goes obsolete at any Renaissance tech.

Firing Pins: Needs at least one Grenadier and change triggering tech to Absolutism. Also change expiration to Automatic Weapons.

Rifled Cannon: Needs at least one Cannon and change expiration to Artillery. Also drop the Steel tech requirement (keep Rifling).

Metal Decks: Requires at least one Carrier.

Long-Range Fighters: Requires at least one Fighter.

Halberd: Requires one Pikeman or Heavy Pikeman, can trigger with Siege Warfare, obsolete with Matchlock.

Reinforced Hull: Requires at least one Trireme.

That's enough for now.

I haven't forgotten about this. Here's some more events to adjust.

Forty Thieves: I think this does not need a civic requirement. It currently requires State Church to trigger. Given that its effect is only +2 commerce on a tile, I think that's a bit much. Also goes obsolete with any Renaissance tech.

The Huns: Obsolete with any Renaissance tech.

The Vandals: Obsolete with any Renaissance tech. Also, all of these Barbarian spawning events check for the presence of two separate techs known by any player; my best guess is that this is to stop them from spawning too early. Vandals checks for Smithing and Metal Casting, which is totally redundant now that MC is an Ancient tech (the original BTS version checks for Iron Working and MC, which are close together on the tree). I want to change this to Music.

The Goths: Obsolete with any Renaissance tech.

The Philistines: Obsolete with any Medieval tech.

The Vedic Aryans: Obsolete with any Medieval tech.

Holy Ritual: Add all the new religions. This events currently only triggers for the original 7.

Security Tax: Change prerequisite to any Classical Era tech, obsolete with any Renaissance tech.

Literacy: Obsolete with any Renaissance tech.

Farm Plows: Extend to Modern Mine.

Stained Glass: Add all the Pantheons and new Cathedrals. Like Holy Ritual, this event only triggers for the Cathedrals of the original 7 religions.

Hamburger Joint: Can trigger at Consumerism. Given that we have Burgerworld and Big McDowell's as Corporations, I think we might want to get rid of this event.

Fashion: Again, either change this to Consumerism or get rid of the event.

Thoroughbred: Should be able to trigger with Knight's Stable.

Horse Whispering: Quest fails with any Renaissance tech.

Classic Literature: I think the third reward (free Ancient Era tech) needs some updating. I think it is highly unlikely that any Ancient Era tech will survive undiscovered given the time it takes to complete this quest. I'd like to change this to allow any Ancient or Classical Era tech.

Master Blacksmith: Quest fails with any Renaissance tech.

Best Defense: Quest fails with Artillery tech. As far as I can tell, this quest counts Castles and upgrades (python line is if iBuildingsRequired > player.getBuildingClassCountWithUpgrades(iCastle)) so this quest shouldn't fail until Star Forts go obsolete. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

National Sports League: We have the National Sports League as a National Wonder, so I don't think this should be a quest as well. Either we scrap this or we reflavor it as something a little less obviously 20th-century.

Vokarya said:

National Sports League: We have the National Sports League as a National Wonder, so I don't think this should be a quest as well. Either we scrap this or we reflavor it as something a little less obviously 20th-century.

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Why no move this up to around the industrial era? That's when National Sports Leagues started popping up.

Lord Bigfoot said:

Why no move this up to around the industrial era? That's when National Sports Leagues started popping up.

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That wouldn't make sense, since the third reward is contingent on owning Circus Maximus, which is long obsolete (yes, we could change it, but I don't know if there is anything very appropriate at that point). Also by the Industrial Era, you're really close to being able to build a National Sports League. I don't think we should have events that are supposed to be the same as Wonders.

Picking up from where I left off:

Favorite Son: Obsolete with any Industrial tech.

Secret Knowledge: Extend to other Monasteries. It currently only triggers for the original seven.

High Warlord: Obsolete with any Modern tech.

Experienced Captain: Update the ship list by adding Steamer, Stealth Submarine, and Fusion Submarine and deleting Aegis Cruiser.

New Dynasty: Requires any Medieval tech.

Crisis in the Senate: Requires any Renaissance tech.

Too Close to Call: Requires any Industrial tech.

Charismatic: Requires any Renaissance tech.

War Chariots: Obsolete with Stirrup (when Chariot is replaced by Heavy Horseman).

Elite Swordsmen: I think this should count all Swordsmen (it currently counts only Light Swords) and expire at Gunpowder. Otherwise the window for completing it is too narrow.

Warships: I think this should be extended to count War Galleys and possibly even Galleasses. It can expire with any Renaissance tech.

Guns Not Butter: This currently counts only Musketmen. I think it should be extended to count Arquebusiers and maybe even Riflemen. It can expire at Repeating Weapons.

Noble Knights: This has a really narrow window for completion as well. I think it definitely should count Noble Knight units and probably should count Riders as well.

Overwhelm: This needs to be updated in that Manhattan Project is back to Project status and the unit types need to be broadened. It currently is very specific in its requirements: 4 Destroyers, 2 Battleships, 3 Carriers, and 9 Fighters. If any of those units have been replaced, you can't complete the quest.

Healing Plant: Obsolete with any Medieval tech.

Spy Discovered: This is one of the techs that grants free units and declares war. I think the units should "cascade". It normally gives you Tanks, but I think instead it should grant Tanks only if you have the prerequisites; otherwise, it should go downward to Early Tank, Rifleman, and finally Musketman if you don't meet any other requirements.

Nuclear Protest: This should count all Doomsday units, not just ICBM and Tactical Nuke.

Pasture Built: I think this event's window is too short. It can only trigger after getting Animal Husbandry and before getting Calendar. I think it should be extended to Civil Service.

Antimonarchists: This event is supposed to provide either +3 happiness to your Palace or +2 gold from all Cathedrals. The problem is that the event requires Monarchy to trigger and Monarchy negates all unhappiness in the capital. We need a new first effect and the second effect needs to be extended to the cathedrals beyond the original 7.

Futbol War: Requires Radio to trigger, replacing the current tech mix (currently requires Nationalism AND Assembly Line AND Mass Media).

Battle Lasers: Needs at least one Gunship or Hybrid Gunship to trigger.

I think that's enough for the moment.

Here's some more. The whole event cleanup is one of the last things that I plan to do with this mod.

• Napalm:

• Reactive Armor: This has a mismatch between unit type and technologies. It grants Drill II to Early Tank, Light Tank, Tank, and Heavy Tank, but requires Computers and Composites. By this point, you're probably already at Main Battle Tank if not Modern Armor. I think it should apply to all tanks after Main Battle Tank and should only require Composites (Computers is redundant).

• Greek Fire: I think we should take out this event because I've made it into a Wonder.

• Fiat Money, More Fiat Money: We need to remove these events; they are contingent on inflation being a mechanic. FM gives you an immediate lump sum of gold at the price of increasing inflation; More Fiat Money either does the same thing but more so OR reduces your inflation.

• Crossing the Rubicon: This is an event so narrowly tailored that I find it incredible that anyone would bother to include it or anyone has ever triggered it. It requires you to be any of Greece/Rome/Carthage, be not running Despotism or Monarchy, and have a Swordsman of at last 10 XP and no Morale promotion. It then either disbands the unit and you get 1 turn of revolt, pay 100 gold and give the unit the Morale promotion, or switch civics to Monarchy and 2 turns of Anarchy. The event also expires as soon as you have Civil Service. First of all, I think it needs to be broadened; at least any of the Swordsmen units should be able to trigger it (yes, a Praetorian is the wrong unit type to trigger this right now) and go obsolete with any Renaissance tech. I think it should also be extended at least to Byzantium as the heir of the Roman Empire.

• Generals Putsch: This has a very similar deal. It can only trigger by France running a government other than Despotism/Monarchy, at war for at least 10 turns, and having at least one Paratrooper unit. Then it forces the player to either disband the Paratrooper and get 10 turns of +1 happiness, disband the Paratrooper/get 3 free Infantry/1 turn of revolt in the capital, or switch civics to Fascist and 1 turn of anarchy. At the very least it should be switched to Despotism and be allowed to affect Modern Paratrooper as well.

• Cure for Cancer: This is a project, not an event and needs to be taken out.

• Carnation Revolution: This one is just like Rubicon, although it's a little broader. It triggers for Portugal if you have one of several late-Industrial units (and there are some big holes in the list) and are at war for 10 turns. It then disbands the unit and gives 1 temporary unhappiness or forces peace and changes your civics to Republic and Planned. I think it would be fine if the unit list was broadened out and the civic changed to Democracy.

• Alternative Energy: I'd like to tie this to Geothermal Energy somehow, but I don't think it can be done with the current XML. I think the XML can only specify a bonus on a plot to trigger an event. Man Named Jed is an event that reveals Oil if a Scout, Explorer, or Adventurer stops on an unrevealed Oil tile.

• Industrial Action: Triggers with Labor Union tech.

• Darwin's Voyage: This is another project, not an event.

• Buccaneers: Obsolete with any Industrial tech.

• Blackbeard: This needs to count more ship types and the triggering conditions should be Naval Cannon + Navigation, not Astronomy + Chemistry. Also this event goes obsolete with any Industrial tech.

• Pirates of the Neutral Zones: Again, the list of ship types needs to be fleshed out.

• Malaccan Pirates: This needs more ship counting and should go obsolete with any Transhuman tech.

• Henry Morgan: Should trigger with Grand War, not Astronomy and Military Science; also needs more ships to be counted.

• Stede Bonnet: Another pirate event that needs to count more ship types.

• Corsairs: Pirate event. Count more ship types.

• Illyrian Pirates: Last pirate event. Needs to count more ship types and go obsolete with Rudder.

• Mahdi Army: Obsolete with any Industrial tech.

• Taliban: Supposed to spawn Anti-Tanks and Guerrillas. Change Guerrilla to Modern Infantry.