In brainstorming ideas, I see two major concepts which could bring a lot to the game. I don't know however if the benefits they would bring deserve the huge work necessary to implement them. You probably know better than me the answer to that question.
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1. IMPLEMENTING CIVICS
That was RayStuttgart's idea and I believe it should be thought further. Here are just some ideas I've thought about.
- Economy civics: as I see it, it could be interesting to use them regarding trade and domestic market. Maybe custom houses could need a specific civic (for instance "free market") in order to become available for building.
- Religion civics: this could be interesting regarding immigration and relationship with the natives. According to the civic, it could be easier/harder to get missionaries, preachers, or simply to boost the overall level of cross production.
- Labor civics: as we've already talked about that one in another thread, I have a more precise idea about what could be done here.
- 1. serfdom: possibility to attack native villages and abduct native slaves, bad for the relationship wth the natives.
- 2. triangular trade: enabling Africa and the possibility to buy African slaves, but requiring military to keep them from fleeing.
- 3. manumission: making it possible for African slaves to become freedmen (a unit similar to the indentured servant) using the learning by doing process. Reduce fleeing from slaves.
- 4. abolition: change all slaves unit into freedmen, ban slaves purchase.
I'm sticking at that as I have less ideas about other civics. Just as a general idea, in RAR, we produce wealth, liberty bells, crosses, health and culture. Maybe it would be interesting if the civics could help develop them all. That's all open to debate.
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2. IMPROVING AZTEC, INCA AND MAYA CIVILIZATION
In Civ4Col (and this hasn't changed with RAR), Natives are mostly an annoyance preventing colonial growth. Looking at History, Aztec and Inca civilizations actually accelerated the Spanish expansion in the Americas and not the opposite.
I know it's hard to do that from a developper's point of view, but an idea could be that they would have a special status allowing two things:
- the ability to build a bit more buildings (such as spice trader's house, weaver's house, tobbaconist's house), maybe the ability to grow specialists (not sure of that one).
- the ability for their cities to be conqueered, and not simply destroyed.
I know, I know. That's difficult to implement. But if it would be the case, we could develop in the Americas just like Spain did, in conqueering Mexico and Peru. I personally think that would bring more diversity to the game.
But I would also understand if you wouldn't share my enthusiasm and drop the idea out. I'm unfortunately in no way able to implement that all by myself.