Underrated
Chieftain
- Joined
- Jan 24, 2007
- Messages
- 14
First a question. I downloaded patchmod, 1.07 and started a game with the mod. The game requires a restart to use the 1.07 mod to start, but none of the changes take effect, so its like a vanilla COL game. What am I doing wrong with the mod?
Another question – is the chance for gaining a converted native impacted by what kind of missionary established the mission? If not, seems like it should be, as well as impacted on how many colonists were trained a skill there and amount of trade to that village.
I haven’t downloaded Age of Discovery yet, that is next on my list after I finish my current game and see if I can beat the REF (in my first game I did fine at colony building, but couldn’t beat the large REF by the time the game ended. I guess I thumbed my nose at the king too much, and my much loved customs house is no longer in the game.
I’m looking forward to Age of Discovery, here is my two cents on revisions/improvements to Colonization/Age of Discovery.
Some items I like have already been mentioned.
European wars cause war in new world – should come with a couple units to fight it though, possibly at reduced cost, or reduce cost of buying ships, regulars, and cannons in Europe during the war.
I like on the job learning for colonists farming, trapping, etc.
Being able to adjust commodity on your ship/wagon to sell to Indians or other Europeans in the new world.
I like galleons carrying more treasure, since the treasure is so reduced. A way to adjust this may be for treasure taking up one transport space for every 1000 of value, so treasure under or equal to 1000 takes up 1 space, 1001-2000 takes up two transport spaces, etc. I’d also like to see Inca and Aztec villages give up more treasure when they are pillaged. Not much value in even bothering with pillaging now.
When Indians leave their village due to European cultural influence, they should also give a converted native, as some Indians adopt European ways.
Ability to shoot at enemy ships or bombard them from forts/fortresses with cannons.
I would like to be able to fortify cannons in my colonies.
I would like to be able to abandon a colony.
FF promotions should go to both soldiers and dragoons. Seems silly that the looter or settlement attack bonus only go to dismounted soldiers and not dragoons. Shouldn’t matter if a dragoon has a defensive promotion since a dragoon doesn’t get any defense bonuses.
Ship movement values are too low. Water was the best way to move people and goods during this era. To avoid ships moving right past enemy ships, you could make ships capable of attacking also have a “zone of control” that would force non combat ships to completely avoid them vs. just sail right past them. Also, make it easy to build roads adjacent to rivers, 1 turn for an expert pioneer and 2 turns for a regular colonist pioneer. I would also make a road adjacent to a river be 1/3 or ¼ movement cost. Being able to move quickly along rivers I think is historically accurate. Since the rivers are along the sides of squares and not in the square, the river road can be a high speed transportation artery.
I would like some way to provide more of a defense against the REF – losing 7 units to a REF amphibious invasion while only destroying 1 REF unit is a bit excessive I think, especially when the colony was a fortress, barely reduced, and the units had minuteman promotion. Whole concept of sucking the REF into a colony then destroying them with cannon fire seems a bit odd, although controlling the high ground did work to chase the Redcoats out of Boston.
Conceptually, there should be some way to address putting the nation in arms after DOI, as well as money being worthless after DOI. Currently, the game gives more a feel of Ethiopia mobilizing against the Italians than the War of Independence. Some thoughts: give victory points each turn for specialists who are working their specialty – Elder statesmen being elder statesmen the whole time vs. waiting for an end game push for liberty bells as an example, and keeping specialists working after DOI. For money use after DOI, maybe you can pay to upgrade colonists into regulars, hire European mercs, or even hire Indian mercs. For the Europeans and friendly Indians, there can be one time cost as well as per turn maintenance.
Some way to replicate slavery. I understand the reluctance with current political correctness, but it was reality for that time period. Slaves could be one step better than converted natives working the land, especially if the land has a farm or mine improvement, but still not quite as good as a specialist cotton planter, trapper, etc. Slaves should be either not allowed or worse working buildings except for stables/ranches. Slaves should not be able to move alone (must link and move with a soldier) nor allowed to start a colony, nor be able to learn skills from Indians. You could also require a colony with slaves to maintain a soldier outside the colony, to replicate the overhead with maintaining slavery. Allow no more slaves, criminals, or converted natives working in a colony than other colonists. Allow slaves to be educated at same rate as converted natives. When DOI, if the constitution declares no slavery, only add indentured servants to colonies with no slaves, and any colonies with slaves have the slaves disappear with no added indentured servants. This replicates friction with previous masters accepting the slaves as citizens. If slavery is kept after DOI, have the slaves increase their productivity equal to specialists (farmers, cotton and tobacco planters, etc). Slaves could become available in Europe based on trade, not crosses, and/or available for purchase cheaper than an ore miner. If you object to slavery, you put slaves that show up into your schools (turn them into Frederick Douglass Statesmen), and you don’t buy them as units from Europe.
Another question – is the chance for gaining a converted native impacted by what kind of missionary established the mission? If not, seems like it should be, as well as impacted on how many colonists were trained a skill there and amount of trade to that village.
I haven’t downloaded Age of Discovery yet, that is next on my list after I finish my current game and see if I can beat the REF (in my first game I did fine at colony building, but couldn’t beat the large REF by the time the game ended. I guess I thumbed my nose at the king too much, and my much loved customs house is no longer in the game.
I’m looking forward to Age of Discovery, here is my two cents on revisions/improvements to Colonization/Age of Discovery.
Some items I like have already been mentioned.
European wars cause war in new world – should come with a couple units to fight it though, possibly at reduced cost, or reduce cost of buying ships, regulars, and cannons in Europe during the war.
I like on the job learning for colonists farming, trapping, etc.
Being able to adjust commodity on your ship/wagon to sell to Indians or other Europeans in the new world.
I like galleons carrying more treasure, since the treasure is so reduced. A way to adjust this may be for treasure taking up one transport space for every 1000 of value, so treasure under or equal to 1000 takes up 1 space, 1001-2000 takes up two transport spaces, etc. I’d also like to see Inca and Aztec villages give up more treasure when they are pillaged. Not much value in even bothering with pillaging now.
When Indians leave their village due to European cultural influence, they should also give a converted native, as some Indians adopt European ways.
Ability to shoot at enemy ships or bombard them from forts/fortresses with cannons.
I would like to be able to fortify cannons in my colonies.
I would like to be able to abandon a colony.
FF promotions should go to both soldiers and dragoons. Seems silly that the looter or settlement attack bonus only go to dismounted soldiers and not dragoons. Shouldn’t matter if a dragoon has a defensive promotion since a dragoon doesn’t get any defense bonuses.
Ship movement values are too low. Water was the best way to move people and goods during this era. To avoid ships moving right past enemy ships, you could make ships capable of attacking also have a “zone of control” that would force non combat ships to completely avoid them vs. just sail right past them. Also, make it easy to build roads adjacent to rivers, 1 turn for an expert pioneer and 2 turns for a regular colonist pioneer. I would also make a road adjacent to a river be 1/3 or ¼ movement cost. Being able to move quickly along rivers I think is historically accurate. Since the rivers are along the sides of squares and not in the square, the river road can be a high speed transportation artery.
I would like some way to provide more of a defense against the REF – losing 7 units to a REF amphibious invasion while only destroying 1 REF unit is a bit excessive I think, especially when the colony was a fortress, barely reduced, and the units had minuteman promotion. Whole concept of sucking the REF into a colony then destroying them with cannon fire seems a bit odd, although controlling the high ground did work to chase the Redcoats out of Boston.
Conceptually, there should be some way to address putting the nation in arms after DOI, as well as money being worthless after DOI. Currently, the game gives more a feel of Ethiopia mobilizing against the Italians than the War of Independence. Some thoughts: give victory points each turn for specialists who are working their specialty – Elder statesmen being elder statesmen the whole time vs. waiting for an end game push for liberty bells as an example, and keeping specialists working after DOI. For money use after DOI, maybe you can pay to upgrade colonists into regulars, hire European mercs, or even hire Indian mercs. For the Europeans and friendly Indians, there can be one time cost as well as per turn maintenance.
Some way to replicate slavery. I understand the reluctance with current political correctness, but it was reality for that time period. Slaves could be one step better than converted natives working the land, especially if the land has a farm or mine improvement, but still not quite as good as a specialist cotton planter, trapper, etc. Slaves should be either not allowed or worse working buildings except for stables/ranches. Slaves should not be able to move alone (must link and move with a soldier) nor allowed to start a colony, nor be able to learn skills from Indians. You could also require a colony with slaves to maintain a soldier outside the colony, to replicate the overhead with maintaining slavery. Allow no more slaves, criminals, or converted natives working in a colony than other colonists. Allow slaves to be educated at same rate as converted natives. When DOI, if the constitution declares no slavery, only add indentured servants to colonies with no slaves, and any colonies with slaves have the slaves disappear with no added indentured servants. This replicates friction with previous masters accepting the slaves as citizens. If slavery is kept after DOI, have the slaves increase their productivity equal to specialists (farmers, cotton and tobacco planters, etc). Slaves could become available in Europe based on trade, not crosses, and/or available for purchase cheaper than an ore miner. If you object to slavery, you put slaves that show up into your schools (turn them into Frederick Douglass Statesmen), and you don’t buy them as units from Europe.