Barbarians

[Azmorg]

Other than the Raging, Restless, etc. modifiers on the world set-up screen, does anyone know if it's possible to modify the rate of appearance of barbarian camps on a random map?

[KingArthur]

I don't think there's any other way. However, barb camps will not appear inside a civs borders so playing on large maps with fewer civs will help (more free space for barbs).

[Azmorg]

Am I correct in acertaining that checking custom map in the editor and then altering the "barbarian activity" modifier causes the game to not generate barb camps? All I can see are goody huts.

[KingArthur]

No, that feature is bugged. Whatever, settings you had in your last epic game are applied to any custom biq you subsequently play.

[Azmorg]

Ok. Barbs generate randomly. But they only have two unit possiblilities (3, if you include sea). Civs do not randomly generate. They must either build or conquer cities. Barbs do not take over cities. So how do you get barbs, with their random generation to mimic cities with their multiple unit capabilities? Or, How do you get civs to mimic barbs? The inclination is to say "Can't be done." Well, how about this? What if you make a number of civs not playable and assign them all the exact same leaderheads & units? That would go along way to getting barbs & civs to mimic each other, don't you think? Hmmm? It would wouldn't it? Come on, someone say it'll work!

[embryodead]

Well sure it works, and why not use normal, actual leaderheads? You can make a non-playable civ have limited or disabled research/building etc. but still be able to produce military units, or even settlers (but say, not workers). Unit-producing buildings are good for controlling their military/growth. If it's a scenario, they can be in a locked war with everyone, so that they behave like real barbs and just attack endlessly until you take their camps(cities).

[Azmorg]

I will use normal, actual leaderheads. But they'll all use the same one so as to appear like they're one race.

Speaking about locked war: once you're in an alliance with another civ against a third civ, you're able to "see" the civ you're allied with right from the get go; don't have to "discover" 'em. Right? Or is there a way for multiple civs to be at war with the same civ but not be aware of each other until they discover each other through the normal means?

[Varlin Saliptor]

Well, you can enter into diplomacy with your allies, but you don't know where they are.

[Azmorg]

Right. But there's no way to be in alliance with someone (by using the Locked Alliances tab in the Scenario Properties editor) and not be able to converse with them in the Diplomacy Screen until you "discover" them through exploration. Correct?

[Virote_Considon]

Correct. 10