Opinions Wanted for the Oil Barrel UNIT

Some Players have mentioned that they would like the Oil Barrel as either an Attack Unit or a Unit that uses Bombardment.

Questions To ALL:

IF I make the Oil Barrel as an Attack Unit... should it simply stay where it is transported on the map and if attacked show an animation for it that appears to be causing the Oil Barrel "injury" (leaking Oil and Smoking) then have it animated to Burn or Explode for its death OR should the Oil Barrel be animated to Roll to the "Enemy Target" and Explode to cause injury or death to the Enemy...Used like an Immobile Cruise Missile?

Naturally, if set up to appear as though the Oil Barrel is being "injured", the attacking enemy unit would also be injured during the "battle" so the animation would at least have Smoke and Oil that could help explain the Attacking Unit being injured or Killed.

IF set up as an immobile Cruise Missile, the Oil Barrel could be destroyed if attacked during the enemy turn but could roll to the enemy and explode or Burn to cause Death to the Enemy during its turn.

Both situations could show the Oil Barrel as stationary for the Default animation. Probably No Fidget unless someone has a good idea for what that might be without detracting from the fact that it is an Oil Barrel.

IF set as a Cruise Missile, it probably should not have more than 2 tiles distance for the Attack or it would appear Rather Funny Rolling over many cities, etc... to get to the enemy Bombardment Point

The Thing I don't like about setting the Oil Barrel Up as a sort of Normal Unit that is immobile...when it is Destroyed and it Burns or Explodes, that will appear as if it should injure or Kill the attacking Unit and it will injure the enemy unit during the "battle" althought it will not be exploding over and over...just smoking and leaking oil..

IF the Oil Barrel is set up as an immobile Cruise Missile, that will show the one time Burn or Explosion and it will injure ot Kill the enemy But Transportation will need to be an additional transport of some kind that is set up to transport Cruise Missiles. The AI will Not use such Transports on land and IF the Human Player has Cruise Missiles in their game, they would also be able to load in the New Transports.

Other than the Transportation issue if set as an Immobile Cruise Missile, the AI as well as Human players could simply use the Oil Barrels inside the Cities without transporting them for use. Of course the Oli Barrels would not be seen on the map...just over the Cities" before used for Bombarment. They could use Airports to be sent to another City for example and just Roll one or two tiles to Bombard the Enemy.

Any Opinions, Ideas or Thoughts are Welcome

Vuldacon said:

IF set up as an immobile Cruise Missile, the Oil Barrel could be destroyed if attacked during the enemy turn but could roll to the enemy and explode or Burn to cause Death to the Enemy during its turn.

Click to expand...

I'm not sure what you mean exactly. Are you saying that you would have this set to be destroyed if captured? And when an enemy did capture it, the resulting explosion would damage the enemy unit?

Vuldacon said:

IF set as a Cruise Missile, it probably should not have more than 2 tiles distance for the Attack or it would appear Rather Funny Rolling over many cities, etc... to get to the enemy Bombardment Point

Click to expand...

I was thinking just one. As the person using it would be "shoving" it towards the zombies or whatnot.

Vuldacon said:

IF the Oil Barrel is set up as an immobile Cruise Missile, that will show the one time Burn or Explosion and it will injure ot Kill the enemy But Transportation will need to be an additional transport of some kind that is set up to transport Cruise Missiles. The AI will Not use such Transports on land and IF the Human Player has Cruise Missiles in their game, they would also be able to load in the New Transports.

Click to expand...

Perhaps something along the lines of the transport truck the Authorities have or perhaps a smaller truck unit (if there is one) for the survivors.

Just make bigger and bigger dollar signs come out of it, with a good ka-ching sound effect. Should be enough to hurt anything that tries to mess with it.

Tank Guy#3... Take a look at the Cruise Missile in your Games. Can it be captured? Can it be destroyed if discovered?
The Oil Barrel could be set as the unit to Capture but that would negate others.
We are limited as to the Unit settings that can be used as well as what the AI will use. When we alter a Game with Hard Coded factors, Most of the time we have to decide to accept a few things we do not want in order to gain what we want most....if we can accomplish what we want at all.

It is most helpful just to know what is wanted for the Oil Barrel as a Unit for Attack...Bombardment included.

Really, I am just looking to see Opinions of what is wanted for the Oil Barrel set up to be a Weapon rather than a Resource... Attack or Bombardment ...or some other idea. Just looking to see if it is worth doing and if so What Exactly
Needless to say, it is more helpful if the suggestions come from knowing what is possible to accomplish

Hey if you wanted, the fidget could be something like a rat running out from behind the barrel... Just kidding... although..... and I like the idea of it "roll[ing] to the enemy and explode[ing]" sounds great!

Is anyone aware of a scenario/mod that pits a player with a great technological advantage but is disadvantaged in terms of population, resources, etc. What I'm thinking about is a player with modern technology shows up in, say, ancient times, and the opponents have already had a bit of time to build/explore. For lack of a better term, I'm calling this "Alien Invasion".

Thanks

Vuldacon said:

Tank Guy#3... Take a look at the Cruise Missile in your Games. Can it be captured? Can it be destroyed if discovered?
The Oil Barrel could be set as the unit to Capture but that would negate others.
We are limited as to the Unit settings that can be used as well as what the AI will use. When we alter a Game with Hard Coded factors, Most of the time we have to decide to accept a few things we do not want in order to gain what we want most....if we can accomplish what we want at all.

Click to expand...

I believe if all the "fighting units" (infantry, tanks, etc) are killed, then I believe the cruise missiles are also destroyed. However, since 95% of the scenarios I play either don't implement them, or if they do don't really have an effective use for them, I'm not certain on the matter.

Vuldacon said:

Needless to say, it is more helpful if the suggestions come from knowing what is possible to accomplish

Click to expand...

Rules me out then As I have just started modding things, and don't really know hardly any aspects of what is possible.

I understand what you are saying about just leaking as an injury. What about making it a it a multi-unit, having one, or two small explosions and then a third and larger one for its death? I have been on vacation for a few months and not played CIV3 in months. I am not sure if I correctly recall how the cruise missiles work when captured. I know aircraft are automatically destroyed, but that is all I can remember.

For my own purposes, I would be using the unit as a treasure unit, but would love the explosion death. But, I have to ask then, can treasure units be killed? They are picked up by a unit who either delivers them to the capital (or other city).,...wait, they bring it to the VP marker, right? If the carrying unit is killed, what happens to the treasure. I am sorry, I don´t remember.

What I might do, if possible is use it as a unit which can be upgraded to a treasure unit. At any rate, I do plan on using this unit, so whatever you decide on, I will be happy with. I won´t be home for another month, so I will look forward to seeing it when I get back. If it is not ready by then, perhaps I will have time to play the game and remember the animations for certain unit types and then get back to you.

I do think that the AI problems with transport would be enough for me to just want the normal unit, not a cruise missile type, especially if there are the problems with humans and AI not treating it the same.

At any rate, great job! Thanks.

For a fidget - what about no visual difference, but it makes that kind of deep, hollow ding sound like when you tap a barrel?

What about it doing damage back to the enemy? The M-Unit of little explosions then a large for death would maket he mechanics more realistic too.

IF the Large Explosion is the Death, it would seem as though that should injure or kill the Attacking Unit more than little explosions.

If set as a Cruise Missile where the Explosion only plays once, that would be great but transportation (IF set UP) would not be used by the AI to carry the Oil Barrels. Otherwise the AI would use the Immobile Oil Barrels for Bombardment from their Cities, one or two tiles. Other matters such as the animation showing the Oil Barrel Rolling would have to abruptly assume that position from the Default Upright position because it is not possible to make this transition for the Run or Attack without it looping over and over as it Rolls...that may not be a problem but thought I would mention it.

If it is important that the Oil Barrels be transported, they can be set as Immobile Units with the ability to Load but the AI will not use Land Transports at all so that would only be for Human players. The AI would however Load the Oil Barrels in Ships and I suppose the Oil Barrels would be used as Cruise Missiles to Bombard one or two tiles from the Ships. One possible Problem there is that IF the AI tries to have the Oil Barrels Unload to land, it can cause a Game Crash because Immobile Units cannot Move on their Own and Must be Unloaded when inside a City.

Obviously, the best way to add Units is without trying to "Fool" the Editor to gain actions that are not directly programed for use.

If the Oil Barrel is set as an Immobile Unit
Default- Stationary Non Animated Oil Barrel.
Defense (Attack animation)- could show the Oil Barrel leaking a little Oil, Smoking and perhaps Burning...these actions would appear as both the Oil Barrel being injured as well as present plausible actions that would injure or Kill the Enemy attacking Unit.
Death- could be either an Explosion (which may be over done these days) or the Oil Barrel falling Over and Leaking out its Oil
Fidget and Victory- could be sounds Only such as Blue Monkey mentioned.
Regardless of how a Human uses the Oil Barrel as stated above, the AI would only have the Immobile Oil Barrels inside their Cities and use them from there, basically as Defensive Units.

What I am trying to understand on this thread is How Players who want the Oil Barrel as an Attack/Defense Unit, would like to implement it in their games? Basically as an Immobile Cruise Missile for Bombardment or as an Immobile Defensive Unit. Several Players posted that they would like the Oil Barrel to have an Attack or Bombardment so I thought I would ask what is wanted in this Thread.

If you understand the above posts concerning the problems with adding this Unit either way mentioned... What Say Ye?

Seems to me the only logical attack would be an explosion of some kind. You might make the barrel flip up in the air as it explodes, the way they do in Hollywood. I kind of like the idea of making it two or three barrels. Remember: oil smoke is thick and black.