An update from Firaxis about the Colonization patch

[PeteMurray]

Dear Civ IV: Colonization Community,

First of all, we’d like to thank you for the tremendous feedback you’ve given us for Civilization IV: Colonization. We’ve tracked your comments and have investigated suggestions and areas proposed for improvement that you’ve brought to our attention.

We wanted to let you know that we’re currently working on a patch that will be ready for release soon. We’ve made many updates to the game based on feedback we’ve received from the community. Here are some of the key changes:

Enhancements
- PITBOSS multiplayer executable has been added
- The end of the game is extended once a colony declares independence to give players more time to win

Balance
- The Royal Expeditionary force increases more slowly
- Satisfying the King’s demands delays increasing his expeditionary force
- Education points required for graduation increase more slowly
- Military ships (Frigate, Ship of the Line, Man-o-War) cannot enter native settlements
- Increased price of horses in Europe
- Armed Brave receives defensive bonuses
- Armed Mounted Brave does not receive defensive bonuses

AI
- AI colony leaders are less friendly
- AI produces more defenders in their settlements
- AI prepares better for revolution (they may beat you to independence!)

Bug Fixes
- King no longer asks for money after you have declared independence
- King no longer raises taxes after you have declared independence
- King no longer adds to his expeditionary force after you have declared independence
- Terrain double movement from promotions now works properly

Please continue to post any comments and suggestions you have, as we’ll be monitoring the forums throughout the patch creation and can address anything new that might come up.

We’re fortunate to have such a dedicated and enthusiastic community and appreciate your patience as we finalize the patch.

Thanks.

The Firaxis Team

[Dale]

w00t !

[Lucky The Fox]

*bows* I am grateful.

[dalgo]

That is welcome news.

[Ranger300]

"AI colony leaders are less friendly" - I take it this will mean your competitors in single player will actually declare war on you sometimes? This has been my MAJOR beef with CivCol - makes for very, very dull games. I hope they also know how to execute wars as well - currently they don't

Looking forward to it

[Thundercracker]

I am very pleased. Its impossible to be sure until it's released, but this looks like it will cover all the major problems in the game. Very promising.

[Greybriar]

Originally Posted by Thundercracker

I am very pleased. Its impossible to be sure until it's released, but this looks like it will cover all the major problems in the game. Very promising.

Well, well. Aren't you easy to please!

I'd like to see all the founding fathers appear in a timely fashion, for one thing. For example, it really doesn't do much good when you get a founding father to increase the movement of your scouts after everything has been explored.

It wouldn't even bother me if custom houses and fountains of youth were added. As a matter of fact if the pathing & trade routes were fixed and the graphics improved on the original Colonization, I would be pleased as punch.

More emphasis on fun and less on so-called "exploits" would make the game more enjoyable.

[Thundercracker]

Don't be a party pooper :P

The issue with slow Founding Fathers was that the main method that was supposed to exist to produce them, Liberty Bells, weren't feasible to produce until the end of the game. If they correctly balance the REF increase, and hopefully don't just link it to Bells (Nudge Nudge), we'll be able to produce LBs early and throughout, and it'll be a lot easier to get FFs earlier. And they shouldn't all be available early, its better to space them out throughout the length of the game. I like the overall system for getting them, (having to pass up some to have better chance of getting later ones), and would deplore a system where you could grab them all quick. The game should almost insist on spreading them out.

Creating a better REF growth equation and making other colony's AI competent will go a long way to improving the major flaws of the game, while FFs are not quite as important to me. I do think they should look at the comparative strength and weakness of many of them, along with where they come in order. I agree the scout one particularly should be earlier, and we all know the overwhelming power of the only really good FF, Peter Minuit. Personally, I'd like more of them to be more powerful, rather than just weakening him for balance. It would allow for a wider range of possible strategies.

Also, I'd really like to see some balancing done on Indian fighting vs. Indian peacemaking. Right now, making peace/trading/training with the Indians is so much better than conquering them that the latter becomes worthless as a strategy. For better game play and more strategic options, I'd like to see more benefit from conquering Indian tribes.

[Desert-Fox]

I hope they make AI really competive, I've beaten king several times in revolutionary level.. and after that I've no longer played it, no challege at all.

[TheRealCzar]

Hopefully PBEM will work soon? *nudge*

[ExtraCrispy]

A patch? Blasphemy!

[Shurdus]

Will it be possible in the patch to have European powers interfere in relations in the New World like it was in the old CivCol? Having to go to war because war broke out in Europe could be annoying when catching you unpropared but really cool when it worked in your favor. It really added to the game.

Also buying armies from a European power was really cool. I so hope this will return to the game as it made for a much more realistic, enjoyable experience.

[Dale]

Originally Posted by ExtraCrispy

Will this break the mod, sire?

Yes, but it'll be a pretty easy merge.

[cmurphy625]

I gave up on this game shortly after I bought it, was disappointed, because I'm a big fan of CIV IV (loved II and III as well)...

Hopefully this will breath some new life back into the game!!

[ori]

Welcome to the posting side cmurphy625

[cmurphy625]

Oh no.. does this mean that my career of many years as a lurker are over ...

I just had to post, because I was so disappointed in this game, hadn't seen any patches.. Now I'm optimistic!!!

[JaeChunDaeSung]

My concerns with the game, apart from the Royal Expeditionary Force's growth rate, and the buildup of rebel sentiment for independence, is trade and diplomacy with the natives.

All too often, once you've traded for all their gold, they have no way of replenishing it. I would think that a slow pace of generating gold would benefit by making trade with natives a viable alternative in long term, compared to taxed trade with Europe which becomes less desirable frequently near the end.

In diplomacy, I've noticed that appeasing and currying the natives' favor is usually impossible, as one must be at a set amount of friendliness with them to either go to war with another tribe, or to forge defensive pacts (mostly with Montezuma).

[oryx]

When the patch comes out, I guess I'll dust off my copy of the game and give one more try. The game is so bad that I've only played it twice.

[cephalo]

Once every four games or so, I'd like to find a sasquatch while I'm out exploring. Among other things...

[Ranger300]

Originally Posted by cephalo

Once every four games or so, I'd like to find a sasquatch while I'm out exploring. Among other things...

Yeh, it would liven up an often truly dull game.