A few screenshots not covered by the other reviews - 11th May 2012

[MadDjinn]

I don't believe that domination will be noticeably harder to achieve than before, but your point for the two other VCs is true. However, cultural victory was already the hardest victory condition, so I don't believe it deserves to be made harder. Unless, again, they've changed the SP cost formula.

Looking at the Founder/other beliefs, cultural VCs won't be that heart broken for a Piety change, provided you take the right ones of course, and spread your religion.

But it does mean that a non-religion culture game will be harder.

 

[Olleus]

I'm more worried about all the extra happiness. There seems to be a plethora of new luxury resources and religion related happiness boost. How will this affect game balance? I don't see an easy way they can increase unhappiness as it is all integer (and doubling it would be silly).

 

[MadDjinn]

I'm more worried about all the extra happiness. There seems to be a plethora of new luxury resources and religion related happiness boost. How will this affect game balance? I don't see an easy way they can increase unhappiness as it is all integer (and doubling it would be silly).

the lux's shouldn't be an issue, given that there's a cap for the number of unique luxs/map size. So they're more for variety than anything.

 

[Olleus]

But shortly after astronomy I've usually traded my way to have at least 1 copy of almost every luxury, or more. So unless they cut down the number of each drastically so that I've run out of 'spares' of ones in my territory before I've traded for all the others that aren't in my border, there will be more happiness.

 

[theis81]

I'm more worried about all the extra happiness. There seems to be a plethora of new luxury resources and religion related happiness boost. How will this affect game balance? I don't see an easy way they can increase unhappiness as it is all integer (and doubling it would be silly).

They need to and probably will do something to balance it.

 

[Olleus]

They need to and probably will do something to balance it.

...

Well yes, that was my point, I'm just trying to think of how, and am struggling.

They could reduce the happiness given by buildings, but that would make them mostly pointless. They could increase the unhappiness per city by 1 from 3 to 4, but that would probably affect the delicate balance between tall and wide too much. They can't increase the unhappiness per population from 1 to 2, for entirely obvious reasons. They might reduce they happiness from 4 to 3, but they've already reduced it from 5 to 4 before, reducing it further might be an option.

 

[Ajuga]

Or they just limit the amount of luxury resources depending on the amount of civilizations.

 

[ampmclock]

Boudicca translation:

Be praised and blessed with eternal glory, O wild, vengeful Boudicca! In these times dominated by men, You have not only your throne and your souverane rule secured, but still Eurch to the Roman Empire mighty successfully resisted. After her terrible punishment and humiliation of the Roman invaders you must endure, you have your people gathered folk to begin a bloody uprising fear variable. Under the wheels of your chariot fell legions London and you have burned. Although the Romans maintained the islands in their possession at the end, but you've just moved to the Nero Uberlegung, abzuiehen all troops to leave Britain for ever.

Oh sleeping lioness, your people are demanding it, that you move more and does it again leads to the fate to which you owe your name. Will you be challenging to take on the battle field and drove the Celts to victory eqign? You will zurukeroborn your area, and a civilization.


Sorry, thats Google Translate's slap job

 

[Buccaneer]

Looking at the Founder/other beliefs, cultural VCs won't be that heart broken for a Piety change, provided you take the right ones of course, and spread your religion.

But it does mean that a non-religion culture game will be harder.

Hmmm. There is already a drop off in new culture after Mass Media and coupled with the drop off of new faith/culture after Renaissance, as well as an elimination of one SP reduction, I'm thinking perhaps a slighly longer cultural victory of either kind. I haven't looked at how much religious culture could be had.

 

[Montov]

...

Well yes, that was my point, I'm just trying to think of how, and am struggling.

They could reduce the happiness given by buildings, but that would make them mostly pointless. They could increase the unhappiness per city by 1 from 3 to 4, but that would probably affect the delicate balance between tall and wide too much. They can't increase the unhappiness per population from 1 to 2, for entirely obvious reasons. They might reduce they happiness from 4 to 3, but they've already reduced it from 5 to 4 before, reducing it further might be an option.

It's possible to have 1.2 unhappiness per pop. It doesn't need to be a integer, as it already doesn't for Epic or Marathon games, or annexed cities.

 

[Olleus]

I'm pretty sure it still is integer for epic games...

 

[yellowdartfrog]

Confirmed indeed. I was wondering if the pink stones might be salt, but it's definitely copper.

I wonder what salt looks like, though...

I found a tile with Salt in it. If you look at this Sweden screenshot that is Salt NW of Sigtuna (much whiter than a normal mine):

Spoiler :

I also looked at this video on 1Up and at 42 seconds in they hover over the tile. It's a bit blurry but you can see it's Salt:



Especially when you compare it with the trade screen:

Spoiler :

 

[AriochIV]

Yes, I agree. Good catch -- the tooltip only flashes past... it's really hard to catch.

Haha... is the successful Spy giving a thumb-up?

 

[TheMarshmallowBear]

I swear I saw something that lookedl ike Salt in one of the screenshots, I'll try to look it up.

Can't find it :/ weird.. anyway, it had an oasis with what seemed to be white water beside it, it was a strip of white land.. looked like salt..

 

[AriochIV]

There are several in the German "Smoky Skies" screenshots around the city of Pulias, including one showing the yield. And there's one right in front of Dortmund in the main 2K Smoky Skies screenshot.

I swear I saw something that lookedl ike Salt in one of the screenshots, I'll try to look it up. Can't find it :/ weird.. anyway, it had an oasis with what seemed to be white water beside it, it was a strip of white land.. looked like salt..

In some of the videos and screenshots where they have the graphics quality maxed out, some of the oases and swamps have strong reflections that make them look white.

 

[Alexastor]

I'm to lazy/tired to make a thread or post screens directly. But here's a link that has some Smoky Skies techtree screens included:

http://www.4players.de/4players.php...29947/76132/0/Civilization_V_Gods__Kings.html

 

[TheMarshmallowBear]

I can't help but feel bit disappointed by the Tech Tree, unless it's not finished yet.. I mean, both The New World and the Polynesian scenario had custom techs, WITH custom icons.. but they seem to have gotten REALLY lazy with the appereance, I mean, you've even got the Hermitage building and something that looks like a National wonder,what did they do? they put a star underneath, I mean, sure, it's fictional world, but still.... be creative.. add a little bit of taste.

 

[snipperrabbit!!]

BigOz : they tested it around the 10 of April, no doubts the artists will have already filled the void in the meantime !

 

[MadDjinn]

I can't help but feel bit disappointed by the Tech Tree, unless it's not finished yet.. I mean, both The New World and the Polynesian scenario had custom techs, WITH custom icons.. but they seem to have gotten REALLY lazy with the appereance, I mean, you've even got the Hermitage building and something that looks like a National wonder,what did they do? they put a star underneath, I mean, sure, it's fictional world, but still.... be creative.. add a little bit of taste.

there's only a few people working on everything, and this scenario got new units, new mechanics and new graphics. the tech tree is a minor thing. Yes it'd be great for a fully blown 3D leaders and all scenario, but there's only so much time to work on each thing.

 

[TheMarshmallowBear]

there's only a few people working on everything, and this scenario got new units, new mechanics and new graphics. the tech tree is a minor thing. Yes it'd be great for a fully blown 3D leaders and all scenario, but there's only so much time to work on each thing.

I can handle the leaders being static, no problem, but the tech tree bugs me a little bit.. oh we'll see, still, it's not like I'm going to be acting like a brat and not buy the Ep because of a little detail...