Fear factor?

[Minor Annoyance]

In one of the recent videos (this one: Civilization V E3 2010 Interview: Jon Shafer @ GameSpot at 38 seconds) showing combat the text that was showing the result of the battle said something like "6 damage, 0 fear". Who has speculation on what fear is?
I'd think it was something do to with advanced technology vs. primitive technology, like when a spearmen unit sees a short metallic elephant shoot fire from it's trunk (it's a tank if you haven't guessed). It seems unlikely they'd create a specific game mechanic just for that though.

 

[Ajidica]

It might be used as an attempt to represent moral. It seems more likely it would be how many battles the unit has been in and lost. Its been pretty much decided a unit needs to loose multiple battles before it is destroyed. To keep this from becoming a lifejacket effect, perhaps the more battles the unit loses the less efective it becomes, sort of an intentional snowball efect?

 

[need my speed]

Well, I can't be bothered to rewatch the video and thus don't know if it's true or not, but that would be a great way to make Warriors always lose versus Tanks and such.

 

[Turquoiside]

Reminds me of something from Pirates, but I can't remember what it was called. I think it hurt the performance of your troops in battle.

 

[Mercade]

Well, I can't be bothered to rewatch the video and thus don't know if it's true or not, but that would be a great way to make Warriors always lose versus Tanks and such.

I did rewatch the video and don't see any reference to this fear. Can you recheck the time and/or post a screenshot?

 

[need my speed]

Well, there clearly is:



3 damage, 0 fear. Let the speculation begin!

 

[Jarlaxe Baenre]

It might be used as an attempt to represent moral. It seems more likely it would be how many battles the unit has been in and lost. Its been pretty much decided a unit needs to loose multiple battles before it is destroyed. To keep this from becoming a lifejacket effect, perhaps the more battles the unit loses the less efective it becomes, sort of an intentional snowball efect?

Finally, soldiers have a moral code...

 

[Schuesseled]

wait both this one and the one i saw at 3.16 both happened after "total defeats".

Maybe if the unit survives, there is a chance they'll get the fear and maybe run off...

 

[Vael]

I wouldn't get your hopes up... someone noticed the same thing at PAX East and one of the Firaxis guys said it was a concept they had tried out but probably wouldn't make it into the final game. It was in some thread here - I don't remember which one.

 

[lifelessgamer]

Reminds me of something from Pirates, but I can't remember what it was called. I think it hurt the performance of your troops in battle.

Yep your right, Sid Meier's Pirates! had something to do with it. It was, that if a unit was injured, its morale(is that how its spelled?)would change to concerned,wavering etc and if attacked it would suffer a combat penalty. Probably it was originally meant for that injured units would suffer from this too.

 

[lostcause]

I wouldn't get your hopes up... someone noticed the same thing at PAX East and one of the Firaxis guys said it was a concept they had tried out but probably wouldn't make it into the final game. It was in some thread here - I don't remember which one.

Shame, morale would have been an interesting game mechanic. Still, I'm more intrigued by the 'Strategic View' button. Have they said anything about what that is?

 

[need my speed]

Probably globe view, as they have confirmed that and perhaps even said that via that button one could easily access it.

 

[Me,myself,and,I]

MORALE!!!!! Whoohoo!



I think morale would really make the combat system, after all it's the single most important factor in war.

 

[Ahriman]

I think its clearly a measure of how many spiders and worms they have to eat.

 

[Me,myself,and,I]

Har har. That, that was bad.

 

[Tylerryan79]

So I found out wat the fear thing is. It's a new victory condition, enabled through the options(before game you can turn it off and on). Basicly when turned on, when units "attack", it goes to a seperate "fear" screen. Joe Rogen pops up, and units must face off in a skill of wills. Much like Ahriman said, eat bugs, walk across canyons on ropes ect. If your "team" wins you get a Fear:1 for each victory. You must get a Fear Factor of 100 to win, on normal speed.

What we are seeing, with Fear: 0, is that everyone failed Joe's challenges so far. It's been said some units can't stomach certain challenges, and I think this is the case here. Horse Archers are at a dissadvantage with certain contests, due to having to carry their horses on their backs. However they make up for it when having to eat bugs ect, two mouths are better than one, right?

 

[need my speed]

Oh, so that's what that extreme diplomacy mode from that screenshot of April is for. So we have some sort of Expedition Robinson mode too? Cool!