Notes and Reflections from Greater Mesopotamia

[Thunderbrd]

Do we ever want something that cost -1 to be free at advanced start? Do we ever want something to be free at advanced start without it being given for free automatically without the player specifying that he want the free things?

It might be interesting to allow for free placements on some things. I would think if cost -1 is set it means it cannot be selected at advanced start, just as a city cannot select a building to construct if its cost is -1. I'm not suggesting any change at all to advanced start, just suggesting it would be easier to make -2 on cost the way to differ the meaning of a negative on icost itself.

 

[Toffer90]

It might be interesting to allow for free placements on some things. I would think if cost -1 is set it means it cannot be selected at advanced start, just as a city cannot select a building to construct if its cost is -1. I'm not suggesting any change at all to advanced start, just suggesting it would be easier to make -2 on cost the way to differ the meaning of a negative on icost itself.

I'm pretty sure that advanced start filters out all buildings with -1 iCost before applying the iAdvancedStartCost percent modifier to the value of iCost.

And if buildings are to only be free in advanced start, not on regular starts then those buildings should be awarded automatically for free to all cities when the player exits the advanced start game mode. It shouldn't be something the player can choose not to get or forget to get before exiting advanced start game mode.
But yeah, if we want that then iAdvancedStartCost = 0 would be a good way for that automated free building on advanced start to be recognized in code, and we would need to do something else for selling buildings with no cost.

iCost = -2 may be the best way then.

 

[Thunderbrd]

I'm pretty sure that advanced start filters out all buildings with -1 iCost before applying the iAdvancedStartCost percent modifier to the value of iCost.

And if buildings are to only be free in advanced start, not on regular starts then those buildings should be awarded automatically for free to all cities when the player exits the advanced start game mode. It shouldn't be something the player can choose not to get or forget to get before exiting advanced start game mode.
But yeah, if we want that then iAdvancedStartCost = 0 would be a good way for that automated free building on advanced start to be recognized in code, and we would need to do something else for selling buildings with no cost.

iCost = -2 may be the best way then.

Want or not, who knows. I just usually prefer the option that allows for a future possibility more. Not like there's much difference in application here either way. I just don't know why we'd involve a new tag that hasn't been part of it up to now when we wouldn't have to. Not trying to argue too hard on this though because in all reality, both suggestions are perfectly solvent.

 

[Piqued]

I was thinking about it, I wonder if you've thought of making the buildings from Animals function more like a religion or a corporation? You could skip around the automation issue that way. I'm not sure what the implications or complications associated with that would be, it's just a thought I had.

Also - as a note - I have officially defeated my economy. After the recent prolonged period of conquest throughout the first half of the Classical era, including the absorption of Japan, Israel, and half of Egypt, we now have 3-score and 4 cities, and are paying 15,000 gold approximately per turn in city maintenance. We had to drop the research budget to 50% to prevent the treasury from bottoming out and bankrupting Mesopotamia. We've refocused automation on commercial development and are slowly reinvigorating the economy, we're back up to 60% research investment.

 

[Dancing Hoskuld]

I was thinking about it, I wonder if you've thought of making the buildings from Animals function more like a religion or a corporation? You could skip around the automation issue that way. I'm not sure what the implications or complications associated with that would be, it's just a thought I had.

People didn't like 500x4 animal buildings available to be built in every city. It makes it hard to find the "real" buildings"

 

[Piqued]

Honestly that building list is already basically impenetrable.