Acularius' GEM for Caveman2Cosmos

[Northstar1989]

the Ariel sea needs to be bigger its only recently that is been draining. theirs also several natural wonders missing. i recall that theirs a source of jade in the Italian mountains they exported decorative axes through prehistoric Europe.

You're correct about the Jade- although the axes were practical tools (alpine Jade is quite hard/sharp) as well as decorative.

http://www.jewelrynet.com/resource/jade/jade.html

http://www.academia.edu/1962837/Con...long_Alpine_jade_axeheads_in_Neolithic_Europe

There were clearly major deposits of jade in at least two locations of Italy (in the Appenine Mountains near the French Border, and in what is now the modern-day coastal province of Liguria) and the Appenine mountain deposits in particular were some of the most historically important deposits in all of prehistoric Europe.


As such, I propose adding Jade deposits to Northern Italy (not in the mountains- they can't be exploited until too late in the game) to replace the Lead deposits currently located in Northern Italy. The lead deposits should be moved to Corsica, which historically played host to significant lead-mining activity, much like the larger island of Sardinia:

http://www.holidaysincorsica.co.uk/History.htm


I would suggest re-locating the lead deposits to the northern tile Sardinia, which would be more accurate- but I have something more historically important in mind for that tile. Historically, some of the richest and most important metal deposits in Europe were located in this area- particularly large silver deposits. Mining activities in Sardinia under the Roman empire were the third-greatest in all of Europe, after Spain and Britain:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_mining_in_Sardinia

Therefore, a SILVER deposit should be added to the northern Sardinia tile (note that historically much of this silver occurred as mixed deposits of silver and lead- and even gold in the unusual case of Sardinia).

This tile should also be turned into forested hills, to reflect the highly rugged (nearly impenetrable to Roman legions at some points) and densely forested terrain found in ancient northern Sardinia. The Romans relegated much of this land "to the barbarians" as a result of how easily defended it was by the natives.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corsica_et_Sardinia


Finally, I also feel the need to add a forest tile to Greece. Historically, the Greek peninsula was host to several major forests- although due in part to the cramped conditions of the peninsula, many of them had already been chopped down by classical times... The best place for this forest tile would be Southwestern Greece- where it would be of the greatest historical accuracy (see link below) and strategic importance, but of little military defensive value (due to the unforested route to the east). This area also encompasses Olympia- a forested area historically sacred to the ancient Greeks...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foloi_oak_forest


Regards,
Northstar

 

[Northstar1989]

I made exactly the changes detailed above to the Giant Earth Map.

Please find the updated map files, and a text "explanations" files, attached to this post.


PLEASE let me know as soon as possible if these changes are to be accepted and integrated into future version of Caveman2Cosmos.


I am aware that anything that changes the resources or terrain of Europe is likely to be particularly controversial and sensitive- which is why I was careful to back up the important historical reasons for these changes.

Although these changes put Greece and Rome in *slightly* better starting positions, earlier changes I either made and were accepted (such as adding caves to locations such as Somalia and South America, a camel tile in North Africa, and one of the forest tiles in Spain), or suggested and seemed to have since been implemented by other people (the Arabian peninsula in particular looks a lot more accurate than I remember it being many months ago- with some slightly more fertile areas around the coast, and pearls near modern-day Qatar) have decreased their relative power- so hopefully nobody will take issue with these latest necessary and historically-accurate changes on a balance standpoint.


Regards,
Northstar

~~~~~~~

 

[Redwallzyl]

do you know if its possible to alter a map well in game to update some of the things?

 

[Acularius]

do you know if its possible to alter a map well in game to update some of the things?

Just load up 'World Builder'.
So yes, although depending how far you are into the game might lead to the game crashing. A fresh restart of the program usually makes it easier to load up 'World Builder'.

 

[Redwallzyl]

thanks I will look into it. I did a little research and I think there shouldn't be salt flats by the Arel sea it was fresh water after all there are to many salt flats in that area.

Other proposed changes
The dead sea and i think another natural wonder are missing as well.
The area around lake chad should be marsh and it should be abit bigger.
There should be sources of obsidian in Europe.
A river to represent the Bosporus as well as Sicilian separations or actual separation
Use cactus
Use of rock formations
Greece needs help
Zulu are to strong
Ancient forests should be placed around the map Red Woods excreta.
remove mushroom from Romes starting tile

 

[Northstar1989]

thanks I will look into it. I did a little research and I think there shouldn't be salt flats by the Arel sea it was fresh water after all there are to many salt flats in that area.

Other proposed changes
The dead sea and i think another natural wonder are missing as well.
The area around lake chad should be marsh and it should be abit bigger.
There should be sources of obsidian in Europe.
A river to represent the Bosporus as well as Sicilian separations or actual separation
Use cactus
Use of rock formations
Greece needs help
Zulu are to strong
Ancient forests should be placed around the map Red Woods excreta.
remove mushroom from Romes starting tile

The Dead Sea is indeed missing from GEM as far as I can tell.

In my research on Italian Jade, I discovered that Corsica was also an excellent and important source of European obsidian. So, if we can figure out somewhere else to put the Lead I moved from Northern Italy to Corsica, it would be a great place for Obsidian too...
http://www.aggsbach.de/2013/10/segmented-obsidian-blades-from-corsica/


The problem with using a river to represent the straits is that it would grant river-based buildings to neighboring cities. The straits, as currently implemented, have the desired effect of allowing both land and sea units to pass.

Download my latest update to the GEM and place rock formations in placed you can find evidence they should exist. Same thing with cacti.

Are you working with my updated GEM I uploaded earlier? Greece has a forest square in range of Athens in my updated version of GEM- that should help its (rather weak) starting position a lot, while simultaneously improving the accuracy of GEM (this forest is in the region where modern-day Olympia is located- which has been forested for most of human history, and still is today)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olympia,_Greece

Ancient Forests should be placed wherever there were particularly old or important stands of forest- not just where there were redwoods. The giant (some over 200 feet tall and 10 feet in diameter) conifers of New England and Upstate New York (which no longer exist today- having all been chopped down) would certainly qualify, for instance:

http://histsociety.blogspot.com/2011/07/new-englands-maruellous-pine-trees.html

http://www.ancientforests.us/OGIntro.htm



This goes for everyone: please look at my map updates, and decide what you think of them.


Regards,
Northstar

 

[Northstar1989]

On the subject of primeval forests, see also:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old-growth_forest

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_old-growth_forests#United_States


I wouldn't say all the forests on this list should qualify as Ancient Forest (tourism agencies just love to over-hype their local forests, and local pride doesn't help either...) but a number clearly should, and if nothing else, it's a great starting-point...

Try to limit any forests you change to "Ancient Forest" to only those with the tallest, biggest trees and the greatest ecological diversity...


Regards,
Northstar

 

[Redwallzyl]

added
dead sea wonder
basalt organ wonder
several aurora wonders
many ancient forests
mangroves allover
flood planes around chad lake
rainwater basin in Illinois
a recently discovered coral reef off of Israel (feel free to remove)
peat bogs might have put to many in the UK and left out the one in Estonia oops.

removed
mushrooms on the Rome starting tile
salt planes around the Aral sea

still perhaps needs some outcrops but i don't know where.

there's something up with the water off the east African cost i might have messed it up.

is the great barrier reef in i cant tell?

 

[Redwallzyl]

I'm going to add some more wonders and stuff and do some revisions.

 

[Faustmouse]

Redwallzyl and Northstar1989, you should really work together if you not already do. Great observations here Makes the GEM much more enjoyable and educational.

 

[Redwallzyl]

Added
Sugar loaf mountain in Maryland
Some coral to represent the red coral that was traded from the Mediterranean.
Tall grass in grasslands
Obsidian by Hungary and an empty island below japan and Sardinia.
Put a bog in Estonia
Some random stuff

Removed
Some bogs
Some previous minor changes

Moved some figs and grapes as to make fore better city placement areas in south italy

If someone would like to put in some rock outcrops that would be nice.

Any feed back would be greatly appreciated its taken me quite a few hours researching and placing and I probably missed things.

I reuploaded the map 2 save

 

[Redwallzyl]

if someone could tell me how to make it so you cant see all the civs from the beginning that would be helpful.

 

[Faustmouse]

You can open worldbuilder scenario files with a text editor. Then in the header each civ has a contact with Team tag that you can modify. Then just save.

 

[Redwallzyl]

I deleted the contact with lines with but i still have contact with everyone. so need to do something else?

 

[Faustmouse]

Well, you must of course save as well but I'm pretty sure you do that
Hmm... they must not see each other on the actual map, but I'm also pretty sure that's not the case. Maybe look for a Worldbuilder Guide online... I'm not very experienced with it.

 

[Redwallzyl]

Ignore

 

[Redwallzyl]

Definitely hopefully working now. With no revealed civs.

*Dam it. its not working.

 

[Acularius]

http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=491406

World Builder Save Cleaner

and

hunt down Notepad ++.

That will go a long way in helping your cause.

 

[Redwallzyl]

I've done both. i have used notepad++ sense the beginning and i use the cleaner as well as manual removal. I'm starting to wonder of its just my game.

A picture of the problem by the way.

 

[Harrier]

I looked at your file in notepad++, looks allright to me. Unfortunately I can not load GEM on my system so can not check the initial load screen.

Just one question, and I have done this myself in the past, so dont be offended. Having altered the file and then cleaned the copy from Worldbuilder Saves. Did you copy the cleaned version to Private Maps and then started a brand new game, selecting the new version and not the old version?