Acularius' GEM for Caveman2Cosmos

[Sgtslick]

yeah i quit my game as england and am playing ragnar instead, much more fun being able to hunt and explore and stuff, not to mention much less of a handicap.

what difficulty you playing? I found i was too far behind with immortal as england.

 

[Acularius]

yeah i quit my game as england and am playing ragnar instead, much more fun being able to hunt and explore and stuff, not to mention much less of a handicap.

what difficulty you playing? I found i was too far behind with immortal as england.

I tend to find Monarchy is okay for me, and it keeps things relatively balanced, but when I want a tougher game I go higher. However for testing, I go with Monarchy because it keeps me on 'par' with the AI, not entirely sure, feels about right.

 

[Koshling]

yeah i quit my game as england and am playing ragnar instead, much more fun being able to hunt and explore and stuff, not to mention much less of a handicap.

what difficulty you playing? I found i was too far behind with immortal as england.

Immortal with increasing difficulty. As England I beelined raft building and founded a city on the French coast as soon as I could. Since France had been destroyed earlier on that made things easier, though I needed quite a lot of beachhead units to hold the new city, because it got mobbed at first. However, this was the game before my current one, and before all the extra prehistoric techs got added for nomads, so raft building was a little clos

 

[T C]

I think for those who are finding it too easy, start on deity. Giving the AI two cities enables them to compete a lot better. In my current game, I'm behind still in the ancient era and I haven't even built a single wonder. It's shaping up to be a challenging game, although I am catching up fast.

I certainly agree that happiness, and health too, come far too easy, too many buildings give them to the point where they are not a concern. There is also too much gold, the science slider is redundant in my game. I think we need somethings to balance all the buildings that have been added to prehistoric recently.

 

[Koshling]

I think for those who are finding it too easy, start on deity. Giving the AI two cities enables them to compete a lot better. In my current game, I'm behind still in the ancient era and I haven't even built a single wonder. It's shaping up to be a challenging game, although I am catching up fast.

I certainly agree that happiness, and health too, come far too easy, too many buildings give them to the point where they are not a concern. There is also too much gold, the science slider is redundant in my game. I think we need somethings to balance all the buildings that have been added to prehistoric recently.

Yeh, I know I can do this, but I really want it to not be necessary (which is why I prefer to keep working on the AI, and treating games as play tests until such time as it becoems challenging without resorting to such extreme measures).

 

[Sgtslick]

if some improvements such as mines gave fractional negative health (which could perhaps be scaled higher on monarchy/imm/deity) this could b good. I really think the governor pets and menagerie are easy candidates to remove the +1 happy. Also the dog trainer having +1 happy +1 health seems excessive. I feel that resources shouldn't be changed as they are a good tool for game play and strategy.

Someone should go through all the buildings and slash all the +gold and +happy and to a lesser extent health.

As far as health is concerned having negative health in a city isn't actually a big deal since with +9food farms a few unhealthy citizens is really no biggie. So on second thought maybe slash +health too

Come to think of it, a good idea would be that excessive health problems or excessive happiness problems have a mutually negative effect on each other. If your people are unhappy (above certain amount, maybe -5 for example, this would cause -2 health and vice versa. This seems intuitive too since its realistic.)

*while your at it increase all the wonder costs too

 

[Koshling]

if some improvements such as mines gave fractional negative health (which could perhaps be scaled higher on monarchy/imm/deity) this could b good. I really think the governor pets and menagerie are easy candidates to remove the +1 happy. Also the dog trainer having +1 happy +1 health seems excessive. I feel that resources shouldn't be changed as they are a good tool for game play and strategy.

Someone should go through all the buildings and slash all the +gold and +happy and to a lesser extent health.

As far as health is concerned having negative health in a city isn't actually a big deal since with +9food farms a few unhealthy citizens is really no biggie. So on second thought maybe slash +health too

Come to think of it, a good idea would be that excessive health problems or excessive happiness problems have a mutually negative effect on each other. If your people are unhappy (above certain amount, maybe -5 for example, this would cause -2 health and vice versa. This seems intuitive too since its realistic.)

*while your at it increase all the wonder costs too

The resources don't scale. It was fine when there were half a dozen, but now there are 20+ all giving +1. The best solution may well be to add some mechanic to give them decreasing returns.

A cheap option would be to implement an analogue of food wastage to apply to resource happyness and/or resource health. The idea is that you can only get so happy from more and more luxuries before it becomes a case of 'meh, another luxury item - put it in the cupboard over there'. The wastage mechanic (or something very like it) actually fits the bill pretty well here I think...

 

[Sgtslick]

Think my scenario that i posted is screwed, i started as minor but then turned it off and saved the scenario (the one i posted in this thread) but having now played and reached writing, im still stuck as a minor. Won't change. Anyway to get around this?

The resources don't scale. It was fine when there were half a dozen, but now there are 20+ all giving +1. The best solution may well be to add some mechanic to give them decreasing returns.

A cheap option would be to implement an analogue of food wastage to apply to resource happyness and/or resource health. The idea is that you can only get so happy from more and more luxuries before it becomes a case of 'meh, another luxury item - put it in the cupboard over there'. The wastage mechanic (or something very like it) actually fits the bill pretty well here I think...

Sounds ok, so having a maximum positive effect from resources. Capped at like +10 or something your saying? Sounds reasonable. Just need to make sure AI realise that purchasing that extra happy resource actually won't have an impact and therefore be uninterested in doing such trades.

 

[Acularius]

I had that problem you are experiencing when I first started out with making a scenario and it has something to do with the way you have the civs started up. I'd imagine in every 'player' portion for the civs, there would be reference 'minor civ = 1" (or You are a minor civ = yes) which should be minor civ = 0, and then the settings that you do with custom set up should override that until writing. Granted if you want perpetual war, this is the way to go.

I recommend the utility 'wbcleaner', forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=270443a , which should allow you to get right on in there and clean everything up... although it will probably get rid of the tech you added in SO, I do recommend getting in the muck with notepad (notepad ++ works wonders) and copying the section that should essentially be the same for all the players.

Although easiest solution would be just to change all the minor civ = 1 and switching the ones to 0's.

If you are still encountering problems, copy the tech portion of the 'player' infos, (and the x y coord) and start mucking away.
Maybe I'm doing it the hard way, but so far it works for me unless someone proposes an easier method of doing all of this.

 

[Acularius]

Do you guys play with realistic culture spread on? (I have it off by default, but I'm curious if the gameplay is consistant when it is on)

I turned off 'aggressive ai', barbarian civs (we are already at 40 +ish, so I would rather save it for revolutionary civs), and turned on realistic culture spread. I've noticed some considerable changes in how the ai does things, and I consider Japan relatively closed off from the system so I don't think I've influeneced the mainland in any way. I have sent a hunter off onto Eurasia recently to pick up the animals that I've severely lacked and to do some exploring and see where I stand. This was also the first time that I was beaten to Sedentary Lifestyle, although I did beeline Sailing so this was the trade off I suppose in that decision.
Siam actually managed to found a city north of the still free Cambodia, and if they hold it, should eventually overpower them in time.

That stone tool maker, has essentially given me a fighting chance and it is quite amazing, since I know Japan lacks copper I'll probably hold off in getting bronze working for a while.

I must say I'm rather impressed by the changes in the latest SVN, the AI is doing far better than I'd imagine or maybe the numbers are working in favor for them this game.
Also, it was bloody difficult to take down the Ainu,The only viable spot to attack them is the grassland off to the side and you have to attack over a river. It is hard to encircle because the kelp slows down ships and the other land surrounding them is tundra (which I'll have a look at - I know that the Siberia wind blows over Hokkaido, but I don't think it is quite THAT cold)

Hell, even Greece settled a couple of cities, I'm thinking that the original border expansion settings play merry hell with how the AI prioritizes where to settle cities. I can't believe I have never used this setting before, I think I might turn it on default for the future releases.

I think the tech speeds were sped up a bit as well. PH seemed to go by faster, if I'm not crazy, or maybe I had the Ainu preoccupy my mind enough.

I'm going to keep a look at hw the game develops with these changes.

 

[Sgtslick]

Koshling improved natural culture recently, like he has done many things, its not bad. It just means more micro management for me tho, having to pay attention to when i can access certain resources and frankly i cbf doing that. I'd prefer to smash down the enter key bam bam bam

 

[Acularius]

Koshling improved natural culture recently, like he has done many things, its not bad. It just means more micro management for me tho, having to pay attention to when i can access certain resources and frankly i cbf doing that. I'd prefer to smash down the enter key bam bam bam

You can still use units to 'claim land' and if it would naturally be within your sphere influence around a city without the option, you don't hav to keep units stationed there.

 

[Koshling]

Do you guys play with realistic culture spread on? (I have it off by default, but I'm curious if the gameplay is consistant when it is on)

I have been playing with realistic culture spread on, aggressive AI off the last few games, so yes, these are my standard settings.

 

[strategyonly]

I have been playing with realistic culture spread on, aggressive AI off the last few games, so yes, these are my standard settings.

I agree, i never infact play with AGG AI on, never with Nukes (game is horrible to me with them, the way they are set now), I just found out you cant play Corporation and Guilds at the same time??, never ever play with a time limit (i absolutely hate that option) never use UN, Barbs always raze, religion decay, personalized map, ruthless AI, High to low, final five, unlimited wonders, and and anything above Barb World.

 

[Hydromancerx]

I agree, i never infact play with AGG AI on, never with Nukes (game is horrible to me with them, the way they are set now), I just found out you cant play Corporation and Guilds at the same time??, never ever play with a time limit (i absolutely hate that option) never use UN, Barbs always raze, religion decay, personalized map, ruthless AI, High to low, final five, unlimited wonders, and and anything above Barb World.

I play with UN, Barbs always raze and religion decay. Personalized map I have gone back and forth with. If on an Earth map then definitely off. High to low I have done before but not not recently. Never Unlimited Wonders and Ruthless AI and Barb World is just not my style. Final Five I never have enough civs to make that useful.

 

[Samin]

I think it would be amazing if you could still choose all the various options yourself even when playing a custom scenario, not only speed/difficulty but also all the tweaks like you mentioned. Everyone has different preferences and especially for GEM that would be an awesome feature in this mod.

 

[Acularius]

I think it would be amazing if you could still choose all the various options yourself even when playing a custom scenario, not only speed/difficulty but also all the tweaks like you mentioned. Everyone has different preferences and especially for GEM that would be an awesome feature in this mod.

The speed and setting is something I don't know how to choose, but all the other little bits are customizable in custom scenario... I just have them on so I don't click fest all the time and I really do recommend the settings.

 

[Samin]

The speed and setting is something I don't know how to choose, but all the other little bits are customizable in custom scenario... I just have them on so I don't click fest all the time and I really do recommend the settings.

What I meant is, that you could choose barb civs, un, no religion decay and all these options as you wish before you start the game, just as you now choose speed and difficulty. That way everyone should be happy. I know you can just manually edit the map file to meet your needs but that gets destroyed with every update and it would just be nicer to do it ingame

 

[Sgtslick]

@Samin
You can change every option, I don't get it.
The only thing you can't change is the starting era and of course map dynamics such as size and number of civs ( although u can just play the random location one and this allows you to choose the number of civs). So I think your wrong, you can change/choose everything. Or am i missing something?

Custom scenario, pick, then everything is listed as per normal?? Then you can access BUG in game as normal.

 

[Acularius]

You can change every option, I don't get it.
The only thing you can't change is the starting era and of course map dynamics such as size and number of civs ( although u can just play the random location one and this allows you to choose the number of civs). So I think your wrong, you can change/choose everything. Or am i missing something?

Custom scenario, pick, then everything is listed as per normal?? Then you can access BUG in game as normal.

What I wrote, sounded great in my head. Apparetly did not read the same way the next time I looked at it. XD