AI and Road Spammin

[BCalchet]

I reckon roadless grassland interrupted by the occasional desert or water tile would be much more suitable for a +1 golf bonus... but on a more serious note, roads could use looking into.

Perhaps a ritual or wonder somewhere on the recon/nature tree that turns roads invisible and omnipresent within the empire, removing the issue altogether?

 

[Guale]

I liked the old Civ2 days where any flatland with a road gave +1 trade (What commerce was called in Civ2). Regardless of where they lead roads will encorage travel, particularly people just wanting to see the sights, a.k.a. tourists. Tourists spend big money.

 

[Ecofarm]

Roads have negative health impacts, from the spread of disease to run-off pollution. You people want all of the trade (and movement) benefits and none of the negatives.

 

[Y T]

Thats one side of the medal & surely a realistic point of view.
I wanna add that roads surely give a culteral bonus, allowing all kinds of ppl to visit the land, so its:
per tile!

Sure if that would ever b implemented, we need another set of buildings for the cities to even things out! Soooo, as we dont wanna add more complexity we'll leave it as it is!

 

[smjjames]

I liked the old Civ2 days where any flatland with a road gave +1 trade (What commerce was called in Civ2). Regardless of where they lead roads will encorage travel, particularly people just wanting to see the sights, a.k.a. tourists. Tourists spend big money.

That is probably where the road spamming habit started for most people.

I remember making just about every tile in my empire with roads (and later, railroads) in Civ2.

@ecofarm: true, but we are talking about Erebus here, there aren't any cars. If there are any non-dirt roads, they are likely to be paved with stone. Honestly though, given the vastness of the Kuriotate empire or even one of thier BFCs, having lots of roads would be useful.

 

[blacknight]

Roads have negative health impacts, from the spread of disease to run-off pollution. You people want all of the trade (and movement) benefits and none of the negatives.

I have a very hard time imagining run-off pollution as a serious medieval health issue...

I personally don't have a problem with roads as is. The biggest complaint I am seeing here is based on aesthetics, which each person has their own view on what is proper. I think as is is good. My little cities are not road spammed because the workers have more important things to do after the initial connection. My big cities are road spammed for all the tactical reasons people have mentioned here and I feel it gives the land a more civilized look which I feel fits the environs of a size 15+ city which is about the time my workers in the area are bored.

To each his own, but I don't see this as a game-stopping issue that need distract the team from doing ever more amazing things with this fantastic mod.

 

[DuckAndCower]

Roads have negative health impacts, from the spread of disease to run-off pollution. You people want all of the trade (and movement) benefits and none of the negatives.

I'd say that overall, roads are more beneficial than detrimental to health. I'd rather an ambulance get to me in 10 minutes by road than in 2 days by foot through the woods.

And really, "you people"? Confrontational much?

 

[smjjames]

Besides, it's not the roads themselves that spread disease, it's the travellers that use them which would spread disease.

 

[MagisterCultuum]

Well, if these roads are also functioning as sewers (as most urban roads did until recent times) then the roads could spread disease. That isn't really relevant to the intercity roads that workers build though.

 

[smjjames]

Well, if these roads are also functioning as sewers (as most urban roads did until recent times) then the roads could spread disease. That isn't really relevant to the intercity roads that workers build though.

True, I thought Ecofarm was referring to intercity roads or country roads though.

 

[DuckAndCower]

Well, if these roads are also functioning as sewers (as most urban roads did until recent times) then the roads could spread disease. That isn't really relevant to the intercity roads that workers build though.

Whether or not you have roads in a big city, you've still got sewage. Taking away roads wouldn't do anything about that.

 

[uberfish]

I would actually prefer it from a realism point of view if all tile improvements automatically came with roads. After all, how are you going to get the ore back from the mine if you don't have a road there? Although I would like to see inter-city roads that function as major trade routes organically grow into visible major roads, distinguishing them from minor roads that just connect to a farm or whatever.

 

[Marksman77]

I would actually prefer it from a realism point of view if all tile improvements automatically came with roads. After all, how are you going to get the ore back from the mine if you don't have a road there?

I always imagined that city+BFC is a simplified picture of a province with its administrative center. In this way a mine is not just a mine, but rather a mining colony. A farm is not just a tract of farmed land, but rather an agricultural region with villages. A town is, ehm, a town. So people live and work not only in the city, but also in BFC.

In this way you don't really need to transport ore to city, you'd have smiths in the mining colony. Only when you need some more advanced work to be done, like equip your troops with iron weapons, you'd need to transport the ore to the city, where specialized weaponsmiths live and work.

My point is, I can live without improvements with automatic roads.

 

[xienwolf]

Heh heh. I've been on vacation and am catching up on threads, so my appologies, but this is one dead horse I really want to beat on


I personally spam roads everywhere. I get upset when my workers sit idle instead of spamming roads if I automate them.

Reason that I would encourage the AI to spam roads more often: If I go on a Bambur Rampage early game and wipe out all my neighbors, I locate their cities by following their roads. If I couldn't follow a nice direct line to the next city and had to actually hunt for them, I probably wouldn't EVER wipe out another Civ in the early/mid game. I kinda suck at scouting


The arguement about not knowing when you'll want to attack a certain tile it also fairly valid. But more important than that is not knowing when you will NOT want to attack a tile. If there is a hostile unit in your territory blocking a road, and you would rather move past him to a larger threat than attack him, you need a road to move around the oaf. If you don't place enough roads, then you are forced into the surrounding terrain with base movement rates and probably won't be able to move past without a fight. I've lost quite a few cities like this (5 units on the only road leading out of the city. City guarded by a single warrior, and I need to move 3 scouts into the city. If I could use roads, no problem, and the defensive bonus means I can hold the city. But if I have to attack his units to get through... those scouts aren't going to do enough damage to keep that lone warrior alive and defending my city)

 

[Arcite36575]

road spamming = Godly

 

[Ecofarm]

And really, "you people"? Confrontational much?

Always. What's your point?

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Roads are UGLY! Booo00000OOOOO roads!

 

[Ksi]

The Elves, especially if following FoL should not spam roads.

 

[Adrogans]

Well, you can also look at roads as developed trails through lands, its not like they are all paved/cobble stone or something. I view it more along the lines of creating a "path" thru the tile as opposed to viewing it a a straight up road. (since there are no road upgrades.)