Ancient temples

[vorshlumpf]

I really like that idea. It does duplicate an existing effect (air-lifting), but it gives it at a time when you're still a long way from the tech, and it is limited by the random placement of the temple resource.

- Niilo

 

[Belial|GoD]

no offense meant, but monster pops seem alittle..... BLAH

What about something ala Galactic Civilizations, where when you explore you get a chance of building a random unique wonder (or perhaps a unique tech)... But there is a catch: You have a choice between making a good, neutral, or evil version of it.

An example would be a magic mind control device.

Good civilizations: using it against members of our faith would be evil! We must use it as a means to convert the enemy into seeing the "error of their ways". Provides nationwide culture bonus and worldwide unhappiness.

Neutral: What an interesting way of making money! Provides +1 free trade agreement and bonus cash per city.

Evil: What an effective way to abuse our people! Provides small bonus of all city benefits (food, production, cash, etc)

Either have the civilization decide before or after they can see what type they could get. Depending on which moral choice they make, their alignment will change in that direction.

You could implement a unique wonder by having 3 unique techs per possible event.

One of the biggest things I liked about Galactic Civilizations was these random moral choices!

It would definately make finding an ancient temple exciting.

 

[[NWO]_Valis]

One of the biggest things I liked about Galactic Civilizations was these random moral choices!

Yes, but that choices were there to determine your alligment. Here you start with it plus the religions are also a strong-aligment bound. We would not need random moral choices here, not for moral choices anyway.

On top on that that game sucked so do not bring it up here

 

[MayNilad Man]

Well, barring lifting every effect one got from the monoliths in SMAC, how about having the ability to rededicate the temples to the God of your religion, with the corresponding bonii to be gained when a unit stands on it, or maybe have it specifically affect the city whose sphere of influence it falls under. Halimbawa ('Example' for you philistines ) the ruins are rededicated to Kilmorph, the city experiences a slight mining productivity boost, or the soldiers gain a slight strength boost when they spend a turn in the temple.

As for Cassiel, we could give his inquisitors the ability to rededicate the temples to more down to earth endeavours, like acting as a way-station for soldiers (healing)...

 

[Belial|GoD]

Yes, but that choices were there to determine your alligment. Here you start with it plus the religions are also a strong-aligment bound. We would not need random moral choices here, not for moral choices anyway.

On top on that that game sucked so do not bring it up here

Which brings me to another pet peeve I have about religions. You should be able to play an evil leaves or order religion!

Why can't I play a xenophobic genocidal type of civilization that wants to destroy all civilizations and revert the world back to nature before civilizations were around!

Sounds like it would be a very evil way of taking leaves and worthy of the evil status.

 

[AlazkanAssassin]

Why can't I play a xenophobic genocidal type of civilization that wants to destroy all civilizations and revert the world back to nature before civilizations were around!

Sounds like it would be a very evil way of taking leaves and worthy of the evil status.

You can do this! Leaves has no alignment requirements at all. if you are evil before you switch to Leaves you will be while you are as well. You can be the evil, xenophobic, treehugging, genocidal, manic you want to be!

 

[BeefontheBone]

I rather like the monolith idea - either sacrificing a minor disciple unit or having a later one 'work' the tile could rededicate the monolith/temple to the appropriate religion (via different improvements - is it possible to have the same resource collected by different improvements? If not you could fudge it by changing the resource at the same time, which would make altering the benefits of them easier too) with bonuses for various things - extra yield if it's in the radius of a city with the same religion, happiness, health etc etc.

 

[driekan]

Great idea, Beef... But I think that would make the problem with the limit on the amount of different resources even worse. However, I think that is definetely a way to go.

On a side not (And a bit of-topic) why not have something similar for mana? Have a worked mana shrine be good for something as a used terrain, or else they become dead terrain just like desert (Only you cant make them useful with magic...)

 

[BeefontheBone]

There's a cap on the number of resources? Wasn't aware of that - that'd complicate the implementation then

 

[jaredbb]

A unit on an ancient temple could be given the option of rebasing (teleporting) to either 1) a random uncontrolled ancient temple, or 2)a known uncontrolled ancient temple.

Controlled = enemy units present

I like this idea....although it would have to recognize open borders

Also, I like the idea of temples popping a midgame barbarian monster/hero that has a unique item (there could be 7 of them ) They should be zero movement and have the hero promotion, so eventually they grab mobility one and wander off to pillage the country-side.

Once the temple is explored, the monster is defeated/causing havoc somewher else, an adept or disciple could consecrate/dedicate the ruins (sacrifices the unit) to grant XP to all units of that type built by the civ. This could also affect the AC if order/veil units are sacrificed, and adds a cumulative/dynamic XP effect. Not sure if this would be defined through a resource function or could auto build an improvement in a random 12+ pop city.

I also like the idea of a cleared temple becoming a resource that allows a wonder tied to religion or alignment. Too bad resources are capped.

My crazy idea is to sacrifice a hero at the cleared ruins for building a World Wonder (ala Shrine of the Champion) that summons/binds an avatar of one of the gods of the FFH Pantheon. Sacrifice a hero + Build a wonder = Get better hero! Just hope another player/AI doesn't beat you to it!

 

[BlazeRedSXT]

There's a cap on the number of resources? Wasn't aware of that - that'd complicate the implementation then

Well, there is kind of a cap on resources. Its dependant on a sort of index file of some sort. The only problem is that I think the ffh team is using the original, and it only has 50 "slots"(I think those have to include Improvements, but not sure on that). Anyway, I beleive Greenmod used a bigger file(it certianly seemed like there were a million resources there!), and pretty sure Kael mentioned that a bigger one will be implimented in the near future.

Anyway, on the topic of the temples, I rather don't mind it "copying" the tribal hut mechanics and allow exploring the temples to pop different things. It could be spiced up by making them different than the tribal huts. EX, instead of Hostil Villagers, they'd be trapped demons or some other unique monsters. Since this will be later in the game, make the gold pops be significantly larger. Giving unique Promotions to the explorer, or even unique Techs that only can be gained from the temples all work for me. certainly similar to getting bumps earlier from tribal villages(in mechanics), but different results can make it worth it... and making them enterances to quests or equipment in later stages of development, would be the ultimate goal I think.
Anyway.. thats my thoughts on it...

Cheers!

 

[Red Boxer]

I like the idea of making them into dungeons.

Only certain units can explore them. They do damage, which might be enough to kill a unit, almost certainly weak units.

Exploration, and survival nets:
Treasure Type H.
Maybe a decent amount of gold, some beakers, experience, an item (once implemented), some crazy random unit... any and all of these things.