Anno Domini update

[Antiochus VII]

I'm not sure if I have any to add... you've already included all the traits from Civ3 and Civ4 , and hinted earlier at traits for horsemanship (special resources), etc. Just some ideas off the top of my head, these might not even be Group B traits outright but perhaps instead modifiers off that 4th tech spot if available (it could be a 'governmental/societal' modifier perhaps):

Nomadic - access to certain techs replaced (horsemanship - maybe as you mentioned somewhere before - for instance replacing a cultural/governmental spot, say 'bureaucratic empire' for instance)
Feudal/Bureaucratic/Tribal etc - modify available governments for each civ, or NOT give an additional government like 'Empire' but instead wonders,units, or even resources not available to other civs (as 'Nomadic' above)

or perhaps even allowing treasure/commodity units or bonuses for civs with Piracy/Raiding or Trading (I mentioned these ideas before, they may be too specific or difficult to work out evenly but I'm just tossing them out for thought again).

 

[Plotinus]

I have to say I like the idea of alternative bonus resources, such as superior horses that only certain civs can use.

Of course, if you implement that, then these civs ought to be able to use the "normal" kinds of resources too. Otherwise this trait could actually be a handicap, if, say, the civ that can only use superior horses is surrounded by the normal kind alone.

 

[Antiochus VII]

Yes, definitely. I'd like to see it in practice, but the bonus resources might allow for more civ-specific buildings and units without additional manipulation of the tech tree and with some nice terrain related effects - a nomadic 'horse' resource present on the steppe could allow for various units, etc, but the same civ in the forest/hills would 'settle down' and use the regular units/improvements perhaps. A non-nomadic civ would still be the same regardless.

 

[Rob (R8XFT)]

I have to say I like the idea of alternative bonus resources, such as superior horses that only certain civs can use.

Of course, if you implement that, then these civs ought to be able to use the "normal" kinds of resources too. Otherwise this trait could actually be a handicap, if, say, the civ that can only use superior horses is surrounded by the normal kind alone.

Basically, they would have access to both resources and both types of unit; the thoroughbred units would be an upgrade from the basic horse unit - therefore if a city only linked to the basic horse resource, it would build the basic horse unit, but if it had access to the thoroughbred horse resource, it would automatically build the thoroughbred unit.

I like the idea about using a government type for a civ trait advantage and I've been thinking about that - and perhaps how the AI would be "tempted" to use that government above any other. Maybe that's where flavours could be used?

 

[Partizanac]

I thought why don't make units be builted automatically from barracks, like archery barrack, etc. And those foot units could only be builted with drafting, you all must admit this ain't a bad idea!

 

[Rob (R8XFT)]

I've just been thinking about flavours - maybe they could be used instead for the Charismatic trait - so instead of +1 happiness from the off (which Plotinus suggested was too powerful), they could have 100% relationship with all other civs - or is that too powerful as well?

There'd be two types of civs in this Anno Domini world : flavour one civs (non-Charismatic), having a 50% relationship with all other flavour one civs and flavour two civs (Charismatic), who have a higher percentage relationship with everyone else. Whether that's 100% or perhaps 80% is debatable. If they had this, perhaps their second ability could be to be able to build a small wonder that doubled the effect of taverns in era three.

The Piracy trait is an interesting one; how about the facility to build a "+1 ship movement" SW in era one that lasts throughout the game and allow all galleys and longboats to have hidden nationality and a slightly increased capacity? This would simply be allowing one ship from era two and one ship from era three to have these abilities.

 

[Plotinus]

I thought why don't make units be builted automatically from barracks, like archery barrack, etc. And those foot units could only be builted with drafting, you all must admit this ain't a bad idea!

Actually this wouldn't work very well. You have to bear in mind that the mechanics of the game are quite carefully balanced. You have to gather resources (shields, cash, etc) and then use them (to build/rush things, etc). Units are one of the most important ways to use resources. If you have too many unit-producing buildings, then you basically remove this major reason to try to gather resources in the first place. In other words, the game becomes unbalanced. It would also make for less variation in gameplay. If all your units are being churned out by improvements, then you'll always have roughly the same size army, whether you're planning for war or not. It would constrain the player too much. It's easy to stop building units if you don't want them any more, but it's not easy to sell all your barracks if you don't want them to keep producing units any more.

 

[Partizanac]

It's not if that barrack is a lets say a small wonder, so you can have only one in your country, and it produces units every 5-7 turns cause they would only be Archers, spearmen and chivalry, but foot infantry only drafting so your army is Amateur and not veteran, but in fighting experience they will get to it!
PS. Those units can be put to cost lives so if you don't want them U can use them for Join City? and put them to cost much Shields so if you destroy them in the city they can hurry production I'm good!

 

[Rob (R8XFT)]

Those units can be put to cost lives so if you don't want them U can use them for Join City? and put them to cost much Shields so if you destroy them in the city they can hurry production I'm good!

Units that cost population points only cost them when built by the player. When a building automatically builds them, then no population points are deducted.

I'm not knocking the idea, but I honestly agree with Plotinus; there's a couple of wonders that do this in the game and frankly I feel that's enough. When I've played the "epic" game and built the Knights Templar and/or Statue of Zeus, I can find myself overrun by units (as my tactics are normally conquer the island you're on asap and then repel invaders rather than going for raids abroad - but then again, I'm not the greatest player )

 

[Partizanac]

OK! it was just a proposal, and maby I wanted to let you all know I'm hear and I'm watching you all! Buahahahaha!

 

[Virote_Considon]

I've found a couple of problems over the last 2 pages:

1. SW's can't put improvements in every city. That's only GW's. The way around this would be to give them an improvement that only gave them 1 culture, and perhaps cost "0" sheilds (So that the improvement would take exactly 1 turn to build in every city).

2. "Flavours" only affect what the AI builds/researches, and even then I'm not completley convinced that they work!

Ack. I hate being pessimistic...

 

[Quinzy]

I've found a couple of problems over the last 2 pages:

1. SW's can't put improvements in every city. That's only GW's. The way around this would be to give them an improvement that only gave them 1 culture, and perhaps cost "0" sheilds (So that the improvement would take exactly 1 turn to build in every city).

2. "Flavours" only affect what the AI builds/researches, and even then I'm not completley convinced that they work!

Ack. I hate being pessimistic...

i'm pretty sure they also reduce tech-building time. if you're flavour 1 and a tech is flavour 1 and another is flavour 2, then tech 1 will be chaper than tech 2. maybe.

 

[Virote_Considon]

How about renaming the origional hardcoded "Expantionist" trait "Barbaric": The trait makes barbarians from huts more "passive" (It's easier to interract with them), and the civ gains a free "Hero" unit from the start (Dunno what the stats should be, but they should be fairly good, and the unit shouldn't be buildable).

 

[Antiochus VII]

Just an idea for Piracy - The ancient pirates used small fast ships that were very hard to catch, while the Illyrians especially had the habit of disguising their intentions, gaining entrance to one city by showing up with water jars they "wished to refill" (they actually contained weapons). Along these lines make the small pirate ships 'invisible' as well as 'hidden nationality' and force civs to patrol for them with corresponding light ships that have 'spot invisible'. This becomes even more desireable if you separate between heavy (perhaps quinquereme and up) and light ships (perhaps trireme and down) in the ancient/medieval era - the heavy ships were unsuitable for engaging the small fast pirate ships and small ships were instead used to hunt them down.

 

[Rob (R8XFT)]

Thanks for the comments and ideas, folks - I'm taking them all into consideration!!

 

[Partizanac]

I just found in Rome: total war, intro move that is perfect for your mode interested? and maby we could make a few scenarios and replace the Counquests folder and not the Scenarios one?

 

[Sword_Of_Geddon]

mehopes that your leaderheads are done in the style of Civ3 and not civ4, Civ4 leaderheads :thumbdown

 

[Plotinus]

i'm pretty sure they also reduce tech-building time. if you're flavour 1 and a tech is flavour 1 and another is flavour 2, then tech 1 will be chaper than tech 2. maybe.

I'm afraid I'm almost completely sure this isn't true.

I was of the opinion that flavours function solely to prompt the AI to build/research certain things over others. However, I have heard it said that they can also influence AI attitudes towards each other. I don't know if this is true, though.

 

[LMR]

i thought that the preferred/shunned government options related to the relationships between civs, and the flavours influence how the AI researches/builds.

i havent got any proof that this is ALL that the flavours do, however..

 

[Stormrage]

I`m begining to suspect that the flavors don`t work at all..