Archeology - How does it work?

[Eagle Pursuit]

I'm trying to get a handle on this.

So, presumably upon discovery of Archeology, Antiquity Sites pop up all over your map on the former locations of battles and razed cities.

Are these like luxury resources?

Are Archeologists like specialized workers who build tile improvements on the Antiquity Sites?

Do museums make Antiquity Sites better?

Lets puzzle out how this might work.

 

[ferretbacon]

From what I've gleaned, the system opens up at the Archaeology tech. When it does, random, evenly dispersed sites of razed cities, razed barbarian encampments, and sites of battles that took place earlier in the game open up on the map.

You're able to go to these sites with archaeologists (if they have names, I do hope at least one is named Indiana Jones ) and collect artifacts, which may then be housed in buildings in your cities (museum, possibly the Louvre if it is modified, etc.).

These artifacts will provide a cultural/tourism bonus for your civilization.

 

[Gucumatz]

My question is will they change tile yields? Will they be able to spawn on tiles with resources already on them?

 

[HeraldtheGreat]

I wonder what sets the bar as a "great battle"? Can it be any old violent quarrel?

 

[steveg700]

Sounds like a clever way to bring an element of exploration into the later eras of the game.

My guess would be that the archaeologist gives somebody who's not good at generating singers, writers, and painters a way of fighting in the the culture war.

 

[ShahJahanII]

This seems like a strange addition from the expansion. A little too narrow, but anything to spice up the game a little more can't be bad if you ask me.

 

[Buccaneer]

I know this would be nearly an impossibility but it would be cool if one of the treasures from a site would be a detailed account of the battle: play-by-play account and the results.

I believe what are brought back would be treasures, maybe even treasure carts ala civ4col. But in the least, the treasure would give you've +50 culture.

 

[Bechhold]

Also what if you have never been in a war when you discover Archaeology?

 

[Heerlo]

Also what if you have never been in a war when you discover Archaeology?

Unlikely.

 

[ferretbacon]

Also what if you have never been in a war when you discover Archaeology?

I would assume it isn't just limited to sites you have a connection to; you'd still be able to find battle sites from wars you were never involved with.

 

[damnyankees]

Also what if you have never been in a war when you discover Archaeology?

No one said it had to be your war.

Plenty of archaeologists go explore sites of battles their country wasn't involved in. The person who discovered Troy, for example, was neither Greek nor Trojan. And you wouldn't believe the amount of crap in the British Museum that has nothing to do with England.

 

[steveg700]

Also what if you have never been in a war when you discover Archaeology?

Then you may not have as much use for archaeology as someone who has.

No one said it had to be your war.

Well, nobody's said much at all so far.

I'd be surprised if you could perform archaeology in someone else's borders, at least not without their consent. Your territory might eventually encompass someone else's, granted. Although I guess doing that means getting out of the four-city box.

Don't ninja my bones and arrowheads, dude!

 

[HeraldtheGreat]

I'd be surprised if you could perform archaeology in someone else's borders, at least not without their consent.

Don't ninja my bones and arrowheads, dude!

You could just place units on your excavation sites until you get around to excavating them.

 

[ferretbacon]

I'd be surprised if you could perform archaeology in someone else's borders, at least not without their consent. Your territory might eventually encompass someone else's, granted. Although I guess doing that means getting out of the four-city box.

Don't ninja my bones and arrowheads, dude!

I wouldn't be surprised if archaeologists are very similar to missionaries... might even be able to cross borders like a Great Prophet.

In any case I'm sure that you'll be able to pilfer any archaeological site you want if you find and exploit it first, regardless of its relevance to your civilization... this would accurately reflect history after all. Just consider all of the artifacts that some European countries possess. They shipped things that didn't even remotely belong to them halfway across the world.

 

[Eagle Pursuit]

It would be funny if you started a war because of an abundance of archeological sites in a neighboring territory.

 

[Gucumatz]

True. I don't know why but I am thinking of portraits of French armies fighting under the shade of the Pyramids when you say that.

Would be a weird casus belli to fight for.

 

[fuzzatron717]

How ever it works I am happy because it will remind me what happened as I have a bad memory, but anyways it will be pleasing no matter how it works, but again there is always one thing that makes me shutter is if the AI doesn't exploit this opportunity if they don't use this archeological ability it just a bonus for player to win and there might as well not have this awesome feature in game.

 

[micbucci]

From what I've gathered this is really going to be a refreshing and unique idea. I thought I read in the article something about there being a separate section in the game where you can view your gallery of artifacts and relics. I can't wait to see how this stuff works! And apparently to prevent people from taking advantage of this new system you can't just create future relics by recklessly going to war since supposedly these artifacts and relics will be an extremely rare occurrence.

 

[Dragonflow]

I can imagine people razing cities more often now instead of puppeting or occupying them.
I'm very interested in how this mechanic will work, my guess is that archaeologists will be capable of crossing borders like great prophets.
Maybe a diplomatic option will be to grant civs excavation rights in your territory.

 

[CivTyler]

I'm only on my second played match ever of the civilization series and I think it would be quite interesting if spies could take other civs archaeological finds, and art in addition to just stealing technology and having a city view (even though both of those are fantastic things not to go to waste).