Benefit of Volcanoes...?

[fitchn]

I fail to see the advantage of building a city by a volcano. A volcano provides 0.3.0 (F.S.C) and gains no benefits from mining, irigation, or roads. On the other hand, a hill provides 1.1.0 (F.S.C), and can be 'upgaded' to 1.3.1 (F.S.C) with a mine and roads, and poses no threat to the city. A standard mountain tile can even be enhanced to 0.3.1 (F.S.C) with a mine and roads, and also poses no danger. Furthermore, both hills and mines may contain bonus, luxury, or strategic resources, while a volcano does not.

Taking this into account, why would I choose to build a city near a distinctly-inferior terrain tile that could ultimately destroy the city, rather than a safer and more productive hill or mountain tile? I like the idea of a potentially-dangerous terrain type, but I do not see how there is any incentive to take the risk. Am I missing something here...?

 

[Portuguese]

Yes you are. And me too!!!
I'll only built near a volcano due to my instinct to make use of all available squares. I'll for sure not persue, but AVOID them, if possible!!!

 

[gunnerxtr]

good point i figured that you could improve them with a mine but in reality they are not worth the risk

 

[Tacit_Exit]

Yeah; I thought that too.
When you consider that a volcano is the equivalent of an unimproved iron mountain in despotism, and that by the time you're out of despotism you've had ample time to improve standard mountains to be equal production (plus gold), they just blow (literally and figuratively).
I'll probably mod them to give four production or allow improvement bonuses; then they may be somewhat alluring.

 

[socralynnek]

IMO, the surrounding tiles should produce more food (or the tile itself).
This would reflect reality and would make the risk worth it.

 

[Philips beard]

What you all forget is that 3 prod. shields are very valueable in the early game period! Lets say you build your second city next to a vulcano it may give you a huge production early, compared to another location! This can especially give a great benefit for militaristic warmongers! You may build barracks and units quick for an early war! That is a strategy I often choose, to make my nearest neighbours as weak as possible!

 

[Tacit_Exit]

Originally posted by Philips beard
What you all forget is that 3 prod. shields are very valueable in the early game period! Lets say you build your second city next to a vulcano it may give you a huge production early, compared to another location! This can especially give a great benefit for militaristic warmongers! You may build barracks and units quick for an early war! That is a strategy I often choose, to make my nearest neighbours as weak as possible!

So you'd work a 0/2/0 square in the early game, and stunt your growth accordingly?
A forest/game or plains/cattle would give you the same unimproved number of shields in despotism, WITH 2 food and greater potential for improvement.
Even the humble bonus grassland would give a better return, given the growth will allow another square to be harvested quickly.
Not to mention a plain old FOREST has one food and the same effective production in despotism.
Have you even played this game before?

 

[Philips beard]

Yes, of course, but not with vulcanos yet
See your point if the despotism vulcano output is only 2 prod. shields... And I guess it is...

 

[Chieftess]

Here's a benefit - quick elimination on elimination mode on Sid level!

 

[Portuguese]

Only Chieftess to see a so sided benefit.
And if that is the main, that makes me full of will (sounds better in Port this one) to made cities next to volcanoes.

Well, it seems that I'll start leaving holes in my rings...

 

[Chieftess]

I meant for the AI...

 

[Portuguese]

OK, on Sid it will be a benefit for the AI.
The "odd" calculation will make that games as some of the quickest ones

So, more one benefit from vulcanoes

 

[Packer-Backer]

The Firaxians and Atarians told me that volcanoes could be any mountain in the chat, but look! The civilopedia screenie didn't actually imply that it was a terrain because there are civilopedia entries for things like lakes which aren't different terrain. So when you get the warning or whatever of eruption, that crater ontop appears and then you get the benefits and resources remain. Because in the Mesoamerica and Roman screenies they show mountains with craters like Mt. Etna in Sicily which either means volcanoes can erupt more than once, or that volcanoes are a different terrain. I wish somebody who worked on the terrain would tell us. A beta tester should just say if volcanoes are terrain, nothing else, just if they are different terrain or not.

 

[warpstorm]

I did new graphics for the volcanoes as if they were a new terrain type (note that I didn't say whether they are or aren't).

Why would you build near a volcano? Maybe because you like the other 20 tiles in that location.

 

[tjedge1]

I would build there cause no one else would want the land anyway. And then only the volcanoe is going to kick me out.

 

[Louis XXIV]

Don't forget the Despotism penalty

you only get 2 shields until you can get Monarchy, Republic, or Feudalism

 

[Tacit_Exit]

If its a terrain we could spice it up by adding a luxury resource; Pumice that only appears on volcanos.
No more nasty corns for the unwashed masses

 

[SuperBeaverInc.]

I think that I would just settle near a volcano just to get more land.

 

[Xen]

Originally posted by Tacit_Exit
If its a terrain we could spice it up by adding a luxury resource; Pumice that only appears on volcanos.
No more nasty corns for the unwashed masses

or better yet, a production bonus- volcanic ash 9I think it was pumice as well) was one of the ingredients in Roman concrete- the recipe for which was only redicovered in the industrial era, this versitile substance, able to set fast on both land and in water has certainlly showed its worth- after all, the structures made with have stood 2000 years, and barring earthquakes and fires like those which have damaged the colliseum, they could stand for thousands more

 

[thestonesfan]

I hope you can play without them.