[GS] Bring Back Ruins

[Jkchart]

So, now when we raze a city, the districts and city centers simply disappear from the map. It used to be that razed cities would leave behind a ruins feature, and this should come back.

Here's why: we have an archaeology system in place now, so ruins can be useful! When a city becomes destroyed, every city/district tile becomes a "ruins" tile. Ruins can be excavated, and may provide artifacts, gold, or even a eureka/inspiration depending on what was originally on top of the tile (for example, excavating a ruined campus district could provide a science boost instead of an artifact; a wealth of gold is found underneath the old commercial district, etc.). Alternately, you could build a district on top of an old ruined title for a reduced cost, or building on top of ruins with a city could award you with a free building based on what you've found at the site (example, you build the core of the new city nearby the old monument, which is refurbished and has stood the test of time despite being greatly weathered).

It just feels like this could flesh out the world a bit instead of just having burned territories returned to nothing.

Of course, you can alternately just clear ruins tiles for a production boost or something as well.

Just some ideas that were floating in my head.

 

[oSiyeza]

So, now when we raze a city, the districts and city centers simply disappear from the map. It used to be that razed cities would leave behind a ruins feature, and this should come back.

Here's why: we have an archaeology system in place now, so ruins can be useful! When a city becomes destroyed, every city/district tile becomes a "ruins" tile. Ruins can be excavated, and may provide artifacts, gold, or even a eureka/inspiration depending on what was originally on top of the tile (for example, excavating a ruined campus district could provide a science boost instead of an artifact; a wealth of gold is found underneath the old commercial district, etc.). Alternately, you could build a district on top of an old ruined title for a reduced cost, or building on top of ruins with a city could award you with a free building based on what you've found at the site (example, you build the core of the new city nearby the old monument, which is refurbished and has stood the test of time despite being greatly weathered).

It just feels like this could flesh out the world a bit instead of just having burned territories returned to nothing.

Of course, you can alternately just clear ruins tiles for a production boost or something as well.

Just some ideas that were floating in my head.

Good Idea, totally agree on this one.

 

[Jkchart]

Good Idea, totally agree on this one.

Thank you!

 

[Boris Gudenuf]

So, now when we raze a city, the districts and city centers simply disappear from the map. It used to be that razed cities would leave behind a ruins feature, and this should come back.

Here's why: we have an archaeology system in place now, so ruins can be useful! When a city becomes destroyed, every city/district tile becomes a "ruins" tile. Ruins can be excavated, and may provide artifacts, gold, or even a eureka/inspiration depending on what was originally on top of the tile (for example, excavating a ruined campus district could provide a science boost instead of an artifact; a wealth of gold is found underneath the old commercial district, etc.). Alternately, you could build a district on top of an old ruined title for a reduced cost, or building on top of ruins with a city could award you with a free building based on what you've found at the site (example, you build the core of the new city nearby the old monument, which is refurbished and has stood the test of time despite being greatly weathered).

It just feels like this could flesh out the world a bit instead of just having burned territories returned to nothing.

Of course, you can alternately just clear ruins tiles for a production boost or something as well.

Just some ideas that were floating in my head.

And to make "City Ruins" something special, here are some ideas from my Physical Archeology classes of an Era ago:
1. Each Era that the City Ruin exists, it degenerates: graphic changes to less-conspicuous "Ruin". After 5 Eras, Only a remnant, like a 'ruined' Wonder or 2nd/3rd Tier Building ("-Topless Hanging Tower(s) of Babylon?") would remain (Obviously, you'd be smart to 'mark' where it is on the map, but that's legitimate - early 20th century archeologists knew there was something under the mounds in Mesopotamia, they just didn't know exactly What was there)
Addendum: A "Ruined" Wonder could be 'restored': it wouldn't be the same amount of 'Yields" as the original, but at the very least would be a Major Source of Tourism, and possibly Culture or Religion (depending on the original Wonder). The amount of 'restoration' required would depend on the number of Eras it was a ruin, plus some random modifier, and would require Production from the city, like rebuilding a pillaged District.
2. A City Ruin could give not only an Artifact, but a Great Work. Think Venus of Samothrace statue or the Alexander Mosaic from Pompei - something to decorate an Art Museum instead of an Archeology Museum.
3. An Excavated City/Wonder Ruin would yield Tourism on that tile, and, other placement rules being observed, could be part of a National Park.

If we're going to have 'em (and I agree we Should), might as well make 'em Special.

 

[Jkchart]

And to make "City Ruins" something special, here are some ideas from my Physical Archeology classes of an Era ago:
1. Each Era that the City Ruin exists, it degenerates: graphic changes to less-conspicuous "Ruin". After 5 Eras, Only a remnant, like a 'ruined' Wonder or 2nd/3rd Tier Building ("-Topless Hanging Tower(s) of Babylon?") would remain (Obviously, you'd be smart to 'mark' where it is on the map, but that's legitimate - early 20th century archeologists knew there was something under the mounds in Mesopotamia, they just didn't know exactly What was there)
Addendum: A "Ruined" Wonder could be 'restored': it wouldn't be the same amount of 'Yields" as the original, but at the very least would be a Major Source of Tourism, and possibly Culture or Religion (depending on the original Wonder). The amount of 'restoration' required would depend on the number of Eras it was a ruin, plus some random modifier, and would require Production from the city, like rebuilding a pillaged District.
2. A City Ruin could give not only an Artifact, but a Great Work. Think Venus of Samothrace statue or the Alexander Mosaic from Pompei - something to decorate an Art Museum instead of an Archeology Museum.
3. An Excavated City/Wonder Ruin would yield Tourism on that tile, and, other placement rules being observed, could be part of a National Park.

If we're going to have 'em (and I agree we Should), might as well make 'em Special.

I think you're absolutely right. We could turn ruined wonders and cities into mini national parks providing tourism. I mean in the US we have The Alamo, Mesa Verde. Across Europe, we have so many Roman and Greek ruins. China has a ton. Macchu Picchu as well. It's so silly that this wonderful exploration of archaeology is completely absent in one of the few strategy games with an archaeology system. And alternately, you could be like the medieval peoples who used ruins for building stone that was difficult to excavate (at least as I understand it, old Roman ruins had good stone and would be torn down for buildings). So much more that could be done with the archaeology system, and bringing back city ruins is key to making it lively.