[BtS] SolversEvents - more random events

[Solver]

It's an interesting thought. Unfortunately, the events system isn't quite flexible enough - you can make good/bad events happen if you're already running some civic (which is a big incentive to run Free Market), but not quite tweak the effects of civics.

Then again, one might always hope for a workaround...

 

[jkp1187]

It's an interesting thought. Unfortunately, the events system isn't quite flexible enough - you can make good/bad events happen if you're already running some civic (which is a big incentive to run Free Market), but not quite tweak the effects of civics.

Then again, one might always hope for a workaround...

Darn. What about a quest that would just give a bonus if you were the first to run a certain civic? This wouldn't be tied to the civic itself, just that you would have to be the first one to discover the appropriate tech and run the civic (or combination of civics -- maybe you have to be the first to run a combination of Police State - State Property, for instance?) Then you would get a bonus, that would remain permenantly in that city, regardless of what civics you switched to afterwards, but you'd still have to switch to those civics....

The idea I had was something like:

[trigger = having the scientific method technology, but not communism or fascism]

A philosopher in [wherever] has certain theories on how government should be run by a dictatorship of the proletariat to ensure that the masses are freed from economic exploitation. We should redouble our efforts to study his theories and use them to strengthen our empire.

The goal would be: be the first Civ to run the civics: Police State/Emancipation/State Property.

If the goal is reached, the bonus could be something along the lines of:

1.) Our workers rejoice over the defeat of the capitalist classes, and increase productivity as a result [+1 Great Engineer in the target city]
2.) It is our internationalist duty to spread our enlightened government overseas! Let the people lead the way! [+3 free defensive units in the target city]
3.) Let us build socialism in one country first, and redouble our efforts to root out counterrevolutionary agents. [+1 Great Spy in the target city]

 

[Solver]

Ah, so that'd be a quest, essentially. It's interesting. Also goes beyond what the events system can "normally" do, but a bit of Python should accomplish that.

 

[jkp1187]

Ah, so that'd be a quest, essentially. It's interesting. Also goes beyond what the events system can "normally" do, but a bit of Python should accomplish that.

Cool. Maybe I should try to start learning some Python, then!

What do you think about the balance of the requirements/rewards? After thinking about it last night, I thought that since asking to change several civics at once might be a bit of a cost, the reward should be increased:

* Be the first to run civics: Police State/Nationhood/Emancipation/State Property [added Nationhood]

* Rewards changed slightly to:

1.) +1 hammer from every forge
2.) +5 free mobile offensive units, whatever is the most advanced available (cavalry, tank, modern armor, etc.).
3.) +1 espionage point from every courthouse

Thoughts? Do you like the balance in the original post better?

 

[Solver]

The first proposal is definitely more balanced. I'm a balance nutjob at any rate though

 

[LordGek]

I appreciate the emphasis on balance but am still curious what you mean by the term. Is it:

1) All options should have roughly equal desirability (at least in the right circumstances), with no obvious favorites?

2) The event should not give the player any unfair advantages over the other AI/players?

3) Both 1) & 2)?

The first proposal is definitely more balanced. I'm a balance nutjob at any rate though

 

[Solver]

Well, with the event system, balance is open to an interpretation that is more free than the rest of the game, IMO. But it's still critical.

As such, a balanced event must, first and foremost, not give the player an unfair advantage - the earlier the event happens, the more critical this is. This is why the "better axe handles" and "tower shield" core game events are poorly balanced. Not a balance disaster, but they're walking that line.

So that's crucial. Then there is the balance of options themselves, but having that is more like just good design. Ideally, you want either a choice between different, roughly equal, positive effects, or a choice between negative effects (no cost) and positive effects (cost). From the core game, a rather poor example is the close vote event - you get a choice between Courthouses giving +2 (IIRC) culture or +1 gold. The gold option is so preferable that it isn't even worth debating.

 

[bloodhawk]

I had an interesting random event idea, though I'm not sure how you'd do it or if it's balanced - giving a civ a unique building. For example, you could have a quest to build walls in all of your cities. If you do, the Celtic dun becomes a UB for you. Naturally, how balanced this would be depends on what the building is.

 

[LordGek]

I had an interesting random event idea, though I'm not sure how you'd do it or if it's balanced - giving a civ a unique building. For example, you could have a quest to build walls in all of your cities. If you do, the Celtic dun becomes a UB for you. Naturally, how balanced this would be depends on what the building is.

Ouch, while interesting, no clue how you could balance this out.

 

[Chiyu]

Hey Solver, any idea for when the next version is scheduled?
I'm undecided whether I should already add these to my mod or wait until there are more (I added some events on my own so it's not as easy as simply overwriting files).

 

[Solver]

It's a difficult issue for you This mod will be constantly updated anyway, so you'll have to update it in your mod periodically if you want to be up-to-date. I want a new version in the next 2-3 days, though.

Then again, merging event mods should be as simple as some copy-paste

The next version will probably just have another bunch of "regular" events. I have a few ambitious ideas here, but those will need to wait.

 

[LordGek]

It's a difficult issue for you This mod will be constantly updated anyway, so you'll have to update it in your mod periodically if you want to be up-to-date. I want a new version in the next 2-3 days, though.

Then again, merging event mods should be as simple as some copy-paste

The next version will probably just have another bunch of "regular" events. I have a few ambitious ideas here, but those will need to wait.

Fine with me, I've now come to the conclusion that I like EVENTS more than QUESTS anyways. While quest rewards can be nice, more often than not it means some major effort to pull off something that you're doing just to collect the reward, not really useful to your civilization. Also, since these quests often require some major effort on your part it feels a little extra tedious when you're, say, trying to build x chariots yet again.

Events on the other hand are just quick little "You Make the Call" situations (so its nice to have a few decently balanced choices) that don't get in your way but break up the normal routine.

 

[rflagg]

I would definately like to second the idea of spy events, specifically related to "A xx spy has been caught operating near xx" - I think the event could be based specifically on your EP with that civilization - ie, having the option to kill the spy for say 1 EP (causes negative relations with AI), interrogate the spy for 100 EP (perhaps shows info from originating city), and flip the spy for 500 EP (gifts the spy to you, but also sends the spy to the capitol of the AI with sentry discount), or demand recourse for the spy's operations (the AI must gift the spy to you).

Perhaps these EP amounts are too low/high, but this is just a basic idea that I think would make the 'spy has been caught' situation more tolerable - and hopefully something the AI would be able to work with as well.

Otherwise, keep up the amazing work in both the fixes and the events Solver!

-m.

 

[stagnate]

Kudos on your work Solver.

I like the general idea of the spy event, didn't look at the balance.

* Religious riots

Caused by certain number of religions in a city, possibly ameliorated by temples for each religion, not possible in free religion or pacifism. Could be a quest (build a certain number of temples or something, might be hard to work), or an event (crackdown on the religion, +1 happy for 20 turns but remove a non-state religion from the city, or spend some gold to 'smooth over' the situation for no impact, or +1 angry for 10 turns).

* New plant discovered in jungle

Could just be a simple +1 food event. Could be a choice between +everything (enough to make it a viable tile w/o chopping) - IF you can remove the bonus if the jungle is cut, 'cultivating' it which removes the jungle but gives a food bonus. However it would be hard to balance and I don't think the AI could follow it.

* Supply chain problems

Military units in another country at war, chance of lost movement for a turn (possibly more, but need to balance) due to lack of resources (attacked convoy) or production problems at home (commie sympathizers ;-) etc. Other option would be to take parts from another unit (-1 unit of some sort) to restore them, or take parts + use money to get -1 unit of some sort, but slight strength increase. Doing it just in foreign territory would minimize the impact of it in a defensive war (ie lost city).

* Gold in the hills!

Someone discovers gold in the hills and... wait, there's no gold. But there is a population increase of 1 (based on % of hills in range) but +1 angry and +1 unhealthy for 10 turns (lawlessness due to influx of gold seekers). Not sure about the numbers, just general concept.

* Robin Hood

Based on civics (police state, theocracy, slavery, etc) and forest nearby. Options of hanging him for +gold (recovery of stolen money) and +angry, or letting him go and paying some gold to the people to get +happy for some time, possible no effect by putting him in jail.

 

[Solver]

The spy event isn't viable, unfortunately. The events system isn't tied to espionage in any way, and I don't think catching a spy sends some sort of "signal" that I could catch. It's a nice idea, but it'd be within the scope of some espionage mod, not this one.

Thanks to all who contribute ideas - I don't usually use them directly, but they do often make me think of some similar/altered events!

 

[Solver]

Sneak preview of the next version (which will also include a version number )

Taking my ideas about religion-specific and civ-specific events further, there will be:

Preaching Researcher (a Christianity-specific event)
Toxcatl, or the Escape of Tezcatlipoca (Aztec-specific event)
Dissident Priest (Egypt-specific event)

 

[DrJambo]

Nice job, looking forward to it. Will it be save game compatible?

 

[Solver]

It won't, and there's nothing I can do about it, unfortunately. Adding even a single event breaks savegame compatibility.

 

[marioflag]

Solver does adding these events make chance per turn to get an event greater?In other words if we have 170 events instead of 153 is it more likely to get events during game or we just have a greater pool of events?

Also any clue if some of your events could become "official" in a future patch?

 

[playshogi]

Here are a couple ideas I had:

INNOVATIVE MODERN MAJOR GENERAL
Prereq: A Great General attached to a unit and Military Science.
Obsolete: Rocketry OR Flight

Message: Your Great General in the field has been "the very model of a modern major general" and inspirational in adopting new technology for military purposes.

Choices:

1) 5XP for the selected GG-led unit.
2) pay 100g and receive 2 airships.
3) pay 100g and receive 15% of the currently researched tech cost in beakers.


Here's another:

ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS
Prereq: National Park built
Obsolete: never

Message: Your National Park has heightened everyone's awareness of the environment.

Choices:

1) free (no anarchy) switch to environmentalism
2) bonus of 1 gpt from the National Park.
3) invest 200 gold and the National Park generates 1 gpt for every forest
preserve in the city.

Another:

DIPLOMATIC SUMMIT
Prereq: You have a pleased or friendly vassal, and that vassal has built the Mausoleum of Maussollos.
Obsolete: never

Message: A diplomatic summit with "vassal" has led to a greater understanding of mutual goals.

1) receive 50g
2) receive +2 relations boost with your vassal
3) pay 250g and receive the benefits of the Mausoleum of Maussollos for as long as the vassal relationship exists.