Changes to Existing Civ's?

[Nujabes]

Yeah, I really hope America's UA catches a change, it's pretty lackluster. And please, please rescue India. That modifier's downside is so ridiculous in contrast to the other UAs.

 

[Haig]

Q: Can we expect any major changes in civilizations known to us already?

Ed Beach: We had converted some civilizations, but because testing these changes, we can not yet reveal more details.


I don't know what this implies really, small changes here and there or big ones, just had to put it here..

 

[Verified_Confection_Being]

Yeah, I really hope America's UA catches a change, it's pretty lackluster. And please, please rescue India. That modifier's downside is so ridiculous in contrast to the other UAs.

And it's upside is ridiculous in swinging the other way. Heavy heavy rewards for playing tall with India.

I think for the large part all the UA's are fine in terms of balance. The only reason some seem more lackluster than others is often because its not suited to a play style you're familiar with or fond of.

You've also gotta consider them in the context of the civ as a whole, some UA's may be weaker but they are put alongside incredibly powerful UU's or UB's.

If there are changes because of redundancies caused by the expansion i can understand a change, but they don't need to bring about balance checks in the third expansion to the existing civs. And they won't, they've had 3 years to do that if they wished.

 

[Avatan]

I'm still not very clear between the breakdown between the two, but France could have a bonus for tourism after steam power to replace culture.

This would make sense in term of real life flavor, and the UA might be nerfed if policies are now easier to acquire (speculation here).

But liberty early REX is still scary as Napoleon.

 

[flairin]

France should change a little ... give them an engineering boost after founding steam power. Their competence in engineering is quite astounding. The invention of the first calculator in 1642 by Blaise Pascal. Then Steam Engines, Eiffel Tower, Photography, Motion Picture, Genetic Engineering (foods)...

 

[poom3619]

I thinks Sweden's Nobel Prize should be tweaked too. I mean, Nobel Prize as it is nowaday are kind-of international event and might be one of late-game world events. Nobel prize can be used as cultural buff for Science, Culture, Economic(Trade) and "Peace" (city-states lover) leader. But it of course may cause runaway become easier. (and Alex would get an IKEA shelf along with his 35th Nobel Peace Prize from Sweden )

 

[awesome]

France, specifically, should get a bonus toward Great Works and tourism. Mind all those museums and stuff.

agreed. i was also thinking that america could get this, but then i remembered that france is the number one tourism destination in the world. plus, france's unique ability has an official expiration date that comes probably around the time that tourism will start becoming important, so i really don't see why not.

 

[kingchris20]

America America America

The new culture victory sounds EXACTLY like what the United States did during the twentieth century. It's unfortunately a bit far fetched for a civ to receive a complete overhaul from a domination to a culture civ but if it should happen to anyone it should be the Americans.

I wouldn't mind this at all! I'd love to see America converted to a cultural civ, at least to some capacity....

That being said, for those of you who have Polynesia, they are going to benefit heavily from trade routes I believe, and they may be able to have the World Congress a little easier. Since their UA allows then to cross ocean tiles instantly and all.....

 

[Imalich]

Oh yeah, this does not adress the topic so well but... These are changes i would pretty much love to see.

Someone give those freaking Byzantines some faith bonus. C'mon, make them playable, please.
...AAAND Spanish inquisitors for half the faith price!

(And then we can put a "Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition!" achievement right alongside the "Poland can into space!" one)

 

[Eagle Pursuit]

I think all the boost Byzantium really needs is "Pantheon cost does not increase when other civs get Pantheons before them". That way they are not stuck trying to meet an increasing threshold just to start while other civs are going towards their first Great Prophet.

 

[bcaiko]

There seems to be a trend to change as little as possible (for example, I felt for sure Songhai would have changed more last time), so I would be careful in expecting too much.

I agree with Louis XXIV. Anyone expecting major changes is kidding themselves. On the last expansion, we got two changes and one of them was necessitated by the mechanics of the game changing. The other was a very small tweak to what was seen as a largely underpowered Civ (and felt like a tack-on to give *someone* an espionage bonus).

Frankly, changes largely aren't necessary. Most of the Civs are incredibly well balanced as they are now. Unless the mechanics changes tank somone's UA, no one will get a full rework. Expect minor updates at best (i.e., the change surrounding India's lackluster UA will still surround the expectation that they get benefits for building tall).

 

[Konsti]

Also, there are countries that might want a bit of UAs changed. An example would be USA's. It is slightly weak, given that one city can only get a number of tiles anyway, and getting them early can also be influenced by the ankor wat, and Russia's UB is similar, in addition to Russia's UA. Maybe, because of USA's way, maybe a boost to influence of ideologies on other countries somehow, and maybe a slight tourism bonus?
Also, I ma thinking that Great Britain should also have a boosted UA, one plus naval movement is ok (Their longbowman is great though), so maybe also a bit to improve the influence of ideologies on other civs, not as much as USA though, but a bit maybe. Lastly, I think that a nation such as India should have a much little more concentration on faith, as their faith is very strong in the country.

Spoiler :

With this comment, I hope I haven't insulted someone in anyway.

 

[Dark_Jedi06]

I would be very pleased if they revamped some of the older civilizations UAs to take advantage of the new mechanics. It would be like getting more then just 9 new civilizations.

 

[Matthew.]

Also, there are countries that might want a bit of UAs changed. An example would be USA's. It is slightly weak, given that one city can only get a number of tiles anyway, and getting them early can also be influenced by the ankor wat, and Russia's UB is similar, in addition to Russia's UA. Maybe, because of USA's way, maybe a boost to influence of ideologies on other countries somehow, and maybe a slight tourism bonus?
Also, I ma thinking that Great Britain should also have a boosted UA, one plus naval movement is ok (Their longbowman is great though), so maybe also a bit to improve the influence of ideologies on other civs, not as much as USA though, but a bit maybe. Lastly, I think that a nation such as India should have a much little more concentration on faith, as their faith is very strong in the country.

America is better in multi-player, but half cost tiles is fairly bland. I am even a player who purchases a lot of tiles--probably an average of 4 or 5 per city, and even I don't think the UA is that great.

However, England's is actually very nice. Move bonus on water is very powerful. And with longbows and ship of the line, I think making a decent UA even stronger would be overkill. (They also get an extra spy in G&K, BTW)

And I think everyone is in agreement that India needs help.

 

[codepoet]

Ottoman really should be changed with the new trade system.
I think their capture barbarian ships trait was meant to approximate the Barbary Coast Pirates, but never did a good job of that. But if it's changed to heavily impact shipping trade routes in the expansion it could be more historically realistic.
Especially if Diplomacy has the ability to ask for or pay other civs to protect your trade routes. Ottomans could get more gold from such deals too (to simulate the tributes/bribes they would extort from other countries)

 

[kingchris20]

Ottoman really should be changed with the new trade system.
I think their capture barbarian ships trait was meant to approximate the Barbary Coast Pirates, but never did a good job of that. But if it's changed to heavily impact shipping trade routes in the expansion it could be more historically realistic.
Especially if Diplomacy has the ability to ask for or pay other civs to protect your trade routes. Ottomans could get more gold from such deals too (to simulate the tributes/bribes they would extort from other countries)

Polynesia should probably also be changed, with the first to discover all other civs for the WC, their "enter ocean tiles immediately" is a huge benefit and maybe a little OP?

 

[cuc]

It's a relatively minor topic I've brought up before: there were 2 Uniques tied to the idea of tourism (Moai and Mughal both generates gold after Flight). With a full-scale tourism system in place, I hope their effects are reconsidered, and further, more buildings and improvements are integrated into the tourism system.

 

[Eagle Pursuit]

Between being an early intercontinental trade route pioneer, being the founder of World Congress (and getting whatever benefits that entails), and potentially getting a tourism bonus for Moai, the Polynesians are going to make out like a bandit from indirect buffs.

Kind of like how England went from "ho-hum, nice longbowmen" to Sea God in G&K just because of the naval city taking.

 

[Gucumatz]

Do you all see them updating DLC civs though? I can them updating Vanilla and even GK civs, but I feel like DLC civs would be the most likely to be ignored

 

[Imalich]

Do you all see them updating DLC civs though? I can them updating Vanilla and even GK civs, but I feel like DLC civs would be the most likely to be ignored

Agreed. Also, do you feel the DLC civilization AI is, in general, "less well-made"(to pui it soflty) than the Vanilla and G&K ones? Rarely in my games a DLC civ gets anywhere, only the Inca are worthy adversaries

Could be a coincidence, but I really think they are much less polished than the originals.