Okay, so here's the new version of CSD. I completely reworked the file structure, breaking down the more labyrinthine XML files to make the mod more...modular.
I have also overhauled the mod's ENTIRE building/wonder system. Here's the new system:
Mod Philosophy: All diplomatic units are now exactly the same, except for cost. The basic unit (the Messenger) has a movement of two, no good promotions, and a bad promotion (sight penalty). All other diplo units have the same two movement and sight penalty.
So, the question is: how do you make these terrible units better? The answer: National Wonders! There are now four National Wonders in CSD, each with a special promotion that impacts movement, visibility, entering rival territory and ignoring terrain costs/impassable terrain. Each National Wonder is tied to a new basic building, each one dependent upon the previous era's building.
Buildings
Medieval Era: Meeting Hall --> Great Hall National Wonder (Available at Engineering)
Great Hall Bonus: Official Signet (+2 Movement, +1 Sight)
Renaissance Era: Print Shop --> Newspaper Office National Wonder (Available at Printing Press)
Newspaper Office Bonus: Diplomatic Immunity (+1 Movement, Can Enter Rival Territory)
Industrial Era: Train Station --> Foreign Office National Wonder (Available at Railroad)
Foreign Office Bonus: Railroad Logistics (+2 Movement, Ignore Terrain Penalty)
Medieval Era: Embassy --> Diplomatic Residence National Wonder (Available at Electronics)
Diplomatic Residence Bonus: Digital Communications (+2 Movement, +1 Sight, Travel over Impassable Terrain)
Each
basic building grants +20% diplomatic unit production.
Each
national wonder grants +30% diplomatic unit production.
The Meeting Hall/Great Hall have a Happiness bonus (+1 and +3 respectively)
The Press/Newspaper have a Science bonus (+5% and +10%, respectively)
The Train Station/Foreign Office have a Gold bonus (+5% and +10%, respectively)
The Embassy/Residence have a Culture bonus (+2 and +5, respectively)
Units
Units are roughly the same as previous, though they have been shuffled about a bit on the tech tree:
Messengers (Writing)
Envoys (Civil Service)
Emissaries (Banking)
Diplomats (Steam Power)
Ambassadors (Mass Media)
Policies
The Patronage Tree has been overhauled and gives culture bonuses to all four of the National Wonders as well as a +25% Diplo Bonus.
Aesthetics/Philanthropy: +2 to Great Hall and Newspaper Office, respectively
Scholasticism: +2 to Foreign Office
Cultural Diplomacy: +4 to Residence
Educated Elite: +25% diplo unit bonus
All bonuses are in addition to previous Patronage policies.
Other Changes
-The UN has been returned to Globalization on the tech tree.
-Philanthropy once again has its Gold-Influence modifier
-City-State power has been drastically reduced to make diplomacy easier (no more pathing problems...or at least LESS pathing problems).
-'Kill City-States' Quest can now be enabled (simply delete 'Quests.xml' from Gameplay folder).
-The WTO, EIC and Forum are gone. The former two have been eliminated because of AI inability to use them properly and the latter for flavor.
-The Paradrop promotion from the WTO is now gone- the AI couldn't use it, so it isn't fair.
- The Gold-Influence ratio is now more harsh than ever (17)
Testing
I tested the mod all day today and it runs pretty well. With Thal's Balance Mod enabled CSs were being allied en masse by 0AD with gold and units (mainly the latter). The AI is competent and uses the new national wonders well, often stacking them in the same city for maximum benefit. AIs that have no interest in diplomacy do not build the new buildings until later in the game, and even then just for the other bonuses (science, gold, etc.).
Balance
I know what you are all wondering: this is great, Gazebo, but what does it all cost? I realize 8 buildings means a lot more time spent building diplo stuff, and all that diplo stuff can get expensive. I have made sure to reduce the cost of diplo units and buildings so that they are an investment but they are not cripplingly hard to handle. The key problem for players will be dependencies: each new building in CSD is important because all future buildings are reliant upon it (i.e. if you really want the Foreign Office, you will need to not only have Train Stations in every city, but also Halls and Print Shops). So plan ahead!
To-Do List
Unique Art for all buildings except the Hall and the Foreign Office.
New French and Italian translations for the new buildings/policies.
A World Wonder for the Ancient/Classical Age (Via Appia, maybe?)
Conclusions
Please download the new version and let me know what you think! CSD, in my opinion, has never been better!