Corporations!

[Gazebo]

Hey all!

So the ground work is in place for the next (and final) 'major' element of the CBP: Corporations! Corporations will use the existing Monopoly mechanic to allow players to found unique Corporations with unique bonuses to help spice up the late game a little bit.

Here's how it is going to work (roughly):

Corporations:

• A new tech, Corporations, is going to appear in the Modern Era, in-between Electricity and Replaceable Parts
• This tech will open up access to the seven major corporations (names pending):

• Food Corp (Citrus, etc.)
• Spices Corp (Spices, etc.)
• Materials Corp (Iron, Copper, Aluminum, etc.)
• Finery Corp (Truffles, Wine, Marble, etc.)
• Fuels Corp (Uranium, Coal, etc.)
• Jewelry Corp (Gold, Silver, etc.)
• Animal Corp (Whales, Crab, etc.)

​

• These corps will each require you to have at least one monopoly within their respective field (so, for example, Citrus for Farm Corp) to be built.
• They will be World Wonders, so the first player to get one is the only player that can build Corporate Offices of that type
• Corporations are mutually exclusive - meaning that, once you've built a Farm Corp HQ you can't build another HQ.
• Corporate offices are also mutually exclusive. You can only ever build one office per city.
• Conquered cities will have all Corporation-related buildings destroyed upon conquest. This prevents exploits, and keeps Corporations 'open' for all civs.
• HQs/Offices will have unique bonuses - some will provide free Trade Routes, others will boost the yields of buildings in the city (i.e. the Farm Corp HQ will make all Grocers better, etc.).
• Once you've built the HQ, you can then build offices in your other cities, each of which grants local bonuses to resource yields and other benefits.
• Players will gain bonuses to the monopolies tied to that Corporation (so Food Corp will make your Citrus, Pepper, etc. more lucrative).

Trade Routes:

• Trade Routes will gain unique bonuses based on the Trade HQs/Offices in the cities they are connected to. This will diversify the functionality of trade routes greatly in the late-game, giving passive players something to work towards.
• Trade Routes to foreign major cities will, when that trade route is completed, construct a building in the foreign city. This building will, in turn, enhance the value of all Corporate Offices.
• Trade Routes to cities that have these 'unique buildings' will gain additional bonuses - so there is an incentive to trade to new cities, but also an incentive to keep trading to cities you've already 'seeded' with your corporation.
• Routes between Cities with resources that are tied to a Corp in that city may generate additional revenue for the city, or become more lucrative trade routes.
• Trade Routes for some Corps may grant 'special' bonuses - so you may end up getting extra science from your foreign routes, or perhaps production, culture, or golden age points.
• Trade Units themselves may also change somewhat - They may become invulnerable, grant greater vision, or move twice as fast!

Note: This (the TR-Corporation system) will be the extent of the functionality of Corporations on a 'global' level. Do not try to compare this directly to the Civ 4 corporate system. For the sake of the AI, and simplicity, the Civ 4 'corporate missionaries' system will not even be attempted.Corporations are going to remain a domestic function supported by and 'themed' via Trade Routes.

Support for More Luxuries will be included (of course).
[/LIST]

This is, as you can see, a WIP, so suggestions are appreciated as to the functionality of individual corporations (names, logos, bonuses, etc.). Personal requests:

• Please do not ask for corporate missionaries or and major 'systems' that will require significant AI training
• Please avoid over-complication. This is largely a means of making Monopolies have a 'purpose' beyond...just having them, and to add additional late-game flavors/actions for Civs. Keep suggestions/ideas tied to national bonuses and trade routes, and please, make sure the ideas are AI friendly!

Ease of Use

• I will be editing the Trade Helper LUA (i.e. the Trade Route popup) to include all Corporation-related information that is pertinent to Trade Routes. This should make the Corporation system fairly easy to understand.

So, what do I truly need? Artwork! I need art for the Corporation Technology, the Seven HQs, and the Seven Offices. and the Seven Buildings constructed in foreign cities. The HQs can simply have a 'star' on them (or the letters HQ) and the offices an 'O' (or any other symbol) to reduce the amount of artwork required.

I appreciate all help and feedback here. This is going to take some time to create and balance, however, once it is done, the CBP will finally be feature complete (balanced, perhaps not, but feature-complete, yes!).

Current WIP Outline:

• Trader Sid's, Inc.
• Resources:

• Spices
• Sugar
• Salt
• Nutmeg
• Cloves
• Pepper
• Cocoa
• Tobacco(ML)

• HQ Boons:
• Trade Routes: Receive two free Trade Routes. Trade Routes can travel 100% further on Land.
• Base Boons: +3 Gold to all Monopoly resources in this city, and +2 Gold and +2 Culture to all Caravansaries in your Empire.
• Office Boons:
• Trade Routes: When an international Trade Route is completed to a Major foreign city, a 'Trader Sid's' is constructed in that City. This building cannot be sold or destroyed, and increases the Gold output of all Trader Sid's Offices by +1.
• Base Boons: +2 Gold to all Monopoly resources in this City. Trade Routes to cities with a Trader Sid's produce +50% Gold.
  
  [*]Two-Kay Foods, Inc.

• Resources:
• Wine
• Truffles
• Citrus
• Olives (ML)
• Coffee(ML)
• Tea (ML)

• HQ Boons:
• Trade Routes: Receive one free Trade Route. All Trade Routes reveal the Fog of War.
• Base Boons: +3 Food to all Monopoly resources in this city, and +2 Gold and +2 Food to all Grocers in your Empire.
• Office Boons:
• Trade Routes: When an international Trade Route is completed to a Major foreign city, a 'Two-Kay Foods' is constructed in that City. This building cannot be sold or destroyed, and increases the Food output of all Two-Kay Foods Offices by +1.
• Base Boons: Receive a free second copy of all Monopoly resources around this city. Trade Routes to cities with a Two-Kay Foods boost your City's Growth rate by 5%.
  
  [*]Firaxite Materials, Inc.

• Resources:
• Iron
• Aluminum
• Marble
• Copper
• Jade (ML)
• Amber (ML)

• HQ Boons:
• Trade Routes: Receive one free Trade Route. Trade Routes cannot be Pillaged.
• Base Boons: +3 Science to all Monopoly Resources in this City, and +2 Production and +2 Science to all Factories in your Empire.
• Office Boons:
• Trade Routes: When an international Trade Route is completed to a Major foreign city, a 'Firaxite Materials' is constructed in that City. This building cannot be sold or destroyed, and increases the Science output of all Firaxite Materials Offices by +1.
• Base Boons: +20% Building Construction speed in this City. Trade Routes to cities with a Firaxite Materials produce 100% more science.
  [*]Fashion First, Inc.

• Resources:
• Silk
• Cotton
• Dye
• Ivory
• Lapis Lazuli (ML)

• HQ Boons:
• Trade Routes: Receive two free Trade Routes.
• Base Boons: +4 Culture to all Monopoly Resources in the City. All Specialists produce +1 Culture.
• Office Boons:
• Trade Routes: When an international Trade Route is completed to a Major foreign city, a 'Fashion First' is constructed in that City. This building cannot be sold or destroyed, and increases the Culture output of all Fashion First Offices by +1.
• Base Boons: +2 Culture to all Monopoly Resources in this City. Trade Routes to cities with a Fashion First boost your city's Culture rate by 5%.
  
  [*]Hexxon Refineries, Inc.

• Resources:
• Coal
• Oil
• Incense
• Uranium
• Perfume (ML)

• HQ Boons:
• Trade Routes: Receive one free Trade Route. When a Trade Route is pillaged, it kills the pillaging unit.
• Base Boons: Receive +2 Coal, Oil, and Uranium in this City.
• Office Boons:
• Trade Routes: When an international Trade Route is completed to a Major foreign city, a 'Hexxon Refinery' is constructed in that City. This building cannot be sold or destroyed, and grants +1 Oil to all Hexxon Refinery Offices.
• Base Boons: Land, Air, and Sea units are produced +15% more quickly. Trade Routes to cities with a Hexxon Refinery boost your city's Production rate by 5%.
  
  [*]Civilized Jewelers, Inc.

• Resources:
• Gold
• Silver
• Gems
• Pearls
• Jade(ML)
• Amber(ML)

• HQ Boons:
• Trade Routes: Receive one free Trade Route. Income from Trade Routes to this City increased by +3 Gold, and from this city by +5 Gold.
• Base Boons: +3 Happiness, and all Markets, Mints, Banks, and Stock Exchanges produce +1 Gold.
• Office Boons:
• Trade Routes: When an international Trade Route is completed to a Major foreign city, a 'Civilized Jewelers' is constructed in that City. This building cannot be sold or destroyed, and increases the GP Rate of all Civilized Jewelers Offices by 5%.
• Base Boons: +5% GP rate in this City. Trade Routes to cities with a Hexxon Refinery boost your city's Gold rate by 5%.
  
  [*]LandSea Extractors, Inc.

• Resources:
• Horse
• Whales
• Crab
• Ivory
• Fur
• Coral(ML)

• HQ Boons:
• Trade Routes: Receive two free Trade Routes. Trade Routes travel 100% further at Sea.
• Base Boons: +4 Production to all LandSea Supply Monopoly Resources in the City, and all Harbors and Seaports produce +2 Production and +2 Science.
• Office Boons:
• Trade Routes: When an international Trade Route is completed to a Major foreign city, a 'LandSea Extractor' is constructed in that City. This building cannot be sold or destroyed, and increases the Production of all LandSea Extractor Offices by 1.
• Base Boons: +2 Production to all LandSea Supply Monopoly Resources in the City. Trade Routes to cities with a LandSea Extractor boost your city's Science rate by 5%.

G

 

[Strigvir]

What happens when a civ loses monopoly bonus after building related wonder?

 

[Valvts]

Great idea, looking forward to it.

 

[WileyNg]

I volunteer!

 

[hokath]

Late game has always felt ever so slightly lacking. War is great and all, but if you aren't in that position it can be a game of pressing end turn over and over again. This should spice things up. Nice!

Same for offices - one office per city.

Any reason for this? It's pretty clear these markets are not in competition?
It would be cool, in a very developed city that had finished building the research labs and stock exchanges, to just go corporation-crazy.

Will the HQ become more powerful as its offices spread across the globe?

 

[Tubbilicious]

I like the ideas here. I have a few questions and comments.

"These corps will each require you to have at least one monopoly within their respective field (so, for example, Citrus for Farm Corp) to be built."


By one monopoly, do you mean one copy of a resource? If so, then I think there could be a thematic issue. It's not clear, for instance, that I have a monopoly of resource Q when I have a single copy of resource Q, and another civilisation has several. Perhaps monopolies should be constituted by the possession of multiple copies of a certain resource(s)? So it would not be sufficient for me to have a single copy of resource Q, but either multiple copies of resource Q, or an additional resource which fills the same archetype: so Q and P where both are 'finery' resources. Something like this would fix the thematic issue.

Moreover, might I suggest that once the Corporations technology has been researched that the wonders become buildable for every civilisation (and not just the ones that have the tech researched). The point here would be to help prevent one civilisation building several (or all) of the corporations. I appreciate that in order to build all of them you would need them across 6 cities, but even 3/4 corporations could provide a snowballing advantage when stacked on to a single civilisation.

Trade routes are a very interesting mechanic, and I think with your commitment to this expansion pack they can be greatly improved. Your energy with this project Gazebo is brilliant.

 

[sleepyx732]

Late game has always felt ever so slightly lacking. War is great and all, but if you aren't in that position it can be a game of pressing end turn over and over again. This should spice things up. Nice!

That's funny, cause what this proposed new mechanic does is make war in the late-game more attractive. Conquering lands for new monopolies. Now that there's been another buff to trade routes (probably mostly targeted at external ones) it's likely it also takes away freedom in how you use your trade routes as the gap between resources vs diplomacy modifiers widens, while potentially also making what trade routes to use where for maximum resource generation a more time consuming process. How powerful these bonuses are remains to be seen, but currently majority of my trade routes just come from my capital. I think it's possible this may still happen, and that you'll wind up sending all your trade routes to one player. All players begin with a monopoly, and what happens if I have food corp with a monopoly of citrus and my neighbor has a spice monopoly?

 

[supracseduch]

While we're at it, we also need more appropriate pictures for the Industry and Imperialism policy trees.

 

[Strigvir]

By one monopoly, do you mean one copy of a resource? If so, then I think there could be a thematic issue. It's not clear, for instance, that I have a monopoly of resource Q when I have a single copy of resource Q

It's pretty clear though, economic overview shows which monopolies you do and don't have.
You can't have a monopoly from one copy, even from strategic resources as Autocracy Russia.

 

[zer0lis]

Easy to get monopolies are a problem.
You can have a monopoly with just one resource like Obsidian or Opium on small maps. Maybe you can get buffs gradually on monopolies(and corp) with percentages(starting with 50% quantity of some resource, going to 75%, 90% , 100%).

 

[Brokenbone]

This sounds fun, I'll look forward to it!

 

[sleepyx732]

Easy to get monopolies are a problem.
You can have a monopoly with just one resource like Obsidian or Opium on small maps. Maybe you can get buffs gradually on monopolies(and corp) with percentages(starting with 50% quantity of some resource, going to 75%, 90% , 100%).

???

All that does is buff easy to get monopolies..

 

[Brokenbone]

While I've played my share of the JFD ExCE mod (with stuff like obsidian and opium, or CS only stuff like manuscripts), I never noticed if that was also designed to hook into the monopoly stuff in this mod.

Still, I guess if the proposed system will also take note of the "More Luxuries" mod (maybe Lapis Lazuli or Jade would be for the Finery Corp?), it might take note of Feathers and Lotus etc.

Additionally once these first 6 corps were figured out there might always be modmods to cover any resources that felt left out. Conquer the world as CEO of Opium Я Us.

 

[Strigvir]

Easy to get monopolies are a problem.
You can have a monopoly with just one resource like Obsidian or Opium on small maps.

You won't to get into industrial era on small maps to begin with.

 

[Finarvi]

Easy to get monopolies are a problem.
You can have a monopoly with just one resource like Obsidian or Opium on small maps. Maybe you can get buffs gradually on monopolies(and corp) with percentages(starting with 50% quantity of some resource, going to 75%, 90% , 100%).

I wouldn't try to change CPP basing on mods that aren't supported by CPP.

 

[Gazebo]

By one monopoly, do you mean one copy of a resource?

No, I mean the monopoly system from CBP.

You can have a monopoly with just one resource like Obsidian or Opium on small maps

And thus those resources probably shouldn't be tied to corporations. Not every resource (Horses, for example) are guaranteed to have a Corp, as not all 'make sense.'

Any reason for this? It's pretty clear these markets are not in competition?
It would be cool, in a very developed city that had finished building the research labs and stock exchanges, to just go corporation-crazy.

Right now, balance. Since Trade Routes will change based on the corps in the cities they leave from, having multiple corps in one city could conflict or become terribly overpowered. In fact, I'm considering allowing each player to found only one Corporation (a la Religion), so as to restrict this balance issue a bit.

G

 

[Tubbilicious]

Despite having played several games, I wasn't even aware that there was a monopoly system. Does anyone have a link to a description or overview of the monopoly system?

 

[Gazebo]

Despite having played several games, I wasn't even aware that there was a monopoly system. Does anyone have a link to a description or overview of the monopoly system?

Look at the unified changelog, man.
G

 

[Strigvir]

Read unified changelog.

 

[TeeInKay]

I believe I understand that you are talking about a tile bonus?

[*]Players will gain bonuses to the resources tied to that Corporation (so Food Corp will make your Citrus, Pepper, etc. more lucrative).


G

So the current monopoly bonus ( pearls +1 for example) will be buffed by having a corporation of that type?

• Boat all the pearls till I have monopoly.
• Get monopoly bonus +1 on each pearls tile.
• Build corporation.
• Get corporation bonus.
  So.....
• Get additional tile bonus?
  Or....
• Get additional national bonus like the + from having access to the luxury?