Davane's Daily Mod Release Thread

[davane]

Da' Vanes Mods (30/03/10)

I'm running a bit behind schedule with these mods, but they were all uploaded earlier, and only now am I getting around to writing about them. You can thank the delay in the March Civ IV files - they kept me rather busy! And now, on to the mods!

The Japanese Samurai
The Japanese Samurai replaces the Swordsman rather than the Maceman. It has +1 Combat Strength (for a total Combat Strength of 6), and gains a +50% bonus versus other Melee units, in addition to the +50% city attack bonus that Swordsmen normally get. However, Japanese Samurai no longer get access to the Drill promotion (by starting with Drill I). This means that the Japanese Samurai can be used as an additional melee unit counter in addition to it's City Attack role for being a Swordsman.

The Mali Skirmisher
The Mali Skirmisher replaces the Archer. They get +1 Combat Strength (for a total Combat Strength of 4), +1 First Strike chance (for a total of 1-2 First Strikes), and +10% Withdrawal rate (for a total Withdrawal rate of 20%). In addition, Mali Skirmishers start with the Mobility promotion. This means that Mali Skirmishers are highly mobile archers, better able to engage enemies without sacrificing their City defence abilities.

The Mongol Keshik
The Mongol Keshik replaces the Horse Archer. They get +1 Combat Strength (for a total Combat Strength of 5), +1 First Strike Chance (for a total of 1-2 First Strikes), and a +20% Withdrawal rate (for a total of 50% Withdrawal rate). They also ignore terrain costs. This makes them highly mobile raiders suited for raiding, pillaging, and even for softening up tougher opponents before a main attack.

The Persian Immortal
The Persian Immortal replaces the Horse Archer rather than the Chariot. It has +1 Combat Strength (for a total Combat Strength of 5) and +1 First Strike chance (for a total of 1-2 First Strikes). In addition, they get a +50% bonus against Archer units. This makes them useful for softening up Archer units while not sacrificing their raiding use for being a Horse Archer. This is most useful when Archers are defending hill mines, but can also be useful to provide a shock unit against Arcer-defended cities as well.

The Roman Praetorian
The Roman Praetorian replaces the Swordsman. They get +1 Combat Strength (for a total Combat Strength of 5). They are also immune to first strikes. This makes them even more capable of attacking enemy cities that are normally protected by Archers.

The Russian Cossack
The Russian Cossack replaces the Cavalry. They get +2 Combat Strength (for a total Combat Strength of 14), 2 First strikes (instead of 1-2 First strikes), and a +10% Withdrawal rate (for a total Withdrawal rate of +50%). They also get a +25% bonus against Siege units. This makes them even more capable of taking out enemy Siege units like Cannons. Both Russian Cossacks and Cavalry require Military Tradition, Rifling, and Horsback Riding (in BtS, they also require Military Science).

The Spanish Conquistador
The Spanish Conquistador replaces the Explorer rather than the Knight/Cuirassier. They get +1 Combat Strength (for a total Combat Strength of 7), and a +50% bonus versus Melee units. They also gain Guerilla I, Woodsman I, and Sentry like other Explorers, and can see normally invisible Spy units as well. This means that Spain can use their Explorers offensively, with is particularly useful when the come across a Tribal Village guarded by Barbarians.

The Coal Plant
Available with Steam Power, the Coal Plant provides +10% Production and gives the city Dirty Power (at +2 Unhealthiness). The Coal resource increases Production by +5%, but also provides +1 Unhealthiness. The Coal Plant no longer requires the Factory before it can be built (in fact, it is now available BEFORE Factories are). Coal Plants increase city maintainance by +5%.

Update (02/04/10): Coal Plants now provide +1 Unhealthiness, in addition to the Unhealtiness provided by the Dirty Power it provides.

The Factory
The Factory provides +25% Production, with an additional +25% Production if the city has Power. Aluminum also increases Production by +5%. However, it increases city maintainance by +5% and provides +1 Unlealthiness. Factories are availabe with Assembly Line

The Hospital
The Hospital provides +3 Healthiness and increases the Healing rate of units in the city by +10%. However, it increases City Maintainance by +5%. Hospitals are available with Medicine.

Mount Rushmore
Mount Rushmore is a National Wonder that provides +1 Happiness and -25% War Weariness to the city. It also provides -25% War Weariness to all cities in your empire. However, it increases City Maintainanace costs by +10%. Mount Rushmore requires the Fascism tech (and the Aesthetics tech in BtS).

The Pentagon
The Pentagon is a World Wonder that provides +2 XP to all new units in your cities, and an additional +2 XP to new units built in the city it is in. It increases your Great General rate by +50%, with an additional +50% increase inside your Cultural borders (Warlords and BtS oly). Finally, it increases Enemy War Weariness by +50% (BtS oly). However, it increases City Maintainance by +20%. The Pentagon requires Assembly Line and Military Tradition (and also Military Science with BtS).

Red Cross
The Red Cross is available with Medicine and can be built in any City with a Hospital. This National Wonder provides all new units built in the city the Medic I promotion. In addition, it increases the Healing rate of units in the City by +10%. Finally, it provides +1 Health in all your cities, with an additional +1 Health in all the cities on the same continent, and also +1 Health in the city it is in. However, it increases City Maintainance by +10%.

Ace Promotion
The Ace promotion is available to Air units and provides +50% Evasion chance. However, it requires Range II and either Combat III or Interception II. Ace requires the Advanced Flight tech.

Interception Promotions
The Interception I and Interception II promotions provide +20% and +40% Interception chance respectively. It reqiores either Combat I or Drill I, and is available to Air, Gunpowder, and Vehicle units. Interception I and II require the Rocketry tech.

Range Promotions
Range I and Range II each provide +1 operational range to Air units. They require Combat II, and are available with the Flight tech.

Banana Resource
The Banana Resource is revealed by the Agriculture tech. However, you still need the Calender tech to build Plantations to enable this resource.

Clam Resource
The Clam Resource is revealed by the Fishing tech.

Corn Resource
The Corn Resource is revealed by the Agriculture tech.

Cow Resource
The Cow Resource is revealed by the Animal Husbandry tech.

Crab Resource
The Crab Resource is revealed by the Fishing tech.

Deer Resource
The Deer Resource is revealed by the Hunting tech.

This is a lot of mods, but it completes all of the Vanilla units (with the exception of possible resource modifiers) and all of the Promotions. Won't be too long before all the units are done (and it only too 3 months too... )

 

[i_diavolorosso]

Great idea
One complain though
Why hosted such a small file in AG
Why don't upload it too cfc?
AG's waiting time is suck

 

[davane]

AG doesn't have waiting times for the smaller files, like the individual mods. As for the larger files like the mods, I don't exactly intend for the files to stay small, as there is a lot of stuff that I want to add to them eventually. AG makes it quite easy for me to upload a lot of new material and edit/remove them as neccessary.

 

[davane]

Da' Vane's Mods (02/04/10)

The Carthage Numidian Cavalry
The Carthage Numidian Cavalry replaces the Horse Archer. They get +1 Combat Strength (for a total Combat Strength of 5), +1 First Strike Chance (for a total of 1-2 First Strikes), and a +10% Withdrawal rate (for a total of 40% Withdrawal chance). In addition, they get a +50% bonus vs. Melee units. This allows them to be a good hit and run counter against Melee units, and brings them in at an effective Combat Strength (ECS) of 7.5 vs. Spearmen (which have an ECS of 6, thanks to their +100% vs. Mounted units). This means that Spearmen are not as much of a threat against Carthage Numidian Cavalry. However, because Spearmen gain Defensive bonuses while Carthage Numidian Cavalry do not, cover can make all the difference in the outcome of combat as can promotions such as Combat, Woodsman, or Formation. However, Numidian Cavalry no longer starts with the Flanking I promotion.

The Celtic Gallic Warrior
The Celtic Gallic Warrior replaces the Axeman. It has +1 Combat Strength (for a total Combat Strength of 4), and starts with the Guerilla I promotion. The Celtic Gallic Warrior also retains their +100% vs. Melee Units. This makes the Celtic Warrior a formidable anti-Melee unit capable of tackling even Medieval Melee units like the Pikeman and Maceman, with the added staying power of fighting Guerilla warfare from any nearby hills.

The Korean Hwacha
The Korean Hwacha replaces the Trebuchet. It requires Gunpowder in addition to Engineering, meaning that this unit is available later than the normal Trebuchet would be. Compensating this though, it gets +2 Combat Strength (for a total Combat Strength of 10), +1 First Strike chance (for 1-2 First Strike chances), and a +10% Withdrawal rate (for a total Withdrawal rate of 30%). It also causes Collateral Damage to +2 additional units (for a total of 6 units). This means the Korean Hwacha, while available later, is a formidable Stack Killer. However, the Korean Hwacha's City Attack and City Bombard rates remain the same as the Trebuchet.

The Bomb Shelter
The Bomb Shelter is available with Fission, but also requires the Rocketry, Engineering, and Flight techs. It provides -50% damage from Air units and -50% damage from Nukes. However, it does increase City Maintainance by +5%. This building no longer requires the Manhattan Project to be built first.

The Bunker
The Bunker is available with Electricity, but also requires the Artillery, Engineering, and Flight techs. It provides +50% Defence, -50% Damage from Air units, and -25% damage to Defences from City Bombardment. However, it increases City Maintainance by +5%.

Design Note: Cities that have both the Bunker and the Bomb Shelter will gain a total of -100% damage from Air units. This makes units in these cities totally immune to Air Strike damage. This does not affect Air Bomb attacks to reduce City Defences though, so your Air Force isn't totally useless against these units. You could always simply just use Nukes instead...

Broadway
This World Wonder can only be built in a city with a Theatre constructed, and becomes available with the Electricty, Music, and Drama techs. It provides a number of Hit Musical bonuses that provide +1 Happiness and useful trading opportunities. It also provides +1 Happiness and +3 Culture and increases the city Culture production by +50%. Finally, it allows up to 3 Artist specialists to be assigned to the city. However, Broadway also increases City Maintainance by +20%.

Nuclear Plant
The Nuclear Plant is available with the Fission and Steam Power techs. It increases City Production by +10% and provides power. It also provides +5% Production with access to uranium. However, the building provides +1 Unhealthiness, with an additional +1 Unhealthiness with Uranium, and increases City maintainance by +5%. There is also a slight risk of a nuclear meltdown.

Despotism Civic
The Despotism civic is the initial government civic. It provides no benefits, but it also has no upkeep costs.

Barbarism Civic
The Barbarism civic is the initial legal civic. It provides no benefits, but it also has no upkeep costs.

Tribalism Civic
The Tribalism civic is the initial labor civic. It provides no benefits, but it also has no upkeep costs.

Decentralization Civic
The Decentralization civic is the initial economy civic. It provides no benefits, but it also has no upkeep costs.

Paganism Civic
The Paganism civic is the initial religion civic. It provides no benefits, but it also has no upkeep costs.

Fish Resource
Fish are revealed with the Fishing tech.

Pig Resource
Pigs are revealed with the Hunting tech.

Rice Resource
Rice is revealed by the Agriculture tech.

Sheep Resource
Sheep are revealed with the Animal Husbandry tech.

Wheat Resource
Wheat is revealed with the Agriculture tech.

That's another lot of mods done. I've finished the Industrial Era buildings in Vanilla and the Food/Health resources. I have also made a start on rebalancing the civics as well. This mod is really beginning to take shape now - but I still have lots I want to do, particularly with Civics. Onwards and upwards!

 

[davane]

Da' Vane's Mods (05/04/10)

Ottoman Janissary
The Ottoman Janissary replaces the Musketman. It gains +2 Combat Strength (for a total of 10 Combat Strength), +10% Withdrawal Chance (for a total of +20% Wathdrawal Chance), and +1 First Strike Chance (for a total of 1-2 First Strikes).

Viking Berseker
The Viking Berserker replaces the Explorer. They gain +1 Combat Strength (for a total of 7 Combat Strength), and start with the Amphibious promotion in addition to their other starting promotions (Guerilla I, Sentry, and Woodsman I). They also have the ability to pillage improvements, unlike other Explorers.

Zulu Impi
The Zulu Impi replaces the Spearman. They get +1 Combat Strength (for a total Combat Strength of 4) and start with the Mobility promotion.

Hollywood
Hollywood is available with Mass Media, and also requires the Drama tech. It provides the Hit Movies resource to all your cities. It also provides +1 Happiness, +3 Culture, increases the city's Culture production by +50%, and allows for 3 additional Artists to be assigned to the city. However, it increases City Maintainance by +20%. It requires a Broadcast Tower to be built in the city before it can be built.

Supermarket
The Supermarket is available with Refrigeration, and requires that a Grocer is constructed in the city. It increases the city's Wealth production by +25%. In addition, it provides +1 Health and +5% Food with access to Cows, Deer, Pigs, and Sheep. However, it increases City Maintainance by +5%.

United Nations
The United Nations is available with Mass Media, and also requires the Democracy tech. It enables UN Global Elections. In addition, it provides +1 Happiness and +25% GPP in every city of the civilization controlling it, as well as +1 Trade Route to the city it is built in. Possessing the United Nations no longer guarantees eligability in votes for UN Secretary General, however. The United Nations increases City Maintainance by +20%.

Design Notes: The United Nations no longer requires that Diplomatic Victory is enabled. This will hopefully allow the United Nations and UN voting to become a bigger part of every game.

Hereditary Rule Civic
Hereditary Rule is a Government Civic enabled by the Monarchy tech. It provides +1 Happiness in your largest cities. In addition, the Palace and Monuments also provide +1 Happiness.

Representation Civic
Representation is a Government Civic enabled by Constitution. While running Representation, all specialists provide +1 Wealth and +1 Culture.

Police State Civic
Police State is a Government Civic enabled with Fascism. It provides +25% Mulitary Unit production and -25% War Weariness. It also provides +25% Espionage with BtS. In Vanilla and Warlords, it's upkeep cost is reduced from High to Medium.

Universal Suffrage
Universal Suffrage is a Government Civic enabled with Democracy. While running Universal Suffrage, Village imrpovements provide +1 Commerce, while Town improvements provide +2 Commerce. In addition, the civilization can hurry production with gold.

Dye Bonus Resource
Dye is revealed with Agriculture.
Update (13/04/10): Dye is now revealed my Mysticism instead of Agriculture.

Fur Bonus Resource
Fur is revealed by Hunting.

Gems Bonus Resource
Gems are revealed by Mining.

Dirty Power Health Change Mod
This simple XML-only mod changes the Unhealthiness provided by Dirty Power to 1.

Fresh Water Health Change Mod
This simple XML-only mod changes the Health provided by Fresh Water to 1.

 

[davane]

Just a quick post to let you know that Da' Vanes Mods will now be released weekly on Tuesdays. This allows me to work on more of the mod at once before releasing. It also allows me to time the release to include feedback from weekend playtesting, and get the new version out for the next weekend. I generally prepare the mod on the Monday, so that it is ready for release on the following day. So, look forward to the next update tomorrow.

I have finished up all the bonuses from the core game, as well as reworking the legal civics to make them more useful and fun. Along with the normal building and unit mods you've come to expect by now - we're almost done with Units completely for the time being!

 

[Red Boxer]

I can't wait for you to get your gargantuan assortment of tweaks. I've been waiting, wanting to have my first experience with your mod being a completed thing.

 

[davane]

You could be waiting a very long time, Red Fox! I've quite a bit planned for this mod, and a lot of it involves developments from other modders who are still working on their mods to this day. Even the mods for the core game will take some time though.

If you want though, I could create a mod that just has all the "completed" files for the mods so far. This shouldn't take too much additional work to prepare, and allow you to experience the completed files for their true balance, so you can get me feedback on them ASAP.

 

[davane]

Da' Vane's Mods (13/04/10)

The Bonus Resources are finally finished. As requested, I have also compiled a new "Complete" Mod for BTS only, which only contains the completed files for my mod (and any other files needed to make them work correctly). This "Complete" Mod currently contains the Promotions, Specialist, Terrain, Feature, Bonus, and Yield Info files, as well as the Build Infos files. This means that Promotions, Specialists, Terrain, Features, and Resources are complete and will work as described above. In addition, the changes to the base city Production and Commerce mods are also in effect in this mod, as is the Jungle Production mods when chopping Jungles. Terrain Infos also includes the Environmental Damage terrain, but this will remain unused as the Global Define Infos file in not complete, and thus will not be added. This mod will be released as aspects are completed, but I will continue to release updated versions of the main mods every week. And now, on with this week's mods!

Babylonian Bowman
The Babylonian Bowman replaces the Archer unit. It gets +1 Combat Strength (for a total Combat Strength of 4), +1 First Strike Chance (for a total of 1-2 First Strikes), and +10% Withdrawal Chance (for a total Withdrawal Chance of 20%). In addition, the Babylonian Bowman gains +50% Strength vs. Melee units, in addition to the normal bonuses Archers get. This makes the Babylonian Bowman even more capable against Ancient and Classical Era Melee units (effective Combat Strength of 6 against these units), particularly Swordsmen attacking cities they protect.

Byzantine Cataphract
The Byzantine Cataphract replaces the Knight unit. They get +2 Combat Strength (for a total Combat Strength of 10). They only get a +25% bonus vs. Siege units (rather than +50%), giving them an effective Combat Strength of 12.5 against these units (as opposed to an effective Combat Strength of 12). This means that they see little improvement against Siege units compared to normal Knights, but their increased Combat Strength helps significantly against all other types of unit, including Melee units.

Dutch East Indiaman
The Dutch East Indiaman replaces the Galleon. They get +1 Combat Strength (for a total Combat Strength of 9). They also have the ability to explore Rival Territory and have a +10% Withdrawal Chance (Galleons normally do not have a Withdrawal Chance). This means the Dutch can pass through rival territory to found distant colonies on foreign continents without needing to sign Open Border agreements, although landing in Rival Territory is still considered a Declaration of War.

Ethiopian Oromon Warrior
The Ethipian Oromo Warrior replaces the Musketman. They get +1 Combat Strength (for a total Combat Strength of 9), and +10% Withdrawal Chance (for a total Withdrawal Chance of 20%). They also start with the Drill I promotion (for +1 First Strike, and suffers -25% Collateral Damage). This makes them better at both attack and defence compared to the normal Musketman.

Holy Roman Landskecht
The Holy Roman Landsknecht replaces the Pikeman. They gain +1 Combat Strength (for a total Combat Strength of 9). In addition, they get +50% strength vs. Melee Units in addition to the normal +50% strength vs. Mounted units that Pikemen normally get (for an effective Combat Strength of 13.5 vs. these units). This makes them very powerful defensive units against the two traditional counters to normal Pikemen.

Airport
The Airport is available with Flight and provides +1 Trade Route. It also increases the value of Trade Routes by +50%, and increases the value of Foreign Trade Routes by a further +50% (for a +100% increase for foreign Trade Routes). The Airport also allows the city to Airlift 1 unit per turn. Finally, the Airport increases the Air Unit limit for the city by +4, and provides +4 XP to new Air Units. However, the Airport provides +1 Unhealthiness, and increases City Maintainance by +5%.

Broadcast Tower
The Broadcast Tower is available with Radio and Steel. It provides +1 Happiness, +3 Culture, and increases the city's Cultural production rate by +25%. It also increases the city's Happiness by +1 for every full 10% commerce set to Culture. Finally, it provides +1 Happiness and +5% Commerce with Hit Musicals, Hit Singles, and Hit Movies. However, the Broadcast Tower increases City Maintainance by +5%. The Broadcast Tower no longer allows any Artist specialists to be assigned.

Eiffel Tower
The Eiffel Tower is available with Radio and Steel, and requires that a Forge is built in the city. It provides a free Broadcast Tower in every city you control. In addition, it provides +6 Culture and increases the city's Culture production rate by +25%. It also increases the city's Happiness for every full 10% commerce set to Culture, and provides +1 Happiness and +5% Commerce with Hit Musicals, Hit Singles, and Hit Movies. Finally, it provides +1 Happiness in all your cities. However, the Eiffel Tower increases City Maintainance by +20% (and carries the additional hidden cost that the free Broadcast Towers will also increase City Maintainance by +5% in every city, as above). Like other wonders, the Culture produced by the city is not doubled with time, but also is not reduced if the city is captured.

Hydro Plant
The Hydro Plant is available with Plastics and requires that the city be situated next to a river. It provides +10% Production and provides Power to the city. However, it increases City Maintaiance by +5%.
Update (19/04/10): The HydroPlant now requires that a Levee is built in the city (BtS only).

Rock 'n Roll
Rock 'n Roll is available with Radio, and also requires the Music tech. It provides the Hit Singles resource to all your cities. It also provides +1 Happiness, +3 Culture, increases the city's Culture production by +50%, and allows for 3 additional Artists to be assigned to the city. However, it increases City Maintainance by +20%. It requires a Broadcast Tower to be built in the city before it can be built.

Three Gorges Dam
The Three Gorges Dam is available with Plastics and Electricity, and requires that the city is situated next to a river. It provides Power to all your cities on the same continent, and increases the city's Production by +25%. However, it increases City Maintanance by +20%.
Update (19/04/10): The Three Gorges Dam now requires that a Hydro Plant be built in the city first.

Vassalage Civic
This legal Civic is available with Feudalism. It provides new units with +2 XP, and reduces Military Support costs by -1. In addition, it increases Great General production by +25%, with an additional +25% Great General Production inside your borders (for a total of +50% Great General Production). However, it has a High upkeep. This civic essentially allows you to have a large military for free, and increases their training as well.

Design Note: The game text reads +0 for Military Units. However, the civic still works as designed, and you can see the actual reduction under your Financial advisor. You may also notice some other anomalies here too, such as a handicap cost for military units. This is simply an offset based on your handicap that is used to make sure that civilizations do not gain more Wealth than they spend on Military Units. This basically is the reverse of the increased Military Unit support cost provided by Pacifism - I guess Firaxis didn't anticipate this ability being used in reverse.

Bureacracy Civic
This legal Civic is available with Civil Service. It provides +25% Production and +25% Commerce in all your cities, and an additional +25% Production and +25% Commerce in your capital (for a total of +50% Production and +50% Commerce in your capital). However, it has an High upkeep, and increases the maintainance cost for Corporations by +25%. This essentially increases the efficiency of all your cities, at the expense of increasing your Civic and Corporation maintaiance costs, meaning Civilizations will have to offset some of this increase to produce additional Wealth. Perfect for builders during Peacetime.
Update (19/04/10): This civic now increases City Maintainance costs for the Number of Cities and Distance from Palace by +25% in all cities.

Nationhood Civic
This legal Civic allows you to draft 5 units per turn. In addition, military units provide +1 Happiness, and gain +25% XP from combat within your borders. It also reduces War Weariness by -50%. However, it has a Low upkeep. This civic is also military-orientated, but works best in defensive situations while protecting your civ from attacks.

Free Speech Civic
This legal civic provides +50% Research and +50% Culture in all your cities. In addition, the Theatre, Colosseum, and Broadcast Tower all provide +1 Happiness. However, this civic has a Low upkeep cost, and increases the War Weariness of your cities by +100%. This civic is best used for periods of technological advancement and cultural expansion during peacetime.

Gold Resource
Gold is revealed by Mining.

Incense Resource
Incense is revealed by Mysticism.

Ivory Resource
Ivory is now revealed by Hunting. It no longer obsoletes.

Silk Resource
Silk is now revealed by Calender.

Silver Resource
Silver is revealed by Mining.

Spices Resource
Spices is revealed by Agriculture.

Sugar Resource
Sugar is revealed by Agriculture.

Whale Resource
Whale is revealed by Sailing. It no longer obsoletes.

Wine Resource
Wine is revealed by Mysticism.

 

[Red Boxer]

That'd be great if you would do that. It would save me and many others a rather large amount of clicking.

 

[davane]

The other mod collections contain all the new mods to date, so if you want to try all them, it's just a few single clicks to do so. The mods are also listed seperately for those who want to use specific mods in their games, and particularly useful for other mod makers out there.

 

[davane]

Da' Vane's Mods (19/04/10)
I've finally finished the Unit updates, so apart from some balancing tweaks, these are complete and have been added to the Complete Mod. I've also nearly finished with the vanilla Building updates, so it won't be long before the buildings are completed and ready to be production balanced, after which I can then start on the UBs for each civ. I have also started the Improvement updates. So, on to the mods!

Khmer Ballista Elephant
The Khmer Ballista Elephant replaces the War Elephant. It is essentially a War Elephant with a siege weapon strapped to it's back, so it gets +1 Combat Strength (for a total Combat Strength of 7). In addition, it gains 1 First Strike, a 10% Withdrawal Rate, and the ability to deal Collateral Damage to up to 2 additional units. Finally, it also gains the ability to bombard City Defences, reducing their Defensive Bonus by 5%. The War Elephant also gains the Blitz promotion that normal War Elephants get. That means that the Khmer get a weaker, but faster, Siege unit in addition to the normal Catapults and Trebuchets that is not vulerable to anti-Siege tactics rolled in with a basically improved War Elephant.

Maya Holkan
The Maya Holkan replaces the Spearman. They gain +1 Combat Strength (for a total Combat Strength of 4) and get 1 First Strike chance, in addition to the +100% vs. Mounted units that all Spearmen get. This makes them improved Spearmen that can potentially counter the First Strikes that Archery and Siege units get (as well as the Horse Archer, which also suffers from their +100% vs. Mounted units), or can give them a competative edge against other early melee units.

Native American Dog Soldier
The Native American Dog Soldier replaces the Scout. They get +1 Combat Strength (for a total Combat Strength of 3) and +100% vs. Melee units. They also retain their +100% vs. Animals and always get good results from Tribal Villages. This means that the Dog Soldier is comparable to the Axeman in ability, and that the Native American's recon forces can serve as a formidable military as well. However, Dog Soldiers cannot pillage, and do not count for Military Happiness puposes. Finally, these are the best hunters, and animals will never be a threat for Native Americans, even in the harshest terrain.
Update (28/04/10): The Native American Dog Soldier now ignores terrain costs like normal Scouts.

Portugese Carrack
The Portugese Carrack replaces the Caravel. It gets +1 Combat Strength (for a total Combat Strength of 7). In addition, it can carry 2 land Units, rather than just a single special person. They retain the Caravels ability to cross oceans and explore rival territory. This means that the Portugese will be able to get a headstart on creating new colonies, as they can send their Settlers across oceans earlier than any other civilizations.

The Sumerian Vulture
The Sumerian Vulture replaces the Axeman. It gets +1 Combat Strength (for a total Combat Strength of 4) and is Immune to First Strikes. It retains the +100% vs. Melee units that Axemen normal get. This means the Sumerians will have a slightly easier time attacking Archers in the open, and share many of the same tactics that the Inca and Roman civs do with their UUs. Incidentally, the Sumerian Vulture is the perfect counter to the Mayan Holkan, countering the latter's First Strike chances and getting +100% vs. them...

Laboratory
The Laboratory is available with Computers (or Superconductors, in BtS), and increases your city's Research rate by +25%. They also allow the city to assign an additional Scientist specialist, and provide +25% production for Spaceship parts. They no longer create unhealthiness, nor do they require an observatory before they can be built. However, they do increase City Maintainance by +5%.

Recycling Centre
The Recycling Centre no longer removes unhealthiness from your city buildings. Instead, it provides +1 Health, and provides an additional +1 Health with Aluminum, Coal, Oil, and Uranium. For most of these resources, however, this just counters the additional Unhealthiness from them caused by other buildings, such as the Coal Plant and Nuclear Plant. The Recycling Centre increases City Maintainance by +5%.

The Space Elevator
The Space Elevator provides +25% Production for Spaceship parts in all your cities, with an additional +25% Production for Spaceship parts in the city it is built in (for a total of +50% Spaceship Production). However, it increases City Maintainance by +20%. In addition, because Spaceship parts are only needed for a Space Victory, this World Wonder requires that this victory be enabled.

Slavery Civic
The Slavery civic has a Medium upkeep. In addition to allowing you to sacrifice population to complete units and buildings, it also causes Mines, Workshops, Quarries, and Lumbermills to provide +1 Production. This means Slavery can be used to create a Production powerhouse even if you don't intend to whip your populace.

Serfdom Civic
The Serfdom civic has a Medium Upkeep. It increases the work rate of your Workers by +25%. In addition, Farms, Workshops, Cottages, Hamlets, Villages, and Towns all provide +1 Food. This civic can rapidly increase your growth and expansion, and will have your cities tend towards working the land rather than becoming specialists.

Caste System Civic
The Caste System civic has a High Upkeep, and provides you with +3 Specialists in all your cities. It no longer provided unlimited specialists of any type, so you will need to create the relevent buildings to enable the specialists you wish to have. Almost certainly, one of these specialsts should be a Merchant to offset the high upkeep.

Design Notes: I did intend upon Caste System causing all Specialists to provide +1 Food, essentially reducing the food Specialists consumed, which would encourage their presence in cities while not giving away too much free population. However, this will require modding the DLL to add the relevent tags to do this, which is currently outside the scope of my mod. When I do implement this, Caste System may no longer provide free specialists...

Emacipation Civic
Emacipation is basically giving the workforce the ability to choose their own jobs using a 'free market' type approach, essentially creating a 'job market' for the workers. As such, Emancipation has a Low Upkeep. In addition, it provides +50% GPP in all your cities, as there is an increasingly higher emphasis on eduction and skills retraining. Finally, rivals without Emancipation will suffer Unhappiness until they also emancipate their work force. Generally, since Slavery, Serfdom, and Caste System provide more benefits (albeit with a higher upkeep cost), this means most civilizations will stay with these earlier labor civics as much as possible. Once the first civ adopts Emancipation, other civilizations will be forced to adopt it to or deal with increasing unhappiness in their cities, resulting in a snowball efect of Emancipation throughout the world. Typically, those civs with the Philosophical trait, and those with larger empires unable to offset the higher upkeep of other Labor civics will be the first to adopt Emancipation.

City Ruins Improvement
City Ruins provide +1 Commerce to any tile they are in. This represents the archeological interest in the city site of former cities. Given that cities themselves provide a minimum of 2 Commerce, this means that City Ruins can still provide a reasonable amount of Commerce for your empire, assuming you don't opt to just build cottages over them. City Ruins also increase the Defence of the tile by +25%, and counts as a City for combat purposes (Warlord and BtS only).

Tribal Village Improvement
Tribal Villages increase the Defence of the tile they are in by +10%, and count as a City for combat purposes. However, Barbarian units are the only ones that really benefit from this, although units with City Attack bonuses also benefit when attacking the Tribal Village (which is what most players will experience from this mod).

Farm Improvement
Farms now have a small chance to "discover" the Corn, Rice, and Wheat resources, just like Mines. In addition, Wheat accessed by a Farm now provides an additional +1 Food.

Fishing Boat Improvement
Clams accessed by Fishing Boats now provide +1 Food and +1 Commerce instead of +2 Food.

Mine Improvement
The effects of accessing many of the mineral resources with a Mine have been tweaked. In general, Luxury Resources like Gold, Gems, and Silver provide less Production with a mine (in fact, the Mine does not add any additional Production at all to these resources to start with). Fuel resources like Coal and Uranium also provide slightly less production, but also provide Commerce as well. Finally, some (but not all) Production mineral resources provide a small amount of Commerce in addition to Production. In general, the bonuses have been tweaked to provide a more varied, yet balanced, set of Yields from mines. In addition, Mines also get +1 Production with the Railroad tech, rather than requiring an actual Railroad in the tile.

Workshop Improvement
The Workshop now provides +2 Production instead of +1 Production, so right from the start, Workshops provide a net bonus to the tile's yield.

Lumbermill Improvement
The Lumbermill can now be built in Jungles as well as Forests, providing the same +1 production. However, Lumbermills no longer provide any Commerce when beside rivers, meaning that civs will have to make a choice how to improve their jungle and forest riverside tiles, depending upon whether they want (or need) the additional Commerce generated by the river compared to the additional Production provided by the Forest or Jungle. In addition, the Lumbermill improvement also gets +1 Production with the Railroad technology, rather than requiring an actual Railroad in the time.

 

[davane]

Da' Vane's Mods
It is my birthday this week, which has somewhat limited me in my ability to make headway with this mod. It doesn't help that the monthly Civ IV files were released on the same day I usually update - particualrly as they included updates for some of my favourite Civ IV Mods...

However, I felt bad about not releasing an update this week, so this update is somewhat later than normal, and covers the little things I've been working on thus far.

Primarily, I have rebalanced the Moves for the units now that they are finished. Melee, Archery, and Mounted Units have all gained +1 Move, so they have a minimum of 2 Moves. This helps speed up expansion because Melee units now move as fast as normal Settlers, and thus are better suited as escorts for these units. Siege units remain slow however, with a Move of 1. This means that siege armies move slower than other armies, although you could also have siege units move behind the front line and hope that your opponents do not break through your frontlines to reach them.

In addition, Gunships now have flat movement costs and are able to move through impassible terrain, allowing them to fly over mountains. In BTS, they also gain the ability to move across any terrain, so they can fly along coastlines and across oceans. Just bear in mind that Gunships cannot capture cities before you think about Gunship-rushing your enemies across the seas...

Finally, Missionaries, Executives, and Great People can all enter rival territory without requiring an Open Borders agreement. With the exception of the Great General and Great Spy units, these are all defensive only units, so might present a tempting target of opportunity to rivals as they pass through their lands. A Great Engineer might be worth going to war over...

In addition, Missionaries and Executives are both Hidden Nationality, although they are not hostile. This mean rivals cannot see which civilization they belong to as they go about spreading religions and corporations. In most cases, you can assume that the civilization that holds the Holy Shrine or Corporate Headquarters of the religion or corporation is the one sending the missionaries or executives, you can never really be sure - it may be that another rival is sending them for their own ends. The guesswork from missionaries is reduced some what, since they can only be built by civilizations that have the specific religion as their State Religion.

I hope you enjoy these tweaks, and I will be back next week with more mods, resuming my previous schedule. I am hoping to get the core aspects of the mod finished by the time Civ V is released, so that players will still have a reason to stick with Civ IV (particularly, if like me, they have outdated spec PCs)...

 

[davane]

Da' Vane's Mods (03/05/10)

It's bank holiday weekend here in the UK, and as such, I have been working really hard on these mods for you all. I completed the Civics, and even managed to get the Religions done to. This was all a result of a massive rethink on what I wanted from Religions. Like many, Religions were too similar, and needed something to distinguish them. The Gods of Old mod is a veritable pool of ideas for this - it's just a shame that having buildings found Religions instead of Technologies is handled in Python/DLL rather than the XML. Oh well... Anyways, enough gassing, and on to the mods themselves!

The Academy
The Academy has been drastically revamped. Instead of being buildable by a Great Scientist to improve a city's Science output, it is now a buildable standard building that is available with Mathematics. It provides +25% Great People Points for the city, but increases City Maintainance by +5%.

Design Note: The Academy is essentially a Monastery without a religion requirement. Monasteries also provide +25% Great People points instead of their normal +10% research. Monasteries also gain bonuses based on their religion (see below).

The Shrine
The Shrine is now a buildable World Wonder that can only be built in the Holy City of a Religion. It provides +4 culture, as well as the global commerce and other bonuses based on the religion (see below). Shrines also provide +2 Great Prophet GGP, +1 trade route in that city, and allows up to 3 Priest Specialists to be assigned to the city. Shrines also provide +1 happiness to every city you control, with an additional +1 happiness for every city on the same continent, and +1 happiness for the city itself. In addition, they provide an additional +3 happiness if you have the matching State Religion. However, it increases City Maintainance by +20%. Like other world wonders, the +4 culture does not double with time, but neither is it reduced when the Shrine is captured.

Design Note: Shrines have a different Tech Requirement matching that of when the Religion would be founded. As such, you will need to know Monotheism before you can construct the Jewish Shrine (the Temple of Solomon). Generally, this is not a problem as the civ that founds the religion automatically has the Holy City placed in their civ, but becomes important should the Holy City be captured before the Shrine is built.

Religions
This is a big aspect of this mod, so I will cover it all here. In order to differentiate the religions, each has been assigned one or more non- commerces which they specialize in, as follows:

Judaism - high
Buddhism - high
Taoism - high
Christianity - moderate &
Islam - moderate &
Confucianism - moderate &
Hinduism - low , , &

Each religion provides the given commerces to the city they are in, with +2 for low, +3 for moderate, and +6 for high rates. Thus, a city with Buddhism gets +6 , while a city with Christianity gets +3 and +3 . These values are doubled for Holy Cities - so the Jewish Holy City would get +12 . However, you only gain the specialization of your State Religion if you choose to adopt one, although remaining neutral allows you to gain all the bonuses of all your non-state religions.

If the Holy City has the Shrine built for it, then that city will gain the above bonuses once again for every city in the world with that religion. Thus, the Islamic Shrine will provide the city with +3 and +3 for every city to which Islam has been spread. Since a religion is already present in the Holy City to start with, this means that the Hindu shrine will provide at least +6 , +6 , and +6 to that city.

In addition to these bonuses, religious buildings such as Shrines, Cathedrals, Monasteries, and Temples increase the commerce rate of cities based on religion. Shrines and Cathedrals also provide a similar bonus to all cities you control, regardless of whether they have the religion or not. Note that Cathedrals are National Wonders (one per civ) and Shrines are World Wonders (one per game). Monasteries and Temples provide reduced bonuses, but only for the city they are built in. The bonuses are as follows: High +50%/+25%, Moderate +25%/+10%, Low +10%/+5%.

Thus, the Hindu Cathedral provides +10% wealth, +10% research, and +10% culture to the city it is built in, and provides this same bonus to every one of your cities. The Taoism Shrine would likewise provide +50% culture to the city, and +50% culture to each of your cities. Meanwhile, the Jewish Temple will provide +25% to the city it is in, and the Confucian Monastery will provide +10% research and +10% culture to the city it is in.

The snag is that all religious buildings require that you adopt their State Religion before you can build them. There's nothing stopping a civ from adopting multiple religions over time to build multiple religious buildings, but the anarchy from changing religion must be taken into account, as will the other effects of chaning religions. More likely is the fact that a player will build a wave of religious buildings when they adopt a new State Religion they have just founded, or will build religious buildings in captured cities that have a different religion in them already.

Design Notes: The actual commerces for religions are quite big, for several reasons. They will rival the bonuses provided by Corporations, make religion a significant part of the game, and help compensate for the increase in costs due to Maintainance, increased Upkeep costs for units, and increased Tech costs, amongst other things. 6 also happens to be the smallest integer that can be divided by 1, 2, and 3, allowing for balanced global commerces (although, the building bonuses aren't as balanced - with Hinduism getting a total of +15%/+30% to various commerces, compared to +25%/+50% gained from the more specialist religions such as Judaism, Buddhism, and Taoism). Finally, I am future-proofing religions for later mods - in particular fantasy mods such as Gods of Old and Fall From Heaven, where religions have more power than normal. I'm pretty sure that followers of the Nanna (the Sumarian Night God) would rather have their abilities to summon Meteor Strikes and gain bonuses from the Stars...

Mercantilism Civic
This economy civic has medium upkeep. It prevents you from having foreign trade routes, and disables foreign Corporations (BTS only), but provides +1 Commerce from Camps, Mines, Quarries, and Plantations. This civic is useful to generate more raw commerce from your resources, particilarly if you lack profitable foreign trade routes.

Free Market Civic
This economy civic has a low upkeep. It provides +1 Trade Route in all your cities, and increases the commerce generated by trade routes by +100%. It also reduces maintainance costs for corporations by -25%. This civic is useful to get more commerce from trade routes, particulalry if you have a lot of them in your empire.

State Property Civic
This economy civic has a high upkeep. It decreases the maintainance cost for distance to palace and number of cities by -50% each. It also provides +25% Food and +25% Production in all your cities, but reduces your citie's Commerce by -50%. Finally, your Trade Routes will also provide -50% Commerce, but will also produce +25% Food and +25% Production. This means a Trade Route which would normally provide +4 Commerce, would instead provide +1 Food, +1 Production, and +2 Commerce. In BtS, Corporations have no effect under State Property. This civic is useful for establishing and maintaining a vast empire that will grow quickly and harness the productivity of the populace. Beware that this civic could very well leave you behind your more capitalist rivals in the long term. Try combining this civic with Bureaucracy...

Environmentalism Civic
The Environmentalism Civic is a double-edged sword. It removes all unhealthiness from population from all of your cities, allowing you to grow to unprecidented heights based upon city happiness, and leaving you to only deal with the unhealthiness provided by buildings, resources, power, and the landscape itself. It also provides +1 Happiness with the Public Transportation (BtS only), Recycling Centre and Hydro Plant, and +1 Happiness from Forests and Jungles, encouraging you to stay green, and provides +1 Healthiness for Public Transportation, Airport, Factory, and Industrial Park if you have BtS, mostly offsetting the unhealthiness provided by these buildings. Finally, it provides +1 Commerce from Windmills, Watermills, and Forest Preserves, as well as +1 Production from Forest Preserves, making these viable alternatives to Lumbermills thanks to sustanable tree farming.

However, it increases city maintainance costs for distance to palace and number of cities by +25%, and increases maintainance costs for corporations by +25%. It also slows down the rate at which improvements such as the Cottage upgrade by -50%. Finally, fallout is even more devastating to your populace, as it provides -1 Unhappiness if within a city radius, so watch out for nukes and meltdowns. As a kicker, it also provides unhappiness to civilizations that do not adopt this civic, which may be good or bad.

This civic is basically the opposite of State Property, with an emphasis on small empires that are capable of growing to massive populations thanks to living in harmony with nature. It also places an emphasis on Forests and Jungles, encouraging you to spread them about. Of course, it may be too late by then, if you've chopped down all your forests and jungles, and/or started being ravaged by the Environmental Damage caused by global warming.

Organized Religion Civic
Organized Religion has a high upkeep, but provides +1 Specialist in each city. In addition, cities with your State Religion will gain +50% Production when constructing buildings, and +25% Production when training units. This enables states with Organized Religion to build missionaries to spread the faith faster, as well as construct State Religion buildings quicker.

Theocracy Civic
Theocracy has a medium upkeep. It increases the Happiness granted by your State Religion by +3. However, non-State Religions will decrease city happiness by -1 each. Luckily, Theocracy prevents the spread of non-State Religions to your cities, but it does not remove non-State Religions already present. This is useful if you need a lot more Happiness in your cities and you don't have a lot of rival religions to contend with. Note that it is possible to adopt this civic without a State Religion, but this would be VERY unwise, as all religions will provide unhappiness to your cities, and you'll get no other benefits. This may be viable if you don't have religion in any of your cities and want to keep it that way.

Design Note: This is essentially the opposite of Free Religion. However, the game test will display the -1 Unhappiness per religion in the city as +[absurdly large number] Happiness per religion in every city. One could conclude that Firaxis didn't expect this ability to be used in reverse, yet it works normally, and there is even text in the city screen representing the amount of unhappiness from non-state religions, which states "We demand religious freedom!" Strange...

Pacifism Civic
This civic has a low upkeep. Your cities will get +100% GPP, with an additional +100% GPP if the city has your State Religion. In addition, the rate at which improvements such as Cottages grow is increased by +100%. However, you get Great General points at -50% of the reduced rate, get a -25% Production penalty when building military units, and get +100% War Weariness in your cities. As a final kicker, military units stationed in your city each provide -1 unhappiness to that city. This civic emphasises a reduced military, with minimal defences staioned in your cities themselves. Note that cities still suffer from anger if they are without protection, so you will need to station at least one unit in your larger cities to offset this. Alternatively, you could combine Pacifism with the Nationhood civic to mitigate the -1 Unhappiness for units, and the ability to draft as needed, so you can maintain a small military and draft more when you are attacked.

Free Religion Civic
This civic has a medium upkeep. It prevents you from having a State Religion, but you get +2 Happiness for every non-State Religion in your cities. Without a State Religion, you gain the benefits of all religions in your cities, but can no longer build additional religious buildings, including Shrines, nor can you build Missionaries to spread religion through your cities manually. This civic is best used if your civilization doesn't have a single unifying religion shared amongst it's cities, or if your cities consistantly have more than one religion in them.

Camp Improvement
The Camp improvement has been tweaked so that Ivory now provides the same benefits as Horses - +1 Production and +2 Commerce.

Plantation Improvement
The Plantation Improvement has been tweaked so that Bananas now provide +3 Food. Note that the Plantation does not provide any yield modifiers directly. Plantations also carry irrigation, even though they do not need irrigation themselves.

Pasture Improvement
The Pasture Improvement has been changed so that Cows now provide +2 Food and +1 Production, rather than +1 Food and +2 Production.

Well and Offshore Platform Improvements
Both of these have been edited so that Oil now provides +1 Production and +2 Commerce, just like other fuel sources such as Coal and Uranium.

Cottage, Hamlet, Village, and Town Improvements
These improvements count as cities, and provide +5%/+10%/+15%/+20% Defence respectively. They also carry irrigation, although they do not need irrigation themselves. Finally, in addition to Villages and Towns gaining +1 Commerce from Printing Press, Towns also gain an additional +1 Commerce from Radio.

Fort Improvement
The Fort Improvement counts as a city and provides +50% Defense. In addition, they provide approximately 5 gold when pillaged.

 

[davane]

Da' Vane's Mods (13/05/10)

sorry for the slight delay in this week's mods, but they are here now. As luck would have it, there are only a few mods this week, as the majority of the more important features have already been updated, and others require that the standard buildings are completed before they can be tackled. Still, I've managed to cover the buildings added by Warlords this week, and here they are!

The Stable
This standard building is available with the Horseback Riding technology. It retains the +2 XP for Mounted Units it provided, but has also had a secondary productivity benefit added - it now provides +5% Production with Horses, Ivory, and Cows. The later already get other bonuses (+5% Commerce for Ivory with the Market, and +5% Food for Cows with the Supermarket), but the Horse has yet to gain any such bonuses, and this building really helps bring this resource back into importance. Like other standard buildings, this building increases City Maintainance by +5%.

The Military Academy
The Military Academy has become a standard building which is available with Education (or Military Science with BTS). It requires that the city has a Barracks and an Academy already built. Once constructed, it provides +1 Culture, and it provides all Land units built in the city with an additional +2 XP. In addition, it increases your Great General rate by +5%, and by a further +5% within your own borders. This might not seem like much, but remember that the Great General rate applies globally, and that you can build Military Academies in every one of your cities, where the effects stack. This means that five cities with Military Academies results in a +20% increase to your Great General rate, with a further +20% increase within your own borders, for a total 40% increase. Useful for defending, and don't forget that there are several useful civics that synergise well with this - such as the Nationhood civic. Like all standard buildings, the Military Academy increases your City Maintainance by +5%.

The Temple of Artemis
The Temple of Artemis is a world wonder that is available with Polytheism. It provides +1 Trade Route, and increases the city's Trade Route yield by +100% (and increases Foreign Trade by a further +100% with BTS). You can assign 2 Priests and 2 Merchants in the city with the Temple of Artemis, and the city gets +1 Free Specialist thrown in for free. The Temple of Artemis also increases the chances of the city creating a Great Prophet. However, like all World Wonders, the Temple of Artemis increases City Maintainance by +20%.

The University of Sankore
The University of Sankore is a world wonder available with Paper (a Medieval era tech that is requires for the Renaissance era Education tech, which provides the standard Universities). It provides +25% Research to the city in which it is built, and allows for 2 Priests and 2 Scientists to be assigned to that city. In addition, all State Religion buildings that you control will provide +1 Research. However, like all World Wonders, the University of Sankore increases City Maintainance by +20%.

The Great Wall
The Great Wall is a world wonder that is available with Masonry. It prevents barbarians from entering your cultural borders. It also provides +25% Defence to all your cities, and increases your Great General rate by +100% within your own borders. Finally, if you have BTS, it increases enemy War Weariness by +50%. However, it increases City Maintainance by +20%.

Design Note: The +25% Defence in all cities is exactly the same as the ability that Chichen Itza normally provides, and applies to both physical defences like Walls and Castles and to cultural defences based on the culture of the city. Chichen Itza has this ability replaced with the ability to provide free Walls in each of your cities, as well as providing +25% Defence and -25% damage to Defences from bombardment for that city only.

 

[davane]

Da' Vane's Mods (17/05/10)

Almost done with the standard buildings in Civ IV, so it won't be too long before I can balance their Production costs. After that, I can incorporate each Civ's Unique Building. This will put this mod well over 50% completion (pushing up to 75%), with it finally taking a pleasing form at last. Finishing up the standard buildings will also allow me to start with the Technology rebalancing as well. This weeks' mods are:

Custom House
This standard building requires both Astronomy and Economics, and requires that a Harbor is built in the city. It provides +1 Trade Route, and increases Foreign Trade Route yield by +100%. This means the Custom House will be useful even if you have no foreign trade, thanks to a civic like Mercantilism or a lack of Open Borders. However, the Custom House increases City Maintainance by +5%.

Industrial Park
This building improves the productivity of your Factory even further, by providing an additional +10% Production, with a further +10% production with access to Power. In addition, it allows you to assign up to 3 Engineer specialists, and grants +1 Free Specialist for the city. It also provides +5% Production with Oil. However, it increases City Maintainance by +5%, provides +1 Unhealthiness, with an additional +1 Unhealthiness with Oil.

Intelligence Agency
The Intelligence Agency is available with Paper, and provides +8 Espionage, and increases the city's Espionage rate by +50%. It also allows 2 Spy specialists to be assigned to the city. However, it increases City Maintainance by +5%. This mod allows for a sinificant Espionage boost to take place in your cities much earlier than in BTS, making this a much more important aspect of the game.

Levee
The Levee is available with Replaceable Parts. It provides +1 Production per river tile, and increases the city's Production by +10%. It is required to build a Hydro Plant in the city. However, the Levee increases City Maintainance by +5%.

Public Transportation
This building provides +1 Health and +1 Happiness to your cities, and increases the city's Production and Wealth by +10% each. In addition, it provides +1 Health and +5% Commerce with Oil. It also gains an additional +1 Health and +1 Happiness under the Environmentalism Civic. However, it increases City Maintainance by +5%.

Security Bureau
The Security Bureau is available with the Nationalism tech, and provides +8 Espionage. It also allows you to assign +2 Spy specialists, and provides +50% Defense against Spies. However, it increases City Maintaianance by +5%. The Security Bureau is available much earlier than in normal BTS, but there is still only a slight gap between it's availability and that of the Intelligence Agency. This means that it is unlikely to be more than a few techs between obtaining an increase in Espionage and the ability to help defend against it.

 

[davane]

Da' Vane's Mods (25/05/10)

Just a quick notice before this week's mods - due to other commitments, I will most likely be limiting my Mod releases to Tuesdays pretty soon. Luckily, most of the significant parts of the basic Mod have been done, so this reduced schedule will have a minimal impact. Also, let me know if you like the current format, as I will probably have to consider changing it soon. News over, and on to the mods...

Apostolic Palace
The Apostolic Palace world wonder requires the Theology, Code of Laws, and Priesthood techs to be built. It enables the diplomatic options for the Apostolic Palace, even if Diplomatic Victory is not enabled, just like the United Nations. In addition, it provides +4 Culture, +1 Trade Route, +1 Happiness in all your cities, and allows +3 Priest Specialists to be built in that city. It also increases the length of Golden Ages by +25%. However, it increases City Maintainance by +20%.

Cristo Redentor
Cristo Redentor requires the Radio, Aesthetics, and Priesthood techs before it can be built. It provides +5 Culture and +1 Happiness. It also reduces the duration of anarchy and the time between changes by -25% and reduces the duration of Hurry Anger by -25%. However, it increases City Maintainance by +20%.

Design Note: Although Cristo Redentor ("Christ the Redeemer") has a religious theme, it does not have any specific religious ties. It could easily be Mohammed the Redeemer or Confucius the Redeemer!

Mausoleum of Maussollos
This world wonder requires the Calendar tech. It provides +10 Culture, and increases the length of your Golden Ages by +100%. In addition, it starts a Golden Age immediately upon completion. However, it increases City Maintainance by +20%.

Moai Statues
Moai Statues is now a World Wonder that requires the Mysticism and Sailing techs before it can be built. It provides +1 Production in all sea tiles, but increases City Maintainance by +20%. This provides a useful early Production boost to cities that would not normally have it.

National Park
This National Wonder is available with Scientific Method, and removes all unhealthiness in the city from Population and Buildings (but not from resources or power). It no longer removes access to Coal, nor does it provide bonus specialists for nearby Forest Preserves. However, it does increase City Maintainance by +10%. You might want to consider pairing this national wonder with the Globe Theatre to create an uber city with nigh-unstoppable growth!

Shwedagon Paya
This World Wonder is available with Meditation and Aesthetics. It requires that you have adopted a State Religion before it can be built. It enables all the Religion civic options, provides +1 Happiness in all your cities, reduces Anarchy duration and the delay between chaning civics by -25%, and increases the length of your Golden Ages by +25%. However, it increases City maintainance by +20%.

Design Notes: By requiring a state religion to be adopted, all of the civic options enabled by this Wonder will be useful immediately. You may still adopt No State Religion at a later point AFTER building the Shwedagon Paya, so you may choose to embrace Free Religion if you wish.

Statue of Zeus
The Statue of Zeus World Wonder requires the Mysticism and Aesthetics techs. It provides +10 Culture, +1 Happiness, and increases enemy War Weariness by +100%. However, it increases City Maintainance by +20%.

 

[davane]

Da' Vane's Mods (01/06/10)

This week's mods finish up the non-unique buildings for Civ IV, by updating the Corporate Headquarters. In addition, the corporations themselves have been revised and added, and because these are completed, the new corporations have also been added to the Complete Mod as well.

The lack of feedback is somewhat disconcerting - how are people likeing the mod so far? Is my release format useful, or am I wasting everyone's time with all the individual mod files? Please let me know, so I can continue to make sure this Mod is the best that it can be for all of you!

Corporate Headquarters
These World Wonders all work identically, founding a corporation in the city the are built. In addition to starting up the specified corporation, a Corporate HQ provides +1 Wealth, +1 Culture, and +1 Trade Route. In addition, a Corporate HQ increase the city's Trade Routes by +50%, and increases foreign Trade Routes by an additional +50%. Corporate HQs also provide +6 Wealth for every city that corporation is present in. However, Corporate HQs increase City Maintainance by +20%. Corporate HQs are no longer built by Great People, and each Corporate HQ is available with the Corporation technology, and two additional technologies.

Aluminum Co. Corporation
The Aluminum Co. Corporate Headquarters is available with the Corporation, Industrialism, and Metal Casting techs. Aluminum Co. consumes Aluminum, Coal, Iron, Oil, and Copper, and provides +1 Production and +1 Research per resource consumed. It no longer provides any resources.
Design Notes: Since resources are not require to build units or structures, a corporation whose sole purpose is to convert Coal into Aluminum while providing Research is rather pointless. Instead, the theme for Aluminum Co. has been expanded to encompass Metallurgy and Composite Material's Science to provide production and research as new materials are discovered.

Cereal Mills Corporation
The Cereal Mills Corporate Headquarters is available with Corporation, Pottery, and Refrigeration. Cereal Mills consumes Corn, Rice, Wheat, Sugar, and Spices, and provides +2 Food per resource consumed.

Civilized Jewellers Corporation
The Civilized Jewellers Corporate Headquarters is available with Corporation, Aesthetics, and Mass Media. Civilized Jewellers consumes Gems, Gold, Silver, Ivory, and Clams, and provides +1 Wealth and +1 Culture per resource consumed.

Creative Constructions Corporation
The Creative Constructions Corporate Headquarters is available with Corporation, Construction, and Combustion. Creative Constructions consumes Aluminum, Iron, Copper, Stone, and Marble, and provides +2 Production per resource consumed.

Mining Inc. Corporation
The Mining Inc. Corporate Headquarters is available with Corporation, Mining, and Railroad. Mining Inc. consumes Coal, Uranium, Copper, Silver, and Iron, providing +1 Production and +1 Wealth per resource consumed.
Design Notes: With the changes to Aluminum Co. reflecting Metallurgy and the 5 resource limit that Corporations have, the resources consumed by Mining Inc. have been balanced to provide the best balance for competing Corporations. It has the theme of concentrating on those metals that are wealthy commodities in the modern world, with a slight emphasis towards fuel sources like Coal and Uranium.

Sid's Sushi Co. Corporation
The Sid's Sushi Co. Corporate Headquarters is available with Corporation, Fishing, and Medicine. Sid's Sushi Co. consumes Fish, Crab, Clams, Rice, and Whale, and provides +1 Food and +1 Culture per resource consumed.

Standard Ethanol Corporation
The Standard Ethanol Corporate Headquarters is available with Corporation, Agriculture, and Plastics. Standard Ethanol consumes Corn, Rice, Wheat, Whale, and Oil, and provides +2 Research per resource consumed. It no longer provides any resources.
Design Note: Standard Ethanol's theme for converting farmed produce to oil is redundant given that units and structures no longer require oil to be built. Instead, greater focus has been given over to Standard Ethanol's theme for research into alternative fuels and fuel additives.

 

[davane]

A new thread has been released for this mod. You can find it here. behold! No more AtomicGamer waiting times for this mod.

 

[Midnight-Blue766]

Oh bother, AtomicGamer is down!