Dynamic years vs static years.

[Dikaioma]

This was inspired by another post (I can't remember the original poster).

The post was in regard to the game speed/turn relation. He was talking about getting rid of the year display in favor of era's. For instance, whoever reaches a certain era first, the world enters that era instead of displaying the current year (for some reason, that year counter distracts me). I thought that the idea was great, and I started thinking about our own history. In our history, our "years" really are just numbers, and whatever progress that happens, has no relation to our years.

In the game, a certain turn equals a certain number of years depending on the game speed and era you are in. It should be dynamic instead of static. For instance, going with the idea of being in era's, the years should be scalable to reflect whoever is in the lead. So, if it's the 15th century, a player, or players (roughly) have ocean faring ships and the ability (or resources) to colonize the new world, so to speak. So turn values can change dependant on what's going on in the world. You should feel progress in relation to the world players, not to the current year, like "oh I've got gunpowder in 400BC". It should be "oh, I am setting the pace in this game." This probably requires the SDK, but I thought I'd throw the idea out there.

 

[Plankhead]

I'm totally behind that. The idea that it's 1200 BC and I don't have writing yet is sort of annoying.

 

[Uty]

It could be odd though, I've developed Christianity (and hit the medieval period) in 1200 BC

 

[Huxley Hobbes]

I'd support an alternative to the traditional way of dating Civ games. I completely understand why it's done the way it is, and I have no specific qualms with it, but an interesting alternative could be more fun.

Allow me to make a suggestion regarding the matter. First, the base counting mechanism should be in years, but should be 0 when you start. 'Year of Founding' or some such. After all, not too many people use dates according to events yet to happen, although the potential exists I concede. Then, have religious year-zeroes as well. For example, when Christianity is discovered, that year becomes 'AD1'. Should you have the state religion Christianity, your year display would be AD rather than YoF.

Let me state now that I am aware Christianity existed before Christ's birth (Setting aside whatever questions about the factual accuracy of the matter we may or may not have.), but that his birth serves as likely the most identifiable year of importance in the Christian calender (His death is possibly the only one which rivals it.). I suspect all relgions have similar events which could be used.

As you can well see, this idea takes the idea of 'Flavor over simplicity' and runs with it all the way from here to the Potomac, and then across the the Grand Canyon, before heading up to a retreat in the Yukon. By way of Panama. I sincerely doubt the effort required would make this worth implementing, but I thought the idea might be nice to throw out there.

 

[userqwerty]

the year that cristianity is discovered should only change the date for the christians.

if you dont believe me go ask the hindus, the hebrews and the chinese as to which calendar they use

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rant aside

if you turn the clock on the date dissapears.
there is also a clock mod out there that makes it possible to view both the time and the date in game

i am thinking that since these functions are modded there a place to look for the script that shows "Bronze age" over the date would be that clock mod or the creator of that mod

i am not positive how the automatic save game naming would be altered. since the save games go by "Name - date"

 

[Dom Pedro II]

Well, the game needs a standard dating system, but for display purposes, I've been considering the possibility of unique calendars that will set themselves at Year 0 for the year a religion is founded.

 

[userqwerty]

I am not sure you are aware but Hindu Calendar starts about 3,990,000 years ago

 

[userqwerty]

that is 3.99 million years ago im not using a screwy notation

check out for yourself, do a search on hindu calendar and Satya Yuga. For Satya Yuga it is best to search wikipedia. Kali yuga started 3120 bc i think and will last 432,000 years

 

[Dikaioma]

That's human years? hehe... I find it interesting that some of the ancient calendars have an actual END date. Weird...

 

[Huxley Hobbes]

Ah, but I suggested that the year a religion is founded become year 1 of that religion, for simplicity's sake. I'm fully aware that they have many variable dates and years of creation and the like, but we really don't need to get into all that for a game... just a pivotal year (I suppose it could be explained by saying the year the religion's foremost prophet came forward?) in which the religion was founded.

 

[Huxley Hobbes]

-_-; Sorry, double posted.

 

[Dom Pedro II]

that is 3.99 million years ago im not using a screwy notation

check out for yourself, do a search on hindu calendar and Satya Yuga. For Satya Yuga it is best to search wikipedia. Kali yuga started 3120 bc i think and will last 432,000 years

Yes... exactly, so if you made religion-specific calendars, it would be inferred that year 1 would be the beginning of the age not the beginning of the universe..... as I'm pretty sure Christians do not believe that 1 AD is when Genesis took place....