Eras

[doctorfork]

I can't be the only one who feels this way-but when a new era is reached-aside from the CS bonuses(if I have them) I tend to feel a sense of "so what?". As far as I can tell, the only things that change with each era are the city state bonuses, the cost of an RA and the graphics.

I think, in a future release I'd like to see something more tangible to make me care about getting to a new era-nothing game breaking, but something that makes it seem like a reward-similar to the closing bonus they'll have for SPs in the new patch.

For instance-
Classical Era-additional 5% production bonus on Wonders
Medieval Era-previously hidden iron and other luxury resources appear
Renaissance Era- 1 Free specialist per city
Industrial Era- Ability to use rivers to form trade routes
Modern Era- -25% movement cost for land units on roads/railroads
Future Era- +33% food production per city

That or give some simple, irrevocable choices on a bonus so that every civ can customize their experience.

Thoughts?

 

[Kimuyama]

About the rivers as trade routes, i think that should be available from boating. For the Industrial era maybe rivers giving production to cities built next to them, or unused coal giving production to all cities, or something production-boosty like that.

 

[BobDole]

Have eras ever really been exciting? Not really. No need to throw in bonuses IMO, just another thing to account for in balancing the game.

 

[xr006]

I get excited when the era changes... it's a way to gauge where you're at in comparison to other civs

 

[Lose]

why Modern Era- -25% movement cost for land units on roads/railroads??? wouldnt it make sense to make them go faster?

 

[doctorfork]

Ghostz, that's what I wrote -25% movement cost, hence faster movement.

Kimuyama, I also think rivers should have always meant trade routes from sailing, but oh well. Then again, I tend to space my cities out really far and pay a fortune for roads/railroads.

 

[jtb1127]

This sounds like it could improve the game a lot. I think the industrial revolution should bring about more change in the game than it has before.

As you can see, the human population skyrocketed at the start of that era. I have always felt that this kind of change has never been emphasized enough.

 

[shaglio]

As far as I can tell, the only things that change with each era are the city state bonuses, the cost of an RA and the graphics.

Don't forget opening up new SP branches with each new era.

 

[TM Moot]

Don't forget opening up new SP branches with each new era.

This.

If you're going to do it then perhaps Era bonuses could be for when you complete the last tech of that Era, to encourage back-filling...

 

[Zhahz]

The game is full of bonuses for various things - I don't think we really need bonuses just for progressing thru the tech tree, which is something that you're going to do anyways, always, as are the AIs. There's almost no strategic thinking here to reward (you could beline a bit heavier but, meh, you'd usually do that for some OTHER benefit that's a reward itself).