Feature Requests

[WildWeazel]

This is a place to discuss new features you would like to see in OpenCiv3, or just differences from Civ3.

Civ3 Conquests gameplay is our baseline target. The general idea is to create a game that is easily configured to mimic C3C while allowing for much greater flexibility in modding, and to build in high-priority new features as go. We of course plan to eliminate hard-coded limits (as in number of eras, civs, cities, etc.) wherever possible, and avoid recreating bugs and broken features. We also intend to create a scripting interface of some kind. Anything beyond that is up for discussion. However, as we aim to produce a game functionally equivalent to C3C, the real value of these discussions is not to fully spec out features for us to implement, but to identify the kinds of things that the community wants to be able to mod. Then we can design the game and especially the modding interface to able to accommodate these requests, even if we don't implement them ourselves.

When proposing an idea, consider how it might be used in-game and configured in a mod. The more specific the better. Here's an example to get us started:

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Combat bonus vs specific units

Units should have a special ability giving them a combat bonus against specific unit types, such as polearms vs mounted units. This would be easily configurable in mod files via custom tags, similar to those in the C3C editor ("wheeled", "foot unit", etc.) except arbitrarily added by the user and with no inherent effects. The unit data might have a set of modifiers, each with a tag name and multiplier value. In this example all mounted units would have the user-defined tag "mounted", and all polearm units (which may have a tag of their own) would have a modifier attribute { "mounted", 1.5 } for a 50% combat bonus against anything with the "mounted" tag. These modifiers should be rendered in the Civilopedia page with the other stats.

 

[W|M]

I saw this article from the original thread and was reminded of a specific annoyance I have every time I play Civ 3:

Basic things like left click select and right click move which we'd never really adopted, I wanted to bring forward for Civ 4.

It'd be good to see right-click move for C7 as well

 

[Kyriakos]

Nice to see you here, WIM!

 

[Kyriakos]

Hm, I think a nice idea would be to have some buildings you create in the city, appear on the map. For example a fort.
In CivIII you only had that for walls (for size 1).

Besides, I am actually planning to create a series of forts (ancient-medieval-industrial-modern).
Thread for previews of that: https://forums.civfanatics.com/threads/a-series-of-forts.674485/

 

[Vuldacon]

Like adding the ability to have Animated Terrain, Buildings such as Windmills, Waterfalls, etc... without having to make them as Units and place them on Impassable Terrain.
I also like the idea of having some additional Buildings and Structures that appear around the Cities when gained.
...of course, like the City Walls, any such additions would probably have to be specifically programed for those Game additions.

 

[WildWeazel]

...of course, like the City Walls, any such additions would probably have to be specifically programed for those Game additions.

That's what I'm stuck on. If you start adding more such buildings, we can't very well require 2^n city graphics for each combination. How would they be drawn?

 

[Kyriakos]

That's what I'm stuck on. If you start adding more such buildings, we can't very well require 2^n city graphics for each combination. How would they be drawn?

Perhaps a cheap way (mod-heavy) would be to just have resources (resource number=1) spawn from select buildings created in a city, in a radius of that city Of course there should be a check for the tile not already containing such a type of "(building) resource".
Those resources aren't traded nor appear on the resource screen (should be simpler to code).

Alternatively, have a second type of graphic, with the rest of the qualities the same as the resource one.

 

[Vuldacon]

That's what I'm stuck on. If you start adding more such buildings, we can't very well require 2^n city graphics for each combination. How would they be drawn?

If the Code for City Walls is found, a File much like the City Walls File could be used to make additional structures or Buildings and make a Palette for it as needed. That would allow freedom to create anything wanted around the Cities. Guess the File could be called something like City Additions. If City Walls are also Used, the Graphics added to the City Additions File would have to fit with City Walls or probably better to have the City Additions after City Walls are gone. It is already possible to add different Graphics than City Walls to the City Walls File. It is the settings for City Walls that would still be there.

What I would like best is to be able to make an Animated, immobile Unit or Structure able to be placed anywhere on the Game Map... then have it set where it is not seen as a Unit or Owned by any Civ to prevent Civs from attacking it.
Basically a way to add Animated things to the Game Map that are seen as part of the Terrain by the AI.

 

[Kyriakos]

The problem with creating building gfx in (exactly) the same way as CIVIII walls is that the walls don't check for what the surrounding terrain is. And while for a 1-tile city set this isn't much of an issue, it will be an issue for buildings that'd appear 2-3 tiles away (where it may be sea ).
I think this could be handled by checking the tile for properties (not sea, if the building isn't on the sea) and probably a separate file, reserved for animated terrain.

By the way, the following is NOT a suggestion for right now, but maybe to have in mind:
It might be good to allow for some shading (using a layer) for terrain gfx (including cities, maybe). CIVIII had that only for resources and some improvements (and it was almost never used).

 

[squaretable22]

The ability to add extra terrain and set whether "harvesting" such terrain yields shields (or potentially a feature from Civ 6 - other attributes such as Culture, Science, Food and Commerce).

Likewise the ability to have extra worker actions because currently (to my beliefs) its hardcoded so that you can only plant forests OR return to base terrain. Could allow for weaponised "desertification" in scifi mods or other features.

This would eliminate the need to add Landmark Terrain.

On a related note, extra automated worker actions like "automate irrigation only" and "automate mines only", potentially with "This City" variants could be useful for players.

Functioning Water Cities and workers like in SMACX might be nice too.

 

[Blue Monkey]

• Event triggers such as existed pre-C3

• Graphics palette should be 512 or better - the days of needing to limit it to 256 colors to save memory are long gone. This will help a lot both with creating graphics and with allowing content from multiple sources to look better together.

• Keep the scenario editing UI as friendly for non-programmers as possible. Not all of us are skilled in writing out long directory strings, for example

• Civ color for cities just like civ color for units. Graphics creators can add a flag flying from a building or whatever is appropriate. Combine that with the option to hide the city name/info box & play would be much more immersive.

EDIT: C3 changes which tile it selects from the terrain pcx depending on map coordinates. This causes problems when constructing maps such as narrow islands being split into two, isthmus & peninsulas having unexpected water passages cut through them, forests and overlaying other terrains in other undesirable ways, etc. etc. etc.

While these are cosmetic problems for the most part, they do affect game play. Players try to move units where they cannot go. Small islands have to be disproportionately enlarged, which affects balanced play. In one case a scenario designer had to - in order to allow naval movement between the Baltic & the North Sea - either eliminate Denmark from the map or pre-place a city (meaning the only way to move through the straits would trigger war).

I have no idea what would need to be done to solve this, i just know that having the terrain look the same regardless of where it's placed would be a great benefit.

 

[Ozymandias]

1. @WildWeazel - The old Civ2 method of having a "x2 vs. Mounted" seemed to work well enough, whether "Pikes vs. Knights" or "ATGs vs. AFVs."
2. I would also like to see a second "level" of road – you know: something between well-worn pathways, mainly used for goats, and autobahns. This could be implemented by increasing the Road Movement bonus via Tech.
3. Also, the ability to limit how far a unit can move from a city. This is so historically accurate that its absence pains me:
   • Myth aside, no Roman Legion was ever ordered to march, “To the ends of the Earth.”
   • Alexander the Great never bothered moving westwards because all the wealth (Cities) lay to the east – and he moved (cf. his conquest of the Persian Empire) City by City.
   • A unit "Flag" exception should be implemented to allow Units (Scouts, etc.) to ignore this limitation.
4. The ability of Cities to share Food. Not the use of Caravans as in Civ2, but for excess food to be sent to a City which needs it (Food supply decreased by a Bonus Resource “migrating” away, or needing more Food to exploit a Resource rich location.)
5. Having Retreat probability determined by Unit type, not Scenario parameters.
6. While leaving the overall ability to "Sacrifice" units triggered by Tech, then having the actual Sacrifice be limited to certain Improvements (e.g., "Sacrificial Temples.")
7. Set fully customizable Terrain Tile transformations, so that, e.g., the Pollution mechanics can be changed for Terraforming an alien planet.
8. Along with my favorite, "Archon Without Portfolio" (@Blue Monkey) - Events, although the nature and scope of these would plainly need to be pre-defined.

 

[Lionic]

I am so glad that you've created this thread!
- Allow building requirement (s) for units. I.e. ships require Shipyard, mounted units require Stable, etc.;
- Loosing certain units should not cause war weariness (Drones, Mercenaries);
- Change Air Defense routine, Air Defense unit should Bombard attacking air unit, i.e. Flak with AA:2 ROF: 2 bombards incoming air unit with Strength:2 ROF:2. Range also could be applied, so that some units could provide Air Defense to neighboring tiles;
- Add "Counter Battery" flag for artillery units. Units with such flag may return fire to enemy bombarding units;
- Add Size to units. Heavier units should consume more space inside the transport;
- Add a flag that allows some naval units to attack enemy ships in ports;
- Add a parameter similar to ROF, but for direct attacks;
- Allow air units to Retreat from the failed air combat. I.e. fighters could get break away from biplanes, jets from fighters etc;
- Allow specialist citizens to produce shields, commerce and food inside the city;
- Allow city improvements to benefit specialist citizens (i.e. double the effect of Entertainers) or tile improvements (i.e. +50% to Food production on Farms);

 

[Ozymandias]

What @Lionic said!

I also thought of another: an option for “traditional” (paper & cardboard) style Zones Of Control. At their most “stringent,” these prohibit enemy units from moving into and out of one in the same turn. Ideally there would be “tweaks,” as in special units (guerrillas, Francs-tireurs, etc.) being able to ignore these ... Perhaps even a "meaningful" Defensive Artillery Bombardment. Should any developments lead this way, I'd be more than happy to draw up a more comprehensive list of options.

-z

 

[WildWeazel]

@WildWeazel - The old Civ2 method of having a "x2 vs. Mounted" seemed to work well enough, whether "Pikes vs. Knights" or "ATGs vs. AFVs."

Indeed, but why limit yourself to one such flag? That's what I was getting at with the custom tags. Then there could be "x2 vs Mounted" and "x1.5 vs Armor" and "x0 vs Rabbit" in the same mod.

Also, the ability to limit how far a unit can move from a city. This is so historically accurate that its absence pains me:

How do you see this working for the player? Would there be a radius from the nearest city/border beyond which the terrain is impassable?

 

[Civinator]

Nearly one year ago here in this forum I made a list about features for this project. I have posted many of these items in the thread of the Flintlock mod/patch, too.

High priority:

Fixed bugs (nearly all of them now fixed by Flintlock):

- Submarine bug fixed
- Fix of the houseboat bug (last settler of a civ on a boat after loosing the last city) added
- AI routine for land artillery fixed
- Stealth Attack fixed (attacking unit can take out a single target in a stack)
- Phantom resources bug fixed

New general features:

- Barbarians and Pirates can hold cities and are working like in Civ 2
- more culture groups (and city graphics)
- Canals
- navigable rivers
- working "water-cities"
- "Water workers" (possible in current C3C, but AI suddenly kills them without any reason)
- Unit production needs special building in the city
- Buildings can transform one strategic resource into another strategic resource (p.e. oil to petrol)
- Railroad-movement factor adjustable, different speed on different tracks
- Events (as in Civ 2 TOT or with lua in ToTPP)

New unit features:

- Unit, that can move over sea and land, but gains damage every turn not in a city or airfield (like Civ 2 helicopters)
- Caravans as in Civ 2 and 'ship caravans' (tankers)
- AI Land units can carry other land-, air- and/or missile units
- An additional new attack and defense setting:

• Diplomats that can work as in Civ 2 (especially bribing other units - additional new attack)
• Soft attack- (against foot troops) and hard attack values (against tanks) for units
• Units that can only be attacked by special other units (p.e. night bombers by night fighters and flak)

- Combat bonus vs specific units
- Ignore city walls flag for units (as in Civ 2)
- Stack kill flag for units
- different radius of destruction for nuclear attacks
- move of special units (p.e. tanks) costs money (= fuel)
- Different Walk animation for units activated
(units can use different graphics on different terrain, p.e. landunits can use ship graphics when running over land that has water graphics )

Lower priority:

- Adjustable different leader names for all 4 eras in C3C
- more than 512 cities
- more than 31 civs
- more than 256 resources
- more than 8192 units
- Diplomacy talks need certain tech (important for SciFi scenarios; translator)
- custom text for landtiles (p.e. river- and desert names, spots like rock of Gibraltar)
- multiple maps and teleporters (as in Civ 2 ToT and TOTPP)
- different mountain hights (and defense bonus)
- production carryover
- major objective flag (giving more victory points as in Civ 2)

 

[Ozymandias]

1. The ability to pre-set multipoint “Patrol Paths” for Aircraft and Ships.
2. Apropos @Civinator's mention of VLs - having the AI pay attention to them in the first place.
3. A limit, changeable by Tech, to the number of Land Units which can be in a Land Tile at the same time.
4. The “Invisible” Flag being settable by Unit and Tile Type, e.g., Soviet Partisans in Forests in WW2.
5. Re; @Blue Monkey's mention of Events, defining what these are, and what their triggers might be:
   • Tile transformations, like Atlantis in Civ2.
   • Forced Government changes, as in the French and Russian revolutions.
     • “Degradation” of Units accordingly
   • “Breakaway” Cities and groups of Cities (American Revolution.)
6. Realistic implementation of non-Player Civs declaring War on each other,

 

[Takhisis]

I've made a few posts in another thread which I'll later compile but I'll mention already:

-more than one level of terrain, as available, say, in the X-Com games and also in (Open) Transport Tycoon Deluxe
-working (movable, fighter) air units
-workers and terrain improvements for water tiles
-the possibility of more than one production queue in a city, splitting the shield output between them, perhaps evenly or perhaps variably

/subscription post.

 

[Takhisis]

The “Invisible” Flag being settable by Unit and Tile Type, e.g., Soviet Partisans in Forests in WW2.

Units healing on selective types of terrain would be interesting for specific scenarios. Or some types of terrain allowing for healing and some not.

 

[Civinator]

Units healing on selective types of terrain would be interesting for specific scenarios. Or some types of terrain allowing for healing and some not.

In C3C units don´t heal on LM-terrain.