Jamis: Firstly, I am with you in that I want every FF to be worth getting and have some value (so you actually have to make a decision as to whether you want them).
But I don’t want to give static bonuses to them all in ascending order. Whilst that would achieve this 'ascending quality' I want to come up with more varied ideas, so that each has a use in game which is as unique from others as is possible.
That might mean that you will still avoid a certain FF (or a few) in most games, but I want them all to suit a particular strategy or playing style in some instances! Example: Powhatan giving +1 movement and strength to converted natives is brilliant for the French or anyone going missionary crazy, in that they move about quicker, and if you need a last line of defence the Indian colonist can defend your settlement better than any other colonist without guns. Yet if you are playing at warmonger with the spaniards, or you don’t have any missionaries its absolutely useless to you!
Minuit giving –25% at the early game stage he currently occupies in vanilla is way too powerful. Probably makes him the best value-for-points single FF in vanilla, if not the best overall. I’ve split this bonus into two portions, moved them later in game, and put the bonuses in different Father ‘trees’, de Witt giving –10% cost at around the 12th FF position, and James Madison upping that another –20%, mid to late game. I think I like it with two options rather than 5 though, it helps keeps the FF diverse, and still gives you a gameplay element in that you could push to get both of them for a whopping –30% off purchases.
specifically on FF you mentioned:
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Re: Jimenez de Quesada – not sure what you mean with this one, are you saying that +1 movement galleon is too powerful for his position? He would be the 1st FF to be offered in most games so perhaps he is. But then again, nobody will have a galleon at the stage he is obtained, so this isn't even realised until later in game. I wanted to keep the 'x2 chance of treasure' and 'see all burial grounds' as separate bonuses so that one nation doesn’t necessarily get to hog the scouting. You think he is overpowered?
(needs some change) Re: Pocahontas – Yes I agree - she is weak, even at the first Political spot (probably would be about the 6th FF you would be offered in game). I do want it to seem like
she is the Indian convert you get though! Hence I’m reluctant to change the bonus in that way for her. I could just make her cost less political points so she arrived as the 3rd Father or somewhere in that region? Any other ideas on making her more useful? Could she come along with a 250 gold piece cash dowry?! (not sure if that’s codeable in XML though - lol)
(poss needs strengthening?) Re: Adam Smith – No its not +50% production of the workers in the factories, it was supposed to be +50% hammers towards production of rum/cigar/cloth/coat factories (i.e. not changed from vanilla game). I’ve edited the text in the design above to try and make that clearer. Is that under-powered for his position you think? Maybe +100% hammers for production of all factories?
Re: Sam Adams – because his bonus is tied to tax he is weak early game, strong late game. He arrives somewhere middle game so that’s exactly what I hope him to function as
Re: Thomas Paine - I can see something to be done to make Thomas Paine more historically relevant, but am not convinced about +10% hammers. I’d also like to keep somebody with the +25% liberty bell bonus. Any other ideas for him?
(changed) Re: John Paul Jones – agree and see your point, but bringing him much earlier makes him too powerful mid-game. I’ve moved him up one space, swapping with Ethan Allen whose bonuses are more relevant for trench warfare in the WOI.
Re: Washington Irving – I wanted to give an education boost without having to wait till Harvard. Perhaps if combining them this makes education too easy it could be nerfed down to +25%? I don’t actually see many players being able to get both FF though, not if the AI becomes as competitive as I hope.
Re: Ben Franklin – I really like this change and don’t want to change him back yet! Want to see how it plays out in a test game - I’m trying to mimic the actual French Intervention with an FF (Franklin is likely one of the very last Fathers), and want to keep some motivation of continuing to produce liberty bells after declaring independance.
All – Again, really appreciate the help/feedback so far
!
