Golden Ages changed in Beta, What Next?

[Phorever Phalanx]

The change to Golden ages being triggered by wonders has been well received on this site. It's clear that Firaxis is using the Beta to balance play and that they are reading our feedback.

So... what is the #1 thing you think they should change prior to release? I'd prefer not to have this be another thread on multiplayer, but rather balance tweaks that might actually be seen and changed before release.

I think the #1 thing for me is more governments. It was one of the best things in SMAC, with multiple combinations of attributes. There have been good threads on this topic. I fear that Firaxis has avoided making this change because in Civ2 Rep/Dem with WLT days was so powerful for growing population and Fundy was so powerful for war. I actually think if there are more options, we will see more strategies develop.

What do you hope they can change?

 

[kundor]

I'd say it's hard to know what I want to change before I've played the game! I can have no idea what works and what doesn't. However, upping the max number of civs that can play (from 8) would make me happy.

 

[rdwendt]

As far as I know, there seems to be a good mix of governments. The originals (minus fundamentalism) have been retained, and a new form of government known as "Nationalisim" has replaced "Fundamentalism". If this is true, then I feel confident that a wide range of options has been presented to the gamers, and we should see a good balance between the dominant play styles and the more obscure ones.

[ September 10, 2001: Message edited by: rdwendt ]</p>

 

[Dearmad]

Nationalism is a technology, not a government.

 

[rdwendt]

Are you sure? I read a preview of the game (conveniently I seem to have forgotten where I read it) that claimed that they were introducing a new form of government (Nationalism). They gave specific details about how it would function, and what game strategies it would be useful for.<br />I recall that Civ2 had a tech called Nationalism, but I think here you are mistaken.

 

[Dearmad]

I'm sure. It's been discussed to death at Apolyton.

 

[Chinese American]

There was no tech called Nationalism in Civ2. Nat'lism allows you to mobilize your units without unhappiness for any government you're in. So you can't revolutionize to Nat'lism.

 

[Squirrel]

Cited from the Info Center:

Nationalism is a NOT new government type in Civ3. Nationalism is a just Tech that allows you to draft citizens and switch to a war-time economy <br />Mobilizing for war halves the cost of all military units and improvements, but doubles all others. Once mobilized for war, you must select an enemy. You cannot switch out of a wartime economy until the war ends. Mobilizing for peace has the opposite effect, halving the cost of other improvements, but doubling your military expenditures.<hr></blockquote>

 

[jedi rat]

Does anybody know if military units, which are away from cities or forts, will cause unhappiness. I served some time in navy and to be honest &#8211; THERE IS NO SUCH A THING LIKE UNHAPPINESS IN ARMY!!! It does not matter if you home, in jungle, desert or in hell &#8211; you are in the army &#8211; to get your ass kicked, and some &#8220;Flower Power&#8221; demonstration are very unlikely to change that fact. If you are unhappy &#8211; quit!!! SO I hope that CIV will treat that matter more realistic.

 

[rdwendt]

ok, thanks everyone. I understand now.

 

[Kevorkian]

What I would like to see is the complete exclusion of nationality colours!...I hated the fact that the Germans could never (unless you did some editing) meet the French, or the Americans could never meet the Chinese. I believe that the game would be greatly enhanced (especially now that there are differences in the civs) if a random colour be given to each civ. NFI if this has already been said or if it is just a given that Firaxis has already done this but It’s something I want to see in the game.

 

[Martinus]

For me it would be definitely implementing SE from SMAC. IMHO it was the best change introduced by SMAC to the series.

 

[Serg]

Originally posted by Kevorkian:<br /><strong>What I would like to see is the complete exclusion of nationality colours!...I hated the fact that the Germans could never (unless you did some editing) meet the French, or the Americans could never meet the Chinese.</strong><hr></blockquote>

I agree. It is important thing. But It seems to me that this problem will be solved by Firaxis.

I wish that sea tiles may be cultivated.

 

[WUM]

Now that they have heard our cry for help and changed the trigger of golden ages, i only have one more point that bothers me a little. This is the fact that no more civs are possible in one game, even though it ís possible to play on very large maps! That just doesn´t make sense. To be honest, i like to play a game with ALL the civs in it. Don´t see that happen, though.

Hé, wait a minute, almost forgot! The yellow color should definitely be changed into a more blue-ish color. An option would be the greatest.

Just thinking now, i hope that the game will go further into the future, with some techs that are being developed right now but that are not common in our world just jet.

Yearning for more info,<br />i´ll wait for a copple of weeks more...<br />they better not delay the thing!

 

[Ubik01]

I'll go with those who are ranting about that little government issue. I mean, I would expect from Civ3 a new, improved system, involving goverments and economical systems - like Democracy and Free Trade, or Rebublic and State Capitalism or Dictatorship and Free trade etc.

It would add greatly to the game - and it would something like SMAC's Social Engineering, depending on every civ's (actually... every players) personal agenda.

It looks like it's too late for something like that (if it's Beta only tweaks are possible) so let's introduce a couple more governments, gents at Firaxis. The existing minous fundamentalism? That's harsh...

 

[Dearmad]

Yeah Ubik, something like that would be neat... as long as it's kept a little simpler than in SMAC but still with interesting effects on the outcome of the game.

 

[Duke of Marlbrough]

Originally posted by jedi rat:<br /><strong>Does anybody know if military units, which are away from cities or forts, will cause unhappiness. I served some time in navy and to be honest &#8211; THERE IS NO SUCH A THING LIKE UNHAPPINESS IN ARMY!!! It does not matter if you home, in jungle, desert or in hell &#8211; you are in the army &#8211; to get your ass kicked, and some &#8220;Flower Power&#8221; demonstration are very unlikely to change that fact. If you are unhappy &#8211; quit!!! SO I hope that CIV will treat that matter more realistic.</strong><hr></blockquote>

To a degree, it is realistic. The unhappniess isn't the 'army' being unhappy (i.e. morale), but the people at home being unhappy that their loved ones are away from home. That is why the unit away from the city makes some of the cities people unhappy.