Home World

Ultraman

Warlord
Joined
Feb 27, 2002
Messages
137
Location
Singapore
Greetings! Welcome to Home World.

Have made changes to the game that you might or might not agree with, but I'm putting the file up for you to try out. It is designed based on probably the best earth map available, kudos to Marla Singer. Civ placement tool is not included, instead, changed the start positions to give each Civ maximum elbow room to expand. Also added more goody huts, barbarian camps, but some resources have been way reduced. Goody huts should speed up tech growth in the first few centuries.

New city names have been added, thanks to Sevorak for his mod, added a few more Leaders of my own. Thoughts from various postings on forums have been included; thanx to player1 for his valuable thoughts on ROF, alexman for reducing the cost of espionage, and mainly Armour for how to whip corruption. New units, civilizations, governments and technologies have however not been added. The goal is how to maximise gameplay within existing constraints. Feedback very welcome. Enjoy!

I love Civ3, but I do have a few pet peeves. These are, in order of peeve-ness: corruption, leading to slow growth of large empires, pollution, no matter how many recycling plants and mass transits you build, less than sterling combat experience on land, piss poor air power, near useless sea units, slow tech growth, war weariness, and silly Worker automation.


GENERAL, TERRAIN AND RESOURCE CHANGES

The optimal number of cities for this map has been boosted to 256, half the maximum number you can build, to reduce corruption. Which also means that your Forbidden Palace is available after the 129th city, about when you would have broken into the Euro-Asian landmass from the Americas, or vice versa. Incredibly, the original setting is only 50.

The size 2 and size 3 cities have been increased from 6 and 12, to 7 and 15. Feel cities hit the expansion limit too quickly otherwise.

Diplomats can now initiate propaganda. Waiting for the Spy to come along is a bit too late to be of much use. Historically, dirty tricks in diplomacy is as old as diplomacy itself. Chance of successful propaganda has also been adjusted upwards very slightly.

Deserts cannot be mined, only irrigated, but produce only one food. Tundra no longer produces one shield, nor can you build mines. Plains and Grassland can no longer be mined. These should make for smarter Worker automation, and should also encourage the use of colonies, which is I think is as the game intended. Coast, sea, and ocean all produce one food more each.

Some terrain has been changed, mainly for play balance reasons, and some islands removed. The carefully selected start locations are meant to give every Civ an even chance of surviving and prospering, with good resources, and maximum elbow room to expand before bumping into its neighbors.

Uranium and Oil have been increased by one commerce point, Gold by one shield, Furs by one food. Better reflecting reality, I feel. Some resources, like Oil, Rubber and Uranium, have been reduced, while others like Fish and Game, have been increased. The goal is to encourage more trade and to better reflect real world scarcity. "Oil at any price, or blood for oil."

Golden Age increased from 20 to 25 turns. Most players seem to find 25 turns just right.


CITY IMPROVEMENTS AND WONDERS

Several of the improvements and wonders have been modified to reduce corruption, pollution and war weariness, as appeared sensible to do so. These are:

Palace: Reduces war weariness.
Barracks: Reduces war weariness.
Temple: Reduces corruption - people more moral.
Walls: Maintenance increased from 0 to 1.
Courthouse: Reduces war weariness. Reduces population and building pollution. costs 120 not 80.
Bank: Reduces corruption.
Cathedral: Reduces corruption - people more moral.
Factory: 1, not 2 pollution.
Manu Plant: 1, not 2 pollution. Costs 280, not 320.
Recycling Centre: Reduces both population and bldg pollution, not just bldg. Also produces -5 pollution. Costs 220, not 200. Maintenance increased from 2 to 3.
Hydro, Nuke and Solar Plants: Reduces building pollution. Solar plant costs 280, not 320.
Hospital: Maintenance increased from 2 to 3.
Research Lab: 0, not 1 pollution. Figure they pollute but also develop ways to cut pollution too. Maintenance increased from 2 to 3.
Mass Transit: Produces -2 pollution. Costs 18, not 20.
Airport: 50% luxury increase. Airports don't do that much for their cost, and this benefit doesn't seem to be used by any other improvement or wonder. Go figure. Maintenance increased from 2 to 3.
Police Station: Reduces war weariness. Reduces population and building pollution. Cops catchin' the polluters.
Hoover Dam: Reduces building pollution with city.
Heroic Epic: Reduces war weariness within city.
Iron Works: 1, not 2 pollution.
Forbidden Palace: Reduces war weariness within city.
Military Academy: Reduces war weariness within city.
Pentagon: Reduces war weariness within city.
Intelligence Agency: Reduces corruption, war weariness within city.
Battlefield Medicine: Reduces war weariness within city.

All Great Wonders now cost 3 to maintain, and Small Wonders cost 2. Makes sense that they aren't free, and the reduction in corruption can result in a player slush with funds towards the end of the game. The end result feels about right: the total revenue per turn, with all 512 cities with all improvements and wonders built, is about 46,000, corruption takes about 4,000, and maintenance costs about 16,000.


UNITS

Units have been tweaked to enhanced gameplay while balancing with historical reality:

Marines and Paratroopers treat all roads as squares - which is more in line, I feel, with the physical performance of elite units. The drop range of Paratroopers has also been increased.

Rifleman and Infantry can now do amphibious attacks and have been oriented as offensive units. Historically, even Greek hoplites under Alexander were used as Marines, but I thought that was going a bit far for Civ3.

All units including UUs, have upgrade paths to modern units. My favourite Legionary, for example, becomes Rifleman - Infantry - Mech Inf. Your battle-hardened elite and veteran units now don't need to be disbanded but can trade in their spurs for tracks. Just like many powers did with their horse units at the onset of World War II.

All land units can now be airlifted except Modern Armour, Mech Inf, Tank, Panzer and Radar Artillery. A main battle tank today does weigh about 60 tons .... This change does make for more interesting gameplay as mech units can only move by sea.

Several land and sea units now have ZOC, so expect to be fired upon more when you move. Hey, makes sense that if you move next to an enemy, they're gonna take a potshot.

The movement points of all sea units have been greatly enhanced. Makes no sense for sea units to take several turns to get anywhere. More of a gameplay issue to balance the speed of land units with railways.

Bombardment power of several units have been boosted. Air units should have something of the correct impact on especially pre-modern troops; in balance, the chance of a successful air intercept has been increased to 75%.

Battleships, Frigates, Men o War, and Privateers can now carry one foot soldier unit. Carriers now carry six air units. Privateers can also now bombard. Frigates, Men o War, and Privateers are now dangerous all purpose units. Should be more interesting.

All sea units have enhanced fighting as well as blitz capability. Made no sense to get a Destroyer next to an enemy convoy, and only take out one ship per turn.

Units like the Battleship and Radar Artillery, have longer bombardment ranges.

Radar Artillery now has three movement points. Hey, it's an MLRS after all. Regular Artillery, with three movement points, can now move into position better.

The movement points of Tanks, Panzers, Mech Inf and Modern Armour have all been increased by one movement point each. Makes no sense that a Tank is slower than Cavalry, and with only two movement points, Tanks cannot carry out a proper blitzkrieg into enemy territory. With four movement points, German Panzers are really panzers.

Cost of some modern units have also been adjusted. Hey, an M1 is bloody expensive.

Changed unit statistics:

Worker: Airlift. Flagged as foot soldier.
Settler: Airlift. Flagged as foot soldier.
Scout. MP reduced to 1, but treats all squares as roads. Added speed makes more sense. Radar. Airlift. Flagged as foot soldier.
Explorer: Radar. Airlift. Flagged as foot soldier.
Marine: All squares as roads. Def Str 8, not 6.
Paratrooper: All squares as roads. Op range 8, not 6.
Swordsman: Upgrades to Pikeman.
Horseman: ZOC. Upgrades to Knight.
Longbowman: Upgrades to Musketman.
Knight: ZOC.
Musketman: ZOC.
Rifleman: Amphibious. Offensive, not defensive. ZOC.
Cavalry: Upgrades to Tank.
Infantry: Amphibious. Offensive, not defensive. ZOC.
Tank: Moves 3, not 2. Airlift removed. Costs 120, not 100.
Mech Inf: Moves 3. not 2. Offensive, not defensive. Draft capability removed - too powerful a unit. Ideal unit for loading into Army. Airlift removed.
Modern Armour: Moves 4, not 3. Airlift removed. Costs 150, not 120.
Catapult: ZOC. Airlift. Lethal Land Bombardment.
Cannon: ZOC. Airlift. Lethal Land Bombardment.
Artillery: Moves 2, not 1. ZOC. Airlift. Lethal Land Bombardment.
Radar Artillery: Moves 3, not 2. ZOC. Range 3, not 2. Lethal Land & Sea Bombardment.
Cruise Missile: Airlift. Lethal Land & Sea Bombardment.
Tac Nuke: Airlift.
Galley: Moves 2, not 3. All terrain as roads, so actually moves much further.
Caravel: All terrain as roads, so actually moves much further.
Frigate: All terrain as roads, so actually moves much further. Attack Str 3, Defend 2, instead of 2 and 1. Carries one Foot. ZOC. Upgrades to Ironclad. Lethal Sea Bombardment.
Galleon: All terrain as roads, so actually moves much further.
Ironclad: All terrain as roads, so actually moves much further. Attack Str 5, not 4. ZOC. Blitz. Upgrades to Battleship. Lethal Sea Bombardment.
Transport: All terrain as roads, so actually moves much further.
Carrier: Moves 5, not 4. All terrain as roads, so actually moves much further. Carries 6, not 4.
Submarine: Moves 4, not 3. All terrain as roads, so actually moves much further. ZOC. Blitz.
Destroyer: Moves 7, not 5. All terrain as roads, so actually moves much further. ZOC. Blitz. Carries one Foot. Bombard range 2, not 1. Lethal Sea Bombardment.
Battleship: All terrain as roads, so actually moves much further. Bombard range 3, not 2. ZOC. Blitz. Carries one Foot. Lethal Land & Sea Bombardment.
AEGIS Cruiser: Moves 6, not 5. All terrain as roads, so actually moves much further. Bombard range 3, not 2. ZOC. Blitz. Carries 4 tactical missiles. Bombard Str 6, not 4. Lethal Sea Bombardment.
Nuke Sub: All terrain as roads, so actually moves much further. Attack str 12, not 8. Carries 4 tactical missiles. ZOC. Blitz.
Fighter: Bombard Str 8, not 2. Op. range 6 not 4. ROF 2, not 1. Defend strength dropped to zero. Lethal Land & Sea Bombardment. Now attacks 3 times a turn.
Bomber: Bombard Str 12, not 8. Op. range 8, not 6. Upgrades to Stealth Bomber. Defend strength dropped to zero. Lethal Land & Sea Bombardment. Now attacks 3 times a turn.
Helicopter: Range 6, not 4.
Jet Fighter: Bombard Str 10, not 2. Op. range 8, not 6. ROF 2, not 1. Defend strength dropped to zero. Lethal Land & Sea Bombardment. Now attacks 3 times a turn. America can now build.
Stealth Fighter: Bombard Str 12, not 4. Op. range 8, not 6. Lethal Land & Sea Bombardment. Now attacks 3 times a turn.
Stealth Bomber: Bombard Str 16, not 8. Lethal Land & Sea Bombardment. Now attacks 3 times a turn.
Leader: Airlift.
Army: Unload option; doesn't seem to upload anyway. Radar. Blitz.
Legionary: Upgrades to Rifleman.
Immortals: Upgrades to Rifleman.
Cossack: Upgrades to Tank.
Panzer. Moves 4, not 3. Airlift removed. Costs 120, not 100.
Man o War: All terrain as roads, so actually moves much further. Attack str 4, Defend 3, instead of 3 and 2. Carries one Foot. Upgrades to Ironclad.
F-15: Bombard Str 12, not 4. Op. range 8, not 6. Lethal Land & Sea Bombardment. Now attacks 4 times a turn.
Privateer: Moves 4, not 3. All terrain as roads, so actually moves much further. Attack Str 3, not 2. ZOC. Carries one Foot. Now Bombard Str 2. Lethal Sea Bombardment.


The latest version can be obtained at the following locations:

http://apolyton.net/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=43487
http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=17354


Ronald Hee
August 2002
Version 1.9
ronaldhe@pacific.net.sg

Home World 1.0 removed after 14 downloads.
Home World 1.4 removed after 7 downloads.
Home World 1.5 removed after 65 downloads
Home World 1.6 removed after 33 downloads.
Home World 1.7 removed after 47 downloads.
Home World 1.8 removed after 35 downloads.
 

Attachments

In designing HomeWorld, I've gained a deeper appreciation of why Civ3 is the way it is. The biggest lesson has been corruption. If there was no corruption, leading Civs would gain an enormous amount of wealth and hence an enormous lead. Corruption slows down the big boys. But most players feel the corruption level as it is is ridiculous. The level in HomeWorld is I feel just right. It's still there. It doesn't cripple city development anymore, but still does slow you down. Very slight adjustment in this version. Very slight adjustment in war weariness too.

The start locations have been further adjusted. The goal is to provide all 16 civs with maximum elbow room. Some were still penned in too early.

Ships are nice and powerful. But by comparison, air power isn't as devastating. This has been adjusted. Ship bombardment is down a bit. The Carrier didn't work as hoped and is back to carrying air units only, and now carries six.

Some Civers have complained that in the default game, expansionist powers don't have that much of an advantage. In version 1.5, I've added more goody huts and barbarians, plus the Scout is improved. Another lesson in designing HomeWorld, has been don't mess with the minimum tech rate. If the tech rate is lowered, then technology progresses too fast. You move from era to era too quickly and your units get obsolete as you build them. The goody huts do however speed up the early centuries.

The terrain changes didn't work as hoped, so these have been changed again. The AI isn't too smart on utilization of terrain, so it has to be guided.

The Marine and Paratrooper change is a failure. Flagging "all terrain as roads" applied also to terrain with railroads? Crazy design flaw! So their MP has been boosted instead.

The airlift flag has been removed from Modern Armor, Mech Inf, Radar Artillery, Tank and Panzer. Makes sense; how many M1s and Bradleys do you get on any air transport? Forces you to use ships, which enhances their importance.

Marla Singer was way too generous with resources. Trading isn't so possible. Resources have been reduced. The terrain has been changed somewhat too. The Civ that is stuck in Australia won't be so dominated by the desert, for example. The Nile Delta is the cradle it should be.

Lastly, espionage, which in the default game is next to useless, has simply been made less costly and hence more viable.

I need help though, in one area. The display for the modern Worker is somehow off, and either doesn't show or shows as settler. Anyone knows what's wrong?

Happy civing!
 
Just downloaded the 1.17 patch, as I have a new notebook. The all squares as roads glitch does not affect 1.17, only 1.07. Marines and Paratroopers should therefore be back to 1 MP. Also missed changing Panzer to 4 MP as suggested. For those that have just downloaded, sorry! Please make the amendments in CivEditor - or wait a bit for version 1.6!
 
Yo, player1. Aircraft STILL ain't worth a damn, in my opinion. Do you think anything can be done - hit strength, ROF - or should I wait patiently for the next patch from Firaxis?
 
Originally posted by Ultraman
Yo, player1. Aircraft STILL ain't worth a damn, in my opinion. Do you think anything can be done - hit strength, ROF - or should I wait patiently for the next patch from Firaxis?

You can always give them more bombard power and higher ROF, just don't make them overpowered compared to artillery.

Lets see...

try this:
Bombers: 10 attack, 4 ROF
Fighters: 4 attack, 3 ROF
Jet Fighters: 6 attack, 4 ROF

This would make them enough powerfull to give them higher price in my optinioin.

Just note:
Never teseted any of these values.
 
Yo

Yeah, I could, but even a Warrior cannot be taken out by a Stealth Bomber! He would be reduced to one HP, then not matter how often you try, it'll be bombing mission failed. No matter I think, what is the bombard strength or the ROF. All that bombing power "missed" the target. I fail to see the logic there. Until that is changed, it's hard to justify the cost of any aircraft, and to a lesser extent, any bombard unit. Hello, Firaxis ....

You're from Belgrade, eh? Isn't the Internet wonderful for bringing people together!?
 
Originally posted by Ultraman
Yo

Yeah, I could, but even a Warrior cannot be taken out by a Stealth Bomber! He would be reduced to one HP, then not matter how often you try, it'll be bombing mission failed. No matter I think, what is the bombard strength or the ROF. All that bombing power "missed" the target. I fail to see the logic there. Until that is changed, it's hard to justify the cost of any aircraft, and to a lesser extent, any bombard unit. Hello, Firaxis ....

You can always make cruise missles with ROF of 4, and maybe higher range (don't need to do that just setting from my MOD) and then use them to SINK ships or DESTROY armors.
Of corse you should done several bombards so that curise missle sinks them without chance of failure.

Tactic: Bombard with several bombers, use Cruise Missile.
Tactic2: Bombard warrior once, kill him with Tanks, no more Tank vs Warrior problems, since warrior has just on HP.


There is one problem if Firaxis alows bombard killing units:
Ships can't do anything to counter attack, which makes fleet pointless. Maybe giving them air supperiority missions?

You're from Belgrade, eh? Isn't the Internet wonderful for bringing people together!?
Yes it is.
 
Greetings from Singapore, nearly half a world away from you!

Hear what you are saying. Current tactic is to never build bombard units, but used captured ones. Let em fire off, then attack. Some value, but simply makes no sense that they can't kill anything. Entire units have crumbled under arty bombardment since at least WWI, not in the sense that everyone died, but enough were killed and equipment destroyed, that the unit ceased to be a fighting force - broke and ran, got absorbed into other units, etc. Look at the effect of primitive planes in the 1930's on tribes that had never seen aircraft before - they disintegrated and ran home, with very few real casualties.

Never liked expendable units, so only built the Cruise Missile once so far.

Would ships be sitting ducks to airpower? Absolutely! Look at WWII onwards. Ships started having enormous AA batteries, and were still being destroyed, eg HMS Sheffield in 1982. Then ships were developed for air defence only, the primary example being the AEGIS-equipped Cruiser. BTW, I don't see any current use for the Cruiser, so perhaps Firaxis should have some kind of air defence capability for Destroyers and Battleships only, a capability that is doubled if a Cruiser is within range.

Sorry for the history lesson!

:crazyeye: The key as I see it is how can we make Civ3 more realistic without affecting gameplay. I think this is something that Firaxis needs to address. "'Hello, may I speak to Sid, please?"

As always, great to hear from you
 
Today, 16th April, is my birthday. As a present to all you wonderful Civers out there, I am happy to upload version 1.6 of Home World. Your present to me has been the great response! As of today, total downloads at Apolyton and CivFanatics is 803!

Biggest change in this version is from thorough testing of each Civ's start location, now definitely very well spread out, with goodies nearby for the fledgling empire. The other changes are relatively minor finetunes in units, terrain, pollution. City sizes are also been bumped up. Do note fewer strategic resources - enough if your empire is well-sized, but you will have to fight for them otherwise!

As usual, enjoy and feedback welcome!
 
The latest version of Home World has been added to the first post. Changes:

Terrain and resources changed a little bit more. Less resources across the board.

Various general settings changed to be in line with Civ3 1.21f.

Lethal Land Bombardment: Catapult, Cannon, Artillery.

Lethal Sea Bombardment: Frigate, Ironclad, Destroyer, AEGIS Cruiser, Privateer.

Lethal Land & Sea Bombardment: Radar Artillery, Cruise Missile, Battleship, Fighter, Bomber, Jet Fighter, Stealth Fighter, Stealth Bomber, F-15. At last, some decent bite in air power.

All sea units now treat all squares as roads. This allows for greatly reduced movement points without overbalancing bombardment capabilities. A Battleship can in theory bombard or attack four times. In earlier versions of Home World, a Battleship could bombard 14 times .... thank you, version Civ3 1.21f. Movement points have also been increased across the board.

Artillery and Radar Artillery moved up one MP.

Mass Transit and Recyling Center tweaked to handle pollution better.

Costs of improvements adjusted to reflect enhanced roles.

Palace and Forbidden Palace now reduce war weariness.

Courthouse and Police Station now reduces population pollution - "Ooi you! You're under arrest for that gum wrapper!"

Modern units have been increased in cost. Hey, they do cost more. How many Shermans does an Abrams buy?

No more restarting of crushed civilizations. If ever you had to scour the entire map trying to find that last remaining city, you'll know why.

Culturally linked civs are also de-linked. Who starts out as your neighbor is truly random.

Gold Age increased to 25 turns, from 20.

Bombard strengths of all air units tweaked upwards.
 
Hello! Just wanted to say that this is a top mod, just what the game needed i reckon. It's not too complicated (like LWC) but makes playing just that much more enjoyable.

Keep it up Ultraman! :goodjob:
 
Hey, Crazy Buddha!

Thanx very much for your comments! I'm prettty happy with what I've done.

I'm workin' on version 1.8 and plan to post before mid-June, one last version before the scenario editor is finally released. I still find things like airpower piss poor. I plan to bump up the maintenance costs of improvements, wonders and units, felt it's currently too low. This is also partly because, wiith corruption under control, the player gets too much money towards the end of the game.

I hope you will like 1.8 too!
 
Changes for version 1.8

Marines, since they are no longer the only amphibious unit, have had their defence strength upped from 6 to 8.

Desert reverted back to only one food with irrigation. Too similar to plains otherwise.

Some terrain changed.

Maintenance costs of improvements bumped up, and all Great Wonders now cost 3 to maintain, and Small Wonders, 2. Otherwisthe drop in corruption leads to too much money.

Slight tweak to Recycling Centre and Police Station to reduce pollution further.

Fighter, Jet Fighter and Bomber defence strength reduced to zero. Now can be captured like Stealth Bombers!

All aircraft now moves 3, with blitz capability. In other words, air units can attack up to three times a turn. Finally, air power rocks!

The F-15 remains the exception. It cannot be captured, and now can attack 4 times a turn. Go, Eagles!

AEGIS Cruiser now carries 4 tactical missiles. So does Nuclear Submarine, up from 1. At last, some use for the AEGIS Cruiser.

Scout and Explorer given Radar.
 
anyone know what version this will work on?? i'm not very knowledgable at this if you aint guessed :P
 
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