[R&F] How would you improve dedications?

[genuinesmile29]

I've played a couple games trying out the new leaders but haven't played past the Renaissance Era. I was surprised that there were only 4 dedications to choose from and that they didn't change between the Classical and Renaissance eras.

Do you think the dedication process is too simple? What kinds of dedications would you add?

 

[PhilBowles]

They can change - Hic Sunt Draconis isn't available in the Classical Era as far as I know, and obviously the industrial and spy ones are later. They don't seem to vary enough, I agree - I get mostly the same options most of the time. I have no issues with the way the system works, though the trade route one should probably be tweaked to 'start or complete a trade route' since given the length of time routes take to complete you'll never get more than 1 point per route in an era (2 if you're close to completing a route when the era starts) - pretty much every other dedication can provide more era score.

Era score from archaeology should probably be a dedication rather than a default part of the game - maybe 1 point for every artifact, relic or Great Work?

Era score for each city conquered would be good since warmongers complain the thresholds rise too quickly at present with new captures. The AI rarely builds enough corps or armies to satisfy that condition.

Era score from settling could perhaps be a Classical dedication that isn't available in other eras, though it might do too much to undermine the use of the age system as a way to pace expansion.

 

[SammyKhalifa]

I think I have to think about it a bit still.

 

[Karpius]

I've only got a couple R&F games under my belt now, but so far I wouldn't change it.

 

[UWHabs]

Wouldn't mind seeing some new options for dedications, so that you don't get the same boost every time. But definitely a good start to a system.

 

[Jackanape]

I concur with Phil's excellent analysis above. In addition, I've found that dedications generally don't amount to a hill of beans. I'm not sure what I'd change to make them matter, but they need...something....

 

[genuinesmile29]

I concur with Phil's excellent analysis above. In addition, I've found that dedications generally don't amount to a hill of beans. I'm not sure what I'd change to make them matter, but they need...something....

I think across the board, civ developers made a game of small variations. Mod's like Atlas' Better Uniques make civ powers and unique units stronger across the board and playing with that really underscored how small the differences between civs can be in vanilla. Not too surprising that the same design methodology came out in the dedications.

I think it could be interesting to offer a selection of a dozen small dedications from which the player can choose any 3. That way the player could really feel like they're choosing a strategy that fits.

 

[iammaxhailme]

I wish there was a bit more variety in the dedications, yeah.

 

[Japper007]

I think, like most of the Era Score related stuff, that the dedication stuff is just too much "a thing that happens" rather than "a thing you DO" There is one for trade routes terminating for crying out loud, something you have absolutely zero influence over since it is a duration hard-coded into the game! The District ones are also pretty much being rewarded for something that happens regardless, who ever thinks: "gee I better start building Campuses to satisfy Free Inquiry!" ?
No, instead it comes down to: "Well I have a few Campuses locked in already, so I might as well finish them now for some free Era Score"

I want to see some that actually encourage me to break from my usual path and do something out of the box, say "Settle a city on a different continent" (Greek Colonization, Ancient Era, or as an Imperialism related one in later Era's) or "build at least one land unit of every class" (Combined Arms).

 

[PhilBowles]

I think, like most of the Era Score related stuff, that the dedication stuff is just too much "a thing that happens" rather than "a thing you DO" There is one for trade routes terminating for crying out loud, something you have absolutely zero influence over since it is a duration hard-coded into the game! The District ones are also pretty much being rewarded for something that happens regardless, who ever thinks: "gee I better start building Campuses to satisfy Free Inquiry!" ?
No, instead it comes down to: "Well I have a few Campuses locked in already, so I might as well finish them now for some free Era Score"

I just default to taking Free Inquiry in the Classical Era when I'm first getting campuses up. As for altering behaviour, I'll usually make more direct effort to get eurekas - which provide most era score. Avoiding a Dark Age is important enough when expanding early that it's worth altering your play a little if you aren't already on course to do so.

I want to see some that actually encourage me to break from my usual path and do something out of the box, say "Settle a city on a different continent" (Greek Colonization, Ancient Era, or as an Imperialism related one in later Era's) or "build at least one land unit of every class" (Combined Arms).

Like most of Rise & Fall's features the system's there for immersion rather than practical strategy - this is still Civ VI, which is not a nuanced strategy game. If anything the fact that it does promote a degree of optimisation (in your terms, following a "usual path") is a refreshing break from the vanilla game's ability to random walk at basically any point.

 

[acluewithout]

I’d like 5 dedications to choose from per era instead of 4. The fifth dedication would depend on the government you were currently in.


So, for example, if you were in Monarchy your fifth dedication might be Chivary. This would generally give extra era score for kills with knights and pikes. In a golden / heroic age, pikes and knights might be cheaper or get combat bonuses.