Idea: Special Artifacts for Hidden Antiquity Sites

[Louis XXIV]

I haven't had as much time to play BNW, so this idea may be subject to change, but here goes anyway.

There are ten hidden sites in the game as a reward for finishing the Exploration tree. But they're kind of boring - basically the same kinds of artifacts you'd get anyway. My thought is to have "special" artifacts (possibly even called "Great Artifacts") that are only found in these hidden sites. They would have unique art that pops up when you obtain them and you can go back and look at them again. Ideally, they should also give you other things to make them worthwhile (like science, gold, etc.) just like natural wonders do.

The wonders should be famous real world examples of ancient artifacts that have been taken and placed in museums. The most famous would be the Rosetta Stone. If anyone else has suggestions, please post them. I'll make a list. So what do you think of this idea? I think it'll make hidden sites more important and, therefore, help increase the importance of the exploration tree even for those who don't have a powerful navy.

Great Artifact ideas:
Rosetta Stone
Venus of Willendorf
Mask of King Tutankhamun
Code of Hammurabi
The Oseberg Ship
Dead Sea Scrolls
Aksum Obelisk
Clovis Points
Etowah Plates
Shroud of Turin

Priam's Treasure
The Koh-i-Noor diamond (taken from India and placed in the crown jewels)
Stone of Tizoc
Coatlicue statue
Tuxtla Statuette

Sword of Goujian
Mawangdui Silk Texts
Coyolxauhqui Stone
Venus of Dolní Věstonice
Cyrus Cylinder
Bust of Nefertiti
Stele of the Vultures
Wulfing cache

Rongorongo
Warrior of Hirschlanden
Padang Roco Inscription
Phaistos Disc
Merneptah Stele
Antikythera mechanism
Mask of Agamemnon

Ötzi the Iceman
Luzia Woman
Rylands Library Papyrus
Tel Dan Stele
Ipuwer Papyrus
Siloam Inscription

Duvensee paddle
Battersea Shield
Lady of Elche
Lady of Guardamar
Preslav Treasure
Botorrita plaque
Golden Cone of Ezelsdorf-Buch
Hallaton Helmet
Seax of Beagnoth
Eberswalde Hoard
Nordendorf fibulae
Nordendorf fibulae

Dōtaku
Crown of Gaya
Wonoboyo hoard
Amoghapasa inscription
Bajaur casket
Venus of Tan-Tan
Kahun Papyri

 

[LastSword]

Tutankhamun Tomb. (Mask of Tutankhamun)


That's good idea for mod.

 

[Louis XXIV]

Yeah. I hope someone makes it.

That's a good choice too. I'm trying to create some global diversity because it's too easy to make everything from Egypt. However, I'm definitely adding that one. It just epitomizes archaeology at its historical height. I'm also going to add Priam's Treasure for the same reason. No reason the list can't be more than ten even if only ten would make the actual cut if some generous mod-maker decides to take up this idea

 

[Galgus]

I like that idea, it would be cool for hidden sites to be stronger.

This may be silly, but what if mythic natural wonders such as the Fountain of Youth and El Dorado could only be seen and used by players who completed the Exploration tree?

(At least until they found a city on one.)

They could be made even stronger, and potentially spawned scattered in unclaimed territory after someone finished Exploration.

 

[Louis XXIV]

Actually, that's not a terrible idea. I like the rarity code approach now (you have the incentive to go look for it, but the odds are you'll never find it). However, it might be cool to think that, perhaps, they never found it because they never finished the exploration tree. You could add King Solomon's Mines to that list.

It also makes me wonder about adding fictional artifacts to this list. The Ark of the Covenant would certainly be an appropriate hidden artifact (Raider's of the Lost Ark and all that), but, at the same time, I feel there are enough found tangible ones to choose from so as to not justify it. It would fit my idea of these artifacts giving special bonuses (it would give lots of faith and possibly melt Nazi faces), though.

 

[otaman1]

Cities that were destroyed before the game even started (4000 BC) like Jericho or like neolithic age tools

 

[seancolorado]

Agreed. The artifacts should be special and give a boost and they should give no diplomatic hit for digging them in foreign lands.

 

[Louis XXIV]

Cities that were destroyed before the game even started (4000 BC) like Jericho or like neolithic age tools

Well, you have to be more specific. You can't put the entire city of Jericho into a museum

Agreed. The artifacts should be special and give a boost and they should give no diplomatic hit for digging them in foreign lands.

I agree and disagree. If the other civ can't see them, there should be no penalty. However, if they complete exploration as well, they should be free to yell at you.

 

[seancolorado]

I agree and disagree. If the other civ can't see them, there should be no penalty. However, if they complete exploration as well, they should be free to yell at you.

Yeah that's what I meant. Seems like a very natural concept, wondering what the reasoning for not implementing that was. (Perhaps it should also be restricted to open borders, or no?)

 

[otaman1]

Well, you have to be more specific. You can't put the entire city of Jericho into a museum

Ancient cities like Jericho or Çatalhöyük should be made into an archaeology site and the things found in those ancient cities will have artifacts and tools that can be displayed in museums

 

[Louis XXIV]

An interesting expansion of my idea.

I usually go for the simpler idea first, though. Plus, my idea would allow for more flexibility. The problem with your idea is that the artifacts themselves will probably be generic. Catalhoyuk is a famous archaeological site, but I can't name any famous artifacts from it. So it'll still be "found an arrowhead at Catalhoyuk." Part of my idea was to capture the flavor of great art where you can continue to look at the artifacts you found for the indefinite future.

Also, some dig sites belong to civs in the game (e.g., Nimrud. Troy might as well).

 

[wigwam]

Ooh, I love this idea.

I actually think the Ark of the Covenant would be fine—better than the Fountain of Youth. It's apocryphal, sure, but it could actually exist. The real thing just wouldn't have magical Nazi-melting powers.

Other cool stuff that fits the bill:

the Oseberg ship
Ötzi the Iceman
the Antikythera mechanism
the Phaistos Disk
the Cyrus Cylinder
the Mask of Agamemnon
the stele with Hammurabi's Code
the bust of Nefertiti

Some local and local-ish stuff:

a giant, golden, penis-shaped hat (yes, really)
the Erfurt hoard (including the coolest wedding ring you'll ever see)

 

[Snes]

This is a cool idea, but keep it as a thematic bonus only so they function exactly as any artifact, just with the extra flavor of being a real-world object.

 

[Algeroth]

One of the most famous artifact is already present as wonder - the terracotta army.

 

[Galgus]

Ooh, I love this idea.

I actually think the Ark of the Covenant would be fine—better than the Fountain of Youth. It's apocryphal, sure, but it could actually exist. The real thing just wouldn't have magical Nazi-melting powers.

Other cool stuff that fits the bill:

the Oseberg ship
Ötzi the Iceman
the Antikythera mechanism
the Phaistos Disk
the Cyrus Cylinder
the Mask of Agamemnon
the stele with Hammurabi's Code
the bust of Nefertiti

Some local and local-ish stuff:

a giant, golden, penis-shaped hat (yes, really)
the Erfurt hoard (including the coolest wedding ring you'll ever see)

You could have said cone-shaped hat just as accurately.

 

[awesome]

An interesting expansion of my idea.

I usually go for the simpler idea first, though. Plus, my idea would allow for more flexibility. The problem with your idea is that the artifacts themselves will probably be generic. Catalhoyuk is a famous archaeological site, but I can't name any famous artifacts from it. So it'll still be "found an arrowhead at Catalhoyuk." Part of my idea was to capture the flavor of great art where you can continue to look at the artifacts you found for the indefinite future.

Also, some dig sites belong to civs in the game (e.g., Nimrud. Troy might as well).

I had to google, but I found the seated woman of catal hoyuk. Everything else was a mural or a ladder. Still, that's something.

This is a cool idea, but keep it as a thematic bonus only so they function exactly as any artifact, just with the extra flavor of being a real-world object.

Even just a one-tine bonus would work.like, say the Rosetta Stone gives you some science. It doesn't need to give you science every turn. Though, yeah, theming them might bring more tourism than a few paintings would when themed.

 

[killmeplease]

maybe hidden sites should be all the special and random - an artifact, a number of artifacts, a landmark or a landmark+artifacts, varying.

so if you found Jericho, you get "plastered skulls" (x2?) ordinary artifacts (2 culture, 2 tourism) and at the same time a special landmark is created (say 6 culture), having special art.

Gobekli Tepe: 12 culture landmark

Chatal Huyuk: 8 culture landmark, "seated woman" ordinary artifact (2 culture, 2 tourism)

Ötzi the Iceman: great artifact. 4 culture, 6 tourism

Hammurabi's Code: great artifact, 6 culture, 4 tourism

Nefertiti: 5 culture, 5 tourism

Altamira cave: 12 culture landmark

etc.

 

[wigwam]

You could have said cone-shaped hat just as accurately.

I could have said cone-shaped hat, but that would not have been just as accurate. Strictly speaking, that hat is not cone-shaped.

 

[DudewiththeFood]

A frozen mammoth like they keep finding in Siberia.

 

[Xandinho]

My suggestions:

Uluburun shipwreck

Luzia Woman

Jordan Lead Codices

Dead Sea Scrolls

Rylands Library Papyrus P52

Tel Dan Stele

Merneptah Stele

Ipuwer Papyrus

Siloam inscription

Venus of Willendorf