A couple questions for Karadoc,
As you probably know I like to get the feel of each era, the military, the technology, and really get the feel of history/epic struggles in the game. I play at a slightly slower game speed. Epic but not Marathon.
1. Have you thought about adding a small (~5%) increase in tech cost for a person who is a couple techs up on the rest of the world? My perceived problem: the tech time from liberalism to rifles to assembly line seems too short. Also maybe a small diplomatic penalty for someone far ahead (people are scared of a single nation breaking "the balance of power" like in European history).
2. Custom houses and trade income seems potentially too strong at this point in the game, to me at least. Perhaps tech progression could be slowed somewhat in this direction? Again only minorly (5% or so). It would be fine, to me, if the gnp amount could be reduced, and replaced with a small production bonus.
3. Perhaps increase the epsionage costs of someone who does alot of mission against you in a small amount of time. Even if I get a good epsionage amount going, I can never come close to competing with the ai. Idk why this is, or if Im missing something (I know about great spies and courthouses etc etc). Doesnt seem to drain the ai's tech rate either.
4. As a way of slowing down monster ais tech rate. Perhaps provide a slightly larger gnp penalty for having mulitple vassals?
5. Any thoughts about making the ai a little more eco conscious about cutting its trees down? Or Increasing tree growth in the mid to late game in isolated or roadless parts of the world? These time periods would be less conflicted by balance issues (too many extra trees in the earlier ages could help spam wonders too much etc etc)
6. Any thoughts on increasing ai "consciousness" when seeing a large navy near, in, its territory. You can make a huge navy/army and just travel it through the ais borders (with open borders) and then just move out of the borders and declare war when you get where you want to be. I call this "Capital hunting", cause you can burn a capital near the ocean pretty easy this way.
7. I know you like role playing, and I dont necessarily think that ais taking notice of someone close to winning and reacting negatively towards them (canceling deals, declaring war, or hurrying their own plans of securing victory) would be opposed to role playing. A peaceful tech nation could cancel deals and bribe others to cancel deals/increase its diplomatic reputation, a warlike nation could declare war to prevent someone from winning, a religious nation could increase its own cultural/diplomatic win efforts if it noticed someone else getting close- for example, and not at a 100% always rate, just an increased chance of these things.
I would like Karadoc's opinions, but other people can feel free to chime in as well.
