Keep the Squid -or- Can the Squid

[cracker]

We have enough players well into Gotm16-Rome to open a discussion of whether we feel we should keep things like the squid or whether we should not do these sorts of things.

This discussion thread is intended to serve two purposes:

1. We want feedback to decide if the "squid" specifically could be included in future games.
2. We would like feedback on the general concept of including extra units and unit-like features in the games.
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   The general guidelines we are using to decide if the added unit features meet the standards and mission statement of the GOTM would be to make sure that the standard unit features of the basic game are not substantially altered or confused by the addition of the extra features. This does not mean that the new feature may not create a challenge for all players to learn to deal with.
   
   We also want to try and keep the game as close as possible to the standard unit configurations in order to emphasize that learning to play the game well under fairly standard rules can be an exciting and enjoyable experience.
   
   Please share with us your opinion of the squid unit and any guidance or feedback that you may have WITHOUT TURNING THIS DISCUSSION INTO A MAJOR SPOILER.

 

[Nightfang]

Hmmm, canned squid. Sounds tasty...

I liked the little buggers. It was very neat the first time one of my explorers spotted one. Watching it bop around at the shoreline was pretty cool. When I first engaged one, I thought for certain it was going to destroy me, but was surprised. Not that I won all engagements with them, mind you.

By all means, keep them, or anything like it. Sea monsters, great white whales, pirate galleys. It does not change the game much, and adds a little flair to it, making the experience unique.

 

[DaveMcW]

I like the extra units. But can you include a different *.sav file without the edited graphics, to make it easier to "opt out"?

 

[Borealis]

I second Nightfang- more squids or other interesting sea units would be awesome. Have a different 'sea terror/monster' for each civilization... for Carthage, find something lurking in the Mediterranean, maybe.

 

[Moonsinger]

I love the Squid too. I like to see more squids, sea monsters, and land monsters too. It would even be better if there are invisible sea monsters in the deep ocean with the attack and defend strength equivalent to the modern battleship. Just like the submarine unit, they are 100% invisible until we run into them. I think that would be a lot of fun.

 

[Dimy]

I liked the squid too, but next time maybe not so many of them . They were a great addition to the GOTM anyway and I hope to see more of them or alikes in future GOTM's.

Moonsingers idea about an invisible super sea creature sounds nice too .

-Dimy

 

[Megalou]

Very funny! Unless the extra units get too unpredictable, the more the better! The squids are tough but more or less predictable.

 

[Ambiorix]

I enjoyed the squids. Would be fun to encounter more civ-specific units. For instance, you could replace the Japanese shogun-graphics by a dragon. Don't know if you could mod it to walk over water as well, and thread all squares as road ? That would make it a 'flying' fearsome enemy - or ally !
Just daydreaming... maybe this would be too much of a good thing. The modified units shouldn't alter the 'normal' gameplay and strategy too much.

Maybe a small comment on the fighting squid animation : it's very well done, but perhaps it could look more impressive if the squid attacked the galley from the side, twisting its arms all around the hull.

I have to take my medication now - my imagination is going in overdrive...

 

[hbdragon88]

I guess I'm the minority in this.

I hated the squid. The squid killed three of my exploration galleys and the graphic - and sound - freaked me out to pieces. It steps right into your tile and starts with this blazing thing - aah! I was up very much on the coast and then two squids come and kill it off.

 

[Justus II]

I like the idea of the squid to add flavor/atmosphere, but still with the same attributes of a standard unit (barb galley- although they were 3hp, instead of conscript). I thought it was cool, even though it was pretty creepy, and did freak me out the first time I saw it, and the first attack also. I would rather not go too far, the sea monster/invisible battleship seems like it might be a little above and beyond. I wouldn't want something that would cause players to adapt strategies that are not related to the normal game.

 

[Karasu]

I liked the squid, and in gerenal I was very happy with the graphic enhancements.

I went so far in GOTM16 as to save them from extinction by protecting a young couple in the inland sea. They kept on swimming nicely there until about 2000 AD, when I realized they were harassing the growth of Nicomedia...

In general, I would be very glad to see more graphically-enhanced -or even more heavily modified- games; I think however that this should be an occasional "plus" rather than the standard for the GOTM. Just my opinion, anyway...

 

[Ambiorix]

Originally posted by hbdragon88
I guess I'm the minority in this.

I hated the squid. The squid killed three of my exploration galleys and the graphic - and sound - freaked me out to pieces. It steps right into your tile and starts with this blazing thing - aah! I was up very much on the coast and then two squids come and kill it off.

I lost two galleys to the squids before I recognized their strength. Then I took the time to build a portus (veteran galleys !) and that worked much better. I also took every change to attack them myself, to get the attacking bonus against barbarians.

 

[Dragonlord]

Sure, keep the squids and/or other 'surprises'. Civ3 is a great game - the greatest! - but, let's face it, after playing thousands of hours, as I have, anything new is to be greeted eagerly! That's why I've been mostly playing mods recently (DYP anyone?). I've been playing my first GOTM with this one, though, and was pleasantly by the extras Cracker put in - good one!!

 

[ControlFreak]

With the squid being a copy of the barb galley it didn't affect my game play. But since there were a lot of barb galleys (thanks to the puzzler) the squids could be a menace, just with the number of units a galley had to face. I also went the portus route. I lost 4 galleys and after that, most of the squid were gone.

It would be nice if the sea monsters and such could attack the barb galleys to. But that's probably not an option.

Overall, I liked the added unit and would love to see more. I just didn't like the additive effect with so many barb galleys AND squids.

 

[RufRydyr]

Squid was cool. Can you make it walk on land for the next GOTM? (or crawl)

 

[Creepster]

I loved the squid and was impressed with the way it attacks. I would like to see a "flavor" of it in a different form for future games. For example change the land barbs to something that is from the legends of thge civ we are playing that month.

It might be nice to see an upgarded barb at the later levels too. Although I enjoy barb farming late in the game it is not much of a challenge for a tank against a barb unit.

 

[mad-bax]

I liked the squid. The squid should stay.

As for new units, well, it would depend on their quality. I think you can already get dinosaurs and stuff, and someone else suggested having barbs depicting mythological characters from another Civs past, and IMO is a really good idea.

Also I think its a good idea for another reason. Having something in the game that nobody has seen before tests the players ability to think on the fly and for himself. You can't just read up on how some guru would play the situation (which is what I do).

Moonsinger suggested that new units could have similar properties to a submarine. Maybe the squid could have that flavour added?

Bring 'em on.

 

[Von Karstein]

I vote for the squids and other special units! Surprise us

 

[thd]

As long as the quality of the new unit graphics is good I would like to see more customized barbarians. But the hit attack/defense value should not differ to much from the ordinary barbs.

 

[IronKnight]

I loved the squids!

Yeah they destroyed by early Galleys, but it just adds another dimension to the game. I also like the idea of some surprise land units. The obvious one would be a dinosaur. How about some seas monster that can reach out and can attack 1 tile onto the land. This seems really cool!!! How about a snow creature up in the tundra squares!