Make colonization viable and fun in one simple step

[JtW]

Problem: I've always loved the aspect of colonizing the "New World" in Civilization. However, CiV discourages it: by the time you discover Astronomy, you already have most resources, and the ones you don't have you can get from the CSs or from trade. Founding cities in a new continent brings you little, and costs a lot (increased SP costs, decreased happiness etc.)

Solution: the continents are assigned names in the World Builder (Americas, Europe, Asia etc.) Why not use that and add continent specific resources. E.g., cocoa/chocolate for Americas, Coffee for Africa etc. This would add some incentive to colonize new continents without changing the gameplay or game balance in any significant way.

Original discussion with some other ideas as well: http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=454949

 

[Haig]

A great idea! I support it fully.

 

[dexters]

I feel we already have enough issues with aluminum lottery in the late game. There's also always incentive to nab extra luxuries on islands thar you would otherwise need to trade for. Clustering resources in particular will lead to alot of frustration in playing, and clustering of luxuries is already done. You'll notice your area of the map has more of a certain luxury and its often fairly easy to gian the monopoly on a luxury resource with a little expansion.

That said SP costs of settling off-continent or essentially in any new area where you find a resource you need is what is the limiting issue here, not that people don't care about resources. I've had to give up extra aluminum or a luxury because It just didn't pay to settle a new city on an island, or anywhere due to the SP costs.

Both LouisXXIV and myself also have threads covering colonies dealing specifically with incentivizing people to settle in a 2nd wave of expansion after navigation
Louis's thread
http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=455576

My thread
http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=455228

 

[Bechhold]

Well by the time astronomy rolls around either the borders are pretty much set or the land that is still free offers nothing of advantage. This was especially true in IV.

What about starting positions? Unless the map size, tile size and movement is changed drastically to allow more building or city states are somehow changed and given more personality to expand somewhat etc to claim those resources and the "bigger" civs come along and annex them...? Nothing would actually change.