Mars Colonization

[theJesuit]

Is anyone planning a Civ4:Col mod or total mod for the colonization of Mars?

Col would seem to lend itself a little better than Civ4.

Based say in 2040's on... with the plan to seperate from a decadent Earth!

terraforming would need to be included too.

 

[KrikkitTwo]

Sounds like an interesting proposal... If terraforming was in, I'd probably put it as a seperate win condition though.

so
Independence (political independence from Earth)
Terraforming (breathable martian atmosphere)
Conquest (control the whole of Mars for your sponsoring power)
as victories


Disadvantages/Significant changes (assuming its not too sci fi):

1. No Natives, so soldiers not as important early game/conversion not a factor

2. the "REF" could contain Thermonuclear warheads... although this could be explained as Not happening due to domestic considerations

3. you would probably start off with Massive subsidies from the government... those subsidies would decrease and eventually turn to taxes

4. Generating Food+Atmosphere+Water would be of vital importance

5. Probably no 'Pirates' however you might instead have 'Dissidents'/'Terrorists' to harrass enemies

6. the "religious/political freedom" aspect is probably less of a motivator for colonists because Mars would be unrelentingly harsh than "potential/promise" so perhaps marketers/pr people replace preachers... instead of crosses you generate "buzz" or "hype" [religious leaders could still be part of that.. just generating a particular type of hype]

7. Instead of "seas" you would have "orbit" an unusual space that is equally connected to every area of the map. (depending on latitude)

Some possible 'Player' ideas:
Brazil
China
India
Russia
America
Europe
Japan

 

[Infantry#14]

^ It's funny that you lumped Europe into one category.

Ideas for Mother Earth trade goods:
Food: Animals
Food: Plants
Goods: Water
Goods: Oxygen (or Life Support)
Goods: Fertilizers
Goods: Machinery
Goods: Tools
Goods: Fuel
Goods: Exotic Goods
Weapons: Lasers
Weapons: Ammunition

Terraform ideas:
-Inject air into atmosphere so you can send out units outside from your space station
-Mining
-Once Mars has a certain level of atmosphere, you can engineer plants on Martian landscape. Success of fertilizing depend on how much available atmosphere.
-Livestock and farming (at 50% Earth surface atmosphere?)
-Create Lake Reservoirs
-Some kind of waste disposal system
-Clean up pollution
-Some sort of fuel (oil, uranium?)

 

[theJesuit]

True,

1. Having been thinking that maybe natives are scientist groups that have 'gone bush' disappeared into underground colonies themselves - they would want to trade goods for research. But wouldn't be visible until you 'stumbled' upon them, hence the need to explore as the map would already be known.

Also - Goodie boxes are supply drops. basically a race with other players.

6. Instead of missionaries and religion (as Col is only Christian), then diplomats and trade mediator. Underground scientist groups would then only trade essentially with players of good relations, or only when a 'mission station' is built by a diplomat.

2. Ref probably would use nuclear weapons - making plantary defences important (makes sure you want to defeat the ManOWar) but would only be added to REF if you 'really' pissed off your king.

3. Agree with you totally!

4. I figured 'basic food' and 'quality food' as two different trade types. But water as well. Water in aquifiers to be mined (or removed from permafrost which is harder). That can be processed into more air and fuel.

5. Pirates are a good option. Scientist groups that don't like anyone!

7. A graphic of global zooom like in Civ4 would be cool, then tilting the globe so that you can see orbits and craft icons (and the two moons). Failing that, using a massively modified
Different latitudes on the surface would require more fuel to launch into orbit, and different air/space craft:
7a - 'shuttles' would be used for orbit and and one shot transportation runs anywhere on the surface. People and cargo are seperate or not!
7b - 'galleons' are the empty ships in orbit that brough the colonists and/or cargo. Huge fuel expenditure = 6-9 week one way trip. 'economic trip' means different times of the year and 6-9 months.

maybe in this game constructing your own craft to return to Earth isn't viable, just building shuttles. But subsidies and trade back (no idea what yet) would enable more galleon type craft. Or initial purchase of goods costs much more as you pay money for new ships. but then you can refit using your own industry to send back.

8. Turns - Mars has a year just on twice Earth. So one turn = 2 months earth time, 1 month Mars time (i always play Marathon )

More opinions?

 

[GoodGame]

I was thinking this would be a great mod theme as well.

Unlike Col2, though, it should have a strong sandbox builder feel to it rather than a specialize and race-against-time feel. And it should make extensive use of a tech tree, and partly be based on leveling one's buildings. There should be less of an emphasis on selling finished goods, and more on a goods system that leads to self-sustainability--which should be end game victory, not political independence. Also each trip to Earth should have an actual resource cost (fuel), though obviously a ship will be able to land on any provided landing pad.

 

[jenks]

i hope somebody picks this one back up

civ IV: song of the moon; SMAC; Roanoke ...

none ever got finished - and I still want to colonize the damn moon!

 

[theJesuit]

I agree. Maybe time to start pushing. Anyone able to help as I'm a novice at this!

 

[Jabie]

The Planetfall mod may be a good place to start.

 

[Zuul]

For those that have no knowledge in modding, why not start with a lesser mod first?

This is huge, would take at least one year to make it good (not full time). Anyone willing to spend that time?

 

[jenks]

sadly after doing a bit of work on SMAC and the roanoke mod (civ IV) i know i don't have the time to pull it off

would it even work with the colonization game style - are we thinking declaration of independance from earth?

 

[Pfeffersack]

There is actually such a project under construction (and scheduled to release soon, about 2-3 weeks) on a German Forum, looking very promising IMO. It is based on Civ4 instead (though some idea like a "home nation" and "struggle for independence" from Colonization have made it over). I'm not sure if a English version is planned, but since the creator seems to be posting on this forums as well, it's at least possible.

Here is the link to a thread with screenshots on the German Civ forum:

http://www.civforum.de/showthread.php?t=57869

 

[Jabie]

There is actually such a project under construction (and scheduled to release soon, about 2-3 weeks) on a German Forum, looking very promising IMO. It is based on Civ4 instead (though some idea like a "home nation" and "struggle for independence" from Colonization have made it over). I'm not sure if a English version is planned, but since the creator seems to be posting on this forums as well, it's at least possible.

Wow! That looks pretty impressive.

 

[Crime Doesn't Pay]

Wow! That looks pretty impressive.

Another reason for me to learn more lanauges.

This whole colonization idea could really be expanded.

What would be nice for civ4 instead of winning the game by sending a ship into space you start colonizing Mars.

 

[joeaverage]

There is actually such a project under construction (and scheduled to release soon, about 2-3 weeks) on a German Forum, looking very promising IMO. It is based on Civ4 instead (though some idea like a "home nation" and "struggle for independence" from Colonization have made it over). I'm not sure if a English version is planned, but since the creator seems to be posting on this forums as well, it's at least possible.

Here is the link to a thread with screenshots on the German Civ forum:

http://www.civforum.de/showthread.php?t=57869

Interesting mod. But how difficult would it be to translate it into English?

 

[Keeshi]

Sounds like an interesting proposal... If terraforming was in, I'd probably put it as a seperate win condition though.

so
Independence (political independence from Earth)
Terraforming (breathable martian atmosphere)
Conquest (control the whole of Mars for your sponsoring power)
as victories


Disadvantages/Significant changes (assuming its not too sci fi):

1. No Natives, so soldiers not as important early game/conversion not a factor

2. the "REF" could contain Thermonuclear warheads... although this could be explained as Not happening due to domestic considerations

3. you would probably start off with Massive subsidies from the government... those subsidies would decrease and eventually turn to taxes

4. Generating Food+Atmosphere+Water would be of vital importance

5. Probably no 'Pirates' however you might instead have 'Dissidents'/'Terrorists' to harrass enemies

6. the "religious/political freedom" aspect is probably less of a motivator for colonists because Mars would be unrelentingly harsh than "potential/promise" so perhaps marketers/pr people replace preachers... instead of crosses you generate "buzz" or "hype" [religious leaders could still be part of that.. just generating a particular type of hype]

7. Instead of "seas" you would have "orbit" an unusual space that is equally connected to every area of the map. (depending on latitude)

Some possible 'Player' ideas:
Brazil
China
India
Russia
America
Europe
Japan

this=win

 

[Pfeffersack]

There is actually such a project under construction (and scheduled to release soon, about 2-3 weeks) on a German Forum, looking very promising IMO. It is based on Civ4 instead (though some idea like a "home nation" and "struggle for independence" from Colonization have made it over). I'm not sure if a English version is planned, but since the creator seems to be posting on this forums as well, it's at least possible.

Here is the link to a thread with screenshots on the German Civ forum:

http://www.civforum.de/showthread.php?t=57869

The project I mentioned above has now been released - English language is also supported and it has its own thread on civfanatics:

http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=312246

 

[No mercy Means]

yeah but that's for civ 4

 

[PhoenixMuse]

If someone gets started on this project and wants help from someone with no real experience, then I'd happily work on it. I'd love to have input. I am an experienced artist/digital painter, but that's about all my qualifications. LOL.

I'd love to see it be more sci-fi than the general collection of ideas than I see here though. Like, there should be aliens trying to take over Mars as well. And throw in worm holes, and techs you can only get from aliens. Yep, that'd be freaking awesome.

 

[Ekmek]

my experience from Mare Nostrum is that it requires a lot of work. you will at least 3 or 4 people to do it a reasonable amountof time. But really you need one person motivated enough to kick it off. good luck!