@Autumn Leaf - Here are some of my thoughts from before. This is the overarching idea - "I don't want to make the mod so complicated though, that you lose the idea of Civ".
Hope that gives you some insight into my philosophy and goal for the mod.
Hope that gives you some insight into my philosophy and goal for the mod.
Good point. However, I do want the evil civilizations to be mostly united, and make the Free Peoples to have to spend time convincing their neighbors to help them. It seems more in line with the general idea, although I liked Garrison's idea of a way to spend a GP to gain diplo points. I'll have to work out the details, but I agree, no diplomatic bonus for religion.
I'm actually wanting to downplay religions; but certain places in Middle-earth did have culture based on the belief system.
I would not term it polytheistic though. Even if (like in Aman) the cultures were dedicated to different Valar, they were not when they went to Middle-earth. The Valar became less and less involved personally, and more distant. However, worship of either Eru or Melkor continued in Middle-earth, at the Temple, Meneltarma, the Hill of Awe, etc.
So, perhaps natural wonders would work better, such as the Falls of Rauros giving a bonus in culture, or such.
I don't want to make the mod so complicated though, that you lose the idea of Civ. It's a hard balance...