[NFP] Monopolies and Corporations Game Mode Discussion Thread

[Tech Osen]

Oh no, somebody messed up somewhere. You've never made a mistake at work?

Saying they half-assed it is just being overly dramatic again - you make it sound like a) they knew this was how it worked (which the dev video suggests otherwise) and b) they're perfectly okay with this (which there's absolutely no evidence of). You're making some pretty big leaps to work yourself into a frenzy here, and it hasn't even been a full week since the content was released.

Calm down.

While I agree on that it would be nice to at least get an official acknowledgement stating they are aware and when they plan to fix it.

 

[InsidiousMage]

While I agree on that it would be nice to at least get an official acknowledgement stating they are aware and when they plan to fix it.

Has Firaxis ever done anything like that though? There have been constant problems with the console versions for months now but no acknowledgment from Firaxis about it.

 

[Linklite]

What speed and map size are you playing on? I got an unintentional culture win as China Kublai on turn 276 on huge map at standard speed.

I won 204 on TSL Earth, and I rubbish for doing things at speed. I won the turn I got Economics, so I didn't even get to use corporations. If I was slightly faster, I'd have gotten my first sub 200 win.I even hamstrung myself by insisting on taking over all of Europe, Asia and Africa before really trying to go for culture.

Yeah, it's broken by OP.

 

[Kwami]

Has Firaxis ever done anything like that though? There have constant problems with the console versions for months now but no acknowledgment from Firaxis about it.

Sure, they sometimes acknowledge bugs and crashes and let us know that they're working to fix them. For example, last Thursday (patch day), Carl let TGM's chat know that they're aware of the multiplayer screen crashing and that they're working on a fix.

 

[InsidiousMage]

Sure, they sometimes acknowledge bugs and crashes and let us know that they're working to fix them. For example, last Thursday (patch day), Carl let TGM's chat know that they're aware of the multiplayer screen crashing and that they're working on a fix.

I feel like a dev replying to something on Twitch(?) stream is far different than an official announcement from the actual company.

 

[Kwami]

I feel like a dev replying to something on Twitch(?) stream is far different than an official announcement from the actual company.

Should he put it on letterhead and post a PDF to the Firaxis website next time? Or would you just like a tweet? Are tweets official??

 

[InsidiousMage]

Or would you just like a tweet? Are tweets official??

From the Civ or Firaxis account? Yes actually. Not everyone is going to be watching a this or that streamer or know who all of the devs are. YouTube, Twitter, the official site are all preferable methods rather than the chat of a streamer.

Personally, I used to play Magic The Gathering and still semi-follow the game and their interaction and communication with the player are the gold standard to me and Firaxis falls far short of that. Recently, when a new set is coming out, Wizards started posting a list of which sites are getting previews and on what days while Firaxis treats who the new leaders are like some kind of state secret in their monthly announcement vids. Firaxis's communications with the player base needs a lot of improvement.

 

[Zaarin]

Firaxis's communications with the player base needs a lot of improvement.

You're not wrong, but this is nothing new. Firaxis has always been horrible about communicating. It seems like a 2K policy rather than a problem with Firaxis, however.

 

[Chocolate Pi]

I'm confused about the nature of the current discussion.

The Monopoly Tourism multiplier is obviously very broken and should be (easily!) fixed in the very next patch, top priority. (Fortunately the rest of the mode--and the other new content--seems very good!) If they don't fix it, they should be harshly criticized. I think everyone is on the same page.

In the meantime, the update has been out a whopping 2 business days. Between that and strange assumptions about the remaining updates, I'm not sure what people are arguing for otherwise. People seem to be criticizing the contents of the Feburary patch weeks before it is even announced, much less released.

 

[InsidiousMage]

I'm not sure what people are arguing for otherwise. People seem to be criticizing the contents of the Feburary patch weeks before it is even announced, much less released.

A pattern of problems that have plagued the NFP for a while now. Are the releases 90/95% fine? Yeah, but there is always something wrong, just look at all of the bug fixes in the patch notes, and it may actually take a while before it is fixed. I think that Firaxis's ambitions got the better of them, especially in light of everything going on with covid. The monthly release cycle should have been changed to two to three if not paused for a like half a year or something before starting up again.

 

[Linklite]

A pattern of problems that have plagued the NFP for a while now. Are the releases 90/95% fine? Yeah, but there is always something wrong, just look at all of the bug fixes in the patch notes, and it may actually take a while before it is fixed. I think that Firaxis's ambitions got the better of them, especially in light of everything going on with covid. The monthly release cycle should have been changed to two to three if not paused for a like half a year or something before starting up again.

I think their issue was that they were never going to release something on the scale of R&F or GS, so they broke it down to make it last a bit longer. By releasing it in 6 somewhat themed packs, they made it feel more substantial than it was. By releasing it in 2 or 3 blocks, it would have been more obvious that it did in 6. Would it have been easier to QC it? Probably, but as a company their aim isn't a good game, it's profit, and that was maximised by the 6 block format, not in halves.

 

[InsidiousMage]

I think their issue was that they were never going to release something on the scale of R&F or GS

NFP has the same number of new civs, eight, and new leaders, nine, as R&F and GS. All of the game modes, new districts and wonders, plus all of the other changes, are equal to or more than what was in R&F and GS.

Probably, but as a company their aim isn't a good game, it's profit, and that was maximised by the 6 block format, not in halves.

NFP was $40 and I don't see how changing the release format would affect the price.

 

[iammaxhailme]

If you found a city on top of a luxury, does that count as a copy in terms of needing X copies for an industry, corp etc?

 

[Duke William of Normandy]

If you found a city on top of a luxury, does that count as a copy in terms of needing X copies for an industry, corp etc?

I believe it does. Or maybe that only counts for Monopolies.

 

[InsidiousMage]

If you found a city on top of a luxury, does that count as a copy in terms of needing X copies for an industry, corp etc?

The patch notes say "By controlling 2 or more of a specific Luxury resource and having the Currency tech researched" so yes? You can trade away copies of luxuries you settle on so I assume that you therefore "control" them.

 

[Potworny]

Just a leeeettle bit busted

At least I'm finally getting the achievements.

Monopolies can be more busted than that, I'm en route for a T~230-240 Deity Culture Victory, having made a lot of dumb decisions but securing 7 monopolies. However, one thing I love about this mode is how it encourages making colonies and expanding to specific regions of the map to secure more resources. Brings quite a bit of depth to the gameplay, though I'd like to see it more nuanced.

 

[anonxanemone]

Monopolies can be more busted than that, I'm en route for a T~230-240 Deity Culture Victory, having made a lot of dumb decisions but securing 7 monopolies. However, one thing I love about this mode is how it encourages making colonies and expanding to specific regions of the map to secure more resources. Brings quite a bit of depth to the gameplay, though I'd like to see it more nuanced.

My Tourism skyrocketed within 10 or so turns in my game as Magnificence Catherine with running the Court Festivals project with a few monopolies (managed +600% without even trying). Industrial theater districts is quite an interesting combo. But I agree it needs to be a little nuanced.

 

[Ansive]

I was really looking forward to this mode, but I won't be playing until they fix the monopoly tourism bonus. It breaks the culture game.
And if they don't issue a hotfix it's going to be quite a while until the next content release.

Either dial down the numbers or apply the bonus only to luxuries with a corporation.
Maybe even drop the whole multiplier and provide flat tourism to the corporation tile (that could get stronger than a natural park).

 

[Kupe Navigator]

I was really looking forward to this mode, but I won't be playing until they fix the monopoly tourism bonus. It breaks the culture game.
And if they don't issue a hotfix it's going to be quite a while until the next content release.

Either dial down the numbers or apply the bonus only to luxuries with a corporation.
Maybe even drop the whole multiplier and provide flat tourism to the corporation tile (that could get stronger than a natural park).

They don't care- they already have your money.
Fraxis is turning like Blizzard...

 

[Uberfrog]

Monopolies can be more busted than that, I'm en route for a T~230-240 Deity Culture Victory, having made a lot of dumb decisions but securing 7 monopolies. However, one thing I love about this mode is how it encourages making colonies and expanding to specific regions of the map to secure more resources. Brings quite a bit of depth to the gameplay, though I'd like to see it more nuanced.

The numbers are clearly too high. But I think if you have seven monopolies it’s fair to say you are pursuing a cultural victory. One aim of the game mode is to give an alternative path to a cultural victory, and if you are chasing down monopolies you are playing towards one.

Besides, it’s worth remembering that cultural victories > 200 turns are not actually very fast compared to other strategies that have been available for a long time (e.g. with La Venta and Rapa Nui).