New Civ Game Guide: Tonga (Tides of Power)

[magicq99]

The Tehina Unique Scout can enter Deep Ocean even in Antiquity. Use them to explore distant coastlines and find new Independent Powers to befriend.

I am curious how this ability works with the other AIs settling in the distant land. Normally you won't have any contact with them in Antiquity, but with Tonga, will they be able to interact diplomatically with them? Or will the other AIs be not present there until the second age?

 

[stealth_nsk]

I am curious how this ability works with the other AIs settling in the distant land. Normally you won't have any contact with them in Antiquity, but with Tonga, will they be able to interact diplomatically with them? Or will the other AIs be not present there until the second age?

Normally you can see them (especially with visibility range bugs), but can't interact, just like with independents. I guess you'll still be unable to interact with them.

 

[Leucarum]

i was wondering similarly, but specifically in the context of MP. Will it be weird if players are in different continents, can see but not interact with each other?

 

[stealth_nsk]

i was wondering similarly, but specifically in the context of MP. Will it be weird if players are in different continents, can see but not interact with each other?

Yes, it's like spying.

I don't think it's possible within the current approach where distant land civilizations are not even shown on victory screens.

 

[magicq99]

Yes. It is almost like the Civs on distant land do not participate in the game at all in the first age, but are only really joining the game in the second age with an advanced start instantly granting them some settlements.

That was why I was wondering about this new ability. Will you be able to explore the coastlines of otherwise empty distant lands, which will then be instantly populated in the next age?

This may feel a bit weird, if Tonga had Explorers that were able to discover distant lands much earlier but somehow overlooked that there were other people living there, beyond the independent powers.

That was why I was wondering if they may be have changed how and when the Civs in distant lands actually join the game with this patch as well.

I also think it is not possible right now to start the game in MP on distant lands. This can only happen when starting the game in the second or third age, if I am not mistaken.

 

[Sagax]

Yes. It is almost like the Civs on distant land do not participate in the game at all in the first age, but are only really joining the game in the second age with an advanced start instantly granting them some settlements.

That was why I was wondering about this new ability. Will you be able to explore the coastlines of otherwise empty distant lands, which will then be instantly populated in the next age?

This may feel a bit weird, if Tonga had Explorers that were able to discover distant lands much earlier but somehow overlooked that there were other people living there, beyond the independent powers.

That was why I was wondering if they may be have changed how and when the Civs in distant lands actually join the game with this patch as well.

Throughout pre-launch, FXS have been issuing some vague and easy-to-misinterpret statements about what exactly is going on with DL civs in Antiquity, but at this point we can safely confirm the following:

1. They DO exist in Antiquity, are generated from Turn 1, and expand organically on their own continent.
2. With enough luck and vision range trickery, you can already see their territories in your games today.
3. They cannot be interacted with in a meaningful way until Exploration.

All of the above has been true since launch. Which still makes things awkward for Tonga, but at least it's not a surprise jumpscare come Exploration.

 

[Kwami]

1. They DO exist in Antiquity, are generated from Turn 1, and expand organically on their own continent.
2. With enough luck and vision range trickery, you can already see their territories in your games today.
3. They cannot be interacted with in a meaningful way until Exploration.

And they build wonders that I want to build! All the time!

You can actually already do the Tonga thing with some trickery. You just need to put a ship (or a scout, probably) in someone else's territory such that it's surrounded by ocean tiles, then lose open borders. The ship will be kicked out into an ocean tile. As long as you can make it back to shallow waters somewhere, you can keep exploring. You can't interact with distant lands civilizations and IPs, but you can get discoveries!

 

[Lonecat Nekophrodite]

Second Antiquity civ with naval UU. And it has 'Latin Sail'.