New Python Events: Progress Documentation [WORK IN PROGRESS]

[Mr. ZorG]

great events. however, I would like to suggest some fixes for the Hardwood event. The Pirate Frigate is stronger than the Privateer. therefore, when given a choice, the player will always choose 2 Pirate Frigates. maybe change the quantity? choose between 2 Privateers or 1 Pirate Frigate.

 

[Raubwuerger]

Fixed ...

 

[Raubwuerger]

Continuing with the African trade events. First of all I have revised the old events ...

The following units have been added as rewards:
- SlaveMaster
- Mulatto (parents are black and white)

 

[raystuttgart]

Wonderful.

 

[Mr. ZorG]

to be honest, I've always been confused by the number of slaves that can be obtained by completing such quests. I understand that you are counting on the fact that many of them may escape or rebel. but with the current mechanics, this can be avoided or the percentage of fugitives / rebels can be reduced (FF, units, happiness). maybe it's worth reducing the number of slaves to 8? in my opinion it will look logical: either 8 slaves (who can run away or rebel) or 4 freed slaves (half as many, but they definitely won’t go anywhere).
for all such quests.

 

[Raubwuerger]

@Mr. ZorG:
The rewards should be relatively equal in value.
A slave costs 180 ducats. That would be 2160 ducats for 12 slaves. (Without consideration of the progression ...)

However, nothing is set in stone and can be changed at any time ...

 

[Raubwuerger]

The trade events for africa are now also ready. There are 29 pieces in total.

A few examples ...

 

[Mr. ZorG]

hmm .. if you buy slaves in Africa or Port Royale, then the total cost of 12 slaves will be more than the amount you voiced) as the unit price increases with each purchase.
please think about my proposal.

 

[Raubwuerger]

@Mr. ZorG:
As I said above, "without consideration of the progression".

12 slaves equals 8100 ducats ...
8 slaves equals to ~4000 ducats ...

Let's wait for the beta phase. There we can still adjust all this.

Takes about 10 minutes for changing, check, and commit.

 

[Mr. ZorG]

yes, I'm sorry, no progression. however, I did speak of a disproportionate number of slaves and mulattoes (or mestizos). a clear imbalance in favor of slaves.
something needs to be adjusted. it would be more logical to reduce the number of slaves. otherwise, you will have to increase the number of all other units that can be obtained upon completion of the quest.

yes, you can wait, but why, when you can make a correction right now?

 

[raystuttgart]

Considering "Progression" - it does not really matter for relative comparison of rewards.
Because no matter which Unit you acquire there will always be some progression and price increases.

-------

But I must agree, that 12 Slaves is really a bit much as a reward.
(It by far outperforms e.g. the 2 Slave Masters or 1 Slave Barque or 4 Mulattos)

i.e. these sound pretty comparable.

• 1 Slave Barque
• 2 Slave Masters
• 2 Expert Planters
• 4 Mullatos
• 8 Slaves

-------

And not even only that, but the 12 Slaves at once will be hard to be put to work directly because of features like Law, Happiness of Health.
So especially unexperienced players will end up in situations where they may get a reward but have trouble using it ... which may cause frustration.

------

So I would also suggest to tune down the 12 Slaves to 8 Slaves.
(With "Slave Masters" and "Slave Hunters" the Slaves have become much more valuable than before.)

 

[raystuttgart]

By the way:
I have inreased Slave starting prices a tiny bit from 100 to 150.
But I also lowered their price progression to more consistant numbers in relation.
(Both for African Slaves and Native Slaves.)

With the new game mechanics that basically allow to prevent Slaves from running away the 100 was simply too cheap.
150 is still pretty cheap and should still make those Slaves interesting enough to sail to Africa or Port Royal.

----

Thus 1 Mulatto / Mestizzo (300 gold, +50 gold per buy) is now worth exactly 2 Slaves (150 gold, +25 gold per buy).
(Which I feel is a pretty fair realtion due to the new game mechanics.)

Also price relation Free Colonist (500 gold start, +75 gold per buy) to Slaves (150 gold start, +25 gold per buy) is now about 3:1.
(A price relationship of 5:1 seemed a bit too much to me.)

Also price relation Expert Miner (800 gold start, +100 gold per buy) to Slaves (150 gold start, +25 gold per buy) is now about 5:1
(Here a price relation of 5:1 seems justified for start values, but if you buy them too much you soon want to switch to slaves.)

----

In other words, latest in mid game, Slaves will become interesting.

 

[Raubwuerger]

This week I will start to rework the trade events for Europe.

I will make the following changes:

• Slaves are replaced by criminals, and indentured servants (analogous to mestizos and mulattos)
• I will also revise the trade of raw materials.
  If you get the specialists in Europe (coal miners, hunters, peat and clay cutters, ...) there will be an event.
  For sugar, cotton, ... no more. (You can get this spezialist in Africa or PortRoyal)
  For some raw materials (stone, wood, clay, ...) I will offer construction goods.
  For black powder, bladed weapons and horses you will get military units
• For wood, sails, ropes you will get merchant ships
• For hardwood, cannons, muskets you will get warships

 

[raystuttgart]

For sugar, cotton, ... no more. (You can get this spezialist in Africa or PortRoyal)

But you could give e.g. Distillers or Weavers then.
(Those are not available in Africa or Port Royal.)

Why not use that option to get some Masters for produced goods?
(It would be interesting and make sense as rewards.)

-------------

Those goods were in extrem high demand in Europe. (Much more than e.g. in Africa or Port Royal)
So considering immersion it is a bit strange that those Trade Quests are now all deleted.

Especially since they are all already done and work.
So why waste the effort already invested and simply delete them ...

Also players already played with those Europe Quests in Release 3.0.1.
They would be extremely confused if those are now simply gone ...

 

[Raubwuerger]

But you could give e.g. Distillers or Weavers then.
(Those are not available in Africa or Port Royal.)

Why not use that option to get some Masters for produced goods?
(It would be interesting and make sense as rewards.)

I forgot to mention that these experts are given as reward for the corresponding finished products ...
Rum, Hooch,... -> Master Distiller
Coffee, Roasted Peanuts,... -> Master Roaster
Olive oil, raps oil, ... -> Master Cooking Oil Trader
...

-------------

Those goods were in extrem high demand in Europe. (Much more than e.g. in Africa or Port Royal)
So considering immersion it is a bit strange that those Trade Quests are now all deleted.

Especially since they are all already done and work.
So why waste the effort already invested and simply delete them ...

Ok, I will think about that ...

Also players already played with those Europe Quests in Release 3.0.1.
They would be extremely confused if those are now simply gone ...

From version 3.0.1 to version 4.x so much changes so seriously. These few events (8) do not matter in my opinion.
Particularly since also approx. 30 new ones come in addition ...

 

[raystuttgart]

Particularly since also approx. 30 new ones come in addition ...

Still, why throw away effort already invested.

And really as I said, considering immersion they make much more sense in Europe than e.g. in Africa or Port Royal.
Because bringing sugar to Port Royal was kind of like bringing salt water to the ocean ... in fact Port Royal exported sugar itself.

And Africa also did not really have any industry to use the sugar and the population was poor anyways ... so who would have bought tons of sugar?
At most it would have been bought in small amounts at extremely high prices by the few rich white traders that lived in the trading settlements.

--------------

Europe was the market that bought "raw goods" to refine them to "produced goods". European Nations bought as many "raw goods" as they could.
Africa and Port Royal had hardly any industry to refine anything and produced enough "raw goods". They however bought (or traded for Slaves) some amounts of "produced goods".

That was the "core principal" of Triangle Trade.

America (incl. Carribean Islands) to Europe: Raw Goods
Europe to Africa: Produced Goods (some to be sold in Africa directly, some later in America)
Africa to America: Slaves + European Produced Goods not sold in Africa

--------------

By the way:
Please do not think that I want you to remove any Trade Quests for Port Royal and Africa.
I just want to convince you not to remove highly immersive and logical Europe Trade Quests.

 

[Raubwuerger]

Still, why throw away effort already invested.

And really as I said, considering immersion they make much more sense in Europe than e.g. in Africa or Port Royal.
Because bringing sugar to Port Royal was kind of like bringing salt water to the ocean ... in fact Port Royal exported sugar itself.

And Africa also did not really have any industry to use the sugar and the population was poor anyways ... so who would have bought tons of sugar?
At most it would have been bought in small amounts at extremely high prices by the few rich white traders that lived in the trading settlements.

--------------

Europe was the market that bought "raw goods" to refine them to "produced goods". European Nations bought as many "raw goods" as they could.
Africa and Port Royal had hardly any industry to refine anything and produced enough "raw goods". They however bought (or traded for Slaves) some amounts of "produced goods".

That was the "core principal" of Triangle Trade.

America (incl. Carribean Islands) to Europe: Raw Goods
Europe to Africa: Produced Goods (some to be sold in Africa directly, some later in America)
Africa to America: Slaves + European Produced Goods not sold in Africa

Ok, you have convinced me ...

 

[Raubwuerger]

Update: Trade Events Europe

I have completed the first level. I.e. the old events have been revised.
- You don't get slaves anymore, they are only available in Africa and PortRoyal. But now you get criminals.
- Instead of the mestizzos and mulattos you now get indentured servants.
- For certain goods there is an extra reward (see screenshot).

What are Construction Supplies?

• Gives 40 production units to a city when used
• Can only defend
• Buyable in Europe
• Producable in the Colonies

The next level will contain events for all the new goods. Clay, Blackpowder, Cheese, Chocolate, Olive Oil, Fieldworker Tools, ... ~ 40 Events

 

[raystuttgart]

Looks great.
Looking forward to playing again after the release.

 

[Raubwuerger]

Another small update for the european trading events

• Trading Goods
  Do not make sense in the current form. In all my games I have never sold trading goods to Europe or Africa. But as a reward the price was always increased.
  Now it is lowered ...
  
  
  
  
  
• Stones, clay and peat are also bought rather than sold. Here now there are neither price increases nor decreases.
  
  
  
  
  
  
• New events for cassava and rice.