New Version - 2.7.3 (October 7, 2022)

[TakkuPanda]

Is there a way that I can modify the happiness to be just a little more forgiving? Or any pointers as to a file I should be looking at? I tried searching the Mods folder for "Happiness" but there's 1390 results...

Try searching for the "Customizing Difficulty Levels" guide on the CBP Wiki and it should help.
It is slightly outdated, so the DifficultyMod.xml file will instead be found in MODS\(2) Vox Populi\Balance Changes\Difficulty\

TL;DR version: Try decreasing the PopulationUnhappinesMod values in that file for the difficulty level that you will be using while playing. (E.g. for Immortal, you could try changing the modifier from 0 to -10 and see how it works and tweak based on that.)

 

[mikekonev]

Hi guys,

haven't played vox populi for the year.
Current game - Indonesia, deity, large continents, epic.
A couple of points and questions.

My ally - Denmark. Very good relashinship: open boards, declaration of friendship, defensive pact, trade agreements, etc.
All strings are green in the diplomacy pop-up.
We won war against the Portugal together.
He asked me to join a new war. I joined.
We are at war together against Japan and Egypt.
Also he has personal war against Holland.
Suddenly he became hostile and broke all the pacts and declarations.
Is this correct behaviour?
Thats confused me.
I can not see any logic in this. What I've done wrong?

Before:

After:

 

[Anarcomu]

AFAIK some modifiers can be "stealthy", meaning the other civ won't tell you it doesn't like you for one or an other reason.
So eventually all negatives he was hiding finally kicked in and he stopped prentending to like you.
Not entirely sure however, could ask others for confirmation.

 

[Konietzko]

Never fully trust your neighbour. They can be sometimes nasty backstabbers.

 

[nekokon]

Some AI's "special modifier" only applies in a specific situation (like when they think you're competing at the same victory condition, or when you're far ahead in score) or specific timer (like when they think you built too many wonders - I think it starts happening around late medieval/early renaissance or maybe turn based). Those change of heart can even happen when suddenly the AI decide to switch from one victory condition to another (thus suddenly became your competitor and got mad at you).
Very finicky and unnatural system, but it's for the sake of a "balanced" board game. Civ is not a civilization simulator.

 

[Alpharius]

Never fully trust your neighbour. They can be sometimes nasty backstabbers.

This. Most Warmonger civs are the usual culprits. Denmark, Aztec, Huns, Zulu, Rome, etc.

It's also partly why I think they don't do well on most games. They backstab allies for no apparent reason and gets ganged up by all their neighbors.

Very finicky and unnatural system, but it's for the sake of a "balanced" board game. Civ is not a civilization simulator.

Literally unplayable

 

[CppMaster]

Very finicky and unnatural system, but it's for the sake of a "balanced" board game. Civ is not a civilization simulator.

Too bad

 

[Circe]

It's also partly why I think they don't do well on most games. They backstab allies for no apparent reason and gets ganged up by all their neighbors.

Yeah, once had Russia backstab me the turn after declaring friendship. Everyone hated her. Didn't declare war until 20~ turns later at least.
The hostility wasn't surprising, but the backstab was pointless. Even non-warmongers fall prey to it on occasion. Once goaded Portugal into backstabbing me by performing every offense I could think of during a DoF. I deserved it, but the DoF probably would've run out before she finally declared war on me.
Does the AI ever backstab with a troop buildup and immediate declaration of war? It's the only way that behavior would ever confer a gameplay advantage.

 

[Alpharius]

Does the AI ever backstab with a troop buildup and immediate declaration of war?

I don't think the AI knows how to do this, unfortunately. At least in my experience, I've never seen this happen.

The closest thing the AI have done is to feign friendliness without an actual DOF (so technically doesn't count as a backstab), but the way they mass troops on your borders is very noticeable.

 

[youngsteve]

This. Most Warmonger civs are the usual culprits. Denmark, Aztec, Huns, Zulu, Rome, etc.

It's also partly why I think they don't do well on most games. They backstab allies for no apparent reason and gets ganged up by all their neighbors.

I think it is more to do with choosing Authority. Every civ who picks this is like the kiss of death. Hopefully, the strengthning of barbs might help with this.

 

[Alpharius]

I think it is more to do with choosing Authority. Every civ who picks this is like the kiss of death. Hopefully, the strengthning of barbs might help with this.

Well, yeah. @mikekonev had mentioned weird backstab behavior which is why I emphasized on that.

But I agree about the AI going Authority. They don't seem to be effective at demanding tribute from CS, either.

 

[cidk2000]

Ive been quite active adding ai issues to the thread on github, Authority civs are a pain too and they overreach thier unit supply even on lower levels as for general play the ai is much better but for combat it compensates by over producing units and often im overrun and then because its supplyt/gpt is negative the units magically disband and it repeats the process.

 

[MEQ]

How do I get the bonus Reformation Belief from Piety's Reformation Policy? I've founded a Religion, but nothing happens when I choose that Policy. And subsequent Great Prophets don't have a Reformation Ability either. Must I not have already Reformed? If so, that Policy arrives way too late.

 

[Alpharius]

How do I get the bonus Reformation Belief from Piety's Reformation Policy? I've founded a Religion, but nothing happens when I choose that Policy. And subsequent Great Prophets don't have a Reformation Ability either. Must I not have already Reformed? If so, that Policy arrives way too late.

Piety (Fealty) doesn't have a Policy related to Reformation though? You might be using a modmod.

 

[Anarcomu]

Piety does have a Policy for reformation, however this is in the base game, not VP. Are you playing in english ? If not, you might have the wrong description for policies.

 

[Alpharius]

So that's why it seemed somewhat familiar... Just realized I don't even remember what the policies do in the base game, lol

 

[alchx]

Why is the AI not trying to restore the number of cities? Germany more than 100 turns ago lost two cities in the war with the Ottomans. Can spawn two new cities (1 above and 1 below) in marked locations - yes, only 1 hex to foreign borders, but it's better than having only 1 city, the loss of which will destroy the empire.

Also, the spy works somewhat strangely when completing a task with causing damage to an enemy city (100 damage to the city, 25 damage to the garrison, the city does not recover for 5 turns). Top level spy undertook to complete this task in 1 turn in Berlin. In 1 turn he completed it. And then automatically performed twice more in 1 turn (while gathering new intelligence). As a result, Berlin lost 300 hp in 3 turns. This spy works more efficiently than an entire army. After the third destruction of the city, the spy calmed down and automatically returned to his homeland without asking 'are there any other tasks in Berlin?'. Some kind of independent agent.

Spoiler :

 

[Slyceth]

Why is the AI not trying to restore the number of cities? Germany more than 100 turns ago lost two cities in the war with the Ottomans. Can spawn two new cities (1 above and 1 below) in marked locations - yes, only 1 hex to foreign borders, but it's better than having only 1 city, the loss of which will destroy the empire.

Also, the spy works somewhat strangely when completing a task with causing damage to an enemy city (100 damage to the city, 25 damage to the garrison, the city does not recover for 5 turns). Top level spy undertook to complete this task in 1 turn in Berlin. In 1 turn he completed it. And then automatically performed twice more in 1 turn (while gathering new intelligence). As a result, Berlin lost 300 hp in 3 turns. This spy works more efficiently than an entire army. After the third destruction of the city, the spy calmed down and automatically returned to his homeland without asking 'are there any other tasks in Berlin?'. Some kind of independent agent.

Spoiler :

View attachment 644376

Is Germany a vassal of somebody?

 

[alchx]

Is Germany a vassal of somebody?

Now vassal of Austria. In trading with Austria, the item 'liberate' reported that this was impossible for the next 36 turns. Perhaps in some interval Germany was a vassal of the Ottomans (did not pay attention). But I think there were at least 50 turns as a free empire to decide on the construction of new cities.

About 20-30 turns ago Germany and the Ottomans were at war. This, of course, prevented the founding of cities, because. The war was fought in Germany.

 

[alchx]

Как можно добиться того, что вассал восстал против сюзерена?

Сейчас у меня три вассала - Китай (ходов 100+), Персия (около 80) и Оттоманы (ходов 10-15). Всем выставил максимальный налоги в 25%.
Китай вначале испытывал ко мне ненависть из-за непомерных налогов. Затем возлюбил за защиту его территории от юнитов Персии. Затем был подозрительным, а теперь боится.
Персия вначале также ненавидела из-за налогов, затем была подозрительной, и самой первой стала испытывать страх.
Оттоманы пока-что просто ненавидят из-за налогов, слишком мало времени прошло.

Мне нужно их начать постоянно оскорблять и денонсировать? Или как можно добиться их восстания, не распуская большую часть своей армии? Сейчас у меня 16-18 городов под прямым управлением, несколько марионеток из городов-государств и воссоздать армию и флот будет несложно, плюс усиление религии Orders + Zealotry, позволяющее приобретать юниты за веру. Но это искусственный путь.

Вассалы отправляют ко мне торговые караваны, т.ч. мы торговые партнеры и нет сигналов о готовящемся восстании. Хотя они стали дружны с Австрией - второй мощной империей, у которой вассал Германия с одним городом, совершенно не представляющим угрозу.

Должны же они хоть как-то пытаться выйти из-под гнета узурпатора... Хотя в одной из прошлых игр моим вассалом стала одна из сильнеших империй, в некоторый момент времени опережавшая по численности армии и технологиям, но все равно не поднявшая восстание. Это просто скучно.

Возможно, в случае восстания вассалам стоит давать некоторые бонусы против угнетателя. Например, +20% боевой мощи на время войны, +10hp на своей территории, иньекции денег и молотков, чтобы могли купить и построить юнитов. Это, конечно, тоже очень искусственное решение, но добавит несколько моментов драматизма, когда огромная империя со множеством вассалов разваливается на части под своим весом, т.к. крайне сложно воевать на 3-4-5 фронтах сразу и иметь 5-6 сильных флотов для прикрытия всех прибрежных вод. Хотя, безусловно, даже потеря 5-8 городов в пограничных районах, посреди океанов или на других материках не окажет какого-то критического влияния.

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How can you get the vassal to rebel against the overlord?

Now I have three vassals - China (100+ moves), Persia (about 80) and Ottomans (10-15 moves). Everyone put up a maximum tax of 25%.
China initially hated me because of the exorbitant taxes. Then loved for the protection of his territory from the units of Persia. Then he was suspicious, and now he is afraid.
Persia also hated at first because of taxes, then was suspicious, and the very first began to feel fear.
Ottomans are just hated because of taxes, too little time has passed.

Do I need to start constantly insulting and denouncing them? Or how can you get them to rebel without disbanding most of your army? Right now I have 16-18 cities under direct control, a few city-state puppets and recreating an army and navy should be easy, plus an Orders + Zealotry religion buff that allows you to purchase units for faith. But this is an artificial way.

Vassals send trade caravans to me, incl. we are trading partners and there are no signs of an impending uprising. Although they became friends with Austria - the second powerful empire, which has Germany as a vassal with one city that does not pose a threat at all.

They must somehow try to get out from under the yoke of the usurper... Although in one of the last games, one of the strongest empires became my vassal, at some point in time ahead of the size of the army and technology, but still did not raise an uprising. It's just boring.

Perhaps in the event of an uprising, the vassals should be given some bonuses against the oppressor. For example, +20% combat power for the duration of the war, +10hp in own territory, injection of money and hammers so that they can buy and build units. This, of course, is also a very artificial solution, but it will add a few moments of drama when a huge empire with many vassals falls apart under its own weight, because. it is extremely difficult to fight on 3-4-5 fronts at once and have 5-6 strong fleets to cover all coastal waters. Although, of course, even the loss of 5-8 cities in the border areas, in the middle of the oceans or on other continents will not have any critical impact.