Patch Update by Greg @ 2K

[cccv]

Transparent diplomacy will make it a lot easier to talk about this kind of thing and strike the right balance.

Now: You do something that you don't think should make Napoleon hate you. Napoleon hates you anyway. You complain that diplomacy is broken. Maybe you're right. Maybe you missed something. Maybe it's supposed to be like that. How the heck can we be sure?

Future: You do something that shouldn't make Napoleon hate you. He hates you anyway. You report this bug and they fix it.

Insane AI behavior has been reported to death, the problem is it's not a "bug." Whether or not they agree it's a problem that can or should be fixed remains to be seen, but for now the answer to his question is no, there's no report so far that they're trying to fix or even want to fix the insane AI. As of now the only difference is that they'll tell you to your face that they're insane.

 

[PawelS]

AI will be more aggressive about pursuing Diplo victory if they are wealthy.

As I wrote earlier in another thread, diplo victory should be called "gold victory"

AI more effective with building, moving, and using aircraft and anti-aircraft more effectively.

The one who wrote this should be more effective at avoiding redundancy more effectively

AI more likely to effectively use siege units in a city attack.

That's what siege units are for.

Better nuke targeting by AI.

Does the AI build nukes at all? Some reports suggest it doesn't... (I don't know because I play using my mod which doesn't have them.)

Catapults and Trebuchets now weaker against units but stronger VS cities, and reduced effectiveness of Archers & Crossbowmen (and their UUs) VS cities.

I like this, I had the same ideas for my mod.

New Building: Circus Maximus (National Wonder for happiness track).
New Building: National Treasury (National Wonder for economic track).

Good that they didn't make it a DLC

Buildings can now no longer provide more Happiness than there is population in a city (wonders are excluded from this).

Anti-ICS.

3 new additional Natural Wonders added to gameplay, with accompanying “rarity” code.

Again I'm happy it's not a DLC

 

[Slowpoke]

AFAIK, the A.I. doesn't build nukes, but you can program them to Mmmm... mega mod will be having nuclear armaggedon methinks.

 

[Louis XXIV]

Quite a few good or at least intriguing

* Tactical AI Tuning: Reduce chance of AI civs making "suicide" attacks. (Added 12/3)

Happy to see this

* Unhappiness beyond a certain point breeds rebels within your empire, based on the number of cities a player has. (Added 12/3)
* Buildings can now no longer provide more Happiness than there is population in a city (wonders are excluded from this). (Added 12/3)

Really interested to see how these two things work. Slight concern about happiness not catching up to population levels, but that is what luxuries, wonders, etc are for. Also:

* New Building: Circus Maximus (National Wonder for happiness track). (Added 12/3)
* 3 new additional Natural Wonders added to gameplay, with accompanying “rarity” code. (Added 12/3)

These will help as well. Also, I'm curious to see more art.

* New Building: National Treasury (National Wonder for economic track). (Added 12/3)

Terrible movie

* Multiple Tech Tree tweaks to address “slingshot” tech exploits. (Added 12/3)

* Fixed "Reload Landmark System" mod flag to now refresh landmarks defined in "ArtDefine_Landmarks". (Added 12/3)

Glad to hear these things. Reload landmark system is a great addition.

 

[ImperialGuard]

Is there a emoticon for "licking your chops"

The new additions on 12/3 sound great !

 

[ezwip]

* 3 new additional Natural Wonders added to gameplay, with accompanying “rarity” code. (Added 12/3)

Rarity code, does that mean they had intended to sell National Wonders? If not what the heck does it mean?

 

[Louis XXIV]

Probably chance of it appearing in the game or not. Useful for modders I would think.

 

[cccv]

By the way,
* Added game option to disable turn-blocking promotions and policy choices.

^^I'm not sure if I understand what that means (perhaps because I haven't actually played the game), but is this saying that they're giving us an option to turn off the other change with the patch where you have to choose a promotion and social policy when you can, before you're allowed to end the turn? Given how controversial that change is, it would be nice if that's what it meant.

So far the only comment I had in this thread was negative, so I should admit that I am impressed by how much they're putting into this patch (some of which I would have expected to be saved for an xpac or dlc).

 

[Slowpoke]

It's saying that, since they are making policies and promotions unsaveable (you need to pick them on the turn you get them), they are making a game option (like no barbarians) that lets you override this.

 

[cccv]

^That's what I thought. Cool.

 

[Pouakai]

Rarity code, does that mean they had intended to sell National Wonders? If not what the heck does it mean?

*Natural Wonders. I think it means stuff like Krakatoa and Mt. Fuji will appear more often than the new three.

 

[Ikael]

I have been a huge Civ V critic, and I gave it a 6/10 in my review (I work at the gaming press), but this patch... this patch is really something else. It tackles and address the very core problems that the game has. I never thought that I would see something as ballsy as this. Now, let's address tile yields and we might be into something!

 

[MadRat]

I agree If Firaxis pulls off this patch they will have shown they have major cojones. I really hope it works.

Rat

 

[Maktaka]

In theory that shouldnt be the case .... we all paid for a game blah blah.

However, if the "cost" is not pitched too high, and they respond with worthwhile, concrete additions to the game that keeps it firmly in the genuine Strategy Game camp with high immersion factor, I personally would go for that. For my part, I want the Game to succeed as a Strategy Game and be a worthwhile addition to a long standing Franchise, and would bend an awful lot to help them get there if thats what is needed.

But ..... if I get treated like cannon fodder again aka the initial release ....

Loyalty is a two way process, not an exclusive one way road to their bank balance.

Fingers crossed .....

Regards
Zy

Oh, don't get me wrong, I have very little intention* of picking up any DLC until it comes out in a GotY upgrade that takes 33% off the cost of the collection or something of that sort, but there are certainly plenty of folks who will buy map packs, civs, and other little bits of content at rates that give a great rate of return for Firaxis and 2K. I can keep playing Askia and Persia on Lakes and Continents forever if they keep patching the game so they play totally different every two months. DLC provides a constant cash supply between release and expansions, and that can convince even the stingiest of PHBs to keep up a regular flow of patches.

* Hey, I'm only human, and Gearbox certainly sucked a lot of extra money out of me through DLC on Borderlands.

 

[CivFart]

The pathfinder optimization is really a good add. It sucks as it is now.

 

[Zydor]

Is there a emoticon for "licking your chops"

The new additions on 12/3 sound great !

Here ya go :

or

After this lot its looking like could possibly become a relatively rare one - lets hope so - "by the power of greyskull" and all that



Regards
Zy

 

[Vlade Divac]

Wow...this really sounds like quite an amazing patch!

 

[Jewman]

this sounds like the game they wouldve released if they hadnt rushed it...

 

[ond_magiker]

This looks promising, especially since it seems they took the fans' critique seriously.

 

[Louis XXIV]

Now, let's address tile yields and we might be into something!

I feel tile yields alone require significant rebalancing to address changes to production and research that would follow.