PAX 2012: ThoseGamingNerds interview

[Zyxpsilon]

Cool, what year does it start?

Seriously?
4000BC - all games, except when modded, configured era starts or via scenarios, right Louis?

 

[Louis XXIV]

Obviously, I have a bad memory. Since agriculture had been in existence for about 4000-5000 years at that point, I had thought it might have started earlier. I thought previous Civ games did, but I could be mistaken there. Like I said, I don't usually look at the year counter since I have the turn counter.

 

[headcase]

The Mayans are not working on the same clock as everyone else - perhaps the eras will be set times for them, eg x number of turns to the next era regardless of techs discovered?

Could they go as far as to not have a concept of beakers at all, and instead choose a free tech every x turns?

Admittedly that's very unlikely, as that would be as differentiating as the Huns not being able to build cities (which was shot down), but it sure would be interesting. They'd have to make buildings a bit more expensive to make up for not having to build tech buildings (OR make the free techs come a bit slow to compensate, but weakness in tech wouldn't make for a tempting civ to choose).

 

[HardRocker]

I would speculate that the Mayans start with the Calendar technology, which would be a large, but historical and balanced advantage. Plus, this is even more historical since it would have them most likely building wonders before other civs AND the bonus, if used incorrectly, would be worthless near the end of the game.

 

[Ribannah]

Perhaps they get a (short) Golden Age at the beginning of each era.

Getting Calendar for free would make them get Stonehenge in about every game.

 

[AriochIV]

It's a game. Janissaries heal instantly upon victory. Does that make any more sense?

I was under the impression (not sure where I got it from) that the Janissaries were famous for conscripting the survivors of defeated units, and that's the basis for the ability.

Granted that gameplay is more important that absolute realism, but I don't think it's fair to just shrug and say "It's a game" and not care anything about realism. Should the Celts' second unique unit be Leprechauns? "They're always after me lucky charms!"

 

[ehecatzin]

I think they'll get a Free Prophet at Calendar, it would be really cool to have them use the actual Mayan calendar, but if they did it would only be aesthetic.

About getting a golden age or bonuses every X time using the calendar, I imagine it would only work if they used a simplified version of the calendar wheels in a corner of the screen.

Spoiler :

But I dont see them taking so much time to do something like that, I think that if they want to do something unique for them they can do it with a combination of UA and UI. After all it worked wonders with the Polynesians and Incas flavor wise.

 

[fivexthethird]

The first thing the "not running on the same clock" thing made me think of was the technological differences between the Americas and Europe. I can't see any UA that could be made out of that, except for something weird like them having a different early game tech tree?

 

[Louis XXIV]

I was under the impression (not sure where I got it from) that the Janissaries were famous for conscripting the survivors of defeated units, and that's the basis for the ability.

Even if that were true, wouldn't the fact that Immortals were always kept at 10,000 explain their ability? Now do you want to explain the Jaguar Warrior? Were the Foreign Legion actually better in foreign territory than at home?

Granted that gameplay is more important that absolute realism, but I don't think it's fair to just shrug and say "It's a game" and not care anything about realism. Should the Celts' second unique unit be Leprechauns? "They're always after me lucky charms!"

There's a huge difference between keeping the flavor historically accurate and not having features that are gamey. Gamey features have existed since the Pyramids let you choose any government you wanted in Civ1. Otherwise, World Wonders should just give culture and, perhaps, happiness, but nothing else.

 

[Vlynor]

Were the Foreign Legion actually better in foreign territory than at home?.

Still are.

 

[Louis XXIV]

Well, they're not allowed to fight at home because of that whole coup attempt. It doesn't mean they wouldn't be just as effective at doing it.