Quick terrain improvements - no more worker management.

[frenzyfol]

It would be really nice If I could just right click on a tile and assign it a terrain improvement. Right click would display a transparent rose UI of all available terrain improvements ordered in a most likely fashion.
Then the next available worker would automatically come along and fix up that tile.

Sure in the early game you want to be finicky about where each worker is and what he is doing.. But in the late game when I see a tile that could be improved I don't want to run around searching for a worker. Shift click move, shift click improve... That's just bad UI.

 

[logarithm64]

Even if workers aren't abolished, I would like to see a similar system where the player could "queue up" a terrain improvement to be built on a particular tile. Automated workers would then build the improvement on the tile when they are next available.

 

[Lockesdonkey]

You can already queue worker actions (in Civ IV at least) by holding down SHIFT and issuing your orders; you do have to use the buttons (rather than hotkeys), but it's not a bad system. I've learned over time how to issue worker orders that keep them busy for thirty to fifty turns and still be useful.

 

[frenzyfol]

I use the queue system in civ4, but it's not exactly a great UI implementation.

 

[epicivfreak]

I'd like to see workers go as well. I remember CtP II's system was very nice, except that I'd often forget to place improvements once I had enough points to do so. That's one good thing about workers, they won't let you forget about them - but then again that's also the bad thing isn't it? CtP II didn't have advisers though, and since civ 5 will, the adviser can pop up every now and then to tell you, "Hey stoopid, build some roads or something!"

Come to think of it CtP II was a damn good game for it's time, I wish someone would make a part 3.

 

[frenzyfol]

When I was thinking about how to improve it I didn't want to remove the current functionality. Just add to it.
1. Manual worker assignment to improve tiles
2. Select tile and queue a terrain improvement, any idling worker automatically takes the next job in the queue
3. If a worker becomes idle and there are no more jobs in the queue he will be come an active unit.
4. If you sleep him he will awaken automatically if something is added to the queue.

This way you loose none of the existing functionality and gain a much easier UI.


On a side note.. Workers set to completely automated improvements should customise city tiles to reflect the city style. If a governor has been set to science then windmills and towns should be built. If a governor has been set to production, then mines/watermills etc. (I think this may already be the case, I just never use governors.)

 

[Earthling]

Workers aren't likely to and shouldn't be gone entirely. They are doing one thing in trying to reduce/eliminate the total number of roads though, so you'll only be building a few major roads apparently. Just having one other improvement per tile really is not that bad to micromanage anyway, and I'm sure some automate function will exist.