Resource Depletion/Growth

[Mithrus]

I looked for a similar post to this, but couldn't find any within the last few pages

In Civ3, strategic resources can "wear out" over time, and it appears to be linked to how much time the resource is connected to the Civ, rather than on usage.

An alternate method, which has been used in other games, is to have each resource have a specific starting value, and each time that resource is "used", ala constructing a unit/improvement/wonder, so much of that resource is used. Some resources (like horses) would naturally regrow at a slow rate. You could have city improvements/techs to decrease the depletion rate. Whether the exact resource amount is known to players is questionable.

Another similar idea would be to allow storing the raw materials in the city proper, such that even if you lose the road to that resource, you can live off your stockpile for a bit.

 

[Myzenium]

In Civ3, strategic resources can "wear out" over time, and it appears to be linked to how much time the resource is connected to the Civ, rather than on usage.

Frankly, I was under the impression that SRs vanish only if a citizen works the square with the SR for awhile.

An alternate method, which has been used in other games, is to have each resource have a specific starting value, and each time that resource is "used", ala constructing a unit/improvement/wonder, so much of that resource is used. Some resources (like horses) would naturally regrow at a slow rate. You could have city improvements/techs to decrease the depletion rate. Whether the exact resource amount is known to players is questionable.

First, I'd like to say that this whole idea may add too much to the learning curve. However, allowing the presence of the resource to be dependent on how much the Civ uses it is a nice idea. I would append two more rules:

1. A new source of SR is found the same turn the original is consumed. In other words, a worldwide shortage of a SR would be impossible.
   
   Crude oil, rumored to be a limited natural resource, hasn't been in short supply since the demand for it skyrocketed over a hundred years ago. The reason is simple: new, previously unknown sources are found frequently. (Of course, environmentalists in many cases forbid drilling for said crude oil because it may negatively affect the local animal population. *cough* Alaska *cough*) With new sources of iron, coal, aluminum, and even oil being found every year; Civ4 should reflect this fact in the same way that Civ3 does.
   
   
2. One unit of SR would be used for a single Unit, City Improvement, Wonder, or Terrain Improvement (railroads).
   
   Why, you say, shouldn't multiple units of SR be consumed for a given project? Take this example: A given deposit of saltpeter has 50 units. Each Musketman requires 2 units of saltpeter to build, and a Coastal Fortress requires 3 units of saltpeter to build. The player builds 24 Musketmen, and wants to build a Coastal Fortress, but he can't. Aside from this inconvenience to the player, the problem is that a new deposit of saltpeter can't appear on the map because our deposit of saltpeter hasn't been completely used. Therefore, one unit of SR consumed per project is best for the game.

Another similar idea would be to allow storing the raw materials in the city proper, such that even if you lose the road to that resource, you can live off your stockpile for a bit.

No good for aggressive players. What's the fun in using a borrowed map of the enemy's territory to conduct an invasion, but finding that all the SR are safe and secure inside the city squares?

 

[Denarr]

I looked for a similar post to this, but couldn't find any within the last few pages

Actually, there was a similar concept posted in the topic Resources should be Era-specific.
Yours is different enough to be worth posting there without risking dupication of concepts.

 

[Myzenium]

Here's my excuses for not knowing that.

1. The topic header read Resources should be Era-specific, not Resource Depletion/Growth.
2. The topic went way off-track around post #23, when Genghis Khan suggested the part that I liked best about Mithrus' thread. (Yes, Genghis Khan posted it first, so he should get the credit.)
3. I usually don't read deep into threads that start with concepts that I don't like, for I assume that the posters there will stay on the same topic, and I don't post on such threads having a reply with which I completely agree. Therefore, I stopped reading Resources should be Era-specific soon after I first saw it. Why should I read a thread if I don't have anything to contribute?

So my point is this: Genghis Khan should have started a new thread, so his new idea would get the largest possible number of views. I'm going to PM him now and suggest exactly that.

 

[Denarr]

I figured it might be something like that, I feel much the same about replying to a topic.
Perhaps a Moderator could just rename the topic, instead of starting a completely new one.
I sure would hate to dig up and repost my messages, just because a new topic got started...not that it would be the first time.

 

[stoest510]

I had a similar idea where some resources would be measured. There could be lots of very small pockets of resources (coal) perhaps and only a few motherloads. That would force a decision on whether to use that coal for improvements (railroads) or to build a certain unit. That would require units needing specific amounts of resources to build. I think this would make trading more realistic as you could sell someone a limited amount of a resource, more resouce would cost more. This would prevent my tactic when I don't have coal, once I make a trade for coal, I build every railroad in sight in the next 20 turns. It would also limit the proliferation of advanced units. Limited resources to build these units would make carefull decision and use of these units more important and eliminate the sledge hammer approach.

I also think there should be a geologist unit that would uncover resources not already visible on the map. So a square might have iron (100 Tons) just waiting to be discovered.

 

[xerox]

It might be nice to be able to CREATE a limitted number of certain Resources, Bonuses, or Luxuries on appropriate terrain types if they already exist at least once and there is a trade route from one of the originals:
1. WINE, INCENSE, SPICES, SILK, FURS
2. HORSES, RUBBER
3. WHEAT, CATTLE
The theory being that if I have access to WHEAT then I can Plant more WHEAT. (same for WINE,INCENSE,SPICES,RUBBER)
If I have access to CATTLE or HORSES then I can make baby CATTLE and HORSES. (same for SILK,FURS)

 

[Phoenix]

Aswell as depleting over time your civ should stockpile the resources (ie you get 10 units of oil per tile with oil in per turn). Then each unit can use so much oil every time it is built (ie 1 unit). This way even a civ that contorls a resource may still have to trade for some to feed its massive demand. For example America has oil inside its territory therefore according to civ it doesn't need to import any... but it still does. This would add to the realism of the game.