Rick´s Battleground

[RickFGS]

Would it be possible to get just a clean map with the standard game setup so that I could do some of my own modifications without having first to take all of yours out?

It is, download my file, open the C3C editor via its shortcut to start on a new project, after that go to File->Import->Map->World Map (choose Rick´s Battlegroung .biq) and voila, here´s only the map for your own modding, if you want starting locations and other things you can choose from the Import menu bar.

 

[Madeira]

Hi Rick!

Your map is awesome! And I love the idea, it would make a very interesting game if you were to make good use of the awesome unit packs that have been released by a number of excelent unit makers, so as to make each civ more unique! But its a hell of a big job I warn you!

I have a sugestion, an alternate version of your map with the right most islands removed so as to make a big ocean, it makes the late game naval warfare more interesting, aegis cruisers (if I remember correctly) are important because of their double visibility, carriers so you can carry bombers and fighters across big distances, submarines for hit and run attacks, destroyers for patrolling and submarine detection, lots of possibilities. Also for the early part of the game, you could make the early ships unable to cross oceans by using the "Wheeled" trick, you flag Galleys and stuff (ships before the Caravel) as "Wheeled" and then flag the "Ocean" terrain as impassable for wheeled units, and voila, Galleys cant move to oceans, although they may still move to seas and sink in them if you want

 

[RickFGS]

Hi Rick!

Your map is awesome! And I love the idea, it would make a very interesting game if you were to make good use of the awesome unit packs that have been released by a number of excelent unit makers, so as to make each civ more unique! But its a hell of a big job I warn you!

I have a sugestion, an alternate version of your map with the right most islands removed so as to make a big ocean, it makes the late game naval warfare more interesting, aegis cruisers (if I remember correctly) are important because of their double visibility, carriers so you can carry bombers and fighters across big distances, submarines for hit and run attacks, destroyers for patrolling and submarine detection, lots of possibilities. Also for the early part of the game, you could make the early ships unable to cross oceans by using the "Wheeled" trick, you flag Galleys and stuff (ships before the Caravel) as "Wheeled" and then flag the "Ocean" terrain as impassable for wheeled units, and voila, Galleys cant move to oceans, although they may still move to seas and sink in them if you want

Superb ideias Madeira I´m halfway at the modding part of the improvements/wonders, mostly new units have been added but i´ll have to add flavours and many more, but this idea of wheeled naval units is just too good to pass, i´ll check too see how i can implement it. Thank you!

 

[timerover51]

I have played with your map a bit, and discovered that the fastest way to get a clean map is simply to load it in the editor and then hit Restore Default Rules.

As I do much of my game playing on a Mac, and getting scenarios to run easily is a pain, I tend to only modify the rules rather than adding new buildings and units. Because of this, I have worked up the following means of restricting the number of air ports in the game.

I have harbors set to allow water trade as usual, but to get a commercial dock, you need 5 harbors previously built. To get an airport in a city, you have to have a commercial dock first. That really limits the airports in the game, and makes placing them very critical. I will have to see how the AI handles this.

I do like Madeira's ideas for making a larger ocean, as I love playing with ships. I am not sure about limiting ocean travel for ships prior to Caravels however, as the Vikings and the Irish were making ocean voyages to Iceland and Greenland using Knorrs and Curraghs for transportation. What you could do is have a Viking Knorr in the game that can handle ocean travel early and also a Celtic curragh. If you did not want to add another unit animation, you could use the existing Curragh animation copied and renamed.

 

[Madeira]

Well, some also believe at least the Phoenicians visited America before the Vikings
if we start adding ships with that ability, it becomes more of a penalty to civs that dont have it than a bonus to some that do.

I can agree with allowing the Viking Longship to cross oceans, but I think they reached America by way if Iceland and Greenland, maybe not really ocean crossing, can anyone more informed correct me if im wrong? Maybe a better bonus for the Longship and possibly Curragh would be the ability to not sink at Sea. A good way to differenciate between trireme-like ships with oars and curragh or cog-like ships that rely on sail expertise is make the triremes faster but coastal (sink at sea) and the curraghs slower but sea-farer (not sink at sea). Then you can have the exceptions like the Longboat which can be a mix of the two types

maybe not every idea is very realistic, but it should make the game more interesting and balanced.

Keep up the good work Rick!

 

[timerover51]

The Vikings did initially reach America via Iceland and Greenland, but you also have records of direct voyages from Greenland to Norway and also Greenland to Newfoundland, along with voyages directly from Ireland and Scotland to both Iceland and Greenland. The Celts sailed from Ireland to Iceland and possibly Greenland directly as well.

 

[Madeira]

Well, a good compromise would be to allow the Celt ships to cross oceans but risk sinking on them, while the Vikings get a further bonus of not sinking on them.

 

[RickFGS]

I´v implemented some of your ideias:
- cut the option to cross oceons for galleys and ships alike (except for some unique units like the longboats and others);
- i´v reedited the map and reduced by 30-40% the number of sea tiles in favour of ocean tiles to allow further room for better ships;
- there are a lot of more changes and its turning into a scenario with a redesigned barbarian option instead of the barbarian uprisings events (that i find slow the game down too much so i eliminated it, there will be barbarian cities over the map with fixed defenses and treasures to be captured and disbanded in exchange for shield output);
- expect update by the month´s end with a much more smoth and better quality map.

Many thanks for the sugestions and keep them coming, i´m having a good time updating this map/scenario.

Also a question, is it possible to have an overlay like a "goody hut" that poping it grants a specific bonus technology hidden from the tech tree.

Oh, and btw how can i control what standard goody huts give to the player/AI, i would like to limit the poping of settlers and units to decrease the game IBT times.

 

[timerover51]

I´v implemented some of your ideias:
- cut the option to cross oceons for galleys and ships alike (except for some unique units like the longboats and others);
- i´v reedited the map and reduced by 30-40% the number of sea tiles in favour of ocean tiles to allow further room for better ships;
- there are a lot of more changes and its turning into a scenario with a redesigned barbarian option instead of the barbarian uprisings events (that i find slow the game down too much so i eliminated it, there will be barbarian cities over the map with fixed defenses and treasures to be captured and disbanded in exchange for shield output);
- expect update by the month´s end with a much more smoth and better quality map..

I like the changes for ocean crossing for galleys, and the reduction in sea tiles, even though that does make expansion for me using Seafaring civilizations a bit slower. With respect to the barbarian uprisings, as I always play with less than the maximum number of civilizations, you might want to consider an option for barbarian uprisings. I have used the preplaced barbarian cities in a couple of mods, and it can drive the AI nuts, depending on what you use.

Many thanks for the sugestions and keep them coming, i´m having a good time updating this map/scenario.

Also a question, is it possible to have an overlay like a "goody hut" that poping it grants a specific bonus technology hidden from the tech tree.

Oh, and btw how can i control what standard goody huts give to the player/AI, i would like to limit the poping of settlers and units to decrease the game IBT times.

It the General Editor menu, lower right hand corner, you will see a default for Resource, that controls the Goody Huts. Play around with that a bit to see what works best for you.

NEW IDEA

I have been adding bonus resources that only appear after civilization advances to further spread the resources out. Currently, I have Fish Ponds appearing after Engineering is researched (Marsh and Flood Plain Terrain), a Right Whale resource appearing after Astronomy (Sea and Ocean), and a Sperm Whale resource appearing after Navigation (Coast, Sea, and Ocean). I have added a few more resources to the basic list as well, to include a Mammoth (Tundra), Northern Fruit (Forest and Grassland), Water Furs (might switch to Muskrats, Marsh and Flood Plain), and Hot Springs (Tundra). Because of the size of the map, the added resources do not overload it, but do give more options to the player.

 

[RickFGS]

I see, i can adapt that to what i want by... instead of poping from goody huts, the units/improvements provided by hidden bonus techs are linked to particular resources when a certain standard tech is researched.

As for resources i have already reached the 32 limiy i believe, so u´ll have to tweak this to insert new options in every era.

As for the barbs they are all immobile forces with the explore flag disabled, i´v been testing it and the game speed as increased a bit, to alllow the barbarian "faction" to endure, i´v created barbarian cities, capitals surrounded by walls with defenders on it and towers with bombarding ability, but its still on test phase of course.

Here is a small preview of one of the seven golden cities of the lost civilization myst that will be present within the map background story, you can see the new resources and art work (taken from the Civfan database and moders):


Note: I did not creat anything on this SS, i will give all due credits when i make the next map update, this is only a compilation of created stuff avalable for download on this site.

 

[timerover51]

As for resources i have already reached the 32 limiy i believe, so u´ll have to tweak this to insert new options in every era.

The 32 resource limit applies only to the total of combined strategic and luxury resources, and does not include the bonus resources. For an extensive discussion on the issue, see the following thread.

http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=410062

 

[RickFGS]

The 32 resource limit applies only to the total of combined strategic and luxury resources, and does not include the bonus resources. For an extensive discussion on the issue, see the following thread.

http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=410062

So i can have whatever number of bonus resources i desire? excellent! that will aloow me to create a whole new era of technologies according to a cities bonus resources area for the AI/player and maybe autobuilding improvements.

One more question, so the only thing i need is to add more pink area on the resources.pcx file and add as much "bonus" resources i want in the file and on the map, how do i add more pink area?

 

[Blue Monkey]

One more question, so the only thing i need is to add more pink area on the resources.pcx file and add as much "bonus" resources i want in the file and on the map, how do i add more pink area?

Take one of the huge resource files, like Casus Belli's. Select & copy the divider lines. Fill the whole image with magenta. Paste the divers back on. Voila - blank resource sheet. Or search the forum. There's a blank file available, iirc.

 

[timerover51]

Take one of the huge resource files, like Casus Belli's. Select & copy the divider lines. Fill the whole image with magenta. Paste the divers back on. Voila - blank resource sheet. Or search the forum. There's a blank file available, iirc.

For that matter, you could simply use Casus Belli's resource file directly, as it does have a fair number of available resources boxes right after the first 26 resources.

 

[RickFGS]

Superb!

Ty BlueMonkey and timerover! expect an update anytime soon, oh, and thank you of course!

 

[NEZ4]

Map looks interesting and I want to try it, but I've been getting the following error:
Missing entry in text\ PediaIcons.txt: TECH_Oligarchy

I checked the PediaIcons.txt file and made sure the icons were in the right art folder too. Everything there seems fine. I also tried downloading the whole zip again and the same.

Weird nobody else seems to be having this. Any ideas?

 

[timerover51]

I have been using the map with my own modifications to the game, without the additional buildings, techs, units, or anything else. So I cannot say how it is running. I really do like the map.

 

[RickFGS]

@NEZ4 - Expect a fully update with many bugs fixed soon.

@timerover51 - Glad you like it! I´v made many more tweaking to it, and perfected so many bugs and bad tile positioning on the newer yet to be released version.

 

[timerover51]

I have not done a lot of map tweaking, aside from adding some resources at selected potential starting locations for Seafaring Civilizations. May I ask what you have been doing?

One consistent tweak that I add to just about all of my generated maps is having a concentration of fish at river deltas where they meet the sea. Areas like this tend to be very rich in water life in actuality.

 

[RickFGS]

I have not done a lot of map tweaking, aside from adding some resources at selected potential starting locations for Seafaring Civilizations. May I ask what you have been doing?

One consistent tweak that I add to just about all of my generated maps is having a concentration of fish at river deltas where they meet the sea. Areas like this tend to be very rich in water life in actuality.

I´v been creating a "battleground" of the map itself, i´ll leave some screenshots of how it looks so far, but there´s still a lot of tweaking to be done, i want to make a reasonable progress to this version.

The concentration of fish at the river deltas is a very good ideia, i think i´ll add it to may navigable rivers entrances...

Here are some screenshots of what i´v been doing, there´s 30 civs playable and one AI unplayable called the Syrians, that are used to control key points on navigable rivers. There´s also a fight between Atlantis and Mu Empire over the control of the "Seven Cities of Gold" on the map, that have riches beyond your imagination:

Preview of version 1.2 - due date unknown:

Spoiler :