'Rising Tide' expansion announced!

[KrikkitTwo]

To 'open up' the tech tree, I would make Every Tech (except for 1st ring stems/some 1st ring leafs) give affinity.

Some would give it directly (as now no choice)
Others would open up a quest to let you choose (like the building quests)
Others would open up a quest that required more than a choice.
Others would be tied into buildings for that tech.

 

[AriochIV]

To 'open up' the tech tree, I would make Every Tech (except for 1st ring stems/some 1st ring leafs) give affinity.

This is a promising idea. Even if it's as simple as a small amount of Affinity points on each tech, it would reduce the problem on no-Affinity techs being unattractive, though there would still be the problem of off-Affinity techs being unattractive. Though better hybrid affinity perks/units could improve that.

 

[Ryika]

We already have affinity on almost every leaf-tech, with very few exceptions - I think 5? With 2 of them being the deep-space telescope that you still need and the other one being lasercom + memetwork - both examples of how non-affinity techs can work. That doesn't change anything about the fact that you still only take the few items that are important for your empire and then your victory condition.

I think the main issue is that it's way too easy to beeline through the tech web with only ring-1 infrastructure. If the tech-requisites did ramp up a LOT more and each ring had good buildings that allowed you to boost your empire-development to a point where you could reasonably push into the next ring instead of basically ignoring ring 2+3 completely, then the problem would be a lot smaller - it would still exist for the outer ring, but everything before that would allow(/force) you to choose your techs somewhat freely.

And of course, techs that you need for your victory condition should not give you anything else of use so they're not an autopick but should be taken with caution.

 

[Galgus]

Just giving more techs buildings and bonuses worth taking would do wonders for weakening beelines by improving the competition.

 

[Velasti]

Just giving more techs buildings and bonuses worth taking would do wonders for weakening beelines by improving the competition.

Opportunity cost - nicely done

Alternatively you could add more game mechanics which made other factions an existential threat to your empire... E.g. Beelining for Hubble isn't very sensible if you've started with Shaka, Monte and Genghis Khan in close proximity to you.

 

[Hakan-i Cihan]

I would suggest to have a certain number of technologies of the previous ring as additional prerequisite for accesing technologies in the 2nd, 3rd and 4th ring. This will make the game longer and also some technologies, buildings, units and wonder more worthwile.

 

[Lord Tirian]

Alternatively you could add more game mechanics which made other factions an existential threat to your empire... E.g. Beelining for Hubble isn't very sensible if you've started with Shaka, Monte and Genghis Khan in close proximity to you.

After snagging the expansion to Pandora recently (Eclipse of Nashira), I actually think big environmental events are an interesting way to force reactions. In EoN, after a 100 turns or so, the planet starts to darken due to a giant eclipse, causing native life to change behaviour and spawns some special aliens. Later in the game, an alien invasion by progenitor-type aliens occurs. Both events force you to react with military and to some extent with infrastructure/workers.

Now, I don't think a 1:1 copy would work for Civ:BE, but I think that the idea is good: you need external forces to "provoke" the player to make choices. To some extent, conflict with other faction does this (but this happens late in Civ:BE) - but there is nothing forcing an affinity choice.

Having some pivotal event that spans several turns and is global would galvanise all players, AI or human, to make some choices (or get stomped on). Then, later in the game, conflict would push that choice further.

I think that is the main problem with the game: there are not enough points where you are forced to make an interesting decision, especially regarding its novel systems (tech web & affinities).

 

[Gilleous]

That also reminds me of the Armegeddon DLC for Warlock 1. Again, they don't need to copy it or even need to make it as world shattering, but something to mix the flow would be nice.

In the case of Pandora the eclipse phase is an interesting one. Another I can think of is the Grand Menace from SotS 1. So,there is plenty of ways to mix things up. Just throw the option in the new game advanced set-up menu to disable any the player doesn't want.

 

[Gorbles]

As long as it's balanced far better than the Grand Menace, I'd be good with that.

 

[GAGA Extrem]

Wasn't that the guy who pacifies the galaxy and shoots up your fleet if you disobey him?
...we still have a score to settle, scoundrel!!

 

[Lord Tirian]

In the case of Pandora the eclipse phase is an interesting one. Another I can think of is the Grand Menace from SotS 1. So,there is plenty of ways to mix things up. Just throw the option in the new game advanced set-up menu to disable any the player doesn't want.

Heck, come up with biome-specific "grand menaces", then you could have stuff like:

• Fungal Bloom (fungal biome): Miasma starts spreading on its own, manticore spawn rate increases and native life heals twice as fast. Xenomass can spawn Fungal Swarms (think units made of miasma).
• Ice Age (lush biome): Energy penalty, native life starts migrating starts migrating towards middle band of map, aggressively pillaging in the process (no extra aggression vs units). Nests in cold regions disappear, replaced by 2-3 Queen Beetles (think giant wolf beetles).
• Solar Alignment (arid biome): Growth & food penalty, "starving" native life becomes attacks on sight and heals after kills, doubled siege worm spawns (worm signs!).

That way, each biome would be a very different challenge at the same time and give the game a lot more variety.

 

[LordGek]

So will this be in addition to the BIG promised update or is this expansion that promised revision?


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[Lord Tirian]

So will this be in addition to the BIG promised update or is this expansion that promised revision?

Both, as far as we know.

In the announcement, they gameplay changes will be implemented as 2.0 patch while new content and additions (ocean gameplay etc.) will form the expansion.

 

[SupremacyKing2]

New screenshot confirming a new sea alien called the Hydracoral. Here is what the facebook page says:

a combination of terrain and enemy presence. Players can clear them out by engaging in an attack, although there is a good chance it will potentially anger the alien wildlife of the planet. Players can also consider using these alien lifeforms strategically as a defense mechanism as well.

 

[Eagle Pursuit]

New screenshot confirming a new sea alien called the Hydracoral. Here is what the facebook page says:

Yep. I just saw it on Twitter and asked @civgame. They told me the same info. It blocks tiles. You have to kill it to clear the tile.

 

[SupremacyKing2]

Yep. I just saw it on Twitter and asked @civgame. They told me the same info. It blocks tiles. You have to kill it to clear the tile.

So is it safe to assume that the hydracoral does not move?

 

[Ryika]

That's cool. Good to know that the seas will have obstacles!

 

[Eagle Pursuit]

So is it safe to assume that the hydracoral does not move?

That's how I understand it.

 

[Mustakrakish]

So when is their presentation or whatever on E3 is happening? Or is it even happening?

 

[Lord Tirian]

That's cool. Good to know that the seas will have obstacles!

I wonder whether they will introduce something similar to the land aliens, having obstacles like that is a smart way to create some challenge and reason to build up military without causing immediate threat like more/stronger mobile aliens, would play into the whole "hostile environment" theme as well. Plus, alien nests might become an actual challenge, right now they're push-overs.

It's also interesting how they seem to form "banks".

So when is their presentation or whatever on E3 is happening? Or is it even happening?

According to this streaming schedule somebody on reddit put together, Rising Tide is scheduled for 16:00 (PDT)/23:00 (UTC) on Thursday.