Things the computer knows about and that could be implemented easily

[LouLong]

Well, I am not a programer and I might be wrong about some of the things I will mention but this thread should be for things that you would like to see in the game or in the editor and that you have some reasons to think the computer already handles / has informations about. In that case adding them completely should add something to the game without requiring an entire revamp of the system.

This first post will be for listing them in chronological order. I will add all the porpositions posted in I think they fit in in this first thread. Please, just make sure afterwards I got your idea alright.

1. VARIABLE UPKEEP
- CONCEPT : different upkeep for different troops.
- EXPLANATION : the computer already knows how to calculate the cost of a unit (political regime, number and size of cities,...) but the cost is basically 1 or 0 (possibly with a factor). But it would be nice to use more options to determine cheaper or more expensive units.
- GAME PURPOSE : mercenaries or cost rising for technologically advanced units.



2. TRADE ROUTE TAXE
- CONCEPT : if a trade route goes through your (or the AI's) territory, you get a percentage (like 2 or 5%).
- EXPLANATION : This would add to the cost of the luxury trade (pb is it adds money to a tech-luxury trade). The computer knows there are trade routes and which ones are blocked so it could probably understand what route is the quikest one and add a certain amount of money for each country the trade route crosses.
- GAME PURPOSE : give an influence to some rich through trade countries (alternative to simply army or land size) and create entirely new strategic choices.

3. LIMITED NUMBER OF SPECIAL TROOPS
- CONCEPT : limit the creation of some troops to a certain percenatge of a Civ's army
- EXPLANATION : the computer knows the number of troops you have AND he knows how to limit the quantity of some units (armies based on the number of cities for instance). These two systems could be used to limit the production of some units (elite but not only) so that it does not represent more than a certain percentage of a Civ's army.
- GAME PURPOSE : represent Guard or Elite units that cannot make up an entire army (Praetorians, Immortals, Napoleonian Imperial Guard,...) and create a balance in the AI and player's armies (more realistic).


4. RIVERS EFFECTS ON MOVEMENTS AND RESOURCES TRADING/ LINKING
- CONCEPT : Rivers act as roads for movement and trade
- EXPLICATION : Maybe harder to implement but they are both overlays. Since we cannot have ships on rivers, their effect could be represented by showing the effect on trade and movement. Of course a movement of two rather than 3 (roads now) would be better (slower than roads) but to have it would be pretty nice anyway. For trade this does not mean trade bonus but the fact that two cities connected by the same river are considered connected just as two coastal cities with harbors which means strategic or luxury resources can be exchanged.
- GAME PURPOSE : More realistic in effect and in the way of developping civs (ancient Egypt for instance but definitely not only) or invasions, especially in hilly terrain.


5. PRINCESS FLAG CAPTURABLE AT SEA
- CONCEPT : make the princess-flag unit capturable by sea units as well as by land troops
- EXPLICATION : from my point of view, nothing prevents it from being implemented. It is not even a carryng pb.
- GAME PURPOSE : well, pirates capturing the hostage, treasure.....

 

[Drewcifer]

When making maps in the editor many types of terrain have two different sizes when they are along the coast or used as islands: a large one that takes up the entire square and a much smaller one. I would like to control which version is expressed. In some of my maps I have been forced to use the wrong terrain in order to make the coasts look right. It is also ridiculous that you cannot place plains (or forests over plains) next to tundra.

 

[Galcador]

Originally posted by LouLong 4. RIVERS EFFECTS ON MOVEMENTS AND TRADE[/B]

River movement would be hard to implement as rivers run between tiles. They would have to go back to in-tile rivers as in Civ I/II. Trade is already represented by the extra commerce from riverside tiles.

 

[LouLong]

Originally posted by Galcador

River movement would be hard to implement as rivers run between tiles. They would have to go back to in-tile rivers as in Civ I/II. Trade is already represented by the extra commerce from riverside tiles.

Yep you are right about the rivers between tiles so it might more difficult to do than I thought. Still they are both overlays and both generate a commercial bonus so they do share some "flags" in common.
On the other hand what I meant by trade effect was to allow trade between cities just as roads do, a way of carrying goods without having to actually build roads between two (same) river cities. I have corrected my post about that.

Anybody has other ideas ? If these ideas are easy to implement (we probably cannot know ourselves but sure some at least will be) and that we support them, BreakAway and Firaxis/Atari may make some of them while they could not add a large revamp such as naval warfare or religion.

 

[LouLong]

Originally posted by Drewcifer
When making maps in the editor many types of terrain have two different sizes when they are along the coast or used as islands: a large one that takes up the entire square and a much smaller one. I would like to control which version is expressed. In some of my maps I have been forced to use the wrong terrain in order to make the coasts look right. It is also ridiculous that you cannot place plains (or forests over plains) next to tundra.

I agree, especially about the annoying coastline stuff. Now it has to do with graphics or map editor rather than rules editor so I don't think it fits here, especially since it needs alternative graphics.

And they promised a enhnaced "superior" map editor so who knows ?

 

[LouLong]

No other ideas ?

I really hoped that thread would be filled with lots of interesting tweaks so as to better the game and that don't (or should not) need a large rewrite of the game.

 

[joespaniel]

Originally posted by LouLong
And they promised a enhnaced "superior" map editor so who knows ?

They say that every time...

 

[Qitai]

Originally posted by LouLong


Yep you are right about the rivers between tiles so it might more difficult to do than I thought. Still they are both overlays and both generate a commercial bonus so they do share some "flags" in common.

2 adjecent tiles having parallel river will both have the flag and you have have a "bug" of troops being able to move quickly between 2 tile that do not have a common river (I.e. the two tiles have river, but two different river).