Underwater/Moon bases

[Swooping Hawk]

Now, I'm not really into the sci-fi stuff for the main game, but since we have the Alpha Centauri victory, then I don't see why we can't add sea or space colonies. (No terraforming - too futuristic). Maybe the populations would be worth 5 times the score of ordinary populations. I'd like the challenge of moving into a second expansion phase when playing a peaceful civ.

The technology to create moon bases isn't that unrealistic, we just don't have the will to do it yet. It's not like the main game is that realistic anyway - it only has a few techs, weapons and civs in common with the real world.

 

[steviejay]

play Call to Power man, thats got all that.

 

[Swooping Hawk]

I've got the original call to power, but I didn't like it much. It's got way too many dodgy units, like televangilists. (!?)

PS - I've just spotted Captain's thread - oops - heh heh.

 

[Stid]

call to power is crap!! it was the only civ game ive ever hated bt anyway i dont have objections to satelites that could help shoot nukes or help u shoot the hell outta the earth bt i dont like the idea of colonies etc

 

[gustavope]

Hi

I don't like this idea of space colony. But I think that they should enhance the space travel, like start with satellite, then travel to space, to moon, mars and then for the rest universe!!!!!!!!

Gustavo Pereira

 

[Midnight Piper]

There seems to be a pretty large, vocal faction of Civ players that maintains a real hatred of any suggestion that Civ should extend beyond the scope of existing human history (It's alternat ehistory, not Sci-Fi!). That's always bothered me.

To me, Civ is about creating and developing my Civ through history. If the designers made it possible for me to expand into space, compete with the other Civ's making outposts on the system planets and mining the belt, contact alien life and continue on out into a galactic game (or however far they want to take it), I'd be all for it. Guess that's a difference between a 'builder' mentality and a 'conquest/win' mentality - no need for a finish line. Then again, I'm one of those folks who passionately hate the thousand-turn limit.

Re: CTP - the game wasn't all bad, but the pacing was pretty bad (I've made my first battleship! It's almost outdated! Go to war! My battleship has encountered the enemy, and it's only three generations out-of-date!) and some the the units gameplay choices were pretty poor. Soem features were great - Eye Candy (animated resources), city-population-based workers/slaves (dumping the worker units) and improvements (taxes going to infrastructure development); some novel units and government types; a first try at (wow, back on topic) going into the future and opening space/oceans to gameplay. The CTP experience was a good first try and a great resource for Civ designers who want to find better ways to do some of the same things.

 

[Colonel]

What is it with all these space threads lately ITS A BAD IDEA keep it historical, the game already goes into the future a little leave it there or make a scenerio

 

[LLXerxes]

I am sick of the sci-fi crap.

moon colonies would shift your focus from your earth civ, and underwater bases? c'mon

 

[Elgalad]

I am sick of the sci-fi crap.

Then they'd better eliminate the global warming effects in Civ 4.

 

[Albow]

just cos someone needs to make the counterpoint:

WOOHOOO TO SPACE AND UNDERWATER colonies

 

[Lewsir]

I'd be happier with SMAC 2. I guess that's not in the cards...

 

[sealman]

There seems to be a pretty large, vocal faction of Civ players that maintains a real hatred of any suggestion that Civ should extend beyond the scope of existing human history (It's alternat ehistory, not Sci-Fi!). That's always bothered me.

Why should it bother you that there are those of us who don't want a strong sci-fi component to our civ game? It doesn't bother us that you want it. What bothers us is that folks want to change the focus of civ from earth to the stars and those who want to change the whole foundation of the civ series.

Would I buy CIV 4 if it incorparates these Sci-Fi elements? Probably
Would I be disappointed and feel that the developers sold out? Yes
Would I still play Civ 4? Yes, but not to the extent I played Civ 3 unless the elements that I like are enhanced.

 

[bob rulz]

I agree 100% with the post above,, although I could handle it if it went maybe twenty or thirty years into the future. The problem with going into the future is that, from my experience, games that go from the ancient age into the future usually do it in an unrealistic and stupid way (ie Empire Earth) and are rarely creative about it.

I could agree with these things (since I have thought up a World War III story that takes place slightly in the future). I read from a reliable source somewhere that by 2012 we could have extremely weak electromagnetic shielding for our tanks and at least partially effective laser weapons by 2015 (no, I'm not joking). I think nukes should be more powerful and I could also agree with setting up a defensive satellite array and the International Space Station. The defensive satellite array could allow for pinpoint targeting of surface areas (either area bombardment or precision strikes) but you could only use it sometimes. I have been thinking of ways to implement a shuttle system into the game and exactly how the International Space Station would work. I haven't come to anything yet but I will eventually...

I think these ideas will or could be implemented sometime in the near future in real life and they don't seem too sci-fi-ish. Hell, we already do have some of it.

 

[SwitchbladeNGC]

I read from a reliable source somewhere that by 2012 we could have extremely weak electromagnetic shielding for our tanks and at least partially effective laser weapons by 2015 (no, I'm not joking).

Check this out for Lazer Weapons: Airborne Lazer System (ABL)

 

[bob rulz]

So, is that supposed to be using laser weapons to intercept missiles? That's how I interpreted it. Maybe it will come sooner than 2015...I only looked at the site for a few moments but I'll check it out some more later.

 

[Elgalad]

That website is dated, I remember looking at it over a year ago, possibly 2. It was my understanding, which I can't verify now! But I do remember reading somewhere that this system may have Actually been used in Iraq last year. Understandably, the government is not going to advertise something this cutting edge, for numerous reasons. But from what I remember, questions were asked of the sort "Has this seen any real combat action?" And responded to with the standard, "We cannot confirm or deny, etc ,etc, etc." This was during the air war which heated up immediately preceding the push to Baghdad.
And please dont ask me for details, I cant remember anything more about it other than the link (wherein I found that website) came from msnbc or foxnews.

Point of all this is, this is NOT Science Fiction. In case anyone doubts that, consider that every time the President suggests raising funding to NASA or expanding its mission, the Congress puts the Kibosh in it. But this is still being funded.

-Elgalad

 

[Elgalad]

But on the other hand...

Conspiracy theories can bounce in many directions. During the first Gulf War <Desert Storm>, the government distributed some misleading information deliberately to journalists imbedded with military units, knowing fully that the info would make its way to our foes and create confusion in their order of battle. It worked superbly. Who is to say that this whole website and shadowy aura attached to it aren't further government propoganda aimed at current and potential military foes? Boeing is a very reputable company. I used to work there! However.. it does have some major major military contracts with the U.S. government and I doubt the senior management would have any problem doing a favor of that nature if asked. Read into this anything you like. Personally, I hope this program Is real, because it is a glimpse into a future where progress is still occurring in science and engineering and the dream of achieving extraterrestrial civilization may become a reality. (yeah yeah, I'm a huge MOO fan )

-Elgalad

 

[Mewtarthio]

The real problem with games that go from the modern age to the future is that, for obvious reasons, the shift must be gradual. This, therefore, assumes that certain technologies will have certain applications which will lead to more specific technologies which, more often than not, they don't. I don't mind going into the very near future, it's just watching humanity slowly evolve along the designer's imagined route that bugs me. Now, if a game is completely Sci-Fi, I don't mind it (assuming that they don't do some incredibly lengthy backstory that spans a couple thousand years). There is no implication that we should currently research certain technologies to achieve our holy grail. We don't know how we eventually get to where we are in the game, we're just there and accept that.

 

[EddyG17]

The technology to create moon bases isn't that unrealistic, we just don't have the will to do it yet. It's not like the main game is that realistic anyway .

Technology-wise we are ALMOST there but it its to costly(then you can argue that we don't have the technology).
Willingly to do it, we are.
But Humans can't survive in space, we need some sort of artificial gravity to do so.

Back to the game.

I really don't mind, but civ plays on a map, in this map were civ takes place you can't see the moon because it is above the map. Let me explain, In the game we are in the sky looking down at the civs, units, etc. to play in space we would need to be able to look up.
What progamers could do is to add layers, like the ones you use in photoshop. One leayer would be the underwater map, on top of it the land map and on top of it space(but space is bigger than both the underwater map and the land map).
Adding Space to civ is too much work.

 

[mevlin]

Space colonies would be quite far fetched, but I do think more needs to be done with the minimum of 60% tile waste being the ocean. If not Underwater colonies then maybe Oil rigs. I know you get offshore platforms but how about having Oil or maybe some other resources, be it strategic or luxury, out in the ocean to be reaped. Perhaps a worker could be sent out on a boat and used to set up colonies like we do on land. And then only if they have a offshore platform for strategic resources and a commercial dock for bonus/luxury resources?

Respeck!