[NFP] What should be the focus of future updates?

[bengalryan9]

I wonder if the Barb settings (fail to) take map and game settings into account? The reason I ask is because I never experience what you're describing (I tend to play on big Continents & Islands maps, at Epic turn speed, if you want to try it and see what happens). I would love it if "barbarians" were more interesting than they are, but that's not the type of small tweak the OP is asking about. But maybe there could be a check-box that's the opposite of "Raging Barbarians", but isn't "No Barbarians." I dunno, maybe "Distant Barbarians", preventing camps from spawning within N hexes of a Civ-owned hex. Or something.

I think it is a relatively small tweak personally and that's one of the reasons I brought it up. Just forcing camps to spawn further away from your borders would help a lot, as would taking away their 3 movement scouts (maybe give them a unique recon unit?). I'd even be perfectly happy with a check box like the one you described. I'm not looking for a complete re-design or anything, I just think it feels off.

For example, last night a rolled a game (Continents, standard sized map, Deity difficulty). Spawned inland. Settled my first city and went slinger > slinger > warrior > warrior. Barb camp spawns 5 tiles to the west, send a couple of troops over to deal with them. A couple turns later another camp spawns a few tiles to the north, send a couple of other troops over to deal with them. A couple turns later a third camp spawns 3 tiles to the east... can't get troops over there in time, so here comes 6-8 warriors. You can only train and move your troops so fast, you know?

I've had games where they're not an issue too (I tend to roll maps of all different types and sizes depending on my mood), but it definitely can happen and I've seen others on the forum with similar complaints before. Seems too luck based - do I have city states nearby to help deal with them, are my troops in convenient locations to cut off barb scouts, did the camp spawn near horses, how often they spawn, etc. That's a lot that's out of a player's control IMO.

 

[Time Tested]

Also, Engineers not needing a charge to build Roads.

That's never really made sense to me. Is there any real-world comparison for a railroad being easier to construct/taking fewer resources than a road? And in-game, I don't understand how it would ever make sense to use an ME to build a road (at a cost of 85 production!) when you can just build a railroad (or help build a canal/aqueduct/dam, mountain tunnel, etc).

voted "other", I'd like a diplomacy overhaul, simple balance and refining would not be enough for that mechanism IMO

Better diplomacy and trade.

Improving diplomacy/trade would go a long way to making the game feel more immersive.

 

[c4c6]

I dunno, maybe "Distant Barbarians", preventing camps from spawning within N hexes of a Civ-owned hex. Or something.

Just forcing camps to spawn further away from your borders would help a lot, as would taking away their 3 movement scouts (maybe give them a unique recon unit?).

--- spawn Barbarian camps farther away (default 4 tiles)
UPDATE GlobalParameters SET Value = 9 WHERE Name = 'BARBARIAN_CAMP_MINIMUM_DISTANCE_CITY';

.

 

[chazzycat]

fix the embarked unit pathing for gods sake

if units are in the water they need to prefer to stay in the water, not seek the nearest land hex.

 

[Time Tested]

fix the embarked unit pathing for gods sake

if units are in the water they need to prefer to stay in the water, not seek the nearest land hex.

Plus not forcing them to climb up on to the land to traverse a canal (and GGB for some reason).

 

[Qwan]

"Improving the AI" -- I think they should build aqueducts less frequently. Why do so if there's access to fresh water? For example, here's a snapshot of Egypt building unnecessary aqueducts.

 

[chazzycat]

here is an illustration

 

[c4c6]

fix the embarked unit pathing for gods sake
if units are in the water they need to prefer to stay in the water, not seek the nearest land hex.

Who knows? Maybe they are working on it right now?

Pirates scenario: shore parties can disembark & embark again Multiple Times Per Turn and bury treasures on several adjacent tiles from ship / attack a city repeatedly with full free healing on the ship in between ... tirelessly ...

.

 

[gunnergoz]

Interesting. Preliminary results suggest devs are focusing on things few members off this forum would prioritize. Maybe they know something we don’t?

Perhaps this forum is not representative of all players, or they could be trying to reach new types of gamers.

TBH as you probably guessed I can’t fathom why they are going in this direction. It is exceedingly disappointing.

Concur. They may be looking at feedback gleaned from closed focus groups or other similar marketing tools. While they listen to us here, they know their bread is buttered by new sales with new buyers.

 

[Dida]

Improving the AI is a must, but sadly it doesn't sell games and hence the Devs won't do it. They prefer to sell NFP for $40, adding more unbalanced and bothersome features, all with an AI that doesn't know how to take advantage of any of them.

 

[Francel]

Fixing bugs. The trade bug, the Macedon bug, the Byzantium bug, the Melee promotion bug, the Ranged promotion bug, etc.

I should have made bug fixes a choice in the poll. I thought fixing bugs as a priority goes without saying, but I guess it doesn’t.

 

[Pietato]

Refining and balancing existing systems and civilizations within the main game

THIS. It should not be hard, yet FX are horrible at it. I mean, Radio Oranje is still unchanged...

 

[Engeez]

1) Make AI capable of a domination victory.

2) Have AI or human be able to backstab like Civ 5. I like the joint war theory, downright bribing an AI to go go to war without your civ involved is pretty unrealistic, unless your giving away cities or multiple great works.

3) Friendship declaring should not be so easily earned. It really makes the game boring.

4) Get rid of battering rams and seige towers. It’s just too dam complicated for the AI to deal with. Perhaps even all support units. Instead, change melee units so they have a “battering ram” type promotion.

Have ancient walls be able to attack 1 hex, medieval and renaissance 2 hex, Urban 3 hex. Have catapults 2 hex attack, bombards 2 hex attack full sight, artillery 3 hex, rocket artillery 4 hex.

5) SDI Laser defense each city could build (final building in encampment?) to protect from nukes around 75% chance?. I mean they already have GDR’s so realism is out the window anyway .

I have stated this earlier, I would pay a minimum of $100 for a great AI capable of winning domination. I don’t even care if it just tries to overwhelm you with units like Civ 5. Just make AI naval and airforce at least semi capable.

 

[kaspergm]

fix the embarked unit pathing for gods sake

if units are in the water they need to prefer to stay in the water, not seek the nearest land hex.

This is an ancient bug and is a pet peeve of mine. I think someone once explained that it dates back to some changes made to Norway at some point (iirc.) and that the game fails to realize that the special movement rules for Norway when embarking/disembarking does not apply to other civs.

 

[TheFinalChiTown]

Add a new victory conditional such as Economic Victory.

 

[Time Tested]

Add a new victory conditional such as Economic Victory.

Isn't every victory ultimately an economic victory? I can't visualize how a standalone economic victory would even work.

 

[rockhpi]

I voted refining systems and AI. I realize it's just my personal preference (Which Firaxis shockingly didn't consult me about) but I don't care much about the magical game modes or scenarios that aren't really CIV-related.

 

[c4c6]

UPDATE GlobalParameters SET Value = 9 WHERE Name = 'BARBARIAN_CAMP_MINIMUM_DISTANCE_CITY';

Because of the likes for this line I'd like to mention also the fantastic base of it:

CIV 6 DATABASE SEARCH (vanilla, R&F and GS) v2.1
Author: raen

I just went to this web site & entered 'BARBARIAN_CAMP_MIN' at a venture and promptly found the correct keywords BARBARIAN_CAMP_MINIMUM_DISTANCE_ANOTHER_CAMP & BARBARIAN_CAMP_MINIMUM_DISTANCE_CITY

A great tool! Try for example 'BARBARIAN_CAMP' ...

 

[Arithmion]

Refining and balancing existing systems and civilizations within the main game

THIS. It should not be hard, yet FX are horrible at it. I mean, Radio Oranje is still unchanged...

I agree with this. The things that makes civs super unique are what make them fun (or at least memorable). Kupe, Mansa Musa, Alexander, etc. come to mind. But Wilhelmina/Netherlands is just so boring. I'd like to see some great coastal bonuses, bonuses for cities with harbors, penalties for cities without harbors or commercial hubs, just something to shake it up.
In the same vein, I'd like some of the more confusing abilities simplified/altered. I've given up on trying to remember how Cleopatra/Matthias/Gitarja's bonuses are or how they work. I am completely in the @Sostratus camp about this; the elegance of a simple bonus is just such a beautiful aspect of the game design. Columbia's +1 movement almost brings a tear to my eye. No conditions, no weird activation costs. (Let's not start about OP Columbia, that's not the point.)

 

[Karmah]

If refining means fixing bug while you are at it, then that's my vote !