How would one create a splinter civilization like the USA?

[gunnergoz]

I don't want this to deteriorate or detour into a useless discussion of politics so lets make that clear right off the bat. But I do have what I think is a valid question: How can Civ 4 reflect the creation of revolutionary splinter civilizations? That is how the USA was created, in effect, and that is how I'd like to incorporate it in a long term game. Apart from some type of scripting (or a scenario beginning with the founding of the European colonies in America), how could the game represent such an event?
I could see situations evolving in a game where dissent in a country would lead cities to revolt and set up independent governments; maybe two or more would band together in a real revolutionary state. Perhaps this is something that could be modded if it is not already built in?
Beta testers? What say you?

[Solver]

Been said numerous times that no civil wars are in.

However, it's quite possible to mod in. For example, make cities that are unhappy and a certain distance away from capitol to have a chance of revolting and forming their own government. Then, 2-3 cities can form a new nation which is automatically at war with you - you can try to take them back, or accept it and let them be a sovereign state.

[gunnergoz]

Solver-
Excellent, just what I was looking for. Would this type of mod involve Python scripts or would it be easier than that, just a matter of text file manipulation?

[Solver]

Python, definitely. You can't create new game concepts (and a revolting city would be just that) without Python.

In fact, I have a feeling that some form of civil wars/breakaway civs will be among the first mods posted.

[Kc7mxo]

I really wish they'd included some form of the subservient civilization alliance thing from SMAC. Creating client states was always my dream for civ, be a great way to deal with cities too far away to effectivly operate, and for creating buffer states.

[TomVeil]

Originally posted by Kc7mxo
I really wish they'd included some form of the subservient civilization alliance thing from SMAC. Creating client states was always my dream for civ, be a great way to deal with cities too far away to effectivly operate, and for creating buffer states.

Client states also make some of the other ideas that I've seen -- Civs that die out and reappear, or mutate into their modern forms (as in Egypt --> Arabia, or a Polish civ that keeps reappearing in the same spot) -- more realistic. I would be esctatic if a group set about to modding this in Python; it would be a shame to have to save it for "The List for Civ 5"

[Stone-D]

I suspect that the client states will have to wait until we get the sdk for AI modding; revolting states are a definite possibility though, just look at the rebellion mod thread.

You could limit it for realism; revolution can only begin if one extremely angry city is in direct border contact (or within a given range) with a number, say two, of generally irritated cities.

When revolution is declared, random numbers of your own units on the SAME continent (border/influence zone) are 'given' to the revolting state. Depending on the era and tech, random numbers of your naval units outside the local influence zone would also turn, along with their contents.

To make this more realistic, additional leaders must be made for each civilization, along with alternative/splinter civilization names, descriptions and properties.

[Nelis]

I like the idea of civ split.

As you said, it can happen only if a group of city is revolting for a long time and they are far away from your palace / forbidden city / ....

In this case, the simplest is maybe that the revolt become a random civ not in the current game, they keep all units in their city radius, they are in war with you, and they detest you.

May be fun :-)

[jordie]

I think if the civ has 2 leaders that perhaps the splinter civ should just have the other leader as their leader and have an altered name, so say "Peoples Republic of Rome" or use the capital city as the title of the civ etc.

[userqwerty]

there is a revolutions mod in progress on civfanatics

but i am not sure if new leaders could be asigned to these civs