What high-tech features should be in Civ 4?

[Xorbon]

Originally posted by Kuciwalker
Simple... play cIV, win with spaceship victory, eject CD, insert SMAC CD, voila.

Exactly. Everyone who wants the game to continue with colonies on the Moon, Mars, Alpha Centauri, etc. is talking about a different game. The resources for the game's development should go into making a Civ game, not 'half Civ/half Alpha Centauri'.

[Straybow]

ToT did extraterrestrial environments and units. Can't be that hard.

[Mart]

Originally posted by Straybow
ToT did extraterrestrial environments and units. Can't be that hard.

I think it is more about possible loosing players due to "future techs" stuff. A lot of people are turned off by anything having science fiction in it. For this reason it would be better not to include it there.

[Kuciwalker]

Originally posted by Straybow
ToT did extraterrestrial environments and units. Can't be that hard.

If you don't want to strain the credulity of the player, then yes.

[Xorbon]

I also don't want to see those walking "mech" robots from Japanese cartoons, armored soldiers with laser-blasters, matter teleporters, or warp-drive engines. Save that stuff for mods and scenarios!

If any future tech stuff is in the game, it should be near-future stuff - stuff that we could visualize existing within the next 20-50 years. If a Mars or Alpha Centauri colony is in the game, it should be a victory condition, not a new,separate map to play on! Like I said above, save that stuff for mods and scenarios!

[Adagio]

Victory condition: Alien life project
I don't want it to be a victory condition, but just something that gives some extra score so the player can come on the highscore list... it should be a little random though, so it's not in every game you'll be able to find life on other planets

Interplanetary travel, moon and Mars colonies
I don't want these colonies just to be "cities on other planets", but more like just science colonies. You wont be able to walk around with units on the Moon or Mars and attack other colonies or something like that... it only gives a boost in science to have these colonies... When you have such colonies, then each turn there's a small chance to find life... the more colonies you have, the higher the chance

Biochemical warfare
Sure, just make sure that if a nation uses this, then most other countries will hate you more

Robotic military units
Sure, as long it's not too much into the future

Doomsday weapons (like planet-busters)
Sounds interesting if it's not an instant "game over" weapon

Science-fiction governments
More governments are always great to have...

[Kuciwalker]

Science-fiction governments

They're usually one-dimensional and kinda inane.

[Adagio]

Of course when I said yes to science fiction governments I had in mind that the governments part of the game is the same as it was in SMAC

I didn't care much about it how the science-fiction governments were in ctp, and I defently wouldn't want to see them if they keep the same model for governments as in Civ3

[lajzar]

Compared to civ1/2/3, CTP governments were multidimensional, in effect if not in verbose description. The standard civ governments can be placed neatly on a single line, with the decision being strong economy or strong for warfare.

While it was never explicitly stated in the manuals, a close analysis of the ctp government models (as was done prior to making various mods) revealed some stark differences on many dimensions. For example, communism in civ2/3 is a one dimensional war monster, but in ctp, the primary characteristic was high industry and obscene amounts of pollution.

The ctp engine allowed for tonnes more modding into governments. If nothing else, it is worth examining it to see teh vast number of variables that could be modded into governments. Civ3 is primitive in comparison.

[Kuciwalker]

Yes, but CtP sucked.

[lajzar]

That you for your well-thought-out response. I shall take your thoughts into consideration.

[Shogun Gunner]

I just purchased ctp2 after rediscovering ctp1. Some of the concepts in call to power were quite good. I do like the variety in governments found in ctp over civ.

I'm yet to try any modding in ctp.

[CarnalCanaan]

Originally posted by Solver
So people have landed on the Moon. Right. That could be done in Civ, I suppose, as a wonder or something else. But realistically, those people did nothing there. We have done nothing in space so far. There is no human-made construction (other than those landing rovers and such) on any other planet, let alone colonies.

That's what they WANT you to think!

[Remulak]

How about introducing the concept of religion to go along with culture like they have in Europa Universalis. Make it more likely that two nations with the same religion, like Spain & France, would ally.

[Adagio]

Not exactly a high-tech feature...