New Tech ideas

[Mad Bomber]

Originally posted by orrery

Aside from the false assumption about american education which is among the best in the world, especially on the university level the US has become globally dominate even in unseen ways. In no nation is the President not discussed or american actions not debated. As for the X-Prize Cup, it is an event funded by the X-Prize in which private entrepeneurs will be competing for prizes as it relates to privately launched space vehicles. SpaceShipOne is a non-government funded space vehicle. www.scaled.com do a yahoo search on x-prize cup for more information. It is an event that will allow x-prize contestants to compete against each other in several events for prize money.

Education in this country is failing. Most industrialized nations educate their children better than the average US citizen. Primary and Secondary education is substandard when compared to these nations. Even at the University level there is a shift in priorities from education to research. If the current trends continue, the only people attending our Universities will be the rich and foreign nationals.

The majority of US debt is not to foreign nations, but to private bankers within the US. US debt has been concentrated into a few rich hands since Thomas Jefferson made it his perogative to insure that though going into debt is undesirable it is best to go into debt with people you trust. Otherwise, the debtholders of the US are a closely guarded secret. I contest the notion that the US owes the UN anything. The UN has never lent out money to the US, it has no money to lend.

US debt is owned by those who buy treasury notes. There are no restricions on who may buy them. Do you know what happens when an entire nation goes "belly-up"? Nothing good, I assure you.

The people make up the big businesses of america. Are you contesting the authority of the government to hold suspects in the war on terrorism who were caught red-handed in afghanistan? I hope not. I see nothing profitable for you to try and undermine US authority.

Big buisness is run by approx 20, 000 individuals who on 99% of the wealth of this country. Most of this wealth is actually kept overseas to avoid paying the Government what they actually owe in taxes.

As for the Taliban and Al-Quieda who were captured in Afghanistan. I say give 'em what the Geneva Convention calls for-- A Summary Execution.

[Dauphin]

Americans are going to be the majority of people buying the game. As an American, I would like to see Civ IV succeed and I think it can best do that by expanding what it has to offer to its customers.

I agree with this in principle. This is a game that needs to sell, and as the US is presumably the largest target audience, and is the country of the game developers, it is going to have americo-centric overtones. Most notably in the late game.

Originally posted by orrery
Also, with the United States as dominant as it is in today's world, I feel that such additions could help the world understand those things which make the United States the greatest Union on earth.

The American "look at us aren't we great" attitude is a turn off to most people. The statement "things which make the United States the greatest Union on Earth" alone makes me roll my eyes - not because I don't believe the US is the most powerful, richest, most [insert adjective] in the world, but because it is delivered in an peremptory tone. Unfortunately this is exactly the opposite impact of what you are wanting for the foreign markets buying the game.

The game is not a PR exercise for the US. Any game that is overly American will not sell well outside of the US, and will only serve to cement the view of arrogant America.

As the US is the target audience, aren't you preaching to the converted? Wouldn't it make sense to use the game to advertise to Americans that there is a world outside that is actually acheiving great things too.

[Addled Platypus]

that there is a world outside that is actually acheiving great things too

Amen brother, even I live in the good ole USA, sometimes the politics and ploices make me want to spew


The best example of our attitude is at the olympic games.
We wont dip our flag (to show respest to the host nation).

Can you feel the love generated bt this act...

[OliverFA]

Hey people, can you move the political discussion to the off topic forum, please? People who complain about the US being too proud are as guilty as the ones they are accusing.

Do you want to got non-US-theme wonders? Why you don´t propose them yourselves? For example, If I am right the Japaneese are developing a train working with magnetic fields. This could be a wonder that reduces polution generated by city population.

[Addled Platypus]

Would any body like to something simular to unmanned recon drones as a tech to develope, then get the unit?

[Vince278]

The World Wide Web would be an excellent Great Wonder. In the real world it defines what a great wonder is in the game: Something that can be used by everyone once created.

[Addled Platypus]

Would that be the same as Internet?

if so then its covered

[Vince278]

Originally posted by Platypus Rex
Would that be the same as Internet?

if so then its covered

[Odin]

STOP THE

Not all countries with federal systems are large, look at switzerland.

[Dominae]

I think they should make techs that are specific to certain culture groups, like in the Middle Ages Conquests scenario. This would help differentiate the civs even further, and allow for some interesting tech choices as you progress through the tech tree (as I posted somewhere else, one of my gripes about Civ3 is that tech choices mean little).

I'm not very creative, but here are some ideas:

1. European: Knights, castles, and such; ships, trade routes, colonization, and such.
2. Early american: blood sacrifices, guerilla warfare, and such.
3. North African: farming, Wonder-building, and such.

(For better examples, check out the aforementioned scenario.)

Of course, these are based on stereotypes, but then again so is much in Civ. The idea is not so much to force the player down a particular cultural group path, but give more variability between civs than a simple period-based UU (traits add variability, but IMO not enough).

[punkbass2000]

Originally posted by Dominae
Of course, these are based on stereotypes, but then again so is much in Civ. The idea is not so much to force the player down a particular cultural group path, but give more variability between civs than a simple period-based UU (traits add variability, but IMO not enough).

... as long as they don't go too far with it. Ever played Empire Earth or AoE, etc., and had NO CLUE which civ to pick? I know I have. "Let's see, do I want +10% food gathering, +5% ancient infantry attack and +20% naval movement speed OR +15% building area effect, +10% medieval mounted defense and +15% tech reasearch speed OR...". You get the idea.

[Kuciwalker]

Originally posted by Mad Bomber
1)I am pretty sure that most of these are Parlimentarian Republics as opposed to a Federal Republic (like in the US) and both are different styles of represenative democracy which are included in the Democracy government. We shouldn't reinvent the wheel just to make a cosmetic change to a game.

Canada and Russia are both. I dunno about Germany, but I know that Mexico is definately Federal Republic as well.

[Mad Bomber]

Originally posted by Kucinich

Originally posted by Mad Bomber
1)I am pretty sure that most of these are Parlimentarian Republics as opposed to a Federal Republic (like in the US) and both are different styles of represenative democracy which are included in the Democracy government. We shouldn't reinvent the wheel just to make a cosmetic change to a game.

Canada and Russia are both. I dunno about Germany, but I know that Mexico is definately Federal Republic as well.

Wether Canada, Germany, or Mexico are, or are not, a federal republic is a side item. The real issue I was conveying is that the addition of Federalism as a government would be redundent and unnecessary.

[Mad Bomber]

Originally posted by punkbass2000


... as long as they don't go too far with it. Ever played Empire Earth or AoE, etc., and had NO CLUE which civ to pick? I know I have. "Let's see, do I want +10% food gathering, +5% ancient infantry attack and +20% naval movement speed OR +15% building area effect, +10% medieval mounted defense and +15% tech reasearch speed OR...". You get the idea.

I cuncur

[Kuciwalker]

Originally posted by Mad Bomber
Wether Canada, Germany, or Mexico are, or are not, a federal republic is a side item. The real issue I was conveying is that the addition of Federalism as a government would be redundent and unnecessary.

Just some helpful nitpicking