Making each age unique and different

[The diplomat]

I think it would be nice if ages were a bit more different and unique. What things could civ4 do to make each age more interesting and more different?

Here are some rough ideas:

Ancient Age
- be able to capture/bribe barbarian camps
- make pop growth slower, more difficult to build settlers.
- slavery (increase production, higher unrest)

Medieval Age
- settlers can found castled cities (higher defense).
- plague.

Industrial Age
- industrial revolution (increase production, higher unrest)
- air power

Modern Age
- nuclear deterrence (simultaneous missile launch ala CTP2)
- satellites (see inside enemy cities)

[Nikolai]

I agree with you, making the ages more different would be a good improvement.

However, slavery giving more unrest in ancient age? Slavery was perfectly normal and the norm at the time, I'd agree if you moved that line to the modern age though.

Medieval age: plague. That makes me think of events. Would be a great plus. Especially if as easy to make as Paradox's games.

Modern age: satelites. They should be included, and not only as spy satelites, but on every field they're used today.

Oh, and btw:

http://apolyton.net/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=76103

http://apolyton.net/forums/showthrea...hreadid=105345.

[Trifna]

I do not dislike the idea but there's just two thing I see to be careful with.

- Not being Occidental-oriented
- Not be stereotypical about an age



I see this when you mention" plague" for Middle Ages. Plages were there before, but it's just that we have a dark interpretation of the Middle Ages. Because of wide movements (merchants, wars), it may have been more important; but it was there nonetheless before. And still happened after (Spanish Influenza, someone?).

Also, plague made me think about this idea of Occidental Middle Age. We'd need to look at how it was in Asia, to see if it's really true for any Middle Age.

[Naokaukodem]

It would be cool if slavery could also end up in modern age. Nobody knows, heh.

[Nikolai]

Well, considering slavery actually is quite usual in parts of the world today...

[Max Sinister]

And there's a kind of (milder(?)) slavery, i.e. illegal immigrants working in sweat shops for less than official minimum wage.

[Trifna]

Well nothing is actually circumcribed in a single era, but there are some phenomenons that will be typical of an era if we incorpore them (since all factors are pushing this to be an important aspect). Of course, air power and the like are easy to circumscribe to later eras

So I guess it would do if we could, for example, bring such factors in Civ:
- Epidemics (based on merchant activity, active wars...)
- Slavery (no "human rights" movement...)
- Fortifies cities (perhaps done differently than present fortification, since pretty much all important Middle Age city had walls)

[wrylachlan]

I mentioned this in another thread, but it would be nice if the map changed to reflect the ages:

Ancient age - tileset for areas that are explored but cannot currently be seen looks stylistically like a rough clay tablet.

Middle Age - the same area now looks like an old cloth map, with stuff like dragons in the oceans where ships have gone down.

Industrial Age - A more modern map

Modern age - Explored but out of sight looks just like regular tiles only shaded.
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Also, the advisors should get more functionality with the ages, not just a new look. i.e.:
Ancient Age: - Trade Screen looks like a rough table and you can only do 1 civ trades.

Middle Age - More trade options open up and the table now looks... middle aged

Industrial Age - You gain the ability to do multilateral diplomacy/trades.

Modern Age - The Trade/Diplomacy screen becomes the UN, allowing multilateral diplomacy and advanced functions like diplomatic trades for things like sanctions against a country.

[Fosse]

I haven't posted here in a while, but I'm still a big fan of adding energy to the modern age.

Modern city improvments require X number of energy per turn to operate, and after a certain point (after electricity tech is discovered by Y civs, or Z turns after you discover it, something) having less than one energy per pop point per turn will generate unrest.

Powerplants will now generate energy per turn. Better plants (nuclear over oil, oil over coal) generate more per turn and cost more to run. They each require different resources.

Energy and the specific resources can be traded. Suddenly, the modern age is much more interesting.


Lots of people poo poo this idea saying that it would be too complicated. I think that's hogwash, of course. Certainly, this wouldn't do much to decrease the number of people who stop playing well before the modern age.

[Brent]

The way you explain it now, I actually like the map change idea. By the way, there should be a scenario where those dragons are really there.

I also like the progression of trade options. So the UN shows up automatically with the Modern Age? Each civ automatically joins when entering the Modern Age?

[Nikolai]

wrylachlan, good ideas, very good. Remind me when the next version of the cIV List is going to be made, then I'll add it to the terrain List thread?

[Nikolai]

Fosse: I certainly like your idea, try to post a link to it in the General List thread?