What gameplay features would you have liked to have seen that did not make it in?

[Roman]

From the information available so far, Civ 4 looks close to perfect (of course, that may change, but this is the impression I am under from the released information) in terms of gameplay features. Nevertheless, I am wondering if there are features that did not make it into the game that people would have liked to have seen.

For me personally only two major new features that did not make it would have been really nice to have:

1) Supply system for units - just about any implementation of this would do so long as there was the possibility of cutting off the supply.

2) Demographics - population growth based on birth rates, death rates and migration - not directly dependent on food supply but merely limited by it

Two modifications of existing systems would also have been nice:

1) Resources of the same type to provide benefits to your economy beyond 1 resource

2) Possibility of blocading trade of other civilizations - this is technically possible in Civ 3, but it would be nice to make it easier


It is technically possible that some of these have made it into Civ 4 but it is highly unlikely. Given the considerable amount of info about the game that has been released we would most likely have heard about these features already if they were in the game. Honestly, I am happy with the way Civ 4 is shaping out to be and this is more of a fantasy wishlist than anythign else. Moreover, it is possible that some of these may either make it into the game in an expansion or it may be possible to mod them into the game.

[Solver]

From what we know about the modding capabilities, it will be possible to add things such as supply and demographics! I'm not sure I really like the idea of supply, though, especially since it would be hard for the AI to cope with, but I'm sure Civ4 will be great as it is.

[Roman]

Originally posted by Solver
From what we know about the modding capabilities, it will be possible to add things such as supply and demographics! I'm not sure I really like the idea of supply, though, especially since it would be hard for the AI to cope with, but I'm sure Civ4 will be great as it is.

Yeah, I purposefully did not mention how to implement supply, since I would be open to almost any system, however simplified, so long as the supply is 'cutable'. The biggest item on my wishlist would indeed be demographics, though, more so than supply.

[Solver]

Well, even without an actual supply system, you can cut your enemy's supply in a way by sending a raiding party to his cities, pillaging his tiles and disrupting his plans .

[self biased]

i want a spherical map, dammit.

[Nostromo]

- Minigames, lots of minigames. Blackjack, dance, dance revolution, you name it...

- It would have been cool if spearmen had the ability to carjack tanks.

[Xorbon]

Re: What gameplay features would you have liked to have seen that did not make it in?

Originally posted by Roman
2) Demographics - population growth based on birth rates, death rates and migration - not directly dependent on food supply but merely limited by it

Agreed, though they've apparently taken a small step forward with the introduction of 'health'. Food positively affects health, while pollution negatively affects health.

1) Resources of the same type to provide benefits to your economy beyond 1 resource

I would've liked to see quantities attached to all tradeable resources. Each source would provide a certain quantity of a resource. The larger your empire and size of cities, the more of a resource you would need. That's what I would have liked, rather than the 'one resource supplies the entire civ' system.

[Roman]

Re: Re: What gameplay features would you have liked to have seen that did not make it in?

Originally posted by Xorbon
Agreed, though they've apparently taken a small step forward with the introduction of 'health'. Food positively affects health, while pollution negatively affects health.

Indeed a small but welcome step.

I would've liked to see quantities attached to all tradeable resources. Each source would provide a certain quantity of a resource. The larger your empire and size of cities, the more of a resource you would need. That's what I would have liked, rather than the 'one resource supplies the entire civ' system.

Yes, this would certainly be one way to do it. I was deliberately vague, since I would be satisfied with just about anything that makes extra resources give you benefits so that there is a tradeoff between trading and not trading the resource away. Perhaps something as simple as a +1 bonus to shields for buildings & units that require the resource for each extra resource beyond the first would suffice.

[Dis]

does anyone know if you can mine grasslands in civ4? This is a feature I hope does NOT make it in. I really hated that about civ3. It looks ugly. And worse, you almost have to do it to win.

I drive down North Carolina, and I don't see mines every few miles...

Yeah I know, it probably could have been modded out in civ3. But modding the game in such a way takes away all your high scores.

[Dis]

Re: Re: What gameplay features would you have liked to have seen that did not make it

Originally posted by Xorbon


Agreed, though they've apparently taken a small step forward with the introduction of 'health'. Food positively affects health, while pollution negatively affects health.



I would've liked to see quantities attached to all tradeable resources. Each source would provide a certain quantity of a resource. The larger your empire and size of cities, the more of a resource you would need. That's what I would have liked, rather than the 'one resource supplies the entire civ' system.

does pollution really negatively affect health?

We are living longer today than we ever have.

medical care affects health, not pollution.

[Adagio]

Originally posted by Dissident
does anyone know if you can mine grasslands in civ4? This is a feature I hope does NOT make it in. I really hated that about civ3. It looks ugly. And worse, you almost have to do it to win.

I drive down North Carolina, and I don't see mines every few miles...

Yeah I know, it probably could have been modded out in civ3. But modding the game in such a way takes away all your high scores.

I hope it's out...

I modded Civ3 to avoid this, but it does change a lot (cities gets more food and less shields)

[GeoModder]

Re: Re: Re: What gameplay features would you have liked to have seen that did not mak

Originally posted by Dissident
does pollution really negatively affect health?

Don't get me started.

[DeathByTheSword]

/me tries to get geo started by poking him with a pollotion-health debate stick

[GeoModder]

/me pollutes DBTS with some recently forbidden phalates.

[DeathByTheSword]

:tongue :

anyways the one thing that i am still not sure of if it is in or out...are armies...a la ctp...not exactly like that...but some thing like combining different weapons a lot cooler then one unit against one..