New Screens (26/9)

[Xmudder]

Originally posted by sabrewolf
i always disliked the randomness of the anarchy period. i've seen between 4 and 9 turns. knowing how long it takes to switch is surely a positive point

Good point. I've been favoring the religious / spiritual trait because I felt anarchy was too annoying in earlier Civs. I might be willing to try different leader trait, if anarchy only lasts 1 turn per shift.

Originally posted by sabrewolf
some questions:
A) does one have 1 turn anarchy for every single civic change or can one "bundle" the changes if they are set at the same time?

Hopefully, 1 turn per civic switched. So shifting all 5 civics from peace to war will plunge you into anarchy for 5 turns.

Originally posted by sabrewolf
B) does one start with a civic of each category (meaning one of each would be known from the beginning on) or does one have to switch to even get 1 civic type?

You starts with the 5 basic civics, like in SMAC. Despotism, Barbarism, Tribalism, decentralizarion, paganism. You upgrade from there.

Originally posted by sabrewolf
C) and how many times do you expect will one have to switch per full game?

6 minimum - 5 switches to your chosen civic, plus 1 for choosing a state religion (I think).

Up to 21 times in a normal game (of 400 turns), if you switch to each new civic as soon as it is discovered.

More if you swap around every time you go to war.

[Boris Godunov]

Originally posted by PJayTycy
Sorry to be ignorant, but what does anarchy do ? (I only played SMAC and there was no civic-change penalty there, you just had to pay for it)

Anarchy throws your empire into upheaval for a certain number of turns. Cities tend to go into revolt, you get no tax revenue, production is majorly dampened, etc.

I must say that it seems rather silly to me that a civics change will lead to anarchy for even one turn. So choosing a free press will cause your country to go into rebellion for years? Not likely...

[Imran Siddiqui]

Like the National Wonder limit. It prevents mega-cities with numerous wonders (along with the no transfering of shields).

[marcuspeddle]

The cities in the screen shots look very far apart. Does anyone know if the city radius will be the same as in Civ3; i.e., the X-shape radiating for two squares in four directions? In Civ4 the cities appear to become larger than one tile (?) and it would be great if the city radius also expanded as population increased.

[sabrewolf]

Originally posted by Masuro
The cities in the screen shots look very far apart. Does anyone know if the city radius will be the same as in Civ3; i.e., the X-shape radiating for two squares in four directions? In Civ4 the cities appear to become larger than one tile (?) and it would be great if the city radius also expanded as population increased.

despite telling us that you need less cities because your cities are now more specialised, i see some problems in having less such cities:
* if you lose e.g. your science city, you're truly fracked. in civ1-3 all cities are good for all (except the colossus-copernicus-newton-metropolises of course ), but like this it could be a game losing moment.
* troop movement. you'll still want your cities to be able to move in troops within 1 turn over the roads, specially in MP games.

[alva]

I must say that it seems rather silly to me that a civics change will lead to anarchy for even one turn. So choosing a free press will cause your country to go into rebellion for years? Not likely...

True, but there needs to be some kind of penalty though else there wouldn't a 'choice'.
From a realism pov:
game point view:

[Martinus]

Originally posted by Boris Godunov


Anarchy throws your empire into upheaval for a certain number of turns. Cities tend to go into revolt, you get no tax revenue, production is majorly dampened, etc.

I must say that it seems rather silly to me that a civics change will lead to anarchy for even one turn. So choosing a free press will cause your country to go into rebellion for years? Not likely...

Yes, because people never protest when they are given more rights or freedoms.

Like, abolition of state religion, or abolition of slavery, or gay marriages, or right to abortions...

Oh wait.

Let's face it. Any social engineering change is going to generate protests of some people.

[GeoModder]

Well said!