Unit "gifts"

[Martinus]

Here's a quote from a hands-on preview on civfanatics, answering the question how the unit gifts work:

When I was speaking of a more interactive AI further above, I also meant this: it will be more sensitive to your situation. It does not only focus to get fair deals with you when you aren’t in war, but if a friendly AI feels you are losing one, it might offer you a gift. A gift is nice, but in that situation you should never forget that you can ask it to join you in the war. Similarly on your part, you can choose to gift an AI a unit or two by simply moving them into their territory and clicking the “Gift” button which automatically makes that unit theirs.

I suppose in MP it could lead to nice option for a civ in peace to "lend" its units to one in war and then have them gifted back (if they survive) after the war - possibly for a price.

[Egbert]

It could also need to some very nasty exploits. Umh, expeditionary forces in Paradox's game "Victoria" could be used for some very xploitative play.

I like the idea of being able to give a gift in SP though.

(Good to see you Martinus. Haven't seen you at the Paradox forum for ages. )

[James]

Lots of many twists available in such ideas as gifting unis to other civs / players.

[aneeshm]

Does this mean you can have "mercenaries" in MP games , where one civ builds a large number of units as reserve , and "gifts" them to the highest bidder in a war ?

[Martinus]

Heya, Peter. I hang on Languish most of the time these days.

[James]

Sounds that way.

[Martinus]

Originally posted by aneeshm
Does this mean you can have "mercenaries" in MP games , where one civ builds a large number of units as reserve , and "gifts" them to the highest bidder in a war ?

That's what I have been alluding to in my original post.

[The_Aussie_Lurker]

You know, I have come to the conclusion that, no matter how much you try and remove exploits, you will always have those players who get around the limitations. My attitude is, if this is how they have 'fun', and they are able to sleep at night , then it is on their conscience. As for me, I prefer to spend my time getting immersed in the game, rather than finding cheap tricks and loopholes to boost my chances of winning. If increasing the immersiveness for players like me means opening up a potential loophole for rules-rapists to exploit, then thats fine by me.
That said, though, I wouldn't be suprised if they have done this in a way that is free of all but the most ingenious exploitation! It would also be great if unit 'trading/gifting' were done in an identical fashion to workers in Civ3, allowing you to palm off forces to some back-water little nations in return for some of their precious oil !

Yours,
Aussie_Lurker.

[sophist]

Originally posted by The_Aussie_Lurker
You know, I have come to the conclusion that, no matter how much you try and remove exploits, you will always have those players who get around the limitations. My attitude is, if this is how they have 'fun', and they are able to sleep at night , then it is on their conscience. As for me, I prefer to spend my time getting immersed in the game, rather than finding cheap tricks and loopholes to boost my chances of winning. If increasing the immersiveness for players like me means opening up a potential loophole for rules-rapists to exploit, then thats fine by me.

It's not inevitable. It all depends on how you structure your game rules. The more you try to coerce players into playing a particular way, the more likely there are to be holes in your model. Assuming the game isn't completely dull and boring, I mean.

[UnOrthOdOx]

Speaking as an advocate for AFAIK the first Mercenary team in a demogame, I'm quite wary to the point where I do not think a mercenary team would be wanting to gift units so much, but rather hire out services completely out of the game mechanics in an MP situation.

You gift your units, and you lose all control of them. Will the team give them back on time? Will they be used against you? Will they pay? etc.

With units staying in my control though, Oh, you didn't pay, guess we seek employ from your competitor...

[Martinus]

Originally posted by UnOrthOdOx
Speaking as an advocate for AFAIK the first Mercenary team in a demogame, I'm quite wary to the point where I do not think a mercenary team would be wanting to gift units so much, but rather hire out services completely out of the game mechanics in an MP situation.

You gift your units, and you lose all control of them. Will the team give them back on time? Will they be used against you? Will they pay? etc.

With units staying in my control though, Oh, you didn't pay, guess we seek employ from your competitor...

There is a little problem with your second option - you need to declare war for it to work.

[UnOrthOdOx]

I've never viewed declaring war as a problem...but that's just me.

[aneeshm]

Can you gift missionaries ? What happens if you gift a missionary ( assuming it is allowed ) ? Does he preach for the religion for which he was constructed , or for the religion of the reciever's Civ ( or you get a choice ) ?

[MeaCulpa]

There is a "Christian missionary", a "taost missionary", a ..., each with their own avatar. So _if_ you can donate them, I see no reason why they should change.

[Freddz]

This feature is actually a lot like real life. Where powers often give weapons to smaller powers to aid against threats. Like in Vietnam or Afghanistan.
One could choose to see it as giving away weapons and training men in the use of them.