conquests--unit balance even more absurd? resources?

[GePap]

I always used to be laid back, a builder solely, making sure I had a tech lead and counting on that, and a poor AI battle plan to save the day.

In C3C and in my last efw regular games I am now more aggressive- I try actively to curtain my neighbors's growth, meaning I am usually a large power then, with lots of landmass. This sometimes means begin even on tech with the AI but counting on my superior population and production to rely on victory.

[Antrine]

Thanks Theseus, those are very generous comments and I appreciate them!

I know Player 1 has contributed a lot to AU, and of course, with many others, however I am generally more acquainted with his game philosophy via these threads than other worthies.

I have been debating when and where to release my Mod, now titled, Central Seas, which is about controlling the Mediterranean and adjacent seas. Another version titled, Ancient Wars plays more like a Civ/War Game on land and or water, where Central Seas is about controlling all ports in the Central Seas as victor; kind of hybrid victory condition.

In short, the work left is:

Fix up the little icons that display resources in the City screen etc. The sequence is off on some. I did some artwork by hand, however have been too busy to get back to it.
Include more game theme and lore by addressing the following:
Update the techs in the civilopedia.
Update the unit descriptions in the civilopedia
Update the resource descriptions in the civilopedia

Smooth tech transitions in 2nd, 3rd and 4th Ages, which essentially not used but needs to be playable if someone actually gets there. (This will not be easy) but could be a playable fun to go into high tech with some magick still lingering.

I guess that is it, it is mostly just updating information I have memorized or have posted in notes.

Any ideas or interest, please contact. Otherwise, I will of course just keep keeping on with piles of smiles, for it is work of love or fascination anyway and fellowship for same, is always nice as it comes about, like here.

[Harovan]

Originally posted by Petrus2
However, the fact that one person does or doesn't like any specific feature doesn't mean those who disagree are wrong.

It was admitted by the developers to be a bug, not a feature, to begin with. And a poll if it should be removed or kept (in a now shut down restricted forum at CFC) showed a 2:1 vote towards removing. Of course, this is theoretical, since Firaxis abandonned the support for this game now.

Besides, Firaxis has provided the tool (editor) to make it what you want, so I just don't see how there is any basis for complaint.

Yes, you can make your resources as scarce as you want. However, the default should be balanced, as it was in Civ3 and PtW.

And as a note, I am a builder 80% of the time, not a warmonger, so the implied comment about G.Kahn doesn't even apply. My wars are one of three types:

Let's see...

-defensive, i.e. the AI attacks me

granted.

-focused offensives to obtain a resource I need (or keep it from an AI culture)

Doesn't surprise me the least. Resource scarcity makes it a war game, and a lousy one I may add.

-late game war of elimination to wrap up the game

Genghis Khan. Enough said.

[Petrus2]

Sir Ralph,

Feature, bug, doesn't matter. My point is that I LIKE the current level of resource appearance. I don't ask others to like it. Make it what you want.

You are right, Civ I/II/III, SMAC & SMAX have never been war games. But war, at a strategic level, is part of them.

End game war is not what I'd consider a Genghis Khan strategy! Others may not feel that way; fine. But it is an utterly different thing to early/mid game warmonger than it is to be a builder and then roll the tanks at the end game. Truthfully, I could just shut the game down at that point because I've won, the AI just hasn't realized it. But I like enjoying the fruits of my labor and fighting those wars...although as often as not I don't completely finish, but only go as long as it is still fun and not completely forgone.

[gunkulator]

I agree with Petrus2. I like the current resource scarcity. I'd hardly call PTW and Vanilla balanced since you could pretty much get every resource easily. If you didn't have it, one of your neighbors always did.

[Harovan]

Whatever, it's your game. I don't even play it anymore.

[Antrine]

The few, fewer and fewest. With deep respect to all and none. Since these boards reflect the pitiful state of 'Conquest, the unsupported', yet respecting anyone here still posting. It seems players are turning ghosts, specter or heckler.

Sir Ralph, you sound just tad bit hypocritical? That is since you are not playing the game anyway?

At risk of backlash, I so note.

[Theseus]

I'm having quite a lot of fun with a "resource challenged" game as the Hittites...

I started at the top right wines. Believe me, it was a long time till I even got some iron (as in NO Swords or MedInfs... Warriors upgraded directly to Guerrillas!). And basically the entire equator was jungle (hint hint).

This is like the kid's game 'Can you see what's wrong with the picture'!! Every time I've gotten the recquisite tech, I've just shaken my head in ghastly wonder.

Luckily, those are the Ottomans south of me... and the never got any horses.

(The red civ is Babylon, btw... scary KAI in this one, with regularly >10,000g.)

[Harovan]

I can not grin about Ottomans without horses. I can only weep for them.

Resource denial is such a cakewalk now. Bah.

[Dis]

how do you get it to reveal the terrain and hide cities and terraforming?

[Antrine]

Gosh Theseus, I am glad your having fun with such a map! However, such a resource deprived map would leave me weeping and then I would take a breath and 'fix' it, before playing on it.

[vmxa1]

Originally posted by Dissident
how do you get it to reveal the terrain and hide cities and terraforming?

CNTRL-SHIFT-M, repeat to put it back to normal.

[vmxa1]

Originally posted by Antrine
Gosh Theseus, I am glad your having fun with such a map! However, such a resource deprived map would leave me weeping and then I would take a breath and 'fix' it, before playing on it.

How would you fix it?

[Antrine]

Excepting ocean, deep deserts, expansive jungles and tundra; on average, my maps have some kind of 'resource' every third tile! Now admittedly this is very 'close' to what I glibly termed 'resource pollution' , I have adjusted by having the resourses appear in steps via techs, so it actually takes a good while to see them all. Additionally, some are barbed (secret formula ) and all have very high dissappearance settings, though the impact is less than I would like. I give the tiles wide ranges underneath and have made it common to get hit with 'plague' no matter where you place a city. Additionally, some tiles are particullarily dangerous to get 'caught' on in battle.

Also, all the Capitol pre-start locations (of which there are some 35) the resources are clustered with roads, so the AI's are sure to 'score' . Suffice it to say, all other settings being near equal, these AI's are always formidable.

[Theseus]

Originally posted by Sir Ralph
I can not grin about Ottomans without horses. I can only weep for them.

Resource denial is such a cakewalk now. Bah.

Nope, you overstate the situation. Resource shortages work BOTH ways... the equator was occupied by the Zulus, and taking out Rifles and some Infantry with Knights was no cakewalk, believe me.

I've had to play without native iron, saltpeter, coal, or oil... and the Ottomans don't get horses? Tough. ;0

Fun.