Wheeled Settlers

[Willem]

Originally posted by lockstep


Even if the 'mad rush for territory' is eliminated, I'd be hesitant to add a feature that the AI obviously can't cope with. And it's the same with wheeled settlers - in my test games for korn's blitz mod, I've observed AI civs that were 'bottled in' by jungle and/or large mountain chains, failed to expand and later became easy prey for me or other AI civs.

Well that's always the problem with modding, you never really know what the end result might be. So far though, the "starving settlers" approach has worked out fairly well. They may be wasting their resources by building in impossible locations, but they're still expanding and making me hustle for my territory. Though not quite as much as before. I'm not sure about the Wheeled thing yet, I haven't tried it long enough to gauge the results.

But overall, for me at least, the game is much more comfortable to play, while still being a challenge. Maybe that's just because of my game style, I don't know, I haven't had anyone else play my modifications yet, so I can't be certain. The bottom line though is that I enjoy the way it's playing more than I did before, and that's basically all that matters.

[s3d]

Can anyone test such a setup: have 2 pop whelled settler and 3/4 pop normal settler ? Will AI use both ?

[pauli]

s3d, i was going to suggest something like that (though i was going to make the settlers more expensive in terms of production rather than population)

hmm. if we were to try and work this out logically (a poor idea when talking about a civ game, i know), would the ability to carry more food and perhaps travel faster (a useful feature for wheeled settlers) outweigh the added cost of the wagons, when settling on a cost for the different settlers?

[candidgamera]

Some thoughts on boxed in civs with wheeled settlers.

*Really like the one-two punch of wheeled and 3 food along with the food elimination for tundra, hills, ect.

*Think you could manage the boxed in settler stuff two ways:

1. Go with more civs on bigger boards - they can't all be boxed in.
Like this anyway - some live, some die - more of a bell curve.

2. Stay away from world types that have more mountains, jungle, ect - stay at least temperate and middle of the road on world age.

3. To address the less mountains, less jungle therefore less rubber, et. al - massage where resources can appear, and their frequency some.

The settlers to riflemen is an interesting idea.

[Willem]

Well it's not really that big of a problem since all you have to do is build a road out to where you want to build. Wheeled units can travel over those terrain if there's a road. And if there's resources there, the AI will no doubt build a colony there eventually, which will open the way for a Settler. So it won't stop it from building in Jungles completely, just delay it.

[MonsterMan]

Here is an icon for the units_32.pcx if someone wants to make a 'wheeled settler'
I stole it from civfanatics CivII forum

[player1]

There is one bug with wheeled settlers:

You can unload them to jungle from Galley.

[Willem]

Not a problem really. Like I said, they'll be able to get in there eventually anyway, so it doesn't matter much if they come by boat. At least it limits their options for awhile so they don't build everywhere right away.

[The Andy-Man]

playng a game with wheeled settlers now, it took till 1600 for the AI to bother building a rd in the jungle, so there is still only 3 AI cities there.

[Willem]

Thanks for the info, I'm pleased to see it works. I like the idea of thinking about the terrain strategically, and that gives me one more tool to work with. I really didn't like that mad rush at the beginning of the game in order to get as much territory as possible. I find it much more relaxing now.

[The Andy-Man]

update: now past 1900, the AI dosnt expand into jungle, though the french did goto the trouble of clearing one massive area that was already more or less with in their borders (but Joan can do what she likes).

more colonies been built to.

[Spatzimaus]

Something I was thinking of the other day, modified by what's in this thread:

Make two Settler units. The no-tech one has 1 movement point, costs 3 population, and can go anywhere. Make a higher one (Wagon) at a slightly later tech (maybe just The Wheel) that has 2 movement points, costs 2 population, but is wheeled.

Basically this gives two options. The AI (and the player) COULD still settle in the lousy areas, but with the type of unit it'd prefer to build (the Wagon) it'd be limited to normal areas. The problem doesn't seem to be so much that the AI wants to settle these areas, it seems more like he builds a lot of extra Settlers and needs to do something with them, and hey, there's plenty of open room over there. Look at how many times, after the map has filled up, you'll still kill a Settler by attacking a city. Players make them as they need them, the AI makes them and then tries to find something to do with them.

I've done a similar thing for Workers; at Replaceable Parts I added the "Engineer" unit (0/1/2) with higher movement, a 1 defense (so he can't be captured) and he can be Airlifted. Except, in this case the Worker upgrades; for the Settlers it'd be nice to keep both varieties.

[Worthingtons]

Adding new Improvements/Wonders

Hi there, I am wondering if I have to create a civlopedia entry for new improvements and wonders i create, or would just copying them with the Multitool and renaming hem be enough??

[godinex]

I like the actual setlers... are nice

[Willem]

Originally posted by Spatzimaus

Make two Settler units. The no-tech one has 1 movement point, costs 3 population, and can go anywhere. Make a higher one (Wagon) at a slightly later tech (maybe just The Wheel) that has 2 movement points, costs 2 population, but is wheeled.

This might not be a bad approach really. I've just been playing a game where the Zulus are trapped behind a large expanse of jungle and not able to expand in my direction. Which is kind of nice in a way since I also have the Japanese to deal with in the area, but it makes the game a little less exciting. As it looks right now, well into the Middle Ages, Shaka is never going to bother sending his Workers in to build roads. I've managed to take a nice spot with 3 Dyes that was right under his nose. Obviously the AI workers aren't very smart about building roads or colonies.