Invisible Resource

[Willem]

Looking in on a thread about an earthquake resource gave me some ideas, and what I've come up with is an Artistry resource. Culture is about creativity, without it a civilization wouldn't flourish. So my resource reflects that.

It doesn't have any graphic so you can't see it on the map, and it's rather fleeting, only having a 1 in 3 chance of sticking around. But there's lots of them. I've given it an appearance ratio of 900 plus it's the goody hut money resource, so they're all over the place.

I'm using it as a requirement for a number of cultural improvements I've created. Like a Concert Hall, or an Art Gallery etc. Without Artistry, you'd can't have any of these things. I've even given it to my Library and my Colleseum.

And because it is so fleeting, there may be times that I can't build these types of improvements, especially if my empire is small. But sooner or later it will appear, and then I can select a number of these improvements to build.

[Sheik]

This is an interesting idea but I think it would frustrate me.

[Inverse Icarus]

I'm sure it would piss me off especially if it was invisible.

make some music notes or something

[Willem]

It's not entirely invisible, you can still find it if you right-click on the terrain. And they jump around so much that you pretty much know where they are, since the game tells you when you've discovered a new resource. And I've been noticing that they tend to reappear in the same cities over and over again.

I'm actually quite pleased with the way it's been working out. If I happen to have one when I'm making up a build queue in a city, I'll stock up on culture improvements. As long as they're in the list, I'll still be able to build them. So I'm still managing to build a number of them, it's just that I can't always select them. I have to wait for awhile, until the resource comes back.

[Bleyn]

Did you put any restrictions on the terrain it can appear in, or does it show up anywhere and everywhere as would seem "logical" (if anything about art and creativity can be called logical)?

[Willem]

The only terrain it doesn't appear in is water squares, since you can't use them there anyway. And your point about "creative logic" is why I made the resource invisible. It's supposed to represent the intangible aspects of civilization, the inspiration of it's people. Without that element, a society's culture wouldn't be able to grow and flourish.

[Sheik]

How are the AI civs in your game handling this addition?

[Willem]

I don't really know, I'm still trying it out. I'm guessing though that it will work in their favour. This forces me to build as haphazardly as it does, instead of being able to plan ahead. Plus if they can't build a Library etc. then they'll most likely build a military unit to be used against me. But I haven't really played with it long enough to find out.

[Inverse Icarus]

oh that would be very annoying to see them pop up / leave every other turn.

[Willem]

How can you see them do that if they're invisible?

It's not as bad as it seems. There's so many of them that once my empire starts getting large, I find myself with several sources. And since they flip so quickly, I know that it shouldn't be to long before they come back again. And they always seem to come back to the same spots by the looks of it. I just have to make sure to stock up in my build queue when they're around.

PS I haven't played very long into a game using them, but I suspect that by the time I reach the Industrial era, my empire will be so large that there will always be at least one source lying around.

[=DrJambo=]

i'm quite interested in this whole idea... whether i'd actually adfopt someting similar in my mod i am as yet unsure. But i do find this appealing and i can see many possibilities arising from many aspects of this thread.

for example, what about a plutonium resource which like your culture resource flies about the map rapidly. Any civ lucky enough to have it can build some kind of "super" unit or building thus adding an element of luck and hope for some of the more minor powers left.

?

[Sheik]

=DrJambo=, I find that a game with a "super" unit or building can get boring. Mods that have an ultimate unit are not as fun because it takes away some of the strategy it takes to play the game.

[Willem]

I was thinking of making a Minstrel unit. It wouldn't have any capabilities other than being a glorified scout/spy. I was thinking one move, all terain as roads, and the Radar ability. Maybe even hidden nationality. Just let him loose and let him wander.

[XMon]

I like this idea. Very creative thinking. Regarding the AI using it, remember it wouldn't be invisible to them (b/c your just talking about a blank graphic and not an invisible flag). They'd see it and attempt to build a road to it as soon as it appears. My only question is what happens if you're building a wonder and the resource disappears? Do you switch to something else in the build queue? That's the only thing that would bug me. Currently I have a few wonders require the wine resource. I just thought it would be funny to require wine for Shakespeare's Theater, Hanging Gardens etc, the artsy wonders. Guess what? I NEVER get wine in the game. Maybe once in 15 games I get wine. The French, if they're in the game, always get wine. Why is that??

[Willem]

Originally posted by XMon
I like this idea. Very creative thinking.

I've been thinking about expanding the idea with two more invisible resources. One will be called Discovery, which will represent the intellectual, and Shrine, for spiritual. These are all aspects of inspiration IMO, which a civilization needs in order to flourish. The question I'm facing right now is which should be the most important, so I can use that as the goody hut money resource. I'm inclined towards Artistry myself.

Regarding the AI using it, remember it wouldn't be invisible to them (b/c your just talking about a blank graphic and not an invisible flag). They'd see it and attempt to build a road to it as soon as it appears.

That won't matter since they'll disappear so quickly, the AI won't gain any advantage by being able to see it. And as I mentioned, they tend to reappear in certain spots, so it's not as random as it may seem. It's just that sometimes it's there, sometimes it's not.

I just wish that I had the ability to create basic improvements that required a resource within it's radius, rather a small wonder. With the way I see it working, I could develop a real dynamic in my civilization, with one city being important for Art, another for Science, and again another for Religion, just because these invisible resources pop up from time to time in the same locations.

My only question is what happens if you're building a wonder and the resource disappears? Do you switch to something else in the build queue?

Nothing will happen. The availability of a resource only affects being able to make a selection in your queue in the first place. Once it's in there, you'll still be able to finish it. The only thing that will occur is that you won't be able to select any new buildings that require that resource.

The same applies with gov specific buildings. You can finish building it if you switch your government form in the meantime, but as soon as it's complete, it will disappear from your city list.

The French, if they're in the game, always get wine. Why is that??

Sounds to me like some programmer thought it might be appropriate.