Let's Help Firaxis (No, I'm Being Serious!)

[Velociryx]

I must disagree with Dida. Even if many/most of the (excellent!) ideas here don't get implemented, the exercise of creativity is most certainly NOT a waste of time.



-=Vel=-

[Immortal Wombat]

Originally posted by Velociryx
I must disagree with Dida. Even if many/most of the (excellent!) ideas here don't get implemented, the exercise of creativity is most certainly NOT a waste of time.

True.

[godinex]

Re: Let's Help Firaxis (No, I'm Being Serious!)

Originally posted by Roy H Smith

Culture (*)
Resources (*)
An Early Aggressive AI
Diplomacy/Trade
Unique Civs (with Unique Units)
Leaders

Geology
The computer secretly places hidden resources on the map. When a civilization discovers Geology these hidden resources appear!

Explosives
Workers get the new order Demotions - basically blow up a mountain and transform it into a hill. Bombardment can now kill units.

History
All your Ancient buildings produce extra culture since now they are better appreciated by your people. Build Smithsonian Museum - no benefit but more culture than any other wonder!

Genetical Modified Food (from Modern Agriculture)
Extra food from irrigated Tundra and Deserts

Internet (from Computers)
Research bonus for libraries, universities, and research labs, plus one unhappy citizen content, opens a lot of research paths

Trench Warfare
Defense bonus to non-mounted infantry units (popular during WW I)

Formations
A bonus to fortified units (less than than Trench Warfare) and gives Spearmen X2 Defense bonus vs mounted units (Pikemen are just Spearmen with a formation)


Breeding
A definate Arabian Advance, give +1 defense to mounted units and mountained treated as plains for movement purposes, better retreat possibilities

Capitalism
Creates a new City option - relocate production. You can now spend 3 turns to create a network to any other city you are linked to by road, railroad, harbor, or airport and can have city A send to city B 1 unit of food, production, or commerce (New York isn't known for it's farms after all). Better, send food to a starving civ and make friends!

Heavy Aviation
Build gigantic planes - to airlift Tanks and Modern Armor

Machinery
To build Mills (think early +25% production factories)
Bureacracy, Judiciary
Build Provincial Capitals and Supreme Court to lower corruption

Nuclear Theory, Nuclear Research, Nuclear Weaponry
Now make these a deadend each one after the other!

Theocracy/Facism
Definitely both belong in the game!
Thocracy units should get a +25% combat bonus when fighting to retake a city of theirs.

Eugenics (after Facism) <- Optional
Build bigger/better soldiers - lowers other governments opinions of you

Security
Lets you know when a city is going to flip before it does and weakens spies against you

Socialism
Government - lose Commerce, war weariness, but cheaper to build infrastructure, slower growth, slow pollution

Assembly Line (after Machinery)
+1 Production in all cities, +1 for Factories, +1 for Manufacturing plant

Artificial Environment
Discovered before Space parts can be built, allows for Lunar Colony (extra happyness, research, and culture, and build Space parts for 90% standard cost) but requires 1000 Production

Guilds
Gives bonus to Marketplaces, allows Warehouses to be built. In Warehouses owning cities a city can build Supplies for 50 shields and then use Supplies to build things - think non-moving carvans - can be moved after Capitalism)

Social Mobility
+1 happy face in capitol, Civs with the Expansionist attribute can now build Settlers for 1 Pop each!

Masochism
Your citizens grow to like cruel oppression! Using "the whip" makes citizens happy! (Geez, I need to go to sleep)

Only this seems fair to me

[Zealot]

Ah, it remindes me the list of ideas for Firaxis! We used to have a separate forum for it, you know?

It's good to have good intentions Roy, but I can't stop thinking if Firaxis has enough human resources to improve Civ to the level we would like it.

[lockstep]

Originally posted by Dida
they are not going to implement this. Asking them for so much in a patch is ridiculous. Even in an expansion.

OTOH, many of the suggestions are perfect examples of what should be possible with an enhanced editor.

[Spec]

Great ideas man but I think they'd only use it for civ4! But that's ok, I like civ3

"runs out of the room hding his face...."

[Roy H Smith]

I'm glad most people liked my short list. Personally I'm responsible for a some of the negativity (but even I must bow to Lord Yin ) but I still feel that less isn't more, more is more.

And its sort of unfair to pile on Firaxis without balancing out things that I do like or did want.

As for it being a waste of time...well moders ("mod"ers) are welcome to use my ideas (and don't we all want to beat up Hitler and his Fascist government?) so maybe this will have an impact after all.

And Civ4 is coming...you know it and I know it...a unique, fan created game would give them EXCELLENT publicity, plus they wouldn't have to pay us anything (although if they offered me job as a game designer....hmmmmm Civ5?).

So they'd just have programming costs and an almost unique marketing concept (Team Fortress for Half-Life was fan designed and that definately pushed Half-Life to the next level)...so low risk/high reward.....what's not to like?

[GodKing]

Great job Roy.
Lots of good ideas. In some future time when I get around to starting to customise CIv3 for the way I like to play, I suspect a good number of your ideas will make it in.

Keep up the good work!!!!!

Peace

[Martin Gühmann]

Originally posted by Immortal Wombat


True.

There is not much to add.

BTW did Firaxis sue a modder, didn't they? So be careful with your creativity.

-Martin

[Immortal Wombat]

Originally posted by Martin Gühmann
BTW did Firaxis sue a modder, didn't they? So be careful with your creativity.

Infogrames issued a Cease And Desist Order on a translation project.

[Captain]

Originally posted by Immortal Wombat

Infogrames issued a Cease And Desist Order on a translation project.

Wouldn't a translation open up new markets, where they could sell even MORE games?

And the people doing the translation are doing it for FREE?

Sounds like good business to let them keep it going!

But perhaps I am missing something vital... after all, I don't own a big profitable software games company...

[King of Rasslin]

I agree

There were so many varieties in the tech tree in Civ 2.

The game has become so linear

WE NEED MORE TECHS!!!

But i know they will have to put out an expansion pack to suck in more $$$

[notyoueither]

Originally posted by Captain
Wouldn't a translation open up new markets, where they could sell even MORE games?

And the people doing the translation are doing it for FREE?

Sounds like good business to let them keep it going!

But perhaps I am missing something vital... after all, I don't own a big profitable software games company...

What you are missing is that by allowing third parties to translate the civ files the copyrights could be weakened.

Copyright can not be selectively enforced in some circumstances. Once you let Joe translate it then your rights to the game may be diminished. If you do nothing, then Bob can do the same thing. When you go after Bob because he is doing something you really dislike, he may successfully argue that you let Joe do it.

Also, Joe then owns the rights to the translation that he produced. If it were published (for instance over the internet) then he could sue Infogrames if their language in their translation came to close to his.

I am NOT a lawyer, but from my limited knowledge, these are some of the problems with allowing the fan based German translation project to continue. Hence the cease and desist order.

Salve

[MarkG]

Originally posted by Martin Gühmann
BTW did Firaxis sue a modder, didn't they? So be careful with your creativity.

that was infogrames and had NOTHING to do with changing game rules or adding units or anything like that...

[CapTVK]

I've said this before and I'll keep saying this again: if you want to make a game better do it where your own efforts can make a difference. In the case of Civilization that means : Freeciv, Civ-evo and Clash of Civilizations

And for those who still don't get the point I'm trying to make: Firaxis and Infogrammes are COMMERCIAL COMPANIES. They don't own you any 'favours' just because you're a fan.
As several people (both pro and contro Civ3) have pointed they're doing it to earn money, not for the sake of the fans.
And should a customer have further problems or gripes with the game (bugs, gameplay, missing features whatever...) it should be THEIR PROBLEM to solve, not the consumer himself.

And they'll support the game as long as it's financially feasible...that means the clock is ticking: Tick..Tick...tick....

So what are you going to do with your suggestions /ideas/efforts? Post them in a forum to get a few responses and see them fade back to page 10? Or try your hand on a community effort that will be far more rewarding in the long term?

It's your own choice that makes a difference, remember that.