Dear god, the auto workers are coming!

[MarkG]

quote: Civilization III will utilize the same kind of system for terrain improvements that its predecessors did. That said, a new worker unit has been added to the game and the settler unit is now solely responsible for founding new cities. The worker will now handle all terrain improvements such as irrigation, mining, and building roads.

as someone who has played more ctp1/2 than smac in the last 2 years, the thought of waiting for 10-15 automated worker units to stop running around doing nothing makes me want to go AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH

so, please, dear great Gods of Civ(you know who you are), please oh please, give us smarter worker units. much smarter!!!

[airdrik]

Here, here. I think everyone agrees that a smarter AI is required. And they said that they would revamp it, so here's hoping.

Maybe there could be different settings like: connect all cities w/ roads/railroads, build road/rr to x city/tile, road every square in the city radii, irrigate everything, mine everything, or maximise production.

[Roman]

I like the settleres/workers concept.

[The diplomat]

The PW system was more efficient.
I am a little concerned that we will face a nightmare with dozens of workers to keep track of like in civ2.
I am also a little concerned with the AI. I would hate to see the AI having tons of workers just wondering around in a circle like the pods/formers did in SMAC.
Perhaps, Firaxis can clarify how they plan to prevent this.



------------------
No permanent enemies, no permanent friends.

[Ilkuul]

quote: Originally posted by MarkG: please oh please, give us smarter worker units. much smarter!!!

AMEN to that!! Can't count the number of times I've had to put a settler or engineer back on manual in Civ2 because he was doing the most crazy things!

quote: Originally posted by airdrik: Maybe there could be different settings like: connect all cities w/ roads/railroads, build road/rr to x city/tile, road every square in the city radii, irrigate everything, mine everything, or maximise production.

Yes! That would be great, IF the AI is smart enough to make it work!



[This message has been edited by Ilkuul (edited April 06, 2001).]

[Trachmir]

Iwas really hoping for some sort of PW system... this news is quite depressing IMHO. And "Road every Tile in city radius"! I certainly hope not... I hated the old civ2 eyesores, I hope roads are only for "connecting" your civ... not +1 trade.

FIRAXIS, PLEASE rethink this!

[Par4]

Par4 is super pissed, this sucks

I still play SMAC quite a bit(although EU has taken away all computer time), and I like having standardized city designs, but I hate micromanaging 20 formers, it's damn annoying and sucks. But if I put them on auto, not only do they do stupid stuff like go through lots and lots of fungus(and then get killed by mindworms) but it builds boreholes right in the middle of 8 farms instead of a condensor and other stuff such as that.

I like the new settlers 2 pops ,but I hope they have an option for city planners like in CTP2, I would hate to have to rebuild cities from scrath.

I fear for military reforms to Civ3, stacks and leaders is all I think we'll get...

[Eli]

They can improve it as much as they want to but I will NEVER EVER give the AI to decide on such issues.

------------------
Builder.

"Antisemites? They are just the descendants of monkeys and are jealous of the descendants of Adam and Eve"

"The length of a minute depends on which side of the toilet door you're on"

[Par4]

Be prepared to spend all your spare time managing terraformer guys then....

The AI better be damn good, B&W levels at least...

[Zanzin]

This is disappointing news. If there was ONE thing Activision did right with their take on civ, it was public works. It was a major improvment over managing individual units. Why Firaxis can't recognise this, I don't understand.

Next thing we know it, they'll tell us they've decided against stacked combat!!

[Chronus]

TRACHMIR QUOTE: "I hope roads are only for "connecting" your civ... not +1 trade."

I fully disagree. That would reduce the purpose of roads to mere military purposes. This is highly unrealistic since roads have had a large influence on economies throughout history.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Ah, Good stuff. I like micromanaging my workers, and now I don't have to waste settlers on it. Good work!

[Trachmir]

Chronos,

Trade only increases from roads if they connect somewhere, not if they go round and round... besides I'm sure we can guess that smaller access roads are built the same time you build a farm or a mine, afterall the supplies to build these improvements have to be brought there in the first place. Roads should give a economy bonous when they connect to another city, thus opening up a trade route... not just because you built roads in every tile around your city... that's just UGLY.

[J.DeMobray]

I agree with Imran Siddiqui, this is very good news. I love the idea of a seperate Worker unit who actually handles the terraforming duties. I also don't mind the 2 pop cost settlers at all (even though I'm a big fan of victory by ICS).

I enjoy micromanagement.

[Dienstag]

Here's another vote for micromanaging tile improvements. Bring it on!!
While we're on the topic of terraforming (sorta), I thought I'd share a quote I came across this week:

Isaiah 41:15 "Behold, I shall make thee a new sharp threshing instrument having teeth: thou shalt thresh the mountains, and beat them small, and shalt make the hills as chaff."

Ponder that...