Impact of scarce strategic resources

[Willem]

Originally posted by opaque
Willem, have you tried setting all your resources to maximum appearance on the map?

Yes I have, at least for those that appear in the first part of the game. Even still I occasionally get into a position where there's none available. Not often mind you, but it does happen.

[opaque]

I guess whether you restart all depends on whether you enjoy the challenge of scarce resources, or the game is more fun for you if you can become powerful. No one can argue that one is right, since the whole point of a computer game is for people to make it fun for them. That's the great thing about being able to customize it a lot (although scenarios WOULD be nice )

[Willem]

Originally posted by opaque
I guess whether you restart all depends on whether you enjoy the challenge of scarce resources, or the game is more fun for you if you can become powerful. No one can argue that one is right, since the whole point of a computer game is for people to make it fun for them. That's the great thing about being able to customize it a lot (although scenarios WOULD be nice )

Well the main thing with me is that I've been playing with the Editor, mainly adding new improvements and reworking some of the rules. So my main goal at the moment is to test the changes I'm making and I don't want to have to be restricted by a lack of resources. Once I've finished modding my game, I'll probably start seeing it as more of a challenge rather than a nuisance.

[opaque]

Like I said, the ability to customize the game to fit what makes the game enjoyable to you is the great thing about games that at least COME with an editor. It would be great if they could get the editor to tell you if your changes would make the game extremely unbalanced, since you can't try your changes because of the inability to place things on the map and test them.

[Willem]

Originally posted by opaque
Like I said, the ability to customize the game to fit what makes the game enjoyable to you is the great thing about games that at least COME with an editor. It would be great if they could get the editor to tell you if your changes would make the game extremely unbalanced, since you can't try your changes because of the inability to place things on the map and test them.

Well I suspect that one of the reasons why the default editor has a limited ability to make changes, is because a lot of the variables that could make the game unstable are still largely unknown. I've noticed on a number of occasions that making just a small change in some insignifigant area was enough to crash the game. So it certainly wouldn't make very much sense to include a fully functioning editor that only succeeds in crashing the program. But even as it is, there's a lot that someone can do in order to customize their game. Most of the complaints I hear over and over again can be easily solved with just a few changes here and there. I guess some people just like to have thier entertainment spoon fed to them.

[Blitzer]

Folks, it's impossible to have less strategic resources than there are civs. That's why when one source of coal runs out, often another source will appear instantly. in your games with only "2 sources of coal" there is definately more than a few cources stuck under cities as you found.

Ctrl-Shift-M will remove all cities and units from the map and allow you to see where the hidden resources lie. They are there.

[Quokka]

It is possible to have less resources than civs. I have a game going now with 12 Civs and only 5 coal. I looked using CTRL+SHFT+M and then with the more anal method of right-click on every square. Nada 5 coal. If one of them disappears then it will reappear somewhere else but more of it won't.

[bogatir]

For you amateur geologists out there, I guess it’s just a quirk of where the dinosaurs all died before my game started. In my 2 (now 3) coal game, there are twelve (12) sources of oil.

Go figure.

[Willem]

Originally posted by bogatir
For you amateur geologists out there, I guess it’s just a quirk of where the dinosaurs all died before my game started. In my 2 (now 3) coal game, there are twelve (12) sources of oil.

Go figure.

Sounds to me like the game is confusing some of your Coal with Oil. It probably wouldn't hurt to mention it on the "Bugs and Fixes" thread.

[opaque]

I've noticed on a number of occasions that making just a small change in some insignifigant area was enough to crash the game.

I might be wrong here but doesn't simply adding a new government cause a crash? Does it crash when you or the AI try to change to that government, or does it just not start the game?

[Thrawn05]

I think there are two really important resources for me, that I can't play without.

Now, I edited the game so that no resource can disappear or appear, whats on the map is whats on the map, this maps my games really interesting.

Anyway, the two are: COAL and RUBBER. Notice I said coal before rubber. I can live without iron, urianium, oil and the rest, but not Coal and Rubber. I need them, its a requirement.

[Willem]

Originally posted by opaque


I might be wrong here but doesn't simply adding a new government cause a crash? Does it crash when you or the AI try to change to that government, or does it just not start the game?

I'm not sure, but I think Gramphos may have fixed that problem in Civ3CopyTools. I've never tried it so I don't know if he has or not.

[Be Quicker]

The recources never are a problem for me (monarch small/standard map), because I tend to conquer my continent completely. Once, though, I played without conquering. And ended up without uranium and oil, but with coal and rubber. I proceeded to win the tech race and subsequently did the UN and Culture thing (just to get a 20.000 culture victory which I never had before). In summary I never have quited,or had to quite, a game because of recources.

[Marquis de Sodaq]

Originally posted by Thrawn05
I think there are two really important resources for me, that I can't play without.

Now, I edited the game so that no resource can disappear or appear, whats on the map is whats on the map, this maps my games really interesting.
...I need them, its a requirement.

That's the whole point! If they are scarce, you need to strategize and fight to get them! I think this is one of the best parts of the game. The flip side is, of course, if you have them all and get to sell the extras to grovelling AIs. It makes for fun in diplomacy, as power can swing from one civ to another as time goes on.