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I have implemented the new commerce inflation and city improvement upkeep systems, which are explained in the update readme below. It is a copy of the readme found in the Med readmes folder. I would actually prefer that you use that file to familiarize yourself with the changes, and use this paste to point out any sections that you have questions or comments about.
Those of you updating from a 2.* version of the mod only need to get the text files. Those updating from a 1.* version of the modpack will also need to get the pictures and videos portions.
The mod is posted at my new webpage, available thru my title's link to the left. You also need to bookmark the new page, as it has a slightly different address from my old page, and the old page, with its outdated material, may still be up.
I am calling this a beta since the new upkeep costs are an educated guess, and will probably need tweaking, especially for the last half of the game. I am relying on your feedback for these adjustments, as I am taking a CTP break at the moment and have not played the update myself.
Note: Please read the new comments I have made in the improvements page of the Med spreadsheets, which explain in detail the various changes. I had to undo a lot of work in order to implement this simpler design, so players will need to get used to several changes in addition to the two new things.
Hopefully we can get the upkeep costs fine-tuned in time for the completion of several new slic triggers which are being developed. I plan on implementing the new visible wonders, city sprawl, road-clearing and improved diplomod codes, as well as the new city capture and forts-for-AIs triggers from Martin.
2.2 changes:
I have increased the commerce in the game by a factor of ten, and made many city improvements cost either 2 or 3 gold per citizen to maintain. These improvements deal with food, science, production, pollution and crime. Basically, first-level improvements cost 2 gold per citizen (e.g. Mill), while second- and third-level improvements cost 3 gold per citizen (Oil Refinery and Nanite Factory). Players need to refer to the Med charts spreadsheet to familiarize themselves with the changes, and especially the new comments I have made there.
Note: These improvements still cost their old fixed-rate upkeep, but this amount has NOT been increased by a factor of ten, so it should be insignificant. Players need to remember this when viewing the GL, for instance. Mostly I left these old costs in so that it would be easier to change things back in case this experiement does not work, or if adjustments need to be made and these old cost used as a reference.
The per-citizen method has allowed me to get rid of the staggered obsolescence system, which was implemented as a way of increasing building costs as the game went along and city sizes grew. This system made things difficult for cities founded late in the game, and I think the AIs may have had trouble adjusting to it as well, so I consider this to be a significant improvement to the game.
Note: Defense improvements (City Walls, Castle and Bastion) still go obsolete as before, since their effect depends upon the changing technology of the game. The color code for improvements can now be used to show which early improvements are pre-requisites for later ones.
In addition, I have reduced the effects and/or upkeep costs of many later improvements, whose settings had incorporated the effects and costs of the improvements they obsoleted. Please refer to the Med charts' comments for specific information.
The traditional method of fixed building costs, regardless of the size of the city, makes sense for improvements with fixed effects like Shrines or Aquaducts, but is totally unrealistic for improvements like Bazaars whose income effect grows along with the number of citizens in the city. I tried to implement this per-citizen method early last year when we were first putting the Medpack II together, but it proved infeasible with the standard amount of gold in the game due to the fact that the cost had to be an integer amount. At the time, I wrote off increasing the base amount of gold in the game as being too complicated, but I have recently realized that it need not be if certain flags were used intelligently. Thus I have made this update.
Note: The current cost settings are based upon my educated guess, and will probably need adjusting, so I need feedback from players as to whether there is now too much or too little commerce in the game. The goal is to have the same amount as there was before, except for the extra zero, which should be accounted for in all game actions (research, trade, diplomacy, espionage, rush-buying, capitalization and infrastructure).
Also, the per-citizen costs are not accounted for the in the upkeep info in the F2 screen, but they are accounted for in the overall profit report.
Those of you updating from a 2.* version of the mod only need to get the text files. Those updating from a 1.* version of the modpack will also need to get the pictures and videos portions.
The mod is posted at my new webpage, available thru my title's link to the left. You also need to bookmark the new page, as it has a slightly different address from my old page, and the old page, with its outdated material, may still be up.
I am calling this a beta since the new upkeep costs are an educated guess, and will probably need tweaking, especially for the last half of the game. I am relying on your feedback for these adjustments, as I am taking a CTP break at the moment and have not played the update myself.
Note: Please read the new comments I have made in the improvements page of the Med spreadsheets, which explain in detail the various changes. I had to undo a lot of work in order to implement this simpler design, so players will need to get used to several changes in addition to the two new things.
Hopefully we can get the upkeep costs fine-tuned in time for the completion of several new slic triggers which are being developed. I plan on implementing the new visible wonders, city sprawl, road-clearing and improved diplomod codes, as well as the new city capture and forts-for-AIs triggers from Martin.
2.2 changes:
I have increased the commerce in the game by a factor of ten, and made many city improvements cost either 2 or 3 gold per citizen to maintain. These improvements deal with food, science, production, pollution and crime. Basically, first-level improvements cost 2 gold per citizen (e.g. Mill), while second- and third-level improvements cost 3 gold per citizen (Oil Refinery and Nanite Factory). Players need to refer to the Med charts spreadsheet to familiarize themselves with the changes, and especially the new comments I have made there.
Note: These improvements still cost their old fixed-rate upkeep, but this amount has NOT been increased by a factor of ten, so it should be insignificant. Players need to remember this when viewing the GL, for instance. Mostly I left these old costs in so that it would be easier to change things back in case this experiement does not work, or if adjustments need to be made and these old cost used as a reference.
The per-citizen method has allowed me to get rid of the staggered obsolescence system, which was implemented as a way of increasing building costs as the game went along and city sizes grew. This system made things difficult for cities founded late in the game, and I think the AIs may have had trouble adjusting to it as well, so I consider this to be a significant improvement to the game.
Note: Defense improvements (City Walls, Castle and Bastion) still go obsolete as before, since their effect depends upon the changing technology of the game. The color code for improvements can now be used to show which early improvements are pre-requisites for later ones.
In addition, I have reduced the effects and/or upkeep costs of many later improvements, whose settings had incorporated the effects and costs of the improvements they obsoleted. Please refer to the Med charts' comments for specific information.
The traditional method of fixed building costs, regardless of the size of the city, makes sense for improvements with fixed effects like Shrines or Aquaducts, but is totally unrealistic for improvements like Bazaars whose income effect grows along with the number of citizens in the city. I tried to implement this per-citizen method early last year when we were first putting the Medpack II together, but it proved infeasible with the standard amount of gold in the game due to the fact that the cost had to be an integer amount. At the time, I wrote off increasing the base amount of gold in the game as being too complicated, but I have recently realized that it need not be if certain flags were used intelligently. Thus I have made this update.
Note: The current cost settings are based upon my educated guess, and will probably need adjusting, so I need feedback from players as to whether there is now too much or too little commerce in the game. The goal is to have the same amount as there was before, except for the extra zero, which should be accounted for in all game actions (research, trade, diplomacy, espionage, rush-buying, capitalization and infrastructure).
Also, the per-citizen costs are not accounted for the in the upkeep info in the F2 screen, but they are accounted for in the overall profit report.
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