How Can the UN be Made Useful?

Gibsie · December 2, 2003, 11:01

No- not in real life, but in the game, of course!

At the moment, the only purpose of the UN in games I've played is that it's a huge drain on shields for a humn player, as he has to build it otherwise he basically loses, as when elections are called the AI mostly all vote for your closest rival. But why can't it do something more interesting, or even closer to its real life role?

Here's how I'd like it to work: It produces a "Peacekeeper" unit every x turns, like the new Knights Templar and Statue of Zeus wonders from Conquests. The peacekeeper would be similar to marines, but it would have no real nationality, so it could be used to attack anyone... perhaps add in a conditional in that you can't attack players who you have a mutual protection pact with (Making a security council), and it'd be quite useful I think.

It's just dreaming, especially with that last bit I can't see any possibility of it happening, but how else could the UN be edited to be interesting in the game?

CerberusIV · December 2, 2003, 11:18

I have always flagged it to reduce WW.

Perhaps producing a unit is a way forward. An ICBM every 5 turns maybe?

Seriously, there are several justifiable improvements. WW is one. Additional trade (like the Colossus) is another as all those people boost the local economy.

Gibsie · December 2, 2003, 11:23

How about an identity-less ICBM?

No, that's a stupid idea... you can't attack cities with a privateer-type unit apparently...

vmxa1 · December 2, 2003, 12:33

Why not allow it to force peace as it did in CivII. You could make it so a "peacekeeper" unit is created once in 20 turns. This unit can be used (and is depleted) to force a civ to declare peace.

ICBM · December 2, 2003, 21:06

What I think would be interesting is if it were possible for the UN to allow the civ that builds it to be a "mediator" between civs. For example, if two civs were at war, a third could mediate between them, and if peace is acheived, then the attitudes of the two warring civs improves for the mediator civ. But that's probably too far out.

Theseus · December 2, 2003, 21:37

Quote:

Originally posted by vmxa1
Why not allow it to force peace as it did in CivII. You could make it so a "peacekeeper" unit is created once in 20 turns. This unit can be used (and is depleted) to force a civ to declare peace.

Agreed... this is something much missed from Civ2.

Vince278 · December 3, 2003, 02:40

Quote:

Originally posted by Gibsie
No- not in real life, but in the game, of course!

Seriously though, perhaps if they made it like the Council in MOO3?

Justin69002003 · December 3, 2003, 04:40

"Seriously though, perhaps if they made it like the Council in MOO3?"

But you know you would loose the game with the best military, economy, 49% of the world pop. and land, and just a tad short of a cultural victory,

Vince278 · December 4, 2003, 00:56

We have a country just as dominate in the real world yet it has lots of problems with the UN.

Paddy · December 4, 2003, 01:44

Quote:

Originally posted by vmxa1
Why not allow it to force peace as it did in CivII. You could make it so a "peacekeeper" unit is created once in 20 turns. This unit can be used (and is depleted) to force a civ to declare peace.

Civ II had some great ideas that just disappeared...

Maybe back in Civ V Extension pack 2.4

Ok I am a tad cynical...

GhengisFarb™ · December 4, 2003, 12:32

A couple hundred gallons of gasoline, a few wire hangers and whole bunch of marshmallows comes to mind.

Oh wait, you talking about Civ3 aren't you............

Senator · December 4, 2003, 13:44

trick is to do some serious diplomacy before the elections
pay huge sums to civs to get as many mutual protection pacts as possible, then go to war with your closest rival in the election
there will be a nice little war then and you'll have lots of nice little allies that will vote for you instead of your rival

Paddy · December 6, 2003, 00:20

Quote:

Originally posted by GhengisFarb
A couple hundred gallons of gasoline, a few wire hangers and whole bunch of marshmallows comes to mind.

Oh wait, you talking about Civ3 aren't you............

I like your thinking hahahahaha

Ision · December 6, 2003, 04:45

I think the UN should be made to be about as useful as it real is in real life.........

....in other words....... eliminate it all together as a factor in the game......... or change its victory status from 'diplomatic' victory' to 'appeasment' victory..........

theres one, that would be great... a pop up window that says, "you have boot-licked every tyranny and blamed all of the worlds problems on the most prosperous and industrial nations......congratulations you have just won an appeasement victory........."

Plotinus · December 6, 2003, 09:53

I think the UN should function almost like another player: it could negotiate with other civilizations and have attitudes towards them. The UN would take an extremely dim view of aggressive war-mongering, unreasonable economic sanctions, razing cities, demanding tribute from other civs, etc etc. If it go t sufficiently annoyed it could operate trade bans or even declare war, just like everyone else. Perhaps when it does so, each civilisation would have the option of joining in the trade ban or the war; failure to do so would mean serious bad karma with the UN and with everyone else.

I have to say I'm not sure why the UN should have any benefits for the civilisation that built it - after all, look which civilisation has it now! But it *would* have benefits for a player interested in the diplomatic side of things, because it would add a whole new dimension to geopolitics.