Ideas for v1.18f?

[star mouse]

Originally posted by Spiffor
About the idea of a "newspaper" or "summing-up popup", I thought about how it could look like in the game.

That's pretty much how I imagined it, nice work

Since there will be plenty of info in the late game, I also thought we could have tabs (domestic / military etc.), where the advisors tell you news in their specific field, instead of having all the info following in one screen.

It would be good to have it on separate screens, one for each advisor. To avoid the real chance that an advisor screen is missed, each advisor with something to say calls up a pop-up box:

"Your Foreign advisor wishes to speak to you."

Alternatively, don't allow the turn to end until all advisors have been dealt with.

[Jaybe]

Originally posted by Ironikinit
... Anyway, it would be great if I could order a stack to wait. I mainly use stack command for bombard units. Sometimes I want them to wait and cycle through the units to have, say, a couple tanks or infantry move first. I have to press W however many times, cycle through the units, maybe have them wait again, etc. ...

If the game wants you to move a particular unit type or certain area first, just go and click on the unit YOU want to move. Often, the game will take your cue to move others in the same type/area.

[AJ Corp. The FAIR]

What do you guys (or/and girls?) think about some extra must do's / must have's (only a few of them, chosen out of a list of 'triggers') before being allowed to advance through other eras?
This would better reflect historical realism and has already been implemented in a way in AOE2, Empire Earth, ...

Just a couple of triggers you (= your civ empire) 'd have to focus on if you want to move from Ancient to Medieval etc ...
The list of triggers would contain economical/scientific/militaric/political goals so you can choose how you'd want to evolve (peace, war, science)

(Also posted on 'tech accelerations too fast to enjoy?')

I'd definitely vote YES, IMMEDIATELY !!!!

Kind regards,
AJ

[Kevin Ar18]

I want an option for the editor to disable "trade communications" option in diplomacy.

Personally, I would like to disable this option for Civ3 so I can enjoy discovering the map.

[Spiffor]

Go to the editor, edit the "writing" tech, and uncheck the corresponding box. In my games, comm. trades are allowed by radio

[TheRascalKing]

Originally posted by eclarkso
I posted a similar idea on the Feb. 15th Chat thread, here is the same with a few edits:

Proposal: Just as ships have a certain chance of sinking when they end their turn on different types of water, units loaded on a ship should have a chance of perishing, independent of their 'mother ship' or other units on board. The probability of perishing could/should depend on the type of ship, the length of time that unit has been on the ship, the location of the ship (coast/sea/ocean), and perhaps tech advances (e.g., Astronomy/Navigation or perhaps even Sanitation or something).

Please discuss.

I like the idea, but my argument against it is that civ3 isn't about 100% realism so much as it's about realism to the point of fun. I think it's frustrating enough that my ships sink if I stray out too far, but if my units started to die randomly I would just blow a gasket. I have (what I consider to be) a better idea that would realistically simulate what you're trying to do:

Units in ships would have a random chance to take a certain amount of damage every turn at sea (the amount of damage could be set in the editor). If enough damage is dealt this damage would be capable of killing the unit. I think the chances of taking damage should depend on the type of water square you are in as well as your current technology:

Coastal Tile: 5% chance of taking damage
Sea Tile: 25% chance of taking damage
Ocean Tile: 50% chance of taking damage

Seafaring: -5% to normal chances of taking damage
Navigation: -20% to normal chances of taking damage
Sanitation: -30% to normal chances of taking damage

Or you could make the chance of damage depend on the kind of ship the unit is in, or a combination of technology and shiptype. I don't think this would be too hard to do, either.

Then again, you COULD just get Europa Universalis 2, and this feature is already included. =P

[kabouki]

Hi,

I pre-ordered this game and I was obviously anxious to play it. I played with it for some weeks after the release ... until the release of the 1.16f patch. Then I decided to remove the game from my harddrive until Firaxis comes up with a patch for the editor, and I only ask for one thing GIVE US CIV/PLAYER SPECIFIC STARTING POSITIONS

Oh... I must say that I play Civ since CivI and I like each civ iteration equally (each has its niceties) and that I am against the whinning made against Firaxis (they have done a great job) .... er.... .... with the exception of no "true" starting positions in the editor.

[Willem]

Originally posted by kabouki
Hi,

I pre-ordered this game and I was obviously anxious to play it. I played with it for some weeks after the release ... until the release of the 1.16f patch. Then I decided to remove the game from my harddrive until Firaxis comes up with a patch for the editor, and I only ask for one thing GIVE US CIV/PLAYER SPECIFIC STARTING POSITIONS

Oh... I must say that I play Civ since CivI and I like each civ iteration equally (each has its niceties) and that I am against the whinning made against Firaxis (they have done a great job) .... er.... .... with the exception of no "true" starting positions in the editor.

Well they are working on that. Mike, the guy from Firaxis working on the editor, posted awhile back that this was his main priority at the moment. So you'll just have to be patient until he gets a chance to finish the work.

[eclarkso]

Originally posted by TheRascalKing
I like the idea, but my argument against it is that civ3 isn't about 100% realism so much as it's about realism to the point of fun. I think it's frustrating enough that my ships sink if I stray out too far, but if my units started to die randomly I would just blow a gasket. I have (what I consider to be) a better idea that would realistically simulate what you're trying to do:

Units in ships would have a random chance to take a certain amount of damage every turn at sea (the amount of damage could be set in the editor). If enough damage is dealt this damage would be capable of killing the unit. I think the chances of taking damage should depend on the type of water square you are in as well as your current technology:

Coastal Tile: 5% chance of taking damage
Sea Tile: 25% chance of taking damage
Ocean Tile: 50% chance of taking damage

Seafaring: -5% to normal chances of taking damage
Navigation: -20% to normal chances of taking damage
Sanitation: -30% to normal chances of taking damage

Or you could make the chance of damage depend on the kind of ship the unit is in, or a combination of technology and shiptype. I don't think this would be too hard to do, either.

Then again, you COULD just get Europa Universalis 2, and this feature is already included. =P

I agree with your comment about units randomly dying being frustrating, and about fun/realism. However:

- As you say, there is some precedent for units randomly dying; while frustrating, I'm not sure my proposed rule is any -more- frustrating. Especially since if you're careful, you don't lose any ships that you don't expect to, and with my rule you shouldn't lose any units without expecting the possibility. Unexpected random bad things are what really contribute most to non-fun, I think.

- How would your proposal work with settlers/workers? Their 'damage' is either alive or dead... If you just treat them as having one HP, then your system would be almost equivalent to mine, and I can't think of any major issues I would have with it.

I could get EU2, but I don't have much time for one game, much less two :).

[TurboTraxx]

After each patch, I always add Newspaper (w/ Printing Press) and Supreme Court(Code of laws).

Newspaper is a city improvement that reduces corruption and war war... S. Court is a small wonder that acts like another for. palace. This is because I imagine that a civ which builds it would see corruption go away in that city and surrounding parts. Even got a nice photo to go with it.

[planetfall]

turbotraxx --
How do you add new improvements? Are you using a mod pack or what are the steps to do this?

thanks

[Willem]

Originally posted by planetfall
turbotraxx --
How do you add new improvements? Are you using a mod pack or what are the steps to do this?

thanks

Grab the MultiTool utility over in the Files area.

[TurboTraxx]

The multi tool is by far the easiest way.

But if you are into pain, you could :
go into the rules editor, and go to the improvments tab. The focus of the window will be on the drop down box where you select what building to muddle with. Just press the TAB key to move the focus to the Rename button. Then you can press 'a' for Add or Delete 'd' to remove the highlighted building. Then you can go and fiddle with the graphics and txt files and all that fun stuff manually...

[ahenobarb]

One major suggestion would be the ability to rent out your troops as mercenary's.


(If there is a need for historical example, the ancient greeks did this alot due to their success with the Phalanx formation, of course a premier example of mercenary's are the condottieri in medieval Italy).

This could be part of the bargining table. You agree to rent out xx number of yy [hoplites, cavalry, frigates, tanks] for 20 turns in exchange for $$ amount of dough [or the whole thing in reverse, you rent another civs troops]. They take control of your units (or vice versa) for that period of time. At the end, renew the agreement or not. This can be done either cash-and-carry (meaning the purchasing civ has to ship them wherever, or teleport to the purchasing civs capital).


Other suggestions, primarily related to adding the concept of a seige to civ, a missing feature of warfare in the game.

1. Allow ability to copy work jobs, or add them:

If you could copy the "fortress" function of a worker, you could build walls over land, like the great wall or Hadrian's wall. Also, you could build a moat around your city, which would give "negative" defense points for an attacker. You could also build a "ramp", ala the ancient technique, outside the city to provide an avenue of attack.

2. Allow government types to expire:

This will help scenarios, where monarchy was replaced by a republic or vice versa. Without that ability some players would remain in the optimal form of government despite the desire to recreate the histroical setting

3. Allow ability to add terrain:

What ever happened to "Marshes"? How about brown hills that look better in desert? What about another type of grassland between "grassland" and "plains", or "scrub" between desert and plain. It might seem like splitting hairs, but it's useful for scenarios

4. When one civ gone, ability to specify which civ replaces it:

This would greatly help scenarios. Say its the ancient world and you wipe out the etruscans, they could be replaced by the parthians on another part of the map. OR allow more than 16 civs in a game!

5. Units that can attack only cities:

This would provide for the proper use of seige engines. They could only attack a city, not units in the field on their way to the seige.

6. Allow "worker" ships that can build an improvement at sea:

You could construct "booms" and "moles" to defend you harbors. Later you could build oil rigs out at sea.

7. Allow workers to make units from a resource:

A worker could find a forest near a city being beseiged. utilize the wood there to build a seige engine (Timber would be a resource).

[AJ Corp. The FAIR]

Just read briefly through and allright, I'll admit, I'm tired, I won't produce 'literature''...

Starting ... Countdown ... ... ... Start!

As mentioned before, we must keep track of the 'best' suggestions/ideas: meaning:

1) a majority approval --> a poll to choose out of a big list of ideas the ones you immediately approve to (several options must be markable --> as it's Willem's thread just maybe, maybe, ..?)
2) a briefer recall of some mentioned and worthy ideas.

Here are my : DEFINITELY YES, FIRAXIS WE WILL MAKE YOU RICH!

-suggestions:

NEWSPAPER and CYCLE THROUGH (MO2 concept)

LIMITED TERRAFORMING

JUNGLE-HARVEST worth 5 SHIELDS

GREAT ARTISTS

GREAT POLITICIANS (allowing options pop-up to alter/improve government traits for X points --> eg. custom options MO2)

GENERAL COMMAND BUTTONS/OPTIONS (on main screen, allowing several 'select all and do ...' options --> upgrade all, create air mission, ... and/or AOE2--> double-click = select all on square, followed by another double-click = select all anywhere)

LESS CORRUPTION (certainly in late game far distanced cities MUST produce more than 1 gold !! At least 2, 3, 4 golds/shields, not producing more in industrialized times just isn't realistic at all)

SLOWER TECHS (very important, programming as suggested by others?, triggers?)

EVOLVING COLONIES (as suggested somewhere before --> colonies of workers eventually become towns, such as were in real life)

COLONY CONCEPT (Willem's idea of controlling a weakened civ, heavily beaten civs with no perspectives whatsoever should surrender instead of being destroyed!!! Remember ALL real life wars?, remember history?)

IMPROVE UNITS (thousands of valid ideas on the threads ..., better balanced units, more and better artillery/air options and capabilities, new units and UU's to deal with ship sinking ..., realistic movement rates)

'EQUALIZED' START LOCATIONS (odding chances for all civs, giving everyone at least a fair chance to start the game with ...)

CORRECT CIV START LOCATIONS (still 'working' on it?)

ALLIANCES (AI civs should favor some civs and seldomly deal with 'disliked' civs, longer and tighter alliances between civs, ...)


Those ones I find very neceassary to bring back 'the fun factor', which I have recently lost somehow, somewhere ...


Kind regards fellow souls
and let's revive this thread and bring it right under the eyes of the people we support, but count on!

FIRAXIS, ASTONISH US AND BECOME THE GREATEST OF THEM ALL!


Fair?

AJ

[Carver]

These ideas, like many in this thread, probably wouldn't be done in a patch but...

1. Global Surveillance. CTP has the Globesat wonder giving its builder worldwide surveillance ability. In SMAC, as soon as you built an orbital unit or improvement you can see the whole world. Civ3 has the satellite tech but no satellites. Global observation should be a small wonder or the result of a city improvement as all major powers are satellite capable. This was a huge oversight by FIRAXIS.

2. Saddam's Supergun - Great/Small wonder. Okay, this might sound crazy but I think some really powerful artillery during the industrial era would be fun. Remeber the gun Saddam was building in western Iraq, pointed towards Isreal. I think we should be able to build one of these. It should have, maybe, 4 shots per turn and can strike any tile in the world and can destroy units. Forget culture points, now that's a worthwhile wonder.

[meriadoc]

Actually, I got this idea from Draxx, so here is what he wrote in another thread:

Is there any key i can press to repeat the very last order I just gave??? say i have two air units, i re-base one to Turkey, the other one pops up waiting for orders... i want to hit a single key and have it re-base to turkey as well...


While the recently implemented stack movement allows every unit of the same type in a square to move to a new square at once, and the hopefully soon-to-be implemented (please, please) stack bombardment feature will allow my 100 artillery pieces (or bombers) to bombard to same square in less than 30 minutes of playing time, a repeat feature would be nice too. For instance, I want to airlift units from different cities to one destination. With the repeat key, I would move the unit to an available airport and press "repeat." The unit would then automatically fly to the same place as the previous unit.

Anyway, that's my thoughts on the matter. On a side note, thank you Firaxis for your efforts in producing (and supporting) a great game.

[Spiffor]

It has been said by others in other threads, but i'd like to repeat it here : it would be nice if you can decide in the editor if a terrain type can have a city on it. Currently, mountains forbid the player to settle them, but no other terrain. It would make the game more interesting for some if they can check this for desert or tundra for example (but since not everyone would be happy about it, that's why I think this should be in the editor)

[Dida]

People, keep in mind that you are talking about ideas for the next PATCH, not an entirely new game or expansion.
Thanks!

[Da_cOmRaDe_MiKe]

id like an option to turn pollution on/off i know you can change it in the editor but 1 button would be easier like call to power.

id also like some better resource options and trades...

1 question? why does the computer always gang up on me? id eventually take over a continent and bang 10 - 12 comps r sharing everything to get me? and i didnt even declare war on them??

[Willem]

In the editor, I would like the ability in the small wonders area to select what model of corruption a building will reduce. Meaning a flag for either the centralized or the communal model.

[TheRascalKing]

Oh, here's one that's REALLY EASY!

In the editor, allow improvements to have the features of small wonders and wonders, allow small wonders to have the features of wonders, and allow wonders to have the features of small wonders. Why is that restricted, anyway? If you wanna play the game a certain way, even if it imbalances everything, that option should be available.

[Nebulus]

1) changes to naval war
Units, that don´t have the ability to detect subs, cannot attack subs.
Only cruisers and destroyers have waterbombs and use torpedoes to sink a submerged sub! Bombers can´t attack subs, too, they´re designed to bombard cities, ships and land units. Perhaps a ´dive away´ option against fighters would be a solution.
Let helicopters be transferred to carriers and give them attack-power against subs.

... i hate it, when battleships or even transports sink my subs after they were detected by a cruiser

2) workers and pollution
I´m missing a shortcut to set a worker on ´automatic-clear-pollution´ - not only shift-P. After the pollution is cleared, the worker should go on ´sentry-mode´ in a city and wait for the next pollution to appear, and if, then he goes back to work and clears the pollution.

3) automated unit movement
What about an option for the city governor, to send new-built unit to a certain place. I spend to much time - even with the existing shortcuts - with redeploying new units to the area, where my transports are waiting for them.

4) army
Until now armies only enhance power, but reduce flexibility on the battlefield. If i have 3 armies with 4 tanks in each of them, i have up to six strong attacks instead of 12 weaker attacks - so there could be another advantage of armies in the patch: shared logistic for the units in the army, so units in armies could have lower maintenance cost.

... and as mentioned before: changes for the ´corruption´-problem and the ability for air units to sink ships.

[Harovan]

Originally posted by Nebulus
Bombers can´t attack subs, too, they´re designed to bombard cities, ships and land units.

What's wrong with bombers throwing water bombs once the sub is detected?

[Nebulus]

hmmm...have you ever heard of a B17 oder a modern stealth bomber carrying water bombs? I think, that´s the job for fighters and helicopters, not for level bombers.

[Willem]

Originally posted by Nebulus

2) workers and pollution
I´m missing a shortcut to set a worker on ´automatic-clear-pollution´ - not only shift-P. After the pollution is cleared, the worker should go on ´sentry-mode´ in a city and wait for the next pollution to appear, and if, then he goes back to work and clears the pollution.

With 1.17f, the Shift-A will work as you describe. If there's nothing for the Worker to do, it will sleep in a city until pollution appears, after which it gets back to work.

3) automated unit movement
What about an option for the city governor, to send new-built unit to a certain place. I spend to much time - even with the existing shortcuts - with redeploying new units to the area, where my transports are waiting for them.

Yes that would be excellant! Sometimes I might have 3-4 cities making the same thing, and it would be great if I could set up a common rally point for those units.

[Brutus66]

Seems to me this thread is 1/2 for patch requests, 1/2 wish list for civ4.

My patch requests would be to tone down corruption to a reasonable level, give the man-of-war the ability to kill instead of bombard (this took a lot of the bite out of the English UU), and lastly, give me the option to turn off pollution (ala CTP). It is tedious, to me at least, to spend a lot of time constantly cleaning that stuff up and I feel like Sid is trying to make some kind of political statement with it at my expense.

My wish request would be that all ships (well, most anyway) have the ability to carry at least one unit as passenger. Isn't it silly that a caravel can carry a unit and a battleship can't? They should be able to carry a marine unit at least, like they did historically. Maybe an alternative would be a shore party unit, that can only be carried on military ships like battleships, carriers, and subs.
BTW- I always that that it would be cool if you could carry a spy unit on a sub...

[Spiffor]

Something cool could be added : auto explore. In huge maps, exploration units are many, especially after discovering of navigation, when your boats can at last sail the oceans. I suppose the AI has a specific way to manage exploration units. Maybe we could ask the player's ones to act as AI's ones (i.e automatically) by pressing a button... This way we won't have to spend much time just to swipe the pesky black areas off the map.
As virtually any unit can explore unknown areas, they all should be able to auto explore. Naturally, the one choosing if they auto explore or not is the player.

[Carver]

Originally posted by Nebulus
hmmm...have you ever heard of a B17 oder a modern stealth bomber carrying water bombs? I think, that´s the job for fighters and helicopters, not for level bombers.

Stealth bombers...no. But most bombers can easily be outfitted for dedicated ASW (anti-submarine warfare) duty. The main aircraft for the U.S. is, of course, the P-3C Orion (to be rplaced by the P-7). The P-3 uses sonobuoys and magnetic anomoly detection (MAD) equipment to find subs and surface ships, then uses MK-50 torpedoes and Harpoon anti-surface missles to kill the targets.

[Ghengis Brom]

I'd like to see a couple civs added, namely the Mongols. I'd also like to see something done about the advances that do nothing but allow the next advance in the tree. Philosophy is a good example; in CivII if you were the first to discover Philosophy you got 2 extra advances, in CivIII you get nothing except the ability to research The Republic. I know that getting 2 extra advances may be unbalanced but I'd like all of the "do nothing" techs to do something, maybe inable the building of a different improvement, small wonder or unit.