Captured workers national identity or lack thereof...

Cookie Monster · March 21, 2002, 09:55

Hi all,

Here's one for you. Have you all noticed that when you capture a worker his identity is no longer listed in the upper right corner of the unit info box? Instead, in it's place is simply "Worker (nationality of the civ you're playing)".

For example, let say I'm the Russians and I capture an English worker. In 1.16f his description in the unit info box would be "Worker (English)". In 1.17f however, his description is now "Worker (Russian)".

I find that it was rather useful for future negotiations to know what the original identity of the captured worker is. Now that is not possible. What do you all think?

Bring back worker identity!!!

Zouave · March 21, 2002, 10:08

I really don't understand why to got rid of that.

kailhun · March 21, 2002, 10:14

Quote:

Originally posted by Haupt. Dietrich
Hi all,

Here's one for you. Have you all noticed that when you capture a worker his identity is no longer listed in the upper right corner of the unit info box? Instead, in it's place is simply "Worker (nationality of the civ you're playing)".

For example, let say I'm the Russians and I capture an English worker. In 1.16f his description in the unit info box would be "Worker (English)". In 1.17f however, his description is now "Worker (Russian)".

I find that it was rather useful for future negotiations to know what the original identity of the captured worker is. Now that is not possible. What do you all think?

Bring back worker identity!!!

Agreed. This was one of the things that was one of the unrequested changes in 1.16 (or was it 1.17? I can't remember.). Initially I thought the change was that your workers now had the nationality added to their designation, but then I noticed the Worker [blank]'s.
I must say I preferred having the name of the civ the captured workers were from in the designation. If only for the international blend it gave to your country. I wouldn't mind something in the graphic to reflect the original country. Perhaps in civ4.
I'm sure you've figured out how to find the original identity though.
This is however one of the unrequested changes I wonder about why it was implemented. I don't remember anyone having a problem with it nor can I see a reason for doing it.
It's the same with the tech trading. I don't really understand why. Especially as there were so many other things a large number of people did complain about.

Robert

Cookie Monster · March 21, 2002, 10:17

Quote:

Originally posted by kailhun

This is however one of the unrequested changes I wonder about why it was implemented. I don't remember anyone having a problem with it nor can I see a reason for doing it.
It's the same with the tech trading. I don't really understand why. Especially as there were so many other things a large number of people did complain about.

Robert

My thoughts exactly. What ever happened to the old adage, "if it ain't broke don't fix it"?

Pius Popprasch · March 21, 2002, 10:40

It was inserted for localization. Country name replaces country attribute. I agree that most changes were unrequested by this board.
Firaxis/Infogrames cares about sales.

swt1 · March 21, 2002, 11:00

Agreed, this is annoying. By the way if you right click on the unit (same command as when moving one unit out of a stack of units) the original nationality will be shown.

Highlander_two · March 21, 2002, 12:21

I have noticed this too -- ever since installing the 1.17 patch. I assumed at the time, and I still think, that this is an unintended bug created by Firaxis' changes in 1.17.

You will notice that, with the new patch, when one of your own workers is active, the status box shows just "worker". When a captured worker is active, the box shows "worker" (insert your civ here). Also, when you go to the city screen of any captured city and pass the cursor over the citizens, the nationalities show correctly, i.e. "French laborer". If they bother to identify foreign citizens in the city screen, why not foreign workers in the status box? Further, if you go to the Military Advisor screen, a box at the lower left will show the number of captured workers and their correct nationalities.

This is a real pain in the butt for me that I've just had to learn to live with. I usually play as an industrious civ, and the loss of productivity from foreign workers is sometimes a real drain. If I have the time and productivity, I usually have these foreign workers join one of my own larger cities, then build a new worker that will be much more productive. Yes, I know that foreign workers don't require any gold for support, but I figure that it is a small price to pay, usually, to have my own workers building at wice the speed of the foreign ones.

AJ Corp. The FAIR · March 21, 2002, 14:40

Quote:

Originally posted by Highlander_two
...
This is a real pain in the butt for me that I've just had to learn to live with. I usually play as an industrious civ, and the loss of productivity from foreign workers is sometimes a real drain. If I have the time and productivity, I usually have these foreign workers join one of my own larger cities, then build a new worker that will be much more productive...

Could be risky though:

the joined captured workers will maintain their nationality, creating considerable extra unhappiness when you're republic/democratic and warring the mother country ..!

AJ

Purple · March 21, 2002, 19:23

Quote:

Originally posted by Highlander_two
I usually play as an industrious civ, and the loss of productivity from foreign workers is sometimes a real drain. If I have the time and productivity, I usually have these foreign workers join one of my own larger cities, then build a new worker that will be much more productive. Yes, I know that foreign workers don't require any gold for support, but I figure that it is a small price to pay, usually, to have my own workers building at wice the speed of the foreign ones.

What, exactly, is the downside of using foreign workers? They don't cause unhappiness unless they join a city, right? Aren't no-cost workers better than noworkers, even if they are slow?

watorrey · March 22, 2002, 08:15

Quote:

Originally posted by Purple
What, exactly, is the downside of using foreign workers? They don't cause unhappiness unless they join a city, right? Aren't no-cost workers better than noworkers, even if they are slow?

48 turns to clear a jungle that has no bananas sounds like a downside to me.

I like adding workers from extinct civs to my cities. That way you don't need to worry about unhappiness anymore. Also the AI likes it when you add thier workers to your cities and doesn't like it when you use them as slaves.

Harovan · March 22, 2002, 08:31

Quote:

Originally posted by watorrey
48 turns to clear a jungle that has no bananas sounds like a downside to me.

Ain't that what this stacking thing is for?

kailhun · March 22, 2002, 09:35

Quote:

Originally posted by watorrey

48 turns to clear a jungle that has no bananas sounds like a downside to me.

Just raze a lot and stack the slaves. Works like a charm.

Robert