Opinion on the throne room

phaydor · February 7, 2001, 15:36

Should Civ 3 include a throne room feature that is representative of your accomplishments? I liked Civ 2's throne room screen where my ego was stroked by all the ornaments I've collected over time as a result of the people's adulation. This isn't a critical part of the game, I must admit, but I liked it. Should Civ 3 have some sort of ego screen, where you can build your throne room or palace? Should it be soemthing else entirely?

Jer8m8 · February 7, 2001, 15:49

Definatively have a throne room! I loved it. Also, keep the stats. While meaningless it was good knowing my civ had a 100% literary rate and 3% disease rate. It was also fun having battles with my allies over who had the highest GNP

JosefGiven · February 7, 2001, 16:48

quote:

Originally posted by Jer8m8 on 02-07-2001 02:49 PM
...While meaningless it was good knowing my civ had a 100% literary rate and 3% disease rate...

Didn't the literacy figures directly represent the efficiency of your library/university/sci-lab set-up? Mind you, I haven't a clue how the disease rate was calculated, or what it was supposed to represent.

Anyway, I give the thumbs-up for an 'ego'-screen, as Phaydor so eloquently put it. Bring back the external palace view from Civ I, that's what I say. The thing I didn't like about the throne-room in Civ II, was the 'modern' stage decor. Who wanted to trade their grand throne in for a bloody desk, eh?

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Josef Given
josefgiven@hotmail.com

bagdar · February 7, 2001, 18:08

YES to Palace
NO to Throne Room

Chronus · February 7, 2001, 20:40

I preferred the palace because we had the ability to create some really funky looking castles.

MrFun · February 7, 2001, 21:14

What was interesting about the throne room in Civilization II and the special screen in Call to Power I?

After building those only a few times, I got bored with it - I already knew what all the additions were going to be, and what the final completion looked like.

You build these every game the same way with the same additions for the same completed look. So, NO I do not care for it, but anyways, it should always be left as an OPTION for players.

Zeevico · February 7, 2001, 22:12

Have you ever seen the full throne room? i did so yesterday and it was yesterday (i won with a score of 126%! Yay!). it is great!

Jeje2 · February 8, 2001, 02:36

Throne room or palace, I don't care which.
But I want it. It is a fun break in the game to do something nice. I hope CivIII will have something like it.

yin26 · February 8, 2001, 03:32

This is an absolute must! However, I'd like to combine the two ideas...a Throne Room that you can CUSTOMIZE! Like a really cool Sims pad. Seriously...at certain points in the game, different decor unlocks and is available to you. You mix and match it as you like. Purely aesthetic, of course, but trying to unlock all the best stuff would be really fun. If you wanted to keep the stone throne but toss the palm tree for a lava lamp, do it!

Now wouldn't it be cool if your leadership ability and foreign relations were affected by how well you decorated your throne room? You could put a fish tank in the corner for that scatter-brained ambassador from Chile, a heated throne for those long winters, and later a wide-screen TV for when there's a lull. Just click on the Throne Room and watch it in action! O.K. This part is overboard, but you get the idea. (...though it's a tantalizing idea at any rate...)
[This message has been edited by yin26 (edited February 08, 2001).]

Theben · February 8, 2001, 04:15

No! Bring back the palace!! And add more types!

Jeje2 · February 8, 2001, 06:40

quote:

Originally posted by yin26 on 02-08-2001 02:32 AM
Now wouldn't it be cool if your leadership ability and foreign relations were affected by how well you decorated your throne room? You could put a fish tank in the corner for that scatter-brained ambassador from Chile, a heated throne for those long winters, and later a wide-screen TV for when there's a lull. Just click on the Throne Room and watch it in action! O.K. This part is overboard, but you get the idea. (...though it's a tantalizing idea at any rate...)

Nice idea Yin

Let's take it even further.
You have to deside how much money you spend on your thrownroom/palace. The more you spend, the faster improwments and functions described by Yin.

Now, shall I use my money to throne room or improve something other... Interesting idea, since in the beginning of the game it is more important with beatuful places than later. And early money is expensive...

Adm.Naismith · February 8, 2001, 07:18

I just have resurrected a thread about throne room.

My opinion probably killed the thread

because it was the last: I hope it doesn't kill this too!

For lazy people, my opinion was (and still is):

quote:

Someone think that the Palace/Throne room is something to show your achievement with nice graphics (figures and bar graphs are not appealing the same way, I agree).

Someone think it should be something you actually "build or pay", others that simply a display of values.

I'll vote for a long list of age-related improvement, from gardens to castle, from statue to paintings, from city renamed to your leader name to special buildings (highest tower of the world, longest bridge, new modern hospital or university, etc.).

You can see it as lot of icons (easy to cusomize) in a interactive part of civilopedia that show them as they progress.

It will be a "book of your leader name here dinasty" or "book of your civilization here
civilization".

If you prefer, they can appear on city screen instead, as special buildings (not easy to take a whole look at, but more nice to see them properly fit).

If you think that anything in Civ III must be game related or it will be useless, promote these little gems to the role of small (free - they are gift from your population) local wonders, or special buildings.

They will appear on one of your cities randomly (when the related pre-requisite is meet, think also to scenario triggers) or where more appropriate.

Showed on the book or on the map, they should add a small local effect on happiness or production, money, research, health: just pick one.

You will love that small gift as you should

Just edited to underline that Yin's idea of customizability can apply here too.
Customize (or download free from Firaxis site) new set of liked "gifts" and related effects: sculpture like Mr Rushmore, dedicated Aircraft Carrier like Ronald Regan USS; possibility are endless.

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Admiral Naismith AKA mcostant
[This message has been edited by Adm.Naismith (edited February 08, 2001).]

Grumbold · February 8, 2001, 07:40

The key is in customisation so that the Ego screen is as replayable as the game. CtP and Civ2 gave you very little choice of what to build and ultimately a 'completed' view would be identical at the end of every game. While I had my favourites and the options were very limited, I finished Civ with many different combination of architectural designs for my Palace.

A screen which yould be adapted depending on which wonders you build, governments you become and key sciences you discover first would be excellent. Unless the game is so easy you get to beat everyone to everything then it simply must be different, at least in a few details, from game to game.

Nikolai · February 8, 2001, 08:58

What about a palace, where we could zoom into the throne room??? That could be cool!!

Seeker · February 8, 2001, 10:40

We need a Palace with more culture types. I want my Aztec/English/Russian/Roman palace!!

bagdar · February 8, 2001, 11:00

Now I've been talking only about this for ages, and I'll continue to do so, because the original "Sid Meier's CIVILIZATION" means so much to me, both with its game concept and its graphic atmosphere. The point I'm trying to reach, is this: For god's sake, which one looks better: CIV I's full-screen list of "the most X civilization" with a small picture for each civ's PALACE on top of the name, or Civ II's pop-up window? See, the significance of the PALACE! It awakens memories of my going, every friday, to a friend's house to play Civ I back in the days when I didn't have a comp.... oh, this is irrelevant. So, here goes the parrot:

YES to Palace (and other Civ I relics)
NO to Throne Room

The Commodore · February 8, 2001, 23:33

Palace. And keep I stats,but make 'em Civ1-style big.

Dale · February 9, 2001, 00:13

quote:

Now, shall I use my money to throne room or improve something other... Interesting idea, since in the beginning of the game it is more important with beatuful places than later. And early money is expensive...

I'd end up spending all my gold on the throne room and letting my civ's society stagnate.

But, like everyone else.....
Yes to palace
No to throne room.

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Author of Diplomod. The mod to fix diplomacy.

Rommell to a sub-commander outside Tobruk: "Those Australians are in there somewhere. But where? Let's advance and wait till they shoot, then shoot back."

EnochF · February 9, 2001, 01:46

Military Leaders, once they appear, should get a portrait in the Throne Room.

(And of course, being able to custom-tailor the throne room instead of building the same one over and over would be nice. I'd vote for a throne room instead of a palace, but I suppose either one is okay in the end.)

Krippled · February 11, 2001, 19:59

Didn't you all think the second throne was a lot better than the third throne though? I did.

I say yes, have a palace. And have its exuberance add to your score in some respect. (Perhaps morale because your populace is proud of it),and maybe the defense of the city in which it resides?

Theben · February 12, 2001, 02:54

quote:

Originally posted by Krippled on 02-11-2001 06:59 PM
Didn't you all think the second throne was a lot better than the third throne though? I did.

Ah, yes. Much better. In fact would always buils to the 2nd throne asap and then leave it until the very last upgrade possible!

quote:

And have its exuberance add to your score in some respect. (Perhaps morale because your populace is proud of it),and maybe the defense of the city in which it resides?

Here we differ in opinion. The palace is already created by how high your score is. If it added to your score, then it would get bigger, wich would add to your score, and then the palace would grow again, etc., etc.

And if the palace added some defense then it should also be open to destruction which I'd like to avoid.

TacticalGrace · February 12, 2001, 10:26

The palace back in Civ1 was certainly better than anything that came after it, despite the low resolution.

It would be even more rewarding if you got "war-monuments" for conquoring entire nations or other monumnets which appear in front of the palace when acts of wonder are completed.

Maybe some of the lesser Wonders should be relegated to monuments which the player can choose from:
e.g. select to build one of Eiffel Tower, Statue of Liberty, Nelson's Column, bronze statue of Lenin outside palace.

This would be good to satisfy those who want things like Nelson's column in the game since they are clearly shouldn't have Wonder status. The palace screen is a "harmless" enough place to have them where they will add flavour.

bagdar · February 12, 2001, 11:44

I concur completely with TacticalGrace's ideas. The graphic ideas of Civ I MUST come back, and with enhancements, such as the war monuments for the palace, or the replay and the diplomacy screen with improved graphics.

Deathwalker · February 12, 2001, 12:15

I think we should keep the throne room, it's a part of Civ and should stay in.

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I have walked since the dawn of time and were ever I walk, death is sure to follow

Bender · February 12, 2001, 17:30

Either the throne room or palace is fine with me. Sure, make it customizable so we don't get bored.

I'D REALLY LIKE, however, to see several scenes of your people's daily lives accompanied by brief descriptions of their thougts. (Sort of a "city view" but on a nation-wide level.) Show a picturesque representation of an ancient family at the market. Show a medieval farm with a caption of the farmers' thoughts. Show what the streets, shops and libraries look like in modern times.

Is there construction and growth or stagnation? I envision this will be the equivalent of a King looking out of his castle.

These things can all be represented visually to make the game interesting as well as provide a measuring stick for our successes. Imagine a combination of the throne room and the demographics screen...but more life-like.

It's unlikely that this will be available with Civ III. I thought it would be worth a shot though.

TacticalGrace · February 13, 2001, 01:49

quote:

Originally posted by Deathwalker on 02-12-2001 11:15 AM
I think we should keep the throne room, it's a part of Civ and should stay in.

actually the throne room was part of civII. The original civ had a palace.

I don't object to the idea of a palace (though I think the actual implementation in civ2 was pants and was one of the first things to get turned off, along with heralds and the dreadful music). I do think that the stuff in your throne room should vary from game to game. So if you circum-navigate the world you get a ornamental globe, if you conquor the indians you get a marble statue of an elephant, etc.

Theben · February 13, 2001, 03:23

quote:

Originally posted by Bender on 02-12-2001 04:30 PM
I'D REALLY LIKE, however, to see several scenes of your people's daily lives accompanied by brief descriptions of their thougts. (Sort of a "city view" but on a nation-wide level.) Show a picturesque representation of an ancient family at the market. Show a medieval farm with a caption of the farmers' thoughts. Show what the streets, shops and libraries look like in modern times.

Then you want Caesar 3, not Civ3.

Grumbold · February 13, 2001, 11:44

It's just a different way of representing the opinions your council spouted in Civ II, with the image changing from age to age rather than the clothes on the actors. The Civ II council was too tongue in cheek for my liking and was the first thing I turned off (I had to buy a new computer before I could turn the heralds on at all)

[This message has been edited by Grumbold (edited February 13, 2001).]

February 13, 2001, 23:24

I would like some sort of "ego-screen", prob. the palace over the throne room... but it has to have a number of choices so it isn't so static (and perhaps linked to the architecture type of the civ). The heralds I did like, and think they should stay... The council was funny, but eventually got turned off, and all in all it's really not needed.

Kevin Ar18 · February 14, 2001, 00:33

How about have the throne room or palace directly tied to your Civ? Say the palace you are required to place in your capital city is the palace or throne room you get to build. If it's destroyed, then so is your palace and/or throne room and you must rebuild.

It would be interesting if you could also add things to the throne room with your own tax money. Do you get greedy and build a nice throne room or put the money back into your empire?