terrain speculations

Harlan · May 4, 2001, 23:50

Taking a look at some of the new screenshots, I think we can figure out a few things about how terrain works this time (forgive if someone has pointed this out already, as I haven't read all the threads, or if it isn't just bloody obvious).

First, it seems that Forest is no longer a terrain type in and of itself, but an addition to other terrain types, much like Irrigation. This is from one screenshot where one can see forested Plains, Grassland and Tundra (I hope they get rid of the last since forest can't grow on tundra). It doesn't appear that forest can grow on Hills or Mountains though, and the Hills part at least is a shame.

On the screenshot of all the units, the bottom-most tank appears to be on a hilly Plains, as does the unit next to it. So I imagine that elevation and vegetation are being treated more separately than in Civ2. Probably we'll find hilly Jungle, hilly Desert and so forth. No evidence yet that there's more than one type of Mountain, though.

The screenshot with all the units is also interesting for what it shows of the ocean. On that shot, differently from all the others, one cannot see the depth of the water. Perhaps they're taking a page from CTP here- the ocean's depths are unknowable until you get the right technology to see deep under. Makes sense to me, nice improvement.

It also appears that the lightest blue color follows the one square closest to shore in every case, but that the next lightest blue is variable. One can see that type in the minimap going all over the place, sometimes far from shore, sometimes not, so no doubt there is both Continental Shelf and Deep Ocean. The lightest blue is probably some kind of Beach terrain, again the same as CTP.

On the Emperor Caesar screenshot, there are some trade goods that don't appear on the Baltimore shot that shows 16 different ones, but some are the same in both (like Gold). For instance, the flame in the desert, which I'm guessing is some kind of perfume (many aeromatic spices like Frankincense and Myrrh come from the desert). I'm guessing this means there can never be more than 16 different types on the map at once, and when new ones come in, old ones (like Myrrh or whatever its called) have to go. It seems clear too that a max of 8 must always be Luxuries, and 8 not. Strange though, that Oil and some other thing (some type of grain?) appear within the Baltimore shot, but not in the 16 list in the top right.

If we're really clever, we could probably figure out what most of the trade goods are, based on these shots. Anyone care to try?

Roman · May 5, 2001, 06:07

I also like the way they are treating terrain - elevation and vegetation being separated. (The forest in the tundra isn't too bad - we can simply assume it represents taiga)

Gramphos · May 5, 2001, 11:55

quote:

Originally posted by Harlan on 05-04-2001 11:50 PM
First, it seems that Forest is no longer a terrain type in and of itself, but an addition to other terrain types, much like Irrigation.
...
On the screenshot of all the units, the bottom-most tank appears to be on a hilly Plains, as does the unit next to it. So I imagine that elevation and vegetation are being treated more separately than in Civ2. Probably we'll find hilly Jungle, hilly Desert and so forth. No evidence yet that there's more than one type of Mountain, though.On the screenshot of all the units, the bottom-most tank appears to be on a hilly Plains, as does the unit next to it. So I imagine that elevation and vegetation are being treated more separately than in Civ2. Probably we'll find hilly Jungle, hilly Desert and so forth. No evidence yet that there's more than one type of Mountain, though.

It has been said in a review that The terrain are rendered, to make it possible to combine different terrain types on the same tile.

quote:

It also appears that the lightest blue color follows the one square closest to shore in every case, but that the next lightest blue is variable. One can see that type in the minimap going all over the place, sometimes far from shore, sometimes not, so no doubt there is both Continental Shelf and Deep Ocean. The lightest blue is probably some kind of Beach terrain, again the same as CTP.

I think that I've seen the lightest terrain 2 tiles from shore also, but I might be wrong.

quote:

On the Emperor Caesar screenshot, there are some trade goods that don't appear on the Baltimore shot that shows 16 different ones, but some are the same in both (like Gold). For instance, the flame in the desert, which I'm guessing is some kind of perfume (many aeromatic spices like Frankincense and Myrrh come from the desert). I'm guessing this means there can never be more than 16 different types on the map at once, and when new ones come in, old ones (like Myrrh or whatever its called) have to go. It seems clear too that a max of 8 must always be Luxuries, and 8 not. Strange though, that Oil and some other thing (some type of grain?) appear within the Baltimore shot, but not in the 16 list in the top right.

I think that the 16 resources listed in the upper right corner of the city-screen is the one that are useable in this city. It has been said that you will have resources from cities linked to you, and if the "missing" resources not exists in any cities linked to Baltimore they will not be useable.

Harlan · May 5, 2001, 15:49

vgriph,
In one screenshot, there is a couple squares of the lightest blue ocean that's two squares deep, but I believe that's cos there's land just off the screen, so they're part of a bay or gulf.

Also I missed or misunderstood the info about resources in cities. Can you explain that again or point me to the source of that info?

Gramphos · May 6, 2001, 07:24

"One icon supplies all cities linked to each other by road or by harbor with that particular good." This is a quote from the CGW preview.
What I said, about resources in my last post, was taken from that combined with my own speculations.

As it were stated that your city needs to be linked to any city with that resource in its city-area to be able to produce units and improvements requiring that resource. They probably show what resources that are useable in the city, and I think that the resources in the upper right corner are the resources useable to use in the city. As it is oil outside the city-area, and that oil not is listed with the other resources means that there is no city with oil that is linked to Baltimore. But it may also be a limit as you say.

At end I think that the screenshot of Baltimore might be constructed. As it says Established in 2001 and that the year is 1997 AD.

Kestrel · June 21, 2001, 19:53

Does anyone have any more info yet on the Terrain model that Civ3 will be using ?