Building Conception

[FrancoK]

The graphics could be changed tough. If you want I can look into that.

This could be the occasion to create a Race Building, like in Age of Wonders: Shadow Magic.
A building (even with the same graphic for all races) that allows something unique to each race.

I.E.
Klackons RB could lower the cost of units by 10% in that city
Orc RB could give Chaos Channel to the units build in that city

and so on.

[kyrub]

Building tree.
Colours represent the different city stages, with light blue being available from the start, and the yellow ones only for the Capitals.

[kyrub]

I think it is 4, 4, 4, 4: 1-4(hamlet), 5-8(village), 9-12(town), 13-16(city), 17-up (capital)

I love symetry in design since it represents easy access and orientation for players. I am all for -16 variant, if it does not bring further problems in gameplay.

Great, but how about using non-military production bonus and switching to military before finishing production? Will you prevent that?

I guess you just spared us a nasty surprise later. Thanks.
The focus buildings (sawmill or smithy) are my favourite feature, since they bring a new layer of decision. To keep them and allow changing production, we need an altered conception with similar effect.

2) I'm not sure if I understand the smithy and sawmill bonuses (excellent ideas, btw). Is your bonus actually reduced from 4 to 3 by having both? If so, I think that's rather counter-intuitive and I'm not sure what the balance benefit is. Already, if you build both you lose out on one of them half the time.

• The idea is, that you are invited to improve either military or non military development early.
  
• Choosing both is obviously too good, from the strategic point of view, so we want to make it less favourable.
  
• The effect should be time limited: good early, but later less important. This gives the decision the momentum, you cannot "leave it for later".
  
• It's somewhat counter-intuitive, I admit. The rationale is: When the industry focuses on one type, it's more efficient. --- I would not mind having more intutitive names, maybe similar names, like "Metalworks" / "Woodworks", which would stress the either-or choice.
  

[FrancoK]

1-4(hamlet), 5-8(village), 9-12(town), 13-16(city), 17-up (capital)

So, to recap the city limits:

OL NL City Level/buildings you can start at this level:
01 01 Hamlet/Granary, Smithy, Sawmill, City Forum, Barracks, Marketplace, Farmer's Market
04 05 Village/Armory, Shrine, Library, Shipyard
08 09 Town/Stable, Alchemist, Miners, Jail, Fighters, Bark, City Walls, Harbor, Temple
12 13 City/Armorer, Animist, Forester, University, Mechanical, Parthenon
15 17 Capital/Fantastic Stable, Oracle, Wizards, War Collage, Merchants, Cathedral

Where OL is the original proposal city level, NL is the new proposal (by Whitemage) city level.

This way we can't build a Wall until the population is 8 or 9. BTW can we build it with the spell at a lower level?

The Shipyard needs a city 4 or 5 before being available.

The same limits are true for AI as well?

[zitro1987]

I can be open to 4-8-12-16 for levels 2 through 5 for symmetry purposes with a slight boost to Wizard's Guild (magicians earning +1 shot).

The 5-9-13-17 proposal seems too restrictive for my liking, especially during early development. We want to avoid such a situation as it could limit flexibility (think of settlers).