Rebalancing Civ4: RtR Mod

[Mardoc]

Blue sky request: would it be possible to make the first half of the pitboss timer preferable in wartime? That way, players would never have an incentive to delay playing, which ought to generally increase the pace of games.

I don't know what it would take to outweigh being able to plan your production after fighting instead of before, especially first turn of a war, but maybe brighter minds than me can come up with something.

[Krill]

Not without completely rebuilding the game, no.

[Cheater Hater]

Not without completely rebuilding the game, no.

It seems like one of two things could certainly help, and one doesn't require any coding:
1. Make it so your EOT processes when you end turn, like in PBEM/Sequential--I have no clue if that is at all practical to code, probably not.
2. In the rules, allow the person first in the turn split change builds after the second person completes their turn--this would delay games and requires communication, since one of the players couldn't end turn in-game.

[Krill]

Wonders. Techs. First to bonuses.

[Cheater Hater]

Wonders. Techs. First to bonuses.

Does PBEM/sequential Pitboss have that bias? Admittedly, making people rush to play their turns might not be fair, but it would mean turns get played faster

Any thoughts on the second, much more practical option?

[Krill]

Trying to fit a sequential production order into simultaneous turn...strips out pretty any advantage to going last until air power and hiding research form espionage. And frankly trying to go faster than a turn a day is folly, RL just stops some people from being able to.

[Krill]

The following suggestions have been raised for the next version of 3.0.0.X:

1. Give IND a greater production modifier for national wonders (Anything up to 100% from 50%, for discussion as to the amount)
   
2. Remove the +1 commerce to palace (unnecessary)
   
3. Increase starting tech costs from 35 base to 39 base (essentially going to add three turns total to finishing all of them, but can still go wb first and get Fishing in time to hook seafood).
   
4. Collosus: Doesn't obsolete (but still +2 commerce to water tiles in this city).

I think all these make sense. Ancient era will go by quickly enough but there will be a lot more choice in Classical era.


The other changes I've been thinking of are as follows:

• Barb warriors delayed spawning form T25 to T40
  
• Map trading pushed back from Writing to Astronomy (or Paper, or Optics)
  
• Lowering overseas trade route bonus from 100 to 50

#1 and #2 combine to makes scouts more viable, even a requirement. Exploration is more necessary if can't trade maps early on if you want trade routes, which leads to #3: Settling island cities won't get you defacto +2 trade routes in all cities, which is there as a nerf to Currency rushing without OB. Intercontinental foreign trade routes will still be +3 commerce, and normal foreign routes will still be +2 commerce. Opens up more choice for Classical era tech paths.

Map trading is still off in no barb games. With these changes, it should be possible to implement a no map trading option, as it would only take effect on games that have barbs on.

EDIT: And one change for era starts:

• Classical era starts consist of 1 settler, 2 workers, 2 archers and a scout, plus all of the ancient era tech.

[AdrienIer]

What do you think of the Temple of Artemis ? It's a very niche wonder that's really expensive, what about giving it a 50% trade route modifier in all cities ?

Edit : It would actually go well with your planned changes.

[Krill]

I think that making that change puts the ToA+GL combination as potentially too strong. I think a smarter choice would be something like lowering the cost plus adding a priest spec slot or two.

[AdrienIer]

Ok that would make it a more viable build too. For a long time the +100% is just a +2 commerce in your empire, which is a pretty ridiculous bonus for such a high cost.