Cyneheard said it would be time to do some testing of the RB-Mod via a PBEM. So, someone up for that?
Suggestions:
- 3-6 players FFA
- map: lush, everything else could be map makers choice; though only if we get someone experienced like Krill to do it because I want to be sure that the map does give the possibilities to see the changes working and doesn't force you unintentionally on using something (but if I had to choose I would rather have a not perfect map and Krill as player obviously...)
- unrestricted leaders, snake pick
- with WE and Espionage - NTT
Did I miss something?
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Change Log RB-Mod:
New changes made since version 0.5:
Spies have been blinded: They now can only see the tile that they stand on, and only that tile, even when on hills. I could make it that Spies are no longer able to explore new terrain; would this be an improvement, make no difference whatsoever, or be confusing?
Corporations were removed. Three reasons:
1) PBEM1: They certainly defined the end-game too much there; most other games haven't gotten that far. PB1, don't recall how critical the corps were, but on a Huge map it takes a lot of resources to get anywhere.
2) It's a massive sunk cost that requires cooperation with other players...and that cooperation with other players can't be really be undone for the rest of the game.
3) Couldn't wait forever for a solution.
Tech trading, nothing's been done. Only playing NTT is passable, although suboptimal. Will need dll/python coding.
Because Corps were removed, the Economy civics were tweaked:
All corp-related bonuses were removed.
Mercantilism: Now gives +2gold/specialist.
Free Market: Currently unchanged.
State Property: Removed the 10% hammer bonus.
Environmentalism: So, this civic is awful unless you're playing an OCC. Krill suggested that I add +2 happy to the civic, which seemed reasonable enough...except that there's NO OPTION IN THE XML TO DO SO. Unless someone wants to a dll work-around to get it, I did the next-best thing: +2 happy for all cities that follow the State Religion. Obviously useless is you have FR, but it's at least a passable imitation.
Previous changelog:
Changelog, v0.5:
1) Tile Changes:
Watermills: +1 base hammers, no longer receives +1h at Rep Parts
Workshops: +1 base hammers, no longer receives +1h at Chemistry
Mines: +1h at Rep Parts
2) Civic Changes:
Vassalage now provides free support for military units as well (meaning Pacifism is cheaper), and is Medium Upkeep
Slavery: 30h for the 1st pop, 20h for the 2nd pop and subsequent pops. So, 30/50/70/90. On Quick speed, that's 20/33/46/60. *CHANGE from 0.3*
Serfdom: +75% Worker Speed, +1h for Watermills and Windmills
3) The Draft
Rifles now cost 2 pop to draft. A city must now end a draft at size 7 instead of size 5 (So size 9 to draft a rifle, size 8 to draft a musket).
4) War Weariness
Decays 10%/turn during Peacetime. *Change from 0.3/0.4: Wartime WW is now unchanged*
5) Espionage
Switch Civic and Switch Religion now require Future Tech
6) Wonder Changes
The Great Wall now provides Great Merchant points
Red Cross: 200h
West Point: 550h, +5XP. Now requires a lvl 5 unit (17XP/13XP for Cha)
7) Unit Changes:
War Elephants are now 7 str, +75% vs. Mounted units
8 ) UU and UB changes:
Terraces now give +1 culture
Praetorians have no Penalty
Cataphracts are 11 strength
Ballista Elephants are 8 str, +50% vs. Mounted units, +25% vs. WE, and still target Mounteds outside of a city (this buff was to avoid the Vulture Problem against the new WEs)
Vultures now get +30% vs. Melee.
9) Trait changes:
Financial: Require 3 commerce on land to receive the bonus commerce. Water tiles still only require 2 commerce to receive the bonus, though. Remember: A Golden Age cannot trigger Financial's bonus yield (as in the base game).
Expansive: No longer gets double-speed granaries, but gets double-speed grocers.
Creative: Only +1 free culture
Charismatic: +2 happiness, but no longer gets +1 happy from Monuments
Protective: Double-speed granaries
Imperialistic: Double-speed Custom Houses (At least this gives Imp something on water maps. For flavor, Custom Houses are very mercantile, which is what 17th century Imperialism was).
10) Miscellaneous:
Coastal Blockade now has a range of 1 square around the blockader, instead of 3 squares
Obviously you are right luddite. I myself just don't feel like I can play some fast-paced MP-games and evaluate thoroughly if the changes are too strong or too weak. I would have too much to do to learn how to play Civ4 when you can't think 10 min to 6 hours about one turn
I think there's a lot of room for both PBEMs and quick MP games; ideally, smaller PBEMs that WILL finish quickly (i.e., at least 7-10t/week) are probably better. Duels wouldn't be too bad either: that is something which I'd consider playing, but on Duel-sized maps, none of this Huge PBEM5b nonsense.
For Duels, I'd suggest:
Mirrored maps
Different leaders/civs
Note: Future versions of the Mod (say, with the UU/UB changes) will be given different versions. T-Hawk's No-Epsionage fix will need bug-tested, not balanced; it's things like the tile changes, trait changes, etc. etc. that I'm interested in.
