When you look above, you'll notice that I haven't actually played a modern civ game. One unit per hex sounds good from a tactical and management perspective but I can't tell you how well it actually works.I'm given to understand that the AI is not able to use it very effectively.
You're quite right that the Crossfire factions need modification. I currently use the Smaniac mod but in any case, the rules could change quite a lot, judging by the faction mods for BE that have already arrived.If you give the cybernetics a growth malus, they'll suck. Similarly, a covert operations bonus just isn't significant.
As for religion, it's important not to get sidetracked because no one will agree on exactly how it works. It would work well as an independent game mechanic that can be dealt with not dictated, as outlined above.I would agree with you, except that if you want to go there, it's a major part of the sci-fi genre. And ideally, in the end, it shouldn't be done the way it's been done before, but in the same depth as the rest of SMAC's philosophical considerations. But I agree that it shouldn't be your primary consideration as a game developer.
Totalitarian nations on earth still have religion. Christianity survived in the Soviet Union, it does quite well in China and refuses to disappear in North Korea despite all the efforts of the larded dictator. State repression decreases religion but it doesn't eradicate it, which could make for an interesting game choice.You misunderstand. I simply suggested that they wouldn't have the same problems. The Hive isn't going to have cult outbreaks except in remote areas under poor conditions, or if the whole faction is experiencing problems. Just consider it an additional control modifier. Though I guess other factions might have means of accomplishing the same, if they aren't liberty-obsessed. You'd also be better off comparing Hive with Ch'in, except regarding it's planned economy.
The majority of Buddhists simply use it as an expansion on existing polytheism. There aren't that many actual 'high' Buddhists. It has always been an elite religion. Without a widespread polytheistic base, it's unlikely to occur in any significant numbers.The latter might be true on Earth, but I can tell you that it isn't for lack of trying on the part of the Lamas. They're here, in the United States, trying to establish a base to continue the tradition. Admittedly, some of the people they're training right now aren't much good at it, but there's a few larger centres right here in Albuquerque. The less esoteric of them are just a "get rid of your suffering with meditation" for the masses.
You sure about many strange religious options in the future? Religion has an innate tendency to reform and return to its simpler roots. Look at the Protestant Reformation. The wildest cults today aren't crazier than those of the past.Does Protestant really mean anything these days? My point was that religion, at it's roots, is syncretic. Zen-Sufism isn't as far off as you may think.
III. Factions
IV. Game Mechanics
Nothing to note here. Health, orbital layer and terraforming all look good. Use them as are.
Only worry is the quest system. Is it any good at all? Looks rather silly.
V. Social Engineering
This is the hard part. The virtue system doesn't look so thrilling. Will chairman Lal really get upset over someone's use of frontier survivalism? Would very much enjoy a system that opens up all the possibilities of politics, social systems, ecologies and economies.
We could have choose between a militaristic culture, a conservative family based structure or a civilization that fabricates people like the state in Brave New World. In the same way, we could choose between an egalitarian democracy, an oppressive police state or a highly stable feudal system. Imagine this as a hybrid between the BE's virtues and Civ5's civics. Suppose the player chooses a militaristic culture. Afterwards, he can select accompanying perks (or policies) to further customize his society. For example, the military officers could have direct control over day-to-day decisions or civilian officials could handle some matters. The Brave New World could start by factory producing children but later choose the perk which allows direct manufacture of adults, thereby saving resources.
However, the player could switch systems. If CEO Morgan changes from a Militaristic to a Conservative society, he transfers all his perks. Naturally, this comes at a cost. Such a system would allow us to build any future we want with greater detail than ever before.
VI. Religion
Religion would operate differently than previous Civ games. Various denominations would naturally crop up and influence citizens without any player choice. In great enough numbers, the religious portions of the population would oppose or support wars, slow or speed the transition to other forms of government or even secede with their bases. Similar religious groups also facilitate trade. Religious influence would spread in a manner similar to culture.
Players would interact with religion through social engineering perks. Options would include establishing a denomination as state church, encouraging missionaries, minor accommodations, restricting religious expression to home life or attempting to ban it all together. Obviously, none of these measure will result in total uniformity. They will only encourage or discourage.
In the future, I suspect all religions will be forms of Christianity because of its focus on conversion. Islam and Hinduism only increase by population growth (sweeping generalization but generally true). This doesn't mean all the denominations will be orthodox traditional Christianity. Outfielders like LDS (Mormons) are a possibility. While denominations do have their differences, we'd never be able to agree on what they are. So, I suggest a single small positive bonus for each one, achieved in a base if converts reach higher than 50% of the population. The motive for discouraging religion would be to curb the random events it generates.
The Denominations would be Reformed, Pentecostal, Apostolic, Syncretistic and the Planet Cult. Google the first two if not already familiar. Apostolic would be an Anglican-Catholic church with a rigid top-down structure. Syncretistic beliefs alter Christian monotheism to a pagan pantheon. The Planet Cult isn't related to Christianity (despite the earlier statement) but the extraordinary circumstances of colonization could allow its formation.
The Denominations would not become noticeable (in game terms, although we know they've been there all along) until fifty or so turns after planetfall. The Believers are the exception.
VII. Victory
The later turns of the game should turn into an all out war with planet as the mind worms rise. It's not Alpha Centauri without transcendence but wouldn't it be great to also have the option to terraform the entire planet? To walk, without a rebreather, under a sun that is no longer alien? All fungus must be purged!
I don't think writing would be a problem at all.
As for religion, it's important not to get sidetracked because no one will agree on exactly how it works. It would work well as an independent game mechanic that can be dealt with not dictated, as outlined above."Even in our dark times, God is still there."
Totalitarian nations on earth still have religion. Christianity survived in the Soviet Union, it does quite well in China and refuses to disappear in North Korea despite all the efforts of the larded dictator. State repression decreases religion but it doesn't eradicate it, which could make for an interesting game choice.
As for religion, it's important not to get sidetracked because no one will agree on exactly how it works. It would work well as an independent game mechanic that can be dealt with not dictated, as outlined above."Even in our dark times, God is still there."
Totalitarian nations on earth still have religion. Christianity survived in the Soviet Union, it does quite well in China and refuses to disappear in North Korea despite all the efforts of the larded dictator. State repression decreases religion but it doesn't eradicate it, which could make for an interesting game choice.
As you've found its impossible to break true Christians. Probably why they just kill us in some places.
Rather than religion, why not use the percentage of people who subscribe to another faction's ideology?I agree with you on a greater ideological consideration for gameplay if a mod got far enough along in development.
There's also the "tech web" concept; while interesting, I don't think it would work well with SMAC's overall themes. And affinities would have to be completely reworked.I consider the original's tech tree integral to the game, in terms of it's balance or perfection, and I would agree with trying to create a tree closer to the original, though that doesn't mean it couldn't be developed at some point see to if anything couldn't be added or better off modified.
Pretty much the only thing that can truly end a religion is another religion...and even then it usually takes multiple generations.They say that even Islam incorporated more Zoroastrianism than it set out to.
I haven't played that before. Any particular reason you ask?Has a political system and elections for flavour through little more than popups effecting the native system of stats, sliders and "advisors" (faces with stats). Something BE tried to do for affinities with the guest system. In the original HOI slider alignment might only effect alliances, but Kaisserreich expanded it to be the difference between Syndicalist Russia and Imperialist Russia. On a more subtle level, the internal politics of Syndicalist France would allow you to select
Giving players the ability to change their mind, switch between trees, and being able to forfeit the penalties they've acquired when it is critical at the cost of their bonuses, is more important to me design-wise.Ultimately it may just be that the engine does not much lend itself to emergence through subtle effects. But I haven't actually played BE. I can tell you in real life that the planned economy as it was could not go on forever, and the Soviet economy tried to reform unsuccessfully more than once. The limits of reality is something that ought at some point be incorporated into the "ideology war" schemata, which itself has yet to be represented in all that much depth. I suppose, though, if your players find the need to switch systems, that lends itself to said exploration. But China certainly reformed successfully to large degree and refers to itself as "two systems" though I would consider it's market system exterior to it's planned system.
I haven't played that before. Any particular reason you ask?Any chance to continue with the modding in Rising Tide?
Believe me, I would really like "hybrid" choices, and I've thought of a few schemes such as being able to adopt virtues freely up to the level below your dominant, and adopting a virtue from the same level will switch your dominant and cause you to lose policies within the same level. It is something I still might try to implement, as there are some fun thematic consideration I can think of (such as categories never really starting from scratch and becoming smaller). However, giving players the ability to change their mind, switch between trees, and being able to forfeit the penalties they've acquired when it is critical at the cost of their bonuses, is more important to me design-wise.