Making TVs Stronger After Global Communications

[Cube]

I was wondering if it's possible to make TV stronger after the discovery of global communications. This would simulate the effect of Cable TV. I was thinking of adding one gold per citizen, and 1 or 2 happiness. Would I have to edit a txt file, or would this have to be done through Slic?

[hexagonian]

You could create a new city improvement, dependant on whether a city has a TV already built, that would further increase the creation of gold (call it Ad Agency).

Otherwise, I think that city improvements can be boosted by some sort of SLIC file that would be dependant on reaching a particular advance - though I do not have any ideas how to write the code myself.

[Bluevoss]

I don't think its a good idea. Think about it this way - from the 1950s, TVs have been in peoples livingrooms, sucking down all those prime time hours. It wasn't that people were unhappy with their TVs, or any less happy than they are today. Getting three channels relativily clear was something to brag about, even into the '60s.

As technology increases, people are still spending pretty much the same dead time in front of their sets as they did back then. Now, they just click around, looking for something to watch, eternally unsatisfied. If anything, happyness should NOT BE as great as the initial induction of this technology.

To me, differentiating between rabbit-ear technology and cable technology is like trying to program in the difference between Panzer Mk IIIs and Mk IIIs. Less, in fact, since I don't think people are any happier with thier TVs.

[Immortal Wombat]

Maybe not happiness, but one gold per citizen would be even easier than adding a new building I think.

HandleEvent(BeginTurn) 'cabletv' pre {
      int_t   i;
  if(HasAdvance(player[0], ID_ADVANCE_GLOBAL_COMMUNICATIONS)){
      for(i = 0; i < player[0].cities; i = i + 1){
               city_t   tmpCity;
              GetCityByIndex(player[0], i, tmpCity);
              if(CityHasBuilding(tmpCity, "IMPROVE_TELEVISION")) {
                    AddGold(player[0], tmpCity.population);
              }
       }
  }
}

No guarantees on this code, and of course it would add the gold directly, not to the cities gold pile, or the national pile for the turn, but straight into the surplus.

Two other ways are the way Dave suggested, by making Cable TV a separate improvement, or by making code to add the new improvement automatically to cities with televisions after the discovery of global communications. That one would be much more complicated.

[Cube]

I think I will just add a building called Cable Company. I will make it available after Global communications, and it will add 1 gold and 2 happiness. In response to bluevoss, I for one love my Cable TV( hugs TV ), and I don't know what I would do without it, I'm sure I'm not alone. The money will come from the increased audience and the fact that you have to pay for cable. Where Can I find a picture to use for this building?

[janilxx]

How about digital-tv? I know that it has failed in Sweden and in Britain but still.

Digital-tv offers much much more than a cable tv. There could be for example a LOT interactive services. For example bank services through tv(as used in internet nowadays), info about current program(as from internet), chatting throught the tv at the same time y ou are watching tv. Multiplayer games(as internet games now) etc etc.

Digital-tv just started in Finland(last monday). Here is not much customers yet(there is only few digital terminals(digi-box) in shops :-/ ). But after 2-5 years almost all will have digi-tv and services are fully in use(I hope).