Firaxis Chat!!!

statusperfect · September 23, 2003, 15:41

The firaxis chat will start in 20 minutes... join now!

/server irc.irc-chat.net 6667
/join #civfanatics

or the Civfanatics java chatroom.

statusperfect · September 23, 2003, 15:58

Ok... another hour... it said GMT 9:00.... but EST 5:00.

I only read the GMT.

CFC had it wrong since EST = GMT -5

Tiberius · September 23, 2003, 16:45

Just post us the log already

Wittlich · September 23, 2003, 16:51

In there right now...waiting for the Firaxians to show up.

G'Kar · September 23, 2003, 16:58

Quote:

Originally posted by statusperfect
Ok... another hour... it said GMT 9:00.... but EST 5:00.

I only read the GMT.

CFC had it wrong since EST = GMT -5

Yes, but remember EDT (what New Yorkers are using now) = GMT -4 .

Wittlich · September 23, 2003, 16:58

Jesse from Firaxis has arrived in the chat room!

statusperfect · September 23, 2003, 17:13

Gobi> Scientific Leaders may arise when your civilization becomes the first to research a technology

Gobi> Scientific civs are more likely to gain them

Gobi> But we do have some new effects ... such as an increased chance of cultural conversion by a people whose capital has just fallen

Gobi> The main game has seen extensive rework throughout all of the ages

Gobi> We tried to add new elements in all periods of history, without compromising the units, wonders, and improvements everyone has come to depend on

statusperfect · September 23, 2003, 17:30

Firaxis-Ed> My favorite change to modern era is the addition of TOW Infantry . Allows for a defensive unit that can stand up to tanks, when you have no strategic rescourses.

Firaxis-Ed> Agricultural recieves a bonus food in its City square.

Firaxis-Ed> Seafaring ships increase movement by 1

Firaxis-Ed> Korn- Unit support cost is can be adjusted. With new changes to repulic unit costs are actually now 2

statusperfect · September 23, 2003, 17:37

Merepatra> Other new units include the TOW, flak cannon, trebuchet, Modern Paratrooper

Merepatra> armies aren't upgradeable, but they have had several big improvements

Merepatra> Re the specifics of army improvements, armies can now pillage without loss of movement point, they get an extra movement point, they have much better healing abilities...and I know there is something else I'm forgetting

Merepatra> and the other army improvements are blitz and radar (thanks Chieftess and aaglo)

Merepatra_BA> No expansionist traits haven't changed

Louis XXIV · September 23, 2003, 18:19

Apparently there are no new buildings, but communism gets a secret police headquarters

I'm sure a complete transcript will be posted at CFC eventually

statusperfect · September 23, 2003, 18:41

bobT-BA> many exploits have been addressed

player1 · September 23, 2003, 18:51

Quote:

Originally posted by statusperfect Firaxis-Ed> Korn- Unit support cost is can be adjusted. With new changes to repulic unit costs are actually now 2

And decline of Republic begins!

P.S.
Which is good thing by the way.
Old Republic didn't give a chnace to Monarchy if you have 3 or more luxury resources.

korn469 · September 23, 2003, 18:56

police come with nationalism and civil engineers come with replacable parts

Louis XXIV · September 23, 2003, 20:35

Quote:

Originally posted by player1

And decline of Republic begins!

arty:

EDIT: Somebody needs to add a : party : gif

Pyrkaige · September 23, 2003, 22:16

You can find a copy of the chat over at CivFanatics. There's a lot of great new info that hasn't been listed in any of the previews so far... good stuff!

Gramphos · September 24, 2003, 00:40

Quote:

Originally posted by Louis XXIV

arty:

EDIT: Somebody needs to add a : party : gif

it is

: Party :, but

: dance : or

: band: are better

Tassadar500 · September 24, 2003, 00:44

Hopefully this will even out the governments now

Tiberius · September 24, 2003, 01:30

Quote:

Originally posted by statusperfect
Firaxis-Ed> Agricultural recieves a bonus food in its City square.

There is more:

" Agricultural recieves a bonus food in its City square.
and Agr gets extra food on irrigated desert
agricultural also gets cheaper aqueducts, recycling plants and solar plants.
And if the Agr city tile is next to water the despotism penalty doesn't apply to its food"

That's a powerful trait!

Quote:

Seafaring ships increase movement by 1
Searfaring locations is "usually" on the coast, but not always, a much increased chance

Seafaring also get decreased sinking chance, and city built along the coast receives a commerce bonus in the center city square

Also cheaper docks and harbors

Now that's powerful! Maybe too powerful.

Quote:

Are there any changes to the advantages that civs recieve from existing traits?
@Asker>Yes there was a change to slightly lower the industrial workers speed

Quote:

Firaxis-Ed> Korn- Unit support cost is can be adjusted. With new changes to repulic unit costs are actually now 2

Ouch! No one will ever switch to Rep from now on without building some marketplaces first, otherwise it will just cause an instant bankrupcy.

Merepatra · September 24, 2003, 01:47

Quote:

Originally posted by Tiberius

There is more:

" Agricultural recieves a bonus food in its City square.
and Agr gets extra food on irrigated desert
agricultural also gets cheaper aqueducts, recycling plants and solar plants.
And if the Agr city tile is next to water the despotism penalty doesn't apply to its food"

Just to make it clearer, if an Agricultural city tile is next to water the despotism penalty doesn't apply to food in the city tile only. Other tiles in the city still have the despotism penalty applied.

korn469 · September 24, 2003, 02:39

thanks for both the clarification and the participation in the chat

player1 · September 24, 2003, 03:08

Merepatra from BA games?

Tiberius · September 24, 2003, 03:11

Quote:

Thunderfall> from Sir Eric: Is the release date still fixed or will it be changed?
Jeff_ATARI> @Sir Eric: nothing's ever guaranteed. You can always find a critical bug in the final day of QA testing.
Firaxis_Jesse> quality should over-rule schedules
Firaxis_Jesse> =)
Jeff_ATARI> Indeed.

Tiberius · September 24, 2003, 04:32

Quote:

Originally posted by player1
Merepatra from BA games?

According to her profile, Meredith Meadows, Quality Assurance for BreakAway Games

Louis XXIV · September 24, 2003, 10:58

She was at the chat as well.

Master Zen · September 25, 2003, 03:39

To answer some doubts:

governments and civ traits were subject to extensive testing and balancing out issues. Some of those issues were well known but "accpeted" as part of our civ experience so far. Two of these example are obviously the power of Republic and Industrial trait.

Industrial was far and away the most powerful of all civ traits because of the worker speed alone. Most testers agreed that this should be toned down a bit to even it out with the other traits. The seafaring trait is VERY good, it opens up a new dimention of naval power which was lacking in Civ3 before. Facing of against a seafaring civ is also a very daunting task now.

As for Republic, most players bypassed Monarchy unless they were Religious. It really made no sense since it was possible to manitain large armies capable of quick and punishing wars before war weariness became unbearable. In MP, war weariness was further reduced which made Republic even more usefull. Adding the new government types made it necessary to even them out for the good of the game: now the player really has to make a decision on what government to use depending on the time and his play style.

I think these changes have been for the good of the game. Industrial is still a wonderful trait, just not so totally overwhelmingly superior to the others. I can say that Religious, Seafaring and Agricultural now give it a good run for the money for the "best civ trait" award. Same can be said about Republic.

Ultimately once you get used to the new rules I think most players will find them to be quite positive.

player1 · September 25, 2003, 03:46

Of course the question is:
How much is unit maintaince cost in Democracy now (is still 1gold per unit)?

Master Zen · September 25, 2003, 03:53

yep, I don't know how much I'm allowed to disclose but city unit supports have also changed for balancing purposes. (just so you don't think Democracy suddenly is so incredibly good)

FrustratedPoet · September 25, 2003, 04:54

No improvements to the Expansionist trait? Does this mean it will be even worse (ie. useless) on smaller maps?

statusperfect · September 25, 2003, 05:09

Quote:

Originally posted by FrustratedPoet
No improvements to the Expansionist trait? Does this mean it will be even worse (ie. useless) on smaller maps?

Map trading is delayed until navigation. Contact tradign is delayed until printing press.

player1 · September 25, 2003, 05:20

Hmm...

I guess I should upgrade Vanilla and PtW version of my MOD, when C3C comes out, considering the scope of changes here.