I've been watching numerous preview, reviews, and game play videos concerning Civ:BE, and I've been playing the hell out of the demo (I'm currently strapped for cash) and, while the game looks and plays good, I just can't help but feel that it has a lot of potential that it hasn't really achieved. Now, I'm sure Fireaxis is working diligently on ideas to help make Beyond Earth the game we've hoped it would be, and no doubt will be, but I've had a few ideas bouncing around in my head a couple of, so I typed them up and posted them on the 2K forums for Beyond Earth. Hey, you never know what might happen (but, I know, I know, don't get my hopes up).
Now why am I telling you all of this? Well, it's the set up for me telling you that I've decided to share my ideas with my fellow Escapists, cause why not?
Give my ideas a read, post what you think of them, or better yet, post your own ideas.
Without further ado:
Now why am I telling you all of this? Well, it's the set up for me telling you that I've decided to share my ideas with my fellow Escapists, cause why not?
Give my ideas a read, post what you think of them, or better yet, post your own ideas.
Without further ado:
1. Add in Native Civs.
Currently in Beyond Earth, the player comes into contact with an alien race, which I will refer to as the Insectoids in this post. However, the Insectoids aren?t so much an alien race as they are just wildlife; a species of animal that offers the player only three interactive choices: leave them alone, defend against them, or wipe them out, the last of which happens any way come the late game (more on that later). There are probably other ways to solve this (which have no doubt been suggested), but the solution I would love to see are the addition of civilizations that are native to the planet.
I am not merely suggesting that Fireaxis should implement city-states (the ventures that land on the planet can be re-tooled to be like that). What I?m saying is that full-fledged Civilization? erm? civilizations should be factions that the player can interact with in addition to the colonial factions that are offered at the game?s set-up screen. Just like with the other colonial factions and the AI controlled civs in Civ V, these Native Civs have a leader the players can interact with, negotiate trade with, suggest diplomatic proposals to, declare war against, and ? this is important ? vice versa. They also have not just one city, but can have multiple cities, settle new ones, and expand their territory (like the player). And since they were on the planet before the player was (hence ?Native Civ?), they can have a head-start in how many cities they have.
One of Beyond Earth?s main selling points is having a more varied experience from game-to-game. So far, this is implemented with the modules the player chooses during set-up, and the Affinity System. So, to keep with the ?varied-ness? the game wants the player to have, I suggest that the Native Civs should also benefit from being ?module-ally? and gaining Affinity points.
Concerning the modules for set-up, I suggest (for the sake of simplicity) three main ones that should be randomly selected during set-up:
-Race: This, of course, chooses what race (or races) that will populate the civilizations, but also include a unique racial trait (e.g. +5 attack in forest tiles for units, can see Nth tile farther than other units/cities, etc)
-Civilization: Aesthetically speaking, this decides the names of the Native Civs will call themselves. Mechanically speaking, this decides what attribute the civ will have that can give them an edge over opponents, much like what we saw with the civs in Civ V. In fact, Civ V civilization-traits can be carried over to the Native Civs, like Russia?s higher tile expansion rate.
-Player Benefit: I stated earlier that the Native Civs are not merely Civ V city-states for Beyond Earth, and I stand by that statement. However, I believe that giving the player a resource they can use much like the city-states did would invite players to treat the Native Civs differently than they would their opponents (though, let?s be clear, the Native Civs can also be opponents) as well as convince players to take them seriously. This benefit could be anything, from giving the player Nth points per turn in Culture/Science/Energy, to allowing the player to produce a unique alien building or unit.
I?ve also said that Native Civs can also gain points in Affinities, and I still say that. Of course, the player could also influence which Affinity the Native Civ(s) focus on.
2. Re-tool the Insectoid alien nests.
I?ve stated before that one of the problems of the aliens that are currently in the game ? the Insectoids ? was that, at one point during the game, they completely disappear. This is due solely to the player?s actions of clearing out the miasma and wiping out Insectiod nests. I?m sure there are plenty of arguments for why this is allowed, but I can?t help but think that the player is essentially removing a game play element, one that helps to keep them on their toes and provides a legitimate source of conflict (aside from other players). What I suggest to solve this is to make it so the Insectoids can stay and remain a rogue element far into the late game, and to achieve that, I suggest that Fireaxis rethinks how the nests are presented and treated by the game, and their relationship with the miasma.
Currently, the Insectoid nests are presented as full-fledged, independent nests (even though the Insectoid units aren?t) and can only spawn on tiles that are covered by miasma: when the miasma?s gone and the nest is destroyed, it can never come back. But what if the nests aren?t actual nests? What if, like ant piles, they are just the visible entrances to a larger subterranean nest? When a player ?destroys? a nest, they are actually filling up one hole the Insectoids use to get to the surface, and are perfectly capable of digging new ones wherever they want and can. And concerning the miasma: what if these nests were the source of these poisonous clouds? This would make nests less dependent on miasma for spawning, and would make the miasma more of a threat: A player can still clear miasma from tiles, but won?t be permanently rid of it until they destroy nearby alien nests (i.e. cave in nearby tunnels), and new nests (tunnels) that appear would produce miasma as well and units. This wouldn?t keep players from wiping out the Insectoids, but it would require significantly more effort than it does now.
3. Add two more genera (that?s the plural form of ?genus?) of alien wildlife
Again, as I?ve mentioned before the only alien life Beyond Earth has are the Insectoids (not counting tile resources, the sea dragon, kraken, or siege worm). Now I?m not sure Fireaxis? logic behind it, but I find it odd that any planet with advanced life forms would only have one species. Also, when you think about it, it?s not hard to imagine it becoming rather dull after a few games dealing with the same aliens. To that extent, I suggest that Beyond Earth have two more genera in addition to the Insectoids: Mammalians and Reptilians.
This suggestion is more for variety?s sake than improving game play, though I do have some thoughts on the mechanics of these two genera to help make them more unique.
-Mammalian
-Do not need nests to spawn: can spawn anywhere on land tile at random that isn?t
covered by miasma.
-Spawn in groups
-Attacking does not count as a move
-Is damaged by miasma.
-Reptilian
-Amphibious; can move farther in water tiles than on land tiles.
-Have nests, but they only spawn on coastal tiles
-Attacking an individual Reptilian will not aggro other reptilians; attacking a
nest will aggro all reptilian units within an Nth tile radius (my logic behind this
is based on the usual apathy seen in Earth reptiles, though I see no reason why they
won?t defend/avenge their home)
-Receives no effect from miasma: are not healed or damaged by it.
Currently in Beyond Earth, the player comes into contact with an alien race, which I will refer to as the Insectoids in this post. However, the Insectoids aren?t so much an alien race as they are just wildlife; a species of animal that offers the player only three interactive choices: leave them alone, defend against them, or wipe them out, the last of which happens any way come the late game (more on that later). There are probably other ways to solve this (which have no doubt been suggested), but the solution I would love to see are the addition of civilizations that are native to the planet.
I am not merely suggesting that Fireaxis should implement city-states (the ventures that land on the planet can be re-tooled to be like that). What I?m saying is that full-fledged Civilization? erm? civilizations should be factions that the player can interact with in addition to the colonial factions that are offered at the game?s set-up screen. Just like with the other colonial factions and the AI controlled civs in Civ V, these Native Civs have a leader the players can interact with, negotiate trade with, suggest diplomatic proposals to, declare war against, and ? this is important ? vice versa. They also have not just one city, but can have multiple cities, settle new ones, and expand their territory (like the player). And since they were on the planet before the player was (hence ?Native Civ?), they can have a head-start in how many cities they have.
One of Beyond Earth?s main selling points is having a more varied experience from game-to-game. So far, this is implemented with the modules the player chooses during set-up, and the Affinity System. So, to keep with the ?varied-ness? the game wants the player to have, I suggest that the Native Civs should also benefit from being ?module-ally? and gaining Affinity points.
Concerning the modules for set-up, I suggest (for the sake of simplicity) three main ones that should be randomly selected during set-up:
-Race: This, of course, chooses what race (or races) that will populate the civilizations, but also include a unique racial trait (e.g. +5 attack in forest tiles for units, can see Nth tile farther than other units/cities, etc)
-Civilization: Aesthetically speaking, this decides the names of the Native Civs will call themselves. Mechanically speaking, this decides what attribute the civ will have that can give them an edge over opponents, much like what we saw with the civs in Civ V. In fact, Civ V civilization-traits can be carried over to the Native Civs, like Russia?s higher tile expansion rate.
-Player Benefit: I stated earlier that the Native Civs are not merely Civ V city-states for Beyond Earth, and I stand by that statement. However, I believe that giving the player a resource they can use much like the city-states did would invite players to treat the Native Civs differently than they would their opponents (though, let?s be clear, the Native Civs can also be opponents) as well as convince players to take them seriously. This benefit could be anything, from giving the player Nth points per turn in Culture/Science/Energy, to allowing the player to produce a unique alien building or unit.
I?ve also said that Native Civs can also gain points in Affinities, and I still say that. Of course, the player could also influence which Affinity the Native Civ(s) focus on.
2. Re-tool the Insectoid alien nests.
I?ve stated before that one of the problems of the aliens that are currently in the game ? the Insectoids ? was that, at one point during the game, they completely disappear. This is due solely to the player?s actions of clearing out the miasma and wiping out Insectiod nests. I?m sure there are plenty of arguments for why this is allowed, but I can?t help but think that the player is essentially removing a game play element, one that helps to keep them on their toes and provides a legitimate source of conflict (aside from other players). What I suggest to solve this is to make it so the Insectoids can stay and remain a rogue element far into the late game, and to achieve that, I suggest that Fireaxis rethinks how the nests are presented and treated by the game, and their relationship with the miasma.
Currently, the Insectoid nests are presented as full-fledged, independent nests (even though the Insectoid units aren?t) and can only spawn on tiles that are covered by miasma: when the miasma?s gone and the nest is destroyed, it can never come back. But what if the nests aren?t actual nests? What if, like ant piles, they are just the visible entrances to a larger subterranean nest? When a player ?destroys? a nest, they are actually filling up one hole the Insectoids use to get to the surface, and are perfectly capable of digging new ones wherever they want and can. And concerning the miasma: what if these nests were the source of these poisonous clouds? This would make nests less dependent on miasma for spawning, and would make the miasma more of a threat: A player can still clear miasma from tiles, but won?t be permanently rid of it until they destroy nearby alien nests (i.e. cave in nearby tunnels), and new nests (tunnels) that appear would produce miasma as well and units. This wouldn?t keep players from wiping out the Insectoids, but it would require significantly more effort than it does now.
3. Add two more genera (that?s the plural form of ?genus?) of alien wildlife
Again, as I?ve mentioned before the only alien life Beyond Earth has are the Insectoids (not counting tile resources, the sea dragon, kraken, or siege worm). Now I?m not sure Fireaxis? logic behind it, but I find it odd that any planet with advanced life forms would only have one species. Also, when you think about it, it?s not hard to imagine it becoming rather dull after a few games dealing with the same aliens. To that extent, I suggest that Beyond Earth have two more genera in addition to the Insectoids: Mammalians and Reptilians.
This suggestion is more for variety?s sake than improving game play, though I do have some thoughts on the mechanics of these two genera to help make them more unique.
-Mammalian
-Do not need nests to spawn: can spawn anywhere on land tile at random that isn?t
covered by miasma.
-Spawn in groups
-Attacking does not count as a move
-Is damaged by miasma.
-Reptilian
-Amphibious; can move farther in water tiles than on land tiles.
-Have nests, but they only spawn on coastal tiles
-Attacking an individual Reptilian will not aggro other reptilians; attacking a
nest will aggro all reptilian units within an Nth tile radius (my logic behind this
is based on the usual apathy seen in Earth reptiles, though I see no reason why they
won?t defend/avenge their home)
-Receives no effect from miasma: are not healed or damaged by it.