[Freeciv-Dev] Re: wonder balance (was: Blitzkrieg patch)

[Tony Stuckey <stuckey@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Tue, Aug 01, 2000 at 11:02:49AM +0200, Reinier Post wrote:
> I'm not sure how relevant Civ I and Civ II are here, their AI is
> said to be poor compared to Freeciv's or human opponents.

        I'm not sure how good FreeCiv's AI can be considered given that
it's still unfinished.  We've got a massive production machine tied to a
vaguely useful military director.  The Science side of things needs real
work, and the Political side is nonexistent.
        The FreeCiv AI is competitive because most human players don't
emphasize production as heavily as the FreeCiv AI does.

> It's a waste of resources to build units that you can't use.  In 1.10.0,
> Magellan's made a nation invincible at sea, especially in defense.

        Bull.  Transporters have enough movement capacity that I can mount
an assault on your coastal cities within a single turn, and you will not be
able to react and stop it.  Also, Air assault works wonders.
        Or is this another "simultaneous Arcade-style movement destroys the
original game" issue?

> Generator > 1 games are usually decided by ironclad / cruiser campaigns.
> The Hoover Dam or even factories arrive too late.  Besides, most cities
> aren't even big enough to make factories worthwhile.

        Well, fixing the Shore Bombardment and Pearl Harbor rules will make
Cruisers lose relative power.
        Ironclads aren't overpowered anyway -- a Fortified Musketeers
stands a good chance of surviving an attack by one, and is cheaper.  (30
Production, 4.5 Defense and 20 HP for the Musketeer, as opposed to 60
Production, 4 Attack and 30 HP for the Ironclad).

        Factories are almost never worthwhile because of the Pollution they
generate.  A little bit of production and a LOT of trade are fundamentally
better ways to run your empire.  It's simply the way the rules and numbers
were designed.
-- 
Anthony J. Stuckey                              stuckey@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"And they said work hard, and die suddenly, because it's fun."
        -Robyn Hitchcock.