[Suggestion] Research Outposts & Cities

from Elemental Forums

I have been watching this game for some time and have started to play the game heavily since beta 4. I am by no means an expert on the best strategy to use but I have a decent grasp of how it plays. From what I have read on these forums and from being decimated by the Pioneer spamming AI, outposts and city spam are currently vital in the early game.

I have a hard time understanding why the focus is not on developing your first city and making decisions around the resources in your immediate vicinity. Thematically it just makes no sense, who sets up camp then has the sufficient resources in a relatively short time to do the same anywhere else in the world?

I have seen a lot of discussion around changing the cost and construction time on pioneers, but I haven’t seen anything on having this fixed using research. I feel the game needs an “Expansion” section to the Civilisation tree that is used to enable certain expansion perks.

For example, Pioneering could sit as a Tier 1 research (the same as Civics and Knowledge). It provides access to Pioneers and Outposts. From their subsequent research can unlock other interesting elements such as Outpost Upgrades, the ability to build cities, etc.

This could even be used to expand on the current functionality of outposts. For example, let’s say an outpost was 10 squares away from the closest ZoC. There should be a distance penalty with the income that is generated from resources linked to that outpost. Using research the penalty is reduced.  Or possibly by mid game you could research the Settle and Outpost abilities for Sovereigns and Champions (over powered?), that give them a once per x number of turns to perform the action.

By linking Outpost and Cities to research it will at least delay the pioneer spam and give the player some tough choices to make. Should you rush the expansion tech at the risk of falling behind on the other essential techs? Are there sufficient resources near your starting location they may give you a better advantage over a faction that rushes the expansion tree?

What do you all think?

6,338 views 3 replies
Reply #1 from Elemental Forums Top

Could work.

They'd have to be fairly early techs though, else (due to their potency), there would only be one strategy to follow in the game: Tech to pioneers to start the spam. It wouldn't solve the problem, only delay it...and penalize the poor player who didn't realize it.

In conjuction with another recommendation I made (scouts build outposts) one could have the following:

Training Tech (Warefare tree): Produce Scouts. --> This gives you outposts and could be the first tech you choose to build.

Administration Tech (Civ tree): Produce Pioneers. --> Kinda makes sense since you need a government to form a civilization.

 

 

Reply #2 from Elemental Forums Top

I think that by delaying the pioneer you start to make the early game a little more diverse strategy wise.

The outpost/city spam isnt flawed or broken and makes sense in the context of the game. In my opinion it just happens too soon, the early game is just too predictable at the moment and does not make for a compelling experience.

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Reply #3 from Elemental Forums Top


I have been watching this game for some time and have started to play the game heavily since beta 4. I am by no means an expert on the best strategy to use but I have a decent grasp of how it plays. From what I have read on these forums and from being decimated by the Pioneer spamming AI, outposts and city spam are currently vital in the early game.

I have a hard time understanding why the focus is not on developing your first city and making decisions around the resources in your immediate vicinity. Thematically it just makes no sense, who sets up camp then has the sufficient resources in a relatively short time to do the same anywhere else in the world?

I have seen a lot of discussion around changing the cost and construction time on pioneers, but I haven’t seen anything on having this fixed using research. I feel the game needs an “Expansion” section to the Civilisation tree that is used to enable certain expansion perks.

For example, Pioneering could sit as a Tier 1 research (the same as Civics and Knowledge). It provides access to Pioneers and Outposts. From their subsequent research can unlock other interesting elements such as Outpost Upgrades, the ability to build cities, etc.

This could even be used to expand on the current functionality of outposts. For example, let’s say an outpost was 10 squares away from the closest ZoC. There should be a distance penalty with the income that is generated from resources linked to that outpost. Using research the penalty is reduced.  Or possibly by mid game you could research the Settle and Outpost abilities for Sovereigns and Champions (over powered?), that give them a once per x number of turns to perform the action.

By linking Outpost and Cities to research it will at least delay the pioneer spam and give the player some tough choices to make. Should you rush the expansion tech at the risk of falling behind on the other essential techs? Are there sufficient resources near your starting location they may give you a better advantage over a faction that rushes the expansion tree?

What do you all think?

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Not a bad idea I am up for anything that improves this area!