25-02-2000 02:51									#1
	EC3 New Ideas #32 - Customizability Support Apolyton buy from Amazon

by Glostakarov

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</font>Customizability. Is that a word? In essence, as much of the game as possible should be able to be toggled on or off, irrespective of difficulty level. This should apply both to normal games and the scenerio editor.
For example, suppose I don't feel like playing with regional politics, or trade, or whatever, I can just switch it off when I create the game. For scenerios, the toggle would be stored with the map as either on, off, or user selectable. An example I saw in another thread was a scenerio where the Earth was being invaded; because the people of Earth would band together they wouldn't want internal politics for that game. In such a case the person building the scenerio could simply switch off that option, so that it isn't used in the game.

Another part of being able to heavily customize/mod a game is the introduction of new units and modify the tech tree. Snazzy, high-res graphics and animated units are very nice, but they make it harder for fans to create their own units. You could include a lot of units in the editor that are not actually used for anything in the game, so we could pick them out and assign them whatever stats we see fit for use in our scenerios. However, a better idea would probably be to create the unit animations in a format that is relatively easy for end users to reproduce. It's still going to take a pretty knowledgeable person to go out and do it, but if the software is easy to plug such animations into, it will happen.

To answer the question in advance, the more that we can do to modify/enhance/enjoy the game, the more replayability it will have. Having more customization options keeps each game from being fundamentally the same as the last.
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	25-02-2000 07:34									#2
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as long as the options for each game are easily accessible from within the game, then i'm all for it.

we don't want a situation where we don't know which rules apply. (eg. loading an old game of ctp and forgetting whether you turned bloodlust on - 'should i be building that alien project or not?')

	27-02-2000 02:02									#3
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My suggestion that each Civilization has its own folder (so you can have civilization specific graphics etc you can see the post) Supports this. Customizability makes civilization more than one game as all the scenarios demonstrate.

Other customizability options should be several special abilities for units 9it should be available as options even if not used by units,
1) like mutliple distance paradrops (different distances of a paradrop)
2) able to go on aircraft (a different type of paratrooper
3) multiple attack but not multiple move and vice versa
4)turn expiration of a unit )automatically disbanded)
5)limited production of a type of unit (you can only build so many)
6) civ specific only (but my folders would cover this)
7) partial settling abilities like build fortress but not a city, or irrigate but not mine, etc.
8)use all as road or all as highway or all as rail.
9) only certain types of terrain
10)logistic/shield/food requirements (to make some units cost more than just one this is not implemented)
11) limited distance from base of operations (can only go so far from home city)

and so on...

	29-02-2000 06:01									#4
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Customizability was one of the best things about Civ 2, CTP, and SMAS. I'm all for a unit editor, kinda like the CimCity 3000 building editor except for units, terrain, cities etc. This edit game thing could go along with a music folder for people to chose their own music. God that Civ 2 song is really getting to me.

	29-02-2000 06:04									#5
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Can't believe I left this out. A civilization editor like the faction editor in SMAC would be way cool too.

	05-03-2000 16:34									#6
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Guys- let's not split up the customisation vote. It's probably better to get a combined idea under one heading, I suggest mine ( ) at http://apolyton.net/forums/Forum28/HTML/000286.html .

	06-03-2000 20:21									#7
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I think combining New Ideas #8 and #32 would be good.
<font size=1 face=Arial color=444444>[This message has been edited by don Don (edited March 06, 2000).]</font>