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How to improve Ideology system

How to improve Ideology system

After playing some beta I finally managed to piece together what I do not like in Ideology system of Galciv3

You have to do a lot of planet hunting or waiting for events for Ideology points that are limited and depend on you aligment choices. Small maps may not have enough such events to progress you anywhere down the chosen tree. 

I compared this to the policies system made in Sid Meyer's Civilization 5 and thought through a way to improve GC3 by mixing both systems.

So here is the basic idea how to make it far better:

1. There should be a culture branch of buildings in the game that you can construct on you planets.

2. Each building will produce a culture points into culture total like it is with the money and influence points.

3. When civ has enough points for the next upgrade it can select it from a tree with several branches spending its choice to obtain a certain (and sometimes unique) ability.

4. Each branch has its own impact on aligment so that every choice influences you relations with other races accordingly.

5. Every next choice costs higher so that civ should focus on unlocking a few chosen branches that are needed for it.

 

Example:

You built 5 culture buildings and in 20 turns accumulated 100 points. You then go to Ideology and spend them on the "Deception" branch of the "Evil" tree choosing a "Privateer" ability to build your own pirate ships with hidden nationality to harrass your enemys without a war being declared on you (although I do believe shat every sne civilization will shoot such ships on sight  :andrew: ). For such a choice your aligment will slide closer to the evil end of the spectre and will impact you influence with good races who will be looking at you with more suspicion.

 

That will balance the Ideology finally IMHO.

 

Civ 5 screenshot in case some1 haven't caught the idea

76,795 views 26 replies
Reply #26 Top

Maybe this has already been mentioned, but the ideology system I think was designed to affect the game differently based on the galaxy you're playing.  Since ideology points are earned only one of two ways - colonizing new planets or from buildings - then you almost always have a way to earn them.  In a game where you can colonize 40-50 planets for your empire, you may not find it necessary to build any ideology point buildings.  But  what about a game where you can only colonize 10 worlds before you start running into neighbors?  Then it's a value judgment - is the cost of ideology buildings worth the eventual ideology benefits.  I believe that's why the buildings generate points so slowly.  An ideology is meant to be an investment.  At some point in your game, you won't be able to colonize anything new.  Then it's up to you to create your ideology points.

I doubt many people are able to complete two or three ideologies by colonizing alone, unless you're in a very large galaxy with relatively few players.  As Paul has said many times, GC3 is about trying to give the players interesting choices.  And I think by limiting the pace and methods by which you can gain ideology points, you essentially have to forego pursuing all the ideologies and focus on one, if you want to get the best benefits from that ideology.  That makes your choice of ideology interesting, not trivial.

I like the ideology system as it is now.