Patch thread

[Darkness]

Originally Posted by Beorn

Ouch! So that's an improvement ... how?

'cause it runs now? Sort of, anyway...

[akots]

Originally Posted by Beorn

Ouch! So that's an improvement ... how?

It is better than yourself. It runs and does not crash in-game. I can also go to and fro 2D view unhindered now. Previously it crashed upon exiting. And I can see reflections on water which is awesome.

[Furiey]

The info about the next patch has been updated on the 2k forums (noted as Added 11/18). Several additions to that previously announced including reducing the maritime city state bonuses:

Update 11/10/2010: The first batch of changes are now available! Here they are:

AI
•Worker AI improvements.
•Update to tactical AI pillaging code. Additionally, always check to make sure it’s not trying to pillage in an enemy dominance zone.
•AI victory emphasis improvements (more efficient end-game when focusing on Science and Diplo victories).
•AI should colonize other continents regularly.
•AI will emphasize production of an Ocean going explorer unit when the time comes.
•Adjust Napoleon to make him more likely to go for culture.
•More aggressive second wave expansion (mostly off shore) after initial empire building and consolidation has occurred.
•Optimization when finding routes (pathfinder improvement).
•Multiple tweaks and bug fixes.
•AI will now build ranged and mobile units more in line with the flavor settings.
•Multiple defensive AI tweaks.
•Never use ranged units to provide flanking bonuses. (Added 11/18)
•Improve AI use of protected bombard attacks (melee in front, ranged in the rear). (Added 11/18)
•Worker priority adjustments (prioritize pillaged tiles, etc.). (Added 11/18)
•Further pathfinder optimization. (Added 11/18)

GAMEPLAY
•Cities heal more quickly.
•Only allow one upgrade per unit from a goody hut.
•Science building track adjustments (cost, specialist slots, GP Points, etc). (Added 11/18)
•Amount of damage caused during naval combat increased. (Added 11/18)
•Melee horse units combat value lowered, and now receive a penalty when attacking cities. (Added 11/18)
•Lowered bonuses received from Maritime city-states. (Added 11/18)
•Removed maintenance from defensive buildings. (Added 11/18)
•Multiple unit upgrade track adjustments. Most (but not all) units now have a full upgrade path from start to finish. (Added 11/18)
•Open terrain penalty lowered. (Added 11/18)
•Policies must be selected the turn they are earned. (Added 11/18)
•Promotions must be selected the turn they are earned. If it’s as a result of combat, then the beginning of the next turn. (Added 11/18)

UI
•Tweaked the single-player score list to hide the civs of unmet ai players.
•Added game option to disable automated workers from removing features. (Added 11/18)

DIPLO
•AI's attitude towards you is now visible in the diplo screen and diplo drop-down.
•Added info tooltip for an AI leader's mood. Lists things that are making an AI player happy/upset.
•New diplo system: Declaration of Friendship (public declaration with diplomatic repercussions).
•New diplo system: Denounce (public declaration with diplomatic repercussions).
•New custom leader responses (Serious Expansion Warning, Aggressive Military, Luxury Exchange, Borders Exchange, Gift Request).

MODDING
•Parent category counts now include counts of child categories.
•Selecting/deselecting a category now automatically selects/deselects it's children and its parent.
•Tweaked category name truncation to better fit names.
•Hide categories w/ no children and a count of 0.
•Added support for fallback languages (if mod is not translated, fall-back to English so text keys are not showing).

MISC
•Fixed save format which causes saves to increase the memory footprint of the game drastically when loading frequently over the course of the game.

[Shabbaman]

Using policies and promotions on the turn you get them, that's bad. It'd make you just as bad as the AI. Changes to unit placement seems ok. Let's see how that works out.

[Furiey]

Yes, I'm really not sure what has made them change that. I would have thought that there were far more pressing issues, unless unused promotions and policies were causing other problems with the game.

[ProPain]

•Melee horse units combat value lowered, and now receive a penalty when attacking cities. (Added 11/18)

Probably a good thing cause I think horse units were way better than iron based units. Especially horsemen with their incredible movement. Nerfing horse city attack, don't think that will matter much but not too big a deal either.

•Lowered bonuses received from Maritime city-states. (Added 11/18)
A necessity I think.Although in mu deity game I managed fine with just 1 mar CS. So it remains to be seen how 2 nerfed Mar CS will compare to 1 current maritime CS.

•Removed maintenance from defensive buildings. (Added 11/18)
useless change

•Multiple unit upgrade track adjustments. Most (but not all) units now have a full upgrade path from start to finish. (Added 11/18)
probably a useless change as well, didn't really miss an upgrade. If this means cavalry will get an upgrade that will probably sort of diminish the horse unit nerf as their life get extended. Imho in civ III/IV the early power and mobility of horse units was counterweighted by cav being the end of the upgrade line where swords would become mech inf in the end.

•Open terrain penalty lowered. (Added 11/18)
Probably a good thing

•Policies must be selected the turn they are earned. (Added 11/18)
•Promotions must be selected the turn they are earned. If it’s as a result of combat, then the beginning of the next turn. (Added 11/18
Bad, bad, bad, especially the promotions. I'm guessing they want to prevent people saving up heals. Civ IV already showed that being able to save up a promotion is a fine mechanic. What isn't fine is that Firaxis added in the insta-heal option, which is just too powerfull. Now they're trying to 'fix' this by forcing you to choose. If they want to nerf this make the insta-heal an option for the next turn only. So if you decide not to heal, you can still save up the 'normal'upgrade.

Not being able to save up policies is in fact a pretty lame idea. It will make the post renaissance trees much less usefull. not quite sure what problem they're thinking to fix here.

[grahamiam]

I see the policy and promotion changes as ways of forcing the player to make a decision "now" rather than allowing him to punt till later when the "right" decision is more clear. It'll prevent policy point hording and also make decisions on early cultural buildings more nuanced as you don't want to end up with a bunch of early policies that don't help or, worse, hinder at the end.

My guess on the defensive building cost removal is that it probably effects AI decision making, thus we are likely to see stronger cities that'll be harder to take with a handfull of weakened horsemen

[akots]

They are trying to easy-fix and rebelance the obviously unbalanced things. It does all make sense. And with a strong beta-testing team (about 400,000 ppl strong) and CFC to hear the main feedback, they might be able to further tweak the game to some sort of balance. Still does not change my opinion on Trip.

[Robi D]

Originally Posted by ProPain

Imho in civ III/IV the early power and mobility of horse units was counterweighted by cav being the end of the upgrade line where swords would become mech inf in the end.

Can't remember in civ 3, but civ 4 cav get upgraded to gunships

[socralynnek]

I think, it was the other qay round. Cavs being end of line in Civ4 and Cav-> Gunship in Civ3.