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I would like to start this topic. As the community is asking for an new series of ages, after
the Space Ages with new mechanics. While this wish is popping up across the forum's
topics I think an dedicated free topic for them would be fitting.
While you've been focusing on establishing new presences of humanity, across the solar system, scientists and
the tech. industry has pushed forward. Advancing the popular technology from Virtual Future an massively complex
emulator has been developed. The emulator enables the emulation of any age of intrest, to study them. To comply
with the increasing intrest in humanity's Earthly past. Both confirmed historical empires as hypothetical empires
can be emulated to studying them.
However it became quickly crystal clear that emulating such empires isn't that easy. There's an experienced leader
needed at the head of the operation. Someone that can oversee the empire and building the emulated empire to
an succes. Someone like... you. Are you up to the task for constructing emulated empires? The solar system relays
on you're capabilities in constructing emulated empires.
Space Port --> Emulator
First of all the Space port will be closed. As you're final space colony has been granted independence and there's
no new destination in space to reach. It's replaced with the emulator. This off-city building allows you acces to the
emulation.
Up on visiting the emulation you'll enter the emulated city. This is the heart of an new emulated empire. Similar to
the space ages' colonies buildings are unlocked through the regular tech. tree. However there are new building types
and off-city buildings to take in consideration. There are also new mechanics that will shift and change. Adjusting
to the challenges the emulated empires facing.
New Mechanics, new challenges
Disposable campaign map
Campaign units
Professions
Gradually progressing new off-grid buildings
Age-specific random events
Variable city terrain
Disposable campaign map
Unlike all ages prior to the Emulation ages, the campaign map is disposable. Similar to Elvenar you must
complete the campaign map before you can advance further.
Campaign units
Similar to Ancient Egypt settlement. There are units specifically for the campaign map. Don't worry this
units are for study purposes. Advancing with you're military forces will inspire you're military to develop
new units for competitive combat. Both in GE as in GbG and GvG, the latter for pc players.
Professions
There are in total 5 professions:
> Civilian (neutral)
> Toursim (specialisation)
> Scientific (specialisation)
> Industrial (specialisation)
> Military (specialisation)
Each profession is displayed as specific ''population.'' It all starts with the basics: civilians. You need
civilians for nearly any building that requires population. They are the neutral backbone of you're emulated
empires. Civilians operate and serve any profession.
Each specialisation has specific building residential buildings in which they ''live.'' For example tourists are
attracted and ''living'' in hotels. While scientists, manufacturers (industrial profession), militaries (military
profession) will be accommodated in different residential buildings.
In general has each profession the regular building types: residential, production (supplies), goods,
military and cultural. Depending on you're preferred profession they'll other different efficiency and
effectiveness. In general it'll be like this:
> Residential (any profession comparable efficient)
> Production (scientific most efficient, industrial efficient, tourism neutral, military inefficient)
> Goods (industrial most efficient, military efficient, tourism neutral, scientific inefficient)
> Cultural (Tourism most efficient, scientific efficient, military neutral, industrial inefficient)
> Military (Military strongest units, scientific strong, industrial weak, tourism vulnerable)
This are just examples. The cultural buildings are comparable to the event cultural buildings .
Each profession will have different buffs on their cultural buildings. Depending on the profession
it'll be more or less efficient too and will be related to the specialisation to benefitting it. In general
they give an generous specialisation benefit. This are the building types that providing the most
specialisation points for each profession:
> Goods (industrial, cause manufacturers focusing manufacturing)
> Production (scientific, science focuses on studying and coming up with results)
> Cultural (tourism, tourists are most attracted by cultural buildings)
> Military (military, this is their speciality)
Gradually progressing new off-grid buildings
After completing the final technology of the first emulation age, you'll be able to spotting 4 new building
grounds. Each displaying lvl0. While hovering over any of those building grounds, a bar is displaying how
much specialisation points you need for lvl1.
Buildings of any profession rising the specialisation bar. This is similar to diplomacy in settlements. The
number of specialisation points you'll receive will vary. However if you're putting buildings of 2 different
specialisations it'll reduce you're specialisation points. Civilian buildings are neutral and do not affecting
you're specialisation.
You can see the progress of you're specialisation in the top. It has the colour of the profession that you
have the most specialisation points in. The name of the profession is also displayed. If you have of 2
professions an equal number of specialisation, it'll show both but bare in mind that you can practically
only maximise 1 profession at any time.
Each new emulation age ends with the technology that adds 1 extra lvl for those buildings, that you
can unlock. Naturally the higher lvl the stronger the benefits will be. The following specialising off-city
buildings exist:
Grand Museum(scientific)
+ 1% contribution bonus (similar to the Arc)
+ X% chance to double fp-rewards from redoing settlements (including castle system bonus)
Later ages suggestions
+ Every 31 fps produced & collected 1 additional fp is added
Military Academy (military)
X% chance to inflict ''spotted'' buff when attacking stealth units, spotted stealth units can be attacked
from an distance, the effect is removed when the effected unit reposition
X% chance for the first Y battles to start an battle with +1hp
Later ages suggestions
X% chance to dodge an attack by moving to 1 random adjacent tile (both attacking & defending armies)
Grand resort (tourism)
+X% increase buffs settlement rewards (for example viking's tree 30% +10% increase = 30% * 1,1 = 33%)
+X% productions settlement rewards (including units from the royal bathhouse)
Later ages suggestions
+ X% chance to get bronze time rewards when completing an settlement too late
+ X% chance to double time rewards when completing an settlement in time
Trade hub (industrial)
+ Any production will be X% faster completed (including GBs and special event buildings)
+ Negotiations discounts
Later ages suggestions
+ X% more production any building
Why are those bonuses so underwhelming? Well as the Arc has proven a few % contribution bonuses
can make large differences. As I've tried to coming up with fresh and unique ideas as rewards for post-scares
players I felt all of those are fitting the bill. Yet they had to be a bit on the low end of things at first. As in
later ages the benefits must grow stronger. As to reward players for completing so many ages and specialising
in a play style. Those most appealed to fps will greatly benefit from 2,01x boost programs. Where players
interested in higher efficiency will likely more lean towards the industrial profession and rushing their productions.
Which could greatly benefit during events. With the battle minded players unlocking new skills could mildly
be appealing as their bonuses have grown so large that increasing them hardly feel rewarding. As for settlements
I think players choosing tourism are also interested in those and not missing out on the yield of redoing
settlements.
Age-specific random events
The random events can be a large variety. I think each age should have around 3-5 different potential random
events happening. While there's a relative low chance. On average each month at least 1 should pop-up and
lasting for about a week. The random events offer players different challenges and opportunities. In some
cases an wondering circus for example could visit the town. If it fits the theme. For example if the theme is
Emulated Roman Empire, an wondering trader offering gladiators. While you'll get guided through how to
organise an large event situated around gladiators. Up on completing the tasks getting rewarded with loyal
gladiators for example. Though I'm not sure about the historical accuracy but this is an example. To keeping
it all somewhat interactive and ever changing for the bored end-tech players.
Variable city terrain
The city terrain of the emulated cities/empires are also changing. Similar to space colonies to fitting their theme
better. However unlike the the space colonies, you have the ability to switching between them. In some rare cases
you might be able to unlocking a few secret city terrains from random events of you're age...
What does this series enable?
Emulated series of ages allow pretty much any theme anyone might want to explore. IF the dev. team may
chooses. The much desired hypothetical empire of Atlantis for example would all the sudden become very
easily possible. As part of the ''study'' we conduct in this series. Even an emulation to study the likely
challenges an hypothetical expedition into the Earth would face. Practically there's no real limit but it
mostly allows to explore both hypothetical and highly interesting empires of the distant past we've not
explored yet.
It's also enabling a set of new mechanics with which the community can play around with. Though I'm
a bit doubtful they'll keep being certified with cycling through randomised events. I think an competitive
end-game feature must be developed to keeping them occupied and happy more long-term.