Solution about vassals

What would you like to see in Freeciv? Do you have a good idea what should be improved or how?
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Lachu
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Solution about vassals

Post by Lachu »

On this forum people asked for option to makes own city or another civilization vassals many times. My idea is specially created for multiplayer purposes, but in single it could be great too.

Just create special unit, like settlers, but cheaper. This unit will be called pioneers. It would be available earlier than settlers, but created city isn't owned by player, but rather a new one. This player is vassal of unit creator.

Please discus about possible new diplomacy option related to vassals players.

Far far ago I suggested to introduce diplomatic points into Freeciv. I think it's good idea to realize vassals idea and diplomatic points idea. Each contract will consume diplomatic points, but for civilization with the same origin (source), cost will be lower.

Player could integrate vassal onto own civilization, when special technology, like roads, railoads, radio, horseback riding, etc. will been researched (it depends on distance of nearest vassals city).
Lachu
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Re: Solution about vassals

Post by Lachu »

I recently have played Time Edge: Czas Wojny (It's Polish web browser game) and there's mechanism to prevent attacking new players by very strong players. Basically:
1. Tech tree are split into eras
2. We cannot discover technology from later eras
3. To develop technology from some era, we must discover all technologies from previous eras
4. We can only players on the same era, our current era minus one and our current era plus one

I propose this mechanism, because similar concept was in Civilization III and Freeciv aims to allow to create ruleset compatible with Civilization III.

But what is it related to vassals? Just change this concept and introduce protectorate: we can attack another player, without looking on eras difference if he/she attacks our vassal and our aggressor:
1. Don't have casus belli against our vassal
OR
2. Our vassal attack him first, but don't have casus belli against he/she

We should also restrict number of vassals (it can depend on game setting or on government). Vassals must be more backward than us (previous era).

Why this change? To make multiplayer gaming an better place. More experience players could help weaker, because he/she cannot attack him, so only way is to do diplomacy. We can also allow to attack players with previous eras, but it made some cost, like unhappiness. Also - make huts not disappear, but remember which players visit it (it can be only activated once per player). And new players could start from huts.
Ignatus
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Re: Solution about vassals

Post by Ignatus »

I think multiplayer does not need this (as described in 1st post) solution but needs another. You surely don't need AI civ, even vassal one, around your starting pos in early expansion phase. But in the late game one who has expanded well and conquered 3-4 novice players will have 50+ cities that is just darn MANY. It's not a great fun to perform routine management of all this bulk, and if you don't, you can lose to one who has 2 hours more to do.

I think, when your empire has N citizens of another nationality you are not allied with, there should be a growing danger of separatiatic rebel when the cities with large percent of this nationality can spontaneously return to their owner (happines may reduce the probability but not eliminate it). To avoid this risk, players may create puppet states with mostly homogenous population. Military units built by this state become your "volunteers" (all but some defenders of cities and workers) but all the civil management is AI. You get the nation allied with you and may give it orders on what "volunteers" you want; also, you may make other treaties, even such ones that you can't perform to other players (e.g. get a key city under your control), but too much exploiting or burden of military losses greater then yours may reduce the vassal's loyality. Very disloyal vassal may just break the alliance and you'll have to conquer the land again, or more often make a secret proposal to another human player to come under their hand (some kind of diplomatic points may have an effect here)

This way we reduce micromanagement more equal to players which have different timespan for it (razing enemy cities and growing only by colonists may retain your empire under your full control but it's so expensive as it is that it will be just another style, not imballance).
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