A terrain is composed of 4 basic things: Base, Upper layer, Improovments (unimproovments), Resources.

Base: Rock, Dirt, Grass, Water, Desert

Upper layer: Forest, Swamp, Water (river), Ice, None

Improovments: Cold(between Ice and no Ice), Pollution, Land Mines, other terrain imp's.

Resources: Exactly that.

Some terrains cause damage, though no more than 1/4-3/4 the total hp of the unit (diseases/freezing/overheating). These include Mines(3/4 hp), cold(1/2 hp), ice(2/3 hp), pollution(1/3), swamp(1/2), desert(1/4).

Air units are immune to such damages. Also, certain advances negate damage from certain terrains.

quote: Originally posted by airdrik on 12-24-2000 01:59 AM Not nearly as excentric as the Unit Workshop, but here goes:

I think this idea is MORE excentric then the Unit Workshop.

I'm reminded during the Map dicucssions on the old Firaxis boards that somebody mentioned a similar system.

It was kind of like SMAC but even more extensive. I think it was:

Rainfall
Rockiness/Soil
Elevation
Temperature
Vegetation

and then improvements/resources/specials on top. There would be different tile graphics for different combinations and even though that would mean a lot, the maps would be beautiful.

quote: Originally posted by eNo on 12-24-2000 02:56 PM Seeing as I've seen it twice, I'll have to ask waht does "excentric" mean? or do you mean "eccentric"?

You absolutely right. Well, english is not my native language.

quote: It was kind of like SMAC but even more extensive.

Personally, i dont want the wavy SMAC terrain-solution in Civ-3. I prefer the Civ-2/CTP-2 solution, but with small elevation-increments depending on terrain-type.

quote: Originally posted by eNo on 12-24-2000 02:56 PM I'm reminded during the Map dicucssions on the old Firaxis boards that somebody mentioned a similar system. It was kind of like SMAC but even more extensive. I think it was: Rainfall Rockiness/Soil Elevation Temperature Vegetation and then improvements/resources/specials on top.

See TERRAIN AND TERRAIN IMPROVEMENTS in the other forum. It was mentioned here, too.

quote: There would be different tile graphics for different combinations and even though that would mean a lot, the maps would be beautiful.

quote: Originally posted by eNo on 12-27-2000 03:52 PM Theben - I thought that forum kinda died down since there doesn't seem to be much activity there. Guess I'm wrong . I'll go check it out.

It kinda DID die out, but the ideas remain, and remain valid. You SHOULD go check them out.

quote: Originally posted by eNo on 12-24-2000 02:56 PM I'm reminded during the Map dicucssions on the old Firaxis boards that somebody mentioned a similar system. It was kind of like SMAC but even more extensive. I think it was: Rainfall Rockiness/Soil Elevation Temperature Vegetation and then improvements/resources/specials on top. There would be different tile graphics for different combinations and even though that would mean a lot, the maps would be beautiful.

That suggestion has more to do with the atmospheric aspects, while my idea has more to do with the physical aspects of the terrain.

quote: I'm thinking that Elevation should be replaced by Topography because elevation implies that the entire square has that elevation and therefore mountains aren't done very well (see SMAC)