Ideas: New Resources

[DevynCJohnson]

I have some ideas for some resources that we may want to consider adding to the game. Some could be added very soon, while others will not have a purpose until more features are added to the game.

Water - How are my soldiers living without water? Here is a better use for this resource after some features are added: flowing water (like a river/stream) can turn a wheel for a granary (to be added to game) which produces food.

Uranium (Nuclear resources) - If nuclear weapons and power plants are added, uranium/polonium/radium/etc. can be mined as a resource.

Fossil Fuels - These can be used if industrial-age features are added, or now to make food faster. For example, the 0AD developers can add a "Large Bakery" which would use fossil fuels to cook large amounts of food. Some fossil fuels we could add could be coal, pea, natural gas, oil

Wood (modified) - As we all know, we already have trees for wood, but I found a major flaw. Wood is a renewable resource. Why are more trees not growing? (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renewable_resources)

Wind and Solar power - Wind and solar power are related resources that could be added in the future.

Cotton - Not sure what we can use for this.

Any thoughts or further ideas? Do the 0AD developers actively view these forums? I hope my ideas at least inspire the developers.

[Hades0299]

Very nice ideas, especially growing trees would be nice. I’m no developer, so I’m not sure, how difficult this would be to implement.

About Uranium, Fossil Fuels and Wind/Solar power, I think they would not fit in a game, that is about the times BC. They would fit into a game about the modern era.

Cotton could be used to make Clothing for the units, maybe in form of a little amount of Cotton to get a new soldier.

[DevynCJohnson]

About Uranium, Fossil Fuels and Wind/Solar power, I think they would not fit in a game, that is about the times BC. They would fit into a game about the modern era.

True, but I think a game as good as this should broaden the scope to other eras. (0AD --> World History)

[Hades0299]

The actual version of 0ad deals with the time about 500 BC until 0 AD.

I think, that I’ve read somewhere, that a second part of 0ad, should one be released, would deal with the 500 years AD.

I hope, they could release another part after that, so those resources could be added there.

[DevynCJohnson]

The actual version of 0ad deals with the time about 500 BC until 0 AD.

I think, that I’ve read somewhere, that a second part of 0ad, should one be released, would deal with the 500 years AD.

I hope, they could release another part after that, so those resources could be added there.

It seems like it would be better to have one game instead of splitting it up into several parts.

[tribalbeat]

I always forget about the famed nuclear power plants of Classical Greece or the towering assembly line factories of the Celts.

[Loki1950]

That idea of limiting time periods has been part of the original game conception for years the game engine is generalized it's the content that varies creating it takes lots of time.

Enjoy the Choice

[sanderd17]

When you have resources, you also need a way to use it. What will cost x Wind f.e.? And they need to be separatable, like I guess "Water" is included in "Food". No need to have both when they'll always be used together.

You know 0 A.D. is fully moddable, right? So every mod can add his own resources. But I don't think we need to overcomplicate the default game with more resources.

[LordGood]

Regrowing trees should definitely be a thing though,

Hunting and Lumbering were done extremely well in the first Stronghold games. Overlumbering would come back to bite you in the butt, as would overhunting. The trees would actually go through stages of growth and spread depending on how many were left standing, some would only grow in the desert and others only grew on the oasis

three stages of growth, wood content would increase with each stage, and spread to adjacent tiles at max stage

Issue with the 0 AD terrain is that it's not divided into tiles so randomising tree spread could lead to overlapping

[DevynCJohnson]

I always forget about the famed nuclear power plants of Classical Greece or the towering assembly line factories of the Celts.

You have been to that alternate universe too? True, I know. I think it would be nice if 0AD moved forward in time or offered different eras.

[niektb]

You have been to that alternate universe too? True, I know. I think it would be nice if 0AD moved forward in time or offered different eras.

There is/was a mod about the modern era, but last thing I heard, was that they dropped pyrogenesis and were looking for something else.

But definitely we should think about forest regeneration (perhaps by adding a Forrester like in the old settlers games?)

Edited November 19, 2013 by niektb

[Lion.Kanzen]

I always forget about the famed nuclear power plants of Classical Greece or the towering assembly line factories of the Celts.

He talk king about for a mod. Like Rogue Republic. If you think well when game came out , we will have Warcraft, Starcraft, Rise of nations / Empire Earth mods.

[sanderd17]

Forest regeneration isn't very easy to get right. You need to take different maps into account. Some forest maps have a lot of trees, and if you add forest regeneration there, it can block your paths (I don't think we want that). On the other hand, forest regeneration would probably be way too slow on desert maps to be noticeable.

We can avoid the overlapping trees mentioned by LordGood, but the simulation engine doesn't really know about textures, and even if it did, it would be a lot of work to bind every texture to a class of trees it can grow, and also pass that info to f.e. the random map scripts.

[Lion.Kanzen]

Regrowing trees should definitely be a thing though,

Hunting and Lumbering were done extremely well in the first Stronghold games. Overlumbering would come back to bite you in the butt, as would overhunting. The trees would actually go through stages of growth and spread depending on how many were left standing, some would only grow in the desert and others only grew on the oasis

three stages of growth, wood content would increase with each stage, and spread to adjacent tiles at max stage

Issue with the 0 AD terrain is that it's not divided into tiles so randomising tree spread could lead to overlapping

In some maps that could be a nightmare, think forest you can't deforest that map. Otherwise is Anatolian Plateau and Oasis versions, we need reforest that XD.

[DevynCJohnson]

When you have resources, you also need a way to use it. What will cost x Wind f.e.? And they need to be separatable, like I guess "Water" is included in "Food". No need to have both when they'll always be used together.

You know 0 A.D. is fully moddable, right? So every mod can add his own resources. But I don't think we need to overcomplicate the default game with more resources.

Yeah, good points. Wind could be measured by time. (X units * time * windmills). The windmills could then link to some building to grind substances to generate more food. Yeah, I know the idea sounds bad. I just like to brainstorm to help stimulate ideas.

I need to look into modding. Thanks for the idea!

[DevynCJohnson]

There is/was a mod about the modern era, but last thing I heard, was that they dropped pyrogenesis and were looking for something else.

But definitely we should think about forest regeneration (perhaps by adding a Forrester like in the old settlers games?)

Okay, the reforestation implementation issue is easy to solve. The women and soldiers are already programmed to make a little farm/food-field. Take that same code and edit it so trees grow. Instead of harvesting food, the people either cut down the trees or do nothing more.

[Andrettin]

Regarding tree regrowth, perhaps it would be more practical if there were only regrowth of previously existing trees (rather than dynamic growth), as long as nothing has been built over that space.

[Lion.Kanzen]

Regarding tree regrowth, perhaps it would be more practical if there were only regrowth of previously existing trees (rather than dynamic growth), as long as nothing has been built over that space.

this only way can be, and im worried for performance of this.

[DevynCJohnson]

Regarding tree regrowth, perhaps it would be more practical if there were only regrowth of previously existing trees (rather than dynamic growth), as long as nothing has been built over that space.

Your idea is the best.

[LordGood]

Regarding tree regrowth, perhaps it would be more practical if there were only regrowth of previously existing trees (rather than dynamic growth), as long as nothing has been built over that space.

I can get behind this idea, but I feel like that could get infuriating, building cities over leveled forests, only having your buildings completely surrounded when they grow back.

In crusader there was spacing, armies could move easily through forested areas, with only minor breaks in formation. As far as I know, the Total War series also follows this.

to some extent in AOE you could build buildings over cut forests as well

[Andrettin]

Your idea is the best.

Thanks!

I can get behind this idea, but I feel like that could get infuriating, building cities over leveled forests, only having your buildings completely surrounded when they grow back.

In crusader there was spacing, armies could move easily through forested areas, with only minor breaks in formation. As far as I know, the Total War series also follows this.

to some extent in AOE you could build buildings over cut forests as well

You raise an important issue, but that could possibly be solved by affecting not only where the building is actually built, but also a certain radius around it. This way, a city wouldn't end up filled with trees.

It would be important to think how making trees be able to regrow would affect resource scarcity, though, so that gameplay is not hurt.

[Hades0299]

I think, that those maps with many trees don't need many trees to regrow. Only a little percentage, 10% or so, should regrow. There wouldn't be many Problems with path finding.

On maps with less trees that percentage could be higher. On desert maps you have a Oasis, and trees might regrow only near of them.

Maybe a technologie could be designed to plant new trees, if necessary.

[Lion.Kanzen]

I think, that those maps with many trees don't need many trees to regrow. Only a little percentage, 10% or so, should regrow. There wouldn't be many Problems with path finding.

On maps with less trees that percentage could be higher. On desert maps you have a Oasis, and trees might regrow only near of them.

Maybe a technologie could be designed to plant new trees, if necessary.

I agree and Some time ago I was talk about plant trees for food like apple tree etc. I never think in trees for wood, but is good idea but if the trees are planted in a bunch not one per one XD.

[DevynCJohnson]

I agree and Some time ago I was talk about plant trees for food like apple tree etc. I never think in trees for wood, but is good idea but if the trees are planted in a bunch not one per one XD.

I never thought of growing trees for food. See, brainstorming is giving us more ideas.

[Lion.Kanzen]

I never thought of growing trees for food. See, brainstorming is giving us more ideas.

I say this in June or before in this year before Alpha 14.