4 types of terrain -
Grassland - They are hard to defend and has a 10% defense penalty.
Forests - With trees, it is easy to defend and thus a 10% defense bonus.
Ocean - Two ocean areas are counted as one normal area when determining spawning. Additionally, all ocean tiles have a neutral unit of 1 at the start of the game.
Mountains - Mountains are impassable.
Rivers - attacking over river yields a 10% penalty.
15 Technologies over 3 Eras (Ancient, Medieval, Modern).
To research a technology, you will need to forfeit a complete turn (movement and unit spawning). Boxed in/small empires can still succeed.
Ancient Technologies:
Mining: 1 more unit spawn per land near mountain. Max 2.
Writing: Free technology in Medieval and Modern eras.
Religion: 1 more unit spawn until medieval era, which the effect is doubled. Obsolete in Modern Era.
Horseback Riding: +10% attack bonus
Hunting: 1 more unit spawn per land on forest. Max 2.
[A note on Mining and Hunting: When you have, say two forests each at two population, it makes sense to research Hunting as you will get the same benefits minus the additional land. But that's a good thing, because that means less possible areas to be attacked from. ]
[A note on Religion: You probably want to research this if you are boxed in.]
Medieval Technologies:
Optics: Your area will be connected over neutral, and enemy ocean areas.
Guilds: +10% attack strength, stacks with Horseback Riding. A further 5% bonus if you have horseback riding.
Construction: Attack penalty over river is turned into a bonus
Fertilizer: 1 more unit spawn per 3 grasslands. Capped at 2 bonus.
Seafaring: +30% defensive bonus in water, and +15% attack bonus from water.
[A note on Guilds: If a strong player has horseback riding, you should deny them the 15% bonus if possible. ]
Modern Technologies:
Globalization: All areas are connected.
Mass Production: +10% unit spawns
Nuclear Weapons: Take one enemy land. (Two in Huge and Epic maps)
Artificial Intelligence: Tells you the exact outcome of battles
Rifling: +10% defensive bonus
[A note on Nuclear Weapons: You don't have to use it instantly. Add it to your collection and nobody will dare to attack you
]If you research a technology, others will not be able to research it. When all 5 technologies of an era is researched, the next era begins.
In 2 player matches, there are only 3 random technologies per era. In 3 - 4 player matches, there are only 4 random technologies per era.
Diplomacy -
Peace Treaty: Units cannot attack each other
Open Borders: Areas will be connected over friendly land, **however** every area will have a 5% defensive penalty.
Treaties are renewable and last for 5 turns long.
Scenarios -
Colonize America. You start off in Europe, with the victory condition of colonizing America. Beware, there are natives, and they are not friendly ...
Various world wars (including a fictional world war 3)
Play the world - a huge map that looks like earth!
Gold -
At any time, you can convert 2 unit spawns in one gold. The one gold can later be redeemed for 1 unit spawn.
Unique Civilizations with Special Abilities
Just some ideas:
Romans - Legion Army - +35% attack when attacking grasslands
USA - Corporate Greed - 1 free gold per turn, but your citizens rebel so land with fewer than 2 units will not count towards spawning
etc
;
So, what are your thoughts? I plan to make it later, probably single player only because I have no experience with multiplayer, and PHP reading/writing files just sounds.. wastey.
Hardest problem for me would be the map generator. Unless I make it manual maps only.
Here's a sample map that I mocked up. (This is designed for 5 players)
http://i.imgur.com/lt2Ea.png
For the sequel I have plans to add Hills (attack bonus), luxury resources (if you control at least one of each luxury resource, you get one bonus spawn. you can trade away excess ones for other luxury resources, or maybe peace. they tend to spawn in packs of the same resource), barbarians (neutral territories with 2-3 units inside), goody huts (random bonus, yay!), etc.
