New Civs got added and more will come for sure but we do have plenty already.
Every Civ tends to have unique bonuses so that no one is like the other, they’re all special in their way, but couldn’t this requirement of originality and uniqueness be ever more a problem? Authenticity to the historical characteristics of the new Civs may be overshadowed and the new bonuses may be increasingly gimmicky and unlikely.
Imagine designing a new Civ and finding that a bonus that would be perfectly suited to represent it is already used by an existing Civ. What would be the right thing to do? Give up that perfect idea or duplicate the bonus? Authenticity or Uniqueness? That’s the issue at it’s core. Naturally, there can be compromises like questioning and changing the bonus in the Civ that first had it; having different values for the 2 Civs or some other nuance; giving the first Civ a small new bonus to make up.
Mind that there aren’t hard limits on the number of bonuses a Civ can have.
To clarify, this only regards Civ exclusive bonuses, not team bonuses or Unique Technologies.
To what degree should bonuses be unique?
- Absolute - Uniqueness of the bonuses is a must, no similarities, no exceptions
- Loose - Could be similar but never identical
- Relative - Identical bonuses are tolerable, if the Civs still feel overall different
What matters is that civs have their own identity. I won’t lose sleep if one civ has a 15% discount on some unit and another has a 10% discount on the same unit, so long that it builds on something different.
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Also having very similar bonuses to another civs UT can help the differentiation. Gurjaras kshatriyas is just inca staggered food bonus. It also helps that grujars can get that 25% in castle, whereas inca have to wait for imperial for the full 25%.
Aztec Garland Wars is infantry +4, Burmese get staggered +1/+2/+3 as bonus.
I’d hate to see two civs have two identical bonuses or UTs, but so long as there’s some difference, especially helped with a bonus/UT comparison, then it’s fine.
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Civs should feel different to play and unique from each other. bUT that doesn’t mean the bonuses can’t be similar as long as the civs still have a strong sense of identity (don’t make it the exact same though, that is an unwritten rule).
Also what is the limit on ‘gimmick-ness’ of civ bonus. I know that you can still make a strong-identity civ with generic bonuses (look at all the early civs) but strange bonuses can definitely help a civ stand out (like Burgundians early eco tech) or even more crazy ones (mule carts and garrisoning sheep).
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