Should there be a selectable "End era"?

[Ljethan]

So, the game already enables the possibility of choosing the era from which to start the game. Like, instead of starting in ancient times, you can choose to start in medieval or even mordern. My thoughts is thus: should it be possible to select an end era?

I don't mean like an era that will end the game automatically by reaching it, but simply a way to control how long you want research to go. For example, I would like to play a normal game where I had the option of stopping the research in the game just before entering the renaissance. This way players could choose to play an all out "ancient to Medieval" if they like to, without having to build mods for it. That way players can f.x. focus on conquring the world through medieval means, if they so desired.

All it requires is an additional button in the "advanced setup" window.

[Artifex]

You can choose to end the game whenever I want. *click*
So are you really asking for the game to continue, but only have science stop.

Isn't that precisely what mods are for?
You want the game moded, without having to build mods for it? Too many permutations!

[stethnorun]

I agree that this should be an option. It does sort of mess with victory conditions (and even cross-ocean colonization if science stops too quickly). But yeah, barring that, mods work.

[twersx]

Well, as it is, science never stops. You auto research Future tech once everything else is done which indicates that it's currently impossible to have science stop after being on, at different times for each player. The 1066 scenario has science off completely and the polynesia scenario has an obscenely expensive tech to represent scientific stagnation. You you bottleneck all techs after, say, the end of the medieval era so that in order to unlock the basic renaissance techs, you need to research a single, 999999 science tech.

It could be something they could add for G&K but I don't think it'll be high up on the agenda.

Besides, I'd feel restricted if there was a point at which all my science was useless and having a huge lead

[VicRatlhead51]

I could really only see it being fun in a domination game. Maybe a cultural victory is possible but I doubt it since there's some really nice culture buildings and wonders in the industrial and modern era. I did see a mod yesterday that ended tech in the renaissance, just download that.

[tempshemps]

Well, if it makes you happy you are already able to start your new games in the modern era I believe. It's in the game creation menu... you could start in the renaissance or the modern or w/e if you prefer that to starting in the ancient era.

[SlickSlicer]

If they made scenarios that kept the game the same, but changed the tech tree/units/other aspects to fit particular eras (where the game would end), that'd be neat.

[Tahitian Moon]

Yeah I definately would like to have it. Not that interested in post- Great War era so I could happily play with it's techs when the era is reached.

There are mods that do it, called 'End at Industrial Era', 'End at Renaissance' etc.

[Ljethan]

Well, there may be mods, but that dosn't mean that everyone is savvy with that kind of stuff.
I mention this becaurse in Civ III, there was such a feature, though I cannot remember if that was in the world-maker only or an actual selectable stat from game start.

- Thing is, that it would allow for a more personal gaming experience for those players who would like to play a "non-post industrial" game. As for some victory conditions not working due to that, I'll just say that other victory conditions would work better with this feature. If we presume a possible Religious Victory condition (Unconfirmed, but not impossible), then we already know that faith would work better before the industrial age, as the effect of faith diminishes after the renaissance. (As discussed by people here http://forums.2kgames.com/showthread...igious-Victory )

Also, having it as a selectable feature would still be quicker than to go out and make a mod or try finding the correct one.