Re: Starting Population Amount
 

I can't think of any good reason for it not to be random. Different provinces have different land areas. A capital is going to have more people than a non-capital of the same area, simply because the capital will attract people to it. Terrain type should probably have more effect than it does now.

All population below the thousands digit is just noise anyway, IMO.

Re: Starting Population Amount
 

To me the only thing "entirely unnecessary" would be losing even 1 minute, for someone doing the next patch, to change it ^_^

(jk konmig, don't take it badly http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif )

Re: Starting Population Amount
 

I like the slight random fluctuation and view it as added flavour.

Re: Starting Population Amount
 

It would tend to irritate strict strategists in multiplayer games. But since the more serious ones will create and play on balanced maps, and there is a map command to do population, I would figure that its already taken care of.

Re: Starting Population Amount
 

The difference between 29k and 31k is about 7%. Assuming about 1 gold per 100 population (I don't know precisely) that would be up to 20 gold per turn difference, from 290-310gp. To put that in perspective, if you start with lots of mountains around, the first provinces you would conquer would have under 30gp per province, but a neighbour in plains would get about 100gp per province. It's also considerably less than the admin bonuses of start cities (about 30%-60%).

Changing capital start populations (and thus income) to any particular degree dependent on terrain is in my view a *really* bad move. You would virtually write off every nation who started on mountains/wasteland the minute the game started. On the other hand, a random fluctuation of 7% is little more than flavour.

Re: Starting Population Amount
 

hmmm; changing starting cap populations could make for some interesting specialty games when combined with modded nations. like having nations with strong starting troops, but a poor starting province (kinda like barbarians looking for better land)

or a team game format wherein some teams are larger but get worse starting provinces/position.

but in normal games it feels like the variance shouldn't be more than 100 or so.

Re: Starting Population Amount
 

To me the even 1 minute spent to add this "entirely unnecessary" "feature" in the first place is "entirely unnecessary". http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

Re: Starting Population Amount
 

Yeah but it's there, adapt or perish!!!!! XD

Re: Starting Population Amount
 

Just to clarify, this is only in regard to resources and pop, a swamp's still a swamp in terms of combat penalties and army movement, IIRC.

Re: Starting Population Amount
 

+1 for setting all provinces to 30Kin the beginning. This difference really matters, that's true.
However, I don't really believe this will be fixed http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif