Please Let Us Create Our Own Leaders

[yeknod]

I find the selection of leaders in the game mostly uninspiring. I also find the leaders fall into three or four types with very similar buff packages. So the game re-playability is not as high as the total number of leaders might suggest. If I could create my own leader from a pool of possible buffs and de-buffs this would open the game up to more possibilities. Just assign a number of points available and a number of points for each buff and de-buff. Then I could tailor a leader to fit a desired game style. The aggressive leader types in the game come with the stiff penalty of -20 knowledge in the capital. This is onerous. It is also not logical.
Military progress has pioneered many scientific achievements. Historical Rome was aggressive. I don't notice them falling behind in technology. In fact in many ways they were leading. Ex Invention of concrete construction.

[mr_root]

I think leader choices are awesome and I agree with donkey, I would be happy to see some specialization (units, traits, buildings) which is exclusive to one civ.

[yeknod]

If you can spell donkey backwards... then you are some magician!

[lusciouslanguidity]

You can make mods

[Bulldog]

The leaders portraits appear too cartoonish looking.
Why are there so many female leaders.
The non-binary woman leaders look appalling.

[yeknod]

It quite mystifying why accomplished persons, e.g. scientists or activists, would be chosen as leaders of empires in the game. Typically a person whose concern is expansion, conquest, cultural or religious domination, does not come from a job background that requires humility, self-sacrifice, or serving others. Those personality traits appear in the lower social echelons. Leaders at the top of the food chain are voracious, suspicious, proud, self-centred, and ready to cause a lot of people to bleed if it serves their purpose. Such is the dark side of shiny 'civilisation'.

[lusciouslanguidity]

Originally posted by yeknod:

It quite mystifying why accomplished persons, e.g. scientists or activists, would be chosen as leaders of empires in the game. Typically a person whose concern is expansion, conquest, cultural or religious domination, does not come from a job background that requires humility, self-sacrifice, or serving others. Those personality traits appear in the lower social echelons. Leaders at the top of the food chain are voracious, suspicious, proud, self-centred, and ready to cause a lot of people to bleed if it serves their purpose. Such is the dark side of shiny 'civilisation'.

It’s an alt history game.

Though i see what you are saying, zero of these people are lower echelon and all achieved a lot or were (in)famous. Most of the leaders if not all have a many of those qualities you say.

You can also win this game without a hyperfocus on expansion and domination.

[Arctuhris]

I agree. There are really only 2 leaders that I find ideal for how I like to play. Given that there are no other differences between "civilizations" than leader traits, in the game's current state, I don't see myself playing anyone other than those two leaders (most of the time, anyway).

Being able to tweak or fully customize leaders would be a very welcome change.

I also agree that leaders need more unique aspects (buildings/units/abilities/etc.) to actually make games play differently. Right now, some leaders are just objectively worse than others.

[Cryten]

I think modding in leaders is fine, but a leader creator I do not personally want. I just find such things lead to purely optimum choices, even if points graded systems.

[yeknod]

A good example of character customisation is the game GOING MEDIEVAL. First there is a random character creator. So you can spam those until you get one close to what you are looking for. Then there is a way to tweak the character by assigning personality points to obtain perks or to adjust personality tendencies. It ought to be relatively simple to come up with a hundred, two hundred, three hundred invented base personalities with random tendencies. Then price out possible perks and create a way to add them or to subtract them.

[yeknod]

True fact: Albert Einstein was offered the leadership of Israel. He wrote back saying in effect It is an honor to be considered for such a position but leading a nation isn't what he is gifted to do. True fact #2 Barak Obama started his career as a social activist. So it isn't impossible for scientists and activists to lead nations. It just isn't probable. As far as social echelon is concerned scientists and activists work for dirt pay. They might be famous or infamous, but socially they are way way down the pecking order. The high and mighty in almost every society are the uber rich.

[The Former]

Originally posted by Bulldog:

The leaders portraits appear too cartoonish looking.
Why are there so many female leaders.
The non-binary woman leaders look appalling.

There are no non-binary leaders in the game, to my knowledge.

[Ara: History Untold]

Originally posted by yeknod:

I find the selection of leaders in the game mostly uninspiring. I also find the leaders fall into three or four types with very similar buff packages. So the game re-playability is not as high as the total number of leaders might suggest. If I could create my own leader from a pool of possible buffs and de-buffs this would open the game up to more possibilities. Just assign a number of points available and a number of points for each buff and de-buff. Then I could tailor a leader to fit a desired game style. The aggressive leader types in the game come with the stiff penalty of -20 knowledge in the capital. This is onerous. It is also not logical.
Military progress has pioneered many scientific achievements. Historical Rome was aggressive. I don't notice them falling behind in technology. In fact in many ways they were leading. Ex Invention of concrete construction.

This is a really interesting idea. Noted! Thanks for posting!

[yeknod]

Hey Dev. I've watched a lot of your discussions on YouTube. I know you are a dedicated and skilled group. Wishing you success in all your efforts. I'm a big fan of the game.

[Ara: History Untold]

Originally posted by yeknod:

Hey Dev. I've watched a lot of your discussions on YouTube. I know you are a dedicated and skilled group. Wishing you success in all your efforts. I'm a big fan of the game.

Thank you so much for the kind words- we really appreciate that! Thanks for playing :)