While I greatly appreciate all the dedicated work involved in this project (so much that I am making my own hard-copy), there is one thing about the choice of commodities that remains a little unsatisfying to me: Why FRUIT as a trade commodity?

It wasn't until the advent of refrigeration that fruit (and other perishable commodities) could be transferred over long distances without spoiling. Certainly, fruit would be actively traded within a civilization on a local level; but it would not be traded in economically significant quantities between civilizations as depicted in the trading phase of this game. In addition, I think the graphics for the FRUIT cards are unintentionally amusing; they look like frozen ice cream treats to me.

But then again, I've had a bone to pick with the trade cards since I started playing CIVILIZATION in 1982. What's the deal with having IRON as a level-2 commodity, while BRONZE is level-6? It ought to be the other way around, eh?

We've actually had this discussion already, and the consensus last time around was that fruit actually was traded, and was quite valuable too. Semi-fresh fruit could be transported between neighbouring civilizations, and and over longer distances dried fruit was an important trade resource.

Can't argue with you there. If you have some better graphics I'm open for suggestions.

Yes, it probably should have been. Not about to change it in CivProject though, and Bronze does look more valuable when comparing the cards...

And welcome BTW! I see this was your first post. It's always nice to see some new faces.

These were posted to people's objection to Fruit:

I'm a little unclear on who you are addressing, me or Mcbeth... but I'll answer the question anyway!

Fish and Fruit (ala olives, peppers and dried fruits) WERE traded in the ancient world, just not over long voyages. So obviously it is a little unrealitic to say that the Iberians import Babylonian Dried fruit, but for closer neighbors it was very viable.

Fruit:
http://www.raisins.org/history.html
http://www.galenfrysinger.com/damascus_syria.htm
http://www.allaboutgreekwine.com/wineries/emery/
http://www.naturalhub.com/natural_food_ ... common.htm

Here is a possible new background layer for fruit -some dates. Sorry I couldn't just make up a finished card. Perhaps someone else can.

http://img514.imageshack.us/img514/9707/newfruit5qj.png

That image does have potential to be better than the current fruit card. However, I'll not use a card where you can actually see the borders of cut-and-paste regions. The graphics are also somewhat small and detailed. Perhaps a larger scale would be nicer. If you wan't to spend some more love on it I'll include it in the new template, when I get back to work on it.

I'm actually working on some new images for some of the blander trade cards (fruit, some of the metals). Here is the fruit. What do you guys think?

http://www.civproject.net/images/Fruittest.gif

I'll post them as they are available and people can give it the thumbs up or down.

I love it! Looks much better than the current card.

Looks better than anything I could do. Thanks John!

Stone!
http://www.civproject.net/images/stonetest.png

Thumbs up or down?

Gold!
http://www.civproject.net/images/goldtest.png

Thumbs up or down?

Wow! Two thumbs up from me if I can steal the phrase.

How about some Bronze?

http://www.civproject.net/images/bronzetest.png

Yea? Nay?

Silver?

http://www.civproject.net/images/silvertest.png

Lead....

http://www.civproject.net/images/leadtest.png

Copper...

http://www.civproject.net/images/coppertest.png