Sitting on the fence

[Gandalf Parker]

Some updates and held-aside ideas that I need to give up now:

A) The Tower Maps have been used now in half a dozen games, and they seem to be well received. Or as well as any map. It does make for a different game. Harder to gang up in early game, less micromanagement, the F1 menu is much easier to use. Its not very "realistic" but its good for some games.

B) There are now a number of different DungeonMaster mods available. My initial one (Watcher), then other variations such as DungeonMaster or the Debug mod or Pantokrator. If you havent seen the discussions this allows for a game where one person oversees and manages aspects of the game for the whole time that its running. It allows for in-game reward/punishment systems, NPC nations, and adding new "random" events to the game.

B.1) A variant is to use the DM mod to wish immediately for an arena. The game is designed as "All Pretenders to the Arena Please". Its a one-turn game but an interesting idea that shouldnt be forgotten.

C) A new feature has been added (by scripting) where a host can close off the option for players to turn themselves AI. This is handy for enforcing a rule such as "no going AI for the first 50 turns" and forcing the search for substitutes. It is also possible to pre-check gods for mod-compatability.

D) Remember that the mod switch is fixed. It is much easier to include all mods in games. That includes modded nations. Some of those are prime for use as AI opponents. Designing an AI into a game can make it much more viable as an opponent than the vanilla AIs you remember tutoring against. The scenario options are still broken for download/solo play but very workable for server games. Lets put the hated banned nations back into a few games as the goal of the game. How about resurrect my Dom2 scenario. LA Ermor in the corner almost entirely surrounded by water. Surrounded and allied closely with Rlyeh and Atlantis. "D.A.R.E. the Deadly Atlantis Ryleh Ermor alliance." Or the Pangaean map with all 3 Pangaeas and 2 Oceanias AIs allied. "The nations of Man have proven harmful to the world. Now you shall face Global Swarming!". Or two of Amos mods using the christian flavored one with angels and the satanic one with demons. Put them at top and bottom of a map, boosted AIs with settings to make them move toward each other. Then put all the players in between. "pagans, heathens, and idols. Give up your petty grievances and unite to survive"

E) There are also some very fun mods that add more-more-more to the game. More pretenders, more heroes, more magic sites, more summons, more spells, more nations. How about a really large game with as many of those as you can dig up (someone better at using the mod merging tool maybe)

F) The ultimate ally game. Let each player have 2 or 3 nations at once in order to closely ally them (and lets pretend it doesnt happen sometimes anyway). For more fun, use SingleAgeComplete mod so that they can even play with all 3 versions of the same nation if they want to.

G) Having the Independents operate with AI is a fun variant. Set it so that the white flags are able to choose a pretender, build, expand, move armies around. Ouch.

H) One of Kristoffers mods to limit magic to level 4 or level 6

I) A game with NO GODS. Just armies and magic. Or maybe even just armies.

J) Variation on the "All Gods to the Arena" game but doesnt need the DM mod. A game where the map is designed so that everyone can meet instantly. Pretender and starting armies deciding the game right away. Or maybe giving a turn or two to modify the starting army slight but agreeing on when everyone will meet in the middle.

[rdonj]

E would really be a lot better once the patch comes out. Just to make sure you can squeeze in as many things as possible. And I think the pretender arena matches would be much more fun if you had, say, all spells up to level 6 set to level 0, to add a bit more variety. You could maybe add in a few turns to build some small amount of gear... or not.

Amos' demon nation would make for a pretty fierce boosted AI. It'd be better as a boosted human due to practically all magic being blood, but that's one of the best existing nations for the AI to play.

[Gandalf Parker]

Note from another forum which should be put here for posterity in case it hasnt been mentioned here already....

Epic games with less micromanagement have been accomplished by things like using a small map but turning the settings for gold, resources, research, and HoF way down; events up, indepts to max (and AI turned on). I cant think of what else. It was different but I didnt see people rushing to do it again

And one from a completely different sites IRC chat:

In the Shrapnel forums the creative writings are AAR (here usually called LP's). There was a game JUST for AARs. The goal wasnt to just win (using unthematic strategies) but to PLAY the nation. Each nation was required to writeup their turns

It was the last time I remember one of the Dom3 games bringing Kristoffer out of the woodwork to play in an MP with us

[Korwin]

Interesting thread, is there a mod for playing the same Nation more than once?
Liked that idea.

[NTJedi]

Originally Posted by Gandalf Parker

It was the last time I remember one of the Dom3 games bringing Kristoffer out of the woodwork to play in an MP with us

The developers sometimes playing multiplayer would definitely spike interest in the current game. I recall a game hosted by Kristoffer where a stronger AI was in the center and started with 3 manticores. Unfortunately manticores can be swarmed and killed easily. I think immobile high level mages would have been much more effective.

[ExHeretic]

I have been thinking about 8 player map little bit like the old teather of war map. There would be 4 spheres with something like 20 provinces each. Two players start from the same sphere. Then there would be two spheres with something like 30 to 40 provinces. The 4 winners from small spheres would move to the bigger ones. And you probably guessed it already but there would be one big sphere where the remaining two would go for it in the end. Player would not be allowed to move to the next sphere before his opponent is defeated. Maybe there should be two connection points between the spheres. This kind of map would make bit different game where fast kills would be rewarded. It might benefit the bless nations more but i guess it would not be too big problem. It would be like rush game where turtling is only going to kill you. There would also be no dogpiles involved. Strenght of the independents should probably be set to 9. It would be possible to make 16 player version too.

I would be really interested in game like this

Dominions total war