Mod MegaVanilla "lets play chess" mod

Gandalf Parker · #1 November 28th, 2008, 03:36 PM

OK not quite Chess but close to it. This is for those who have wished to challenge others to a game of Dominions with equal nations. This wipes out all of the nations in Era 1 (early age) and then replaces them with nations that are all matching except for flags and scoreboard colors. Same gods, same units, same magic sites, same heros, etc. So you an challenge your buddy to a game and call the game "Skill-n-Luck" (because the winner will claim it was all skill and the loser will claim its all luck).

Mega Vanilla NationsVer 0.00

Gandalf Parker · #2 November 28th, 2008, 03:41 PM

The projecty is housed here for now...
http://www.dom3minions.com/~mmdom3/MegaVanilla/

The VanillaNation.txt is one of the nations printed out with some added notes.

The MVmod_maker.sh is a script I use to generate the dm file. So if anyone has a suggestion it will be really easy to generate a new version with the change in all of the nations involved.

Gandalf Parker · #3 November 28th, 2008, 04:03 PM

Im still working on the magic sites. Id like to come up with 4 that gives equal amounts of each gem and some decent units. Something that provides for pursuing as many of the magic paths as possible for different strategies. All while still using only the units that are in the game. I want to avoid modding sites and units altho I might have to go with that.

Gregstrom · #4 November 29th, 2008, 05:46 AM

I like this mod. When I've got a few less games going on, I might well put up a MP on llamaerver with it.

rdonj · #5 December 3rd, 2008, 04:27 AM

Why no militia? If ever there was a nation that would benefit from militia, it would have to be this one. You could maybe use flagellants as chaff instead but it would be nice if they could be made cheaper also to feel more chaff-like. Also, it seems like if you're going to have flagellants in a nation, the priesthood should be a little stronger to inspire that sort of faith in its followers. Another thing that could be interesting is if you add high priests for example, allow them to summon a small amount of flagellants each month.

I'm not entirely sure I like the idea of making druids the only non-cap only mage. They're fairly weak as far as mages go and if one player finds one or two good mage sites and no one else finds anything that interesting they could end up being much more powerful than anyone else. And with forts having such low admin the independants that a player finds could also have a very significant effect on how the game turns out. Unless you played on an NI map with the no mage site mod....

Gandalf Parker · #6 December 5th, 2008, 12:27 AM

The druids were my idea of a "generic" independent version of a mage. 1 point in nature, plus 1 in priest. And stealth, leads 10. Seemed to cover some bases. There is the amazons of course but they are so obviously amazon. There are the shamans for the various poptype tribes which might work.

But as I said this is version 0.00 so feel free to suggest something else.

rdonj · #7 December 5th, 2008, 02:10 AM

Well, probably something that's still fairly weak but slightly more diverse. An alchemist's paths don't look too bad... might be a bit weird making an alchemist the generic mage type I suppose. Augurs could work also. I would almost suggest more that there were several types of generic low level mages, so there was a little more diversity in national mage strength.

Gregstrom · #8 December 6th, 2008, 05:44 PM

I guess there's got to be a choice here - either give access to lvl 1 in all paths at each castle, or have only a token researcher. If it's a token researcher, how about a unit with no paths and a sage bonus?

Gandalf Parker · #9 December 7th, 2008, 08:47 PM

Hmmmm..... I might have to mod replacements.
Give everyone?

A) 8 mages and each has 1 in a magic type

but that shuts down some strategies that need combination magics.

B) mages with 3 randoms off of all magic magic types

But that brings luck back heavily into the game. Trying to get the combo for the spell or equipment vital to your strategy

C) create slightly different nations and have each one a slight lead in two magics.

That way they can select the nation they need. But then how many combinations is that? (Im terrible at math)

D) create 8 nations and have each get a mage with 1 in a specific magic and 2 randoms of any magic.

That allows for maybe getting 3 in the same magic. Not too bad. People can select the nation which boosts them toward their strategy. But are we then back to the original premise of Dominions? They still will go up against a nation who is balanced against them. Same strengths and weaknesses.

Gandalf Parker · #10 December 7th, 2008, 08:50 PM

How about this?
16 nations with the same recruitable units and also
1 sage
1 minor mage with 2 in x magic
1 capital mage with 1 in x magic and 2 randoms
also 1 magic site that gives 1 in each gem (and a blood slave)

Each magic would exist twice. So 2 nature boosted nations, 2 astral boosted, etc etc. So if you wanted to EXACTLY match then you could. That way if your favorite strategy, spell, equipment needed nature you could take the green nation and if his needed astral he could take the white one. You would both be operating with exactly the same bonuses in your chosen magics.