Ambitious ideas

from Elemental Forums

As an old-school gamer who played Master of Magic to death back in the day, I really like this game, even in its current state (1.07). After about 20 hours (which is more time than I spend on 90% of games that I buy), I’m enjoying it more than Civ 4 and GalCiv 2.

Since this game has nothing if not future potential, I thought I’d share some ideas for future additions/expansions/games.

1. I really like the dynasty system, where you have successors in line to the throne. So why does the game end when your sovereign dies in enemy territory? Why not allow their children to pick up where their parents left off, having epic games that span generations? 

2. Since the player is represented physically in the game by their sovereign, I would love to see a more dynamic political system, where instead of starting off as the sovereign, you start off as a minor noble and work your way up to becoming king/emperor, gaining increasing control over the kingdom/empire as you do. This could become a sort of “cooperative competition” in multiplayer, where different players compete for the throne, but still work towards their kingdom’s/empire’s common goals.

3. It would be amazing to see actual dynamic factions that split and merge (and perhaps change their names) over time. So you start off as a bunch of scattered tribes that eventually unite to form a nation, and have rebellious factions occasionally split off and become enemy nations. The possibility that your sovereign could even defect to an enemy nation also intrigues me.

4. Being a fantasy game with RPG aspects, I would love to see the sandbox mode include more story-driven aspects. Have a bunch of scripted overarching storylines that the player can select (or perhaps assign them randomly), kind of like the origin stories in Dragon Age, but not as detailed. They would then play out over the course of the game in the form of quests and storyline-specific heroes or monsters. These would obviously have to be designed in such a way as to avoid impinging on the emergent freeform nature of the sandbox mode.

Yeah I realise some of these ideas may be too vague and ambitious, and may not lead to actual fun gameplay in practice, but hey, ambitious ideas are the ones that interest me!

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Reply #1 from Elemental Forums Top

I like your idea for scripted overarching storylines that the game may randomly assign with related quests and storyline specific hereos & monsters.

I presume that each storyline would climax with a uniquely designed tactical map.

Perhaps - a 5% for each storyline arch

01-05: Storyline - A great evil dragon has captured the eggs of other dragons and now rules all dragon kind. The player must complete a series of quests to find a way to slay this evil dragon; perhaps by gaining the assistance of an ancient gold dragon, and free the other dragons from his control. Meanwhile while he is completing this quests dragons would visit his, and other relms seeking tribute. Fail to pay and your cities are ravaged by dragons that attack and reduce the population (and tiles of improvements). The final quest takes place in a great cavern where this evil dragon resides.

06-10: A great evil arises in one of the kingdoms. The players must complete a series of quests to acquire the magical items to banish this evil from the lands of elemental and close the portal from the other realm. The storyline begins by the PCs receiving news of refugees and armies of .... burning cities to the ground. The final battle occurs on a tactical map with the portal that may be attacked and destroy by phyiscal force or magic. The player must destroy the portal to stop the continual arrival of more evil units from the other realm.

11-15: A great lord of fire - a great fire elemental prince - has arisen who seeks to destroy all other lands. The player must unite the other lands to fight this lord and his minions while recovering items that will protect his army and himself from the great magic of this evil elemental lord. Perhaps the lord has placed champions in the service of othe soveigns to enthrall them. Slay these demonic champtions and their sovereign freed of their enchantment may aid your quest (or agree to remain neutral for a time). The final battle occurs on a volcanic tactical map biscected by rivers of lava.