Game play idea(s)

from Elemental Forums

Three things.  One, I thinking influence is underutilized (except for Kraxis).  Two, the path of the governor is just not as useful as the other paths.  Three, the computer doesn't build up it's champions as well as the player.  

An idea that would be interesting and would address all these things.  In the path of the governor there should be an ability (or maybe an ability with tiers)  which allows recruitment of other kingdoms champions.  It should cost influence based on the champions level.  The same level limits and kingdom vs empire limits in hiring should still apply.

Most importantly, champions should have a new stat, loyalty, which can be built up (an adjustable salary? or titles which can be given to champions? Yes this is a lot like Romance of the Three Kingdoms if anyone has played those games).

The idea is a champion who has the "recruit" ability gets a one time (per enemy champion) chance in battle to get an opponents champion to switch sides.  The chance of success would be based on the recruiters ability tier (if there are different levels of the ability) and the recruited's loyalty level. It should cost influence whether or not the champion switches sides.

Another thing about this mechanic is it opens up a few spell possibilities.  I picture high level death mages being able to turn their champions into unrecruitable zombies.  But I may be jumping the shark there.

Another thing, I've thought for a while that it would make sense for kingdoms that declare war on other kingdoms to have to spend influence to do so.  These guys use life magic and warfare doesn't feel very life magicy.  Empires should also have to spend influence to attack other empires (it doesn't make as much sense but the balance is needed for game play).  Kingdoms should be able to attack empires (and the opposite) with out an influence cost.

I like an influence cost for declaring war on its own but I think as a mechanic it works with the recruit ability to prevent (make it harder for) players declaring war just to recruit champions.

Thanks for reading my run on post.

3,469 views 2 replies
Reply #1 from Elemental Forums Top

1. Path of the governor is actually quite powerful early game, you get bonus prestige (helps your empire growth), you can single handedly hold up your entire economy (via merchant) for the early game, and you can generate quite a bit of research (again, for the early game). All of this is counter balanced by the fact that once your empire grows, they become less and less useful. It's not something people use often, but I really wouldn't call it "not as useful", it really just depends on how you use it.

2. The stealing of champions is an absolutely devastatingly powerful ability. Even if the chance is low, losing a champion that you spend god knows how long to raise into a wargod and getting rolled by him is an instant load for all but the most hard core people. It doesn't get any more broken than this.

3. The influence thing is too easy to bypass. It's too easy to get the AI to war you (I already do this to avoid the offending penalties of war), so doing this just makes the AI spend all of its influence. Besides, influence is mainly a civilization resource, if you require this to go to war, all the warlike factions would then have to go civilized just to declare war. That just makes no sense.

Reply #2 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting Kalin, reply 1
1. Path of the governor is actually quite powerful early game, you get bonus prestige (helps your empire growth), you can single handedly hold up your entire economy (via merchant) for the early game, and you can generate quite a bit of research (again, for the early game). All of this is counter balanced by the fact that once your empire grows, they become less and less useful. It's not something people use often, but I really wouldn't call it "not as useful", it really just depends on how you use it.

2. The stealing of champions is an absolutely devastatingly powerful ability. Even if the chance is low, losing a champion that you spend god knows how long to raise into a wargod and getting rolled by him is an instant load for all but the most hard core people. It doesn't get any more broken than this.

3. The influence thing is too easy to bypass. It's too easy to get the AI to war you (I already do this to avoid the offending penalties of war), so doing this just makes the AI spend all of its influence. Besides, influence is mainly a civilization resource, if you require this to go to war, all the warlike factions would then have to go civilized just to declare war. That just makes no sense.
End of Kalin's quote

 

Thanks for responding to my post.

1 The path of the governor would be quite powerful early game, but you don't actually get any of those bonuses early game.  To get all those bonuses you would have to get one of your champs to probably around level ten, which would put you past the early game.  Why spend all your time leveling a champion in battle, to get a slight (when compared to what cities can contribute) economic buff when you could have a level ten champion with the path of the assassin and a berserker axe.

2. It would be a powerful ability.  But it would be limited in use.  Kingdoms couldn't use it on empires champions (and the opposite, although the betrayer ability would be an exception), to recruit a champ over lvl 9 you would need the correct research, sovereigns couldn't be recruited.  The player should be able to make some of his champions very loyal.  You can always see which enemy champions have the recruit ability and avoid them.  When I finally get around to researching and recruiting higher level champions my starting champion has so out powered them that they become redundant.  I keep most of them back protecting my cities or with secondary armies.  If having a recruiting ability means that the player can't put all his eggs in one basket, good.  Finally, you could try and recruit your hero back.

3. Getting the AI to go to war with you is an issue with the AI (and the way the game calculates strength).  That is something Brad will fix as the AI improves.  But to your point with civilization research you can't really build a strong army with out researching on the civ tree anyway.  The game is built so you need to research all three trees to some extent.  Army size and group size are both on  the civ tree.  I think I saw fell dragons at the top of the civ tree too (but I might be remembering that incorrectly).  Also influence can be gained from resources and buildings that aren't research dependant.

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