What would you like to see in 2nd xpansion?

because the forums are kinda dead...

So just in the hopes of starting a prolonged and interesting conversation: What would you like to see in the 2nd so far untitled expansion? Try to keep ideas reasonable, practical, and detailed.

I would like to see more depth added to trade. Currently except to rip off stupid AI's and get free trade treaties there isn't really a point to trading with other players. Which is a shame because the city specializaton in elemental would make trade interesting. Entire empires have been founded around trade historically. Some non-stackable secondary resources like food that allow players to build unique buildings and units would work i would think....

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Reply #1 Top

Flying units, both strategic and tactical. I don't really care for naval fighting, but if it's done as smoothly as it was in Shogun2 I'd be in on it.

I would also like to see one more realm, for example underground.

And I'd like to see the game opened up some for mod scripts.

Edit: And also, I'd like to see much more fantasy elements. Not just king X who begat queen Y who built a new city. I want floating islands, magic wildfires, dying gods, undead tomb kings.

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Reply #2 Top

Line of sight and obstructive terrain in tactical combat (ie: walls).

Multiplayer brought up to feature parity with single player.

Reply #3 Top

I want dungeons. Tactical maps should be able to link to a potentially unlimited number of other maps and new art should be created to make really good looking dungeons. 

Also, a huge increase in spells and the AI tags to back it up. 

Reply #4 Top

Particularly with elemental being more single player focused the dungeons would be nice, they wouldnt be as practical in a multiplayer game.  However I agree that they could be set up either as a random map of connected tiles, or a preset map, or even if your search is abstracted as say 5 tactical 'fights' in a row.  there could be non-enemy things to interact with on the tactical screen.

I'd have the multi-play work the same way as the main game, the map can determine  the speed (world settings).  Id have some option for the tactical battle (and a better auto resolve function).  That way the game could be set up to have battles with only one player and the npc monsters/characters move more quickly and the ones with player vs. player or some team up thing run in tactical.  All or most of the other stuff should be fine the way it is.  Id probably run it as more of a lan set up thing, with just basic matchmaking (probably thru impulse account or their id on the forum), running off of the player's pcs not a server.  Geographic location might limit some people with slower connections, but chances are that your not really going to be searching for a random game most of the time but to play with specific people.  Though I wouldn't be opposed to some kind of option for open random slots.  Might have to limit faction/sov choices to prevent duplicates (probably go by first come first serve) or allow an opportunity to play it with an alternate name and color set (perhaps just grabbing one from an unused faction).

It might run slower as you wait for the other players, but I'd let them worry about that or worry about tweaking things after that point- perhaps recommending adjustment on graphical settings?

Naval/arial combat could be cool but im not sure of the best way to go about it.  Perhaps kick to a tactical battle with special tiles (such as if a ship weapon tile is stood on, a unit may activate it for their turn to use ship defenses, and targetable areas such as a mast or rudder that can debuff the opponent if they are taken out.   Or sea monsters effectively composed of a few seperate units.  A giant squid with say 4 arms that act independently for movement/attack and take up one tile each (targetable monster body optional).  Or that could be a tactical battle that takes place a level below a ship vs. ship tactical battle (using the ship/fleet members as the units) with the carried units coming into play when ships are join melee range or use a board option or something).

Some more fantastic elements to the environment/ locations would be nice, we may see some in FE, but right now its like magic based society trying to establish on a world previously uninhabited.  There dont seem to be any lost technology or pieces of the past on the map, just wasteland.  The goodie huts and nodes help some, but you'd think you could find say a ruined city, instead of a go in and get an item goodie hut, it could do a roll to see what you find (perhaps a limited list of items/tech that are removed from the list after found, but you could still encounter wildlife, raiders, or nothing when you go back- it would also provide a place to build up troop xp. Otherwise it could be visited say 5 times before it is considered explored (some of these could stay on the map after cleared so as to break up the landscape (and would prevent building on it unless you cleared the land).

I'm hoping FE will address some of the modding limits so we have a little more freedom to tweak the game.

Reply #5 Top

I would like to see an option for Sovereign/Champion only tactical encounters - for entering dungeons and exploring ancient ruins.

Reply #6 Top

Assuming FE works as intended and is fun, I just want multiplayer and customizable options for creating a random terrain and options to choose whether to use specific spells and technologies -

It was a habit for the Heroes of M&M series to heve to wait for the expansions in order to have a well developed random map generator. (Yeah I know there is already an unofficial one, but the one I want should allow also to include quantity/frequency of resources and all sort of options)

 

Reply #7 Top

I agree about the trade... trade in Master of Magic was handled easily; all you had to do was have engineers build a road between towns, and bingo you got trade income.  Whilst the physical caravans are kinda interesting I really wish it would be more automatic as it gets very, very tedious to have to manually replace each caravan when it gets destroyed by your enemies or some random bandit.  I would like trade between cities to be automatic; for example we could click on a city and set/view it's trade routes.  We could set sea lane trade by clicking a port city and clicking another button on another city.  Same thing with land trade, and they'd generate traders on their own and not take up precious unit queue time.  In this way we can still have well-traveled roads become better paved, but if your trade lanes are cut or you set them elsewhere they will gradually fall into disrepair and eventually become choked by vegetation and must be rebuilt.

In short, physical traders are great but not if you have to micromanage them.  So I'm hoping to see a change on that front.

I would also LOVE to see Concealment come into play on the strategic map.  I really wish I could field some bow using rangers in cloaks that could hide in forests and avoid being seen...  Come to think of it let's make forests more interesting.  Units moving through forests in general should be given at least some kind of rudimentary concealment, people have used trees and vegetation for cover since time immemorial.  Perhaps we could have Ranger Gear or backpacks that allow forces to move through forests without suffering the movement penalty, or the abovementioned cloaks and other clothing to hide better.  You would expect a small band of leather-clad archers to blend in easier than a gigantic horde of steel-encased warriors.  Could even make faction traits to further the forest benefit; Elves ftw!

Reply #8 Top

Quoting Heavenfall, reply 1
Flying units, both strategic and tactical. I don't really care for naval fighting, but if it's done as smoothly as it was in Shogun2 I'd be in on it.

I would also like to see one more realm, for example underground.

And I'd like to see the game opened up some for mod scripts.

Edit: And also, I'd like to see much more fantasy elements. Not just king X who begat queen Y who built a new city. I want floating islands, magic wildfires, dying gods, undead tomb kings.

This, but it all should have been included in WoM a year ago. So if FE won't have these features I'll consider it another joke and I'll be hoping it'll be demolished by reviewers.

Reply #9 Top

I'm just hoping FE is fun, solid and polished.  Remember that because WoM was so far behind the game, it takes a while to catch up.  As long as FE is fun, solid and polished, and has some gains it consolidates, then I'll be happy.  That would leave the third Elemental to branch out a bit.  But relatively soon, they need a fun, solid, polished base and a significant ability to mod on top of that (which should come not soon after FE release).  Good modding can't be left out for too much longer.

Best regards,
Steven.

Reply #10 Top

My wishlist:

 

64-bit game  (so all my RAM can be used)

Well-Done Naval Combat

More Diverse Content and Experiences- because by the time the 2nd XP is out, I hope to have played this game enough that I've seen everything.

Increased AI on the weak points of the game, whatever those are.

 

That's my wishlist, one new feature, and improve on FE's foundation (I'm assuming FE achieves about 80% of what SD is claiming)

 

 

Reply #11 Top

I hope they managed to keep fleshing out the world, but without turning it into the usual sub-Tolkien, Games Workshop style mishmash of fantasty troops. It would be good to see some of the lesser used myths turning up in one form or other.

Reply #12 Top

400+ spells (well just alot really )
1500 items (well ok alot more items than currently - from magic hero stuff to unit gear)
better tactical battle options (action points would matter in defence also - instead of every unit having their max counter attacks instantly when end of turn)
more monsters than just humanoids running around
Monsters dont just spawn randomly (they spawn from unclaimed/defeated ruins/dungeons or forests)

neutral heroes appear in city influences and fight monsters if encountered - also they may walk to a city and offer their services (rental instead of permanent hire)
(like a farmer hero dont just walk around randomly he might walk to a city and say (hey pay me 30 and then ill helpyour city for x number of  turns) - or heroes will walk in and sell items they (found- weapons and such)

the more food/gold/economic stability you have in your cities the more heroes appear.

Special traveling merchants (have a large hero group with them - you can fight  them if you want but its hard - you get their stock and gold if you win - or you can buy from them special items)

Hero gear doesent cost ludricously amounts (they can buy the basic gear at same price (it really doesent make sense)
make some singular items only availeble for heroes (not enough to equip armies with ) and they cost alot

special monster events -(like a node has been corrupted and is now spewing out type monster constantly - to stop it it must be claimed by hero
or

unclaimed nodes attract monsters

a FORTIFY AND FORGET OPTION! (i am sooo tired of having to click through units i placed somewhere that im never gonna move again)

make it easier to see where caravans can go (like if you have a city that ahs allredy sent out 2 caravans and you just build a 3rd - but cant recall which cities you have sent too - it will show on the map that this caravans options are (for instance the 2 other cities suddenly get a font color change- or the two trade routes become visible with a glowing line - this would help alot when you loose a caravan but you honestly dont know which city it was going too)


Reply #13 Top

Generally

A balanced, competetive SP game like Age of Wonders Shadow Magic (pace, power & gamemechanics)

 

Specifically

Sovereign locked to his wizardtower like in Master of Magic or Age of Wonders Shadow Magic.

Explorable dungeons like in Age of Wonders. You should also be able to understand how difficult a dungeon would be (i.e NOT like Master of Magic!)

Different races/factions like in Age of Wonders (both visually & gameplaywise)

Cool graphics & soundeffects like the cinematic camera in Heroes V (it's SO satisfying to kill enemies this way! }:) ). Imagine your Ogre smiling before he smashes that do-goodie Altarian to BITS!  }:)   And with a satisfying metalwrangling sound (if the enemy has metalarmor).

Reply #14 Top

Quoting Heavenfall, reply 1
Flying units, both strategic and tactical. I don't really care for naval fighting, but if it's done as smoothly as it was in Shogun2 I'd be in on it.

I would also like to see one more realm, for example underground.

And I'd like to see the game opened up some for mod scripts.

Edit: And also, I'd like to see much more fantasy elements. Not just king X who begat queen Y who built a new city. I want floating islands, magic wildfires, dying gods, undead tomb kings.

This is a great post, and really getting at where I'd like to see Elemental. Only difference is flying units aren't a top priority for me. But the extra fantasy elements and underground realms would make the game for me, assuming we could take advantage of them.

Reply #15 Top

Quoting Umbranoth, reply 7
In short, physical traders are great but not if you have to micromanage them. So I'm hoping to see a change on that front.

Ya I agree, I would like to see traders changed so that after they die they re-spawn eventually automatically. It would really cut down on some boring and annoying micromanagement. However I love the caravan system in place now, but it hasn't reached it's potential. The loss of a caravan should cost the player a significant portion of resources and net the destroyer them. The gold reward now is a joke. If caravans had higher bounties it would really encourage army splitting, skirmishing, border guards and banditry! Who doesn't like role playing as bandits? Don't have metal and don't feel like trading for it? Then launch a lightning raid on a iron rich players caravans.The strategic depth of the game would also improve greatly, especially when naval units are added..... 

:ninja:

Reply #16 Top

Naval stuff. Ships for trade, ships for military. Aquatic enemies, and things in the water that are worth sailing to. Islands.

Dynasties back. Proper heritance, some sort of interpersonal relationships. A relatively limited thing, like in most Paradox games, rather than a huger thing like Crusader Kings.

Proper tactical combat. Impassable terrain and dynamic tiles, including defenses in cities dependent on built improvements

 

So basically, fixing and re-implementing the features from E:WoM. That's what's most important at this point.

 

I'd also like:

More in-depth city design. Actual efficiency bonuses, at least to the level of Supreme Commander, not necessarily as complicated as dedicated city sims. The problem is this might be too nitty-gritty for some, but an auto-placer should be relatively easy, just have some lines that check for maximum bonuses when building a new building. This would sync well thematically with the defense of cities that will necessarily come with adding tactics to tactical battles.

 Flying would be cool, but without impassible terrain it's pointless in tactical battles, and without interesting naval situations, it's pointless in strategic. Once those things are in, a few flying units would be good. A powerful magical equipment that makes your horses able to fly would also be pretty boss.

Reply #17 Top

I do have to add that I also find the traders to be rather tedious in WOM- it should be automatic once you build a road (which is what the caravans should do)

 

Trading just isn't fun to micromanage in a 4X game when you can blow up stuff or explore instread

Reply #19 Top

I'd like a good map editor. Like in say... AoW. :)

Reply #20 Top

Great news Magog! You are the only thread the devs read this week and they have already added your request. Its called the Cartographer's Table and you can find it with the other editors. 

 

Lucky :P

Reply #21 Top

Quoting seanw3, reply 20
Great news Magog! You are the only thread the devs read this week and they have already added your request. Its called the Cartographer's Table and you can find it with the other editors. 

 

Lucky

The Cartographers table can be called many things, "good" is not one of them.

Reply #22 Top

The easiest way to implement navies would to just allow the AI to build transports and add some ship tactical maps for when transports meet. Then you could just add trade ships, a few sea monsters, and some water resources. Call it the HoMM navy style. I would like to see a complex dedicated ship on ship combat but I don's see how it would work with Elemental's magic, tech tree, and custom unit design. It would be a lot of work to do well. Maybe they could do the easy part first and add the more complex stuff later.

An underground level would be cool and could allow for some nice exploration. It could be added instead of dungeons, which in my opinion don't really fit elemental. Making the underground hard to enter and very dangerous would leave some exploration for late-game. They should have different environments instead of just caves; like ruins, dungeons, volcanic caves, mushroom forest, and flooded caves. They also shouldn't be everywhere. They should function more like dungeons and occasional secret passages then a whole new world, although you could occasionally stumble upon a huge cavern worthy of building a city in.

Floating isles would also be very cool and original, but how would you implement them exactly? Would they be a new level like the underground, and if so how would you travel between them? Could you build under them, or would they just be plateaus that require flying to reach? lol, unless they implement flying caravans building on them would be hard.

Reply #23 Top

I would like to see multiple levels like the Underground/Shadow levels in AOW:SM except with the ability to adjust the realm to what you want with any bonuses and penalties for that realm. For example if I have the D&D Forgotten Realms and I wanted to attach to it the Plane of water/Fire/Earth/Air etc then I could with adjusted penalties and such for traveling the realm.

I also want to see all sorts of movement abilities/spells for units and heroes :  Walking (for ground movement) Flying, Swimming, Tunneling, Underground, Forest. Fire etc.

Good Navel Combat (or at least like the ground combat but on the water)

I would like a user friendly editor to allow access to create maps, spells, units, heroes, abilities ETC. without having to go into code and manipulate the date as it is done now.

MP to have exactly the same options and game play as SP. Now there should be options for things like turn times, Simultaneous turns as well as other options to taylor your MP as you want.  Also options for the Tactical combat in MP. (I would play all my MP as full on SP game play with Simultaneous turns similar to AOW:SM so you can still do things while waiting for the other players to finish their turns

More useful spells.

More useful abilities.

 

Reply #24 Top

Quoting seanw3, reply 20
Great news Magog! You are the only thread the devs read this week and they have already added your request. Its called the Cartographer's Table and you can find it with the other editors. 

 

Lucky

The editor for Age of Wonders: Shadow Magic allows for far greater control, allowing for significantly better maps.

+1 for a decent map editor.

Reply #25 Top

Quoting Gwenio1, reply 24



Quoting seanw3,
reply 20
Great news Magog! You are the only thread the devs read this week and they have already added your request. Its called the Cartographer's Table and you can find it with the other editors. 

 

Lucky


The editor for Age of Wonders: Shadow Magic allows for far greater control, allowing for significantly better maps.

+1 for a decent map editor.

Also the Unit Editor for AOW:SM is not too bad either. I have made hundreds of units