Ideas

from Elemental Forums

I love this game, even with it's many flaws. What makes this game so good is how you create your own world. That being said as they game progresses and becomes more "complete," I feel as though it is falling further and further from the original ideas that made it so great. I have a few ideas that I would like to share. Also I would like to state that as I am not new to this game I am new to this forum. So please forgive me if any of these ideas have been discussed in the past.

  1. Bring back single units and bring back the ability for them to re-equip. This would give the player more role-playing options as well as making single units useful late game. The ability to re-equip could be a research option. This would require the player to focus on the items part of the tech-tree to make this option more useful, but this does give the player more options and after all that is what this game is good for.
  2. Give the player more options with Hero unit's. For example, allowing Hero unit's to marry one another.
  3. Give the player the option to capture Hero unit's. Taking enemy officers hostage and making them prisoners was a common strategy used in medieval warfare. This would give the player the diplomatic advantage or disadvantage if the tables were turned. Being able to barter the release of prisoner's would give this game another great dimension. Also, a big problem I always have is computer player's wantonly killing of their children and thus leaving my sovereign's offspring without available suitor's. This would help eliminate such problems.
  4. Number three ties in with number four as this relates to better diplomatic options. Late game diplomacy is not what it should be. The ability to negotiate terms with the various sovereigns on things like resources and land claims would be interesting. This would be like how you could trade planets and mining bases in Galactic Civilizations 2.
  5. Better siege options. For examples giving the garrisoned player a castle in the battle map and the attacking player more siege unit choices.
  6. A council option where a player could go to a council screen with all of his children and other Hero unit's sitting and discussing strategy. This could be an interesting way for a player to receive game tip's. It is also a very fun role-playing option as a player would feel more involved in the world itself.
  7. A wider selection of items. I often find myself wishing early game items could be used late game. A two handed mace would be cool. A one handed spear and shield option. A played should also be able to deck out his unit's in his faction's banner. Giving a unit a standard for an aura effect. The list for this is endless, but I am very adamant about the ability to put the player's faction's banner on the unit's armor. For example on the chest and shoulder's.

Any sarcastic comments will be disregarded I am only interested in sharing my opinion about how the game can be improved.

31,532 views 30 replies
Reply #1 from Elemental Forums Top

Give the player the option to capture Hero unit's. Taking enemy officers hostage and making them prisoners was a common strategy used in medieval warfare. This would give the player the diplomatic advantage or disadvantage if the tables were turned. Being able to barter the release of prisoner's would give this game another great dimension. Also, a big problem I always have is computer player's wantonly killing of their children and thus leaving my sovereign's offspring without available suitor's. This would help eliminate such problems.

I don't know how feasible it is from a programming standpoint, but I really really like this idea. I think it's a great alternative to the current injury system. 

Reply #2 from Elemental Forums Top

Too tired to give proper feedback, but I love your ideas (in any case at least as ideas), I especially like the idea of hero capturing if that would remove some of all this "wounds" nonsense ... (Its not that I don't like wounds, I just don't want my heroes to have them! :D)

As for "wider selection of items".. I think they said they would add more of everything at some point, somewhere, so don't fear too much! :D (Though I am not too sure).

5: Why do everyone want castles and siege stuff, I agree that defending a city should change the tactical map, but I do not think castles and forts have to be there, I would rather see a barricaded field for combat, with one or two archer towers, so sieges doesnt go overly complicated.

3: what do you mean about children? I see no children in this game :S  and marriage? :S were playing The Sims all of a sudden?

anyways, gl with your ideas :)

Edit: Obviously I like smiley's when I am tired ;)

Sincerely
~ Kongdej

The Political Machine 2024
Reply #3 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting Kongdej, reply 2
3: what do you mean about children? I see no children in this game and marriage? were playing The Sims all of a sudden?

These were things in E:WoM, but were removed from FE.

Reply #4 from Elemental Forums Top

So... they removed the ability to have children and marry them off in FE? I don't have the Beta and I am completely in the dark about what they have changed but if they removed the dynasty system I am not sure if I will continue to play.

Reply #5 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting Ulkrosian, reply 4
So... they removed the ability to have children and marry them off in FE? I don't have the Beta and I am completely in the dark about what they have changed but if they removed the dynasty system I am not sure if I will continue to play.

Yep, dynasty is gone, hasn't been in any of the betas.

Reply #6 from Elemental Forums Top

I Really hope they bring it back. Next to designing units it was my favorite aspect of the game.

Reply #7 from Elemental Forums Top


I miss the dynasties too.  Unfortunately, Stardock took a lot of flack from the gaming magazines about this.  I doubt they will bring them back.  Stardock must have a bunch of stockholders who are afraid of "bad press" they way they run from criticism.

I hope they fix the world building too.  It never really worked very well in WOM, but I hear the idea is not off the design board yet.

Reply #8 from Elemental Forums Top

Word on the street is that dynasties are disabled by a simple XML true/false flag, and that the code is still there, just unused. I would be stunned if nobody modded dynasties back in. Also, I seem to recall somebody trying this and finding that marriage was still possible, but children, for some reason, weren't. 

Reply #9 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting myosin2p, reply 8
I seem to recall somebody trying this and finding that marriage was still possible, but children, for some reason, weren't. 

He says that, but honestly I think he just had the "Sterility" injury.  :O

Reply #10 from Elemental Forums Top

 To bad to see the dynasty system gone... it was a nice addition to game giving it a different kind of strategy (forging alliances with children marriege and staff was nice, a common medieval habit after all). Ulkrosian i liked your ideas and if i may add something too i would like to see heroes joining a unit of troops thus buffing the unit more, for example a warrior hero could give damage bonus or defence bonus or a special ability to the troopes and a caster hero buff casting units (at least i think there is casting units...thought i saw some on a video...)

Reply #11 from Elemental Forums Top

I think Marriage, and a "court" with various offices (to be filled by heroes) ... would be something good for a SEQUEL perhaps, but not something that we should focus on in this installment ;)

 

Making city battles more interesting on the other hand ... shouldn't that be possible? ;)

Reply #12 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting Elrhamlin, reply 7

I miss the dynasties too.  Unfortunately, Stardock took a lot of flack from the gaming magazines about this.  I doubt they will bring them back.  Stardock must have a bunch of stockholders who are afraid of "bad press" they way they run from criticism.

I hope they fix the world building too.  It never really worked very well in WOM, but I hear the idea is not off the design board yet.

What kind of criticism did it receive? The only criticism I could imagine would be a complaint about it being an unpolished game mechanic. 

Reply #13 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting Cavil, reply 10
 To bad to see the dynasty system gone... it was a nice addition to game giving it a different kind of strategy (forging alliances with children marriege and staff was nice, a common medieval habit after all). Ulkrosian i liked your ideas and if i may add something too i would like to see heroes joining a unit of troops thus buffing the unit more, for example a warrior hero could give damage bonus or defence bonus or a special ability to the troopes and a caster hero buff casting units (at least i think there is casting units...thought i saw some on a video...)

I agree it goes perfectly with the idea of the Hero's being officer's in the sovereign's army. I always find myself putting titles in front of my Hero's name, for example "General" for a warrior type and "Minister" for a political type. I always try to rank them on time served and accomplished tasks. Keeping track of that can be tedious for some, but I enjoy it.

Reply #14 from Elemental Forums Top

Dynasties and boats are the two features I would like to see returning in the first expansion...

There were several problems with the dynasty system - basically you are right Ulkrosian, it was an unpolished game mechanic which did not meld with the rest of the game.  The children/grandchildren heroes were not balanced and Stardock never implemented the inheritance feature which they advertised.

Personally I think the problem was/is a lack of overall game design.  It's like the evaluations are made on a 'this is a nifty feature let's add it'  (or 'let's remove this feature to free up some memory') without any regard for the overall game balance or consideration of needed development time.  Add to that a propensity to promise the world and largely not deliver and you have elemental as (far as) we know it.

Reply #15 from Elemental Forums Top

Ooooooooooooh i forgot that feature (maybe because it was kinda absent in the first place....) yes boats that actually do something would be nice. Even a race that is focused on their use would be nice too with water magic boosting them more  :D

At least for me siege mode must be in the game especialy if the plan for one tile citys goes. Although siege engines should be builded on the spot (like they did in medieval ages) and not made from buildings in citys and then carried all along the way. You will have to spend a couple turns before battle to build them and only used for the attack on the city and not as mobile artillery during combats

Reply #16 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting Tasunke, reply 11
I think Marriage, and a "court" with various offices (to be filled by heroes) ... would be something good for a SEQUEL perhaps, but not something that we should focus on in this installment

If I am to see dynasties, I hope it is flavoured in some expansion,  Not too keen on the idea though I did skip EWoM.

Tried something similar in "Medieval 2: Total War" and I didn't really like it, it seems like a pointless system to have marriages, children and uncles in a game which the focus is something else entirely, I am not playing The Sims, so I have no need to produce more children, marriages and micromanaging the relations between my heroes.

Sincerely
~ Kongdej

Reply #17 from Elemental Forums Top

The idea behind dynasties is to be another tool of diplomacy not creating your Sim family  :)

Reply #18 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting Cavil, reply 17
The idea behind dynasties is to be another tool of diplomacy not creating your Sim family 

Arh well, thats the nice part behind "marriages" etc. is the diplomatic part (I always like In total war when you could marry out family members to create a lasting peace between two factions)

But we still have to be carefull not adding too many different utilities, and features to a game, cause it gets crowded at some point.

Sincerely
~ Kongdej

Reply #19 from Elemental Forums Top

True, but developed navies and city sieges would probably mesh quite well with the game. (as well as Text Based adventures ... ^_^)

Reply #20 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting Kongdej, reply 16

Quoting Tasunke, reply 11I think Marriage, and a "court" with various offices (to be filled by heroes) ... would be something good for a SEQUEL perhaps, but not something that we should focus on in this installment

If I am to see dynasties, I hope it is flavoured in some expansion,  Not too keen on the idea though I did skip EWoM.

Tried something similar in "Medieval 2: Total War" and I didn't really like it, it seems like a pointless system to have marriages, children and uncles in a game which the focus is something else entirely, I am not playing The Sims, so I have no need to produce more children, marriages and micromanaging the relations between my heroes.

Sincerely
~ Kongdej

 

I still do not see why people say "this is not Sims," after all video games become more about simulation as time goes by. Yes, games are about strategy, puzzles and what not, but taking away from a game's depth will leave it poorer. I play turn based games because they have great depth. So for me personally I found it very entertaining to build my family tree, but I also role play more than most. I understand what you are saying, but I do not agree. Also I am new to Total War and thanks for that information I believe that will be the next installment I purchase in that series.

Reply #21 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting feelotraveller, reply 14
Dynasties and boats are the two features I would like to see returning in the first expansion...

There were several problems with the dynasty system - basically you are right Ulkrosian, it was an unpolished game mechanic which did not meld with the rest of the game.  The children/grandchildren heroes were not balanced and Stardock never implemented the inheritance feature which they advertised.

Personally I think the problem was/is a lack of overall game design.  It's like the evaluations are made on a 'this is a nifty feature let's add it'  (or 'let's remove this feature to free up some memory') without any regard for the overall game balance or consideration of needed development time.  Add to that a propensity to promise the world and largely not deliver and you have elemental as (far as) we know it.

I agree, and hope they return both aspects.

Reply #22 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting Cavil, reply 15
d be nice. Even a race that is focused on their use would be nice too with water magic boosting them more  

At least for me siege mode must be in the game especialy if the plan for one tile citys goes. Although siege engines should be builded on the spot (like they did in medieval ages) and not made from buildings in citys and then carried all along the way. You will have to spend a couple turns before battle to build them and only used for the attack on the city and not as mobile artillery during combats

Exactly, sieges are completely different than open field combat so they strategy should be different somehow. This also makes me think of a carpenter type unit able to build military structures in the field. However, I believe I am getting ahead of myself. I am not a programmer so I can not say how difficult this would be to accomplish not to mention the balance issues. 

Reply #23 from Stardock Forums Top

Quoting Leo, reply 5



Quoting Ulkrosian,
reply 4
So... they removed the ability to have children and marry them off in FE? I don't have the Beta and I am completely in the dark about what they have changed but if they removed the dynasty system I am not sure if I will continue to play.


Yep, dynasty is gone, hasn't been in any of the betas.

Dynasty system never worked very well to begin with. It was good idea to take them out until they could be workked on more.

Reply #24 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting Ulkrosian, reply 12
What kind of criticism did it receive? The only criticism I could imagine would be a complaint about it being an unpolished game mechanic.

There were implications of sexual impropriety; incest, for example.  It was seen as being incompatible with the proper culture of our society.

Reply #25 from Elemental Forums Top

I think the ban on same sex marriage got them into trouble...