Re: Last DOM-I PBEM party
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">My editing partner, the Bionic Giraffe, has played much more of R'lyeh than I have, so I think I'll let her answer this one.

From hence speaketh the Giraffe (I�! I�!):

You can send mages into the Void Gate to summon random beings from the Void. There is a good variety of things that can be summoned, some of which are very useful and powerful, but sometimes the summoned creatures attack and kill the mage who summoned them. Also, there is a chance that the mage's mind will be fried. If that happens, he can't cast spells, so he becomes of little use except for cannon fodder. I recommend sending Star Children into the Void Gate, because if their minds are fried, you can still use them as scouts.

Hybrids are the result of the mating of a human female with a Deep One. You normally do not have access to Hybrid Soldiers or Hybrid Lords unless you conquer a province that borders the ocean, and then recuit from that province. These are pre-set units; you don't get to crossbreed them yourself. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

R'lyeh has no holy units...or mounted units. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon9.gif

The Ancient Kraken has 230 hit points and is cold and poison resistant, but does not regenerate. It is somewhat limited, since it cannot leave the sea.

Hope this answers your questions!

BG http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

Re: Last DOM-I PBEM party
 

wow thats a lot of infos in a single thread!

speaking of the demo, what are the restrictions when it comes to hosting? I suppose this is the demo which command how the hosting is done?
Can a demo binary host a full game (with full nations, etc.). I ask that to know if a server can be set without an additional licence.

The demo is rather restricting on races availability by the way. I thought you would just put the 40 turns limit (with perhaps 2-3 races suppressed). Oh well I suppose few pbem games will be tried in demo mode. I hope this wont be too detrimental for new comers which want to play a bit before buying.

Psitticine :
About the Void Gate : You seem to imply that several mages can enter simultaneously the site, is it true? Does others sites are like this one? This is a new feature in doms II, and very interesting I would say.

Saber :
Generally speaking defence is very high priced in dominions. So you will often think that units like amazons are too costly, with for example the pegasi rider at 50 gp. Depending on how you use them, they are worth the price, or not (being shoot at by missiles units is a sure way of not having the benefit of high def).

Re: Last DOM-I PBEM party
 

Psitticine, R'lyeh does have holy units... I think J.O said that R'lyeh has sacred units and K.O said that every nation except vanilla Ulm has sacred units.

Re: Last DOM-I PBEM party
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Ah this sounds good! Just a question: The AI knows how to use these spells?

Re: Last DOM-I PBEM party
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">I would not send star children into the gate as they would be mind fried rather quickly. Only the Starspawn priests are somewhat protected from the mind fry. Only they can harness the sacred powers of the void. The stargazer hero is even more resistant to this effect, but not immune.

All things from the void are sacred, but as you do not get too many of these things you cannot build armies by void summoning alone.

When a summoning is successful your starspawn will get increased skills in summoning. The more skilled the starspawn the more powerful monster he gets.

Hybrids appear spontaneously in costal castles. You can also recruit them in costal castles.

Ancient Kraken heals afflictions.

Re: Last DOM-I PBEM party
 

Pocus: The demo can not host full games, but the only restriction would be the research level and turn limit. It can host all nations etc. It is just not possible to create games with human players of the restricted nations.

So there is no problem using a demo host and switch to a full host later when players would like to research higher level spells.

Hmm, I intended to say something more, but can't remember what.

I'll say something else instead. Humanbreds are less expensive if you choose the blood of humans theme. The heat and magic of the Smouldercone is faltering and full blood abysians are rare. Humanbreds are now the basic troops of Abysia.

Re: Last DOM-I PBEM party
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">the rules implemented for this kind of summoning are far more complex (-plete) than I thought!

just a question : will we have a visual feedback on how a mage is fit to not be mind fried, or how he is fit to summon the most powerful creatures? Or is it something rather simple to retain something like general rules like 'priests are less prone to be feebleminded'/the more xp stars you have, the more powerful the creature will be?

Re: Last DOM-I PBEM party
 

The risk of feeblemind is 75% IIRC for all astral mages (the only ones able to enter the site) except starspawn priests. I believe they have a 10-20% chance of feeblemind. The stargazer only has a 5% chance IIRC. This chance does not decrease with skill, but the power of the monsters summoned increase with higher summoning skill (not related to experience). Summoning takes several turns. Not sure if skill affects the time spent.

To sum up: put a starspawn priest in the Void Gate. Get monsters of increasing power. Suddenly your priest goes insane and you will have to put a new one in the Gate (or cure his insanity). When you get the stargazer put him in the gate if your current summoner goes whacky, but do not switch until this happens as the stargazer is not skilled when he arrives (only less likely to go insane).

If you are not R'lyeh and have captured the Void Gate: Avoid it unless you feel like spending lots of gold on insane astral mages.

Re: Last DOM-I PBEM party
 

thanks, I will archive this part and forward it to my comrade Sunray (I'm rather confident he will maintains his virtual library for doms II as well).

Thats the kind of infos which asked several heavy testbeds in doms I! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...s/rolleyes.gif

when we are at that, would you care to confirm hard to test 'subbtle' mechanisms?:

how is determined that a weapon is only used once. You talked about the lance of the knights. => is the lance the sole weapon with this restriction?

chance of affliction: is it 10% each time you got it, or is it a % based on the damage received? Is it a flat 25% when you are cursed?

Re: Last DOM-I PBEM party
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Ah this sounds good! Just a question: The AI knows how to use these spells? </font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Kristoffer, you ignored my question. Since this will be a complex spell, the AI will know how to use it? In fact it will use the spell at all? [Maybe the beta testers can answer this..??]

[ October 25, 2003, 11:47: Message edited by: Mortifer ]

Re: Last DOM-I PBEM party
 

To my understanding, it isn't a spell, you just sent mages to the Void Gate. Y'know, we have these magic sites like Bowl of the Lost, Devils Den, Demon Gate and such where you can send your mages.

Re: Last DOM-I PBEM party
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Yeah. To answer your question Mortifer, I doubt that the AI will use it. The Dominions I. was not that good, and if I am correct, the AI will be almost the same......don't expect big things from the AI. It will mass troops / cast some spells, but beyond that it will be 'dumb'. If the AI is not upgraded since Doms I. of course..

[ October 25, 2003, 11:56: Message edited by: MStavros ]

Re: Last DOM-I PBEM party
 

Does the luck scale affect the void gate? Better monsters or less chance of insanity?

Re: Last DOM-I PBEM party
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">You can already find a small Void Gate guide here, at the guides section.

Re: Last DOM-I PBEM party
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Ah this sounds good! Just a question: The AI knows how to use these spells? </font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Actually this is a good question. If R'lyeh will be an AI player, it will use these gates to summon creatures from it? This has been tested with the AI?

Re: Last DOM-I PBEM party
 

The AI can use the Vois gate properly.

Re: Last DOM-I PBEM party
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Seems I was wrong. 5% starspawns, 2% stargazer.

Based on damage recieved (chance = damage in percent of HP), unless you are cursed. Curse adds 25% to this chance.

As far as I know it's only the lance.

Re: Last DOM-I PBEM party
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Good.

Re: Last DOM-I PBEM party
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">That's a little disappointing - less than half of the nations available. Oh well, I can understand not wanting to give too much away in the demo.

So I would play Ulm, or failing that Arco. But I fear they might both be taken. Maybe we'll have to form 2 games.

Here's what people have said they want so far:

Atul - C'Tis
Catquiet - Jotunheim
Nerfix - Machaka
Saber - Pythium, or failing that Ulm
Gandalf - Jotunheim

PDF claimed Arco before for the Dom I PbEM
izaqyos claimed Pythium for the same
others claimed other races, but not ones that conflict with the above.

Note that both catquiet and Gandalf spoke up for Jotunheim. You guys will have to fight it out. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

[ October 25, 2003, 20:22: Message edited by: st.patrik ]

Re: Last DOM-I PBEM party
 

Cat had Jotun first so I will bow out.

Usually I "filled in" for departing or missing players, usually when they were losing. I did that alot more than I started. It was fun because the best I could achieve is being a surprise, and if I lost it was kindof expected. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

Re: Last DOM-I PBEM party
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Aww, no catfight... http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

izaqyos, do you still want Pythium?

[ October 25, 2003, 21:55: Message edited by: Saber Cherry ]

Re: Last DOM-I PBEM party
 

Looks like the thread has become "First Dom2 Demo Pbem" http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/tongue.gif !
Still ok for me with Arco, but when will the demo be out ? The game went gold 2 days ago, so it must be near ... I hope ... http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

[ October 25, 2003, 22:12: Message edited by: PDF ]

Re: Last DOM-I PBEM party
 

they said the demo should be out the early this week....so maybe monday/tuesday timeframe possibly

Re: Last DOM-I PBEM party
 

Looks like Abysia's open, if anyone wants to jump in. I'd rather form a second PbEM group than play Abysia I think. Of course if izaqyos isn't claiming Pythium I will gladly join as Ulm.

Re: Last DOM-I PBEM party
 

I can join with Abysia if it is still not taken.

Matti

Re: Last DOM-I PBEM party
 

I still would like to play pythium.
Saber cherry, If you too would like to play pythium I've no problem waiting for a second PBEM.
I'm sure we'll have plenty of them in the future http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

Re: Last DOM-I PBEM party
 

That's fine, I'll play Ulm. Sorry St. Patrick http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

Re: Last DOM-I PBEM party
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Well that's a shame - I guess even though I suggested a Dom II demo PbEM there are no spots left for me in it. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/tongue.gif

Oh well. Is there anyone else who wanted to play a Dom II demo PbEM but hasn't spoken up? If so, speak up! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif - maybe we can get 2 games going when the demo is released.

-

[BTW, in case you couldn't tell, I'm not really mad about not getting a place in the PbEM. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif ]

[ October 26, 2003, 17:49: Message edited by: st.patrik ]

Re: Last DOM-I PBEM party
 

I could be persuaded to join a second pbem game.
Sign me up for Jotunheim.

Re: Last DOM-I PBEM party
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Cool - You take Jotun, I'll take Ulm; who else will rise up to the challenge?

Re: Last DOM-I PBEM party
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">You can already find a small Void Gate guide here, at the guides section. </font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Just went to your site. I reckon you have made quite a good fan job there! Now you just have to start a middle earth map with green elves dancing with female dwarves, and it will be perfect. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

Re: Last DOM-I PBEM party
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">3 thanks for the answers, especially if you looked back in the code to be sure.

and what is the effect of regeneration on affliction chance? divide by two ?

Re: Last DOM-I PBEM party
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Cool - You take Jotun, I'll take Ulm; who else will rise up to the challenge? </font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Goody! I'll go Abysia (I'm curious about the new "Blood of Hunams")

-Cherry

P.S. Let's give these titles - they can be "Dom2DemoPBEM1" and "Dom2DemoPBEM2", is that creative enough? http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif I suppose PBEM1 and BPEM2 are sufficient...

[ October 26, 2003, 19:13: Message edited by: Saber Cherry ]

Re: Last DOM-I PBEM party
 

The Giraffe is out today, but I checked on some things and think I can answer the couple of questions Kristoffer didn't have a chance to.

Any kind of Astral mage can enter the Void Gate at their own risk, but only one mage can be using it at a time.

Also, I've only been watching over the Giraffe's shoulder as she's been playing R'lyeh, but I think she at least sometimes (if not most times) gets results on the next turn. Maybe it takes additional turns at higher summoning levels? I'm not sure about that one, but I am about 90% sure I've seen her guys coming out with some of the funky, freaky Void critters the very next turn after being sent in.

Speaking of higher summoning levels, most of the mechanics are "under the hood" but there is a Summoning Skill ability (or something similarly named) that appears after successfully returning from a Void Gate expedition. It, when checked, will state the accumulated bonus that experience with the gate will give you in reducing the risk of insanity. Since the rest of the equation, it turns out, is straightforward, the math shouldn't be hard to do in one's head.

BTW, the array of Void creatures is really cool. There are some nifty, and suitably bizarre, units available through that. The risk of feebleminding a commander may seem high, but the results are worth it.

Also, there is a sacred unit for R'lyeh. I think Giraffe forgot to double-check the commanders. There aren't any sacred troops (unless hybreds are sacred, and I don't think they are) but there is a sacred commander: the Starspawn priest. He has a priestly power of 3, and is not only the only sacred R'lyeh unit, but also their only native priest unit. They also come with Water magic 1, a random magic pick, and cost 150 gold/3 resources. Not too shabby at all!

Re: Last DOM-I PBEM party
 

@Psitticine:
The devs(was it J.O?) said that "all things from the void are sacred", so, uh... http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...s/rolleyes.gif

In Dom I the Starspawn priest had 1 Astral, 1 random magic and 3 Priest skill and are sacred...
(you said they have water magic, but if only Astral mages can enter Void Gate, and if Starspawn priest are the only ones able to use the VG properly, we can count 1+1+1=Starspawn Priests have Astral magic...)

Sorry, for being nitpicky. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

@Pocus

Thanks! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif
Wractale maintains the page, i just send him guides&stuff and admin the Boards.

And everybody knows there are no female dwarves!
http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/tongue.gif
(not that it couldn't be done or hosted...)

[ October 26, 2003, 20:48: Message edited by: Nerfix ]

Re: Last DOM-I PBEM party
 

Sign me up for Dom2DemoPBEM2, as the ancient race of C'tis. A question for dev's/QA can we move these demo games to the full Version when it is released?

Re: Last DOM-I PBEM party
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">3 thanks for the answers, especially if you looked back in the code to be sure.

and what is the effect of regeneration on affliction chance? divide by two ? [/QB]</font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Divide by ten.

Re: Last DOM-I PBEM party
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">I double-checked one of Giraffe's old games and, yes, all the Void creatures I could check out there are sacred, so I'd certainly say it is safe to assume they all are.

Entering the Void Gate is such a different thing than normal recruitment, what with all the randomness involved and all, that I set aside the beasties that come out from it from R'lyeh's normal troop roster. I really should have added a footnote about the sacredness of Void beasts, but I was a bit too focused on just the "regular" R'lyeh troops. Sorry 'bout that!

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Oops! Err, just a dumb typo on my part there. Yes, the Starspawn priests are the same as Dom I, including having Astral 1 but no Water magic unless the random pick gets them some.

On a total side note, and I feel kinda unsteady disagreeing with Johan here, I don't quite agree about Starspawn priests being the only worthwhile Void Gate Users. Are they the best units for the job? Based on the percentages just posted, yes, I'd certainly agree with that, but are they the only worthwhile ones to send in? I'd have some reservations agreeing with that.

Again, I've only watched over Giraffe's shoulder as she has played R'lyeh and haven't yet had time to play them myself, but she won the first Dom game she ever played, and she did it by using a strategy that leaned heavily upon using an array of units (especially the comparitively cheap Star Children) in combo with the Void Gate.

It would definately seem that Starspawn priests are the most efficacious (aside from national hero Cthugal the Stargazer, of course) but I can't argue with success, especially since many of the beta-testers had yet to win at all against the new Dom-II AI at that point and this was in her very first Dom game ever.

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Hey, I'm an Editing Parrot. If anybody appreciates the value of getting things right, down to the very Last detail, it is an Editing Parrot. By all means, please continue to nitpick!!!

(edited to correct UBB formatting error)

[ October 26, 2003, 20:42: Message edited by: Psitticine ]

Re: Last DOM-I PBEM party
 

Dom2PbEM2 current status:

Potatoman: Jotunheim
Saber Cherry: Abysia
Josh_f: C'Tis
st.patrik: Ulm

nations still available:
Pythium
Arco
Machaka

Who will rise to the challenge?

-

BTW are any of you able to host? If no-one else can I will, but my e-mail sometimes has issues, so I can't guarantee things going smoothly if I host. So if you can please volunteer.

Re: Last DOM-I PBEM party
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">I'll take Machaka, but if someone else wants it, I'll play whatever is left.

Re: Last DOM-I PBEM party
 

My roommate-- chris-- would like to play Pythium (he is unable to post right now.).

Re: Last DOM-I PBEM party
 

Talos and josh_f's roommate chris: Great! now only Arco is left without a player...

Dom2PbEM2 current status:

Potatoman: Jotunheim
Saber Cherry: Abysia
Josh_f: C'Tis
st.patrik: Ulm
talos: Machaka
chris: Pythium

Once again, can any of you guys (or girls [Saber]) host? If you haven't done it it's not hard - just a matter of processing turns and then sending out the .trn file to each player.

Re: Last DOM-I PBEM party
 

Would this be a good time to ask for a Laser Squad Nemesis-like auto-PBEM-hosting system? http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...s/confused.gif

Seriously, though, I could host, but I REALLY don't want to, as I use web-email. Sorry...

-Cherry

Re: Last DOM-I PBEM party
 

Well, since the demo is out...

PbEM1: If no-one else is able, I can do the hosting. You just have to live with the fact that there might be some (so far max 8 hours, might be longer in days to come) lag with my email during the daytime EET. Pocus volunteered his system, which sounded very good, but I didn't catch whether it was Dom1-specific or not.

Well, 66% downloaded. Still some time to eat something before such needs are forgotten.

Re: Last DOM-I PBEM party
 

What are the settings going to be for PbEM1?


I don't think we should allow any end-game alliances, since there aren't that many players.

Re: Last DOM-I PBEM party
 

PbEM2 still has a spot open for Arco, if anyone wants to try it out.

Also someone to host would be good [like I said I'll do it if no-one else will, but that may lead to no turns certain days because my e-mail is acting up]. Personal message me by the end of tomorrow if you can help out, otherwise I'll go ahead and host and you'll just have to put up with it if the system goes haywire [once I couldn't send for a week!]

Re: Last DOM-I PBEM party
 

When will the DemoPbem1 start ? Who launches it ??
This thread has gone waaaaay OT, Pocus you're evil ! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

Re: Last DOM-I PBEM party
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Well, if no-one else can host easily, I guess I'll host. You guys just have to accept that there might be some delays. And the system is primitive, so you've been warned.

If it is OK with you all playing, I'll give you an URL where to find your turn files when they are processed and you email me .2h-files back. I'll send a note when the turn is hosted.

Um, everyone in PbEM1 send me their email address by the forum's Private Messages, and I'll email you for your pretender files and other administrative stuff when I've got all the addresses? Hopefully you don't have a problem with me letting you know each other's addresses (I know some people who have)?

And for the map and settings, I'd go for the easy road and say the smaller of default maps with default settings, but there's equal vote for all and I'm just being lazy. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif Let's aim for several turns a week, but it will depend on how often I get all the files.

Anything else?

Re: Last DOM-I PBEM party
 

And in case people have already forgotten, I think the following was final (not sure, please feel free to correct):

PbEM1:
Atul - C'Tis
Catquiet - Jotunheim
Nerfix - Machaka
Saber - Ulm
PDF - Arco
izaqyos - Pythium

Re: Last DOM-I PBEM party
 

Are there any spaces still open in any dom2 demo pbem games? If so I know someone who wants to join.