Re: New Dom3 races! Post suggestions here!
 

Umm, Johan, did you notice he said FRENCH translations? Granted, a Finnish accent when speaking Swedish might be melodic, but it'll not do much for French... http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

Edi

Re: New Dom3 races! Post suggestions here!
 

Yeah, they should feature the Karmic(sp?) wheel: all troops and/or commanders are immortal, but only so that when they die (in own domain) they reincarnate as different troop/commander based on... what? Luck? Productivity? Other scale? Experience? This is where my imagination fails me.

Of course, this requires a whole new system to implement - but then again, I'm no dev. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

And cows as sacred troops! Yeah.

- Humer

Re: New Dom3 races! Post suggestions here!
 

Actually, Mongol Empire = Barbarian Kings T'ien Chi, if I'm not mistaken, and Persia is also included in Arcoscephale. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/laugh.gif

Re: New Dom3 races! Post suggestions here!
 

How about based on Indian (Hindu) myths?

Or based on Native American or Eskimo myths?

A Zoroastrian/Persian type thing could be fun, too.

Or some sort of race that normally inhabits another plane of existence/dimension but has managed to manifest themselves on “this” plane/dimension. I'm thinking of something supernatural, but not undead.

Arabian knights type stuff would also be very cool.

Just some vague stabs in the dark...

Re: New Dom3 races! Post suggestions here!
 

You mean...like R'lyeh ? http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

- Kel

Re: New Dom3 races! Post suggestions here!
 

Perhaps he means something more like Ether Lords / Warriors instead of weird indescribable monsters, drawing on D&D planescape.

Re: New Dom3 races! Post suggestions here!
 

More like the ether warriors. And they were here first, apparently.

Second the Persian* and Indian thingies, incidentally. Though I'd still rather see a proper, original fantasy race. Yet further emphasis on the original, of bold print didn't suffice, bearing in mind that pretty much any historical civilization or mythos is preferable to pretty much any generic fantasy race, even the ones that are just second- or third- hand bastardizations of said mythoi(Myth & Folklore->Tolkien->Weis & Hickman 3rd Edition, with expanded Skills & Powers ruleset!).

* Although Mind Elemental is right about Arcoscephale. However, on a Persia saturation scale of one to "enough", I'd rate Arcoscephale about 3.7, compensated for by a Greece saturation value well in excess of 5.0. That's one-a spicy parameter!

Update: Have been awake 39 hours, and counting. Will retract "spicy parameter" comment once am thinking straight. Seyla.

Re: New Dom3 races! Post suggestions here!
 

D'oh. Really should refresh before posting, I've been reading another thread with this one open in another window for about an hour.

Update: This thread. Pretty sweet stuff, it is. If you don't mind the train wreck style images which invariably crop up whenever any sort of media are posted on a forum.

Re: New Dom3 races! Post suggestions here!
 

I've made mods for all of these (Arabian Nights has Zoroastrian-inspired mages after its conquest of 'Persia'), although only the Arabian Nights is complete. Except for the sprites: I'm so terrible with drawing tools, I gave up making them. It took me 5-6 hours to make the sprites I've attached (Arabian 'Mystic' on flying carpet), and this is my only decent attempt so far.

Someone, please help me! I need cute sprites for Mamluks, drugged war elephants, polar werebear shamen and penguins!

Re: New Dom3 races! Post suggestions here!
 

Slaadi! Githyankees and Githzerais and Githwrapping! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

Re: New Dom3 races! Post suggestions here!
 

R'leyh seems like aliens or Call of Cuthulhu (sp?) /Lovecraft. "Ether Lords" is on point, because I was getting some "inspiration" from the "pale" race in the game "Etherlords." They are an odd sort of mix of an Indian/Persian/Native American race of beings that are commonly only a shadow on this plane of existence, unless they use magic to materialize themselves on this plane, and they can be sent back to their own plane (but not die) unless magic is used to trap them here and then kill them... well, I am making this up... In fact, there could be two races: a guardian type race and an evil malevolent race... maybe that's too much...

\"Return of the Ether Lords\"
 

Hmm. I like a "Return of the Ether Lords" theme as an idea. Start with human followers (astral/death mages, recruitable everywhere, best mage SSD? capital only), default priests, weak light/medium infantry with independent strength archers (shortbows).

To use a mechanism already in place, give them a summoning site (akin to R'lyehs) in their capital which allows an astral mage to summon in reinforcements. The stronger the mage in astral, the stronger the Ether reinforcement.

A mage of astral skill S and death skill D will receive one pack at random from the categories allowed by his skills from the following list per turn.
<font class="small">Code:</font><hr /><pre>
ReqS ReqD
1 0 1d6+S Troopers
2 1 1d6+S Warriors
3 1 1 Champion[leader SSD?]
4 1 1d6+S Troopers + 1 Champion
5 1 1d6+S Warriors + 1 Champion
6 2 1 Lord[leader SSSDD?] - make lords produce 1 astral gem and 1 death gem/turn
7 2 1d6+S Troopers + 1 Lord
8 2 1d6+S Warriors + 1 Lord
9 3 1 Prince[leader SSSSDD??] - make princes produce 3 astral gems and 2 death gems/turn
</pre><hr />
Chance of insanity depending on astral strength. (Ether beings being nearly immune)

Then give them two special spells, "Summon Ether Troopers" (SSD, 10 Astral Gems for 5 Ether Troopers) and "Summon Ether Warrior" (SSSD, 3 Astral, 1 Ether Warrior"). Alternatively, give the leaders "Summon Allies" ability. (Champion-&gt;1xTrooper, Lord-&gt;1xWarrior, Prince-&gt;2xWarrior), though that would perhaps be too powerful given the substantial odds of getting an extra leader per turn for somebody who made an Astral 9 pretender.

Together with Ether Gate, that should allow the player to summon ever larger Ether Armies.... Either slowly through the gate back in the capital (a steady trickle of good to excellent forces) or through summoning at the cost of a lot of astral gems.

One completely sick idea would be to give them a base income of 10 astral gems/turn and the handicap of automatically changing all gems to astral gems (1 astral for each 2) corresponding to automatic use of alchemisation after site-income has been added to the pool each resolution phase. They do drain the world of other magic than themselves, right? If you want to use other types of gems, you'll just have to alchemise back and use them during the same turn (or store them on scouts...) http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

A letter to the Dominions I and II fans
 

One of the reasons why Dominions II rules, I believe, is the CREATIVITY put into it by the makers. Sure, they didn't come up with Jotunheimen or Atlantis or Dragons. BUT they implemented new cultures that were not old cliches such as the "classic" "Man-Dwarf-Elf-Orc" universe.

Dominions II is a great game because the developers dared implement "new" cultures instead of cowardly resorting to cliches like Tolkien because such things guarantee sales.

"Abysians? Spider-mounted.. Africans? R'Lyeh? Acrose-who? Never heard of 'em, fans won't like 'em, hand me the Elves."

Implementing new cultures also allows for much more creative game play. Instead of being stuck with "Orcish", Elven, Dwarven, and Tolkien-Human behaviour, diplomacy, culture, and history, for example, you can bring in a whole new cultures and actually be creative, thus creating a new gaming experience.

Illwinter Productions actually took their time to work on new elements for their game. Granted there's a lot of old stuff, like the fire ball and the dragon. But the huge amount of new things overrides that.

I'm a fan of D&amp;D, Warhammer, Lord of the Rings, and all those games as much as you are. But Dominions II isn't the place for those universes. So for the fans of the good ol' cliche universe: I urge you to reconsider. Just that the Skaven were in a best-selling games doesn't qualify them for Dominions II. In my eye, it goes a long way towards disqualifying them, however.

Re: \"Return of the Ether Lords\"
 

VERY CREATIVE, PETER!!!! I like it. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...es/biggrin.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...es/biggrin.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...es/biggrin.gif

How about also some sort of creature (or series of creatures) that is highly stealthy while only a shadow on this plane of existence. They "drain magic" in any province they are located and as time passes, and once enough magic is "consumed", they materialize automatically (thus, creating a timing issue). http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

Re: \"Return of the Ether Lords\"
 

I's like to see a nation that can live on land and water, since we have water nations and land nations..

maybe frog people, or eel-people, or some sort of fish/human hybrid perhaps?

or a nation of overgrown plants that devour things...giant venus flytraps and such.

Re: \"Return of the Ether Lords\"
 

Their elites could be potted plants. With thick ceramic pots that would not only give them considerable protection but also partial fire resistance.

Re: \"Return of the Ether Lords\"
 

Also don't you think Atlantis cover fish/human hybrid pretty much, as well as frogs. They do have fins, after all. And the bigger ones are quite bachtracian.

Re: \"Return of the Ether Lords\"
 

I can't believe you used that adjective.

Re: \"Return of the Ether Lords\"
 

i meant more like a race that can build on land and water without magical aid or artifacts...

Re: New Dom3 races! Post suggestions here!
 

It is. And it perfectly fits your description. It's a race that comes from another plane/dimension (hello, void gate), supernatural and not undead.

- Kel

Re: New Dom3 races! Post suggestions here!
 

OK OK OK - - - - Don't push me, Man! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif Sheesh...
Maybe I want ether lords that are not so green and squishy. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

Actually... I am such a total loser... I have not even played every race (including R'leyh). Maybe I should stop dreaming for more and play with the toys I already have. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...ies/stupid.gif I'm such a cry-baby. I always want a new toy. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/rant.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/rant.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/rant.gif In the words of that greedy little girl in Willy Wonka: I want a golden-egg-laying-goose, Daddy, and I want it NOW!!! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/rant.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/rant.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/rant.gif

Re: New Dom3 races! Post suggestions here!
 

Shouldn't we, the descendants of Ukko, dwellers of the house of Tapio, believers of the Bear, sing a verse or two to make a Readers Digest Version of Kalevala to our "illiterate" neighbors?

The point is that Kalevala should not be red in anything else than Finnish. It is impossible. It will not make any sense. It taps from the very roots of the Finnish language which is impossible to translate into anything else in a sensible way.

A bit like surströmming, that should never be exported outside Sweden. The others would just not get it...

Maybe we could find a source with the essential events that takes place in Kalevala in readable form, or maybe compile a list of monsters and heroes both in Kalevala and the Finnish folklore in general.

Any kalevalistics out there? If we want Kalevala, we better work for it! Perkele! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/evil.gif

Re: New Dom3 races! Post suggestions here!
 

http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/cool.gifWell, I decided to do my part in the Kalevala issue.
Here are some quite nice links:

A "Reader's Digest" Version of Kalevala:
http://www.edj.net/mc2012/fiftyrunos.htm

Some Personal notes on the "RD" Version:
Tuonela = The place beyond. The place where the dead go.
Tuoni = The ruler of Tuonela.
Hiisi = IMHO should not be associated with the Devil as the RD-translation suggests, but more like a poverful evil spirit or maybe a Demon.
Kantele= a five-stringed harp. Väinämöinens main "weapon".
Sampo = an artifact. A magic mill that made salt and gold.
Ilmatar= The mother of Väinämöinen. Can also be thought as a air (wind) spirit (or goddess).Her name directly translated would be something like Airess.

Some Kalevala info:
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/n...kienroots.html
http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/kveng/
http://www.helsinki.fi/kasv/nokol/kalevala.html
http://www.kirjasto.sci.fi/kalevala.htm
http://www.humnet.ucla.edu/humnet/fo.../kalevala.html
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Part...8/KALEVALA.HTM
http://www.brainyencyclopedia.com/en.../kalevala.html
http://www.brainyencyclopedia.com/en...mythology.html
http://www.enotes.com/kalevala/13215

Finnish mythology:
http://www.godchecker.com/pantheon/f...-mythology.php
http://www.angelfire.com/ca2/IsisShrine/Finnish.html
http://altreligion.about.com/library...l_glossary.htm
http://www.finnishmyth.org/indexbasenor.html

Remember, if we don't get a Kaleval theme in Dom3, we will beat you at least five years in a row in the Ice Hockey WorldCup. (There will be longbearded harp-guys chanting behing the Swedish goal) http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/yawn.gif

Re: New Dom3 races! Post suggestions here!
 

Not as good as the Finnish Version, of course, but still adequate. http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/kveng/, From the story of Joukahainen (written as Youkahainen in there, can you believe?):

Angry then grew Wainamoinen,
Wrathful waxed, and fiercely frowning,
Self-composed he broke his silence,
And began his wondrous singing.
Sang he not the tales of childhood,
Children's nonsense, wit of women,
Sang he rather bearded heroes,
That the children never heard of,
That the boys and maidens knew not
Known but half by bride and bridegroom,
Known in part by many heroes,
In these mournful days of evil,
Evil times our race befallen.
Grandly sang wise Wainamoinen,
Till the copper-bearing mountains,
And the flinty rocks and ledges
Heard his magic tones and trembled;
Mountain cliffs were torn to pieces,
All the ocean heaved and tumbled;
And the distant hills re-echoed.

Re: New Dom3 races! Post suggestions here!
 

Sweds doesn't get it either. Trust me. My brother nealy puked when we tried it. Rotten tinned fish that smells like fart. Whoa!

Fortunately Kalevala is quite melodic in swedish and even if loosing something in translation it can be translated. Surströmming doesn't need to be translated. It stinks in any language.
My Version of it has a sum up, but as most sum ups it leaves all the interesting details that are useful. I'll take a look at your links.

Re: New Dom3 races! Post suggestions here!
 

What about a nation that can use it's commanders to morph its troops? You can only recruit one weak standard unit, but every commander has a distinctive morph command to transform them into something special during battle.

So the enemy will never know what to expect

Re: New Dom3 races! Post suggestions here!
 

Hmmm lycanthopic? changeling?

Re: New Dom3 races! Post suggestions here!
 

How about a modular race? Not robotic but inorganic/magical (elemental?). Im thinking of many small weak cheap units suitable for swarming. And larger units which can be formed by x number of units. So if you have a combat group (probably the easiest way to do it) of 5, then in combat they become 1 bigger Version. And a 10, a 20, a 50. Each successive size might also gain some ability or use.