Re: Happiness in Darkness -An Argatha Ktonian Dead
 

Rofl you guys are hilarous http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif.
Very cool explanations for the old age afflictions http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/cool.gif.

As usual i have been overconfident btw, Caelum kicked my *** http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...es/biggrin.gif

Re: Happiness in Darkness -An Argatha Ktonian Dead
 

very entertaining aar boron. cant wait for the next turn

Re: Happiness in Darkness -An Argatha Ktonian Dead
 

OK, already I can see the disturbing trend that his Dwarf Fortress habit creates. Please tell me that patch 3.02 will not include a Fell Mood affliction, or commanders becoming enraged and attacking another province at random instead of following your orders. New Legendary hall of fame abilities would be acceptable of course.

Sill

Re: Happiness in Darkness -An Argatha Ktonian Dead
 

"Spring in the year 4 of the ascension wars aka Boron sucks season"

A large caelum force tries to break the siege of their castle.
http://img148.imageshack.us/img148/8291/1ez5.jpg
300 troops in total.

We have ca. 150 opposing forces.
http://img138.imageshack.us/img138/4292/2qf5.jpg

The caelum fliers are scripted to hold+attack rearmost i think http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/frown.gif. Most caelum fliers target our x-bows, but a few also hit my mages.
http://img291.imageshack.us/img291/5819/3nt0.jpg
The problem is that caelum had too many troops and i had to less. If i had used the blindfighters as bodyguards the numerical superiority of caelum would have won the battle nontheless i think. Some of their fliers would have hit my mages anyways. And caelum also had about 150 archers.
http://img157.imageshack.us/img157/3272/4ad0.jpg
So putting my necros into the x-bow mass would not have been a good idea neither, the caelum archers would have killed some, and the caelum fliers too.

I simply had not enough forces, so caelum slaughered my main army.
http://img91.imageshack.us/img91/7696/5rc4.jpg
Horrible http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/mad.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/Sick.gif [img]/threads/images/Graemlins/Envy.gif[/img] [img]/threads/images/Graemlins/Cold.gif[/img] http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image.../firedevil.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/rant.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/evil.gif.

Against ermor we won our battle.
http://img145.imageshack.us/img145/8246/6ng7.jpg
http://img144.imageshack.us/img144/655/7jx8.jpg
But the losses have been somewhat high nontheless.
http://img56.imageshack.us/img56/48/8av5.jpg

Overall a very sad turn. We will be rather defensive this turn with our orders. I need to get some more troops somehow. I think i will summon some iron corpses.

All in all the situation at the caelum front is slightly uncomfortable now.
http://img153.imageshack.us/img153/5289/9rm5.jpg

We need a few turns to produce new armies. Caelum is somewhat weakened too, but they can fly, so they can bring reinforcements faster. I am researching this turn enchantment 3, then i will use all my earth for 400 or so iron corpses and later for mechanical men.

Re: Happiness in Darkness -An Argatha Ktonian Dead
 

nice! like the screenie heavy style. And not only cause i got DSL 6000 http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...ies/tongue.gif

Re: Happiness in Darkness -An Argatha Ktonian Dead
 

Yeah Rythin style AARs http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...es/biggrin.gif.
Imho the best AARstyle http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/smile.gif.

Re: Happiness in Darkness -An Argatha Ktonian Dead
 

That's quite a mob the Caelians have! I'm suprised that Ermor hasn't made more...massive attacks. I wonder if they are involved in other wars...

Re: Happiness in Darkness -An Argatha Ktonian Dead
 

Hehe. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...es/biggrin.gif

Re: Happiness in Darkness -An Argatha Ktonian Dead
 

Yeah your AAR is very good, just keep it up Boron..and post lot of screenies! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/smile.gif

Re: Happiness in Darkness -An Argatha Ktonian Dead
 

Lots of screenies?
That's not nearly enough, I want more than 20-50 http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...ies/tongue.gif
How about Legions?
Or Zounds?

Re: Happiness in Darkness -An Argatha Ktonian Dead
 

Undead legions of screenies! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

Re: Happiness in Darkness -An Argatha Ktonian Dead
 

Mercy http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...es/biggrin.gif.
I have not yet finished my ritual to become a lich, so i am still a mortal.
So legions of screenies are not an option http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...ies/tongue.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

Re: Happiness in Darkness -An Argatha Ktonian Dead
 

There is a genetic disorder called Crigler-Najjar where the child is mentally retarded, usually male, if memory serves, and they will chew their fingers off.

Don't know if they are good wizards, though.

Re: Happiness in Darkness -An Argatha Ktonian Dead
 

I wonder if that has something to do with having Hybrid or Starchild blood somewhere in your family tree.

Re: Happiness in Darkness -An Argatha Ktonian Dead
 

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...ngelove123.jpg

Re: Happiness in Darkness -An Argatha Ktonian Dead
 

"Late spring in the year 4 of the ascension wars"
Only minor battles this turn, most likely the situation won't change for some turns. The attrition-wars have started.

We easily defeated a caelum attack in Ecnapale:
http://img178.imageshack.us/img178/6773/1wo9.jpg
As long as caelum has not at least 200% of our troops they usually do little harm.

Talito was attacked by both Ermor and Caelum:
http://img145.imageshack.us/img145/3588/2yh6.jpg
http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/8320/3hm9.jpg

http://img473.imageshack.us/img473/1249/4hm8.jpg
Caelum and Ermor have left enough troops though, so we cannot counterattack.
It is not problematic though, since i can still grow by taking water provinces and a few indy land provinces. And i got my accashic caster, so my gem income will increase a lot too. Preparing a second accashicer also.

I redecided my use for the tomb oracles. I will use them simply for massive raiding with this plan:
They first reanimate a huge horde of skeletons, when they have 500-1000 they start marching deep into enemy territory with them and serve as support mages in the battles by skelspamming and blade winding. Once their undead numbers drop to <300 they dig in and reanimate till they have enough undeads again for further conquest.
I summon them now at a rate of 2 tomb oracles per turn. 1 tomb oracle reanimates 7 longdead per turn iirc.
So this is currently irrelevant, but in 20-30 turns i will have a nice amount of skeletons per turn i get for free http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif.
Iron corpse reanimation started this turn too. I have 400 earth gems to waste http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif.

Re: Happiness in Darkness -An Argatha Ktonian Dead
 

Caelum has a largish empire it seems.

But it sounds like you have a warplan there.

Re: Happiness in Darkness -An Argatha Ktonian Dead
 

Fortunately Caelum seems rather small, ca. 15 provinces.
But they get +60% Gold income from the difficulty, and they have a castle everywhere. So they can hurl 200-300 troops at me each turn and replace them in 1-2 turns http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif.

Caelum is the 2nd-smallest AI empire, only Ulm is smaller. Ulm seems to be wiped out very soon, they have only 2-3 provinces left http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

Re: Happiness in Darkness -An Argatha Ktonian Dead
 

Ulm, always getting the short end of the stick.

Re: Happiness in Darkness -An Argatha Ktonian Dead
 

"Early summer in the year 4 of the ascension wars"

No noteworthy battle this turn, we killed about 200 Ermor/Caelum troops and took 10-20 losses.
Caelum has massed though according to the spy report 280 troops in one of their castles on our border.
The spy report can be very wrong, the actual size might be 50-200%, so 140-560 troops.
I decide to leave my Army in Ecnaphale nontheless.
Our gem stockpile dwindles quickly. The iron corpse reanimation project used ca. 150 earth gems last turn. In 2-3 turns our stockpile will be completely depleted.
Our death gem stockpile is dwindling too, we use about 40 each turn but gain only 19 per turn. Next turn we have conjuration 7, so we can summon the earth kings then.

"Summer in the year 4 of the ascension wars"

Blarg. Caelum fliers had much luck and killed 4 necros in 2 battles. We won both battles though.
Hm earth kings are now conjuration 8. So we cannot summon them yet http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/Sick.gif.

"Late summer in the year 4 of the ascension wars"

No AI attacks this turn. Nothing else that would be noteworthy happened.

"Early fall in the year 4 of the ascension wars"

A stronger caelum attack.
http://img245.imageshack.us/img245/2589/5bc0.jpg
We won, but the casualties were high.
http://img169.imageshack.us/img169/9545/6dq1.jpg Caelum has finally softened up our border defense too much, a bit too early for my taste. Time to give march orders for the iron corpses to the front to crush Caelum once and for all (hopefully).

Re: Happiness in Darkness -An Argatha Ktonian Dead
 

Wow, Caelum giving hard time without OL/False Horror spam or Wrathing Squads.

Re: Happiness in Darkness -An Argatha Ktonian Dead
 

I don't understand. If they have so many fliers, why not attack your more exposed provinces? It's like they just have to take that once province of yours.

=$=

Re: Happiness in Darkness -An Argatha Ktonian Dead
 

It's the AI http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...ies/tongue.gif

Re: Happiness in Darkness -An Argatha Ktonian Dead
 

Yes, it's AI. :p

Btw, notice how many national troops they are using instead of indie rubbish they used to have in Dom2.

Re: Happiness in Darkness -An Argatha Ktonian Dead
 

Yes it is definitely an improvement, and with patches + modding, the AI can be extremely good, trust me. I already have many ideas how to improve the AI with modding, and it will work. Not that I play too much against the AI, but still, many people are focusing on SP, so they will like our TC mod. Not to mention that it will have the good old fantasy races, such as the elves, dwarves etc. with totally new unit gfx etc. etc. etc. so the MP fans will be also happy. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/smile.gif [Well when the mod will be done, since making a TC mod for Doms 3. will take huge amounts of time, but I will work with 4 other people.]

Re: Happiness in Darkness -An Argatha Ktonian Dead
 

What's a TC mod? Anything you can do to improve the AI (without giving it cheats) is a good thing.

Re: Happiness in Darkness -An Argatha Ktonian Dead
 

Total Conversion mod. It means that the modded game will be very different compared to the vanilla game.
Its very hard to make, especially for Doms 3., since you can/must change tons of datas, graphics, etc. Not to mention that finding the optimal balance will be also very hard. I would say, releasing a TC mod will take lot of months even for 5 people.

Re: Happiness in Darkness -An Argatha Ktonian Dead
 

Wow that sounds great DominionsFan http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif.

You said it will have the classical fantasy nations like dwarfes/elves. Do you plan to make a mod based on an already existing fantasy universe like warhammer or D&D or do you create a new one that you and your partners invent?

Btw you have to include a draconean nation then http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif.
Thilock Dominus was working a draconean mod for Dom2 but afaik unfortunately never finished it.
But i love Dragons and Lizardmen http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

Re: Happiness in Darkness -An Argatha Ktonian Dead
 

Well Boron, the mod will have a "traditional" fantasy setting, but it won't follow any existing fantasy universe. IF you ask why, the answer is simple. Following an existing fantasy universe means restrictions in spells and units. Restrictions = not good.
So we've decided that the first release will have 6 races: Humans, Elves, Dwarves, Orcs, Goblins, Undeads.
3 races will be "good aligned" [humans, elves, dwarves], and the other 3 races will have evil alignment. This will be important in the campaign scenario, there will be permanent alliances in it.
Later on, we plan to add more races, starting with neutral races like Gnomes and Lizardmen.

Hopefully, IW will give us the power to change the Spell names/descriptions, so that we can add many unique national summons. [AFAIK this won't be possible in the vanilla game http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/frown.gif]
Originally we wanted at least 20-25 national summons / race or more.
Also, like I've said in a previous reply, all units will have totally new photoshopped graphics.
When time will come I will start an own thread for the mod, you can read lot of other informations about it there of course.


*edit* typo http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/smile.gif

Re: Happiness in Darkness -An Argatha Ktonian Dead
 

Don't worry. I have intention to transfer my wood Elf to Dom3 and finish my half done Draconian race to dom3.
The problem with dom2 was the limitation of modding some things. Luckly I've heard it should way easier to change stuff in Dom3 http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

Re: Happiness in Darkness -An Argatha Ktonian Dead
 

Hopefully http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif.
Your wood elf nation was nice too, but i really love dragons and draconians, so i am really looking forward to your draconian mod http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif.

Re: Happiness in Darkness -An Argatha Ktonian Dead
 

I don't see a way to add a dragon race to Doms 3. How could it be balanced? Dragons are supposed to be rare and mighty. We will definitely add dragons for various races as a high cost summon....but as a race...I just don't think that it would work. Just imagine a dragon with 50-100 HP, that wouldn't make any sense. Well maybe a half-dragon race could work, but that race would be a bit odd.

Lizardmen on the other hand will be perfect for a race.
They can get dragons as national troops, but only as high summons. Dragonlings could work as low level summons.
Just my .02 http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/smile.gif

Re: Happiness in Darkness -An Argatha Ktonian Dead
 

The half dragons were my fav race in AoW 2.

Shadow Demons were cool in Shadow Magic.

Re: Happiness in Darkness -An Argatha Ktonian Dead
 

i dont like the draconians. I miss lizardmen in AOW

Re: Happiness in Darkness -An Argatha Ktonian Dead
 

BLASPHAMY!!! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...es/biggrin.gif

Re: Happiness in Darkness -An Argatha Ktonian Dead
 

I second that.

The draconians were my favourite Aow nation. In Aow 2 SM i also liked the shadow demons and the nomads though http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif.
Hm the tigrans were also cute http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

Re: Happiness in Darkness -An Argatha Ktonian Dead
 

True, very true. It's a pity they took away lizardmen and Azracs and put generic fantasy races instead. Turtle catapult was cute http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/smile.gif
AOW1 had so well balanced and interestingly described units for various races, while in AOW2... mounted halfling sheriff surrounded by poison cloud.
Pleaseee...

AOW1 races with AOW2 battle mechanics - that would be nice.

Re: Happiness in Darkness -An Argatha Ktonian Dead
 

AOW has an issue that Dominions resolves good.
Balance
Despite of having much less units AOW has poor balance between units and in between races too. There's never better to have many weak units than few powerful, as weak units cost too much upkeep. Ussually you end up using only melee lvl3 units like yetis or warlords. Maybe Anti-air units like druids or spiders to help.
Draconians are maybe the most useful race. They are neutral, so they relate good with others and they generate research by population wich is the best bonus. And they have a lvl 2 units with true seeing, regenerating hydras as grunts and top of that their end unit is the red dragon. Result: overpowered.
Halflings are only good to generate money with their bonus or leprechauns (if you invest quite a bit).

even then the game is cool. I would like to play MP online to have tactical battles. I played in PBEM before I learned of Dominions, When I´m tired of Dominions I play AOW just to rest my mind.

Re: Happiness in Darkness -An Argatha Ktonian Dead
 

I got really disapointed in the early versions of AOW 2, it just felt...really bad. AOW 2 was the game I abandoned in favour of Dominions. I read a strategy guide to Dominions I in a finnish game mag and I was sold: everything sounded a bit similiar to AOW, except tne times more detailed and numerous.

Well, the two aren't quite the same thing, but I was just...awe-struck when I started playing Dominions.

It felt so magical.

Re: Happiness in Darkness -An Argatha Ktonian Dead
 

Cities had maximum development levels in AOW1, so it was rather difficult to build sufficient numbers of highest tier units. While playing with good-neutral races, I ended up migrating low level cities to elves or halfling to churn out their decent low-level archers or pony scouts there while training human cavalrymen and knights in level 3 cities.
In the AOW1 demo mission it was essential to capture the orc lvl 4 capital before they got to training red dragons there, otherwise you were toasted.
Races were pretty well thought-out, with i.e. halflings having lvl-1 pony scouts, but lacking regular full fledged cavalry, etc. As far as raw combat might was concerned, orcs were much better than halflings, which was logical IMHO
In AOW2 any city could grow to the upper limits, so the above was no longer true. Additionaly, unit balance was plain wrong. Beside draconians, archons come to mind. All their units had vertigo inducing holy strike and their chariots were uber.
Site exploration and unit descriptions were gone, too http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/frown.gif

The series sported some dominionesque ideas, e.g. dominion-like "sphere of influence" projected from towers. The above coupled with land-withering global spell was very Ermor-like http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

Re: Happiness in Darkness -An Argatha Ktonian Dead
 

Yeah, haha, I also back then thought that "Wow, this Dominion thing sounds a lot like the Wizard Domain but much cooler!". http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

Re: Happiness in Darkness -An Argatha Ktonian Dead
 

There is a draconic race in Wesnoth for example. The draconic units ain't stronger then let's say the human units. Its making no sense to me. Lizardmen as a race can be balanced, but not a draconian race. Well depends, maybe someone wouldn't care to see weak dragons or draconic units. Personally I wouldn't like it. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...ies/stupid.gif

Re: Happiness in Darkness -An Argatha Ktonian Dead
 

Perhaps something like Abysia. Weak but stronger than human units, strong units, special units and a flying commander. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

Re: Happiness in Darkness -An Argatha Ktonian Dead
 

Lots of people miss the site exploration. In the original AOW it was mysterious, scary and fun not knowing what to expect from exploring a site. Unfortunately Triumph decided to remove this great feature without even checking with the fans. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/frown.gif
At least with AOW:SM we were able to convince Triumph to change that stupid "auto_surrender" feature into being only a game option. At least 95% of the AOW:SM community does not use the auto_surrender.
As of right now Triumph is working on a game for the XBox called Overlords. The game appears to be like DungeonKeeper from the screenshots we've seen, but that's just a guess. It will be available for the PC as well, yet not sure how features will be lost since it has to be compatible with the XBox too.

Re: Happiness in Darkness -An Argatha Ktonian Dead
 

http://www.triumphstudios.com/press.php

I think that the game will be neat. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/smile.gif

Re: Happiness in Darkness -An Argatha Ktonian Dead
 

I used to be a diehard AOW player. Haven't played a single game of it since I downloaded the Dominions PPP demo about 2 years ago. I actually first learned of Dominions from a thread in the AOW forums. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

Re: Happiness in Darkness -An Argatha Ktonian Dead
 

I was a diehard AOW fan too till i discovered finally Dom2 by accident. I discovered it via an OT thread in the paradox forum.

Till then i have not played much Aow neither, only a few mp-duels http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif.

Re: Happiness in Darkness -An Argatha Ktonian Dead
 

Well, if you are really set on a balanced draconian race, you could use the Elderlings of "The Liveship Traders" http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

Re: Happiness in Darkness -An Argatha Ktonian Dead
 

Actually, draconian summons can be part of the lizardmen race.
We are planning the mod with my mates. Just a few examples.

Example: Goblin national summons will be various Hobgoblins and Ogres. Orc national summons will be various Half-orcs and Trolls.
Lizardmen national summons will be various lesser dragons and draconian troops.
Also all races will get some high summons. [example: Lizardmen will be able to summon dragons, Orcs and Goblins will be able to summon various monstrocities etc. etc.]

Re: Happiness in Darkness -An Argatha Ktonian Dead
 

Amazing how well this thread is going off-topic http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/laugh.gif

The way to balance eventually a Draconians race to play may be giving them disadvantages which makes up for their strength-ness. It could be things like eg. very-low birth rate and/or very fragile versus cold etc. etc.