The aging \"system\"
 

Hm this aging system gonna be interesting. I think that its gonna randomize many things in the game. You gonna loose soldiers all year, and in some years you gonna loose your SCs probably. This brings up another question. If a SC dies because of aging, his/her items will be gone as well, or the items will be available for the player to equip another SC with them? Also will there be any spells what the players can use to extend the lifespan of the chosen creatures? Can we disable aging if we want? [Example with a command like dominions3.exe --noaging]

Re: The aging \"system\"
 

Just fantasizing about it but Im thinking its an RPG thing. My guy isnt going to die suddenly of old age. Maybe it increases afflictions or chance of disease.

In any case, I think back on when they made it possible to find all your banged up troops easily. It allowed me to RPG my armies by leaving behing the afflicted units as patrollers. I thought of it as a well-earned retirement for soldiers who had served me well. A plot of land, a bit of seed, and they help keep the peace.

Anyway I figure the age thing will work like that. I will have to move my "old" guys to a safer place to let them live out their lives.

Re: The aging \"system\"
 

Their place is 50 feet in front of the main battle line to draw arrows, spells and lances.

That's the way things go in Dominions http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

Btw., keeping feebleminded 250-gold-mages as patrollers isn't really that cost effective. Or crippled HI with 2AP.

.. thinking about it .. wasn't "reduced micromanagement" advertised somewhere? If I have to check all my units for aging-induced disablities regularly, that does not sound like less MM to me ?!? Ok, they only age once every year, what is .. 12 turns? .. but still ..

Re: The aging \"system\"
 

I like the idea of aging btw, this is definitely gonna change the gameplay somewhat, especially if some strong units/SCs are dying, not "just" regular troops. Oh btw I have yet another question! How can this be balanced? Lets say unit A will have a much bigger lifespan, then then unit B. however overall the 2 unit's stats are the same. [attack,defense etc] Unit Awill cost more gems/gold/resource to recruit? I dont know what would be good. I mean the lifespan of unit A can be higher, but the stats of the units are the same.
I dont know how could this be balanced. There is a chance that the players will loose their units before they die - regardless of their lifespan, since this is a wargame afterall http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif, but if they keep them to defend some provinces in safe positions, the player -who recruited units with a higher lifespan- will have an advantage for sure.

OR!!! maybe the units won't die just get some afflictions when they are too old? Nah I dont think so, this wouldnt make a sense. If aging is implented, the units should die after a period, no?

Re: The aging \"system\"
 

When you consider the lifespan of a typical SC, I don't think aging will hurt them much. Limne? Rhuax? Bane Lords? Ice Devils? They've been around for centuries, and will probably stick around for a few more.

If you use the Master with the Iron Crutch as an SC, you might run into aging problems. But he's immortal, so who cares?

Re: The aging \"system\"
 

I don't think normal soldiers will be suffering from old age. I mean, most humans are recruited as 20-somethings, at most, and can live to at least 40 years old before they would be considered old. 240 turns for a 10 gp investment sounds pretty decent, for me...

Older units, like Crones of Avalon, might start suffering faster. And Triarii of Pythium, and maybe Principes, etc old and experienced soldiers. Even in their case it probably won't be as bad as it currently is with Principes (sometimes they have a random affliction), because aging is supposed to take time.

I'd also like to see the new Burden of Time in action! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/laugh.gif

Re: The aging \"system\"
 

I definitely agree... there should be a way to disable aging.

Re: The aging \"system\"
 

Disabling aging I'm thinking would be fairly similar to wanting to disable battle Afflictions. They may add in support for it... but I'm guessing it's another element to consider for balance in the game. For example the added aging benefit/drawback from growth/death scales (mentioned that it affects aging rate). Also the different mechanics for how Burden of Time works. In the old system it added afflictions/damage to units randomly. The new system sounds like it'll instead increase their rate of aging.

It's also possible that it's already a setting at game creation but that's really hard for us to tell. Then again... if what people above are saying is correct... 240 turns for a single normal human soldier to get to the old age state and START to get random afflictions is a long time for a single soldier to even survive in the first place.

We'll just have to wait and see how the aging system shapes up. It's really just speculation at the moment.


Resok

Re: The aging \"system\"
 

I believe that there are 8 turns to a year in DomII, so that's just 12.5 years for a 100 turn game if the same scale is used in 3. At that rate it seems like very few units would really get hit by major aging effects, mostly early game lab mages. I'd think field troops have so many other threats to their well being that they'd be happy to last long enough to suffer the slings and arrows of old age.

Re: The aging \"system\"
 

Actually, it's 12 turns per year in Dominions II, with one month per turn (d'oh!). Don't get confused with Space Empires and its ten-month year, though. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

Re: The aging \"system\"
 

Well we won't know for sure until after a few games... I remember playing a pirates game on the PC where as soon as your pirate captain turned 30... he'd become really crappy which forces you into retirement.(not much fun)

There might even be a way to disable aging... or a way to adjust the aging timeline... only time will tell.

Re: The aging \"system\"
 

It would be interesting (but stupid?) if there was some possibility of, say, an early-era game turning into a middle-era game after a while... New troops for everyone to buy, etc...

Re: The aging \"system\"
 

I'm sure there are some items and spells that will prevent or even reverse aging.

Re: The aging \"system\"
 

Yeah that would be awesome. I mean there will be probably items/spells what will make your soldiers older..so... http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/cool.gif

Re: The aging \"system\"
 

Hmmm, I see notes there that say:

* Ageing is worse when under a death scale.
* Gift of Health halves speed of aging.
* Decay causes rapid aging.
* Aging less disastrous for long living people.


also, we know it affects stats, and either creates or affects afflictions (rates?)

* Age penalty printed among bonuses.
* Some old age stats were printed incorrectly.
* Limit on starting age afflictions = age penalty +1. [...]
* Commanders starts without old age afflictions


and if you don't like it,

* 3 new mod commands for age control.


Sill

Re: The aging \"system\"
 

I'm not too crazy about this aging idea. I mean, c'mon, we already have hundreds of ways a unit can die/gain afflictions without factoring in "natural causes." But maybe it will play better than it sounds on paper.

Re: The aging \"system\"
 

> I'm not too crazy about this aging idea. I mean, c'mon, we already have hundreds of ways a unit can die/gain afflictions without factoring in "natural causes."

Ageing will be most noticable when you get magically aged (and that is not a natural cause).

> But maybe it will play better than it sounds on paper.

Don't count on it. You will be severly annoyed when your old mighty mages get crippled from old age. BTW did I say that we like old people http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

Re: The aging \"system\"
 

I'm happy as long as the heart failure rate is factored into the cost. Hey, do women live a bit longer?

Re: The aging \"system\"
 

What about your pretender? If your pretender ages, well...

Re: The aging \"system\"
 

Do aged mages have a higher chance of recieveing a "Broken Hip" afflicition?


And will you get a nice message in the message window saying "Ferdinand the astrologer has slipped and fell in the tub and broken his hip. Unfortunately, a treatment for broken hips has not been invented at the time, and so Ferdinand will be afflicted forever"?

Re: The aging \"system\"
 

> I'm happy as long as the heart failure rate is factored into the cost. Hey, do women live a bit longer?

They don't, but it was a fun idea. Could compensate the fact that women generally has slightly lower physical stats (str 9) in the game http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

> What about your pretender? If your pretender ages, well...

Yep, but they have lifespans of several hunderd or thousand years, so it is rarely a matter on their part.

> Do aged mages have a higher chance of recieveing a "Broken Hip" afflicition?

http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif In dom3 that would be 'crippled' I suppose. I believe old guys can get crippled dua to ageing, although the chance might be slim.

Re: The aging \"system\"
 

There's no chance of your mages growing in magical power as they age, is there?

Re: The aging \"system\"
 

Actually this is a good question! It would make sense, if the mages would gain some random powers as they age. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/cool.gif

Re: The aging \"system\"
 

It is called empowerment and cost gems http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

Generally a game doesn't last more than a couple of years (unless someone casts Burden of Time).

Re: The aging \"system\"
 

That creates a question...if gaining magic power depends on empowering with gems, how come we can recruit mages with a lot of points in several paths? Empowering to those levels would have cost insane amounts, far more gems than the nation could use with it's starting income...

Re: The aging \"system\"
 

The mages have been trained all their lives in the art of magic and if an average game takes only a couple of years, doubling their powers in a few years or say in a couple of months would definetely require empowerment. Power increase through time would be only logical, if the games would last about 15-30 years, which insane amount of turns. Isn't the year about 12 turns in game or something?

Re: The aging \"system\"
 

You can study as well, but thet takes time, and the scope of an ascension war is rather limited. Therefore you do not study magic in the game. It would be boring to watch your mage spending 120 turns to get better.

Re: The aging \"system\"
 

Hmm, varjostin beat me to it http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

Re: The aging \"system\"
 

Will we really get to see the aging system in action?
Because if even long games take 10 years... What unit can you recruit that won't last 10 years?
Even the oldest of soldiers won't be over 40 (and 50 is far from death).
Besides a cooler BoT, the only effect I can imagine is mages aging (and even then, I'd expect mages to have very long lifespans, and not to be recruited a few years before dying of old age...)

So enlighten me, you have the game, does the aging system play a role in it, or is it irelevant? And will it be tweaked if it is found to be too minor or too major?

Re: The aging \"system\"
 

Now, let me ask you this. What 50+ year old is as physically proficient (with full armour on) as a 20 - 30 year old (no disrespect intended)?

I doubt that we will se anyone dying, but the effects could be noticeable (assuming your soldiers live that long, which, in Dominions, isn't all that likely).

I believe that Kristoffer mentioned that it won't be truly relavent unless your opponent casts some age-effecting spells...

Re: The aging \"system\"
 

I think the aging system will really kick in, when someone gonna cast a global spell, what will make your troops older. Hopefully there will be a counter spell for it btw, what will make your troops younger. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/laugh.gif

Re: The aging \"system\"
 

> I doubt that we will se anyone dying, but the effects could be noticeable (assuming your soldiers live that long, which, in Dominions, isn't all that likely).

You will se some dying old mages. Especially if you go with a death scale.

There are lots of seniors dying during a ten year period. At least in Sweden, but we no longer have the highest life expectancy in the world http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

Most mages don't have longer lives than ordinary men, unless they follow the path of nature or death. The latter does not protect you from old age, only from dying of it.

> So enlighten me, you have the game, does the aging system play a role in it, or is it irelevant? And will it be tweaked if it is found to be too minor or too major?

Death from old age will not be the major effect of old age. Old age reduces stats of units and increases fatigue. Instead of having lower attack skills and higher fatigue values set for each mage they have basically the same stats as normal units, but as they start older they get reductions due to age. More powerful mages are older as are priests. The typical Arch Theurg might have -2 str, att and defence. A theurg might have nothing or possibly -1. You get the idea. Some races such as Jotuns and Vanir have longer lifespans.

Re: The aging \"system\"
 

Sounds cool, thanks for the info, Kristoffer

Re: The aging \"system\"
 

So, can Man have a hero who ages backwards? Is Merlin the only legendary character that did?

Re: The aging \"system\"
 

What I want to know is whether we'll see older mages boxing the younger mages around the ears and complaining about how much better magic was in their day.

Re: The aging \"system\"
 

I thought that was the in-game reasoning behind mages casting Berserk on each other. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...ies/tongue.gif

Re: The aging \"system\"
 

This is a marvelous idea. What I am wondering is will the little magi such as Theurgs be able to be promoted to Arch Theurg randomly over time as they grow old based on a low random chance? This would make some logical sense but might interfere with game balance.