Previews from WorthPlaying and Bovine

[silhouette]

OK, what can we learn from these new previews.
WorthPlaying preview : mostly things we knew, but good screenshots
the Bovine Conspiracy preview : In my opinion not great writing and rather fanboyish, but some nice info

• from the WorthPlaying screenshots, we can see Awakening and Load Pretender God on the new god creation menu window
• the Design Dominion window has nice new details showing the effects of your selection
• on the first screenshot in the second set, does it show that you can see the battle orders script as you create it? If so, thank you, nice to avoid the "I forget, did I cast Body Etherial or Resist Magic already in this script? Drat, *cancel*, *start over*, ..."
• the Bovine suggests you can get used to Kim Chi (I'm not convinced)
• the main menu has "Game Tools" (leading probably to Create a New God, the Map Editor, and I guess the new Random Map tool ?)
• the screenshot with Physical Forms shows some really nice detail in the new pretender graphics
• you can get a T'ien Ch'i leader named "Fu-xing"? Beavis will love it.
• Derrick at Bovine says "Also nice is that you now have the option to create multiple pretenders for each race, instead of getting limited to one per race." Yay, yay, yay.
• also from Derrick, some fort info we wanted "you no longer get to choose your fortress. ... the specific type is now limited to the map and territory you build it in." And the nation according to info elsewhere.
• the Awakening screenshot shows the options and design points, but not the times. Anyone want to take a guess? Dormant = 1 year for 150 points and Imprisoned = 2 years for 300 points?
• "it'll actually tell you what bonuses you get with various magic and dominion levels" -- does that refer to bless effects, or pretender/prophet dominion effects or both?
• Warrior of the Five Elements look nifty
• no new diplomatic or alliance options? :-(

Some of the new graphics we have seen from before seem very 2-dimensional to me. I think my impression is probably from the shading and shadows, since the level of detail seems good. For example, the angelic figure leading the Arco hoplites in the "pillar of fire" screenshot, the chilled giant Ermorian? attacking in the midst of the Jotunheim giants in the "burning" screenshot on WorthPlaying, and the ape archers in the "bandar" shot. Lack of contrast in the color/intensity maybe?

Also, has nobody asked why all the new menu windows have 2 little images of Gandalf in the top corners ? Well ?

Sill

[Agrajag]

According to the description below, Imprisoned is three years ±0.5years
EDIT: Also, it obviously isn't the same gandalf. The one on the corners isn't wearing any glasses!

[Endoperez]

Of course he isn't wearing any glasses! That's Gandalf, the Lord of Winds, the Scourge of Heavens, Friends with the Bombardment Squadron, the White, and his power over Air gives him increased precision!

[silhouette]

Agrajag said:
According to the description below, Imprisoned is three years ±0.5years

Oh, look, it does. That's what I get for browsing with a little 1024x768 window, didn't even see it.

+300 points for 30-42 turns of no pretender. That can allow quite powerful scales and multi-bless too, if you want to leave ol' tentacle-face locked up dreaming for a while.

Sill

[Gandalf Parker]

the "wait for a god" thing is definately a nice tactical add. On a small map you would basically be giving up your god for the whole game in order to have more powerful scales.

On a large map you might create a powerful bless god which isnt that much needed anyway until you have had time to take local provinces to get enough gold/resources to build up a decent blessable army. (plus it can protect my god from my own tendencies to waste them on independents early in the game).

As to that being me.. LOL

Gandalf Parker

[ioticus]

I wonder what Dormant means? Can't use him for 2 years?

[NakedLunch]

Dormant is one year give or take a couple of months.

[DominionsFan]

Gandalf Parker said:
the "wait for a god" thing is definately a nice tactical add. On a small map you would basically be giving up your god for the whole game in order to have more powerful scales.

On a large map you might create a powerful bless god which isnt that much needed anyway until you have had time to take local provinces to get enough gold/resources to build up a decent blessable army. (plus it can protect my god from my own tendencies to waste them on independents early in the game).

As to that being me.. LOL

Gandalf Parker

I agree totally, we can play around with different "starting strategies". This is definitely a great addition.

[WraithLord]

I am afraid the imprisonment might be unbalancing.
300 extra points might allow for four level 9 bless, this will make blessable units and commanders ridiculously powerful from day one and w/o need to research, who needs the pretender anyway with such a powerful army.

[DominionsFan]

silhouette said:
Also, has nobody asked why all the new menu windows have 2 little images of Gandalf in the top corners ? Well ?

Sill

Hehe.