Modding: Any Warhammer 40k fans out there?

[BigDunc]

I'm not much of a modder, but I've started fooling around with Dominions 2 in the setting of Warhammer 40k. This could have potential if we're later allowed to mod items and such. Any 40k fans out there?

Bigdunc

[Cainehill]

Originally posted by BigDunc:
I'm not much of a modder, but I've started fooling around with Dominions 2 in the setting of Warhammer 40k. This could have potential if we're later allowed to mod items and such. Any 40k fans out there?

How can anyone not be a fan of a game with Orks and space going Marines? Haven't played in years, other than getting most of the Warhammer-based computer strategy games. Actually more fond of the straight fantasy based Warhammer games though (both paper/pencil RPG and war game). Again, sadly, haven't played in years and years since my Last gaming group broke up across the country, and the next Groups I tried were nightmares.

(For instance - the gamemaster of a game totally of his own design, actually passed out a sheet of paper to all players listing real world cash prices for everything from redoing a dice roll ($1) to resurrection and starting with a god-like character. Ewwww. Oh, and roleplaying bonuses were given for things like talking in a cheesy Pakistani accent. Double ewwww.)

[Norfleet]

Originally posted by Cainehill:
(For instance - the gamemaster of a game totally of his own design, actually passed out a sheet of paper to all players listing real world cash prices for everything from redoing a dice roll ($1) to resurrection and starting with a god-like character. Ewwww.

Okay, some of that stuff isn't appropriate, but I personally thought that the idea of charging a quarter for every die reroll was a great one. Anyone can force anyone else, including himself, to do a reroll by placing a quarter in the jar: The money is then used to pay for pizza.

[Alexander Seil]

That would be nice...I wonder how the path/school magic system would work in that setting though, plus you can't have "carrier" units of any sort, whether it be aircraft, ships or APCs. Talking of mods though, I believe a Master of Magic high fantasy (as opposed to current mythological/historical focus) mod would be entirely appropriate.

[sergex]

Sure you could have carrier units, if they let you work item powers into a unit's abilities. Make a transport plane as a commander with a built in Flying Ship item. Submarine with built in Barrel of Air. All units under that commander would get the appropriate benefits.

I have always loved WH40k but it would take a LOT of work and with so many units involved you'd have to do totally new artwork for everything. Even the gem/magic wouldn't exactly fit in. They only have psionics in WH40K, right?

[Alexander Seil]

Not in tactical mode, however. All infantry would have to be dismounted. Plus, "flying" in the game works like teleportation and simply won't work for simulating aerial combat (plus you can't do strategic bombardment). Artillery is out of question, of course, hence one is left with tanks and dismounted infantry...Besides, this game can't (and was never supposed to) really simulate the tactics of squad combat, as it's based around more or less cohesive armies engaging each other frontally in open field.

Strategically, yes, vehicles can be used as carriers, but that would cripple their production (one leader per province per turn, of course).

A Warhammer fantasy mod is a viable alternative...one would have to mod the dominion scales, however, to give them a more "political" flavor.

[ March 26, 2004, 04:13: Message edited by: Alexander Seil ]

[BigDunc]

There will be obstacles, but I think it's going to be easier than one might think. As for the transports, you make it inherent in a units #mapmove. I don't see most of the Epic vehicles being used in this (ie Thunderhawk Gunships, super heavy tanks, and Titans). I see it more limited to the Codex units and vehicles in 40k. Unless you went with vehicles as the emphasis and cut down the number of available infantry units and commanders. Even then, the scale of the current battlefield might just not work.

Magic is the hardest part. Psionics, yes, but it's really not too different than "magic." Same concept, different word. Psykers Smite their enemies, call down Storms, and summon daemons. An expansion of modding into Spells would greatly help. Even if it was just to rename spells to be more thematic. Gems don't exactly fit thematically, but that's no biggie.


I do have a few questions:

*How do you change the # of attacks of a weapon?
*Can a monster fire more than 1 ranged weapon in a round?
*How does Trample work? Does it require other values like #str?
*How do you make something provide supplies? #supply?
*Same for siege. #siege?


Thanks. I'll let you guys know how things progress thru the weekend.

BigDunc

[PrinzMegaherz]

I would stick with Warhammer fantasy. The reason? In 40k nearly every unit has some kind of long range weapon. This would make battles veeeeeeery long, unless the devs add some options to adjust missile speed.

A Warhammer fantasy mod is a viable alternative...one would have to mod the dominion scales, however, to give them a more "political" flavor.

Hm, is this necessary? All Warhammer Nations have their distinct religion, very often forming the landscape to fit their needs. Take Chaos as an example, with the chaos wastes spreading from the north.

By the way, I'm not so sure about this, but isn't GW one of those companies that like to sue people for copyright things? Something we should think about...

[mivayan]

can a monster fire more than 1 ranged weapon in a round?

Yes, when using ranged weapons all ranged weapons are used in the same round. A star child with a magic bow fires bow + mind bLast, anyone with two fire bolas will throw both.

In 40k nearly every unit has some kind of long range weapon.

You can perhaps make ranged weapons that work like falling fires or thunder strike, with only the big boom graphics where it hit and nothing flying across the screen.

[ March 26, 2004, 14:29: Message edited by: mivayan ]

[BigDunc]

TY Mivayan. For vehicles that will work great. Throw a couple lascannons and a storm bolter on a Land Raider... but what about individual weapons? Is there a #nbratt or something? For example, how does the Bow of War work with its 13 attacks?

The ranged combat I've tested so far is very fast. The #spr1 shows a marine, #spr2 shows a flash of fire from his weapon. Nothing flies thru the air. Blood spurts still show on the other end. Also, tho 40k has lots of long ranged weaponary, there is still tons of hand-to-hand fighting. It's just as numerous as shooting really. Some armies rely almost entirely on it, in fact.

Is there a way to tap into spell graphics?

BigDunc

[ March 26, 2004, 18:08: Message edited by: BigDunc ]