Question for next balance mod.

[KissBlade]

It seems to me that some races have unnecessarily needed "free points" which gives them a bigger advantages than races that don't. Basically I'm speaking of races such as Caelum, Jotunheim, C'tis, Abysia and even Ermor to some extent. Races that are already powerful so why do they require the free points extra from climate?

[Fate]

Well, I have only played the demo, so I am not very reliable, but it could be that the races are designed to rely on those extra points. So maybe they're units are more expensive for the same effectiveness? I believe, also, that they still suffer the damage of lower weather scales, they just get bonuses to make up for it.

[KissBlade]

I think that's the theory but I don't think it quite makes up for it .. 120 points is A LOT. Especially when you look at Abysia and Jotun's national troops, which while expensive are pretty effective.

[Turin]

Well just try those races in multiplayer. If they are so good with the free picks, they should be picked first most often. Oddly enough that is rarely the case .

[KissBlade]

Well in all the games I've played, Jotun seems pretyt popular. =)

[NTJedi]

Well by giving some races bigger advantages it allows more variation when going against AI or human opponents.
For example if an experienced player wants to introduce a rookie to the game most likely the rookie will be suggested to take Ermor. And the experienced gamer would play one of the weaker races and a weaker pretender. As a result a good game can be played... if all the races are equal then the only way a veteran could easily introduce a rookie would be by editing the .map file or installing a mod.

[KissBlade]

I'm not so sure about that ... since the experienced player can just not use all his points to handicap himself. =)

[NTJedi]

KissBlade said:
I'm not so sure about that ... since the experienced player can just not use all his points to handicap himself. =)

Exactly the same reponse for your original post. If the experienced player views Ermor has having too many points he simply can just not use all his points to handicap himself.

[Oversway]

I'm speaking of races such as Caelum, Jotunheim, C'tis, Abysia and even Ermor to some extent

What nations are you comparing to? Pythium, Arco, R'lyeh, etc.? They all have rather effective troops.

[Endoperez]

Temperature scale isn't all good. Every pick the temperature differs from your nation's preferred, you lose income, resources and supplies. Unless you have strong dominion, seasons effect this. Unless your dominions spreads very fast, you'll have to preach in conquered provinces before they are in your preferred temperature, and then wait until they catch up with the warmth.

The nations that need spesific temperature need high dominion, possibly with a special theme improving dominion /temperature spread.

Also, some nations require less resources. E.g. Mictlan can survive with Sloth 2 or 3 AND use its many national units (mainly Jaguar Warriors, of course). Jotunheim can't, especially not Niefelheim. Pythium starts with 7 gems, and has free communion slaves. The thing is, many of the nations have something special, something that makes them worth it.


It's also often the case of how you play, as well. I don't remember how Gandalf used to say it, but the nations are just tools which the player must use. A player must choose a correct tool for a spesific strategy, and e.g. Pangaea can be deadly stealth nation. Gandalf has these wonderful stories of Pangaea scouting provinces with the Black Harpies, then conquering a province via Call of the Wild with (possibly) some stealth support, then building a castle, lab, temple with the stealthy commanders - and when your enemy finds your "capital", he'll be very confused!

EDIT: you don't recruit provinces...