A prioritized and hopefully realistic Wish List for 2.13

[CUnknown]

I have two questions for the more experienced players:

1) Are games often won without the use of SC's?

2) Are games often won without the use of lifedrain in any form?

If the answers are: "No, not often. You typically need SC's and/or lifedrain in order to win competitive games." Then, it seems reasonable that lifedrain (in any form) should be either nerfed or made more expensive. Doesn't everyone agree with this, even the people who are against nerfing lifedrain?

If people answer "No" to those questions, and still are against nerfing lifedrain, I'd like to hear why. In my opinion, the less viable options there are in a game, the less strategy there is. So, nerfing lifedrain in Dom2 would make other options viable, and make the game even more deep than it already is.

Now, I'm not sure if lifedrain is tyically necessary to win, so I haven't made up my mind about nerfing it yet.

[NTJedi]

Originally posted by Gandalf Parker:

What would help, and has been done in the past but dropped by people doing it, is to collect all of the suggestions into a list. ......... A directory of conversations would be very helpful.

Sounds nice but... the problem here is some people tend to write paragraphs and paragraphs about their suggestions then others who disagree will write paragraphs and/or off-topic discussions begin. The poll is much more efficient for gathering the information where the developers won't have to spend hours reading Posts.

[Endoperez]

Most games will propably see the use of SCs. It is better to ask would the player have won the game without SC or lifedraining. Especially when lifedrain is also a spell (that can be casted from an item!) and in that case the melee-drainers would not see use. With that wording your question and interpretation (sp?) seems to be along the lines of this one, although not as strongly:

Are games won without use of elemental magics?
Are games won without Evocation spells?

If not, evocations, especially elemental ones, are obviously overpowered!

[Gandalf Parker]

Originally posted by CUnknown:
I have two questions for the more experienced players:

1) Are games often won without the use of SC's?

2) Are games often won without the use of lifedrain in any form?

I think the answer is yes to both but then I dont particularly care. I think its only a question involving player-vs-player, on fairly small maps, and little or no diplomacy. None of which are a factor in 90% of my games.

But it doesn seem a reasonable thing to try and pin down. IF its common then it can stand some tweaking but I dont think it breaks the game. Remember that balance in Dom2 does not mean that everyone (unit, nation, god, player)can beat something, as long as SOMEONE (unit, nation, god, player) can.

[Endoperez]

Originally posted by NTJedi:

quote:

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Originally posted by Gandalf Parker:

What would help, and has been done in the past but dropped by people doing it, is to collect all of the suggestions into a list. ......... A directory of conversations would be very helpful.

Sounds nice but... the problem here is some people tend to write paragraphs and paragraphs about their suggestions then others who disagree will write paragraphs and/or off-topic discussions begin. The poll is much more efficient for gathering the information where the developers won't have to spend hours reading Posts.

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But as we players do read the Posts the poll will most probably be colored by the views of the persons most actively speaking them aloud... I admit I have 'fallen' for that one a few times.

[NTJedi]

Originally posted by Endoperez:
But as we players do read the Posts the poll will most probably be colored by the views of the persons most actively speaking them aloud... I admit I have 'fallen' for that one a few times.

For best efficiency the developer should be the one to actually develop the poll. This way suggestions which are way too complex/bizarre can be filtered out and the developer has the list of what he considers important... then we can vote for what we feel should be addressed.

[Norfleet]

Originally posted by CUnknown:
1) Are games often won without the use of SC's?

Yes, they can be, in very small games where you often rush your opponents before the game reaches that phase of development. SCs are, however, an inherent core aspect of the game, as evidenced by the fact that many pretender choices are geared towards having a big, mean, asswhailer at your disposal from turn 1.

This question can be like asking, "Can wars be won without tanks?", though. Yes, they can be, but the alternatives tend to be bloody, gruelling, and tedious.

2) Are games often won without the use of lifedrain in any form?

Once again, in very small games where people rush each other from the beginning, before SCs and item forging enters the picture, lifedrain does not necessarily manifest itself. Given that an overdependence on lifedrain can be countered by the use of lifeless units, many of which can be had very cheaply, and will eventually exhaust anything that isn't 0-encumberance if it depends entirely on lifedrain for fatigue control, it is also not as if Dom2 leaves you without a solution to an army of lifedraining attackers.