Patch Improvements

[Talleyrand]

Daynarr said:
I seriously don't see a problem with 'long map generation times' issue. Some things to consider about it - generation times are directly related to PC power so not everyone has problems with it.

That's just not true at all. It is the programming, plain and simple. Every other game I've played that has a random map generator takes split-seconds to generate one. Why is this game so different that it requires minutes? I have an AMD 2500+ with 1.5 gigs of RAM and you're telling me it's not powerful enough to efficiently create a small random map with two AIs? How much horsepower do you think such a task needs lol? I do agree with you that there are more important things for them to do deal with but as this thread is more of a wishlist than a practical list of what will go into the next patch, I don't see how my suggestion is anymore out of place than many others.

[Graeme Dice]

Talleyrand said:
That's just not true at all. It is the programming, plain and simple. Every other game I've played that has a random map generator takes split-seconds to generate one. Why is this game so different that it requires minutes?

Most random map generators are for games where the basic measurement is a single tile of a specific terrain, while Dominions uses arbitrary, semi-realistic looking maps. While it does take longer than I'd expect it to, the results make it appear that it's using a fairly complicated algorithm.

[Cainehill]

I suspect map-creation can be sped up significantly if the graphics / message updating code is tweaked.

[Chazar]

Cainehill said:I suspect map-creation can be sped up significantly if the graphics / message updating code is tweaked.

Yep, I too experienced that progress bars or indicators can slow down things enormously.

...but can't someone who has the full version yet easily try this out by running a graphicless server and connecting locally to it (and disconnect before hosting)? Or does even the graphicless server spit out useless progress comments?

[Manuk]

I think that the +3 attack +3 defense bonus of quickness is too much, should be removed. Acting 2 times the same turn is enough bonus. Right now it´s the same as dom2. no-brainer.

[Cainehill]

Manuk said:
I think that the +3 attack +3 defense bonus of quickness is too much, should be removed. Acting 2 times the same turn is enough bonus. Right now it´s the same as dom2. no-brainer.

Are you talking the spell? Or the blessing? Because the blessing isn't +3 attack / + 3 defense, nor is it really 2 actions per turn.

As far as the spell goes, it no longer allows casting two spells per turn, so it's already been down-graded. And it makes no sense for someone moving more quickly than everyone else to _not_ be harder to hit & have an easier time hitting foes.

[Manuk]

didn´t know of the downgrade done so far. I was talking about the spell. even then the bonuses are an unneeded plus.

[Cainehill]

One improvement that would really be nice : An option to _not_ have any mercenaries show up for the first 10 (or X) turns. An awful lot of Dom2 games had to use "no hiring mercenaries the first 10 turns" as a house rule, just because early game mercs could be so imbalancing.

And it's looking just the same with Dom3 : the nation that gets the first mercenaries is often getting the first three or four mercs, because of the leg up on expansion & thus gold income it gives.

And it should be trivial to implement, along the lines of :

IF NoEarlyMercs AND TurnNumber LESSTHAN 10
...SkipMercenaryCheck
ELSE
...CheckForMercenaries

The mercs are wonderful for SP games, but can add too much of a luck factor to MP : getting a full 20-60 temporary troops in place of 3-10 regular troops is a huge boost.

[Graeme Dice]

Manuk said:
I think that the +3 attack +3 defense bonus of quickness is too much, should be removed. Acting 2 times the same turn is enough bonus. Right now it´s the same as dom2. no-brainer.

Why shouldn't it be a "no-brainer"? It's a low level buff spell, one of the only ones for water magic, and a 3 defense boost is eaten up by the now increased defense penalty of 2 for every consecutive attack against a single target in a turn.

[Manuk]

well, if you have unit with 2 or more attacks they get multiplied by 2 and each attack gets you a +3 attack. and more defense (+3) there´s no reason not to cast it in a SC or thug, better if it´s the mass quickness (quickening?) in a group of units with multiple attacks.