Soo... When is the next patch?

[Kristoffer O]

Ah. That simple.

[NTJedi]

Kristoffer O said:
Ah. That simple.

Let's not forget the random map generator and the game editor. These greatly add to the replay value.

Artificial Intelligence
For best AI results I recommend multiple personalities with a scriptable AI thus new personalities can be added to the random selection or existing ones improved within the community. Any AI personality script should have the option of being disabled in case it's bugged.

Random Item Formula
Also besides adding your favorite fixed items I'd suggest creating a Random Item Formula = Allows items within the game to be more unique and thus increases replay value.
Examples = Variables A, B and C are randomly selected from separate lists.
Kings(A) Poisonous(B) Axe(item) of Death(C)
Ice(B) Knife(item)
Dukes(A) Helm(item) of Minds(C)
Fire(B) Boots(item) of Speed(C)

Using a random item formula means each new game will have new unique items!
Forging items can also be incorporated where an average axe and old skull will allow a necromancer to forge a death axe.

[Ewierl]

NTJedi said:
Random Item Formula

Personally, I'll put in an opposing vote for "not Diablo."

[Kristoffer O]

I'm inclined to avoid random pick-this-and-that items. They are in my opinion rather (insert stronger wording if you wish - I don't mind) boring.

It is not that difficult to come up with hundreds of items without having to resort to genericisms (is that a word?). Better to add one hundred new items and randomly disable 80% of them each game if you want replayability.

[silhouette]

Yay for getting new machine(s) for patch building. Did I get lucky and is there a chance you will build a Linux PPC patch this time also, or is that arch stuck with the 2.06 version forever?

Sill

[NTJedi]

Kristoffer O said:
I'm inclined to avoid random pick-this-and-that items. They are in my opinion rather (insert stronger wording if you wish - I don't mind) boring.

It is not that difficult to come up with hundreds of items without having to resort to genericisms (is that a word?). Better to add one hundred new items and randomly disable 80% of them each game if you want replayability.

I actually find games with only fixed items more limited. For example using my example formula above will allow the game to provide over 20,000 items or more and can be accomplished more easily than creating 400 fixed items. I believe having both the randomly generated items and the fixed items provides the best of both worlds.
Personally I enjoy games where each time I play I know characteristics of the game will be unique. Unique new quests, unique new maps, unique new AI behaviors, unique new items, optional victory settings, unique new places/buildings, unique new monsters, etc; .
When you take those features above and set them as fixed quests, fixed map(s), fixed AI behaviors, fixed places/buildings then the games replay value decreases the same as providing each gamer with unique experiences.

[Lazy_Perfectionist]

Take a look at the Exiles/Avernum series by spiderweb software. They manage to provide quite a lot of replay value without random items or maps. The game world can actually change if you take too long to get something done, for instance, so you can take things in different directons.

There are cases for both situations, and both types of players. But personally, I find games with random items less immersing and decrease the original play value (and hence the replay value) considerably. If they're partially random, like as in Sacred or Divine Divinity, I can live with it. But if they're near completely random, as in Diablo 2, they never manage to hook me.

On the other foot, there's the whole niche of Roguelike games, but I won't get into that right now. I don't have that much to say.

[Sombre]

I rather liked the magic item creation in master of magic, which was of course a pick and choose approach.

[NTJedi]

Lazy_Perfectionist said:
Take a look at the Exiles/Avernum series by spiderweb software. They manage to provide quite a lot of replay value without random items or maps. The game world can actually change if you take too long to get something done, for instance, so you can take things in different directons.

A fixed map, with fixed towns and fixed NPCs mean that by the third time you play the game you know where to find the important quests, where to find the important NPCs/Monsters and best locations for advancing your character. THE MAIN MYSTERIES within the game are gone after a couple games!

Lazy_Perfectionist said:
There are cases for both situations, and both types of players. But personally, I find games with random items less immersing and decrease the original play value (and hence the replay value) considerably. If they're partially random, like as in Sacred or Divine Divinity, I can live with it. But if they're near completely random, as in Diablo 2, they never manage to hook me.

On the other foot, there's the whole niche of Roguelike games, but I won't get into that right now. I don't have that much to say.

I'm not saying only random items, I'm advising both for a game. A game with 10,000 items which uses the example formula I provided has greater replay value than a game with 200 fixed items. On a game with only 200 fixed items there's a more likely chance the gamer will find the best weapon and armor which then removes one of the fun features known as treasure/weapon hunting. Not much to chat with family and friends about when you've found XYZ weapon which has also been found several times by 20% of other gamers.
What's great about Dominions_3 is the quantity of the game content and 10,000 items, monsters, maps, npcs, quests is greater than 200 of the same.