Dominions 3 Announced

[Endoperez]

The big problem with real time battles is multiplayer. The host would have better speed, and both players would have to command their forces at the same time. And adding it for only singleplayer wouldn't be worth it, IMO, even though it would be nice.

[johan osterman]

I do not think Soapy wants to control it in real time. Just watch the resolution in realtime.

[Soapyfrog]

Correct Actually i am a big fan of the "hands off" battles approach, although I would enjoy some expanded scripting.

[PhilD]

What I'd like to see (NOT real time battles, one way or the other):

More precise battle scripting

Player customizability of the interface (shortcuts) and of orders (like, being able to define battle scripts and save them for future games).

Also, there are lots of UI improvements that are probably a huge chore to code, but that would make life easier for me. Hmm, here's one at random: being able to "save" pretender designs, and "load"/change them, would be a nice in-game plus...

[Endoperez]

Ah, okay. I hadn't realized what Soapyrog meant. Sorry.

You know, I could like your idea... I would want to see it in effect first, though.

[Pocus]

more scripting possibilities, and something like 'cast spell x' as a standing order would be convenient too: more control, and less orders to enter.

[quantum_mechani]

The turn based battles seem fine to me, if it isn't broken, don't fix it .

Anyway, thanks for keeping a great series going.

EDIT: moved suggestions to wishlist thread.

[NTJedi]

johan osterman said:
I assume you want a better AI as well, but I couldn't see you mention it.

GIFTS FROM HEAVEN this is important.

One of the greatest features lacking in almost every game is a challenging AI. There are several important decisions which could definitely improve the Artificial Intelligence. Hopefully the following listed below will be considered for improving the existing AI opponents:

1) Multiple AI personalities available which are randomly selected at the start of each game. This would keep human players surprised and uncertain what to expect from their neighbors.

2) Providing option to disable/enable starving status for AI units. The AI opponents are not aware of food supply levels within provinces and thus should not suffer the penalties of starving which include diseased units and low morale.

3) Allow scripting or some other tool where Users can develop and customize an artificial intelligence which can then be added to the list of random multiple personalities.

4) Don't have computer opponents send their pretender into the death matches. The battle afflictions, horror marks, and curses are not worth the risk.

5) Higher difficulty setting should have the computer opponents be more aggressive against human opponents as well. This makes sense since its the human player looking for a greater challenge when increasing the difficulty level.


I'm sure there are others but these will greatly improve the AI for the game. Double Thanks !

[Vicious Love]

Simple suggestion: More feedback regarding stealth, or at least more goodies in the manual. I honestly have no idea how effective a +30 stealth modifier is, how effective a patroller is, or how said effectivities counterbalance. If you were to ask me which was more likely to be caught:
A) 40 stealthy(+30) units vs 20 patrollers
B) 5 stealthy(+0) units vs 20 patrollers
C) 1 stealthy(+30) unit vs 50 patrollers
D) And so on, and so forth,

I wouldn't have the vaguest idea. I'm not even sure if 20 patrollers are always twice as effective as 10 patrollers, or 20 sneaking troops twice as effective as 40.
This should not be. I'd like to see stealthy armies and agents work as a result of a well-conceived battle plan, not a shot in the dark and a stroke of luck.

[Vicious Love]

NTJedi said:
5) Higher difficulty setting should have the computer opponents be more aggressive against human opponents as well. This makes sense since its the human player looking for a greater challenge when increasing the difficulty level.

Disagreed. I always hatehatehateHATEit when a game goes out of it's way to foil me, the player. You'd think those friggin' Darloks would accept my offer of peace, after all the free tech I've given them, especially considering my ability to burninate their space-cottages in the blink of an eye, but no, they're predisposed to hate me, simply because I'm Player_1. Makes everything seem less like a gameworld, more like a game.
To me, higher difficulty implies no more than tougher, cannier neighbors, not some sort of partisan, anti-human computer bias. I'm happy with the system as it presently stands. Tougher nations, greater challenge.