Mod: Dominions 3000 v0.81 - lots of new indies, new map (using the brand new map commands)

[Darkwind]

It looks like this mod is shaping up to be a tribute to Dom3. We have what--417 (by my count, ie a calculator's count) units? Not to mention the likely many unique spells for each nation, plus the beginnings of a line of generic ship summons in Construction. Not to mention the maps. Clearly Aezeal's man-hours of work (not to mention rdonj's 1337 (leet for you uninformed, or elite for the plebes) mapping skills) have made this mod great.

As to Piria/Qinus(name in progress), I haven't been working much on them. I feel inspiration now. My muse is number-crunching!

[Aezeal]

I''ve started on Machaka. Working with an existing nation is nice since you have a basis.. but then I also want to keep the feel of the nation and that is harder.

I'm thinking (now probably overlaps with my previous post but I'm just re thinking it) a civilization which is keeping very much to it's traditions. Still darkskinned and I'm showing that in the militia at least (don't think I'll get more chances) Same ranks, same priests, same spider influence, same magic (+ some earth as usual) Some what Jomon like in that they will have fire and poison based attacks since they are not the die-hard earth/resource based so need other stuff to keep up with ulm.

I'm keeping some sort of militia (the same sprite as the ulmish one, just darkgreen armor and dark brown skin), I'm keeping the hoplites (only now as powerarmor hoplites with firelances (for melee and range)) Might just give them some space-marines (like ulm, same sprite with different color, vanilla game uses same sprites with different colors and weapons too so why shouldn't I?) for the regular warriors would set the idea that human nations have space marines and that is something I'm not against. I'm thinking green ish armor for the ground and brown for space. (why did I ever use a 2nd color for the ulmish marines in space???)
I'm keeping the sorcs and I'm keeping the various priests of the lord, I'm keeping the bane spider as assassin of some sort (equipment will need to be improved though.) Will probably keep that stealthy initiate too.

Spiders probably some of those I've got as indies now (would be strange to have those walking around everywhere except with the spider worshippers.) They are weak for units in dom 3 K but they are needed for flavor and webbing can be usefull I think, as can poison.

There will be a spider walker (the "tank"), maybe a spider-centaur/drider thingie but it's use isn't clear to me yet in this armored world, would fit better with dom 3 vanilla. Spider spaceship as fighter and probably as larger ship too.

My biggest problem is with the sacreds and the spider riders. I can't really see spider riders as usefull in this age.. even with the indie spiders I had (which had same armor but better weapons than the vanilla ones) and I can't really justify why they'd ride spiders instead of just those spider walkers even if I'd make these spiders somewhat more powerfull.. they'll never equal decent armor so will only be a weak spot for the riders in the end.. unless you'd give the some sort of barding but that would kinda end up like the spider walker...

I'll probably end up with at least 2 types of spider walkers. (I'm thinking a poisoner (something real nasty)) and a direct damage one. still want something spidery as a sacred though, blessable would be nice but not too strong.. and I'm still stuck there can't fit anything in atm.. idea's?

[Darkwind]

I'd suggest just making the spider walkers (or an 'elite' walker) sacred. If you really want living spiders, though, I'd suggest making them genetically engineered (the spiders, though the humans might be too). Spiders that are stronger, faster smarter--a cool multihero could be a spider that's gained sentience and managed to convince its way into serving you rather than being killed and dissected painfully, not necessarily in that order.

Oh, and if you're only lamenting about how to make their armor thematically, I'd suggest some sort of cybernetic implant in the spiders' heads that creates a force field, from the power of their MIND.

[Aezeal]

Hmm well I don't think machaka is that much into dissecting their spiders.. but genetically enhanced or better bred spiders would be good... also for summons.

I'm thinking a spider GOD at least. I'm making their queens (like the indie) sentient at least and willingly in a pact with machaka.

A recruitable Machakan sword spider and a poison spider and their queen will be in, with 10-12 prot at least.

[Aezeal]

hmmm still working on Machaka but decided to copy the dm file in a word editor and look at the spell check (can't do it automatically) I've looked through about 400 pages and corrected those errors in the description it pointed out to me. Hopefully that part of the mod can get Llamabeasts sign of approval now.

[Aezeal]

hmmm Machaka is about 75% done but I need to make some more sprites and that won't happen next week.

Maybe someone could test it as it is (my dominions is acting weirdly so I can't really test without getting annoyed a lot) I've done some copyspr and copystatting and that might result in weird stats and stuff.

If someone could check if all troops and their spaceforms work, have weapons that seem to fit (and not remnants of the old weapons) and stats and magic skills that seem correct. I've also never really played Machaka and would like to know how this works out with the 2nd forms of the sorcs. (I hope they don't have one in space since the spider would just die there.) If anyone can tell me which unit number that 2nd form has I can give it AP weapons too. (but it's a minor issue really)
I'm attaching a zip file, the dm file goes with the others but the sprites need to go into the dom 3 folder.

thx

todo:
- Huge spider summon (sprite needed)
- other spider summons (recolors)
-- Ghost spider?
-- Phasing spider?
- Huge spider hero (sprite needed)
- spider centaur/drider hero and maybe troops as summons (sprite needed)
- Huge spider pretender (sprite needed)
- maybe "regular" soldiers (like Ulm marines but slightly lower stats I think if that fits between militia and hoplites) (recolors)
- possibly replacing the fighter weapons (ship heavy blasters like most ships have) with some attack partial regular damage, partial fire.
- Maybe bigger (capital) ship summon. (sprite needed)

[Darkwind]

Say, what's everyone up to? I haven't been doing anything really, since I have a few big projects due soon. But this thread seems awfully quiet. To stir up discussion, here's a Fighter and Carrier unit, meant to be generic summons (I thought a main part of the 'new' construction line should be a series of okay generic ships), coded on the spot.

#newmonster (whatever)
#name "Fighter"
#spr1 (add this in)
#spr2 (what the above says)
#descr "A small, generic fighter-class unit--cheap to build and maintain, for ships. They also die like giant mechanical flies."
#ap 20
#mapmove 2
#size 4
#supplies -5
#flying
#hp 22
#prot 9
#str 10
#enc 1
#att 10
#def 10
#prec 10
#mr 10
#mor 10
#gcost 150
#forestsurvival
#weapon "Ship Laser"
#end

#newmonster (whatever+1)
#name "Carrier"
#spr1 (add this in)
#spr2 (what the above says)
#descr "Carriers are large ships built to field many smaller fighter units on the field, and serve as more of an auxiliary weapon themselves. The fighters do the actual dying in droves. Carriers require massive amounts of supplies to feed their crew."
#ap 11
#mapmove 1
#size 6
#supplies -80
#flying
#hp 50
#prot 15
#str 10
#enc 1
#att 12
#def 15
#prec 10
#mr 17 (lots of people, hard to affect with magic)
#mor 10
#gcost 600
#forestsurvival
#weapon "Ship-to-Ship Artillery"
#onebattlespell (summons fighters)
#end

#newmonster (whatever+2)
#name "Carrier"
#spr1 (add this in)
#spr2 (what the above says)
#descr "Carriers are large ships built to field many smaller fighter units on the field, and serve as more of an auxiliary weapon themselves. The fighters do the actual dying in droves. Carriers require massive amounts of supplies to feed their crew. They work as well on the ground as on land."
#ap 1
#mapmove 1
#size 6
#supplies -80
#lucky
#hp 50
#prot 15
#str 10
#enc 1
#att 12
#def 15
#prec 10
#mr 17 (lots of people, hard to affect with magic)
#mor 8
#gcost 600
#forestsurvival
#weapon "Ship-to-Ground Artillery"
#onebattlespell (summons fighters)
#end

Ah man, I'm really short on time. I'll finish it tomorrow I think. Unless someone else decides to finish the code for these first

The spells to summon them still need to be done, as well as the #onebattlespell.

[rdonj]

I'm taking a break from singleplayer, so it's been a while since I've done any testing. Also, that carrier really needs a shield of some sort. The fighter probably should as well, unless you want to make it into a drone? Why do the fighters generate supplies?

[Aezeal]

#onebattlespell (summons fighters)

this is about what your idea is about and it can't be done. Sorry.

wait this idea is nice and deserves more talks.

The generic fighter will be the x-wing I already have I think... making another one next to it will be a bit much (and I've gotten no sprites ).

The carrier is a nice idea but onebattlespells need to be restricted to existing spells. I COULD probably edit an existing battlesummon spell though if it's TOTALLY not suited for dom 3k.. any suggestions what would be suitable?

Or the carrier could just have a summon x-wing function out of combat.

[Darkwind]

I was thinking we could edit a spell to summon fighters. Mechanical Men, maybe? They're not really flavorful for Dom3K--old clockwork machines don't mesh well with massive spaceships and other future-tech stuff.