[Europe Strategy Map] Brainstorming Room

[Goffterdom]

EUROPE:
THE ART OF WAR

Hi everyone !
Welcome in my brainstorming room !
I'm working on some systems for my map and I need ideas because I'm currently stuck by gameplay / complexity issues.

Europe: The Art of War is basically a strategy map taking place in the Medieval Europe. You play as one of the different nations available and fight each other. This may sounds not original at all, it is. There will be unique and very attractive systems. Check the main thread for more informations.

The Main Thread

I need help for several things:

----------
• Complexe Trade system. I want the map to have a second way to raise an empire: the economic way. Instead of expanding to get richer, players will be able to trade. So Trade must recquires attention and macro management.

Here's what I have for now:
- Players can build one "Trade Counter" or "Trade Harbour" per city they control
- Those counters allow them to trade between each other
- Trade Caravans or Trade Ship like in AoE II are automatically sent to trade

This is fixed, now from this, I got to find a way to make it less "automatical" and more complexe. Please help me !

----------
• I would also need help for the Nations. There are 16 different nations available. Each has bonuses depending on historical / warfare background and has also one or two (that's why I need you) unique units.

The nation list with bonuses and unique units (from main thread):

Nation List

Castile - Conquistador (Gunman) / Jinet (Skirmish Cavalry)
• Ships: + movement speed
• Shipyard: Building time decreased
• Faster expansion

France - Chilvarous Knight (Heavy Cavalry) / ???
• Cavalry: + sight range, + hit points, + damages

England - Longbowman / Man-O-War (Heavy Galleon)
• Ships: + hit points, + damages
• Archers: +x% attack speed

Holy Roman Empire - Teutonic Knight (Heavy Infantry) / Reiter (Mounted Gunman)
• Unique unit is hired instead of trained
• Melee: + hit points, +x% regeneration rate

Hungary - ??? / ???
• Starting resources increased
• Faster expansion
• Melee: + damages

Byzantine Empire - Cataphract (Armored Cavalry) / Varangians (Leet Infantry)
• Skirmishers/Pikemen: + damages
• Priests: Better heal
• Crusaders: Improved level for Faith (ability)

Papal States - Knight Hospitaller (Templar) / Hallows Carrier (Leet Priest)
• Priests: Better heal
• Religion Units: + hit points
• Crusaders: + damages

Poland-Lithuania - Prussian Ranger (Heavy bowman) / Szlachta (Noble Cavalry)
• Faster expansion
• Organic units: + armor
• Cavalry: +x% attack speed

Duchy of Moskva - Cossak (Heavy Cavalry) / ???
• Starting resources increased
• Unique unit: Training time decreased
• Organic units: + hit points

Scandinavia - Huskarl (Heavy Infantry) / Viking Pillager (Cheap Infantry)
• Ships: + hit points, + armor, +x% attack speed, + damages


Seljuk Turks - Janissary (Gunman) / Janissary (Swordman)
• Improved income
• All powder units available earlier

Mamluke Sultanate - Mamluke (Mounted Bowman) / ???
• Faster expansion
• Archers: + damages
• Transport Ships: Building time decreased , cost decreased

Persia - War Elephant / ???
• Faster expansion
• Organic units: + damages

Moslem State (Morocco) - ??? / ???
• Ships: + movement speed
• Cavalry: + hit points, + damages

Moslem State (Tunisia) - Beldouin Archer (Mounted Archer) / ???
• Ships: + movement speed, + hit points
• Trade: x% extra gold for each trade

Do the bonuses fit with the nation background ?
Does the unique unit fit with the nation background ?
Do you have ideas for a second unique unit ?
Do you have better / alternative ideas for bonuses ?
----------



Thanks !

Goff'

 

[SasuhKun]

1st poster yay. Right now I'm too tired for to brainstorm the whole economic thing, but I'll REDO the goddamn suggestion of the title. Which appeared to be invisible to everyone. So here it goes.


- Come, my men! Let's make this land ours! - And the first words are spoken, as the young and naive commander march along his new conscripts.

As their forces begin to muster much more than just military power, more words appear.
- We require a alliance from you.
- How much will it cost?
- There are complications, sire...
Numbers, long and burocratic words, financial words, and so it goes.

Until a threat comes.

- So be it. This is war. -

And it threats to burn the entire work put on that now to-be great country.

Preparations are made, the troops are reunited, generals rise and fall, few skirmishes are made, until the greatest two of all armies finally meet in the battlefield.

And then there is a defining word, that shall put to test the supremacy of that very nation.

A word that define lifes, and alter destinies.

Before the "mortal armies rush blindly towards their doom," a last word is said.

CHARGE!

 

[Mechanical Man]

I suggest to add Poland, Persia doesn't seem to fit in Europe, one Moslem state is enough (there should be less fertile terrain, so it won't be that imbalanced), Sweden and Norway could be merged having having viking stuf, huskarl should belong to them as it's norse word 'hus karl', housekeeper. It's Austria supposed to be under Holy Roman Empire? Maybe instead of Papal states you could use just Italian states(?), where also territories like Venice would fit there along with the whole south (you can play my campaign to have more insight ).

East may be crowded a bit then, maybe then merging Poland and Lithuania (although there wasn't commonwealth yet), the whole sides benefiting from both subsides.

 

[SasuhKun]

On Lords of Europe (previous "version" of this) there was Poland-Lithuania. As you said, it is not historically correct, but oh well. Same applies to Italian States, as they did not yet unify until them. They were not named "Italy" or something. They were most independent states and cities, although most of them were in heavy control of the Church, which explains the Papal states. Sweeden and Norway is a bit complicated. If there was to be a union, it would be Scandinavia. If not, replace Norway with Denmark (Denmark and Sweeden hold the record of most wars fought between them. Yes, seriously. Not England and France. I mean it.)

Although now that you mention it, Persia does not fit in at all. A change is a good welcome!

(And no one ever reads my attempt to suggest a new name?)

 

[Mechanical Man]

I proposed to merge those to not make too much nations as max players is 12. There were always wars inside each nation (and their subnations), so we can't do much about it.

 

[Trillium]

Do you know the game "Knights of Honour"? You may find a great lot of ideas for your project there.

Anyway.

My ideas about nations (main thread asks for two unique units per nation, so be it)

Castille:
Jinets (pronounced more like "khinets") - historically they are medium cavalry from Spain.
Dunno what kind of units are conquistadors, won't comment.

Their ships shoul gain in damage but lose in range and speed, imho - spanish galeons were indeed more clumsy than english ones, for instance, but had more firepower.


France:
Templar Knight - perhaps same as Chivalric Knight, just more specified.
Templar Officer - less powerful than Templar Knight, but increases gold income (Templars were an incredibly rich order and specialized in banking)
or
Norman Infantry - medium infantry with good defense, cheap also.

French could have reduces defense against english (kidding, kidding =))


England:

Longbowman's OK.
I guess England includes Scotland, so it may get Highlanders - quick, with average attacks but low armor (armed with claimores). They would have no penalties for fighting in mountains.
Another variant for english would be to get Manowars - extremely expensive and long-built warship, that would have highest damage and armor.


Holy Roman Empire
Teutonic Knight is OK.

As I get it, your HRE takes up almost all space from France to Lithuania. A lot of countries with unique units are left out. You can choose from:
Swiss Infantry - infantry with spears, bonus damage and defense against cavalry
Landsknecht - cheap but moderately strong infantry
Reiter - cavalry armed with pistols or short muskets


Hungary
Don't know much habout it. Will check my KoH later =)


Byzantine Empire
Cataphracts - are OK.
Varangians - elite infantry from Byzanty, with Norse roots. Can be hired instea of trained.

Papal States
(called Papacy in KoH. either name sounds good)

Templar -> Knight Hospitaller - have low healing abilities (perhaps weak healing aura)
Hallows Carrier - slow and helpless in combat, but increases morale regeneration of all units greatly.
You may add an option to launch Crusades against enemies, forcing all Catholic nations to sacrifice some resources and sending a number of Crusaders to a random non-catholic country.

Lithuania
I suggest merging it with Poland into what is know in history as "Rzeczpospolita" ("Respublic" in polish)

Depending on what age your game is set in, Lithuania may be either catholic or paganic.
Anyway, here're the units:
IF PAGAN:
Prussian Rangers - after being conquered by Teutons, Prussians employed guerilla warfare. Hence, they get increased attack and defense bonuses in forests.
Krivis - paganic priest of sorts, it may conduct rituals or sacrifices, greatly increasing morale.
IF CATHOLIC:
Szlachta - basically heavy noble cavalry
Tartar Cavalry - Poland employed them alot. Swift and annoying mounted archers.

Special feature: "Liberum Veto" - allows to decline some sort of political influence, without facing consiquences (dunno about your politics, for instance it may allow not to give resources for a crusade)

Russian States
Better choose a definite name. Moscovia or Kiev would suit nice.
Cossacs - more of a renessaince epoch unit, but may be OK. Once again, dunno about what time your game is set in.
Boyars - powerful cavalry. A bit less armored than knights, but is faster.

Sweden & Norway
If you merged so many countries into Holy Roman Empire, it would be smart to merge Sweden and Norway (and Dania too perhaps).
Huskarl - is a Norse term.
Viking Raider - cheap unit, comes in great numbers. Can be hired instead of trained, perhaps.
Features: lower enemy morale (europeans feared vikings), can declare a Viking, gaining a number of Viking Raiders, but pausing all production.


Don't know so much about muslim/turkish countries, will have to consult KoH =))
Just some ideas:
Camel Cavalry - medium/light cavalry, drains morale of enemy cavalry (horses are afraid of camels, naturally)
Ghulam - Ghulams were khaliphs' elite guards. They may be powerful melee units, for instance.

Muslim countries may have an ability to declare Djihad, ceasing all war, pausing production and creating a single large army against a nearest non-muslim nation (the army is controlled by a random muslim nation).

Now I'm sleepy, will toss in more ideas later.

 

[SasuhKun]

Wow, nice feedback there Trillium. Idea Generator indeed. Although Goffterdom didn't want to influence west Europe to attack Muslims countries for example. Also, for further info on the map, it is based on Lords of Europe... Which is from Goffterdom as well. It got removed from Hive (from issues I don't care to list), so you can just download it from Mapgnome.org. He didn't have much of a choice about HRE. Though with the economic changes you don't have to be big to be good, Prussia and Switzerlands are so small in the map that Switzerland is represented by a city (on LoE at least.) I also proposed that the Sweeden and Norway (And Denmark) could be merged in Scandinavia, since there is little territory there as well. But Sweeden and Denmark have such a great rivality that... Unifying them behind Scandinavia's flag does not really makes sense. It is like reuniting England and France, for a good comparison. (Although their territories are bigger)

By the way, how is it Knights of Honour? Is it some kind of RTS? Perhaps MMORPG?

Still, playing Lords of Europe should help to focus a bit. LoE would be a sketch of what's coming... If compared to what's coming. It is already a great map just by itself. By the way, it is the Lords of Europe Official 3.0.w3x version.

(Won't anyone comment on my idea for a unique name?)

 

[Trillium]

Knights of Honor is a risk-type game, but it's real-time, not turn-based. It is set in medieval Europe (Europe and North Africa to be precise). A very good game. Many ideas in my post come from there =))
It has politics, espionage, trading, combat and a lot of other interesting features. Also great number of various units, divided by regions. Combat involves such mechanics as cover (trees/buildings/etc), morale, etc. (Altough combat is slightly disbalanced - several troops of Longbowmen or, even better, Heavy Crossbowmen, rip even Feudal & Teutonic Knights to shreds, along with Cataphracts and Templars. =))

I'll tell more tomorrow, now I'm damn sleepy =)

 

[SasuhKun]

Ok, thank you for the info. And... Goffterdom. This game really does look like promising... You should try playing it, or perhaps just read about it in a Wiki or something. It could help us a lot...

The game seems so complex and nice that AoE 2 seems to be a SKETCH of it as well... xDD

 

[Dawn Whitelighter]

suggested name would be :

Europe: Age of Battle

..or you could go with those ones with the word Dawn hahaha. XD

 

[SasuhKun]

Someone look at the suggestion of my name please >-<

Almost desperate now. Not a single mention!

 

[Goffterdom]

If "CHARGE!" is your name I'm sorry but it doesnt really fit my expectations

@Trillium: Thanks, a lot.
The game is set from the middle-ages to the early renaissance.

Why is Persia weird ?

Russian States -> Duchy of Moskva
Norway/Sweden -> Scandinavia
Poland -> Poland-Lithuania

I'm French.

Norman Infantry

What the fuck is this ? An infantry from Normandy ? If yes it sounds weird.

Hallows Carrier - slow and helpless in combat, but increases morale regeneration

GG Idea.

Camel Cavalry - medium/light cavalry, drains morale of enemy cavalry (horses are afraid of camels, naturally)

North and South regular unit set are different in names and models but have the same stats. Light & Heavy Cavalry are already replaced by Light & Heavy Camel Cavalry.

Unique Units List & Nation List updated.

Thanks all of you, keep going !

 

[WickedRisingPwner]

• Developed Trade and Resources system. I want the map to have a second way to raise an empire: the economic way. Instead of expanding to get richer, players will be able to trade. So Trade and Resource system must require attention and macro managing.
What do I need for these systems ?
A final input that established the totality of both systems, how they work, how they are connected to each other and so on...
Basics:
- There are several towns that can be taken by players
- Each town has mana which represents number of inhabitants
- "Gold" Resource is earned via taxes

- Players can build one "Trade Counter" or "Trade Harbour" per city they control
- Those counters allow them to trade between each other
- Trade Caravans or Trade Ship like in AoE II are automatically sent to trade

This is all I'm sure of for now.
I dont know how the wood is harvested, I dont know how to make the trade system more complex (I did but I'm really not happy of how it would be). I don't know if there will be Resources Structures all over the map (I dont really like the idea) and if there are, I dont know how to connect them to "Wood resource" and Trade System.

To harvest wood, why not implement a system that can create a peasant using 1 mana and one skill that can only be used on your peasants that kill it for 1 mana. The lumber mill must be build on trees and have a separate population. Same with gold and the rest. you gain (10 x the number of mana) resources from the resource building every ? seconds. About the trade, maybe a 'trade route' building will create a terrain that will let trading caravans/boats move. Also, there can be the merchant unit that advertise your resources to the people you want to advertise to. Trade routes will face bandits and need to be patrolled.

• A new name - Europe: The Art of War is not original at all and I would like to change, if you have ideas, please share ! I dont want all the regular stuff like Dawn of Europe, Dawn of Civilization, Glory of War and so on...

How about Europe: Tactical Assaults?

 

[Goffterdom]

Thanks for the reply.

Few things: There are no workers / peasants / citizens or whatever. Only two or three builders. So implementing peasants to harvest wood is impossible.
Concerning the Lumberbill buildable only on Trees: I first gotta know if there are wood resource building. And to now that I gotta know how the whole system is going to work.

Concerning Trade, it is already the way it goes, I would like to have a deeper and more complex system.

Europe: Tactical Assault is the same thing than Europe: The Art of War. The priority is not to change just "The Art of War" but the whole name.
Europe: Tactical Assault enters in the common cliche we can have such as Europe: Dawn of War, Europe: Nation Rising, Europe: The Crusades and so on...

You may add an option to launch Crusades against enemies, forcing all Catholic nations to sacrifice some resources and sending a number of Crusaders to a random non-catholic country.

Muslim countries may have an ability to declare Djihad, ceasing all war, pausing production and creating a single large army against a nearest non-muslim nation

As Sasuke stated, I dont want to make a game where basically Muslim fight Christians.

+Rep Number 2 !

 

[WickedRisingPwner]

Concerning Trade, it is already the way it goes, I would like to have a deeper and more complex system.

No, your system is that you send out a caravan to the other side. My system is that you can actually set the route.

Few things: There are no workers / peasants / citizens or whatever. Only two or three builders. So implementing peasants to harvest wood is impossible.

I thought that they were represented by mana, so why can't they go out and be represented by 0-food-units?

 

[Trillium]

OK, regarding resources (once again, ideas are based on Knights of Honor):

First of all, woods were aplenty in medieval Europe and such there was no shortage of lumber - there's really no need to focus on it. KoH has two resources along with gold: "Piety", used for certain religious and political actions (Such as converting a province to your faith and the like) and "Books", used for upgrading your knights (aka heroes) and for eliminating nostalgy in conquered provinces.


As for resources themselves:
Each province in KoH has zero to three "features" - such as Silver Vein, Fertile Land, Chemical Deposits and so on. These allow to build certain buildings, which produce resources automatically, without depleting and in always large enough quantity, so there's no need to care about resource gathering, once you've built certain buildings. However, certain combinations of features give access to more powerful buildings, which in turn are a precious thing.

Example

Sea Access allows to build such building as Admiralty, which increases town's income. Sea Access is a very popular feature, since many provinces are on coast.
Marble Cliffs allow to build Quarry and later Stonemason (Which produces Columns) and Sculptors' Guild (which produces resources). Marble Cliffs are less popular, but still every major kingdom has one or two provinces with Marble Cliffs and as such has access to Columns and Sculptures.

What is extremely rare, is combination of Marble Cliffs and Sea Access in one province, which allows to upgrade Admiralty to Coastal Guard, doubling its generated income.


Even more rare, is a combination of Fertile Land (allows to build Apiary and then Waxmaker, common thing), Marble Cliffs (Quarry - Sculptor's Guild) and Chemical Deposits (Dye Maker), which combined allow to upgrade a simple Church/Mosque to a Cathedral or Great Mosque, which give great benefits.

Resources themselves are not used for anything, except that they combined grant certain "Kingdom Advantages".
For instance, I have access to such resources as Columns, Statues, Silver, Dyes and two exotic resources (that can only be imported with a use of Admiralty) - Ebony & Ivory. Once I get access to all these resources, I gain a Kngdom Advantage "Grand Fortress", making all my towns resist siege 30% longer.
Once a kingdom loses access to a certain resource, it loses all kingdom advantages that depend on this resource until it gains it again.

In case of kingdom having no access to certain resource, it can be acquired via trading - granting continuous access to the resource, but draining gold slowly. Naturally, you need a Trade Agreement with a kingdom that has access to that resource.



I really advise you to play Knights of Honor. It's very good, historiacally correct and rather deep.

 

[Goffterdom]

No, your system is that you send out a caravan to the other side. My system is that you can actually set the route.

To send a caravan to another Trade Counter the ability is called "Create a Trade Route".

I thought that they were represented by mana, so why can't they go out and be represented by 0-food-units?

It's a matter of gameplay, there are no workers for gold or other kind of resources, it would be strange to have workers for wood. IMO
Don't want to offend you at all, I just don't like the idea of having harvesters.

@Trillium: Thanks again. I'm currently brainstorming so I will coment later on.
If I follow your idea, resources and trade system will work this way:

. Gold earned from number of inhabitants
. Wood earned from lumbermills (1 lumbermill max per city you control)
. Simple Trade system: you have 3 different goods to sell for each nation (nations can have same good), it automatically sells them when you created a trade route
. The good you sell gives bonus

The minor problem I see is that we need to find a creative and logical bonus for each of the goods. The major issue is that I find illogical to have bonuses from goods you sell, I think I wanted to have a Trade System that is complex in a matter of income.

I'm not sure I'm going to use this idea of "Bonuses" earned from Trade. I have to think about it deeper.

 

[Trillium]

I still advise you to replace wood with a more valuable/rare resource - perhaps Steel or Influence (used for various political actions perhaps?). Lumber was all over the place then, in global strategy it didn't play a role.

 

[Goffterdom]

I'll consider it.

I'll let you know when I come up with something.

Until that, please keep throwing ideas about resources / trade, unique units and so on...

Thanks

 

[SasuhKun]

Well, to be true, you really didn't pay the soldiers anything really valuable... You could just recruit and train people around at those times, and by extracting all the possible soldiers from some cities from any Nation, they would have just enough to make many armies...

I never saw any game use that approach. And I must admit that it is amazing. God, I must play that game.

Also, I'm still depressed by name's refusal. *sniff*

Edit: Also, Knights of Honour seems like Age of Empires 2 + Civilization + Lots of great features not present in both!

Man, that looks epic. I MUST HAVE IT.

 

[Dawn Whitelighter]

Name Attempt:

"For King and Country"
"The Dark Ages"
"Medieval Conquests"
"Battle for Glory"
"Feudal Wars"
"Armada"
"Clash of Kingdoms/Nations/Countries"

hope this helps

 

[Goffterdom]

"Armada" and "For King and Country" are the two valuable ones, the rest is cliche. Thanks a lot anyway, it opens new windows in my mind.

I finally know how will be Resources and Trade System, I'll try to post it the sooner I can considering it will be long to explain / make a good presentation.

 

[John Tech]

----------
• Developed Trade and Resources system. I want the map to have a second way to raise an empire: the economic way. Instead of expanding to get richer, players will be able to trade. So Trade and Resource system must require attention and macro managing.
What do I need for these systems ?
A final input that established the totality of both systems, how they work, how they are connected to each other and so on...
Basics:
- There are several towns that can be taken by players
- Each town has mana which represents number of inhabitants
- "Gold" Resource is earned via taxes

- Players can build one "Trade Counter" or "Trade Harbour" per city they control
- Those counters allow them to trade between each other
- Trade Caravans or Trade Ship like in AoE II are automatically sent to trade

This is all I'm sure of for now.
I dont know how the wood is harvested, I dont know how to make the trade system more complex (I did but I'm really not happy of how it would be). I don't know if there will be Resources Structures all over the map (I dont really like the idea) and if there are, I dont know how to connect them to "Wood resource" and Trade System.

Spies? Border blockage? Guards? Disguised melee units that can be used to launch an in-out attack? How about those? Interception? Etc?

 

[Goffterdom]

Resources System is almost fixed.

I still need help for the trade system:

• Complexe Trade system. I want the map to have a second way to raise an empire: the economic way. Instead of expanding to get richer, players will be able to trade. So Trade must recquires attention and macro management.

Here's what I have for now:
- Players can build one "Trade Counter" or "Trade Harbour" per city they control
- Those counters allow them to trade between each other
- Trade Caravans or Trade Ship like in AoE II are automatically sent to trade

This is fixed, now from this, I got to find a way to make it less "automatical" and more complexe. Please help me !

@John:
Spies -> Out of the subject, I want to implement them but it will be a final feature
Border Blockage -> What do you mean ? Blocking Trade Caravans ? I think players will be able to pillage them (just kill them and loot the item they drop) so it's kinda like the blocking thing.
Guards -> I wanted to let the players hire neutral mercenaries but actually it's quite hard to implement so I guess if your trade routes are threatened all you have to do is guarding it by yourself.
Interception -> Hmm ? What do you mean ?
Disguised melee units that can be used to launch an in-out attack -> Nice strat xD Also hard to implement since any unit will be attacked at sight, armed or not armed, peasants or not peasants.

 

[SasuhKun]

For both Spies and Disguised Units, Knights of Honor has a great system. However, it is too freaking complex to be doable on WC3 I think... You recruit a spy units, which is actually a kind of hero. He waits to be recruited for whichever nation you told him to go. Then, he is recruited as something, and depending how he was, you can make different actions. Of course, your enemy (or not so trusty ally) controls it, but you have a good vision of him. At any moment, (after winning suffice trust and influence) he can sabotage then leap away!

And post the goddamn thing already, man!

At least what you developed so far...

Oh well. How to make it more complex? Perhaps something (good or bad) happens every time a caravan pass through a city. So you either face the consequences or plan a trade route that does not pass by any city, but have a way greater risk of pillages.

 

[Goffterdom]

Lots of stuff to do IRL so not much time to make a good presentation. I'm doing my best >.>

Btw nice idea for the spies. Mine was to have a multiboard per player with only the informations you've been searching for. For instance you send your spy to the other nation, use an ability over a town (gives you the number of town owned by the player) or a military unit (gives you the number...). And at advance ages, adding a research like "Spying Network" that allow to create a network to one of player's capital, refreshing all months the totality of the informations (towns, military power, and i dont know what else).

 

[SasuhKun]

Why not do both? Have a Infiltration Spy and a Stealth Spy!

Although some of one's actions can override the other's ones, each one have some few actions available to them only and a player may prefer to work on one side than on another.

 

[WickedRisingPwner]

• Complexe Trade system. I want the map to have a second way to raise an empire: the economic way. Instead of expanding to get richer, players will be able to trade. So Trade must recquires attention and macro management.

Here's what I have for now:
- Players can build one "Trade Counter" or "Trade Harbour" per city they control
- Those counters allow them to trade between each other
- Trade Caravans or Trade Ship like in AoE II are automatically sent to trade

This is fixed, now from this, I got to find a way to make it less "automatical" and more complexe. Please help me !

Maybe investments or something else? Let's say, you can modify the price of your product and your buying price. Then some guy will buy your products at a lower price and sell at a higher price. You must actually keep watch of the price by spies or something and regularly check it. Also, players can deny trade.

You can make players manually move their caravans/ships.

P.S. I think you need to remove those ground textures of those buildings, they really screw up the graphics.

 

[User.]

• Complexe Trade system. I want the map to have a second way to raise an empire: the economic way. Instead of expanding to get richer, players will be able to trade. So Trade must recquires attention and macro management.

Here's what I have for now:
- Players can build one "Trade Counter" or "Trade Harbour" per city they control
- Those counters allow them to trade between each other
- Trade Caravans or Trade Ship like in AoE II are automatically sent to trade

This is fixed, now from this, I got to find a way to make it less "automatical" and more complexe. Please help me !

Erm...how about, like, you control your buying price and not reveal it to others, then people can invest? E.g.

Player 1: Grain = 1000gold metal = 500gold.
Player 2: Grain = 500gold metal = 1000gold.

Player 3 can buy grain from player 2 and sell it to player 1, therefore making a profit.

Also, you must check their market for price changes, there won't be a graph or whatever to keep track. You must do it yourself. using a unit. The price will not be shown, however, there will be a 'check price' ability that check the price. It needs a messenger pigeon that will fly off and return.

 

[SasuhKun]

That idea is actually good, although things such as grain and metal are too common, and a good that serves only to buy and/or sell is somewhat useless. Perhaps each of the goods provide a certain bonus in percentage while they're there, and when some exclusive upgrades spend a certain charge of it. Of course, you can just sell and buy them for money, but now people will WANT to buy or sell them, not just do it automatically.

 

[A.ghost]

That idea is actually good, although things such as grain and metal are too common, and a good that serves only to buy and/or sell is somewhat useless. Perhaps each of the goods provide a certain bonus in percentage while they're there, and when some exclusive upgrades spend a certain charge of it. Of course, you can just sell and buy them for money, but now people will WANT to buy or sell them, not just do it automatically.

Nope, those resources actually have a use, other than buying and selling.

 

[SasuhKun]

That's what I meant? But grain and metal are too damn common at that time to be worth anything... Also why only banned people post here? Lol.

 

[Trillium]

That's what I meant? But grain and metal are too damn common at that time to be worth anything... Also why only banned people post here? Lol.

Actually, ore was among the most precious resources. Not many regions had access to ore deposits + it wasn't exactly easy to mine ore and to refine it into metal usable in warfare.

As for grain, famine was actually rather often. Various floods/droughts, wars and taxes - many reasons why crops were lost.

 

[SasuhKun]

lol, the guy deleted his post...

 

[Goffterdom]

Yuh yuh.
I read everything and I still dont know what to do
I hear the different ideas and maybe I'll use the investment idea with some rework.

Something like every months all the goods you purchassed are sold to a certain value (fixed by the item type, not changeable). So if you buy these goods you have to care about how much you pay for it or else at the end of the month your investment is useless.

But it's hard to think to a smooth and understandable system.

 

[S.Darkblade.W.O.VS]

Why not the people be divided into families, and if one family member dies in a war, the family will rebel and/or defect? Also, all units and towns will have a patience level that when dropped, it will probably rebel?

Something like every months all the goods you purchassed are sold to a certain value (fixed by the item type, not changeable). So if you buy these goods you have to care about how much you pay for it or else at the end of the month your investment is useless.

Investments don't work like that. It is buying it at a lower price and waiting till the peak of the price, then selling it. About some rework, I think the investment system should be more realistic, like being able to invest in buildings and so on. E.g. People build a house. They sell it to investors. Then they buy it back at a higher/lower price.

 

[SasuhKun]

Trillium, you (since you obviously have the most knowledge and the most time played in Knights of Honor) should help Goff filling the other unique units's spots that you did not previously fill because you were sleepy. For instance, France. Chivalrous Knight's and...? As well as Morocco and Hungary. Well, the complete list is on the 1st page, just check it. You should also check the original thread and help us there, since there are things said here that are not said there and vice-versa.

Also, replace Norway by Denmark and make a stat that able it to do lots of boat units earlier (as Seljuk Turks do with gunpowder units)

(Reasons are on the original thread.)

 

[HeavenisnotHell]

Something like every months all the goods you purchassed are sold to a certain value (fixed by the item type, not changeable). So if you buy these goods you have to care about how much you pay for it or else at the end of the month your investment is useless.

Erm...the thing about investing is to buy low and sell high, waiting as long as you want (unless you really need money to repay your loans, of course.), so, the player should be able to choose when to buy and when to sell. Also, I think the price should not be worldwide, since each country have a different scenario.

 

[Magnet199]

looking forward ^.^

 

[SasuhKun]

Ah, everyone that posted here, check the main thread, since we need more players to test a veeeeery basic version of it! Inform your available time at the weekend, and your GMT.

 

[Sajtoskefley]

Idea for hungarian unit:
-Hungarian Hussar (Light Cavarly unit)
-Horse Archer (It's at the conquest, Ranged unit shoots arrows from horse)
Idea for king names:
-Matthias Corvinus I
-Saint Stephen I
-Not Ladislas I, Saint Ladislaus I.
-Andrew I
If you choose Matyas/Mathias then +moral -gold.
Ask me if you need some help about it.
(Edited 5-6 times D)

 

[Dark Mark]

• Complexe Trade system. I want the map to have a second way to raise an empire: the economic way. Instead of expanding to get richer, players will be able to trade. So Trade must recquires attention and macro management.

How about making it simple, but very realistic and need loads of attention? Like prices will rise and drop depending on the climate, the need of the country, etc?

 

[SasuhKun]

Cause although it will need too much of attention, being "simple" will make it boring compared to conquering. Besides, not everything that it is realistic is simple.