Dom 3 Single-player - I don't get it..

[Daynarr]

Gandalf Parker said:
MAN my brain really cooks in the early hours doesnt it?
Gandalf Parker

[Alneyan]

Gandalf Parker said:
(hmmm a mod file could be included in all this also but so far Im not coming up with a reason to).

I'm thinking mods could work as a sort of scripted events, since the only other way around is to edit the game files themselves (not straightforward, and with unwanted side-effects).

So, you could ask the player to rerun the executable on turn 30, and check for the current state of the game. If your nation already owns a bunch of provinces and has a high income, life could become harder for you (say, troops suddenly become more expensive, or one troop cannot be recruited anymore, mages get weaker, etc). On the other hand, if you are doing poorly, you could find yourself with some support, perhaps from poor Man that has bitten the dust already.

It could also work the other way around, boosting AI nations as needed, again through the same "check the score dump" mechanism. You might even "transform" a nation that way, by replacing all its units, spells, and whatnot through a mod... well, except things like "no Dominion spread" or auto-summons.

[Endoperez]

Alneyan said:
.. well, except things like "no Dominion spread" or auto-summons.

Actually, there should be more things that can be changed [via mods] in Dom3. I think Mictlan's restricted dominion-spreading and Ulm's extra-resources in fortresses were mentioned, but I'm not sure.

[Gandalf Parker]

A game can be started with a preexex or postexec switch. A postexec bat file could run the checker program and swap in an appropriate mod. Id have to think abit on how that would work best but it could be done.

In fact, if you turn logging on and send it to a text file you could even look for references such as the players nation hitting a particular stage in the game. A research level or certain spells being cast or taking a certain province. I wonder how search results are recorded. Whether a certain site being found in a certain province could be a trigger

[NTJedi]

Endoperez said:
If Pythium is to destroy Ermor in the fourth, final, map/scenario, the possibility of Ermor being destroyed in the third map should be nullified. And Ermor can't just be made too strong to attack, because that would allow it to overpower everything.

Just because Ermor is destroyed in the first of four maps doesn't mean he can't exist in the next maps. You remove Ermor from one realm doesn't mean he's wiped off the entire world or galaxy. If Ermor does stay alive some of his commanders should carry over same as yours if you stay alive. Also even if your pretender dies and all your provinces are lost for one realm doesn't remove your existence and control from other maps or parts of the world.

Endoperez said:
It'd be nice to see some, but I doubt Illwinter will add any new features when the existing ones haven't been used that much.

I agree I doubt we'll see any of these new features, but they sure sound nice.

[Gandalf Parker]

Ive seen other games where the next level of the campaign started with something like "the vanquished god has retreated to a far land only to come back stronger and angrier". That could handle it (sloppily but oh well)

[Tortanick]

Please, don't insult the customer

[Gandalf Parker]

Well with a bit of creativity Im sure we could do better. Actually, in Dominions its abit more workable since a god CAN come back if there is some far province still worshipping them.

[NTJedi]

Gandalf Parker said:
Well with a bit of creativity Im sure we could do better. Actually, in Dominions its abit more workable since a god CAN come back if there is some far province still worshipping them.

Exactly... it will be interesting to see how the editor has been improved.

[Fate]

I personally think that the ability to read .trn files would be best. Then the fans could make a better AI if they really wanted to (I would!). Illwinter needn't provide a decoding program, just say what compression programs it uses, and what its formatting is. The fans can do the rest.