OT, Stardock's MOM influenced game news

[WraithLord]

iceboy said:
You guys should try AOWSM with the new Dwiggs Mod 5.0. Its like a whole new game now really cool!

For some reason I can't make AOWSM work with any of Dwiggs mods (including 5.0). What happens is that the game crashes when starting a scenario. If its a known issue and you know how to resolve it I'd really appreciate it if you can PM me (don't want to deviate to much from this already OT thread)

[Twan]

Jazzepi said:
The enemy almost always has overwhelming forces in the later campaigns, and you have to be careful not to "agro" the enemies in certain towns who won't come after you unless you reveal them.

Yes I forget to emphasize on this. FW is not only a clone of FG, it's a game using the FG rules without its AI. It's why there is no skirmish mode : they simply didn't have programmed a general AI, just some scripts for each scenario to make ennemies act when you move close to them.

[B0rsuk]

Twan said:
Yes I forget to emphasize on this. FW is not only a clone of FG, it's a game using the FG rules without its AI. It's why there is no skirmish mode : they simply didn't have programmed a general AI, just some scripts for each scenario to make ennemies act when you move close to them.

That system (figures per squad) sounds awful lot like Master of Magic. I've finished most of Fantasy General (in Dosbox, without sound - it was fun anyway) and their figures/power system strongly reminded me of MOM.
Initially I thought MOM's figure system is a bit awkward (for example it's a bit too simplified in some places), but they certainly got 1 thing right. You can simply heal "dead" figures and aren't discouraged from attacking.

I've been thinking about writing this kind of game (Python, PyGame) myself, and have lots of ideas to use. But I'd most probably limit it to just combat. It's complex enough as it is. Some ideas I have:
- more even damage distribution among figures. In pure MOM system, only 1 figure can be wounded. This limits a bit healing spells and other very interesting effects.
- flying and walking creatures should be able to share a square. Blocking castle gate with a flyer is silly
- very limited direct damage spells. Direct damage is overused and boring. I would compensate by greatly expanding other branches of magic.
(...)

[Edi]

sector24 said:

I'm glad to hear you guys were disappointed with the later games in the franchise. I see references to AoW all the time on the forum and just assumed you guys liked the game, an opinion I could never support. But now that the truth is out we can all be best friends.

I loved the original AoW. Still have it installed.

AoW2 can best be characterized as an incomplete beta of AoW:SM, which was what they said AoW2 should have been. They didn't even port the original AoW2 campaign to SM, which just pissed me off even more because I had to play it on the original AoW2. I've played a few AoW:SM games with a friend on a couple of maps, but the spark just isn't there in that game. The only thing I unreservedly love about AoW2 and AoW:SM is the still art like the hero portraits. That and the move and shoot with missile units, which you didn't have in AoW1.

Can't speak for the others, there seem to be many here who like AoW:SM, but for me it will never be more than a shadow of what AoW1 was.

[WraithLord]

B0rsuk said:
...

I've been thinking about writing this kind of game (Python, PyGame) myself, and have lots of ideas to use. But I'd most probably limit it to just combat. It's complex enough as it is. Some ideas I have:
- more even damage distribution among figures. In pure MOM system, only 1 figure can be wounded. This limits a bit healing spells and other very interesting effects.
- flying and walking creatures should be able to share a square. Blocking castle gate with a flyer is silly
- very limited direct damage spells. Direct damage is overused and boring. I would compensate by greatly expanding other branches of magic.
(...)

You should probably check magic master project.

I was toying with a similar idea for a few years now, even went so far as to learn python pygame (by writing small games). However, RL + Dominions kind of take up all my time.