Mod: Age of Wonders Mod

[Professor_Dyar]

I - Introduction
II - An overview of the mod
III - Goals of each release
IV - Current plans for next release
V - Problems that need to be solved

All comments are welcome.

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I - Introduction

I think that it's considered bad form to post a thread on multiple forums, but because this concerns players of multiple games, I at least hope it is appropriate to post on each of the two games� respective forums.

I am about to start making an Age of Wonders mod for the Dominions 3 engine. Age of Wonders, for those who don't already know, is a fairly low-budget turn-based strategy game made by Triumph Studios (www.triumphstudios.com). The world of Age of Wonders is based in a pseudo-Tolkien-style world, with an atmosphere (especially in the first game) that causes many of its fans to like it for this reason. Because this is a mod that will be played with Dominions, I intend to do most of the thread discussion here, but a similar thread is on the Age of Wonders Heaven forum (aow2.heavengames.com)

Of note: I am known as Beren V over there (just as Dominions took much of its inspiration from the works of H.P. Lovecraft and I created a Lovecraft-inspired name for my avatar, I created a Tolkien-inspired name for the forum whose game took Tolkien for inspiration).

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II - Overview of the Mod

This mod will be focused primarily on making Age of Wonders-inspired nations, units, and heroes playable for Dominions. There are only eighty nation slots in the game and not enough empty slots for all of the nations I plan to use, so I will have to overwrite some existing nations, but this will be done as little as I can get away with. I will be adding spells and pretenders here and there also, but it will be mainly about races and nations. This mod will be a single-age mod, with all AoW nations available in the Early Age, since I feel that most closely approximates the fantastical, wildernessy feel of the the AoW series (making everything a later age is an easy adjustment that anybody can do). This mod will also cover material from all three games of the AoW series, but whether you are playing an AoWI or AoWSM style game, or a composite of all three, can be set by allowing or disallowing whatever nations in your Dominions game.

It should be noted that in Dominions, unlike in AoW, there is no such thing as allied victory. The principal conflict of the game centers around a number of nation-ruling semi-divine beings each competing to become the one true deity, and only one of them can succeed. In order to have victorious alliances of different races such as exist in AoW, I will be creating what I call "composite nations", that is nations made up of several AoW races, as well as separate nations for each of the AoW races themselves. Heroes will be duplicated for each nation and race they belong to, which means that there can be several instances of a given hero in a single game, but only one per nation (except for spells - see below).

For example, the Keepers are an AoW faction that is composed of five different races: Elves, Dwarves, Halflings, Azracs, and Lizardmen. There will be a nation in this mod for each of these five races each standing on its own, but there will be a sixth nation that will combine elements of all of them to make the Keepers. Julia, the primary heroine of the AoW series, is an elf and is certainly loyal to her race, and will be available as a hero to the Elves. She will also be a hero of the Keepers (and some other factions as well). Each of these factions can potentially have Julia as a commander simultaneously. The same goes for Meandor, Elric, Talic, and many other AoW characters.

I would also like to make some new summoning spells that allow nations to actively summon heroes, and the Elven Keeper heroes would be available for a unique summon as well - if I can arrange that.

When I make nations, each one will be modified after an existing nation in Dominions, but with the unit descriptions re-done and some things added and rarely things taken away. I will first put them in empty nation slots so as to overwrite nothing. When I run out of these, I will put nations in slots that are reserved but still empty as of the time of the 3.10 release of Dominions (e.g. slots reserved for Gath). I will then begin overwriting existing nations that I have already based nations off of, begininning with late age nations and the proceeding backwards in age. This way, as few existing nations in Dominions will be overwritten, and those that are will have replacements present already.

Other general additions:
1. All nations will be made into functional underwater nations, even if they do not possess aquatic or amphibious units from the start. This means that they will be able to recruit underwater province defense, build underwater forts, and produce underwater troops. What they will produce will depend on the race, but it will include ships (see below).
2. I would like to include artillery. Dominions includes the option of having artillery, but it�s off-stage (it�s what the siege strength of an army represents). In AoW, artillery is also effective against troops, however, so I would like to make some artillery units that can fight on battlefields.
3. If possible, I would like to include ships. Ships are large, expensive, amphibious units and can be built in coastal/underwater forts. Flagships (ship commanders) will also have sailing and the ability to bring land-based troops into the sea. Ships require much more resources than gold, are vulnerable to lightning and fire, have superb protection, and numerous ranged and melee attacks, but suck at combat on land (they are meant for the sea). All races will have ships, some will be better at sailing than others, and a few races will have airships.

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III - Goals of each release

Version 1.0:
Nations:
Humans (from Man, the Towers of Chelms)
Azracs (from Tien'Chi, Barbarian Kings)
Lizardmen (from C'tis, Miasma)
Frostlings (from Jotonheim, Iron Woods)
Elves (from Man, Tower of Avalon)
Halflings (from Mictlan, Reign of the Lawgiver)
Dwarves (from Vanheim, arrival of Men)
High Men (from Marignon, Fiery Justice)
Dark Elves (from Machaka, Reign of Sorcerers)
Orcs (from Agartha, Ktonian Dead)
Goblins (from Shinuyama, Land of the Bakemono)
Undead (from Ermor, Ashen Empire)
Tigrans (from ???)
Draconians (from Vaettiheim, Exiled Tribes)
Syrons (from Atlantis, Frozen Sea)
Shadow Demons (from R'lyeh, Time of Aboleths)
Spells and Heroes:
All AoW1 heroes, including Julia, Elric, Meandor, Talic, Bormac, etc.
Pretenders:
Nature elemental, Yaka

Version 2.0
Nations:
Fire (from Abyssia, Children of Flame)
Water (from Oceana, Triton Kings)
Life (from Tir' na n'Og, Land of the Ever-Young)
Air (from Caelum, Eagle Kings)
Earth (from Agartha, Pale Ones)
Death (from Helheim, Dusk and Death)
Cosmos (from Tien'Chi, Spring and Autumn)
Secret (from R'lyeh, Dreamlands)
Keepers (from Kailasa, Rise of the Ape Kings)
Cult of Storms (from Lanka, Land of Demons)
Dragons (from ???)
Spells and Heroes:
Misc. heroes for respective elements
Pretenders:
The AoW2 and AoWSM Wizards

Version 3.0
Nations:
Children of Order (from Tien'Chi, Celestial Beaurocracy)
Children of War (from Ulm, Forges of Ulm)
Children of Nature (from Pangaea, Age of Bronze)
Children of Magic (from Arcocephale, Old Kingdom)
Order of the High Priests (from Arcocephale, Sibyline Guidance)
Order of the Monks (from Jomon, Human Daimyos)
Order of the Black Priests (from Ulm, Black Forest)
The Wizards' Circle (from Pythium, Emerald Empire)
The Wizards� Throne (from ??? maybe early Arcocephale?)
The Rogue Wizards (from Ermor, Broken Empire)
The Userper�s Throne (from Fomoria, Cursed Ones)
The Phobian Empire (from Marignon, Conquerers of the Sea)
Spells and Heroes:
Addition of the AoW2 and AoWSM heroes; misc, heroes
Pretenders:
Addition of the spirits of Order, War, Nature, Magic

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IV - Current plans for next release (v.1.0)

Humans:
Prototype: Man, Towers of Chelms
Units: musketeer (musket is a ranged weapon with long range, a precision penalty, armor piercing, 20 damage, 2 rounds to reload).
Ships: destroyers, cruisers, battleships, battleship flagships, and powerful airships
Magic: paths shifted to more fire and earth, but generally similar, but some death.
Heroes: Sirdanc, Trilius, Joseph; others available through spells.
Pretenders: Access to Mother of Tuathas, possibly some others, removed.

Azracs:
Prototype: Tien�Chi, Barbrian Kings
Race: Heat preference, probably 2-3
Units: Largely unchanged, but more cavalry would be good.
Ships: cruisers, discounted destroyers
Magic: More fire, less water
Heroes: Emperor Saddac, others available through spells, one of the brothers
Pretenders: More Egyptian/Middle-Eastern pretenders; a stand-in for Yaka

Lizardmen:
Prototype: C�tis, Miasma
Units: needs an archer
Ships: giant turtles instead of ships
Magic: to the extent that it is not already present, needs water, nature, and earth
Heroes: Saal, one of the brothers,(Elric, Talic?)

Frostlings:
Prototype: Jotonheim, Iron Woods
Units: needs more Vaetti units, especially an archer and wolfrider. Yeti will replace (some) giants.
Ships: frost queens and war rafts
Magic: more air, more water. Gygjas will stay, though!
Heroes: Baibalar, Lord Thalkor, one of the brothers

Elves:
Prototype: Man, Tower of Avalon
Race: strong militias with lots of female units.
Units: longbowman will be replaced with a female equivalent. A number of Tir na n�og units will be lifted wholesale. Knight of Aldor (renamed K. of Avalon) will be female. Crone will be replaced with Tuatha Sorceress. All units will have better skills and cost more.
Ships: destroyers, cruisers; flagship dreadnaughts and carriers, very small and weak airships
Magic: more water, some astral
Heroes: Elric, Julia, Khelan, Elwyn

Halflings:
Prototype: Mictlan, Reign of the Lawgiver
Race: numerous militias, but weak
Units: largely as-is but with several Hoborg units added, plus probably a centaur or two.
Ships: large flagships that hold lots (high command), but weak combat ability
Magic: largely unchanged.
Heroes: Devon, Nyssia, Elric (?)

Dwarves:
Prototype: Vanheim, Arrival of Men
Units: more dwarf-like units, possibly taken from Agartha. Archers!
Ships: cruisers, dreadnaughts, transport airships
Magic: More fire, less blood (though not without blood, just low enough to be random)
Heroes: Bormac, etc. Possibly also Elric.

High Men:
Prototype: Marignon, Fiery Justice
Race: Like it warm (the Garden of Eden is clearly somewhere in Africa, which is tropical)
Ships: destroyers, cruisers, battleships
Units: A shortbowman as well as their crossbowman. Possibly some Pythian legionary units also.
Magic: more astral, teensy-weensy bit of nature
Heroes: Gabriel, etc.

Dark Elves:
Prototype: Machaka, Reign of Sorcerers
Race: heat preference is unnecessary (probably like cold, actually)
Units: more archers, some cavalry, including an executioner
Ships: destroyers, cruisers
Magic: Not a lot of change needed, although a modicum of water might be good.
Heroes: Meandor, Talic, Melenis

Orcs:
Prototype: Agartha, Ktonian Dead
Race: add a little bit of heat
Units: Need a cavalry, not just cave drake riders
Ships: destroyers, dreadnaughts, transport flagships
Magic: more fire�
Heroes: Gadarn, possibly Talic, misc. other leaders.

Goblins:
Prototype: Shinuyama, Land of the Bakemono
Race: likes it cool (cold 1, probably)
Units: steal some Vaettiheim units, especially the wolfrider
Ships: barges
Magic: not a whole lot of difference. Add Gygjas!
Heroes: Satar, possibly Talic

Undead:
Prototype: Ermor, Ashen Empire
Race: cold 3�
Units: add a few sacred demonic units
Ships: ghost ships (ethereal, need commanders, otherwise weak)
Magic: some earth, fire and blood, as well as death
Heroes: Inioch, Melenis, Elwyn

Tigrans:
Prototype: NEED HELP!
Race: heat 2-3
Units: again, need help. Lions!
Ships: destroyers
Magic: fire, some blood and astral
Heroes: to be included later

Draconians:
Prototype: Vaettiheim, Exiled Tribes
Units: add a few C�tissian units, possibly Coatls
Ships: nice airships, but not as strong as humans
Magic: air, fire, plus what the C�tissians have (mainly nature and astral)
Heroes: to be included later

Syrons:
Prototype: Atlantis, Frozen Sea
Units: several more magical units with shocking and magical weapons to be added
Ships: no ocean ships, but very nice airships
Magic: add lots of astral
Heroes: to be included later

Shadow Demons:
Prototype: R�lyeh, Time of Aboleths
Units: add some demonic units to on-land cities
Ships: submarines (aquatic ships with very high defense), airships that are the scourge of the game except that they are prohibitively expensive
Magic: blood and astral for on-land demon mages, but aboleths are fine as-is
Heroes: to be included later

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V � Current challenges

1. Graphics � does anybody know a good way to extract unit graphics for recoloration? I would like to base the Elven archer off of archer of Ulm Enigma of Steel, for example.

2. Ship graphics: anybody know where I can get appropriately sized pictures of ships for size-6 units? Ditto for Ballistas and such.

3. Does anybody know how to make variable unique summons, e.g. the elemental monarchs, treelords, and unique demononic summons? Also, is there any way to mod a spell that will summon both a monster and a commander simultaneously (e.g. summon Elric or Julia as a commander and have the other be a unit under them)?

4. What is a good prototype nation for the Tigrans?

5. Unit Descriptions! I need help writing all of the descriptions for the various units of each nation in-game.

[Edi]

Well, look what the wind just blew in the door! Been a long time, Beren, and a little belated welcome to the Dominions 3 forum on my part!

Be interesting to se what happens with this mod.

[Sombre]

You should probably read up on the description and sprnbr too high bugs, which are the bane of mods using large numbers of units, nations, graphics etc.

[Foodstamp]

There is another problem you will have with the graphics...


AOW graphics are tilted because the units move on a hex grid. This is hardly noticeable with the infantry units but it is very noticeable with mounted units, animals, siege engines etc. On the combat map, those units will look strange, tilted downward or upward since the game did not have a graphic set for facing straight left or right.

[Zylithan]

Huge AoW1 fan, also a fan of the others. Sounds like a great project.

[Professor_Dyar]

Great to see a turnout! I will need some HELP for some of this, mainly unit descriptions and some of the graphics. I think it's doable from what you say, though.


I don't plan on including AoW graphics into the game - this would wreck the character of the graphics and make everything look strange. The only graphics I really plan to add will be the ships and siege engines (maybe 15 sprites there), and I will want to re-color some heroes. For instance, if I could get the images in the game to play with, I could create a very good Julia using the Tuatha Sorceress and bitmap, and I could do similar for most of the other wizards.

As an example, I'm looking at the first race right now... that's the Humans, who will be based on late age Man. Most of their units need new unit descriptions, but that's about it. The Tower Knight needs to be renamed and would like the middle age Man's knight graphic (blue coloring instead of green), but that's another in-game addition. The Magister Arcane needs to have his spheres changed to include more fire and less air. So it looks like the only units that the Humans really need are the Musketeer and the Air Galley. The Air Galley will need a new graphic, so that's one sprite (out of a hundred...). I'm not even sure that the Musketeer does; the musket is a new weapon, but the tools to make it look like they're already in the game.

[Edi]

Beren (sorry, but I've known you too long to start learning new names for you ), since you haven't been around here for too long (as a registered member anyway), I have no idea what you already know. So I'll start with from scratch.

The first thing you need is the Dom3 DB, which gives you all the unit numbers, stats, random magic masks and a lot of other stuff. The link is in my sig. Then you're going to need the sprite collection Kristoffer released. That can be found somewhere on the forum here.

The modding manual has a lot of the other stuff you need in some of the more obscure tables (flysprites, sound samples etc) since those have not been independently documented anywhere.

The more experienced modders here (Sombre, Foodstamp, Amos, Endoperez et al) can probably give you a lot of tips on how to optimize some things and get normally unmoddable things done (copystats features prominently in that). Endo is also a pretty good hand at recoloring and modifying the sprites from the game. So you can ask them for tips.

Be sure to check the modding related bug entries in the shortlist thread on the main forum like Sombre said, since that's really going to bite you in the description department. Hard limit is 183 descriptions as of the current situation and it is currently not possible to mod descriptions separately like weapons and then assign them to units. Which means that units with identical descriptions will still use up separate descriptions out of the total available.

[Professor_Dyar]

Thanks for telling me this!

I had the DB, but it was an older version. I'm not sure I understand the 183-description limit: is it possible to activate multiple mods that collectively go over that limit, or is that a truly hard limit in the game?

[Edi]

Yes, it's hard limit for descriptions added by mod. You can go over the limit via multiple mods or just one megamod that has that many descriptions. Any more than that and they start getting overwritten. It's a limit that seems to be set in stone, but it was discovered through trial and error and probably has something to do with array sizes reserved for that kind of things.

I have not tested it myself, I've compiled those bug reports just on the basis of what Sombre, Ich and the others have said, since they can generally be trusted to report things in depth and accurately.

[Juzza]

I really liked AoW 1, shadow magic was frankly a bit of a let down for me, but still very cool, I might be able to help you with some unit graphics, not ships or siege weapons, but for those you should look through a bunch of other mods, I've very sure I've come across 1 or two mods that have some artillery in dom 3 and 1 or 2 in dom 2, Oh! one of them is on the illwinter home page ( http://www.illwinter.com ) it's a two nation orc one.

But anyway, you can give me some tasks with units and I'll do my best, if you wanna see my previous work check out the "Pirate Nation" it may be on the second page by now.