New nations extremely well crafted and enjoyable

Sombre · #1 July 11th, 2008, 01:28 PM

I just thought I'd make this thread to express how much I'm enjoying the new nations. While they are powerful they haven't given people fits about balance (yet) which I think is partly because they aren't too powerful in an /unfun/ way and they are extremely enjoyable to play as. The sheer amount of content to be found in them is pretty amazing and the graphics are some of KO's best work to date.

I wasn't that keen on Tirnanog and Eriu when they first came out but I've found that every single new nation has grown on me and they really do put some of the older ones to shame in terms of overall quality.

llamabeast · #2 July 11th, 2008, 01:42 PM

I'm glad you made this thread Sombre, as I was just about to do something similar!

And yeah, the new nations really are quite exceptional. Good work KO!

Omnirizon · #3 July 11th, 2008, 01:46 PM

I think the new nations benefit from the power inflation phenomenon (I just invented that term

seen in all gaming.

take AD&D, for instance, when it was first released it had a basic lineup of stuff. Soon the devs were releasing more and more material that tends to be a little more powerful than the original stuff. Handbooks with specialized classes, spells, equipment, and all that stuff. Things that cater to the interests that arose in the fanbase.

I think the newer stuff in dom3 follows the same pattern. it seems a little more specialized, and capitalizes on the meta-game and playstyles present in the community; with the game having been around for some time this kind of knowledge became available to the devs, and it influenced they way they created the newer nations.

MaxWilson · #4 July 11th, 2008, 01:48 PM

Concur. I really like Bogarus' ability to creep me out in a realistic way. Even though I haven't been played them, I enjoy encountering them in the game. I LOVE the flavor of Hinnom even though I don't play them (blood magic and cannibalism is too much for me). Definitely the most evil race. I get a huge kick out of the historical and mythological allusion behind Hinnom/Ashdod/Gath. Haven't done much with Fomoria or Tir na N'og yet (still haven't finished exploring 50% of the game).

"Hinnom eats everything!" is such a fantastic meme.

-Max

MaxWilson · #5 July 11th, 2008, 01:52 PM

Quote:

Omnirizon said:
I think the new nations benefit from the power inflation phenomenon (I just invented that term

seen in all gaming.

Do you really think so? Fomoria, Eriu and Tir Na N'og aren't weak but Fomoria is no Niefelheim (straightforward brute power) and Eriu is no Helheim (ditto). I suspect you're thinking of Hinnom/Ashdod (and maybe Lanka from a while back), and that's not enough to support a trend.

I do think it's possible that KO's love for the source material led to stuffing a lot of stuff into Hinnom/Ashdod, which may need to be balanced by a gcost fix at some point. KO has said before that gcost tends to come at the end of unit design as a secondary issue.

-Max

Ming · #6 July 11th, 2008, 01:55 PM

I enjoy the new races immensely too and would like to join in expressing my appreciation to the developers.

Sombre · #7 July 11th, 2008, 01:57 PM

I don't see how Hinnom are the most evil race. Their rulers are pretty nasty but the majority of the population are enlightened avvim who come across as semi divine superhumans.

Would people consider Ogre Kingdoms or Mictlan to be evil? They're just continuing their native culture, usually at the expense of other cultures - something all dom3 nations do.

MaxWilson · #8 July 11th, 2008, 02:20 PM

I tend to identify a nation with its rulers. The Avvim are the oppressed peasants and I long to set them free and bring them to enlightenment.

-Max

Aezeal · #9 July 11th, 2008, 02:20 PM

Well I do think the latest nations and Lanka are a bit overpowered but it's nice to have them around.. I wouldn't mind a new nation that is a bit overpowered and suited for the AI to take advantage of it (I mean that the nation would be overpowered in ways the AI could use instead of just ignoring the options nations have as it usually does

) I'm not quite sure the latest nations fit here already.

personally I think the AI just needs a lesson in SC building and killing but I heard that can't be done

Ow and I think Hinnom is evil.. not most evil though (lanka seems more evilish imho)

Amhazair · #10 July 11th, 2008, 03:13 PM

Hear, hear.

I totally agree with you Sombre. While some of the new nations don't really get my imagination going from a gameplay perspective (Eriu, Tir na n'Og - The N/A combo somhow never managed to get my blood flowing) they're all very well done. Great sprites, great stories, intrestingly unique,...

A big 'well done' again for the creator gods of Illwinter.