Randomness...
When I first heard there was coming a "sequel" to the best fantasy 4X game ever (Master of Magic) I was in extacy, and upon
starting to play it really felt like this game - contrary to so many other MoM wannabees - could really be the stuff I've searching for so
many years: A ‘modern’ sandbox fantasy 4X game with great replayability.
However, as the game progressed, I slowly realised that though the foundation was solid and somewhat similar to my best wishes, the game was sorely lacking in the departments of fantasy, imagination and above all variation. It was simply a bit dull. Not terribly bad, mind you, but
I got the feeling that it could be so much more, that it’s potential was so much bigger.
It had city placement on a map - but it didnt matter much where you placed it. Where are the terrain bonuses, the incentive to build your
city close to rivers and forests and agrable land, the search for the 'perfect' spot to found your city. There are resources to be found,
granted, but they are few and far between. It doesn’t have to be extremely detailed with a resource for every kind of land, just some
simple bonuses or drawbacks.
It had pickable buildings and progression - but only a few buildings and no incentive to otherwise than just build a lot of the same one. I
want more kinds of buildings and I dont want to build x number of the same – upgrades can handle that just fine. Where is the moat filled
with demonic energies or fire (or even water), where are the mage towers (other than a unique building that gives only a couple of
extra, relatively useless arcane research points. Unique is nice, but give it some power!), where are the churches, the kennels and the
castles.
It had designable troops - but all troops was about the same and had no variation; nothing really changed except attack strength and defense. I want different abilities and bonuses, like troops with shields being able to fortify themselves or spearmen having a first strike
option (instead of every troop having first strike as of now, which unbalances things greatly). I want crossbow men, spear-throwers,
forces with special movement rules, rangers, warlocks and sorcerers, berserkers, halberdiers, priests, paladins, war-machines, flying
mounts for heroes, flying troops, war galleys, sea monsters, spider riders, war dogs, lizard riders and battle-wagons: they dont have to be avaible for every race or player ability, but they should be there.
It had Heroes - but though certainly able to be powerful (actually able to kill any number of ordinary troops without risk of being hurt,
unfortunately) they were all basically the same except for a very minor starting stat. It was not “Baltazar the Baleful” with the
ability to cast curses with twice the power and a black demonic horse with added movement, carrying the Scepter of Doom, the Cloak-Tabard
of Ages and the Vampire Crown of Thelzus. It was not “Knight Aspur, the Thunder of Moara” either, or his two-handed sword Wraithbane
and his ability to charge and soak extra damage. Most of the time it was XXX, with +1 tech point and carrying a broadsword, shield and
heavy plate (despite what class the hero would aspire to, since heavier armor always is better and there’s only broadsword or a
twohanded weapon to pick, really). All heros advances the same way too, there’s no point really in adding points to stats other than
strength, constitution or (for spell casters) intelligence and they don’t gain anything else, not even related to their initial ability.
It had player abilities that could be different for each game – but only a handful and most of them without lasting value (indeed, some
of them without initial value as well). Make those abilities count! Make them powerful in various ways – though not TOO powerful of
course – and some of them able to affect the game in situations other than a mere bonus to a resource, like for an example a pick
that would decrease spell research time, increase mana gained from only shards of a selected element, finding better artifacts or
training troops easier.
It had a choice of races - but only two and they were just about the same: more like a good and evil version of humans. Where are the
creatures that make medieval into fantasy? The dwarves, gnomes, gnolls, trolls, goblins, orcs, halflings, elves and half-animals like
centaurs, minotaurs, lizardmen, catmen or draconites. Where are the race-specific abilities, classes and buildings, the advantages and
the drawbacks that adds diversity to a game? Why arent there 8 races,or 12, or even more.
It had a world-building section with variables – but too few, and too simple. Why not a lever for adjusting magic power, terrain bonuses,
or birth rates? Increasing the number of special sites, and equipping them with lost lore (spells, even new aspects like an element, holy
magic or nature magic. Why not tech, or a lair which turn the dungeon into a recruitment place after you have defeated it’s guardians).
Why not a ‘library’ of artifacts and/or heroes, where players could put their own creations into the database? Heroes with
abilities outside a mere %-bonus, artifacts that had spells incorporated or special attacks instead of just a higher
attack/defense. A library where you set how many of the spells that you should be able to research for each game, or trade – always
having the possibility to get all spells would not be as interesting.
It had a technology tree (which is an improvement to traditional fantasy actually and I cherish it) but though the system is lovely I cant
really see why magic has a place within it. Especially since there is an arcane research, which is currently only used to get the specific
spells that the tech unlocks. I’d say, split the magic parts into an arcane tech tree instead, and use the opportunity to multiply it
since it needs it sorely. Make some graded switch to manipulate how much research that goes into “tech” magic and what goes into
spells, if needed: maybe even additional mana. Also, adventuring tech, why base this on studies instead of the experience of the
heroes? It’s heroes who usually discover the long-lost temple of Huge Amounts of Treasures anyway.
And finally, it had Magic… For being named “war of magic” there is very little magic in the game at all. Its ‘expensive’, rarely used
except for a couple of spells and over all it’s better to just skip it totally and just go researching war instead. There is a small
number of spells – many of which are very unbalanced in various ways – but very few worth casting, not to mention keeping. Add to
that, the magic is rare amongst troops (only heroes) and even amongst players for Mana is very hard to come by and easily spent. Spells
with upkeep are usually limited to a selected few worth keeping, and those being massed on the currently active hero. Some spells require
elemental shards, but they are very rare – which also adds to the severe lack of mana.
Double the number of spells; triple them or quadruple them. Make them different from each other, with various strengths and weaknesses, and stronger the more advanced and hard-researched they are. Balance them. A spell with level 1 (or 2) shouldn’t be able to split
continents into half and seal of opponents easily, nor should they be able to make a hero jump across the world so much that he doesn’t
need movement points. Make them harder to come by, more expensive or limit their powers somewhat. On the other hand, a spell with level 3
och 4 shouldn’t be worthless either. Why only 5 levels, by the way? More levels means easier balancing. I want more spells for non-damage
purposes; not only combatspells that weakens or enhances the target(s) in some way but also way more summonings,
artefact-construction, unit transformation (like to undead beings, or werewolves), blessings and curses and enchantments able to affect
cities (noticeably), shaping of minor non-city buildings, terrain, environment and that spans the whole world, like for an example a
spell that weakens a certain element or faction. Upkeep is not instant-loss if only mana was more plentiful.
Make hero wizards carry their own mana, with no access to the pool of the player; not only would it restrain their eventual overpowerment in
battle, it would also grant greater diversity amongst the heroes, especially with abilities and bonuses regarding mana. It would also
make the tax of the puny manasources easier. Make some units able to cast one spell, or perhaps two, once per battle or something like
that; no overkill, just some added flavour. And increase the mana avaibility even more.
In short, make the game more variable, more complex, more fantasylike. It makes the game both greater and more replayable. I realise of
course that your resources aren't unlimited, but I suspect that some changes (the non-graphic ones) aren’t really that hard to
accomplish, and they really count.
That being said, I still think you have a solid foundation there to build a game-series that will rock the world. I like your map and the way
it works, the history of the world and the game-machine – especially the legacy and the relations meny. I hope that you will
continue to improve.
With best regards,
~M
