Post by ligonater on Dec 17, 2012 4:07:55 GMT -6
I believe there are three factors that make LOM special to our dedicated community. First is that that game allows the player to do whatever he pleases though the entire world has an over arching plot that the player will probably end up getting dragged into. Next, I believe the aesthetic of the game appeals to its players. I find fantasy without enormous pauldrons or odd creatures appealing and tasteful. Lastly, Lords of magic is multifaceted and varied. Subterfuge and magic and play a huge role in the game; however the game is not dominated by it. A player can choose to approach the game anyway he likes and the player is not punished for exploring alternate styles of play. If there is ever a LOM II I fear much of what we love in the original and special edition will be lost. Never the less, I look forward to the day when I cam play LOM II.
What I would like to see most out of a new lords of magic is to expand on the world of the first. With new technology and programming the depth that is achievable will allow for more complex maps and AIs. NPCs could provide more meaningful interaction rather than token introduction. These areas that can be expanded are NPC interation, Map, assets and immersion.
In order to allow for come developed gameplay NPCs need to react to the world more. The faction politics is a good part of the original. Though it would be nice if the player were able to interact with NPCs and have NPCs contribute more. Here is what I mean. Instead of merely being in or out of favor of another lord, for alliances with them. Also there could be NPCs who live in different guilds or cities that can talk about the location of special artifacts, this could be used to weave structures like mysterious keeps into the world. It would also be nice if the player could go into allied cities and villages and be able to rest and buy material in them. Mauradering parties should also be more active and have more direction.
Along with more developed characters that populate the world the landscape needs to match. The first advancement I would suggest is making the map larger to make room for all I wish to add. Villages ought to play a larger role in the game. Villages could be a starting base for a player before he conquers the great temple. Villages could contribute by offering some of the benefits of a city on a limited scale, (i.e. followers can be employed in villages but no more than something like 3 and a guild or baracks) I also think there should be a lot of them. Each city should have four to six villages and the game should weave the importance and difference between villages and cities. This will give the player the opportunity to strategically gain ground without taking a whole city and perhaps create a more complex opening game where the new lord must bring the villages of his people under his control. Another part of the map that needs to be developed is the water. Rivers often play an important economic and strategic role; however in Urak they are barely existent and don't do much. This is a problem for the Water people because they don't have an opportunity to use their awesome creatures. It also makes ships pretty much pointless in most cases. Once overland maps are fixed I suggest improvements in the battlemaps. Battlemaps ought to be more exciting and varied allowing more more tactical play. I think adding buildings, rooms, and cover and perhaps objects that black line of sight would make more more interesting gameplay.
One problem I always had with most LOM is that the game never allowed to player to purchase equipment for the unit. A unit came completely supplied with whatever it needed and other than champions' artifacts I cannot choose to buy my elf warriors better armor or weapons. I want to see more material than just gold, ale and crystals. Maybe food would be something worth introducing but I would definately like to have generic armor I can give my units (or even be apart of the creation cost) (I play mount and blade and I have the same complaint, maybe I'm the problem and not the game
)
I believe that if LOM II employs the suggestions I provided it will allow for a much more immersive game.
What I would like to see most out of a new lords of magic is to expand on the world of the first. With new technology and programming the depth that is achievable will allow for more complex maps and AIs. NPCs could provide more meaningful interaction rather than token introduction. These areas that can be expanded are NPC interation, Map, assets and immersion.
In order to allow for come developed gameplay NPCs need to react to the world more. The faction politics is a good part of the original. Though it would be nice if the player were able to interact with NPCs and have NPCs contribute more. Here is what I mean. Instead of merely being in or out of favor of another lord, for alliances with them. Also there could be NPCs who live in different guilds or cities that can talk about the location of special artifacts, this could be used to weave structures like mysterious keeps into the world. It would also be nice if the player could go into allied cities and villages and be able to rest and buy material in them. Mauradering parties should also be more active and have more direction.
Along with more developed characters that populate the world the landscape needs to match. The first advancement I would suggest is making the map larger to make room for all I wish to add. Villages ought to play a larger role in the game. Villages could be a starting base for a player before he conquers the great temple. Villages could contribute by offering some of the benefits of a city on a limited scale, (i.e. followers can be employed in villages but no more than something like 3 and a guild or baracks) I also think there should be a lot of them. Each city should have four to six villages and the game should weave the importance and difference between villages and cities. This will give the player the opportunity to strategically gain ground without taking a whole city and perhaps create a more complex opening game where the new lord must bring the villages of his people under his control. Another part of the map that needs to be developed is the water. Rivers often play an important economic and strategic role; however in Urak they are barely existent and don't do much. This is a problem for the Water people because they don't have an opportunity to use their awesome creatures. It also makes ships pretty much pointless in most cases. Once overland maps are fixed I suggest improvements in the battlemaps. Battlemaps ought to be more exciting and varied allowing more more tactical play. I think adding buildings, rooms, and cover and perhaps objects that black line of sight would make more more interesting gameplay.
One problem I always had with most LOM is that the game never allowed to player to purchase equipment for the unit. A unit came completely supplied with whatever it needed and other than champions' artifacts I cannot choose to buy my elf warriors better armor or weapons. I want to see more material than just gold, ale and crystals. Maybe food would be something worth introducing but I would definately like to have generic armor I can give my units (or even be apart of the creation cost) (I play mount and blade and I have the same complaint, maybe I'm the problem and not the game
) I believe that if LOM II employs the suggestions I provided it will allow for a much more immersive game.
