POMARJ Development Thread

[duke o' york]

Cyrion will PM/e-mail you the link if he still has room for playtesters.

[N35t0r]

Originally posted by Cyrion


Which I'll solve by removing nearly all the money the Humanoids have at start...

No!

Even if there's a high difference between capturing it on the first or second turn, that money is vital for buying the palace, and taking it away will greatly hamper the player...

[Cyrion]

Then let's say I'll leave enough to allow the player to buy a palace

[DarkCloud]

New Comments:

The intro screen text is still too large to fit on an 1160x800 screen on a 17 inch monitor...

week 2- captured Blue
Week 3- Lost a warship to one of 4 pirate ships that would appear in subsequent turns... I destroyed 2 before it was taken out. (but also lost the silver dragon)
Week 5- lost one transport to the last pirate ship.
Week 10- captured Twin Fangs
Week 15- Red Dragon takes out oberon for the second time.
Week 31- Made it to Deep Roots, but lost all heroes. I cannot advance any further.'

RELOAD on week 15 and try a new tactic.

Week 20-24 I made an amphibious assault on Evil Rune. It could have worked if my air units had survived.
It came very close to working...
Week 25 Gave Up.

TRY 2
Decided to storm Vile Rune first as a new trial. It was quite easy. I took it on turn 2 with no losses (save the silver dragon... it crashed).

Week 5- lost my shipment that should have taken blue the next turn- **** pirates.
Week 22- Evil Rune destroyed by a massive enemy force. Finvil, Fingolfin killed. I lose Fingolfin forever.
Week 24- Twin Fangs falls
Week 28- Lose Oberon at the airbase to Ogres.
Week 29- Lose Blue.

Too many bandits appeared behind me, and I couldn't figure out how to stop them. I stationed someone on top of the bandit camp, but they kept spawning.

TRY 3
* Changed the Adventurers spawn to 15 turns from 20... considered changing the bandits' spawn, but we'll see how this works.
* I hate timelimits on games, so I upped Cyrions to 270 turns from 250.

Week 2- Captured Vile Rune
Week 4- Red Dragon kills my Copper.
Week 7- Took Blue

*Suggestion: Give Wilifred +1 Defense. He dies even when at 3/4ths health when attacked in a city.

Week 17- A horde destroys Vile Rune

Note: If I was a better player, I think I could get Broken Bone as well using this strategy, but I'm not.
Personally, I think that you have too many enemy unit spawns. Doing a reveal map on turn 25, it seems impossible for me to advance at all. and I'm only reseraching new techs every 14 turns.

Question: Why are Eldredd's Wonders of the World blanked out? Are those placeholders? And what's the purpose behind the "Barrier" civilization?

--
...Once again, Good fix on the colors.

[duke o' york]

I imagine that the barrier civ is there so that you can't win by conquest if you play on Chieftain. Not that I would, of course.
I too was confused by the blank wonders and improvements in Humanoid cities.

[Cyrion]

Late answers...

Sorry about the delay, I've been awfully busy...

Originally posted by DarkCloud
New Comments:

The intro screen text is still too large to fit on an 1160x800 screen on a 17 inch monitor...

Really?? I thought it was alright now!

I might have forgotten to include the Pomarj.txt file that adresses it in my update?? (if yes, say so and I'll send it! ) Did you all have the same problem?

...
Week 31- Made it to Deep Roots, but lost all heroes. I cannot advance any further.'

RELOAD on week 15 and try a new tactic.

Week 20-24 I made an amphibious assault on Evil Rune. It could have worked if my air units had survived.
It came very close to working...
Week 25 Gave Up.

TRY 2
...
Week 29- Lose Blue.

Well, it definitely seems that even with the latest modifications, it ain't too easy yet!

But I swear you can do better as it is!

Too many bandits appeared behind me, and I couldn't figure out how to stop them. I stationed someone on top of the bandit camp, but they kept spawning.

Guess what, they have replacement lairs should one be taken...

*Suggestion: Give Wilifred +1 Defense. He dies even when at 3/4ths health when attacked in a city.

If the others agree on that being necessary, that's an easy enough modification...

Week 17- A horde destroys Vile Rune

Note: If I was a better player, I think I could get Broken Bone as well using this strategy, but I'm not.
Personally, I think that you have too many enemy unit spawns. Doing a reveal map on turn 25, it seems impossible for me to advance at all. and I'm only reseraching new techs every 14 turns.

Are you a Baronny? Did you build a Palace? You should do MUCH better! Maybe try some trade...

Question: Why are Eldredd's Wonders of the World blanked out? Are those placeholders?

Oups, forgot to change those icons (as well as those from some Humanoids Improvements)... Thanks!

And what's the purpose behind the "Barrier" civilization?

They are there to have a few (temporary) Impassable terrain, which will be destroyed via events!

...Once again, Good fix on the colors.

Thanks!

[DarkCloud]

Are you a Baronny? Did you build a Palace? You should do MUCH better! Maybe try some trade...

Question: Why would a palace help? And I can only convert to a Baronny by turn 22 at the earliest... It doesn't help my science revenues though. My population is too low to help with that... Just one bulb per city.

Trade? Who can trade? No one can trade as far as I can tell- maybe the Refugees?? And who would I trade with? At best I could only get about 20 coins from trading with the koboldi, wouldn't I? It's not as though I can build Caravans in this game.

I'll also repeat this disclaimer- I'm not very good at Civ. I usually never trade in my games and never leave Monarchy.

[Cyrion]

Originally posted by DarkCloud
Question: Why would a palace help?

A palace in Blue would greatly lessen your corruption, and so your production (shield + bulbs + money) would be much higher, above all in Blue!

And I can only convert to a Baronny by turn 22 at the earliest... It doesn't help my science revenues though. My population is too low to help with that... Just one bulb per city.

Again, with a palace built as soon as possible in Blue (I would recommend rush-building it, either at once or after 1 turn to limit the expenses!), you'll have much more bulbs in Blue (and in the others cities too), and so if you go for Baronny at once, you should be able to switch sooner!

Trade? Who can trade? No one can trade as far as I can tell- maybe the Refugees?? And who would I trade with? At best I could only get about 20 coins from trading with the koboldi, wouldn't I? It's not as though I can build Caravans in this game.

To trade, you need to be able to build merchants (i.e caravans). For this, I think the tech is mercantilism!

To make a lot of cash (and of science!) and trade arrows in your cities, deliver your merchants to Elredd (yes, I know it's far, but it's really worth doing, if you manage to avoid the pirates! ).

I'll also repeat this disclaimer- I'm not very good at Civ. I usually never trade in my games and never leave Monarchy.

Good news for you: you can't get a better government than Baronny (i.e. Monarchy)

Bad news: you really need to trade if you want some cash + some science...

And thanks for your help my friend!

[rjmatsleepers]

I did try sending a van there in one of my games. My recollection is that I got a couple of hundred gold, which is OK, but not overwhelming considering the distance. On the other hand, it did give me a 12 arrow trade route and there's not much else to build and not much else to do with the ships. I'm not sure whether I'd build a ship chain though with all those pirates about.

RJM at Sleeper's

[Uncle Dead Bird]

Hard scenario there, Cyrion!

I'm on Week 41 and I still haven't broken the Blue perimeter. I've also lost a hero.

Is there some strategy I'm overlooking? Am I doing something wrong?

I'll start again with some new ideas.

It's a great challenge, though, and the sounds really add something.

If I catch something not mentioned above by the others, I'll certainly let you know.

UDB

[rjmatsleepers]

I played a fairly lengthy session yesterday. By leaving my heros in the ships and capturing Blue with assorted rangers, crossbow men, etc I was able to get the 800 bonus without losing a hero. However, on most attempts the fortifications were destroyed. I replayed until they survived rather than continue. Could you use an event to rebuild them if they are detroyed? That 800 bonus is very useful. I played for over 100 weeks without trade, but with no money problems. I think you should retain the bonus, but make it part of the story. "At the appearance of war ships, merchants flee Blue taking their gold with them." If you can't make it an in game message, include it in the intoduction or read me.

The information on civilization size from the librarian at unseen university was fun - but I wondered whether it was an accidental hang-over from your diskworld scenario .

After capturing Vile Rune, I was subject to what seemed to be an unending stream of humanoid attacks - including demons, wyverns, giants and goblins. Even my heros had difficulty fighting them on the rivered hills north west of Vile Rune. It may be possible to do something with the extra refugees, etc, but it's quite a battle.

I wondered whether it would be better to pacify the northern toe of the peninsular; I seem to remember there is a humanoid city there.

BTW, I built a lot of catapults - it's good to have a unit worth building, even if it is slow and defenceless.

I'm not sure whether I'll have time for some more today.

RJM at Sleeper's

[Cyrion]

Originally posted by rjmatsleepers
I played a fairly lengthy session yesterday. By leaving my heros in the ships and capturing Blue with assorted rangers, crossbow men, etc I was able to get the 800 bonus without losing a hero. However, on most attempts the fortifications were destroyed. I replayed until they survived rather than continue. Could you use an event to rebuild them if they are detroyed? That 800 bonus is very useful.

First: about the fortifications: what do you all think about it? should I give the pre-requisite to the city walls improvement from the start??

Then, about the 800 Gold

Here is what I intend to do:
- remove all the gold from the Humanoids from the start
- add an event that gives some money when Blue is first taken!

I played for over 100 weeks without trade, but with no money problems. I think you should retain the bonus, but make it part of the story. "At the appearance of war ships, merchants flee Blue taking their gold with them." If you can't make it an in game message, include it in the intoduction or read me.

As written above, the bonus will remain, but I rather doubt there will be space for the text in the events! I'll try though!

The information on civilization size from the librarian at unseen university was fun - but I wondered whether it was an accidental hang-over from your diskworld scenario .

How did you guess?

It will be replaced, thanks! (and I think I have the text I want to use for that, from some of the original AD&D rulebooks! )

After capturing Vile Rune, I was subject to what seemed to be an unending stream of humanoid attacks - including demons, wyverns, giants and goblins. Even my heros had difficulty fighting them on the rivered hills north west of Vile Rune. It may be possible to do something with the extra refugees, etc, but it's quite a battle.

It's hard, but quite doable: I had no major problem advancing to Moon Keep (but it proved a bit harder after that point... )

I wondered whether it would be better to pacify the northern toe of the peninsular; I seem to remember there is a humanoid city there.

That's what I did, rather easily!

BTW, I built a lot of catapults - it's good to have a unit worth building, even if it is slow and defenceless.

As long as they're not too useful

I would like the main units source to be the events triggered by the tech tree

Many thanks for your feedback!

[duke o' york]

Are you ready for me to sub-edit your text files yet?



Sorry I haven't played any more, but my mouse is knackered, and I'm stuck with the scrolly pad until the weekend.

[Cyrion]

Update

I haven't been idle this week-end, and I adressed most of the points you all made, as well as a few others!

Here is what has been done:

1) The problem with the 800 Gold if seizing Blue on the first turn or not has been adressed!
I even followed the suggestion about the demons, and so freed some space in the event file!

2) I made some changes regarding the AI government types and limitations, and suppressed some AI improvements, with the result that the message about the AI foreign Embassies should be MUCH less frequent (I can't suppress them, though!)

3) All the visible Improvements and Wonders should now have an icon! (if you find one lacking its icon, please tell!)


4) The defence of Wilfried has been uped by 1!

5) the Historian text has been corrected!

6) changed the terrain of a few squares

7) wrote the units description

8) wrote the terrain description

9) found passable sounds for the ents and elves


So here is what still needs to be done:
1) write the tech description, so that Duke can then correct this file

2) find a way to make happy/unhappy people easier to identify (Curt??)

3) replace the graphics of the Pioneer (Curt? )

4) modify the Raise dead message to explain it will happen only once

5) find the last lacking sound (centaurs and the human hero)

6) find a good title screen

7) write the final readme (and have Duke correct it )

8) maybe replace the shipwreck graphic, which I am not really happy with... But for that, I would need help...

And here are the still open questions:
1) what to do with the adventurers? (I would leave them as they are, but what do you think??)

2) should the "city walls" be buildable from the start?

[N35t0r]

Originally posted by N35t0r
Also, I heard somewhere that, if an enemy captured one of your cities and built improvements, then if you took it back then they didn't get destroyed, so maybe you want to try it to see if you can get Blue to keep it's fortifications and harbour.

I tried this and so far it works... It took a couple of turns to set it up, though, so you might want to check with AGRICOLA to see if it can be hex-edited...