1144 replies to this topic

[Elvenlord]

I his skins
Compare rangers and scouts
Which look better?
(If you say rangers I'll shoot you )

[Ecthelion]

Rangers

[Lauri]

R.I.P Ecthelion

anyways, of course Cel's skins are better... he does it for fun, not a living... And I do think that has much to say

[Celeglin]

EALA's skins were originally quite nice in terms of resolution (take a look at Elrond and Gothmog). Unfortunately, in an attempt to optimize the game, all textures were cut down to a third their original size (or less). In my opinion, BfME isn't a very well optimized game (you get lag for so little) and though their DDS system isn't wonderful, it certainly handles larger texture files well enough (as you can tell with this and other mods). I can't say I agree with EALA's decision to axe texture sizes... especially when their ridiculously ugly upgrade FX (forged blades, fire arrows, and leadership) are what cause a good portion of the video lag. But who am I to say?

[Lauri]

one of the best BFME modders out there?

anyways, I guess your right, because I've tried to make a lowrez skin, and it was a pain.... And the game is big enough as it is, but they could've done better....

[Elvenlord]

*bang*
Told you

Coulda woulda shoulda
(my grandmother's saying )

[Olorin]

Just to revive this topic I've come up with some ideas for spellbook powers:

Eriador

level 1-Heal (bigger radius), Gifts from the Sea (change it slightly since it doesn't include Cirdan anymore)
level 3-Dunedain Rangers (summon), Elven Wood, (something else, hopefully summon)
level 5-Cloud Burst
level 7-Summon Eagle Allies
level 10-Wrath of the Valar (think of a huge whirlpool that drowns everything caught in its radius) or Power of the Bruinen (duh...water horses)

Rhovanion

level 1-Heal, Elven Woods (expand radius)
level 3-Avari (summon), Aid from Mirkwood/Lothlorien (something like that), I was thinking a whirlwind power that hurls all enmies in a targeted radius around; don't know whether it can be implemented
level 5-Cloud Burst
level 7-Ent Allies
level 10-Blessings of the Golden Wood (same as how you've got it now)

What do you reckon?

Edited by Olorin, 05 December 2006 - 09:48 AM.

[Celeglin]

That's actually pretty close to what I was thinking of. Some other thoughts though:
- Eriador could summon Rhovanion Elves and vice versa. Helps convey the "Alliance" part of the title.
- I've thought of a very cool power for the Rhovanion Elves. Something along the lines of summoning a temporary resource building that's guarded by various woodland creatures...

[swan]

I like them, but both should have Eagles summon.

I have more ideas:

- Elven Sight (1 or 2 PP)- a power like Isengards Palantir OR something like leadership for Archers: +30%damage, +10% attack speed, +20% range, +20 %sight
- Mist (3PP)- hides units and gives them a +30% armour bonus and 50% arrow dodge
- Elven Orcharding (2PP) - targeted Orchard gets +100% resources production bonus
- Blacksmiths of Eregion (4PP) - passive power. Reduces the cost of Heavy Armour and Forged Baldes. (but maybe it should be another upgread)
- Summon Elves of Lindon (4PP) - summons four battalions of Forlindon's Bows
- Memory of Valinor (3pp) - units become resistant to fear, +50% damage and armour
- Yavanna's Gift (5PP) - something between Elven Wood Power and Thranduil's ability. Creates lush terrain with loads of trees, provides leadership bonus +40% armour, cancels enemy's
leadership bonuses and hurts enemy units while creating
- The Strength of Tulkas( 1 or 2 PP) - bonus +15% speed and attack speed, +10% damage. Affects heroes.
- The Light of Elbereth - well, just cloud break with better name
- The Tears of Nienna (3PP) - heals units, heroes, repairs buildings

Aid from Mirkwood/Lothlorien (something like that), I was thinking a whirlwind power that hurls all enmies in a targeted radius around; don't know whether it can be implemented

Nice spell, I like this one.

[Elvenlord]

Yay!
Something to help elves huge upgrade costs!
Maybe put spearmen with the bows?
Edit: never mind, forgot they were on horses

What woodland creatures.......................

Edited by Elvenlord, 06 December 2006 - 01:39 AM.

[Celeglin]

- Elven Sight (1 or 2 PP)- a power like Isengards Palantir OR something like leadership for Archers: +30%damage, +10% attack speed, +20% range, +20 %sight

Both are possibilities for the Eriador faction (not good for Rhovanion because Galadriel's Visions trumps the "Palantir" version, and both Celeglin and Thranduil offer range and sight leadership).

- Mist (3PP)- hides units and gives them a +30% armour bonus and 50% arrow dodge

Surprisingly, this is a possibility on many levels. I can make it so the mists will actually stealth units who can hide in trees (by making the "mist objects" trees that can't be destroyed (ala the Elven Castle trees) and also don't actually look like trees). And then of course the bonuses are possible (maybe not the arrow dodge actually... can't remember off the top of my head). Not sure if either faction could use it though: Eriador is very unstealthy, while Rhovanion is already incredibly stealthy. We'll see.

- Elven Orcharding (2PP) - targeted Orchard gets +100% resources production bonus

We'll see how the economy of the two factions works out before I decide on this one. It could end up as an upgrade in the Library of Elrond.

- Blacksmiths of Eregion (4PP) - passive power. Reduces the cost of Heavy Armour and Forged Baldes. (but maybe it should be another upgread)

This will most likely be an upgrade from the Library of Elrond.

- Summon Elves of Lindon (4PP) - summons four battalions of Forlindon's Bows

Nah... Any summoning of purchasable Elves done through the Spell Book will only happen in the two Elven Alliance powers, described in my last post.

- Memory of Valinor (3pp) - units become resistant to fear, +50% damage and armour

Probably won't happen, as the Noldorin faction (Eriador) will already have copious amounts of leadership (Elrond, Glorfindel, Cirdan, possibly the sons of Elrond and/or Gildor, and of course the Minstrels). Wouldn't make sense for Rhovanion, as nobody there except Galadriel (and Celeborn, depending on which version of his history you take) would have "Memories of Valinor".

- Yavanna's Gift (5PP) - something between Elven Wood Power and Thranduil's ability. Creates lush terrain with loads of trees, provides leadership bonus +40% armour, cancels enemy's leadership bonuses and hurts enemy units while creating

Could be quite overpowered, considering the number of direct area damage spells/abilities the Elves have.

- The Strength of Tulkas( 1 or 2 PP) - bonus +15% speed and attack speed, +10% damage. Affects heroes.

Can't affect attack speed on a grand scale (it's actually quite finicky trying to get it to work for just one unit, for that matter). I'll keep this in the back of my mind though.

- The Light of Elbereth - well, just cloud break with better name

lol! We'll see .

- The Tears of Nienna (3PP) - heals units, heroes, repairs buildings

Bar the repairing buildings, this is basically the passive ability (name and all ) that the Handmaidens of Galadriel will have.

Aid from Mirkwood/Lothlorien (something like that), I was thinking a whirlwind power that hurls all enmies in a targeted radius around; don't know whether it can be implemented

It's not possibly in BFME I to have units be hurled "around" as they are in BFME II: you can only hurl them back (ala Word of Power). This reminds me... Anyone like how Celeborn's Guardian of the Woods hurls back enemies in that slow, rippling shockwave? It looks really cool when you stick him in the middle of a large enemy army.

[adummy]

now i want TEA 2 more than TEA 1 :( . have you already began working on TEA 2 cel?

[Elvenlord]

Oh, he is going to have to re work the AI too, huh
Won't that be fun

[Olorin]

I like Elven Sight (could be something for Rhovanion, doesn't suit Eriador) but as Celeglin said, too overpowering. That whirlwind thing was off ROTWK, I just wanted to see it in your mod. Summoning aid from the west/east is a good idea; it's sorta what I had in mind. Also, I just thought of this now, maybe a power to do with Nenya that knocks back all enemies in a targeted area for heavy damage, as Nenya protected Lothlorien from Sauron in the 3rd Age. This would fit the Rhovanion elves, as they have no heavily damaging spells (as far as I know, correct me if I'm wrong). Maybe for the elves of Eriador you could have something like Foresight (similar to palantir) as Elrond did have the ability to foresee many things.

Apart from that, I was just thinking up of some buildings you could use (I might as well think up the whole mod for you ).

Eriador:

Library of Elrond-obviously your idea
Eregion Forge-researches upgrades (don't think that I copied this off B4MEII, it's a good name)
Rivendell's Refuge-recruit Riders of Rivendell and Sentinels of Woody End at lvl 1, Noldorin Swordsmen at lvl 3
Barracks of Lindon-recruit Spearmen of the Havens, Guardians of the Tower Hills and Axes of Harlindon at lvl 1; Forlindon's bows at lvl 2
Mithlond Tower-sentry tower (strong building, made of stone)
Tribute to the Valar-leadership
Some sort of well-use that name
Maybe a statue for a citadel

Rhovanion:

Barracks of Lorien-recruit Marchwardens at lvl 1, Galadhrim at lvl 2, Silver Tree Guardians at lvl 3
Mirkwood Watchtower-recruit Mirkwood Scouts and Spears of Greenwood at lvl 1
Lorien Flet-sentry tower (pretty much as you have it now)
Hunting Lodge-another resource producer, can be garrisoned maybe?
Nimrodel Pasture-recruit Amroth's Knights at lvl 1
Mirror of Galadriel-same as how you have it now
Statue-leadership bonus, can't think of a name to suit the storyline
Caras Galadhon-citadel

There are my ideas, hope they help!

Edited by Olorin, 06 December 2006 - 05:53 AM.

[Celeglin]

Also, I just thought of this now, maybe a power to do with Nenya that knocks back all enemies in a targeted areafor heavy damage, as Nenya protected Lothlorien from Sauron in the 3rd Age.

This just gave me a great idea for an upgrade to Elven citadels for Rhovanion, even though the idea is nothing at all like what you suggested . Called "Girdle of Nenya"... It gives a negative leadership to any unit entering a Rhovanion castle, camp, or outpost, most likely reducing speed and possibly attack as well.

This would fit the Rhovanion elves, as they have no heavily damaging spells (so far, correct me if I'm wrong).

Rhovanion's heavy damaging spells are more centred around or close to the hero (Galadriel's normal attack, "Power of the Lady", "Guardian of the Woods", "Greenwood", "Blessings of the Golden Wood") while the Eriador heroes do said damage from a range ("Loudwater Fury", "Power of the Bruinen", "Light of the Noldor"). I don't want to have too much of this direct damage "magic" in the mod... These are all kinda pushing it ("Light of the Noldor is actually not something I would have put in anything Tolkien, actually) and I don't want to have too much more of it.

[adummy]

This just gave me a great idea for an upgrade to Elven citadels for Rhovanion, even though the idea is nothing at all like what you suggested . Called "Girdle of Nenya"... It gives a negative leadership to any unit entering a Rhovanion castle, camp, or outpost, most likely reducing speed and possibly attack as well.

that sounds like a sweet thing. now i want it even more :(

[Olorin]

An upgrade to the defenses, now that sounds promising. The only reason I wanted it as a power is that Galadriel is very expensive, so it could've been an early-to-mid game power.

That's actually pretty close to what I was thinking of. Some other thoughts though:
- Eriador could summon Rhovanion Elves and vice versa. Helps convey the "Alliance" part of the title.
- I've thought of a very cool power for the Rhovanion Elves. Something along the lines of summoning a temporary resource building that's guarded by various woodland creatures...

Correct me if I'm wrong, but that seems a bit hard to code.

Edited by Olorin, 06 December 2006 - 06:50 AM.

[zimoo]

I don't see a problem coding that. It'd basically be a creep lair that generated resources, and has a lifetime limit.

[Celeglin]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but that seems a bit hard to code.

I don't see a problem coding that. It'd basically be a creep lair that generated resources, and has a lifetime limit.

Exactly as zimoo said. The work I've done with Cirdan will make this quite easy.

[swan]

Maybe add more fortress upgrades? Not only for Elves. I have several ideas:

- for Rohan upgrade called "Garrison". Cost 1200-1500. Adds 3 battalions of Yeoman archers on the walls. Unclikable, costing 0 CP. They wouldn't be able to level up but equipped with heavy armour.

- for Eriador Elves:
1. The Walls of the Grey Heaven. Cost 2500. Gives walls like Gondor base has, maybe with woodbine and flowers on? And as a citadel I suggest a high, Mithlond-style tower. It would be awasome
2. Guards of the Heaven. Cost 1500-2000. Gives 3-4 Sperman of the Heaven battalions. Like Cirdan in BETA.
3. The Sea Breeze. Cost 750. Units in the citadel are resistant to fear.

- for Rhovanion Elves:
1. Observers. Cost 1000-1500. Gives fortress a huge sight bonus. Doesn't detect hidden units.
2. The Enshrining Mist. Cost 1500-2000. Hides units and gives them a small attack and huge armour bonus.

For both Isengard and Mordor:
- Tainted Land. Cost 2000. Just like spell, but with bigger radious. +25% damage and armour bonus. Small speed decrease for enemy forces.

I was thinking about special upgrade for Eriador cavalry. Maybe something called "Horse Training" - quite cheap, gives a 15% speed bonus. Or a special ability for Lancers called "Charge" - +10% speed, +25% trample damage and +50% trample ability, available on level 3.

And is it possible to give Ghaladrim a "toggle-armour" ability? Without their armour they would be much faster, but take more damage. With their armour on, just like they are now ( they should have Helm's Deep skin). Of course, this ability should be unabled by heavy armour upgrade.

And I think that cavalry battalions with heavy armour should deal a bit more trample damage.

BTW, are Forlindon Bows mounted?