873 replies to this topic

[Garrison Nomad]

yes sir, removing explosive tendencies, sir!

[Nazgûl]

Thank you Private!

[Lord of the Rings Junkie]

3) Can't be done since the soldier models are part of the trebuchet model, which would scale them both. I've always wanted a more movie like model for the trebs as well, but I won't go there to avoid any further comparisons with RA. So the trebs will stay the model it is from EA, but we might separate the men from the model so we can at least scale it

I have zero skinning ability, but perhaps I could at least try to make a more movie-like treb. My biggest problem would be limiting my polies, lol.

And Sadous, if you ever call a trebuchet a catapult again, I hereby decree you shall either be flung by the trebuchet, or crushed by its counterweight. Seriously.

[Biermann]

To change this climate of suspected acusations and etc, I will post something

I would like to know if is planned to add a spamable unit for each faction. I think that the best way to this would be with some requirements, like the Golden Hall. I have a couple ideas for units and structures, please comment them. The structures could have the same function: Resource production, hight costs, enable spam units, and mabye produce a basic infantry (this idea I got for the dwarves, since their basic infantry is MEN of dale).
Dwarves
The already planned Miners- The structure would be am uber mine (mabye change the name of mithril mine, and limit it to one, producing a LOT of resources). My name suggestion would be Iron Hills Mine. This could enable also the production of Iron Hills Grunts, mabye using the Berzekers models (with swords). Men of dale could be turned in toggle sword/bow.
Elves
I cant imagine elvish spam. But as AI goes crazy with hobbits, they could be this unit. The cost of hobbit house could be raised, and mabye change the name to Hobbit Farm, so it could produce resources.
Isengard
Not sure yet about the unit -Ruffians from the shire or the Uruk Scouts. In the 1st case could be a forced-work pit in the shire, where Saruman slaved the hobbits (read the scouring of the shire). In the second, I don't gave any idea .In both cases should produce resources.
Mordor
Orc slaves (Snaga). The lower ranks among the orcs. The building I don't have an idea also.
Goblins
For those guys mabye not a spammable unit, mabye and upgrade to lower their cost. So they would really SWARM. The building could be a scavanger pit.
MotW
Already in game and working.

Please suggest some of the missing buildings. Only if you liked the idea, of course
And sorry by the long post.

[Nazgûl]

lol@LotRJ: Yeah sure.... do your best. Just grab a screen from the movie and see how far you could go. I'd suggest some kind of wheels though and maybe horses pulling it (just to make you goo "is this guy crazy?")

Pull that off and you're on the team

@Bier: your post was so packed with things that I must comment it later. Have to run off for a while...

Edited by Nazgûl, 08 August 2007 - 03:45 PM.

[Garrison Nomad]

@ LOTRJ- treb is a kind of catapult...so he got close. I'm as much of a catapult entrepreneur as the next middle-earth obsessor..but they can get confusing. Just no onagers....i HATE onagers. they're so.....lame, for lack of a better word. there's this kind of ballista that shoots rocks...can't remember what it's called...but it'd be a cool addition to MoD.

@ Bierrman....everybody have spam units? IDK....interesting idea, tho. And a lotta buildings, too.

[The Best Guest]

While the thing like a balitia that fires rocks are you thinking of a scorpian?

[Lord of the Rings Junkie]

To change this climate of suspected acusations and etc, I will post something

I would like to know if is planned to add a spamable unit for each faction. I think that the best way to this would be with some requirements, like the Golden Hall. I have a couple ideas for units and structures, please comment them. The structures could have the same function: Resource production, hight costs, enable spam units, and mabye produce a basic infantry (this idea I got for the dwarves, since their basic infantry is MEN of dale).
Dwarves
The already planned Miners- The structure would be am uber mine (mabye change the name of mithril mine, and limit it to one, producing a LOT of resources). My name suggestion would be Iron Hills Mine. This could enable also the production of Iron Hills Grunts, mabye using the Berzekers models (with swords). Men of dale could be turned in toggle sword/bow.
Elves
I cant imagine elvish spam. But as AI goes crazy with hobbits, they could be this unit. The cost of hobbit house could be raised, and mabye change the name to Hobbit Farm, so it could produce resources.
Isengard
Not sure yet about the unit -Ruffians from the shire or the Uruk Scouts. In the 1st case could be a forced-work pit in the shire, where Saruman slaved the hobbits (read the scouring of the shire). In the second, I don't gave any idea .In both cases should produce resources.
Mordor
Orc slaves (Snaga). The lower ranks among the orcs. The building I don't have an idea also.
Goblins
For those guys mabye not a spammable unit, mabye and upgrade to lower their cost. So they would really SWARM. The building could be a scavanger pit.
MotW
Already in game and working.

Please suggest some of the missing buildings. Only if you liked the idea, of course
And sorry by the long post.

I don't like spam units, it brings back rush tactics. Just build up your base and realize that all of your units are valuable.

@Nazgul: Sweet, but any horses will probably be appended EA models since I'm crap at organic modeling!

[The Best Guest]

The horse models should be easy to get but do you know how to bind?

[Lord of the Rings Junkie]

I know how to rig in Blender using vertex groups, I imagine doing it in Gmax/Renx has the same basic concept. It's just a matter of my learning the software. I'm looking to be more of a contributor than a team member anyway. I know I can at least model the treb itself, though. Just helping anyway I can, Naz!

I'll start by Friday, right now I'm dogsitting at my Aunt and Uncle's till Thursday...

Edited by Lord of the Rings Junkie, 08 August 2007 - 04:22 PM.

[Garrison Nomad]

@TBG..scorpian?...sounds familiar...well, if that's what it's called then yeah, that's what i'm leanin towards. i always wanted a troll to carry one....but meh, that's my own sick idea. it'd be cool for MoD to have em...or gobs.

[Nazgûl]

I have no idea what a "scorpian" is

LotRJ: Yes off course I mean an EA model But I know that binding horses is something that even TDP is not fond of :s But it would sure look good to have two horses pulling large trebs on wheels =) Just as Mordor catapults shouls have Trolls, but without new anims it would suck :/

[The Best Guest]

Yeah if you have ever played age of empires 2 that kind of binding for the horses

[Biermann]

It wouldn't bring the rush back becuse of the hight costs of the buildings. It would be like the "base" of your army, with the attack and defemce like the Peasant's. But then they shouldn't get a too fast production.
The Iron Hills grunts would replace the Men of Dale as basic dwarven infantry, because it doesen't have a dwarven look anymore, the AI makes a whole army of Mens of Dale

[Garrison Nomad]

i don't really like the idea of EVERYBODY having spam units. Goblins and mordor are pretty much the only ones, with isen being more about building up an army, like in the films (oh shnap, i think i get it now
(-)_(-) ). the good factions are about quality.

[Biermann]

Mabye I didn't choosed the best name for those units. I called spam not because they would be large in numbers. I think that the best name would be lower infantry. Every army in the history have the one kind of soldier who is more common and less "professional" than the core of the army. But you are right, an exeple of faction who don't fit in this would be the elves. But for Mordor could be like the Morannon Orcs, a "dispensable" unit. This should be the idea for lower infantry for the evil factions, like a more dispensable battalion, for good it could be "emergency" reinforcements. But the price for the building who enable the production of this units should be hight, to avoid rush. This lower infantry would be late to mid game, with the idea of strength in numbers.

For the elves could be an extra damage or defence upgrade do match the numbers. Or mabye avari elves.
But to Isengard I have no ideas of what could be done to fit the main idea of the faction.

The way I imagined this would be:
Ex: Build the Iron Hills Mine (cost could be like 5000). Then, research the upgrade wich enables the production of miners (cost about 1500). It also could enable recruit some new heroes and units (ex: the idea of Iron Hills Grunts) and upgrades for the units (advanced training or whatever).

Edited by Biermann, 08 August 2007 - 11:21 PM.

[Nazgûl]

because it doesen't have a dwarven look anymore, the AI makes a whole army of Mens of Dale

That will be controlled for all support units in 4.5 (controlled numbers), much like elite units.
- Peasants
- Hobbits
- Men of Dale
- Corsairs
- Dunlendings

[Biermann]

Ok then..
But I think that the miners and the peasants (if anyone else be added) should require at least an upgrade, if not (for miners) a building and the upgrade.

And what about the Iron Hills Grunts and the Men of Dale toggle idea?

Edited by Biermann, 10 August 2007 - 01:05 AM.

[Dzhon]

Some random ideas:

Econ structures:

The economy structures of Evil factions should not improve in efficiency as they level up. A strong "turtle" economy should be next to impossible with evil armies (they can still gain defenses and what not). Evil economies should be highly dependent on pillaging as a means of income, encouraging them to always be aggressive.

Pillage should either be intrinsic to most basic Evil infantry or be available as a 5 PP power. As of right now, there isn't much reason for the AI to pursue its favorite tactic of sending wave attacks against Farms...in fact, I usually take my time reacting to Orcs attacking my Farms because they're so ineffective.

Pillage not only encourages Evil faction to play correctly and be aggressive, but encourages Good factions to be vigilant in responding to any threat to their economic structures (which suits their style as well).

Rhun/Harad could be an exception.

------

Flanking:

Flanking penalties should be raised against Evil Factions not only because their armor is all directed towards the front but because Orcs and other Evil foot soldiers tended to panic easier when attacked from an unexpected direction. If the norm is 200% damage from flank attacks, consider raising it to 300% vs. Evil factions.

------

Shields:

I've seen some mods implement things like a "Mithril Vest" ability for Frodo that gave him a % chance to escape a hit entirely. I'd like to see infantry w/ shields have a similar % chance to block feature (some skilled units w/o shields (Elves. Rangers, etc.) could have a similar chance to dodge).

Edited by Dzhon, 10 August 2007 - 09:06 AM.

[clonecommand]

1) I like it...Orcs do like shiny things, and I don't see how they would work to EARN cash, they would rather steal it. But I wouldn't really degrade the resource building intake, as they are needed for early game, and you usually are being pushed back that early.
Pillage would work great as a 5pp spell.

2) Simply a great idea

3) I escpecially like the shield % idea. Frodo's mithril vest would be great rank 1 power (as he got it before he did any major fighting). It would give him a 100% armor bonus? It is mithril...