7 replies to this topic

[isledebananas]

In the Suggestions for Resource Gathering Thread Hel Ghast said how resource gathering seemed a bit unrealistic. It also made me think that gameplay wise that resource buildings are way too static and bland. Other than lumber mills there really aren't any resource structures being worked. This limits factions capability to do hit and run tactics something which was the main strength of some factions like Goblins which is no longer possible due to the structure strength(the premise of which I wholly agree with and like).

So I thought what if it was possible to give build plots to the resource structures like the fortress has. The plots would build a unit and small structure that looks similar to what they should be harvesting. For example:
1) the farms would build extra farm plots which have a farm land and a farmer which would modify the resource output of the main farm. The animation of the worker is just there for aesthetics.
2) my second idea was the Farm makes its own farmland plots that needs to be harvested similar to how trees are harvested just its infinite.
I think this adds more importance to resource structures both in an offensive and defensive way. It also as the linked thread above pointed out prevents resource output being too strong too fast.

The only problems I see are these. The problems are:
1) for one above the problem is that realistically if there is an attack those harvesters should be able to be garrisoned into the resource structure but I don't know if that is doable.
2) for 2 above making farmland plots similar to trees I don't know if that is even possible

The final problem is thinking of what those surrounding plots would look like for all factions.

[Eothialen]

I like this idea ALOT! But i guess it's not that bad as it is, maybe make the workers attackable or something.

[isledebananas]

Yeah that was the idea they have to build workers on the plots who look like they are working to make the building produce at optimum efficiency. The workers themselves would remain quite weak which allows for the raiding.

[Arveanor]

Yeah that was the idea they have to build workers on the plots who look like they are working to make the building produce at optimum efficiency. The workers themselves would remain quite weak which allows for the raiding.

do we really need plots? could we simply have civilians walking to and fro in the resource structures collecting area using random anims every so often? they'd be easily raidable and would be a nice looking addition to every base.

[isledebananas]

Plots might not be necessary but the units would need to be purchased. They would stand around and do some small anims looking like they are helping resource collection yes. I also think they should have the ability to garrison within the structure if enemies come knocking of course when they are garrisoned the resource bonus they give doesn't function. I do think that plot structures can modify the main structure that is why I suggested it. However, I don't know how if they weren't plots how they would modify resource output(similar to upgrades?). That is the whole point of it; if their existence just is there for aesthetics its pointless.

It would really help out factions which possess units good at raiding. Especially it would give a good use for those stealth archers as they can come in and quickly wipe out enemy workers stalling an economy. Constant harassment like that is what they are made for but never could utilize given the current system.

[Spartan184]

Your idea is kinda like the farm system in AOE2. You make a mill and small farms around the mill and get a peasants to work on the small farms, then the food the peasants collect get taken back to the mill.

Edited by Spartan184, 16 January 2010 - 05:23 PM.

[Arveanor]

Plots might not be necessary but the units would need to be purchased. They would stand around and do some small anims looking like they are helping resource collection yes. I also think they should have the ability to garrison within the structure if enemies come knocking of course when they are garrisoned the resource bonus they give doesn't function. I do think that plot structures can modify the main structure that is why I suggested it. However, I don't know how if they weren't plots how they would modify resource output(similar to upgrades?). That is the whole point of it; if their existence just is there for aesthetics its pointless.

It would really help out factions which possess units good at raiding. Especially it would give a good use for those stealth archers as they can come in and quickly wipe out enemy workers stalling an economy. Constant harassment like that is what they are made for but never could utilize given the current system.

I'm still not sold on plots themselves, as these would be difficult to code in I'd imagine and when you think about it, it doesn't make sense how they would work, could they be destroyed or would they just be a part of the building forever making it better until it died? I think there's too many difficult questions that all make this game more complex than it needs to be and its even possible that this would destroy the lotr 'feel' of the game.

What I do think though is that the workers should do some random little things around the structure, and be easy to kill. Structures should start giving a very small resource amount per turn and should have cheap workers recruitable that cost no cp's but instead have a max per structure.

[isledebananas]

You know how the fortress plots work? It would be similar but instead of making powerful siege and arrow towers it would make a worker and what seems to be some resources. This worker would look like its working for aesthetics. There actual function is simply they modify the main resource building increasing its yield per turn. They wouldn't have much hp or armor just like normal workers meaning they would be easy to kill. I thought that should solve the raiding aspect without having to rely on actual "collecting" of resources like in other games.

I guess they could also be kind of a purchaseable slave units that just stands around doing anims. I guess as slave units they would make more sense since when a fortress center is taken out its plots go down with it whereas with workers they should still kind of exist.

Edited by isledebananas, 16 January 2010 - 10:05 PM.