ETW PBM Think Tank

[TinCow]

With the release of ETW getting closer, I've started thinking about how the Throne Room games will change to adapt to the new engine. It's obviously difficult to make any specific plans without being able to play the game, but we do know a few things about it. I've started this thread simply for brainstorming purposes, so feel free to add any ideas you have, or point out interesting info about ETW that might affect games here in the Throne Room.

It appears that family members are being completely split off from generals/admirals, which I gather will remove them from fighting battles altogether. This may mean that the series of 'mega-games' that have evolved from WotS onwards might be impossible to translate over. If they are possible to translate, they will require serious re-working to adapt to the new engine. However, the 1 vs. 1 multiplayer campaign map opens up interesting possibilities that might be worth exploring and could result in some very interesting games.

What I'm imagining is a combination between the classic succession game, hotseat games, and WotS-style games. Two factions are chosen to be the player controlled factions. Players then sign up to join one side or the other. The game then proceeds in 10 or 20 turn 'terms' with one person in complete control of each faction, and all that entails for a MP campaign. This is then spiced up by having the non-serving players from each faction act as the Senate/Parliament/Angry Mob that vote on who will serve in the next term, as well as voting on objectives that the elected player must accomplish during his term. Perhaps failure to reach these goals results in being barred from running for re-election.

One serious hurdle with this is that all players running for election would have to be willing (and capable) of playing online multiplayer. Hopefully there will be a lot of people up for this, but it could be a difficult obstacle to overcome.

[Skullheadhq]

The Creative Assembly makes online campaign in ETW. So we dont need PBeM anymore.

[TinCow]

Blasphemy!

The campaigns are an excellent addition, but they're only 1 v 1. There's a lot of fun to be had with large groups of players, so there will be plenty of PBMing to do in order to make that possible. In a 1 v 1 game, you're just competing against one other player. In larger games, it becomes a very social experience and allows for interesting alliances and politicking between various groups of people. ETW will have just as much a need for PBMs to harness that aspect of entertainment as RTW and M2TW do.

[GeneralHankerchief]

I admit that, while majorly anticipating ETW's release, I really haven't followed its mechanics. Thus, I can't contribute to this brainstorming session as much as I'd like.

However, I do see a workaround to the splitoff issue: Perhaps a two-tiered system, with FMs on top and generals/admirals on the bottom. Each family member could sponsor a few generals, depending on the ratio. These generals would work to increase their FM's influence, thus in return getting them more rewards. The system could work a lot like LotR, in that a general needs to find a sponsor if they really want a say. In addition, that general could work to influence their sponsor's views about subjects and thus play an indirect role in the debating process. Each FM would also get one general/admiral under his direct control (i.e. they're played by the same player) in order to provide enforcement and such, in addition to getting that player some field action.

Basically, this system would offer something for everybody. The players that mostly want to fight battles and work the game could take generals, and the players that want to interact with others could take FMs.

This makes sense in my head but may not translate well to the forum, so I'd appreciate some feedback/clarification requests.

[Ramses II CP]

Why not let the family members vie politically for control of the generals to lead their armies, while the generals scheme from below. I can see Senate sessions where successful generals are assigned every ten turns by vote to 'houses' or 'families' or whatever. Force the family members to issue their orders 'in character' so that the general has flexibility on how he implements them, etc.

An added layer like that just makes things more interesting in my book.

[GeneralHankerchief]

That could work.

Maybe have a system similar to the current LotR rankings one in which the number of generals an FM can have is directly tied to the amount of land he owns. Generals have control, to a degree, of their army but are still somewhat bound by their FM's orders.

I still believe that whoever plays an FM should also directly control a general (RP it as that FM helping out with funds or something) just to enforce things and prevent rampant generals going rogue.

If we could mod the game to make generals become FMs under certain conditions that would be perfect.

-edit- Again, I'm just pretty much spilling out whatever comes out of my head with no thought to organization or anything.