Possible LotR Successor Game discussion thread

[_Tristan_]

Just to add my grain of salt about expansion : if we fear it might be too easy (due to the poor and dumb AI) and do not want a re-do of Methodios BG exploits, what prevents us from boosting the AI as was done during the KotR Cataclysm ?

That would provide enough challenge for any players and force the creation of power-blocks with the intent of taking on the AI...

I remember fondly (and with dread as well...) the battles led against the French with their full stacks of gold-chevroned lancers...

[ULC]

That was because the AI we faced wasn't...the best. Supposedly, Lusted's AI for LTC Gold is the best avialable AI combined with how the campiagn was set up. There is also a few submods that add even more refined aspects to make the game an even greater challenge.

[_Tristan_]

That was because the AI we faced wasn't...the best. Supposedly, Lusted's AI for LTC Gold is the best avialable AI combined with how the campiagn was set up. There is also a few submods that add even more refined aspects to make the game an even greater challenge.

Exactly so why not use the console commands and create for the AI what it is not capable of creating for itself, ie stacks not completely made up of cheap troops or siege engines ? That would surely prevent too fast an expansion on the part of the players.

As to player involvement, I think that what differentiates KotR from LotR is that some of the most active and influential players in KotR remained out of the game/ in the background in LotR.

I agree with Tincow that most of what makes the fun of this game is what players make of it and it is where LotR missed something from KotR.
For my part, I was sorry to see PK go as he sure managed to create characters that provided a lot of strife in the Diet/Magnaura. The fact that Tincow, GeneralHankerchief didn't play but remained in their role as GM also cut out a part of the possible mischief. The fact that AussieGiant and Overknight took also unpretentious roles deprived us of some of the debates that raged in KotR.

Those experienced players should have taken the bull by its horn, putting up a standard for the newer players to live up to. The new set of rules would still have allowed players to make their place in the sun...

[ULC]

With Lusted AI (and LTC) you woulnd't have to worry about that much, although an occiasonal beef may not be bad .

Indeed, that is how i felt as well - I especially felt a drop in the game tension after PK left. I wish he hadn't.

[Zim]

There were a few players that rather disliked the gold chevroned stacks.

Making some balanced stacks for them from time to time would be easy enough if people didn't mind the heavy gm intervention. Heck, with the hotseat function I or someone else could even "play" an ai faction a couple turns to help them get their act together.

[ULC]

I don't really remember needing the Hotseat function for that, correct me if I am wrong? Maybe I am too used to the console...

[Ibn-Khaldun]

There were a few players that rather disliked the gold chevroned stacks.

Making some balanced stacks for them from time to time would be easy enough if people didn't mind the heavy gm intervention. Heck, with the hotseat function I or someone else could even "play" an ai faction a couple turns to help them get their act together.

This might not be that good idea. I've heard and seen it myself that after you have taken over a faction and played it for couple of turns it will start making some really stupid things if they do anything at all. It lasts about 2-4 turns and after that AI is capable doing it's own decisions again.
Perhaps I'm wrong but Egyptian AI in LotR, after TinCow took control over it, had the same problem. But don't take my word on it.

[_Tristan_]

There were a few players that rather disliked the gold chevroned stacks.

Yes and I was among them... Those stacks were a nightmare but they provided something which we often lack : CHALLENGE...

So they may have been a bit over the top but giving the AI a chance by building stacks that have some viability or by garrisoning its cities with more than two units of peasants might be enough to provide some much sought-after challenge...

Enough so, I hope, that it would force the players to cooperate (up to a point) for any warlike endeavour..

[Ignoramus]

Maybe we could have a person do the AI recruitment and construction? At least for neighbouring factions.

[Cecil XIX]

There were a few players that rather disliked the gold chevroned stacks.

Indeed. I suppose I could handle building the AI's stacks for it, or giving whatever units the AI builds EXP bonuses, but I can't stand a situation like what happened at the end of KotR.

It's nice to have a challenge, but if the AI can just spam armies against you regardless of whether or not you're fighting or winning then every battle is a “Why the *#%! did we just fight this?” battle.

[_Tristan_]

The thing is mainly that we'll have to find a balance between fair competition with the AI by giving it balanced stacks and keeping players off by spawning unbeatable stacks of doom...

I think we're all experienced enough players of M2TW to know which is which and go from there...

[Zim]

Now that I have a reliable internet connection again there's some chance of reviving this idea. Are people still interested?