Successor game mod poll

[Zim]

Successor game mod poll. Since noone seemed to have any specific mods they preferred, I left it to the two I have experience with, BC and Lands to Conquer. I also put in an "other" option in case anyone did have a suggested mod. Multiple choices are enabled.

[Zim]

Scratch the poll, at least for a day or so. I just realized LTC is a Kingdoms mod. Not neccessarily a bad thing but something we need to figure out. Opening different poll on the use of Kingdoms.

[ULC]

LTC is also a Vanilla M2TW mod.

3.2 is Vanilla

4.0 is Kingdoms

Kingdoms has several features that improve upon the system, but I am more then willing to go with whichever.

[mini]

LTC, with or without kingdoms.

[Zim]

Well, given that it's Lusted I'm sure both MTW2 and Kingdoms versions are completely stable and complete mods.

It looks like LTC is definitely beating out BC. Things are still early yet so if anyone wants to bring up another mod for LTC to face off against now's a good time.

[Cecil XIX]

I'd like to recommend Deus Lo Vult (DLV) very strongly. It's a well-made mod that's added many features, many of which would be great for roleplaying, and it is also available for both Vanilla and Kingdoms.

By far the best part of using DLV (for our purposes) is the ranking system. Anyone remember in LOTR how you had to be "certified" by a senior noble first before you could 'legally' command a battle? Remember how we all ignored it and moved each other through the process as quickly as possible because it didn't really mean anything? It was a good idea though, and DLV implements it in a very interesting way.

See here for a diagram of the system.

There a five ranks, available only to those who aren't The bottom two give morale penalties to represent the soldiers being uneasy at being led by a rookie. The other three give bonuses in the form of a trait and ancillary. There is limited space for the top three ranks, not everyone can get their own banner, although that may not matter depending on turnout. Still, the system as a nice hierarchal effect and would give excellent roleplaying opportunities.

The mod does have some of the traits that we don't want, such as a system for civil wars, but that can be eliminated by simply removing the triggers for one trait. There is a way for the FL to lock disobediant generals and family members in a Dungeon in the capital, which would be quite interesting.

There may also not be enough money to give everyone much to do, however DLV for Kingdoms starts each campaign with a series of yes/no questions on how much of the script should be activated. We could removed the extra monetary penalties the game levies for having (practically) anything outside a settlement, if we should so choose.

Those options are discussed here.

Other roleplay-enhancements include -

• Having characters choose careers (General or govenor?)
• Young military cadets can pick up traits by being in a stack adjacent to an experienced general.
• Old generals can retire and become govenors, for a fee.
• Cavalry units require a suitably high-ranked knight to be recruited
• A rank system for govenors
• A faction must accumulate 'government points' and 'military points' in order to upgrade settlements. (This can be switched off at the start of the campaign if we so choose)
• Crowns, Royal Banners, Province Banners and Legendary Swords. (Faction Leaders can gain multiple crowns!)
• Generals are given a trait representative of their command experience.
• Characters age, giving penalties. They can also die at anytime from ages 50-110. (Not having predictable deathdates would be a *huge* plus, in my opinion.

I know it's a lot, but it's really a nice mod. Here are some links for more info.

Download page for Kingdoms Version
Download thread for Vanilla version
Manual for Kingdoms version
Guide to the features of Kingdom's version.

[Zim]

Would you be able to mod some of the little things we'd need to change for the mod? My modding skills leave something to be desired.

Would you say both vanilla and Kingdoms versions are complete?

I could start a new poll in a bit between LTC (obvious winner of this one) and DLV or any other mods people want to recommend.

Are the province banners like province titles? I remember TC said they caused some problems in LOTR.

[Zim]

Let me know if anyone has more mod suggestions. I'm going to post a final poll fairly soon...

[TheFlax]

I would prefer to keep things simple mod wise. The only feature I would greatly appreciate is characters aging at the same rate as the time elapsed in a turn. For example, 0.5 year of aging for a 0.5 year turn, instead of a 0.5 year of aging for a 2 year turn.

Its not a game breaker, but I found that greatly annoying in LotR.

[Zim]

Modding the nmber of years per turn is pretty easy. I used to do it with vanilla. If the mod we use isn't already made for that time scale, however, it will really screw up things like how advanced the troop types are vis a vis the year, how far they advance before events like the Mongol invasion, etc.

[_Tristan_]

I voted LTC but would consider DLv if another poll was cast...

[Zim]

So, LTC and DLV for the final showdown? Noone has any other mods they prefer?

I'll be posting that final poll tonight...

[KnightnDay]

What is the link to the LTC mod?

[GeneralHankerchief]

I'd go with DLV just for the fact that characters won't drop dead at Age 60.

[Zim]

KnightnDay http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=137614

General Hankerchief Do you have any experience with Deus Lo Vult? I'd be curious whether you think it would work well for a game like we're planning.

All in all after our experience with the older version of SS I kind of think less is more as far as features go but I'll try to use whichever mod people want me to.

[Ignoramus]

What about the mini mod True Bloodlines, which makes the selection of the next heir logical and correct, and almost guarantees the nearest blood-related male inherits?

[ULC]

What about the mini mod True Bloodlines, which makes the selection of the next heir logical and correct, and almost guarantees the nearest blood-related male inherits?

Their is a minimod that changes the death rate as well, in addition to making princess less bland.

Honestly, I find LTC a good base with little need to mod it, but ease of possibility of modding. DLV is a good mod, but I think we have issues modding things in or modding them out properly because of the sheer extent to which the game has been modded.

[GeneralHankerchief]

Unfortunately, the only experience I have with Deus Lo Vult is Cecil's post.

[Zim]

Ah well. My main concern is how many of the features sound cool but will cause trouble in our game.

At any rate it looks like those are the only two contenders for the game modwise, I'll post another poll to decide between them eventually.

Are those minimods for or compatible with LTC, YLC?

[KnightnDay]

In looking over DLV, the economics are such that it would be very important to have some uber-governors to keep the cash flow going in the right direction early on. Is there a feeling that there are players who would be comfortable playing out those roles? Considering how we got into that downward cash spiral in LOTR at the end, it seems just as easy to do the same thing if not easier with DLV. Is this something that will be an issue, especially with the lack of collective experience with the mod?

[TheFlax]

In all fairness, the crash at the end of LotR was more or less on purpose, but it does seem we would need governors. I for one would not mind playing one, but I suspect I'm in the minority.

[ULC]

I don't think we shuld restrict players to being generals or governors - having to fill a quota limits a players ability to RP to their liking. This is why I am in favor of LTC, because it is simple and flexible. The more you add to a mod, the more you would restrict players in this kind of environment.

[AussieGiant]

Governors would be an interesting move.

If implemented correctly in the mod a combination of character types would be another strategy to employ. You would probably find pacifist houses, war like houses and combo houses...that sounds pretty good.

[Ibn-Khaldun]

I don't think we shuld restrict players to being generals or governors - having to fill a quota limits a players ability to RP to their liking. This is why I am in favor of LTC, because it is simple and flexible. The more you add to a mod, the more you would restrict players in this kind of environment.

I agree. All those things that would make your SP campaign more interesting will most definitely start working against you in a PBM game like LotR. Although, if players agree, then these special features could be brought into PBM game with it's mod(PBM game mod).