digitCruncher
Emperor
- Joined
- Oct 28, 2007
- Messages
- 1,012
OK, I am going to break from tradition here, by NOT posting my start
Anyway, for those who don't know, Fall From Heaven II (FFH II from now on) is a extremely different mod from Civ IV. In fact, very few of the original features are left unchanged.
The Mod Test series takes a critical eye at some of the more popular mods for those who haven't dabbled in many mods.
So... I will start of by my first thoughts, and open the door to discussions!!
The first thing I thought when I got FFH II was... "6 hours, you gotta be joking!!". It was. The download for the main program and patch took 8 hours. That said, I am on NZ broadband (IE. Dial-up speeds FTW), and its no surprise on how huge this mod is. Also, there is an optional movies section to download, which gives movies for the (MANY) new wonders in the game. I chose not to download it, as it is almost as large as the regular game. If you want to play along, leave your computer on overnight (remembering to reduce power consumption to a minimum, don't want any fires ), and download it. From my first impressions is a GREAT mod.
There are a few problems with it, which I will brush over quickly, as to not make too much of a fuss. Firstly, the graphics. I don't know whether its my graphics card, or the fact I haven't downloaded the main mod, or if I run on low settings, but the icons for the creatures / units revert to thier Civ IV regular units (so, for example, a Phalanx will wait around for approximatly 5 seconds, and then appear to be a Civ IV Pikeman). Thankfully, the new unit-pictures are simaler looking to the real units.
Next, the civilopedia. As there are often triplicate names for one thing (EG. One unit who's name I have forgotten starts of with a promotion by the same name as the unit, which enables a spell of the same name), errors when the wrong hyperlinks are used are relatively common. The more important thing is the total lack of information (For example, I didn't know what the March of the Trees world-spell was, until I was the target of it. Thankfully, some quick rings of fires, fire-balls, and a Maelstrom injured enough of them so that the counter attack wasn't deadly. Oh, and that spell... it destroys all forests in the civ, and replaces them with Treants... 10 units, with Woodsman II, and vulnerability to Fire, amongst other things.)
Finally, the AI. Its a known fact that it is dumb, and as a result I will be playing at PRINCE difficulty, instead of my regular NOBLE difficulty.
Now, since it is WAYYY past the time I should be asleep, and I am starting to spam caps all the time, I shall disappear. I will leave with a few comments about the game, and my formatting.
If text is in bold, it is talking about gameplay features
If text is in italics, it is talking about the abilities of a unit/civic/promotion/spell etc.
Spell
Unit
Civic
Wonder
Tech
Other
Also, as there are tons of promotions, I won't bother listing them, just adding them to the units stats.
A quick note about general gameplay: FFH II has parallel tech trees, instead of the linear one in Civ IV. This means that you can be seriously behind in warfare techs, but ahead in spells, or strong in economy, but weak in religions and civics! Also, its is advisable to stick to one of the paths, as they get exponentally better. Ironically, all the main improvements are on different paths, so its plausable to run half the game without ever building a cottage (but not advisable)
Also, it has World Units, Rituals (which replace projects), Spells (which each unit can cast one of once a turn), World Spells (special spells that a civ can cast once a game), and LOTS of World Wonders. Both my games ended with over half the wonders never being built!!
Some units retain the attack/defence stats of Civ III and prior. This means that 7/9 could mean 7 strength out of 9, or 7 attack strength, and 9 defence strength. Its easy to find out, however, so its not a problem. I will use the convention that all units are always healed (so 7/9 means 7 attack, 9 defence).
Finally, this game relies on the philosophy that "If everything is overpowered, nothing is". As a result, there are small balance issues (Sacrifice the weak, anyone??), but mostly these don't enter into it. Thankfully, the most insanely overpowered things are mutually exclusive (IE. You can't get ALL of them)
So... remembering that I don't want a ridiculously overpowered civ (like those Water guys that can build Pirate Ports), nor a ridiculously weak one, what civ and leader do people who have played this game before, recommend for a deep game, which explores all paths (or at least most of them).
I was thinking of that Raider guy from the Hippus civ... and then spamming Adepts Hows that for counter-intuitive (The Hippus only start with 2 mana, instead of 3 that most civs have. Thus, there adepts, and other magic-based units start off with very few spells available, unless other sources of mana are ... 'aquired')
And for all those who DON'T know anything about FFH II... I will give a quick crash course after I wake up. It should cover most, and the rest will be given in the game I demo
Its a great mod, with a few teething problems and ugly spots. But what mod doesn't?? Its deep, and thats what I like in a mod. And it has TONS of replayability, as long as you don't play in the high-end of difficulty (like Diety etc.)
I was also thinking Huge map, with 3 (or 4) continents... that should also get us an idea of other civs, and have some deep wars. Also, that would stop me from getting a religious victory ridiculously early.
Anyway, for those who don't know, Fall From Heaven II (FFH II from now on) is a extremely different mod from Civ IV. In fact, very few of the original features are left unchanged.
The Mod Test series takes a critical eye at some of the more popular mods for those who haven't dabbled in many mods.
So... I will start of by my first thoughts, and open the door to discussions!!
First Thoughts
The first thing I thought when I got FFH II was... "6 hours, you gotta be joking!!". It was. The download for the main program and patch took 8 hours. That said, I am on NZ broadband (IE. Dial-up speeds FTW), and its no surprise on how huge this mod is. Also, there is an optional movies section to download, which gives movies for the (MANY) new wonders in the game. I chose not to download it, as it is almost as large as the regular game. If you want to play along, leave your computer on overnight (remembering to reduce power consumption to a minimum, don't want any fires ), and download it. From my first impressions is a GREAT mod.
There are a few problems with it, which I will brush over quickly, as to not make too much of a fuss. Firstly, the graphics. I don't know whether its my graphics card, or the fact I haven't downloaded the main mod, or if I run on low settings, but the icons for the creatures / units revert to thier Civ IV regular units (so, for example, a Phalanx will wait around for approximatly 5 seconds, and then appear to be a Civ IV Pikeman). Thankfully, the new unit-pictures are simaler looking to the real units.
Next, the civilopedia. As there are often triplicate names for one thing (EG. One unit who's name I have forgotten starts of with a promotion by the same name as the unit, which enables a spell of the same name), errors when the wrong hyperlinks are used are relatively common. The more important thing is the total lack of information (For example, I didn't know what the March of the Trees world-spell was, until I was the target of it. Thankfully, some quick rings of fires, fire-balls, and a Maelstrom injured enough of them so that the counter attack wasn't deadly. Oh, and that spell... it destroys all forests in the civ, and replaces them with Treants... 10 units, with Woodsman II, and vulnerability to Fire, amongst other things.)
Finally, the AI. Its a known fact that it is dumb, and as a result I will be playing at PRINCE difficulty, instead of my regular NOBLE difficulty.
Now, since it is WAYYY past the time I should be asleep, and I am starting to spam caps all the time, I shall disappear. I will leave with a few comments about the game, and my formatting.
If text is in bold, it is talking about gameplay features
If text is in italics, it is talking about the abilities of a unit/civic/promotion/spell etc.
Spell
Unit
Civic
Wonder
Tech
Other
Also, as there are tons of promotions, I won't bother listing them, just adding them to the units stats.
A quick note about general gameplay: FFH II has parallel tech trees, instead of the linear one in Civ IV. This means that you can be seriously behind in warfare techs, but ahead in spells, or strong in economy, but weak in religions and civics! Also, its is advisable to stick to one of the paths, as they get exponentally better. Ironically, all the main improvements are on different paths, so its plausable to run half the game without ever building a cottage (but not advisable)
Also, it has World Units, Rituals (which replace projects), Spells (which each unit can cast one of once a turn), World Spells (special spells that a civ can cast once a game), and LOTS of World Wonders. Both my games ended with over half the wonders never being built!!
Some units retain the attack/defence stats of Civ III and prior. This means that 7/9 could mean 7 strength out of 9, or 7 attack strength, and 9 defence strength. Its easy to find out, however, so its not a problem. I will use the convention that all units are always healed (so 7/9 means 7 attack, 9 defence).
Finally, this game relies on the philosophy that "If everything is overpowered, nothing is". As a result, there are small balance issues (Sacrifice the weak, anyone??), but mostly these don't enter into it. Thankfully, the most insanely overpowered things are mutually exclusive (IE. You can't get ALL of them)
So... remembering that I don't want a ridiculously overpowered civ (like those Water guys that can build Pirate Ports), nor a ridiculously weak one, what civ and leader do people who have played this game before, recommend for a deep game, which explores all paths (or at least most of them).
I was thinking of that Raider guy from the Hippus civ... and then spamming Adepts Hows that for counter-intuitive (The Hippus only start with 2 mana, instead of 3 that most civs have. Thus, there adepts, and other magic-based units start off with very few spells available, unless other sources of mana are ... 'aquired')
And for all those who DON'T know anything about FFH II... I will give a quick crash course after I wake up. It should cover most, and the rest will be given in the game I demo
Its a great mod, with a few teething problems and ugly spots. But what mod doesn't?? Its deep, and thats what I like in a mod. And it has TONS of replayability, as long as you don't play in the high-end of difficulty (like Diety etc.)
I was also thinking Huge map, with 3 (or 4) continents... that should also get us an idea of other civs, and have some deep wars. Also, that would stop me from getting a religious victory ridiculously early.