Possible Implement - Alignment Balance option?

[im_robertb]

Just got the module, and I must say, it's breathed the new life into CIV that Warlords failed to. Just a few questions/recommendations:

I'm playing my 2nd game of FFH2 - long story short, my first fell apart early. I'm playing as Varn Gosam (Good). There are 4 AIs, 3 of whom are evil, and 1 is neutral. Obviously, this gives me a disadvantage diplomatically, as it does for Amelanchier (Neutral). Would it be possible to implement a sort of 'Moral Balance' option chosen at world creation, that ensures the alignment distribution is as even as possible? I mean, I could just go to the list of good/neutral/evil leaders, roll some dice, and manually select them, but it would be a neat feature to have.

Also, are there any conditions that can prevent Acheron from spawning? I'm well into the 200s of turns now, and I thought he was supposed to spawn in 100 something.

Lastly, a strategic question: Upon learning of the free promotions from having multiple mana nodes, I stacked up on Life and Mind for free Life II (thought it would be worthwhile, hasn't been) and Mind II (Free Inspiration!), but it's been hurting my priests and some heroes, who don't have access to enchantment/body/earth. Is more of a balance with perhaps 1 mana resource stacked up to 3 generally better?

Thanks, and keep being awesome,
-Robert

 

[mindlar]

Acheron is built by the barbarians as a wonder that only they can build. The primary thing that will cause him not to spawn is for the barbarians to not have any cities.

With mana nodes there are some types that I prefer to have multiples of and others that I prefer to have a single one of. IMHO the best ones to have multiples of are fire, death, and entropy because the spells in these categories are good to have on all your mages. For most of the other spheres, I place a priority on water, enchantment, spirit, mind, and body (roughly in that order) which I use to promote my generalist mages to wander my empire and do useful things.

My general rule of thumb for nodes is that the ones that you combat mages need should be doubled or tripled up so that the mages can put their promotions into the combat and spell extension promotions rather than buying spell sphere promotions. Since the generalist mages (who will be casting inspiration, hope, wall of earth, enchanted blade, etc.) aren't going to be seeing combat they can spend their promotions on spell spheres.

Note that when I refer to combat mages, I am referring to both mages and conjurors. Generalist mages are pretty much only mages as conjurors rarely have little use outside of a combat setting.

 

[Nikis-Knight]

Please note that your mana nodes have no effect on your priests, their abilities are determined solely by their religion.
Generally I prefer a variety of mana, though your conjurers will get more power quicker by getting a free spell of your chosen type instead.

As for game setup, I totally agree that a "random good" "random neutral" and a "random evil" player option would be really neat, although I don't know how modable that screen is.

 

[Go Boks]

Your other option on alignment is to adopt the appropriate religion to change alignment, or force your opponents to do the same.

 

[Kael]

I would actually love to have the option to select "random good", "random nuetral" and "random evil" options to the custom game slection interface. Unfortunatly there is very little of that open to modders.

I do kinda like that it diversifies the games so much as you find out who else is out there in the world (a game where you are the only good leader in a world of evil as you described players out so much differently than a game full of good, or a balanced game). But I would like players to have the option to make it less random too.

Hopefully we will figure out some way to do it down the road.

 

[Sureshot]

maybe make 3 new civs called Random Good, Random Neutral, Random Evil, that are placeholders and during onGameStart, in the event manager python file, are switched to a random civ of the alignment via the same methods that basium/hyborem are added?

 

[im_robertb]

Oh, it absolutely did play out differently. It was a warlord game with massive save/load abuse though. It ended up with killing Perpentach (he provoked me with the Prophecy), getting Open Borders with everyone else to convert them to Kilmorph, and then killing Faeryl Viconia. Got halfway through Amelanchier before I realized it was just ridiculous and started a new game.

Question: Is there a known issue with the Altar of Luonnatar? I have I and II built in a city (though only II appears - I assume this is intentional). My great prophet is sitting on that city, and has the button to build -IV-, which he obviously can't. And it won't let me build III or give me the IV button anywhere else. I think it ties in to the 2 National Wonders/city limit, but I can't be sure.

 

[Sureshot]

no, its because you have Priesthood (which provides altar 4) but not Ways of the wise (which provides altar 3)