Resurrecting the Aifons - a sea-dwelling civ for FF

[Tasunke]

Harpooner might be half the strength of a normal ship, say a frigate, come at about the same time, and be +100% vs living units, and be slightly cheaper.

Or conversely, could be 75% str of a frigate, +50% vs living units, and cost the same (or a slightly higher percentage, say +60 or +70 vs living, and cost more ... if its +100% it should cost double that of a frigate).


I rather like the first idea, myself, as I can't imagine a Harpooner to do well at all vs a Frigate. However, if you want the first idea to be stronger, increase the bonus to 120 or 150% vs living.

 

[black_imperator]

after two days of epic struggles with the Dll, sea cities are working, and Ai uses them ( it still needs many tweaks for them to have a good position, but it's better than nothing)

also added coral, which will be for aifon what iron is for the others civ. it gives the coral weapon promo , the same as iron at the moment.

for harpooner, it is less powreful than a gallion, i will probably make a frigate-like upgrade.

 

[Psychic_Llamas]

nice work black imperator! im so excited to try this! ive always wanted an aquatic civ! *excitement*

 

[arkham4269]

I would hope that sea cities have some sort of terrain requirement, perhaps a certain amount of tiles must be coast otherwise just like in Alpha Centauri the AI will spam cities like crazy.

Plus I've commented a lot on the Orbis mod that often times the problem with the animals is that the sea is too dangerous and there needs to be some sort of mechanism to have lesser monsters closer to shore and keep the real nasty ones in the ocean. With the Aifon's, if this isn't changed, they're going to get overrun by by sea serpents and giant turtles or the odd griffin.

Also, I would think that perhaps that initially the Aifons would have a "promotion" that is something like "coral weapons" to show they are metal poor. This would be like a -10 strength. Thus it would be very important for them to colonize islands with copper or iron or the importance of trade with the 'lubbers' ashore.

Plus sorry if this has been brought up before, but I'd think the Aifons would have some sort of sub.

 

[black_imperator]

spawning of sea monsters will be modified that's sure ^^. it will be nerfed in aifon zones , increases in black water zones, and other little things i think about

concerning the requirements, i already worked on conditions for the ai to settle on a tile. i have to try a long game to see how the ai is doing with it

i didn't really understood what you wants about coral weapons. Could you explain it ?

at last , aifon units have the power to dive, and so become hidden in water tiles ( just like the whiteout of illians assassins)

 

[arkham4269]

i didn't really understood what you wants about coral weapons. Could you explain it?

Well in many an old D&D game back in the day (like in the late 70's) there was a lot of rules for underwater races. Since it's sort of hard to forge metal underwater, these races used coral to make weapons similar to how Aztecs and Mayans would edge wood with obsidian to create cutting weapons. Since being in and out of the water is not conducive to wearing a lot of armor, most of their armor was sort of a Jules Verne collection of shells protecting limited vital spots.

So these coral weapons would be fine against folks wearing little armor (sailors) or other Aifons wearing the limited 'shell armor' but against 'lubbers' wearing bronze or iron armor, they'd be at a disadvantage. So I was thinking that the Aifons combat units would start out with a coral weapons disadvantage where they'd get a minus in combat strength. Perhaps instead of a generic -10%, they'd get a minus when attacking units that have the bronze, iron or mithril promotions.

So obviously the Aifons would want to trade for copper and iron or at least build a few cities ashore to get these metals.

 

[black_imperator]

that makes sense, though i may offer them another solution than being bound ot trade, such as another metal. thanks for the idea

 

[black_imperator]

little update so tell i've found pictures i like for the leaders :

For Tethys Majosi :
http://nath0905.deviantart.com/art/mermaid-95284640
for Arkantos Thalati :
http://infraberry.deviantart.com/art/Shompalahue-97027431


PS: actually looking for ideas for unique water spells , so feel free to give your ideas

 

[Fanghorn]

As for spells: Drain - Damage and possibly sink a ship
Sea Song - Teleport one of your units to the casters tile and makes it immobile for one turn (another option would be a random summon of a seacreature with a duration like other summons and the possibility of it being a barbarian unit
Prince Namors Birthday Party (the name is still negotiatable ) - creates a building in the city the caster is standing with bonus to food and culture but less production as long as the caster is in that tile.
Kelp - changes a coastal tile into kelp (its still a coast but without the defensive bonus and higher movement costs (perhaps +1 food for Aifons)) optionally kelp could be just a bonus ressource with the negative effects for the tile as mentioned.

World Spell: Seageddon(i know my names suck) - Coastal tiles have a chance to become Ocean tiles and landtiles next to coastal tiles have a chance to become coastal tiles. Cities on those land tiles halve that chance but might get destroyed if the tile gets converted into coast. Landunits in those cities have a chance to die or move into an adjacted landtile if possible. Other units have a higher chance to survive. Storms get randomly created on water tiles that move randomly on water tiles (possibly land too) only and damage/destroy all but sub units on their way. This effect lasts 1 or more turns. the land mass might get partially restored after that.

 

[black_imperator]

i like the random summon idea , kelp is a ressource already added in a module of ff+ , i'll use it.

For the aquatic armageddon , i am less sure, maybe too powerful , i'll think about it

 

[Fanghorn]

That World spell sounds powerful but its restricted to the sea and coasts only. Factions with coastal cities are hurt the most but this just reflects the power of the Aifons in their home: the sea. You can still cut the duration or the events (no flood or no storms) and exchange them with the standard random unit summoning in your cultural borders. This is just the most unboring idea for a spell suiting the Aifons i have at the moment. Unfortunatly i dont know much about the lore. I hope someone else comes up with a better idea.

 

[Valkrionn]

Actually, it's a feature... Which means you have to edit mapscripts.

Well, custom mapscripts like perfectworld or erebuscontinent.

 

[WarKirby]

Is it not possible to somehow have a kelp-adding script run on turn 1, after map setup is complete. Or possibly even, like kelp and forest in alpha centauri, simply have it not exist at all to begin with, and only be present when created by a civ.

Having to edit mapscripts seems like a difficult solution

 

[black_imperator]

i can make an appearing for kelp without difficulties, whether it is after a city creation or at the beginning of the game^^

 

[Tasunke]

Perhaps Aifon worldspell could be "Rise of the Sea" and all ocean tiles under Aiphons control become angry waters (or to create a feature called angry waves) which adds +2 movement cost per turn for ocean vessels, and causes 5% damage per turn for rival living units (the ones you are at war with)

 

[Opera]

Using FlavourMod to create new features could be done I think. I should ask JeanElcard.

 

[black_imperator]

Ok little update :

Aifons will have a unique line of disciple units : the priestess of the waves ( and great priestess of the waves as an upgrade). The player will be able to build them if he is not OO or AV ( might prevent from being built them when following a state religion, if i find it overpowered.)
they will have the classic functions of a priest ( Medicine , ability to build the unique pagan temple of the aifon) and will have 2 spells , one for the basic unit , the other for the upgraded one :
-Purify : acts as a sanctify for water tiles, and has a chance to make barbarian sea living units to convert to convert to the aifons civ
-Oceanic spreading ( need a better name) can terraform a land tile to a coast one .
(will probably add a counter terraform spell to druids or other priests)

their adepts will also have unique water spells :

Water I : Water Shield : gives a promotion which protect from fire damage and make damages to units that are attacking with that kind of damages, 10% chance to disappear each turn

Water II : Currents : push the targeted stack one tile away and may harm them (can be used on allied,neutral or ennemy units , declare war when casted on neutral units, can be resisted)
: Sea Song :random summon of a seacreature. ( didn't know if i'll make it a permanent summon attached to the caster or a temporary one) the summon might be a barbarian unit.

Water III : Wrath of The Ocean :
Deals ~30% Cold damage up to a max of ~60%
40% chance of washing a unit away(moved them 1 tile away from caster)

(I took some ideas from the spell brainstorming thread)

as usual , ideas are welcomed, art is needed ^^

 

[Grand Seeker]

This project sound nice and its good to see it comming along.

But just a question, how should aifons interact with the rest of the world. For example should none sea-based nations be able to capture and hold sea-cities?

 

[black_imperator]

yes they are able to conquer them and use them normally . they just cannot build them

 

[black_imperator]

little update with diplomatic themes for the leaders.

http://www.box.net/shared/jdp9qyp8o4#1:16183328:330871818

http://www.box.net/shared/jdp9qyp8o4#1:16183328:327591414

the first one is for arkantos, the second one for tethys.

credits go to stoik for finding those themes