The North (...and possibly South)

[Frozen-Vomit]

I was working on making the Ice and tundra regions more interresting (already had some changes done) but quickly gave up because i just seem to lack ability and patience for modding

I still want to share my notes and plans (maybe some things are approved by the team and find their way into the game )

Terrain:

- Tundra costs 2 points per move, Snow 3

Units:

- Polar Bear (I found a great model for it in the forum - but as I was unable to include it I abbandoned my modding carrier 30 mins after it startet...)

Strenght 6, 3 moves, can't leave snow (so only one move in reality). would be cool as only one big bear model unit

- White Wolf

Strenght 4, 2 moves, can't leave tundra or snow, Starts with northlander promotion

Both of those should use the same carnival buildings as the regular animals to not unbalance anything happines wise. Could both use the new den mechanic but maybe with lower multiplication rates (harsher life in the cold).

- Iceberg

10 strenght units that very rarely appear next to ice tiles. 1 move. Have a chance of melting away (maybe becoming smaller versions like the tar deamon till they vanish)

Don't really try to attack other ships (random movement) but try to sink them when the get on the same tile.

Promotions:

- Northlander (maybe in need of a better name)

+25% defense and double moves in tundra and snow tiles. maybe also something like +10% - +25% protection against cold (like the orcs get for fire)

Given to all illian and doviello units and white wolfes.

Improvements:

- A greater probability for barrows on snow tiles

- Ancient Forts (placed like ancient towers but only on snow tiles) grants +50% defense and sentry one. (It would be cool to include dreiches chocke point fort mod - not only for this but generally)

- roads on snow tiles can only be build after engeneering.






Thats all I can think of for now. Other ideas are about quests and equipment - and still pretty bland.

 

[Frozen-Vomit]

Maybe let Mithril only be found in tundra and snow tiles so that there is a reward for the pain to capture (the now harsher) norhtern regions.

 

[Civkid1991]

I think it would be interesting to have the snow/tundra tiles play some roles in quests (going to the snowy icy north to retrieve the.. *cough*holy grail*cough). Would make quests tougher with units such as snow ogre/giants and wolfs and such along with the negative bonuses there are for "normal" units. Would also put the illian and doviello civs at an advantage when doing these quests.

 

[thomas.berubeg]

I have a white skin made by toltec for the arda mod, if Kael needs it.

 

[MagisterCultuum]

I would also like it if the impassible ice feature retreated and expanded randomly, making it possible for units to get trapped. Small amounts of cold damage to units passing through he tiles would be nice (Doviello and Ilians should get cold resistance then)

 

[Rex rgis of Ter]

I like the idea. Northern regions should be harsher. As lanun, I founded a city right beside Ice on a tiny island which grew to size 9. Snow producing damage would be intresting. perhaps it could potentailly destroy improvements on the tiles. Some quests involving tundra\snow would be intresting ( A cult of mulcarn worshippers are attempting to free Mulcarn from Auric Ulvins' body. As Illians or doviello you could help them, as others you destroy their city). The doviello and illians need buffing. In my games I always conquer them. Perhaps the white wolves and doviello scouts could make a gobin+wolf mechanic. Just suggestions.

 

[KingOfLands]

If it was up to me I'd penalize Ice movement but not Tundra. Or add a chance of exposure damage, which I imagine is possible with Python but wouldn't know how to do correctly.

One of the first things I got to work when I started playing around with modding the Illians was a tech in the vein of Seafaring that increased camp output by one food and one production - it adds a little more incentive to hang around with the deer and beavers, though I wouldn't claim it's a great idea balance-wise.

If you look in the building code, the latitude requirements they have for the Space Elevator in Vanilla can be used to make buildings you can only put near the poles, too.

 

[Brancaleone]

'cold' races should get some bonus for settling on that useless tundra. Maybe make cottages avaliable for tundra/snow tiles, or a food producing improvement like pig farm or something. I always play doviello, but i stay away from tundra, trading deer and fur is much cheaper than paying maintence to a city who will take forever to build a courthouse.

 

[TeraHammer]

I like the idea. Northern regions should be harsher. As lanun, I founded a city right beside Ice on a tiny island which grew to size 9. Snow producing damage would be intresting.

You can make this in game perfectly with reduced health in a city, just like deserts and jungles.

 

[Loderunner]

As far as the Illians and Doviello, it might work to simply treat tundra as plains (i.e. base 1 f, 1 h, farmable, cottagable, etc...). That may not be simple to mod, but I think from a gameplay standpoint, keeping things simple is a good policy.

 

[OzzyKP]

The Lunun get a pearl resource that only they can see, perhaps the Doviello and Illians can get a Walrus resource that provides food and ivory (though a different kind of ivory that doesn't allow building elephant units).