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| Thread: Ashan 200 years later | |
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farfromrefuge
Adventuring Hero
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posted October 12, 2015 02:50 PM |
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Ashan 200 years later
Premise
In one of its releases, Ubi mentioned that HoMM VII is the last game set before Dark Messiah of Might and Magic. That means, that the timeline of MMHVIII will move forward, into the future. And that got me thinking about how we all can cop out of the current ErWinistization.
Let's set it really into the future. Not 10 years later, not 20. Not even a hundred. Let's set it at least two hundred years into the future - a time where the events of Isabell's war are still felt and remembered, but the world has already moved on and had a lot of massive changes doing it.
Unit Mechanics
I completely agree with 4>4>3 scheme, out of which you have to choose 3>3>1, but why stop here? Remember altgrades of HoMM V? Let's reintroduce them in an unexpected way - once you reach town level 10, you can choose to upgrade your town in one of the two variants, each of them opening different upgrades for dwellings and as such - alternative upgrades for the same creatures.
Also, the tier 3 creatures are available only to upgraded towns, where they are allowed to choose one of the two of them. One creature is available to both subfactions and one is unique. For example, Haven's Royalists have Swordmaster and Lion Rider, while Haven's High Inquisition have Swordmaster and Angel. Royalists's Swordmaster then upgrades into Royal Bodyguard and High Inquisition Swordmaster upgrades into Paladin.
Factions
The Holy Unicorn Empire
The Holy Unicorn Empire is still growing strong, but Freyda's successors are not doing so good and have Isabell to thank for it. Speaking plainly, the fact that Queen was possessed and even impersonated by a demon for so long created a distrust amongst the citizens of Haven and brought them to churches. Feeling the support of many of the commonfolk, the Church of Elrath introduced Ashan to the concept of High Inquisition - an institute that is allowed to own land, troops and be completely independent from the Royal Family. Its mission is simple - keep the Empire in check and fight the demonic influence in any form. Alas, not all of the church leaders are truly devout - the current one, for example, is in it for personal gain. The Civil War has been brewing for years now, but both sides are not yet ready for the confrontation.
So the two subfactions for Haven are The High Inquisition and the Royalists.
NOTE: Haven army must consist of units from different counties. So far I like Minastir's line-up for HoMM VIII.
The Elven Alliance
GenyaArikado's work was inspiration for this faction.
Basically, actions of Raelag lead to the peace between Dark Elves and Sylvans and they even reformed into the United Irrollan. There is distrust between them still, but both sides work hard in order to overcome it. Unfortunately, not so long ago a great Sylvan relic that was entrusted to the Dark Elves as a sign of peace and respect has gone missing...
The subfactions are simple here - Sylvan Alliance and Dark Elves. Dark Elves are not Dungeon, they are more like GenyaArikado's rendition - the true old Aen Sidhe.
The Dark Remnants
Once again, kudos to GenyaArikado.
Due almost complete destruction of the notable Necromancers during Queen Isabel's War and Dark Messiah Ascension, surviving members of the Order fled to Sheogh, where they made a pact with demons, who were even more weakened. United, the Dark Remnants managed to stop the unforgiving assault of the races of Light, creating a safe haven for every follower of the Forbidden Gods. Many Necromancers started to dabble in demonology too, but the majority are purists, who warily watch such transgressions and are frankly disgusted by them.
The subfactions are Necropolis and Infernopolis - the first one contains upgrades into pure Undead, second one offers bizarre mixes of demons and undead, who are a bit stronger but less numerous.
The Unbowing Tribes
Orcs have changed a lot through the last two centuries - they are not wildlings anymore and are trying to settle down, establishing major trade routes. The key word is "trying" - some of the Clans refuse to live a peaceful life and continue terrorizing the Free Cities and Unicorn Empire. This has caused a lot of tension between king Lionel I and Mordok the Wise - current chieftain of the Tribes. It's time someone did something about the wildlings, but city orcs refuse to fight their brothers, while they also distrust any foreign forces, who could handle the situation.
The subfactions are The Wildlings (greater emphasis on offense and speed) and City Orcs (emphasis on defense and counter-attacks).
The Northern Clans
Dwarves has seen their zenith during the last century - their crafts have reached unknown before level of mastery, while the discovery of mechanics has increased their productivity tenfold. They are careless now, believing that they can withstand anything and anyone and whole world belongs to them. In the last decade, king Tormund V ordered to dig deep under the Mountains to find the Bones of the Asha - the very foundation of Ashan. A fraction of his subjects, who call themselves Children of the First Flame and are still following the old ways is not so happy about it - they consider the king a blasphemer and a madman. The rumours of the oncoming coup are growing.
The subfactions are Mechromancers and Children of the First Flame. Basically, while first ones get the stronger troops, second one gain the ability to use runes much more effectively.
The Silver League
After demons were conquered, the Silver League has used the newfound peace in order to advance their mastery of magic. A lot of previously forgotten secrets have been uncovered once again and even the old alliances have been reforged. But the wizards still remember the times of war and thus The Expeditioning Corps has been created - a place for those of wizards and their allies, who feel at home on the battlefield.
The subfactions are The Expeditioning Corps and The Masters of Magic. The first one relies on raw power and stats, while units of the second one have better special abilities.
The Dungeon Dwellers
A lot of Dark Elves left the Dungeons to reunite with their Sylvan brothers, but there were those who stayed behind and kept their faith in Malassa. Unfortunately, the Dragon of Darkness has been displeased by her followers for quite awhile, fracturing them into two distinct factions.
The subfactions are The Dragon Priests - Malassa's loyalists and zealots - and The Underworld Empire - the high society that believes that they can build a great future without any god's help.
Campaign
All of the factions' campaigns are settled mostly on infighting, and are telling a localized stories of certain events that shape out the characters. Each campaing contains of five missions - two for each subfaction with the final mission offering a choice to the player to support either of them. The exception is Free Cities campaign that tells about a wizard, whose friend had disappeared in a strange looking portal and is now visiting him in dreams, telling about uncoming death of all Ashan. Terrified and consfused wizard roams all over the war-torn Ashan, searching for the meaning of these visions.
Once all campaings are completed, the final cutscene unlocks, that tells of the upcoming Cataclysm that would reshape the world. The survivors from the previous campaings (determined by player's decisions) are visited by a wizard from Free Cities campaings and are told that either them or their former enemies had to play a great role in the world of Ashan, ushering a new age of prosperity, but something had gone terribly wrong. As they all finally are being gathered at the Mirograd - a new capital of the Free Cities - the Cataclysm begins as the stars are literally falling down the sky, creating massive explosions on the ground and literally fracturing the world. As the meteors are tearing the world apart, we are cut to a bit aged wizard's friend standing on the burned down plains stretching all the way to the horizon. Just before the scene fades to black, he stumples on two swords lying on the ground - one has the blade made of frozen crystal and the other's is of living fire.
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Mediczero
Famous Hero
Warlord of the sea
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posted October 12, 2015 03:06 PM |
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Idea to the alternative upgrades: Selective upgrades like in HII
The idea is that you have some units with an upgrade, some without, some with alternative and some with additional upgrades. What types of upgrades a unit have depends on the unit.
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farfromrefuge
Adventuring Hero
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posted October 12, 2015 03:40 PM |
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Mediczero said:
Idea to the alternative upgrades: Selective upgrades like in HII
The idea is that you have some units with an upgrade, some without, some with alternative and some with additional upgrades. What types of upgrades a unit have depends on the unit.
A "More is Less" conception of HoMM II could work too, but I am a sucker for variety like in HoMM V, where almost all of the upgrades and altgrades were useful in one way or another. Unfortunately, ability to freely regrade allowed for some exploits, which is why I propose to altgrade the town, not the dwellings. Basically, you get two different variations of the same fraction, each with their own strengths and weaknesses.
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filozof
Tavern Dweller
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posted October 12, 2015 07:13 PM |
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Edited by filozof at 21:13, 12 Oct 2015.
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I personally want it to be set right after dark mesiah, because I would like to see what is going to happen to my favourite characters from Heroes V.
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farfromrefuge
Adventuring Hero
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posted October 13, 2015 09:41 AM |
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filozof said:
I personally want it to be set right after dark mesiah, because I would like to see what is going to happen to my favourite characters from Heroes V.
How about a compromise - the main campaign is 200 years in the future, but you get scenarios that are set right after HoMM V and explore the fate of its heroes? I too am dying to know what happen to Raelag.
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Rakshasa92
Supreme Hero
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posted October 13, 2015 03:56 PM |
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So...
200 years later and till the same Elf and Dwarf stuff going on?
No Thanks.
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Mediczero
Famous Hero
Warlord of the sea
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posted October 13, 2015 05:21 PM |
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Rakshasa92 said:
So...
200 years later and till the same Elf and Dwarf stuff going on?
No Thanks.
Because classic fantasy is bad. -_-
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Rakshasa92
Supreme Hero
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posted October 13, 2015 07:04 PM |
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Mediczero said:
Rakshasa92 said:
So...
200 years later and till the same Elf and Dwarf stuff going on?
No Thanks.
Because classic fantasy is bad. -_-
NO.
But there are 100dreds of other options than this overwithered, overdone, overused boring stuff of small beareded humanoids and beautiful perfecto's with bows and a insane nature fetish.
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Mediczero
Famous Hero
Warlord of the sea
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posted October 13, 2015 07:35 PM |
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Rakshasa92 said:
NO.
But there are 100dreds of other options than this overwithered, overdone, overused boring stuff of small beareded humanoids and beautiful perfecto's with bows and a insane nature fetish.
Do bear in mind that just because there is "100dreds of other options", doesn't mean that any of them is more interesting. While you find those "overdone" and "overused", most actually find them classic and familiar, which may be perfered over something you can see as being odd and wierd.
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TDL
Honorable
Supreme Hero
The weak suffer. I endure.
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posted October 14, 2015 02:26 AM |
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I'd actually like to see those concepts shattered much like htey did in the pratchett's discworld and to a certain extent in elder scrolls series.
I would even like to see them cast out the usual aspects. Or try to twist it around. God knows how long dwarves were mountainfolk and miners, yet in spite of being based on the norse, they are hardly ever vikings or anything.
I agree dat a degree of familiarity is welcome, but oversaturation with the same tropes is not a favourable thing. I'd rather see them twist and turn in all the possible angles.
Unless they manage to succeed (which they won't, unless they're bioware).
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ShadowMaster
Adventuring Hero
HOMM3fa(g)n
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posted October 14, 2015 05:03 PM |
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200 years and still no goddamned progress...what the hell ? Every species evolves and changes shape over time, so having the same factions and the same fracking technology 200+ years later does not make any goddamned sense. No, seriously. That was (and is) my problem with pretty much every fantasy book - ridiculous amounts of time, no progress at all. Look at how our world has changed in 200 years !
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farfromrefuge
Adventuring Hero
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posted October 14, 2015 05:21 PM |
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ShadowMaster said:
200 years and still no goddamned progress...what the hell ? Every species evolves and changes shape over time, so having the same factions and the same fracking technology 200+ years later does not make any goddamned sense. No, seriously. That was (and is) my problem with pretty much every fantasy book - ridiculous amounts of time, no progress at all. Look at how our world has changed in 200 years !
Yeah, our world changed greatly from 1134 to 1334. Don't forget we are talking about relative Middle Ages.
And if you looked carefully, you'd see that both Holy Empire, Dungeon and Dwarves are actually getting into Renaissance Era.
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Jiriki9
Honorable
Undefeatable Hero
Altar Dweller
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posted October 16, 2015 12:17 PM |
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I personally like some ideas. But it still is ashan and someof the factions, I do not like at all. Dungeon should be reformed into the old beasthome, and with the dark elves going, it really could easily do that!!! Also, the silver league could be altered as well, imo - this should definitely be one of the faction on the way to Renaissance Era!
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