I think it's possible GalCiv 3 beta last week spoiled me.
Hopefully Mantle evens the playing field next year. Stardock has always been great at making games run quickly. This also ruined Civ 5 some for me as well.
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Age of Wonders III |OT| Follow The Leader
- Thread starter SparkTR
- Start date
I think it's possible GalCiv 3 beta last week spoiled me.
Hopefully Mantle evens the playing field next year. Stardock has always been great at making games run quickly. This also ruined Civ 5 some for me as well.
Turin Turambar
Member
Graphics are a little more lush than GalCiv 3, don't you think? A few stars and planets in a space background won't need lots of power!
Well, true, but Legendary Heroes runs a lot zippier as well. It's Stardock games in general. (AOW3 is a lot better looking graphicaly, but the custom units in LH do use up a lot of power- so much that Stardock is making an LH game without that feature for next year)
I would say it's far more like Heroes of Might and Magic ( but better <3 ) than it is like Civilization ( thought my last Civilization was call to power 1 ).
I would say it's a good description of it. It's slower paced and more 4X focused than HoMM, but it's also focused more on war (both tactic and strategic) than Civ games.
This all sounds wonderful, thanks. Wishlisted for when I got some spare cash.
Lactose_Intolerant
Member
city tech tree
If you want something more civ-like, check out the Fallen Enchantress:Legendary Heroes.
I think there's a mistake on that build-tree. In the game I played today I didn't need to advance down the Barracks line. I just needed Observatory, Hospital, Grand Temple and Master's Guild.
And this game is as dangerous as I feared. I started playing after breakfast, thinking I'd enjoy a couple of hours of AoW3 before getting on with real-world shit. After a little while I note that my tummy's rumbling, so I get up from my chair to make a light lunch and, instead of the 12:00noon-ish that I was expecting, the clock says it bloody 5:00pm.
A good(?!) sign.
And this game is as dangerous as I feared. I started playing after breakfast, thinking I'd enjoy a couple of hours of AoW3 before getting on with real-world shit. After a little while I note that my tummy's rumbling, so I get up from my chair to make a light lunch and, instead of the 12:00noon-ish that I was expecting, the clock says it bloody 5:00pm.
A good(?!) sign.
More HoMM like is actually preferable for me, played a ton of HoMM3 back in the day. Hotseat multiplayer for life.
LurkerPrime
Member
I agree, I think they really nailed the presentation and combat aspect of the game not to mention the excellent art design (which all feels suitably weird, fantastical, and diverse). Visually representing units with an appropriate amount of soldiers goes a long way to making the battles feel appropriate in scale. From small skirmishes to large, epic battles - this game can do it all.
My highlight so far has been storming a city using a dragon against a long wall of spearmen and archers. It was great, watching the dragon stretch its wings menacingly against such a numerous foe, as if to intimidate them.
Don't worry, no one survived the dragon's onslaught.
From what I've played the game's interface and actual mechanics are great as well; I'm really glad they took some inspiration from Civ5 in that department. I haven't struggled with the interface or controls at all, save for figuring out how to change a unit's facing (hold rmb on the unit and drag to the hex you want them to face then release, who knew!). They even added a Civilopedia equivalent, though it sorely needs more links to related things in the game, Civ-style.
Great game!
Jag
Member
I'd say Warlock 2 over FE. I was really disappointed with FE:LE and I put alot of hours into it.
That sounds great, the true hallmark of a good TBS game. I can't wait to get into it after the current week from hell at work is over.
ambientmystic
Member
Thanks a lot for this, I had no idea you could even do that in the game. Some of the maneuvers are poorly explained in game.
On a related note, I really like the ability to customize not only the class and race of your Leaders independantly from each other (everyone can be anything they wish, it's like the 21st century brought into a fantasy game!) but their appearance rather extensively too. I spent quite some time crafting my High Elf Sorceress lol, kudos to the devs for the great number of options in that area.
Wish they took out that module and put it in its own section though, you have to "start" a scenario to even access it, and to save your customized Leader you have launch the scenario itself and tick the Save option, otherwise your changes will be for naught.
Danny Dudekisser
I paid good money for this Dynex!
Still kinda coming to grips with the game (as, again, I've never played a game like this before) but I'm starting to find it really addictive. Had a couple times where I sat down to play for a short while, glanced at the clock, and realized a couple hours had passed. I'd say that's a good sign.
Tried to get into 2 game twice but failed even tough I played a lot Civ5
Lack of tutorials but it's pretty much a mix of Heroes and Civ.
Did you start the first campaign, or jump right into a random map? It's better to play the campaign first. In reality, AoW really isn't quite as complex as Civ, but it might be hard to get into just because you might have habits from Civ that won't work in AoW.
ambientmystic
Member
E.g. Stacks of Doom.
On another note, it took me a while to figure out that you can/are supposed to attack enemy strongholds with other allied stacks within the vicinity of the castle.
Was wondering how to take out a heavily fortified metropolis with just my one Leader since you're only limited to 6 units in a party lol.
I say so (after only 4 hours of play in 2 days so far). AoW3 is a little like a new Civilization release compared to its predecessors. There are some substantial changes and the UI has massively improved but the essence of the game is the same. I actually like most of the changes like the new combat system and the leader's class dictating a lot more of your empire building direction.
I'm still getting used to race relations not being a big deal with morale, but with only 6 races having the hard Good/Evil/Neutral split must have been tough. I also feel like there is less stuff than Shadow Magic but I'm willing to accept that as an expansion vs base game divide.
If you like turned based strategy games, ala Heores of Might and Magic but with Civ influences then you should get it. The first two games were brilliant.
Not sure what sort of interest you're expecting to see from GAF for a PC exclusive strategy game.
Make a party of siege equipment, and you could make another party of extra units if you'd like. If you surround a castle with all of your parties touching the unit you'll be fighting all of the separate parties will enter combat with the unit.
By party I mean when your units move over the map just as your hero does, add a bunch of units into a single force/party and move them with your hero to lay siege on a castle/fortified post. They'll all fight together. And even when your separate parties that don't have your leader in them participate in combat with other forces your hero spells can still function in those fights.
So you could effectively have 12+ units fighting against their heavily fortified base.
Edit: It looks like you might already know this based on your post and I just didn't read it right, not sure.
That's because GAF still hasn't really got all that many posters interested in PC games.
(There are quite a few people now who play games on PC, but that doesn't necessarily imply being interested in traditional PC genres)
Speaking of traditional PC games, do you need keyboard to play this? I've been playing a bunch of non intensive mouse games on the couch lately (most puzzle games), and the couch is much more comfortable than my crappy desk chair.
It's a turn based game, you can easily go mouse only.
Good good, I was worried that there would be some essential keyboard shortcuts, shift clicks or something.
LurkerPrime
Member
I was going to start playing Age of Wonders 3 with a random map and custom-made leader, but - my goodness - the options! I had forgotten how wonderful a fully-featured game truly is.
If anyone is worried about the learning curve and lack of a dedicated tutorial in Age of Wonders 3, I recommend you try the Elven Court campaign - it seems to have been designed to ease newer players into the game. It begins very straightforward and easy, and has ramped up the difficulty, scale, and complexity of what's happening during every campaign level so far. Also, the campaign seems give the player control of a different race and class in each of its levels which should help new players familiarise themselves with what the game has to offer. Plus, there will be dragons!
If anyone is worried about the learning curve and lack of a dedicated tutorial in Age of Wonders 3, I recommend you try the Elven Court campaign - it seems to have been designed to ease newer players into the game. It begins very straightforward and easy, and has ramped up the difficulty, scale, and complexity of what's happening during every campaign level so far. Also, the campaign seems give the player control of a different race and class in each of its levels which should help new players familiarise themselves with what the game has to offer. Plus, there will be dragons!
There's a way more active thread over at the SomethingAwful forums if you want in-depth discussions (for just about any strategy game really). A developer of AoW posts there as well.
LurkerPrime
Member
Seems like a good first patch with solid changes and great additions (that I thought I just hadn't figured out yet).
Any word as to whether the GOG version will have patches released on the same day as Steam?
Also really hope the patches don't break save games.. that would be a bummer.
Any word as to whether the GOG version will have patches released on the same day as Steam?
Also really hope the patches don't break save games.. that would be a bummer.
If gameplay data isn't changed- it likely won't break save games. Usually in this genre they do.
As for patching- does GOG allow companies to put up patches independently?
-tetsuo-
Unlimited Capacity
The random maps are much more open ended than the campaigns/scenarios. Game gonna have legs, yo.
There are 2 campaigns with one serving as the tutorial. There are like 10 scenarios that ship with the game though and most all of them use different heroes/factions. I believe the scenarios can be played in co-op as well.
Is the campaign any good? Is it similar to Heroes as you have multiple campaigns with different factions? Thanks
There are 2 campaigns with one serving as the tutorial. There are like 10 scenarios that ship with the game though and most all of them use different heroes/factions. I believe the scenarios can be played in co-op as well.
I just started playing, and one thing I can say is that the introduction to the starting campaign is more polished than I expected it to be. Maybe i just got used to the really low budget indie fantasy TBS games and am surprised because of that. Probably it's just because I like the voice actress.Is the campaign any good? Is it similar to Heroes as you have multiple campaigns with different factions? Thanks
I'd hope so, I played Shadow Magic for 8 years or so
LurkerPrime
Member
That makes sense; I had better wrap up my campaign up quick.
As far as GOG's patching, they must allow independant patching because Eador: Master of the Broken World has an integrated patching system built right into its launcher, similar to the Witcher 2.
Speaking of the Witcher 2, has anyone else noticed the reference to that game in AoW3? Alright, I'll tell ya:
One of the hero traits - a hero-slayer trait - is called Assassins of Kings.
Jag
Member
Forget that, quick save! I've been begging a Triumph Dev on another forum for it.
-tetsuo-
Unlimited Capacity
First elf campaign? Yep, leader got focused and murdered.
LurkerPrime
Member
I'm learning to hate Dreadnoughts right now - their machines are immune or resistant to nearly everything I have. Q.Q
I think I let something similar happen to me in one of the first battles. Seems to be a common mistake...
I think I let something similar happen to me in one of the first battles. Seems to be a common mistake...
Danny Dudekisser
I paid good money for this Dynex!
The more I play this game, the more I like it. There's really nothing I don't like about it. And it's fucking addictive.
The thing that impresses me the most, though, is that it's clear that there's just a ton of depth to this game that I don't even know what to do with yet. So, I guess in that regard, the Elven campaign is a good way to get introduced to the mechanics.
The thing that impresses me the most, though, is that it's clear that there's just a ton of depth to this game that I don't even know what to do with yet. So, I guess in that regard, the Elven campaign is a good way to get introduced to the mechanics.
I just had cause remembered the best thing about Age of Wonders: a surprise attack on one of your cities, the game announcing "Very Likely Defeat", taking the battle anyway and somehow holding it. So good.
So far, this seems like an extremely worthy new entry to the series. Never thought I'd see the day.
So far, this seems like an extremely worthy new entry to the series. Never thought I'd see the day.
Yeah, that one.