Improvements for the future

[Lord Diamond]

I advocate a little bit of randomness to spell lists. For example, in most games your kingdom might get Teleport Brigade at P-4, but there is a small chance of you getting it at P-3 or even at P-5 in any given game. I'd do the same for almost all the spells. It sure would make getting that spell list an exciting event!

I know this isn't feasible now, but perhaps down the road...

[Kalrex]

I don't like this idea. I "gambled" on getting a spell in game 10 and did not get it- Strategically this basically was ruinous to me and I think it's the downfall of my set of positions, long run. I'll be happy to elaborate when it's all said and done-

In that game I assumed I'd get the spell, generally common at L2, and it's definitely my bad for not being certain I'd get it... Now I know better.

In some games things can be extremely tenuous and you're banking on getting a spell- suppose you're the WI or something with the GI bearing down on you out the gate. You're spending $$$ as it is and of course the WIz is a vulnerable asset already. I don't think randomness is warranted here.

Suppose you play the RD and use your special recruit order but we insert a "randomness" factor into the equation and instead of typical Wingbeast troops you get a green brigade of human recruits instead. That would make things a LOT more interesting and it would be a big "surprise" if that happened as well The game already has A LOT of random elements/luck and there needs to be known quantities IMO.

[Lord Diamond]

I don't think your wingbeast comparison was a good one. Of course, you should get what you pay for.

What if the random factor, say 5% to 10%, was that you'd get a spell early instead of late?

Does anyone else have an opinion?

[Loric]

So 90% of the time its at the lvl you'd expect to get it? 5% its a lvl sooner and 5% a lvl later?

[Lord Diamond]

So 90% of the time its at the lvl you'd expect to get it? 5% its a lvl sooner and 5% a lvl later?

That's the concept. Or something near that.

I LOVE getting my spell list, but eventually that will not be all that exciting anymore when I have seen them all.

[Kalrex]

I don't think your wingbeast comparison was a good one. Of course, you should get what you pay for.

Yes it's a perfect example. You get what you pay for, a brigade of troops, in the same context as you get a list of spells. In your mind you get a list of spells but it's "randomized" so why not the brigade of troops be randomized. It's an IDENTICAL argument. You just like the idea of one and not the other so "my" argument isn't a good one and yours is

Note that my example shows the flaws in this sort of "randomization". You want a specific brigade of troops but you want a random list of spells. I want to KNOW what I'm paying for in both cases. Random elements are great as far as encounters and I'm fine with new set-up changes and whatnot but randomness for the sake of randomness isn't always beneficial in a strategic environment IMO.

[Lord Diamond]

Kalrex, I wasn't advocvating randomizing troop types. I am advocating making the spell lists a bit more exciting. I didn't say anything about randomizing every aspect of the game. So yes, since my example is of what I am advocating and yours is not, your example is a poor one in this context.

I am talking specifics, not generalities.

There are other areas in which I would like to add some additional elements and will get to those as I think them through. They will not include swapping wyverns for recruits, so you need not be concerned.

[Lord Diamond]

So 90% of the time its at the lvl you'd expect to get it? 5% its a lvl sooner and 5% a lvl later?

That's the concept. Or something near that.

I LOVE getting my spell list, but eventually that will not be all that exciting anymore when I have seen them all. I hope to find a way to keep it new and exciting.

[Kalrex]

It could have the same impact on the game-

Think more outside the box. Surprises happen all the time in this game. Known quantities ought to exist and troop types are as relevant as spells-

You want more surprises, I get it. What if positions get some unbalanced spells too soon and others get shafted? What's the difference between that and troop types being mixed up??????

You want magic to be an unknown quantity though it's an important aspect of this game. Why not make troop types an unknown quantity as well then? Why is one a good idea and the other unreasonable?

[Jumbie]

Because one is magic and one is management.

I can see a magician trying to summon a demon and getting trapped in hell by accident. I can't see a magic-less army recruiter accidentally recruiting a brigade of skeletons.