So a lot of threads on here are dedicated to changing how the game is played - and for good reason. But this thread is different. This thread is dedicated to the personality of the game, the little things that help bring the world to life and give it extra flavor. None of my suggestions really change the game, but they would hopefully enhance the immersion in the game.
As a casual gamer who has played a few rounds but hasn't scoured every last nook and cranny of the game, these are the brief suggestions I've compiled. Some are more important than others, but all could help bring that extra bit of personality.
Strategic/World-focused
- Terrain doesn’t quite feel magical enough. Wildlands aside, I’d like to see enchanted oak forests, glistening and unearthly crystal streams, sand-swept dunes, etc. The world just needs a touch more life.
- More could be done in the way of unique, fantastical, magical creatures.
- Factions should spread their own unique landscape. Each faction’s territory should be immediately identifiable by the kind of land they’re spreading – IE, Magnar’s volcanic plains, Pariden’s arctic fields, or Tarth’s forested landscape.
- Factions should also have their own unique tiles for each building. IE, a Tarth library should look different from a Capitar library.
- Particularly minor on this list, it’d be nice if each faction had their own unique theme. The theme would play in diplomatic talks and occasionally on the strategic map while playing as the faction. Likewise, unique diplomacy background screens for each of the factions would be nice.
- It’d be neat if the world map transitioned from dawn to dusk to nightfall and back throughout the game, and/or through the seasons. All kinds of features could follow from this idea (like night-time ambushes), but all I’m really after right now is a more vibrant world. Seeing the ocean at sunset or a Resolyn city come to life at night can help with that.
Tactical/Character-focused
- Units and heroes ought to have more animations in battle. They should cheer when they kill an enemy unit, cower in fear as one of their own is slain, check their weapons when not moving, gloat when adjacent to a significantly weaker unit, etc. This would be especially helpful for developing the sovereign personalities, if they all had separate animations (IE, Procipinee’s calculating poise v. Kulan’s brutal bloodlust, etc.).
- Related to the above, character animations should also have a touch more flourish as they execute special abilities and attacks.
- I’d like to see more character customization options. For example, there are only three facial hair options in the game: goatee, beard, and thicker beard. There could be a lot more choice here.
- On the diplomacy screen, the sovereigns should react to proposals put forward by the player. Pleased nods and smiles at a good proposal, or outraged gestures at an unwelcome demand.
That's all I've got for now. What do you think? What kind of suggestions would you put out there?
