Let the (modding) creativity flow
Elemental Forums
Welcome to another spam thread by yours truly, Wintersong.
The idea of this thread is based in: https://forums.elementalgame.com/376437
And more precisely in:
Q: What are some example mods you would make?
A: We would try to cover the full range with our samples. Here are some specifics of what we plan to provide during Beta 5 and after release.
...
5. Using your copy of Elemental to make a totally new TBS game (GalCiv like or MOO like or Civilization like or HOMM like or MOM like or whatever).
6. Using your copy of Elemental to make a totally new type of game TBS (my sample, which will be public domain when released, is the aforementioned Temple of Apshai).
...
Obviously, how much is done here depends on how successful Elemental is commercially so these aren’t promises as much as what we are planning to do.
Most people has in mind one or more ideas that would like to see in a mod, no matter if they actually expect to see those mods done or not. And there is the possibility of Stardock make one or more mods as examples of what can be done with their tools (nice marketing, mind you). Although the examples mentioned are quite popular (MoM, Civ, MoO...), I'd prefer them doing something different.
So why not give them some ideas in case they have the time to actually make one mod as example? Even if they were not to use any of the ideas, it's a nice exercise of creativity, it's fun (for me it is) and, who knows, maybe be useful to other users.
Rules? Only three:
- must add the date of the last modification to the proposed idea to the very beginning of the mod idea
- you cannot duplicate it in this thread (if you need to update it, udate the original post and update the date in it, then you can post to say that you updated your mod idea and maybe even provide a link to the post for easier access to it)
- elaborate it. No one liners or something like that. Do the initial dirty work for Stardock, sell it to them if you want, but avoid "Make MoM but with pirates" or similar things. No need to define everything in it but the more info you can add so people can understand it better (walls of texts are fine, just give them some format so they are easy to read, ok?)
With that said I present you with:
2010/03/03
Ad aeternum
In this mod, players play the role of a deity trying to achieve total dominion over the mortal and astral worlds.
Eritis sicut Deus
The player selects one of the deities to play as during the game. As domains are limited, if more than one deity has the same domain, that domain is considered disputed and the power levels are reduced for it.
As a deity, you have access to a certain number of domains. These domains determine the type of miracles that you can cast. The power level of those miracles could increase due to the number of worshipers.
Res non verba
Deities interact with the mortal world through miracles of different types granted by their domains. Each domain grants a certain number of miracles.
The type and number of miracles is increased by some possible combinations of domains that would unlock extra miracles that combine elements of those domains.
Example of filler domains:
- Life
- Death
- War
- Peace
- Law
- Chaos
- Fire
- Water
- Air
- Earth
- Knowledge
Dies irae
The final goal for the deity is to have total control of the mortal and astral worlds. The only way to achieve that is to destroy the other deities and adquire their domains. It'd be possible to win by allying with other deities and creating a common Pantheon with those deities, after destroying the opposing deities.
To destroy a deity, he must lose all his domains. A deity can lose a domain by trading it to another deity or when all the worshipers of that domain die. Domains lost due to all worshipers being dead are held by The Great Balance, a neutral entity of divine power. Deities can purchase domains from The Great Balance anytime paying a price in Divine Essence or by trading other domains.
A deity can also be destroyed in a battle against other deity. A deity can challenge to a duel to any other deity. The challenge can only be refused by giving Divine Essence to the challenger or surrendering a domain to him. If the duel was a challenge to death, it can only be refused by surrendering a domain. The winner of the duel not to death can claim one the defeated's domains or Divine Essence. The winner of a duel to death gets the defeated's domains and Divine Essence. The Great Balance forbids deities from challenging deities with only one domain but these deities with just one domain can die if they challenge another deity and it loses it's last domain against the challenged. These duels can vary in options: in which place of the astral world they happen, if other deities can join...
Alternative ways to win would involve to take the place of The Great Balance through a series of epic quests or to unify all the deities under your control by an ancient divine artifact. Or maybe find the way to exile all the other deities from the astral world.
Memento mori
Deities without domains are dead. Their champions become neutral or dissapear. Demideities become neutral.
Dead deities coming back from the death are possible though. The easiest way but that cannot be controlled by the deities is to be brought to life by The Great Balance. More difficult ways to achieve resurrection are thanks to rituals. Some rituals from the Life and Death domains can bring a deity back from the death in some circumstances. Other domains can have similar rituals that prevent the deity from actually dying. All these rituals are expensive and only work in very concrete situations.
Statu quo
The number of domains and of worshipers determine the status of the deities. There are some ranks that define the status of a deity:
- Lesser deity
- Intermediate deity
- Greater deity
The current rank of the deity grants him some boons, included extra and more powerful miracles for his domains.
Alter ego
Deities can have a divine avatar at a time in the mortal world. They start with one and, if destroyed, deities can create another using some Divine Essence. Avatars are mortal and can be destroyed or killed but they are thougher than non divine beings. To cast certain miracles is cheaper through an avatar and it also allows to influence civilizations in a more direct way.
When created, the deity can invest extra Divine Essence to give him Divine Equipment of a type of his choice and domains (weapon and armour, or a walking stick and a robe, for example). If not, the avatar will have to find equipment of his own.
High rank divinities can have special avatars that are not humanoid. These avatars (could have the shape of dragons, minotaurs, trolls...) are more powerful but also cost more Divine Essence. The extra cost and powers of these special avatars depends on the type. Although the type isn't limited by the domains, certain types can unlock extra abilities if used by deities of certain domains.
Vox populi vox Dei
The world is alive and full of different creatures.
Intelligent creatures gather to live together and follow different faiths. They build their cities and kingdoms, research new technologies... and have some believes that can change according to circumstances and influence the divine power of the deities.
They will live their lives, wage wars, make great discoveries... and deities will have the chance to actually influence those creatures back. Using miracles, deities can help or hinder these creatures, have the creatures worship them as their main deity or even have offspring with some of them.
Deities are able to recruit champions to their cause from the mortal ranks. Thse champions can be powerful warriors, wise sages or anyone that fits the deity's domains. These champions are extraordinary individuals per se but can be blessed by the deity, receiving some of his Divine Essence. This blessing can take many forms, from enhanced stats to the ability to perform minor miracles.
Champions can influence the mortals too and can do quests. Although loyal to their deity, their loyalty can be swayed if enough efforts are made. The number of champions that a deity can have is determined by his rank but if a deity were to lose rank, he keeps his current champions even if his new limit is inferior to the number of champions he currently has.
Plus Ultra
The deities can choose any creature to mate with it and have offspring. This offspring, the demideity, is above normal beings and can have some special skills. These demideities are the champions of their fathers, rallying mortals around them to follow their father's lead. But as any mortal, demideities can be influenced by deities and alter their loyalty. Deities can only have offspring by spending some Divine Essence each time.
In rare occasions, demideities can get deityhood granted by The Great Balance if they are powerful enough. They adquire one of the domains controlled by The Great Balance when accessing deityhood and join the astral world with the rest of deities.
Demideities can also attain deityhood thanks to their fathers. Deities can ascend any of their demideities to lesser deity rank by granting one of his own domains. The demideity must be powerful enough to receive such gift though. Demideities ascended in this way become allies of the deity that ascended them and will only break such alliance under the most extreme of circumstances.
Deities can use their demideities to influence mortals and to do quests, the same as champions, but with a bigger effect than them. There is no limit to how many demideities a deity can have as long as he can pay the Divine Essence cost of creating one.
De omni re scibili et quibusdam aliis
The avatars of deities, demideities and champions can do quests in the mortal world. These quests serve different purposes: influence a civilization, broker peace between warring factions, recover old artifacts...
The quests can be have different origins, be it someone or someplace in the mortal world, or be proposed by The Great Balance.
Fac totum
The Great Balance is a constant in the mortal and astral worlds.
- It adquires que domains of any deity that losed all the worshipers in that domain.
- It can trade domains it already has with the deities that desire so.
- If the deities were to destroy the mortal world, and therefore destroy themselves, The Great Balance would remain retaining all the domains and being able to create the world anew.
- It can grant deityhood to any demideity by giving him one of the domains it controls.
- It can block deities from using miracles from one or more of their domains during some time.
- It can generate quests and mega events from time to time for reasons unkown to the deities.
- It can take away the domain of a deity for itself or for another deity but only will do such thing under the most extreme circumstances.
The Great Balance can create an avatar of its own but will only do that in very specific events. This avatar is more powerful that normal avatars of the deities and than demideities. Whenever The Great Balance creates its avatar is for a very precise reason: destroy something in the mortal world. Usually it's to destroy an excess of demideities in the world but other reasons are possible too.
Although without domains by itself, The Great Balance can use miracles that no other deity can use no matter the rank or domains. It can also use any miracle of any of the existing domains even if The Great Balance doesn't control it.
A divinis
Players are deities in the astral world. That astral world has no real representation. The only playable world per se is the mortal world.
The factions in the mortal world play normally controlled by neutral AIs (not the deity ones).
Each turn is divided in two phases: the Astral Turn and the Mortal Turn. During the Astral Turn deities challenge other deities to duels, do some diplomacy with other deities, cast miracles... During the Mortal Turn deities interact with mortals through their avatars or cahmpions, do quests...
Dragons may be all awesome but some dinosaurs (or similarly sized creatures) sounds quite epic to me too. (and reminds me of my still unused God: God Zilla 
)