Age of Wonders 3

[Orogun01]

Winged Orcs; now I've seen everything.

[melkathi]

Pretty much.

 

Age of Wonders 3 is a lot more like the original Age of Wonders than 2 or Shadow Magic. That way it has become also more intuitive, as you no longer have the wizard in his/her tower.

[melkathi]

Winged Orcs; now I've seen everything.

 

You haven't seen the goblin succubus or the dwarven exalted. You know nothing John Snow.

[HoonDing]

Are there multiple paths through the game like in the first game? I loved the Chaotic Stupid playthrough Halflings -> Lizardmen -> Undead.

 

I never liked that the standard Keeper path Halflings -> Dwarves -> Elves was made canon at any rate, Halflings -> Lizardmen -> Highmen was so much more poignant.

[Serrano]

There are two campaigns, high elves and humans. No idea how much either campaigns branch though as I've not played them yet.

[melkathi]

Two campaigns and apparently each branches once. So two campaigns with two endings each.

You get less choices than in the first game but obviously more than in the second and third game (that had 0 choice ).

I can't say how significant or not the choices are. I am only now on mission 4 of the elven campaign and apparently about to make my first choice.

[Orogun01]

You know nothing John Snow.

As someone who has had that same ****ing phrase said to him in real life for a whole ****ing year wish to healthily say: **** you!

[NOK222]

Two campaigns and apparently each branches once. So two campaigns with two endings each.

You get less choices than in the first game but obviously more than in the second and third game (that had 0 choice ).

I can't say how significant or not the choices are. I am only now on mission 4 of the elven campaign and apparently about to make my first choice.

 

I think choosing the "good" choice for both will coincide. 

 

I haven't finished the human campaign, but it seems that way due to the ending of the elven campaign. 

 

 

 

Halflings -> Lizardmen -> Highmen was so much more poignant.

 

This is what I did. It's weird considering the Highmen leader continued being a major character. 

[melkathi]

I was out of town for a few days so am still wrapping up mission 4 of the elven campaign :/

Oh well, no rush Not finishing any map without having cleared every dungeon. And Elven 4 has loads of those.

Also have tried a bit of random map and scenarios, just so I can create my own characters.

 

With the original Age of Wonders, being a do-gooder, I'd feel the urge to play halfling->dwarf->elf, but all the other endings were so much more interesting.

[HoonDing]

The Undead campaigns were my favourite, crushing everyone with an army of grim reapers was hilarious.

[Bos_hybrid]

I've enjoyed playing AOW3, but it's lacking something(besides the obvious undead). It needs random events, just to add another factor to the game. Also better diplomacy and AI.

Edited April 12, 2014 by Bos_hybrid

[melkathi]

The more I play the game, the less I like it :/

 

The new "rangd attacks always hit" mechanic has seriously damaged balance of ranged vs infantry and made sieges ridiculous, what with archers shooting through stone walls.

 

I used to enjoy sieges in this series. Sure sometimes you got unlucky and sometimes you got stupidly lucky (and shot down a dragon just with frostling snowscrapers). But now all you need is enough ranged units to shoot through the walls and gates (or moveandfireignorecovercompletlyandalway****-trebuchets) and you are done.

[Drowsy Emperor]

I couldn't play it. Graphics are too kitschy and busy and the lore is boring. 

Edited April 14, 2014 by Drowsy Emperor

[melkathi]

For the lore to be interesting you'd have to start with the first game. If you didn't play that back then, the story is meh.

[Drowsy Emperor]

I skipped it back then. Played a bit of HOMM but it didn't hold me. Actually I never went further than Alpha Centauri in 4X games. I tried a few others out, even played them for a day or two but ultimately gave up before becoming proficient.

 

I wanted to, but couldn't. Strategy games without a strong setting to back them up don't hold my interest for long. I'm more interested in immersing myself in the world than mastering the numbers. Which is why I suck  at strategy games.

Edited April 14, 2014 by Drowsy Emperor

[melkathi]

Alpha Centauri was one of a kind.

 

The original Age of Wonders had a remarkably good campaign with multiple endings. At the time it really stood out. And the writing worked enough to let fans of that game put up with the writing in the sequels

 

The problem with the writing in Age of Wonders 3 is that it is trying to tie together 3-4 games. Something they didn't do a good job with between the orginal and Age of Wonders 2: the Wizards Throne.

 

I sometimes play some Endless Space. But as you say, the story doesn't draw me in the same way Alpha Centauri did.

And I can't really play Civ games anymore.

[NOK222]

 

 

 Something they didn't do a good job with between the orginal and Age of Wonders 2: the Wizards Throne.

 

To be fair, I don't think the Age of Wonders is a hallmark of writing. 

 

That being said, have you guys read some of the unit descriptions in this game? It's hilarious. 

[melkathi]

Age of Wonders 2 was the low point of that non-hallmarknss though

 

I enjoy the goblin descriptions quite a lot.

[NOK222]

The beetle one gave me a chuckle. 

[Drowsy Emperor]

Alpha Centauri was one of a kind.

 

The original Age of Wonders had a remarkably good campaign with multiple endings. At the time it really stood out. And the writing worked enough to let fans of that game put up with the writing in the sequels

 

The problem with the writing in Age of Wonders 3 is that it is trying to tie together 3-4 games. Something they didn't do a good job with between the orginal and Age of Wonders 2: the Wizards Throne.

 

I sometimes play some Endless Space. But as you say, the story doesn't draw me in the same way Alpha Centauri did.

And I can't really play Civ games anymore.

 

I just got Endless space. I took a minute or two on the main screen looking for a campaign or story missions. Realizing there is none, I tried it out a bit. Seems polished enough, the UI isn't bad. Usually in these games its a pain in the ass to learn how to play it, but this looks quite straightforward. Alas its still lacking the draw of a game with a story. I think its good mod material, seeing as how you can make your own factions.

[HoonDing]

First game had a pretty Tolkienesque story & atmosphere depending on which path you took.

Sequels were just generic fantasy.

[NOK222]

 

 

First game had a pretty Tolkienesque story & atmosphere depending on which path you took.

 

I have fond memories of the hobbit army I built in the Shire like area of the first part of the game.