3d Maps

from Elemental Forums

I was reading under the post about flying structres (cities/castles/etc...) and I had an idea.

I know in the original MoM one of the many things that made it interesting was the fact that there were two game worlds per map connected with the Towers of Sorcery. I understand that does not make any since in Elemental, but I did consider the strategic complexity of it as interesting. That being the fact that you didn't simply have your own borders to worry about, your borders existed in other directions, making it more interesting.

For instance, think of the land map as a 2d map. It's played on a flat level with moves etc. However if flying areas were implemented, or even better, possibly Underdark elements, the map would then become 3d instantly. If caves also were intrances to the underdark then you would have additional problems in early game. Late game with flying and the colonization of the sky with flying cities would be similar to Civilization when you get access to Galleons and find the remaining continents. Perhaps even races could be implemented to take advantage of those environments (Dark Elves/Illithids/Dwarves for Underdark) or (Cloud Giants, Winged Elves). Actually the underdark portion lends itself a lot better to the idea now that I think of it. Cities in the clouds are neat to think about but civilizations that have nothing to do with the earth... hard to imagine.

I think this is most likely something that could not be implemented in the first game, it seems to large, but perhaps later. It would make for an interesting expansion. I know in most D&D literature surface dwellers are always having problems with things crawling out of the depths.

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Reply #1 from Elemental Forums Top

 

I agree and think it's a great idea...  I haven't suggested this since it's probably a big project to provide such a realistic fantasy world, probably larger than any current suggestions.   I would love to see many different levels for the Elemental realm as you've suggested.

A section of caves could exist inside a mountain range allowing one player to choose sending his attacking army thru the caves, hiking across the mountains or using magic and/or flying units sending his attack over the mountains on the clouds.   On a similiar note battles and movement at sea could be done underwater for aquatic travelers/units as well as on the surface of the water for sea vessels carrying land units.

Reply #2 from Elemental Forums Top

actually, i seem to recall reading that the MOM sequel which never saw the light of day was going to have 6 dimensions instead of just 2.   also, AOW-SM had something similar with a Shadowworld level that could be accessed via certain points on the map along with underground maps, therefore effectively having 3 levels.

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Reply #3 from Elemental Forums Top

I'm a supporter of many dimensions.   I feel that the number of dimensions should be able to include sky/ground (HoMM, AoW, Advance Wars: Duel-strike) as well as multiple worlds of existance (MoM, Cave Wars, Ragnorak).   Why wouldn't that make sense in Elemental?   It makes as much sense as it did in MoM.   They wouldn't even have to be parallell dimensions, but rather just other worlds in the same universe that were both touched by the cataclysm.

I think the  dungeons are to act as that seperate level of depth from which monsters and things are going to be crawling.   So  far we have seen no sign of multiple worlds of elemental.

Reply #4 from Elemental Forums Top

Another idea that I think would be interesting, and problably easier to implement would be multiple worlds.

Anyone read the Riftwar saga by Raymond Feist? That type of thing, tying the worlds together.

Again, I cannot see getting any of this in the first game, but perhaps in an expansion would be interesting.

I still think that the underground emires would be far more interesting. Excellent choke points as caves and other such endeavors, but all of this smacks of expanion terrotory. I'll be happy if we get exactly what is advertised.

But it is fun to imagine, although I do HOPE that flying castles etc... come out in the original game.

Reply #5 from Elemental Forums Top

Civilization II: Test of Time had this. In its fantasy campaign you could send units to the surface world (where everyone starts), the cloud world, the undersea world, and the underworld. Some units could change between worlds at will or build an access to other areas, but most had to find (or use a built) access to change from one to another.

Civilization: Call to Power did something similar with surface, underwater, and space areas. In this instance though some units could attack directly between levels (orbital bombardment FTW).

 

I wouldn't say pre-designed world levels should be a high priority though. I'd say it's  enough if they make it so we can easily mod in different Z levels.

Reply #6 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting Leonon, reply 5
I'd say it's  enough if they make it so we can easily mod in different Z levels.

Very important and great suggestion

Reply #7 from Elemental Forums Top

Yes, anything that is included shoud in my book be moddable. I love the idea of Z levels as they can keep you fighting on multiple fronts, but I want to see something more than just a series of entry and exit squares on maps. Maybe something like a semi-duality(am I using that tem correctly?) where some things (although not all) either show up on two maps or are opposite. I.e. where there is a deasert in the light world there is a lake in the dark world, and so on. Might be a bit hard to code into a random-map gemerator, but knowing the peiople at SD, they can do it.