Map layers: Sky, Underwater, and Myrror

from Elemental Forums

I wish there are several map layers, e.g. Sky, surface, underground, & Myrror.

Sky Layer
-    Flying unit occupies the same XY spot for the Sky & Surface layer at the same time; so it can be attacked from Surface
-    Can see surface layer underneath.  Sky layer is around 5000m elevation

Cloud Tile
-    The only ‘ground’ tile on the Sky Layer (except, High Mountain tile and Tower of Babel can reach the Sky)
-    Units located on Cloud cannot be seen from Surface layer
-    Almost all structures, terrain types exist at other layer can be here (flying fortress, anyone?)
-    Some Cloud tiles can drift by Wind or wind magic

Surface Layer
-    Default layer for Human/Fallen & other races

Sea/Lake/Ocean/River tile
-    Normally located on the surface, but it can be on any layer
-    Units that have the “Dive X” ability is able move to the Underwater tiles below (if exist in the same XY spot) for X turns
-    On X+1 turn, unit dies if still underwater

Underground Layer
-    Units that have the “Drill” ability are able to punch a hole through soil (NOT rock), takes random 3-10 turns to drill.
-    Drilling builds a tunnel horizontally, or vertically through layers
-    Drilling to a Sea/Lake/Ocean/Underwater tile will cause flooding
-    There should be magic that removes soil, or even rock; earthquake, cracks call etc

Underwater tiles
-    It is considered Underwater tiles when a Sea/Lake/Ocean/River tile is located in Underground (or lower) layer
-    Units that have “Swim” or “Float” ability can move up layer(s), if physically possible
-    When there are swimming/floating units on the same XY on the layer above, shadow will be casted to its underwater tile

Abyss tile
-    Non-flying unit/artifact dies if fall (through a tunnel) to abyss
-    This tile can exist on any layer, but the XY spot on the lower layers must also be abyss.

Myrror layer or other creative ones can replace/complement a Hell layer

2,567 views 3 replies
Reply #1 from Elemental Forums Top

In what I'm pretty sure is his most recent dev journal, Brad used the adjective "land-based" rather strongly. I'm afraid that probably means little to no water or air action, other than thematically via the element-based magic.

We've also seen steady questions about Myrror-analogs since the forum opened. I try to read every dev post I can spot around here and I've not seen a direct response to the planes/moons/water/air/underground talk. That makes me suspect they either want nothing to do with that sort of complexity or they have a darned neat idea they want to keep under wraps until sometime during the public betas.

Reply #2 from Elemental Forums Top

What he said.

It's unfortunate, but that's the way the cookie crumbles.

It seems that while the graphics and interphase and "do-dads" become more complicated, the actual game play sort of shrinks to some degree.

On the other hand, as the Stone said, sometimes you don't get what you want, you get what you need. I have a feeling that this is going to be very good for fighting battles as envisioned in the Last Alliance in LOTR.

I was hoping that I would be able to take my battles underground against the illithids and dark creatures, and upinto the sky as well. Then later perhaps expansions that brought in other worlds (Riftwar Saga), or other planes of existence. For fantasy, the ability for the game to expand on all axis is amazing.

But it's Stardock, they don't make bad games. I'm excited to get whatever they put out, even if it doesn't fit my lack-of-budget imagination.

Ashes of the Singularity II
Reply #3 from Elemental Forums Top

well, a water expansion or other worldly expansion would be a great addition.  I mean of the scope of the current project does not allow for it.

 

Perhaps somebody will make a multi-layer mod that works pretty qucikly should stardock not have such a feature.