Items required for recruitment?

[sparrowhawk]

I was thinking that certain lords (randomly set per game maybe) would not accept being recruited by you unless you gave them a certain magical item (a sword say). These items would be randomly placed at liths, henges etc.

More than one lord could want the same item, to make things more interesting.

How does this sound?

[Matija]

It sounds really great.

[sparrowhawk]

Just moving on from initial thoughts:

If 2 (or more) lords want the same item, what happens to the other lords when one gets it?

My thinking is that they somehow know who has it and tell you to get it off them:

"Lords Dregrim refuses to join your cause until you bring him the Bow of Alidriel. The Bow of Alidriel is currently held by Kokith the Faithful"

Not sure what happens when the person who holds it is an ally, ie:

Lords 1,2 and 3 all want item A

Lord 4 gets item A and gives it to Lord 1.

Now, realistically, given all the fuss Lord 1 has made about wanting item a, he is hardly likely to hand it over in order to be able to recruit Lords 2 and 3.

Maybe in this situation, only Lord 1, the item holder, can recruit Lords 2 and 3?

Uh oh! I feel like I am making it difficult for myself again!

[sparrowhawk]

Alternatively, who currently holds the bow can be gleaned from Guidance - seeking lord Korkith, you should look at the Keep of the Moon. Korkith the Faithful holds the Bow of Alidriel".

Also the Ahead and Here buttons would give this info too

[Ringthane]

One thought only. Who will have time for questing when there's a whole load of militaria to take care of and enemies chasing your hide away?

[queex]

I think 'collect something to recruit' would make an entirely different game. Perhaps there could be a game mode where you have to do that, but you might need to start with more lords in order for it to remain fun.

Or perhaps only citadel lords require such persuasion?

[sparrowhawk]

It would only be a handful, not the whole lot. That really would be too longwinded!

[celebaglar]

I think you need to very careful indeed about inserting features like this, because they radically change the gameplay.

The only way something like this would work without breaking the game would be if the dragons became as powerful and resilient as in the original LoM, but needed to be won over with such items. Doing it with ordinary lords would need a major revision of the recruitment system, such as turning it into a point based one. (i.e. if the recruiter's recruitment points are above the threshold required by the recruited lord, then the recruitment is possible, otherwise not - the items could boost recruiments points when carried)

[sparrowhawk]

Don't worry, it's just a proposal (there he goes again! ;D)

Your idea re the dragons is a good one. Gives weaker players a chance to even the odds with a late find. The dragins would probably have to refuse entry onto their squares by neutrals who don't have the item, otherwise a strong lord could squat in the same location this preventing the pitter patter of tiny feet from getting through with the object.

Very well, Master Celebaglar, it's very clear what you mean. Jean-Yves the silly coder started this and Jean-Yves the silly coder had better finish it, or himself. No more changes!

(to very badly paraphrase a classic!)

[celebaglar]

I'm not against changes, but I think you need to be careful with them.

If you want to make the dragons into the last chance saloon, you could have the items needed for recruiting them appear gradually through the game, say every 10 turns, with none of them being available for the first 10 turns.

Then, the items would be locatable with Guidance, but you wouldn't know which item is for which dragon until you tried recruiting the dragon.

Just an idea, of course.

[sparrowhawk]

I was only joking Bill

Actually your concerns are very valid. I tend to get ideas and throw them about, that's what this sub-forum is about I suppose. It good to have the voice of reason to point out the flaws! ;D

In any case, magical items is quite a bit of extra work, so it' s probably a post-1.0 feature anyway.

[Old Shendemiar]

I dont like the idea of items needed for recruitment.

Items could enhance movement, battle or courage but not recruitment.

[Ringthane]

The Runes of xxx whose power is in defence (added "fortify")
The Crown of yyy whose power is in persuasion (no time penalty recruiting)
The Spell of zzz whose power is in swiftness
The Sword of Muhaha whose power is in battle (flamethrower)

[Matija]

Yes, those woud be nice.