From: Kevin O'Keefe <kevin@okeefe.u-net.com>
A while ago (it seems such a long time ago now), Clint asked about
changes/improvements to ME scenarios.One thing I'd like changing, if possible, (apart from changing the word
'Fall' to 'Autumn' on the turn report) is randomising the
unclaimed game
artifact numbers in 1650?The ROW becomes number 98 for example?
How difficult would it be for you guys to do this? It makes
it a bit more
interesting I think, and stops the ROW being in Elrond's hands
by turn 4!
I think this will cause huge changes in how the game is played. Both nations
(free and dark) spend the early turns looking (and getting) those wonderful
items. In the two 4th age game that i've played in, neither side showed the
same focus on locating items (since they didn't know if the item was worth
the effort). In 4th age, it was basically move over emissaries to found
camps, and if an encounter was there we send over a good character (normally
a mage or commander) to pick it up.
If the items numbers are made random, then people will not be able to locate
and pick them up.
That then means that characters have to rely on their natural abilities to
perform actions. In 4th age the natural ability wasn't that critical since
you designed your natural ability, but in 1650 (and especially 1650), your
natural ability is fixed (just look at the harad in 1650).
I think the rapid pickup of the items add an extra surprise to the game (in
a recent 2950 we loaded a few good agent items to a crappy startup agent,
and really surprised the enemy who actually said 'so and so can't kill
people before turn 10, and then got shot between the eyes by that agent').
And the fixed item numbers favour the team that works together to locate
true and pick them up.
In your case elrond might locate the item, but it might be anywhere in the
map. The free need to work as a team to get the nearest player to pick it
up. And since the DS are doing the same thing, it becomes a race to see
which side can organise with their allies the best. And I'm all for things
that favour a side that works together.
So while random items numbers in 4th age are great, i'm against it when the
character stats are fixed (since basically I need the items to provide some
suprises in the characters abilities).
thanks
m
p.s actually i'm my 1650 and 2950 games the DS get the ROI more often than
not.
ยทยทยท
just a thought
Kev
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