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Re: [PLUG] Re: Online game for Linux?
Edward Donahue III wrote:
I always enjoyed Quake, but I am really looking for a game along the
lines of warcraft, civilization, command and conquer.
I really enjoyed "Majesty: The Fantasy Kingdom Sim", which LGP ported to
Linux.
Main Page:
http://www.linuxgamepublishing.com/
Some Screenshots:
http://www.linuxgamepublishing.com/images/gamegraphics/8/screenshot7.jpg
http://www.linuxgamepublishing.com/images/gamegraphics/8/screenshot5.jpg
http://www.linuxgamepublishing.com/images/gamegraphics/8/screenshot8.jpg
It's a lot like WarCraft, with a few big differences:
Autonomous Units:
Your heroes/grunts do what they want to do based on their own internal
motivations. You can't click on a guy and tell him to go somewhere.
The best you can do is set a reward for going somewhere or for killing
some monster. If the reward gets high enough, any hero will go for it,
regardless of natural inclination.
At first, this sounds frustrating, but once I got used to it, I found it
a lot more satisfying than WarCraft's micro-management. Instead of
standing around waiting for orders, my rangers would be out exploring
the board, rogues stealing treasure from enemy castles (or my own
buildings!), warriors hunting, healers healing, adepts patrolling,
peasants repairing damaged buildings or helping other peasants build,
etc. Furthermore, my spell-casters cast on their own with no recharge
necessary. As I learned what different kinds of heroes like to do, I
got better at planning and ended using fewer and fewer rewards to get
things done.
Units party up on their own:
Once you play for a while, you notice that different units tend to
follow and support each other. For example, healers love to follow
warriors around and heal them any time they get hurt, which helps them
face down some pretty tough competition. Rangers and Wizards love to
follow Barbarians. When they find a target, the rangers shoot it up
with arrows, the wizards pummel it with fireballs, and the barbarians
rush in to finish it off. Cultists charm lots of animals and fill your
town with friendly monsters that will fight on your behalf.
Priestesses of Krypta spawn friendly skeletons and charm enemy undead.
Healers plant herbs that rangers can use to make healing potions.
Cultists plant poisonous herbs that rogues can use to poison weapons,
etc. Overall, it is a lot of fun to plan and coordinate, forcing you to
focus on long-term strategy as well as battle tactics.
Local economy instead of resource mining:
Most of your buildings generate income over time, which is collected by
your tax collectors (whom monsters love to kill). Marketplaces
generate the most, and you can build farflung trading posts that will
send them periodic caravans with lots of loot. Elves sing in your inns
and set up Elven Lounges (brothels) that attract twice as much money to
your kingdom. (Of course, if you go with elves, you can't recruit
dwarves or gnomes, both of which have their own special talents). Most
money you give your heroes through rewards will end up right back in
your economy through the marketplaces and blacksmiths, unless they lose
it in an elven lounge or gambling hall.
~-~
It was a bit expensive to order from England, but ended up being a
bargain for the hundreds of hours I spent playing. Plus, I'm happy to
support their cause. :)
Cheers,
Erin
PS. IMO, the downloadable demo was pretty weak and unsatisfying compared
to the full game.
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