I like a certain amount of randomness, but this is a strategy game, and thus we need a degree of predictability or else it is impossible to form coherant sgtrategies.

The main thing that would help with this, IMHO, is more quests and random / gameplay driven events. If you have a much larger quest pool, you will have greater variety. Random events can help drive gameplay, and gameplay can help drive events.

Techs:

- Some of the techs are random, or at least less predictable than most, and will require you to spend a lot of research to reach them.

Items:

- I don't support the random items in stores. If I researched a tech there is no reason the appropriate item will not be available.

- I think random magical items that are found on quests and can be used only by champions can help.

AI, Agenda and personality:

- Hell yes! I think it should be chosen like the diff level, but the option to randomness should be given. However, I don't think that can be added to the game before the basic AI issues are fixed.

Random spells:

- Generally, that's a good idea, tested in other previous games, but I'd wait to see what changes will be added to the spells in 1.1 before considering if the option is good for elemental too.

In the current state, there just aren't enough spells or variety in them to start randomly removing.

I played through maybe 10 games of Elemental so far (I kind of lost interest, but not hope) and they were all pretty much the same. Having mountains and water in different places is not enough to create a unique feel to each game if everything else is plodding along the same course. (Not hating on the game, I like the game and have bought multiple copies, just want to see it become better)

I already know what equipment I want and what to research to get it. I don't need to mix up that strategy for any reason because It's not like Galciv where the AI starts researching the defenses against your strengths or anything. Not to say Galciv is the perfect example of what this game should be either. Just pointing out that I'm doing the same things every game because it always works. I'm not adapting to anything and nothing is adapting to me.

Also there are very few unknown elements, so not really any surprises. What I mean by this is that all the NPCs are pretty much the same in terms of the impact they have for the faction that hires them. You don't see a particular guy associated with another faction and think, "Oh crap! They have so-and-so! I need to do this thing over here or I'm done!" or you dont see someone wielding a particular weapon or armor and think, "Oh, I am in trouble now! He found the Sword of Judgement!" (or whatever).

No, instead I found myself falling back to Heroes III and wondering why that is. What makes me able to play this particular game over and over and not this other one which is similar conceptually? It's that it feels different every time. Every hero has a noticeable impact and there are items which are unique and potent enough to shift your strategy to be in line with it's strengths. You also don't get those same heroes and items every time, so there is that randomness as well.

If there were NPCs in Elemental with abilities like "Does double damage with Ice spells" or "Makes all spells cost double MP" or "Shoots twice if wielding a bow" things that REALLY effect the outcome of a battle or the way you play the game, I think things would immediately become more interesting. Some of the randomness is already there, it just doesn't matter because they don't really affect the game that much. So randomness is one part and I guess the other part of it is impact?

But it IS available immediately.

The second you get the tech to produce an item, you can also create a group that carries that item. It doesn't make sense that you can create units with that item anywhere, but not have the same item available for champions.

I can understand if you don't want the item to appear if there are no resources (for example, buying a horse without any horse resources), but that is a non-random limitation.

When it comes to item shopping, some people suggested that you can buy items only inside cities and not just in friendly areas.

There was also suggestion to reduce prices of certain items if you have a building in the city (like a blacksmith that reduces weapon and armor cost by 20%).

While some think it will help the game by adding realism and role playing elements, others (including myself) think that it adds unnecessary complexity, forcing the player to waste turns for getting in and out for every upgrade. I believe that this is a strategy game with RPG elements, not the other way around.

Anyway, the suggestion of randomizing the prices takes it to places that even pure RPG games rarely go to. Do you realize that it will require me to wonder around the empire just to buy a lousy sword in a decent price?

Buildings effecting the price? Debatable. Randomized prices? Bad.

I don't think the limitation should be complete. Similar to what was done in AoWSM and MoM, most spells are available, but especially in a higher level some spells will be missing.

Each element still has it's strength and weaknesses over the other elements, but the randomized spells add a variety for the more powerful spells.

In this game, it is currently pointless since all elements are more or less the same, with only minor differences.

Take any two elements, remove 20% random spells from each each of them, and try that several times.

How many times will you need to "roll the dice" to change your strategy? in most cases, it will just be slightly different variation of offensive spells, summons and buffs, but since they are all more or less the same strength, the random choice will mean nothing.

It worked in AoW because there really was a difference between the spells, but if the random result will give you almost identical spells, why bother?

This is a good change, and will add randomness to the game, but it is only meaningful after a big changes in the spells department.