When the ideas were first put up for items in the Tech Tree being Random, I liked the idea. I was wrong. Tech trees should not be random, they should either be faction specific, and/or truly be able to specialize within trees. If I make a persoanl faction ow eak, but magical and research gifted Wraiths, plate armor is of no use to me and masterwork plate is of little use too. But maybe masterwork Chainmail would be?
I think we should scrap the 3 tree aproach, make one tree, but make different trees for every faction. But random is not the answer. Even putting everything on the tree and getting rid of random is better than leaving the randomness in.
I feel that we should start off with a lot more of the basic techs, like some basic armor, weapons, and being able to mine or farm, etc. Starting out with clubs and no armor feels boring. Very boring game to start. I would like techs to increase the quality of the items produced, not introduce them. I can build crude iron plate from early on, it's heavy, slow, but offers fair protection. Techs then improve the types of armor I can build. Maybe my Wraiths never learn plate armor of any kind. But they excel at light armor. Early light armor made from rough hides, to masterwork fine steel chainmail. Or maybe my powerful trogs never use light armor, they use thick bear hides and crude iron plate early on, but later develop masterwork steel plate later.
Champions.
Champions upgrades are too random and of too little importance. What is a trait that gives +2 to strength compared to going from a weapon with a 20 atk to one with 66? Nothing. Why does my mage character have only the choices of warrior type characters? I want champions to be different and become more different from each other with each level. And what does the +2 or +3 strength traits compare to the one that you get that gives +1 per level? Or the Champion gear that is easy to obtain that gives +1 to strength per level. The randomness of level upgrades is boring and there are too few choices. Less random, more design.
Gear.
A level 10 governor champion in Champion gear is far better than a normal level 10 warrior champion without Champion gear. And we can even build troops with that gear and sell it in our shops. Great gear should not be available to troops or for sale in the shop.
