Let me tell you a terrible truth you learn with age. You look around and great things you take for granted are suddenly gone and you can't get them back. You have a core group of complainers that edge out those that don't agree and are not willing to spend their time to be heard. Don't let them get you disgusted with what you have accomplished. Modding for those that like what you already have would be nice before you bow to those that have no life but to bend you to their will.
Fixing city spam.....D-u-u-u-u-h.....play on tiny.
Large is for those that want a epic scale. Yes a city page would be nice but don't hamstring the game because whiners don't understand the concept that too big is for those that like it to hurt. The biggest problem with distant cities around a single resource is the lack of attacks. Make me fight for it. I try to be scared of 4 monster groups around a outpost but they are not going to attack. Local monsters should attack till I wipe them out. Large is SUPPOSED to have too many cities or it is not Large. When it does not I will shake my private parts in your general direction. I think the whole food and city spam issue is that you have been listening to the wrong people so long that you have forgotten what you wanted to do to start with. Their complaints about too much on the largest hardest levels should make you smile and sigh how happy you are with your work. I think mods to deal with these issues would be better. You should be dropping the hammer on this vain complaint.
Food mod....I often rely on brilliance for up to half of my tech points as I refuse to trade gilders for them. I would not mind being forced to rely on natures bounty but it would crush the expanse rate without a way to up manna production. Not always a bad thing. However I would not want to be locked in a single style of play. A starvation mod would let me stop if it did not appeal to me or a food mod to put it back the way it is if you change things.
Doom stacks against the AI....Anyone complaining is simply foolish. There will ALWAYS be a simple way to stomp the AI until you hamstring the game to the point it is not worth playing. This is good for the beginners to have a easy way to win. Not all problems should be fixed till you have a good fix. What they want is epic battles. What they should get in the short term is epic cheats for the AI at higher levels.... maybe a murderous mod for the hard core.
Winning on Ridiculous.....Generally not worth the effort and I don't usually bother. However let me tell what you are doing wrong. CHEAT MORE!
1. All AI leaders get out fitted for free with the best they have researched. Upgraded after every advance. Treaty up for good stuff from neutrals. Throw some nasty items in. These guys should be scary. Don't fear the summoned, fear the summoner.
2. Let it rain EX points. If Players keep up with the AI then up the bonuses.
3. Give all AI leaders magic for free.
4. All AI leaders get protection first thing. As soon as they can cast a buff they get it for free.
5. As soon as a AI leader can cast a summon spell they get the monster for free. Short reload time to reup the ones killed. Players are supposed to lose at the hardest level. If this is too easy then add protection and buffs. The wife in the capital takes on a new meaning.
6. AI leaders should get their best archer unit for free.......protect and buff it for free.
7. Why not buff ALL combat units under a leader? Those poor soldiers need help against players.
8. Capital and big city defense........AIs teleport a big army in for free....with magic points topped off for battle. Then let them complain how easy it is. What it is still easy????...If you kick that first army then every leader with a army should teleport to the capital and combine. You have to kick every swinging dick to take and keep the capital.
9. Where is the Calvary? I want fast AI raiding parties that avoid battle against close to same size or larger armies while burning every resource site to be found. If they can't buy them then give them for free. It won't matter. Wait.....wait.....Monsters doing the same thing till I get troops in a city to fight them off. If that monster can't take my city then he better be burning that library and laying siege. This is why you have city spam to start with. TAME the wilderness. Shoot...building a outpost should spawn monsters to bedevil it. I want to need patrols.
10. Throw some random events in like armies to attack the players with. If a player can't fight off 3 or 4 stacks then he doesn't deserve a peace treaty.
11. Speaking of treaties.....Why are AIs not calling in other AIs for help when I attack? I take some one out I want everyone to send a few armies to let me know they are not happy with my warmongering. If I win the battles then the offer peace treaties. Spawn those armies for free if you have to but get me my armies.
12. Their armies having hundreds of hit points to my 40 is tedious. I would like to see the buffs and protections route tried out in a mod.
UNDERSTAND.....they play the top level to be abused so abuse them. Slap them till they beg for mercy then slap them some more. They like it. They are complaining because you are too nice. Hurt them till they thank you and let the whiners go play easy level.
If you build the mod they will down load it................Most of what I read about planned changes should be offered in mods so they can be mixed and matched.
NO...I don't understand late game. The games don't last that long for me. I prefer armies over summoned just to make it harder. If you don't want to hard wire it into the game then put out a mod. I like most everything you have done. But you are too nice. Make a CHEATING mod with cheats and bonuses for the poor helpless AI. Make a mod for when you hamstring the game for the whiners because I like the way the game plays now. That is not to say I won't like what you come up with. Don't simply throw away all the hard work you have already done.
