Mac_Biodiesel
Member
posted 02-07-13 09:56 AM
EDT (US)
3 / 104
I would be disappointed with fewer races than what AOW1 has. The variety is great, I think!
Nimretil
Member
posted 02-07-13 10:02 AM
EDT (US)
4 / 104
Where is this information from by the way? I haven't find anything on races yet.
Actually I think this rpg style leader stuff is a really good idea. Why coudn't undead be good? Undead is a creature that had died and then returned to "life". It doesn't need to be evil.
Nimretil
Member
posted 02-07-13 10:40 AM
EDT (US)
6 / 104
Actually in Sacred 2 there is a "good" playable undead unit. Haarhus becomes good again at the end in Disciples 3. There are many good vampires as well. Being good is not only an option for the living.
The Harlequin
Member
posted 02-07-13 11:44 AM
EDT (US)
8 / 104
Fewer races don't bother me at all. If anything, with fewer races, they have the chance to make them even more distinct and personal than before. I'm fine with it.
Draxynnic
Member
posted 02-07-13 04:47 PM
EDT (US)
12 / 104
Yeah, Angel is definitely a special case. There are other examples of undead that aren't evil, though - for instance, the Nehekarans in the Warhammer:Fantasy setting were brought to unlife by a lich's curse, but that lich was interrupted before he could assert control. As a result, the now-undead Nehekarans have much the same outlook as they did in life - those that were evil in life still are, but the same can be said about those who were neutral or good.
Back more on topic, it is an observation of mine that the undead's position in AoW cosmology seems to have been steadily defanged. In AoW1, they were the armies of the abyss - in -2, they were simply the playthings of death wizards who weren't necessarily themselves evil ('alignment' in the AoW2 story generally seemed to have more to do with which races would serve you then what side you were actually on). AoW3, then, could be a case where the magic used to animate them can do so without necessarily turning them evil - although I would hope that the legions of hell from AoW1 do still exist somewhere.
Leonaru
Member
posted 02-08-13 08:39 AM
EDT (US)
17 / 104
I expect:
Humans
Elves
Dwarfes
Goblins
Orcs
Undead
Halfings
Frostlings (we need one snow-based race)
I can see these being in as well:
Archons (maybe not as a full race)
Draconians
Dark Elves
Lizards (because everyone loves them. Mostly)
I don't expect:
Tigrans
Nomads
Shadow Demons
Syrons
Azcrac
bam65
Member
posted 02-08-13 09:32 AM
EDT (US)
20 / 104
I wouldn't expect to see lizardmen AND draconians, they're too close to being the same.
balance11
Member
posted 02-08-13 12:05 PM
EDT (US)
22 / 104
.. and yes, Frostlings / Azracs / Lizardmen (i e snow / desert / swamp races) are definitely welcome, some of them possibly as DLC.
Continuing the 'undead archon' disscussion: my humble question to developers:
Would AOW-3 be flexible enough to allow a conservative one (like me) to avoid all that heretic zombie-angel stuff? At least in single scenarios / multiplayer? Can I obtain a kind of classical set of units / races like AOW-1 by setting starting conditions, like leader type or something else? I think it could be a good solution - to give player a choice.
bam65
Member
posted 02-08-13 02:25 PM
EDT (US)
23 / 104
I don't mind stepping outside conventional boundaries like with undead angels(or whatever) as long as there's a difference between them and say...goblin angels? But if these classes(?) like angels are all just going to be the same no matter what the race I don't see the point.
ArkhanTheBlack
Member
posted 02-08-13 02:39 PM
EDT (US)
25 / 104
Actually a zombie angel isn't exactly new, but it's usually called a fallen angel or an angel of death. Though normally it's pretty evil.
In general I support the idea that every 'race' can be good, neutral or evil, but I think they shouldn't get overboard and ignore the character of a race. A goblin 'lawfull good' angel is something that goes a bit too much against the 'style' of the race I think. Good Goblins should be more chaotic, kind of koboldish like the halflings race in AOW2, with some wild fairy stuff and such.
The only realistic undead 'race' I could imagine would be something like the Calabim in FFH2, a human nation ruled by a vampire aristocracy. They could definitely be good with some kind of children of the night theme. Dark angels in gothic look that belong to a moon cult instead of the sun, kind of like the Night Elves in Warcraft. They would be the keepers of the night, while the normal angels are keepers of the light. Examples would be Selene (Kate Beckinsale) in the Underworld movie or Suigintou of the Rozen Maiden anime.
What I really don't want to see are undead angels of light:
Undead angel of light: "Oh, my fellow brethren, watch my holy light!"
Undead followers: WOOOOOOSSSSHHHHHH (Crumble to dust)
Undead angel of light: "WTF???... Oops, I've forgotten that light kills them..."
Tomipapa
Member
posted 02-08-13 06:18 PM
EDT (US)
29 / 104
from the official forum:
The Archons suffered an ironic fate: what they fought, they have become.
For me that means no archons will be in AoW 3. This would explain the undead bone giant wearing greek/roman like armor.
ArkhanTheBlack
Member
posted 02-08-13 06:37 PM
EDT (US)
30 / 104
So the undead in AOW3 are kind of Ermor Broken/Ashen Empire in Dom3?
Hmm, I hope they come up with a believable story for this...
Leonaru
Member
posted 02-09-13 08:22 AM
EDT (US)
31 / 104
I can see the undead being the remains of the archons on the Blessed Continent, whereas the uncorrupted majority has moved back to heaven (?). It would fit, as the archons had two shticks: Fighting undead and bringing the Age of Humans. Now that the humans are in charge, they should also do the job of fighting the undead.
vicbrother
Member
posted 02-09-13 11:18 AM
EDT (US)
33 / 104
The races from AoW:SM were ok: Every landscape with a good and an evil race is a good concept.
But please: The halflings were too weak! I my opinion it needs more abillities like carmouflage in all terrains and abillities in far fight. Take a look in MoM: Halflingsrush with slingers was a good strategy there.
hatifnat
Member
posted 02-09-13 04:49 PM
EDT (US)
36 / 104
Thanks for the comments Narvek. Can you confirm if my assumptions regarding Archon being a leader type are correct?
Also, when do you think the number of races will be officially announced?
cheers,
borat321
Member
posted 02-09-13 06:06 PM
EDT (US)
37 / 104
So, no archron/highmen? Was one of my fav races.
balance11
Member
posted 02-09-13 09:17 PM
EDT (US)
38 / 104
It seems the Elfs now are going to be very much alike former archons / highmen. Notice that toll men in white and also the following phrase from the announcement: 'Court of the High Elves, founded after the reunion of the Dark Elves and Wood Elves'. So in deed the last two fractions are gone, not the highmen.
Raffa50
Member
posted 02-10-13 04:09 AM
EDT (US)
39 / 104
i'm happy if there where aow:SM races...
i don't think that aow 3 need new races...
(maybe magma race... monsters made of lava, or thecnos = robots)
vicbrother
Member
posted 02-10-13 04:49 AM
EDT (US)
40 / 104
Animal people with centaur, minotaur,... would be nice in the woods.
Two races for the sea with penalties in the desert would be cool too.
Leonaru
Member
posted 02-16-13 03:31 AM
EDT (US)
46 / 104
Well, I guess I'll just wait a year anyway and then get the game's complete edition.
Draxynnic
Member
posted 02-16-13 04:08 AM
EDT (US)
47 / 104
Here's a crazy thought that struck me earlier today. I'm not sure I think this is something I actually want to happen, but it could certainly fit the evidence (namely, that we've seen signs of both orcs and draconians):
In Age of Wonders 1, orcs worshiped red dragons. In Age of Wonders 2, this link appears to have been lost with the red dragons moving to join their draconian kin and orcs got the Gluttons instead - a creature that has received mixed reviews at best. What if by the time of Age of Wonders 3 the dragons recultivated their former relationship with the orcs, bringing both the orcs and draconians under their wings as one faction?
If this was the case, this would generate the following list of races, which would cover most if not all of what we've identified so far:
Humans
Elves (unified)
Dwarfs
Goblins (including trolls)
Orcs (including draconians)
Undead (including former archons)
ArkhanTheBlack
Member
posted 02-16-13 04:27 AM
EDT (US)
48 / 104
So that's pretty much 5 races since Orcs and Goblins are almost identical. Actually, I hoped for some more unique race like the Tyrani...um Shadow Demons, Beastmen (nothing beats a cool minotaur) or Lizards/Draconian. Well, maybe it's possible to mod Goblins to something cooler like Gnolls or Beastmen.