I'd add:

11) Terrain that matters more - for example all units except Frostlings and other snow creatures should move slower on snow
12) Sub-races - cities of the same races with different sets of buildable units
13) Maximum number of players at least 12 (like in AoW1)
14) More things exposed to modding, maybe even some kind of limited source code access (like Civ4)
15) Music by Michiel van den Bos (possibly including new versions of the AoW1 tunes)

the problem is since many years that graphics seem to be the most important thing in gaming.
For certain games this might be true but I couldnīt care less than graphics (as long as they have a level which was actual at the beginning of this decade ) as long as the game offers enough possibilities and of course a good AI if possible.
A buddy of mine keeps advertising Kings Bounty to me very stoically (in fact he gave me the CD already some weeks ago and keeps asking whether I had started it but I have no time for another game and also little motivation.
But he keeps telling me the AI was apparantly extremly clever and I tend to believe him because both of us have been playing TBS games for more than 2 decades now starting with games that were even older than good old Warlords I...
Maybe Iīll give it try once, heīs already playing part 2...

Yea when I said better graphics I did not mean to imply super high-end; just something that renders a bit more clearly. Not sure if it should be polygon based or whatever; but for a game like aow it really doesn't need to be full 3d. Some games I think have nice perfectly adequate graphics include civ 4; king bounty; titan quest. Some of it is art; disciples 3 has up-to-date graphics I suppose but I don't much care for them; I just want things to be rendered clearly on large monitors with perhaps the ability zoom as player sees appropriate (this is trivial if polygon based). I like the mechanics of AOW series and hope they don't go overboard with diplomacy and similar. There are games for that (civ 4/5) sort of play. What made AOW shine was tactical combat which not so many games have these days (kb series). I find the tatical combat of homm v and disc 3 rather poor.

hum de dum dum dum....

I wonder if anyone other than Swolte and Chowguy would notice who I am... *grins*

So, AoW on Steam, GOG and Impulse eh.. (All of which I have...good grief)

my only question remains: So, how would I go about turning a pre-patched AOW into 1.00 so we can do the whole "Putting overland items underground" trick back again?

Also, how do I get off this damn boat? :P

P.S. Great to see the community is still alive and kicking after all these years... It's hard to believe I was a high school kid when I started playing this game... yeesh. Now I feel old.

Edit: Holy cow, according to my profile page the last time I logged in here was in... 2007... *whistles*

Edit 2: Oh and BTW, for those who are still worried about GoG, it was a hoax. Your downloads are safe

[This message has been edited by Blackmane (edited 10-22-2010 @ 05:15 AM).]

He's aliveee!

Quoted from Swolte:

He's aliveee!

Well, yeah. You know how hard it is to keep a good necromancer down.

Welcome back though.

Just poking around buds hehe. I've got too much on my plate from moving to Japan (just moved slightly over 2 months ago) to be doing much gaming right now.

I've got too much on my plate from moving to Japan (just moved slightly over 2 months ago)

So you finally made it huh? I recall you saying on ICQ that that was one of your "big goals in life." And now you've reached it - so, how old does that make you feel? :evilgrin:

Um, yes, I remember you... long time no see! How's El?

Chow: Bloody old now that I'm here *grins wryly* Most of these other people who made it with me are around 21 to 23 damnit. *laughs* Gods, ICQ. That's a longass time ago man...

I still remember my number for it even.

Beren: hi there! Nice to see the RP forum is still kicking (As is the inn haha) Ehh... things didn't work out. Moved on You?

Why not develop a RPG based on the Plot of AOW1?