I have completed implementing terrain modification.
As you can see on the screenshots below, the terrain tool as a UI giving you informations of how to use it and cost prediction. Once you’re happy with your modifications and validate, the modified tiles become marked. At this point, the process is free.
Then, each tile will be worked gradually with time, actually consuming the required tools and coins as it goes.
I’ve also implemented platforms.
Their creation and tool is similar to terrain modification. You first plan and preview your work and then validate the task, which creates marked tiles that are gradually modified one by one ( also the task can be cancelled just by deleting these marked tiles ).
Once a platform is built, its acts almost like a any tile of terrain. You may actually build any infrastructure on it, but also buildings.
Each platform can be built as a bloc, or a bridge letting units pass beneath ( though the logic and pathfinding parts arnt implemented yet ).
Here you can see a bridge over water with a house built on it. So you may now build a Venice if you feel like it.
Another example of platforms used as defensive walls. Next thing i’m working on : you’ll be able to build actual defensive buildings ( towers ) and infrastructures ( battlements ) on these. These defensive things will only be buildable on platforms.
Currently there is 2 types of platforms. These will be very expensive to build, especially the stone one. But also very time consuming.
The wooden one will have little defensive value but will be faster to build, so best for bridges and things like that.
Below you can see a leveled rocky hill fortified with stone platforms.
A stone platform costs 5 stone blocs, so building a “castle” like this will be quite expensive.
Functional terrain with plateforms ? Oh great. I tought we’d only have walls, in a Stronghold-style probably.
Will the old wooden-walls be removed or not ? At least for esthetics, I would advice to keep them.
But they’ll be less useful than a castle like this one. Am I wrong to see 2 layers of plateforms one on top of the other ?
I’ll agree with Oink, sieges are a mark of the greek warfare of the antiquity (and not only them). Having them in the game would be nice.
In a medieval2 total-war (and probably others games of the series, but I mostly know med2) fashion maybe ? Spend a certain time besieging the town, you’ll finish to win without battle, unless the defender choose to attack and break the siege.
Or, for me : how to take cities with only calavery and no siege weapons. 😛
This platform tool will give players the ability to design really unique cities. I’m going to spend hours trying to figure out how to maximize the defense of my castles ^^
By the way, will it be possible for an invader to set up a long term siege (and wait for the defender to give up because of attrition) rather than directly rushing the fortress?
Yes, with a penalty. I’m planning that enemy units will be able to climb platforms or cliffs using ladders that will appear leaning on the blocs. It will obviously require time making the unit vulnerable, probably combined with other penalties.
Thanks for the update. Question: will attackers be able to climb terrain?