On 25 July last year we published FOE Preview One. In that preview we showed you sections of the map that was going to make up the FOE campaign. This map, designed by our illustrious team leader, Muizer, is an extension of that used in our previous release, The Iberian Conflict (TIC), and covers the whole of the western Mediterranean which, at the time, was populated with 55 regions. However, things have changed significantly since then and it is time to give you an update on what we have planned for FOE. Today, FOE's campaign map is split between Major and Minor Regions, both having their own distinctive characteristics
There are still around fifty or or more of these, and they operate in pretty much the traditional manner, in that their settlements will have the full range of administrative, economic and cultural buildings available to them. They will require the usual amount of micromanagement as a wide range of buildings can be constructed and upgraded there. Settlements in a Major Region have the potential to generate wealth and troops for your empire, and strong walls to hide behind in times of trouble. Additionally, a Major Region can have one of three different types of settlement: normal - provincial capitals - capitals.Normal settlements will have access to all the usual administrative, economic, recreational, religious and military buildings and upgrades. Provincial Capitals will be the same as a normal settlement but with some additional bonuses. They will function as local administrative centres of culture or trade, and losing it will result in the loss of these bonuses. Capitals. The historical capital of a faction will not only enjoy all the benefits of a normal settlement and provincial capital, but will also have access to special buildings and bonuses. Lose this capital and you will get serious unrest all over your empire - it may even collapse entirely! So protect it well, because the AI will try its best to take your capital to finish you off! Another new feature is that the player will not be able to change the location of the Capital. Major Regions will be easily identifiable on the map, as the first letter of their settlement's name will be capitalised. For example, Rome, Carthage, Syracuse, Ambrakia.
Minor Regions are a completely new and exciting concept for FOE, and we hope that their addition will lend significant depth to the campaign. There will be around 80 of them on the map and they will be easily distinguishable from the Major Regions because their names will be all in lower case. For example (from the Central Italy - Rome map), cannae, beneventum, paestum. Minor regions are different because their settlements will be a lot smaller than those of a regular major region. We are still working on the exact details but they will have a distinct character (stronghold, agricultural centre, port etc.). While they will contribute financially and strategically to your empire, they cannot produce troops, nor can they upgrade their defences, so their security will depend on your nearest Major Settlement for their support and your ability to patrol your borders and maintain their integrity. Below are images taken from the latest version of the FOE map. We are hoping that these region and settlement changes, along with our other gameplay innovations, will bring you one of the most exciting and challenging campaigns that you will have played in a long time. As other of our new elements bear fruit, there may well be further mini-previews such as this - so keep tuning in to the RTR forums.
May 27, 2009, 08:22 PM
/ RTR VII: FOE Mini Preview - Regions
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