New Mod Idea: Disaster Events (Plagues from Mordor, Mining Accidents for the Dwarves...)

[Mank]

I was wondering what the community feels like about adding disasters into the TATW universe. I know from lore that plagues were sent from Mordor to ravage Gondor, so would people enjoy the added difficulty of having a few "disaster events" added into the game?

A few ideas for this I've thought of:

- Plagues from Mordor (could potentially affect all good factions)
- Mine collapse/ Earthquake (if playing dwarves)
- Floods and Storms (around the elven bay and also the mouth of the anduin)

These could be made to be random and also faction specific (in terms of where they happen), so if anyone likes the basic concept please feel free to share any ideas you might like to see in this mod!

If the community likes the idea I'll be sure to make it happen!

[knight of meh]

Dragon Fueled forest fires in the Dale /erebor/northern Mirkwood area

maybe causing devestation or hitting population or trade or something haven't really thought this through ... i will be back

[Flinn]

everything that adds lore and depth to the game would be welcomed, still I think one should be careful, due to balancing reasons, and not push such events in one direction only (good factions)

some positive events would be nice to see too, help form the eagles for example, which fits well with lore too.

If I will come out with more ideas I will share them

F

[FireFreak111]

I would stay against a Plague, simulating that realistically via script would be performance consuming and laborious. Mine collapse could work, with random chances of varying intensity. These should be rare, or they become repetitive. It would happen for Orcs and Dwarves in the mountains (orcs get 'tunnel collapse' message instead).

Events for evil factions, rouge orcs (not for Mordor where the will of Sauron is present, but for mountain orc factions). Spiders in Mirkwood could be one (affects orc and elves), dunland raids for Rohan.

There are some built in disaster functions in the game, for flash floods, volcanos, earthquakes and disease, IMO only flash floods would be worth it, the rest ruin the game world.

[Erkaedy]

- Ice Age in the mountains to the north, Gundabad
- Some disasters could be caused by traits of the Nazgul (eg Plagues)
- Flooding along the banks of all rivers
- Flooding swamps and depressed areas (also resulting display on the map and strategic implications, if possible)
- Sand storms in the south territoti desert, Harad Rhun
- Drought in desert areas, Harad Rhun
- Infestation of squirrels, spiders, .. in the forests of Mirkwood,
- Strange presences in dol Guldor
- Infestation of rats, cockroaches, .. in moria, goblin town, ...
- Davastation trolls, in the territories that recruit them
- Infestations leeches in the swamps and rivers
- Frequent outbursts lava mordor
- Hoods of clouds of soot mordor
- Cloud artifice of Minas Morgul that widens (also resulting display on the map and strategic implications, if possible)


and the middle ground becomes a very unpleasant place to stay!

[Tankbustaz]

- Plagues from Mordor (could potentially affect all good factions)

About the plagues idea, it would be better if it would afflict only the mannish factions,both good and evil, since elves are more resistant to plague and dwarves are quite secretive. other than that great idea, have some +rep.

[Thorïn II Oakenshield]

I like the idea but mine collapse for Dwarves are a nonsense if there are not mine collapse for monutains settlements owned by other factions...

[Mank]

Ok great, some really good ideas so far, thanks everyone for sharing! So from some of the suggestions this is what I'm thinking of releasing for the first version:

1) Flash floods along the lowlands and large rivers (these will certainly be seen on the stratmap Erkaedy)

2) Mine/ Tunnel collapse for the Dwarves and Orcs (for mountain regions only)

3) Plague from Mordor that affects only humans (this will NOT be the plague disaster, but will be a historic_event that will penalize population. If I can set this up correctly it shouldn't create too much added lag, but if it becomes cumbersome I won't add it.)

I also love the idea of adding unique unit "disasters" such as black spider attacks in Mirkwood, so once the first release is out the next update list currently looks like:

-Mirkwood Spiders ambush
-Rogue orc ambushes along the Misty Mountain chain
-Dunland raids for Rohan
-Raiders ambush for the expanse of Harad and Rhun

I'm intruiged by your idea of extra "positive" events Flinn, and might make a second mod after this one that focuses on adding lore-accurate beneficial events as well. All of these events are going to be extraordinarily rare in-and-of themselves, the idea being that you might see 1 or 2 of these every playthrough. I hope to make them just frequent enough to be exciting, but not so prevalent that they begin to suck the fun out of the game.

This mod is still currently pre-production, so please feel free to continue to share any ideas you have about what you would like to see!

[Ngugi]

Here's some plauge lore, as can be used for or as inspiration for in event texts and such, as well as point at where it can afflict (Men all over alike)


The waning of the Northmen of Rhovanion began with the Great Plague, which appeared there in the winter of the year 1635 and soon spread to Gondor. In Gondor the mortality was great especially among those who dwelt in cities. It was greater in Rhovanion, for though its people lived mostly in the open and had no great cities, the Plague came with a cold winter when horses and men were driven into shelter and their low wooden houses and stables were thronged; moreover they were little skilled in the arts of healing and medicine, of which much was still known in Gondor, preserved from the wisdom of Númenor. When the Plague passed it is said that more than half of the foil of Rhovanion had perished, and of their horses also.They were slow to recover; but their weakness was not tested for a long time. No doubt the people further east had been equally afflicted
- UT; Cirion and Eorl and the Friendship of Gondor and Rohan


The second and greatest evil came upon Gondor in the reign of Telemnar, the twenty-sixth king... a deadly plague came with dark winds out of the East. The King and all his children died, and great numbers of the people of Gondor, especially those that lived in Osgiliath.
...
In the days of Argeleb II the plague came into Eriador from the Southeast, and most of the people of Cardolan perished, especially in Minhiriath. The Hobbits and all other peoples suffered greatly, but the plague lessened as it passed northwards, and the northern parts of Arthedain were little affected.
- Appendix A


The Dunlendings suffered, like all the peoples of Arnor and Gondor, in the Great Plague of the years 1636-7 of the Third Age, but less than most, since they dwelt apart and had few dealings with other men.
- UT; The Battles of the Fords of Isen (appendix)

[Mank]

Awesome Ngugi, thanks!

[Ngugi]

Apperently some examples of floodings exist as well (in case someone comes along and claim floodings is an 'unlore' element hehe, such happends):

Soon after the winter broke. ... There were great floods after the snows, and the vale of Entwash became a vast fen.
- Appendix A

2912 Great floods devastate Enedwaith and Minhiriath.
- Appendix B

However I must concur with Torïn that it's strange for only Dwarves and Orcs, since those are the best diggers and miners;

`But in metalwork we cannot rival our fathers, many of whose. secrets are lost. ... Only in mining and building have we surpassed the old days. ... And the halls and cavernous streets under the earth with arches carved like trees; and the terraces and towers upon the Mountain's sides! Then you would see that we have not been idle.'
- Gloin, FotR; Many Meetings


Now goblins are cruel, wicked, and bad-hearted. They make no beautiful things, but they make many clever ones. They can tunnel and mine as well as any but the most skilled dwarves, when they take the trouble...
- The Hobbit

[Erkaedy]

could be added to buildings (eg guilds diggers and miners)
or to existing buildings (at higher levels) that: "The guild is made up of experienced miners and diggers and so this prevents any damage from the disaster of that type in that 'area'

[leo.civil.uefs]

I dont feel really attracted byt the general idea. But I would not mind if the game has something like that. For me, its like we say in Brazil: "it does not smeels good, nor stinks..."

[Mank]

Hrm, you two are right about the orcs/ dwarf tunneling issue. What do you think of this:

-Possibility of every faction to have a "cave in" disaster in the mountain regions except the dwarves and mountain orcs (for reasons Ngugi cited in the appendices). There certainly COULD be an additional unique building that the dwarves and orcs would have to build to exempt them from the disaster, but for the time being let's assume that it will just be an inherent bonus for them.