I finished another 6-8 weeks or so of playing KODP. I've played it on and off for the last decade, and will likely put it away for a couple more years. This is sort of an sum-up of suggested improvements, in hopes that KODP doesn't disappear in another decade's time.
It seems that it is unlikely that there will ever be a KODP II. The main barrier is the cost of content creation. Each image and new script cost money to generate, so a new setting seems unlikely. Coding that does not require creative additions can be relatively cheaper (cheap offshore or 3rd party if necessary).
One hope would be to create an FLASH version of KODP I, and if that is a success, consider future versions. The computational overhead for KODP is quite low, and FLASH is it's own built in copy protection.
The main barriers to KODP is that it has a large manual. A flash game should be more or less intuitive with no manual to speak of. But there are ways to get around this:
- The Clan Ring can act as a instructional delivery system. Increase Clan comments on appropriate actions in the Easy game especially.
- Complex elements can be simplified, without removing strategy.
- There are a number of fiddly bits one can remove.
Big Changes Required:
Heroquest System:
- The HQ system has always been one of the most problematic elements for me. It requires alot of note taking a trial and error, but once you got it "done" the strategy never changes much between games.
- Having to take copious notes in a FLASH game is pretty much a no go.
- I'd propose a no-note taking, but pro-strategy version:
* During the HQ itself, have the god's rune appear next to the appropriate dialogue choice(s) if revealed via Myth mystery investigation. For some stations, this rune may appear before two (or none), and the player would need to try and guess which option fits the HQers skill set and his idea of appropriateness. The options will be narrowed down as one's mystery knowledge about that quest increases.
- Only the first level of mystery can be found for each HQ through prayer. The second deep knowledge must be found via treasure (like "Uralda's Tome") that must be traded for or explored for. Each HQ should have multiple mystery levels.
- Each HQ will have stations whose "best solution" according to mysteries change from game to game (In some games, the "correct" mysteries suggest that Orlanth tells the cube to become a sphere, and in others tells LM to try a law suit. Or that Issaries lets Storm Bull fight alone in some games, or that he uses his protective magic to help in other games, or the order he talks to Long-noses and big-teeth, etc..)
Removing Fiddly Bits:
- Remove weapon thane patrols slider (I almost always leave the ratio of inner-to-outer patrols the same. Have to micro manage after every exploration/mission. Little strategy implication since WT morale can be increased via gifts.)
- Remove crop ratio selection sliders. Your plant expert will adjust crop ratios behind scenes. (I almost always keep the ratio of crops the same, except on bad crop notices. In which case I always have to try to remember to change back in dark season).
- Make changing blessing at temples cost an action. (Changing blessings from martial to agricultural as the seasons change is fiddly. Also, it is the last "no-action" action, so now everything will cost an action. Also adds a bit of strategy in blessing choice).
Unrelated Game play Improvements:
- Treasures should be evenly spread among tribes. (Currently one can visit one clan repeatedly and get all the treasures)
- Announce new nobles, just as one announces the death from old age of new nobles. (No need to keep checking reorganize to see who is new).
- New nobles don't appear after an old noble dies, but after a each X (a fixed number) children reach adulthood. Heroism and Children blessing can adjust X's value slightly. (Stop the silly temptations to feed useless nobles to cragspider or beastmen. Improves usefulness of Children blessing).
- Change hunting ritual magic to Hunting & Exploration magic (Improves Odalya and makes spending on hunting more meaningful.)
- More Uroxs. (Just because.. there are never around much in my games).
Late Game Play improvements:
- Successful raids against own tula should result in a Goods/Food loss proportional to stockpile size (Make early game a little easier, and negative feedback to late game stockpiles).
- Having a huge stockpile increases number of raids (Ideally new events too, like Harrek-esque pirate/viking raids).
- Huge stockpiles promotes thievery attempts (dependant on Weapon thane patrol numbers and morale), or embezzlement by carl/cotters (if clan leader leadership and/or farmer moral low).
- If additional content is at all an option, more late game political content and challenges (Enemy Tribes, Pharoah, Tarsh, (in late years)Lunars, dragonewts, and others)