In the name of science! And I guess maybe medicine and progress too....
Yea, Biomancer is my first pick. I would not mind the false one.
But... I think I like the idea of adding unique mechanics even more, so whichever Agent does more of that.
All three add a fair amount of Effects, it depends on where you want to see those mechanics being created. The False One will create additional intereactions with the Prophecy and the Chosen one, the Biomancer will add more hooks into races and elite units (and massive consumption of slaves), and the Devourer will add the wonderful EAT_OLD_ONE effect flag.
Tough question for KDG, what will you be adding for the expansion agents that the game doesn't support now? I thought a bit about a Dr. Moreau style hybridizer who can to a remote POI, perform a series of long challenges at the end of each he receives a building, a progressively nicer minion, and can recruit more of that minion in the future. Or he can go to a town having trouble, perform shorter, noisier challenges, kill a bunch of folks and scare more, and get increasingly fine surgically augmented minions. How is the Biomancer different?(1)
I'm fond of her, then the False One, and the Devourer least.
For the new species, I like the Mind Flayers the best and shall name one Sam Starfall. After that the Minotaurs. It looks like they're filling a Noble Savage pushed to the edge role while the Orcs are the traditional Violent Savage poised to strike.(2) How does history explain the Minotaurs? Are they part of a broader group of animal-men? The Dragonkin don't do anything for me.
Three questions on procedural. Nations increase Strength by fighting. What sort of limits are there? A need to recharge between fights? Diminishing returns? Can you save the game an interesting point and turn it into a scenario? And will you support saving and backing up every few game years?
(1) Any chance of her creating distinct populations? How about in the endless game?
(2) Could an endless game have the Orcs as the overarching culture and, say, the Dwarfs pushed into the badlands.
The Moreau analogy is apt, the major difference is that the Biomancer needs thousands upon thousands of people to truly create a new race. Her other abilities pivot around lesser, but more powerful, beings.
Minotaurs have no inherent lore to their origin, they are one of the primal Elder Races that were birthed with the world - much of their culture has been lost due to their lacking the natural defensive terrain of the Elves and Dwarves and their lands were encroached upon. We suggested Minotaurs to diversify the Tribal/Fringe elements of the world, and to add another point of local discord that has the weight of an entire race behind it.
Surprised no one is liking the Draconkin, fierce raiders that can migrate when challenged - raid from behind enemy lines to cut off supply and burn villages - a secret agenda given to them by mysterious creators.
I can tell you what Procedural is like now, but keep in mind we wrote it in less than 2 days to act as a test so these rules are absolutely going to change. National stats increase up to the government type limit, and determine who wins in a struggle over a POI - after winning or losing a battle the nations military is temporarily reduced but it returns to full strength very quickly.
You can save it at ANY point and it generates a scenario file, that's how we decided to approach it without integrating it into the main map engine. So the Proc Gen generates a scenario, which yo ucould then save, but which normally is then loaded by the main engine as the new scenario to be played.
1) She can create distinct populations, but not map races - they will always be a lesser component
2) It could certainly occur, though the Dwarves have a "retreat from the map" option which involves them plunging into the depths