extended level specific content

[MisterX]

Hi Community,

we have a lot of level specific content and it is a shame (in my opinion) that it is often only available in one level.

I think Ironhide invested a lot of time an love into level specific heroes and towers and some of them have what it takes to be universal.

So let me explain what i mean by "extended level specific content"

LEVEL SPECIFIC HEROES

KRF has 3 level specific heroes which use basically the KR hero system.
It took some time to generate the graphics, animations, skills of the heroes, to create a concept of those heroes and you see them just ONCE.
It would be cool to see them much more, they can't be KRF and KRO heroes because they use a hero system which is more simple (KR) but what if we would see them in KR.

Lets take a look at it.

We have the Black Corsair, this guy needs water, goodbye corsair.

Let us talk about Lucrezia.
We almost have only male heroes in KR... Lucrezia rocks and uses the KR hero system, she has a great look, cant transform into a bat if she moves AND she has two abilities like all other KR heroes. In my opinion her abilities are cool and unique and KRF and KRO got/will get free heroes with updates but the original KR never got a hero for free...
It would have been cool if she would have been introduced as a free hero with the Castle Blackburn update.
I do not know how much effort it would have been for the devs... She would just need stats for each level and her abilities.

Some people would say: It is lame to see the same content in two different games and what about the timeline, does it fit?

We do not know how much time after KR the actions in KRF take place but Denas is still the king and a vampire lives forever so it would fit.
The theme would also fit: It would fit because she could had been introduced with Castle Blackburn and in KRF you have another analogy, the Dusk Chateau, another dark castle.
If you compare KR and KRF you will see a lot of stuff which is the same stuff and Castle Blackburn already has a lot of stuff which you see in the Shadowmoon update, anyway they are unique games.
I think it would be really cool to play with such a great hero more then only in one level.

So what's about Rurin Longbeard.
That would be more difficult, he only has one skill which is the same skill Malik uses and we have in KRF more dwarven allies, therefore we see him in KRF.
Nevertheless it would be possible to port him into KR with some adjustments, a second skill and some background story, an explanation why he appears in both games would be possible. The trolls killed all the dwarves, the longbeards in the mountains therefore we see only one of them in KR, Rurin Lonbeard (for example) and some years later he joins his companions in the south (KRF)

LEVEL SPECIFIC TOWERS

Hm, this is much more difficult...

Never change a running system...^^
We did not see a lot of changes if you compare KR/KRF and KRF/KRO because the concept of the series is great, why should a lot be changed if everything works fine.
The biggest change in KRF was the new hero system, KRO had no really big change, the hero spells are probably the biggest change.
Of course we have new enemies and towers but i think you know what i mean...
What if KRO would have the tower mechanics changed?
First let me say, i am also a little bit sceptical but let me explain:
I like the simple mechanics of the series, we have 4 types of towers and each of them has 2 specialized towers to chose from if you upgrade them to the end. What if we would have 3 specialized towers?
More options = more fun? Probably if it is well done!
Not every idea is easy to implement, keep in mind each game has its own specialized towers, 8 of them and each of them should have its unique role which is already hard enough, each tower should be unique and balanced.
One example: Templars and Assassins, Templars are often outclassed by Assassins. Each tower should be equally cool and usefull but you see it is already difficult enough as it is right now.

Lets look closely at KRF
We have a lot of level specific towers which are great but they do not have what it takes to be universal, although it is a shame to see them seldom.
The Sea Shrine has not what it takes to be a level 4 tower.
The Mercenary Camp, SCUMM Bar and Spear Maiden do not fulfill the requirements of a level 4 barracks tower as they exist right now. If a unit dies you have to pay again and you have no skill-upgrades, sometimes you have 2 different units which can be created Genies/Legionnaires and so on.
Which towers are left?
We already have a some level specific towers which fulfill the requirements to be universal: Dwarf Bastion (Archer), Pirate Watchtower (Archer), Dwarf Hall (Barracks), Dark Forge (Bombard)
Do they really fulfill the requirements?
Yes and NO.
Those towers have 2 skills which can be upgraded, the Dwarf Hall 3 skills and units are reproduced if they die.
BUT
Do we want to see a pirate tower or halloween tower in each level although i really like them? Me not?
KRO is all about elves, what if we would have in KRF which is somewhat about dwarves a level 4 dwarven tower?
The dwarf theme is not as much present as the human/elf theme in the series.
We already have the Dwarf Bastion and Hall.
The Dwarf Hall is pretty similar to the Templars, tough guys and a lot of upgrades to make them even tougher.
So it is a good idea to think about but yeah... It should be good implemented and as you see it is not easy with the existing content.

KRO
All this ideas started with the Renegade Post!!!
The first time i saw them i just thought: Why on earth aren't they another level 4 barracks tower? why? WHY?
If somebody would have showed me for the first time the Renegade Post, Bladesinger Hall and Forest Keepers and would have asked me: Which 2 towers are the level 4 barracks towers in KRO i would have said: All of them?
We already have sylvan/wood elves and high elves as level 4 towers as so we do for the heroes, here we also have a dark elf... Please do not talk again about the definition of an elf, i just want to say that we have a lot of kinds of elves. Why no twilight elves as level 4 tower (Renegade Post), Reg Son also fights for us.
KRO will get the most updates because it is the newest game of the series and it makes sense for me that often heroes are released to earn money, why not this time a big update with some levels and 4 new level 4 towers to make KRO even more unique. One of them the Renegade Post and 3 others. I have no clue how they would be implemented but i think it would be cool if it would be done somehow.

The TaTs already said that Ironhide has its schedule for this year and it won't be done but it is nice to dream about it : P



Thank you if you read all the text : )

[kevin32]

So, in short:
> Put Lucrezia and Rurin in the first KR.
> Make 3 specialized towers for each of the four tower types.

I'm still on the fence about this topic. I'm all for more stuff, but I love the simplistic of the game. I'm sure it could all be done, but I'm concerned the games would become too bloated with options that it might become overwhelming to enjoy the game, because there are so many options to choose from (I know it's strange to hear me say that, but that's how I feel).

[MisterX]

Hi Kevin, thank you for reading all the text.
This time i will write less text^^

It is a shame that we have level specific heroes and towers which fit the requirements to be universal ones, here i want to mention Lucrezia for KR and the Renegade Post. You enjoy them only within one level and i think this way we could get more content, not new content at all, without much effort by the devs.

I already mentioned the Pros and Cons. Everything could be done, but does it make sense?
I think the idea to put Lucrezia in is not bad, i already mentioned why.

The towers... I am not sure.
It is just a shame that such a good tower like the Renegade Post is not a level 4 barracks tower like the Bladesinger Hall for example.
The theme, graphics, animations, abilities and so on are great.
I also mentioned that i like the simple mechanics of the KR series, never change a running system and if it would be done, a lot of circumstances should be considered (i mentioned some of them in my post)^^

[MisterX]

So, in short:
> Put Lucrezia and Rurin in the first KR.
> Make 3 specialized towers for each of the four tower types.

I think Lucrezia is enough
3 specialized towers would be fun but would also cause some problems, i just came up with this idea to see the Renegade Post much more often, even as another barracks tower

[Saurian]

My two cents:
A different kind of build plot spawns in a new level. You can choose between level specific towers to build on this plot. Ofc chances are limited, 2-4 would be enough for me.

Maybe not possible to do for KR but KRF&O may fit.

Krf: pirate watchtower, Dwarven Barracks, Dwarven Bastion (maybe) and SCUMM Bar (not probably)
Legion archer!! (Why not? Something like 30g for early game, to sell later?)

Kro: Renegade Post, Gnomes House, Crystal Dragons, Ewok Hut (really?)

Everything can be used btw, maybe only two thematic options get available. Special build slots can be put on iron/heroic challanges or last levels of a theme. (Like using genies on Nazeru's Gates, or Boatswains on Sunken Citadel, but they must be seen on their original place before being available)
It'd be cool to see them in game as i always loved Rising tides stuff more than anything else^^