Post by mitobox on Aug 21, 2016 11:28:43 GMT
While tapping down some notes on what an Awakening Stage prototype might be like (involving the recruitment of smaller tribes through a floating speech bubble), I realized it would be an oddly relaxed, almost casual experience. The beasts that tormented and competed with you now fear your stone tools and fire. Natural disasters, while a source of excitement, aren't particularly common, especially with how much time has slowed down for this stage. The most menacing force would be unfavorable conditions like the arrival of the cold or dry season causing a resource scarcity, but even then, it would be a suspenseful struggle for survival rather than an exciting occasion.
Now, just in case that's not the right tone, or if Hard Mode wouldn't be hard enough, I thought a bit about tribes that are hostile to others.
I'm not thinking about poorly thought-out raids involving the enemy throwing their entire tribe against yours in broad daylight, with injury-heavy mêlée combat resulting in numbers too low to recover from.
I'm thinking more along the lines of the enemy eyeing you up for weaknesses, ambushing your hunting parties and plundering your stores left unwatched, all the while avoiding victims that are just too much a mouthful to chew (population higher, alert at all times, etc.).
Also, things kick into gear when they have ranged weapons (like bows and arrows), possibly stolen from a victim tribe. With the risks brought by mêlée combat gone (except when getting up close and personal at night), and the new threat of being sniped, building shelters and fortifications for your proto-SC would become all the more important.
In addition, about the "floating speech bubble" thing... I thought about the possibility of giving them tribute in exchange for being left alone. A similar case would work for your peer tribes, too big to agree to join you, but open to getting rid of a threat together. Heck, a playthrough's transition to the Society Stage could be catalyzed by rallying the neighboring tribes to drive off the mutual threat.
(Or you could just bribe the raiders into taking your rivals down a peg... At this rate, raiders are starting to sound like the Awakening Stage's equivalent of agents. At least it's good practice for later stages' diplomacy.)
Ideas?
Now, just in case that's not the right tone, or if Hard Mode wouldn't be hard enough, I thought a bit about tribes that are hostile to others.
I'm not thinking about poorly thought-out raids involving the enemy throwing their entire tribe against yours in broad daylight, with injury-heavy mêlée combat resulting in numbers too low to recover from.
I'm thinking more along the lines of the enemy eyeing you up for weaknesses, ambushing your hunting parties and plundering your stores left unwatched, all the while avoiding victims that are just too much a mouthful to chew (population higher, alert at all times, etc.).
Also, things kick into gear when they have ranged weapons (like bows and arrows), possibly stolen from a victim tribe. With the risks brought by mêlée combat gone (except when getting up close and personal at night), and the new threat of being sniped, building shelters and fortifications for your proto-SC would become all the more important.
In addition, about the "floating speech bubble" thing... I thought about the possibility of giving them tribute in exchange for being left alone. A similar case would work for your peer tribes, too big to agree to join you, but open to getting rid of a threat together. Heck, a playthrough's transition to the Society Stage could be catalyzed by rallying the neighboring tribes to drive off the mutual threat.
(Or you could just bribe the raiders into taking your rivals down a peg... At this rate, raiders are starting to sound like the Awakening Stage's equivalent of agents. At least it's good practice for later stages' diplomacy.)
Ideas?
