Q&A

[Thoram]

All right people of Westeros!
After hearing your requests and comments, I'll try to answer some of your questions.

* Can you add more reference value to the game?
This one is a bit “touchy” because we thought about doing this during development but encountered a small problem. This game is based on a series of novels and the dates and different eras are extremely important. So we asked Mr. Martin if we could, for example, put some important characters at the head of Houses and he preferred we didn't and I'll explain why.

This RTS is spread across 1000 years of history and mixing up the different periods felt wrong. Having Nymeria fight Robert Baratheon just doesn't fit in the Westeros setting. Also, being able to kill important characters didn't feel right (and was prohibited by GRRM).

About the names of towns and castle, it felt strange because we can’t necessarily position them at the same spot as the “real” one. We have to build a map that is more or less balanced. Also, historically, some castles are now ruins and some are simply not built yet.

It’s because of those specific elements that we decided to go with “generic” names and locations.

* Can you add the patch details when a patch is released?
This will be done with the next patch.

* Will there be a possibility to save our game?
Unfortunately we won't be able to implement this. The campaign was designed so that the different chapters are short enough that you can finish them within 20min. The checkpoint system was added right before the game release to provide a middle ground since the save option could not be implemented.

* Can you implement shortcuts for unit creation?
This is something that is in evaluation right now but will surely end up in a patch soon

* Can you add more variety to the voice acting?
This is not something we plan on doing.

* My banners are really small when I play at a higher resolution. Can you fix this?
We are looking into this. As easy as it sounds, the resolution combined with the zoom option can make the banners size difficult to set.

* When playing a multi player game, some players are slowing us down; can you display their lag in the lobby?
The main problem with these players is not the actual ping they have, but their computer speed. The in-game computer drop system was implemented to solve this.

* Once I’m finished with a single player skirmish, can the AI continue playing if I press continue?
This should be implemented soon.

* I’d like to have the choice in the portrait for my Great Lord.
We are not planning to implement this in the game - for now.

* Food yielding is too low, can you make it higher?
This is a conscious decision. When the game was designed, we wanted to put the focus on the underhand methods, not the armies. By making the fields yield less, the armies come into play later. Also, armies are a lot tougher and resilient than mercenaries. They are units worth waiting for since you can complete a damaged army, they cannot be bought by a rogue, and they are the only unit in the game that can make sieges.

* Mercenaries don’t cost enough.
Again, this is a conscious decision. The mercenaries are cheap because they can be bought; they are easily defeated and are meant to be used to harass your enemies. If your enemy has a lot of mercenaries and you don’t, either you did something wrong, or you went another way in term of strategy.

* Can all the castles be shown?
I’m note sure I understood this one completely but let me try to answer. I’m thinking you want to see all the famous castles, in all their glory. The problem is there is no special gameplay to attach to these structures and it would be confusing to be able to steal Harrenhal, for example, with an Envoy. Also, it’s a lot easier to read the map with generic looking structures. As you know, in this particular game “it’s be quick or be dead”

* The games are end too quickly, can you make it that the player can choose the amount of prestige to win?
The idea behind the game was to be able to play these matches quickly. But, we understand some of you want to play longer. This feature is underway and should be available soon.

[Skjuludde]

So is the HvH mode spread over 1000 years? Because it's there that the problem of not having town/castle names and such is as the biggest.
Balance fair enough but it would seem to me that with removing a few locations for certain houses you can get a fairly equal number of castles/towns. I don't really see why or how Nymeria would be fighting Robert. That example really doesn't do anything for me.
Here's my suggestion then. In HvH start the game as if Roberts Rebellion was about to start but twist it. Instead they start in an FFA mode. Name the towns/cities and castles there in their general location. Doesn't have to be their exact location. Just the fact that they would be named would go a long way. Then if the leader dies, his heir gains a name from a list of possible names for that faction. Can't imagine them losing all too many leaders either so the possibility of a name coming up several times is slim. After that add more focus on inter-house diplomacy. I mean real diplomacy and not the envoy "aka node-capturer allies" that town. More intrigues, blood marriages, pacts, tributes, fealty, backstabbing between the houses and not only through corrupting envoys and special characters. Last suggestion is spend some time on army dynamics. Making the battles feel a bit more epic. Even if you're supposed to be able to win without battles, it doesn't mean that battles should take a backseat. They should have about equal amount of focus and love. Giving armies further importance of how composed and positioned they are is like to add a new layer of tactical dimension to the game.
Armies is what's supposed to protect your land in my opinion. Then you could always add options such as corrupting their band of mercenaries to poison that armies wells and/or spread the pale mare in their camps.
Ahh the trickery that yet is possible to add.

[Telenil]

About the names of towns and castle, it felt strange because we can’t necessarily position them at the same spot as the “real” one. We have to build a map that is more or less balanced. Also, historically, some castles are now ruins and some are simply not built yet.

Would it be possible, then, to have randomly generated names? Or even a few "real" names when a particular structure is at its proper place/time period mixed with random names?

[Stefan]

I definitely opt for names. Their positions may not be exact on the map, but hell, there are people as big as the God's Eye walking over Westeros, so who cares?

EDIT: And look at the much famed board game. They did name the regions and castles and lords too, and didn't make that much sense. But it added ambience!

[Bigbossbalrog]

Thx! I understand about theImportant people thing But Can you PLEASE Change the towns and cities names please!
(Oh and about the wall in the multiplayer map )

[UncivilDKizzle]

Thanks for the update and I'm glad to see work is ongoing for this game.

As far as the Great Lords and castle names: How about in HvH mode, we assume that the battle is taking place during Robert's Rebellion? Therefore you could have a unified time period and the houses could be assigned Great Lords and Feudal Homes that are named. Like so:

Targaryen: Aerys II Targaryen, Kings Landing
Baratheon: Robert Baratheon, Storm's End
Tyrell: Mace Tyrell, Highgarden
Stark: Eddarrd Stark, Winterfell
Lannister: Tywin Lannister, Casterly Rock
Tully: Hoster Tully, Riverrun
Martell: Doran Martell (or his mother?), Sunspear
Arryn: Jon Arryn, The Eyrie

Also, I still personally think named towns that are not perfectly in the right position would be preferable to no names at all.

[Thoram]

So is the HvH mode spread over 1000 years? Because it's there that the problem of not having town/castle names and such is as the biggest.
Balance fair enough but it would seem to me that with removing a few locations for certain houses you can get a fairly equal number of castles/towns. I don't really see why or how Nymeria would be fighting Robert. That example really doesn't do anything for me.
Here's my suggestion then. In HvH start the game as if Roberts Rebellion was about to start but twist it. Instead they start in an FFA mode. Name the towns/cities and castles there in their general location. Doesn't have to be their exact location. Just the fact that they would be named would go a long way. Then if the leader dies, his heir gains a name from a list of possible names for that faction. Can't imagine them losing all too many leaders either so the possibility of a name coming up several times is slim. After that add more focus on inter-house diplomacy. I mean real diplomacy and not the envoy "aka node-capturer allies" that town. More intrigues, blood marriages, pacts, tributes, fealty, backstabbing between the houses and not only through corrupting envoys and special characters. Last suggestion is spend some time on army dynamics. Making the battles feel a bit more epic. Even if you're supposed to be able to win without battles, it doesn't mean that battles should take a backseat. They should have about equal amount of focus and love. Giving armies further importance of how composed and positioned they are is like to add a new layer of tactical dimension to the game.
Armies is what's supposed to protect your land in my opinion. Then you could always add options such as corrupting their band of mercenaries to poison that armies wells and/or spread the pale mare in their camps.
Ahh the trickery that yet is possible to add.

All of these ideas are interesting, but the implementation would require around 18 months. This would fit better in a possible sequel of the game.

Your idea of situating all the battles right before Roberts Rebellion is interesting, but there is nothing we can do about using the names of characters as the heads of the House.

[corn]

Do you have any idea when the patch will be out?

[Bigbossbalrog]

All of these ideas are interesting, but the implementation would require around 18 months. This would fit better in a possible sequel of the game

Weve been waiting For a got game for over 8 years! Come on!(You could make a expansion pack) Oh and you guys too busy to make a sequel!(GAME OF THRONES rpg pop in your mind ) sO COME ON plz Plz!

[Thoram]

Do you have any idea when the patch will be out?

Hey Corn! We plan on releasing a patch for the week-end, earlier if possible. I don't have the details yet, but don't expect all the issues to be fixed. Some of them are hard to fix... But don't worry, it won't be the only patch.