Do you think capital elimination mechanic should be changed?

[Galdred]

I'd suggest three options, actually
- Player loses immediately after he loses his capital ("Regicide")
- Player loses if he loses his capital and doesn't retake it within 10 turns ("Great Patriotic War")
- Player only loses if he loses all his cities (with settlers being as cheap as they are, this can lead to some long games though)

Also, as an additional checkbox option I'd suggest ability to move one's capital
- For, say, 1000 gold - within Ardania (price increases with each subsequent move)
- For 1000 Mana - to one of parallel worlds (it can be a spell, actually)

I would really like an option to be allowed to retake capital within a set turn limit, as it would make surprise endgame assault less potent.

[Zhahz]

How about the capital city gains defence bonuses based upon, say, the number of other settlements that player has?

I was thinking of something along these lines too. Some kind of incentive to take out other cities instead of going directly for the capital.

[ArschGranate]

I was thinking of something along these lines too. Some kind of incentive to take out other cities instead of going directly for the capital.

I'll subscribe to this as well.

[camelotcrusade]

I'd suggest three options, actually
- Player loses immediately after he loses his capital ("Regicide")
- Player loses if he loses his capital and doesn't retake it within 10 turns ("Great Patriotic War")
- Player only loses if he loses all his cities (with settlers being as cheap as they are, this can lead to some long games though)

Also, as an additional checkbox option I'd suggest ability to move one's capital
- For, say, 1000 gold - within Ardania (price increases with each subsequent move)
- For 1000 Mana - to one of parallel worlds (it can be a spell, actually)

+1. All good ideas. Or perhaps, instead of moving the capital, you can simply establish an outpost capital.

[pdxsean]

Lots of great ideas in this thread.

I'm all for optional, I think it's fun as is but it would be nice to switch it up. +1 to Vladimir and Orosian.

[Wulfenbach]

I liked the way it worked in Birth of the Federation. Taking the homeworld wasn't insta-win, but it put them at a huge disadvantage.

[brifbates]

They could add the Master of Magic mechanics where if a wizard loses his fortress (aka capital) but still had cities left, plus some mana reserves he could cast the spell of return.
During that time he could still use his units but not cast spells or interact in diplomacy. Not sure if city management was still working.

City management still worked. You could do everything that didn't require your avatar to cast spells or be an effect on the capital (as I recall there were some spells/units that required the capital but it's been years...)

As for making the Spell of Unity un-counterable-to do that it would have to become a lot harder to get. Playing on a XL map with the max number of worlds and leaders one of the ai nations started casting it on turn 165 or so. There's no way the "science-type" victory should be reachable in that circumstance. On the flip side, I do agree that being able to just burn 1 turn of casting to stop it is less than desireable.

[Scorcher24]

Nothing wrong with being optional, but I'd like to see it gone.

[kabizbak]

I definitely think it needs to be on the list when they add victory condition options.

+1