Why no deep pantheon like Planetfall?

[sand isle]

Planetfall had an amazing system of relics you could find to unlock things you could use the imperium currency to purchase in game but with limited slots. You could equip special units, equipment, and a doctrine. All stuff that is compatible with AOW4's design. Also playing as a race increased the level and allowed for unlocking higher tier units for requisition.

This was a brilliant and deep post game system. The one is AOW4 is a joke of a handful cosmetics and trait unlocks. Can any dev confirm there will be a rework in the future for the pantheon which is clearly a last minute / underdeveloped system?

[tight acorn]

It was possible there, because it was a singleplayer feature, while Pantheon isn't multiplayer excluding, so they toned it down not to break the game, because it had to be extended to mp for some strange reason.

In other words it's mostly likely an attempt for backlash control.

[charred thunder]

I didn't play planetfall but the pantheon in this game is silly. They could have done better.

[green hound]

It might get added later. We didn't get galactic conquest until late in planetfall's roadmap.

[tight acorn]

I think it's a compromise, which nobody asked for.

[outer ridge]

Will there be many reworks in the game?

[tight acorn]

I think most people like Pantheon.

They also did not play Planetfall, so they don't see what could be lol

[green hound]

I don't think it needs to be reworked. I'm expecting it will just be added to.

[ashen shadow]

I would like it to reworked that only cosmetics are unlockable and the rest is available from the start.

I really dislike the need to gather xp in endless games before you get those additional traits. Especially if you only have time to play occasionally.

Only other way of unlockable gameplay content I would vote for would be if those unlocks are playstyle dependent.
Basically play a game with mainly animal/plant units to unlock the druid origin. Or win an ice realm to gain that trait for custom realms.

Would feel more meaningful and you could work towards certain goals

[sand isle]

@ashen shadow this is essentially what planetfall had. The more you leveled up a faction the more higher tier units, spells etc you could ready up as emergency uses using the equivalent imperium currency to cast / summon. Brilliant system a waste not to be included here

[coarse spire]

I wouldn't say no one asked for. I've seen quite a bit of feedback on the Empire system from PF that it made the game too trivial after a while.

Personally I wouldn't mind gameplay benefits, but I think any actual bonuses need to be optional if someone wants more of a challenge.

[nimble glacier]

I like the idea of gameplay unlocks.
Same as I like meta progression in rouge-like games.
I like it when playing games rewards me with something meaningful.

Not sure if I want a race to level up and become stronger.
Maybe add some units, to add variety and not make units simply stronger

[coarse spire]

At the very least I do feel like we need some additional benefit to Pantheon heroes joining the game. They're a different race, so transformation won't apply to them, they don't have any special equipment, and they're just generally not a better option than other heroes you'd have access to.

[sand isle]

None of the planetfall ones were forced, you could choose to bring no perks or units or just not use them. But it gave genuine purpose to completing games

[sand isle]

It didn't make a race stronger, it just allowed for more diverse options to spend the imperium currency in the game on. But was totally optional to use.

[coarse spire]

Didn't you get the extra tech automatically?

[sand isle]

no you picked, a unit, mod, and spell essentially to have in your pocket to use in the game by spending the imperium currency. You unlocked additional slots to have more things available, and you unlocked higher tier units that you could slot in to potentially use at the cost of much higher imperium so it was balanced

[coarse spire]

That's how requisitions worked, but I thought levelling up your racial/secret tech skills also granted tech boosts at the start of the game once your level got high enough

[sand isle]

wasn't free units, you could slot in a super high tier unit to have but it would cost a substantial amount higher imperium currency, adding another layer of choices in the game whether to acquire that

I don't remember that part, certainly possible. Again that could be optional, it would give a reason for people to prefer a race type over another which would help make them less of a visual only element as many players have complained

regardless, that system has significant more integration to the game, is deeper, and is suprising that the paragon system is as barebones step back.

[mild anvil]

Mostly Agree/somewhat disagree. I actually created a "farm" I could win in like 10-15 turns for the flat 500XP to unlock the empire traits ... but thats hardly fun. The only reason I'd disagree as I felt having a goal yo work towards pushes me to play more games in general and the traits unlocked are sort of... "hardcore" and really drastic changes to playstyle which new players maybe/maybe not should risk having on their first game.

Mixed bag but overally i say the XP grind for gameplay features is meh, cosmetics sure, but traits is controversial

(Ps: to note to the OP not sure what to work towards after unlocking everything ... the Planetfall system offered currencies and endless options to access other resources on a new game sort of encouraging growth with different races and unlocking unique opportunities to "do better" game after game --- this needs to come back i think and once everyone fills our their pantheon skills I'm sure will agree)