#Adventure Mode realm trait & Explorable Mountains: Dungeon style chains of 2-3 connected battle maps

49 messages · Page 1 of 1 (latest)

fair hawk
#

Explorable Mountains: introducing dungeon-style chains of 2–3 connected battle maps could allow players to venture into currently non-traversable high mountain areas. This would turn impassable terrain into meaningful strategic and narrative content instead of simple map boundaries.

It could also serve as a first step toward an Adventure Realm Trait mode—focused on exploring with a small, roleplaying party of heroes rather than full empire management. Expanding player freedom to approach the game from a more RPG-oriented perspective would significantly enrich immersion and replay value.

file_000000007500720abbce712560267416.png
#

Adventure Mode – Realm Trait Proposal

An Adventure Mode realm trait could fundamentally alter map generation and gameplay structure. Instead of traditional empire-building, the world would be transformed into a fully explorable sandbox centered on a small party of heroes.

Key changes could include:

All cities converted into neutral inns/taverns
No ownership, no city management. These locations function purely as rest hubs, recruitment points, rumor sources, and trading posts.

Colosseums and fighting pits
Players could enter structured combat encounters for gold, rare items, or reputation—essentially optional challenge arenas integrated into the overworld.

Dungeon Mountains
High mountain ranges become explorable dungeon chains (2–3 connected battle maps), rewarding risk-taking with artifacts, relics, or hidden lore.

Specialized shops
Weapon dealers, artifact traders, alchemists, black markets—each with rotating inventories and rare finds.

Pure exploration focus
No expansion pressure. No city optimization loop. Just travel, discovery, combat, and roleplaying progression.

This mode would allow players to experience the game as a tactical RPG within the existing engine. The more freedom the player has to roleplay—choosing contracts, arenas, dungeon paths, allegiances—the stronger the long-term replayability and immersion.

#

Also explorable mountains could be in the normal mode with a lesser trait form

#

On top: possible mix of both realm maps in a future empire mode, making very interesting campaigns

#

example Empire mode campaign story:

1.Adventure mode map + 2.empire management normal map, 3.Adventure mode in different biome, 4.Normal mode in that different biome

#

And finally: Export empire campaigns to steam workshop to be shared with others.

fair hawk
jolly plover
#

"2-3 encounters in a row" sounds like something that can be done with existing event system? IIRC it's possible to chain combat but I may be wrong. Also devs seem to prefer the Fated Region approach instead.

Adventure mode sounds really cool, though I'm not quite sure what would be the win condition here. It would work well as a series of story realms where the win is defined by, well, the story.
As for a regular "no empire management" realm trait... All existing generic wincons except score kind of demand it. And ideally there should be several ways to win such a scenario. As for myself i'm drawing a blank here, perhaps soemone else has ideas

fair hawk
fair hawk
#

Adventure Mode realm trait & Explorable Mountains: Dungeon style chains of 2-3 connected battle maps

sterile obsidian
#

To be honest, I would love to see "Age of Wonders: RPG" as a separate game at some point.

But what I want probably can't be done inside the current AoW, on this point I agree with you.

weary igloo
#

So uh

#

I was just trying to give my genuine opinion and did not care about the emotes btw

#

I don't think anyone needed to go to the mods on my behalf

#

And now my opinion is deleted so I guess I'm just not going to engage at all 😭

keen salmon
#

Hi everyone, so once again, we know that the use of AI is a popular and very contentious topic and everyone has different opinions and perspectives. Some people may be using it to format their text better or translate it more cohesively into English, there is no need to directly call it out as it distracts from the actual topic of the thread at hand. Please help us keep the balance and conversations centred around AoW and the many ways we all wish to see it improved!

weary igloo
sterile obsidian
# weary igloo I don't think anyone needed to go to the mods on my behalf

I have to admit, it's only about the fact that I personally view this behaviour (offensive emotes spam) inapproriate regardless of who it was applied to. It's about me and not you. I'm sorry that using emotes under your message as an example of the behaviour I deem impolite resulted in you feeling unconfortable. But it wasn't "on your behalf".

#

sincerely sorry

fair hawk
#

You know who is blocked by me. Please avoid conflict by not commenting on these long conversations, derailing them, or messing up my threads. I personally view that behavior as trolling; it’s very inappropriate and offensive. Alplod was the first person I blocked on Discord, and he is always throwing stones and hiding his hand with poor excuses.

#

This mode would function as a Realm Trait that reshapes the 4X experience into a focused RPG adventure by modifying existing mechanics:

-Unit Management: Limits the maximum number of units on the map to focus on a small party.

-Merit-Based Research: Spells and Tomes are unlocked via research points earned through quests or occupying Mage Towers.

-New Victory Conditions: Win by defeating specific NPCs and exploring a set number of key locations.

-No City Ownership: Removes city management to focus entirely on world exploration.

-Dynamic Points of Interest: Populates the map with random inns, colosseums, and dungeons.

-Adapted Content: Quests and Wonders are redesigned to serve as. narrative and gameplay milestones.

-Sharing custom adventure realm creations could help popularity of this realm trait and make it be vastly used

Its feasible to have this released in one of the future dlcs and could attract lots of roleplayers and people that likes coop exploration

sterile obsidian
#

@fair hawk, I believe you antagonizing me went a bit too far.

I'd like to have an opportunity to have discussion on the topics I deem interesting, and sometimes those topics are produced by you. Suggestion section as a whole is somewhere I dwell and I'd like it to be fully available to me.

I'd like to settle our disagreement, because, honestly, it spoils my mood to some degree. I'm going to unblock you and invite to DM where we can discuss our problems in a civilized manner and, I hope, where you won't feel attacked in front of everyone and thus be safer.

Please, ping me in DM if that works for you.

Thx in advance.

fair hawk
#

I am surprised, and I feel like I want to believe you. I want peace and to demonstrare it I am unblocking you too. Cheers.

rustic rain
#

I like the idea... for single player. And there's nothing wrong with single player only traits. The transformation of cities to inns and all, that seems more in the realm of an ambitious mod than a simple trait. You could treat it like a wonder that more than 1 stack could enter, but only one stack could fight at a time, either swapping out to give a wounded figure a rest, or each stack is assigning one task within the event. (Distract the guards, steal the treasure, cover the escape, etc)

fair hawk
#

I loved the idea for combat quests lke these (Distract the guards, steal the treasuee, cover the escape..)

fair hawk
#

Multiple Pantheons, Empire mode and RPG-Adventure mode are my most wanted features

fair hawk
fair hawk
#

Archmages DLC would be perfect for a rpg adventure roguelike realm trait

sterile obsidian
#

I believe, it's too late to expect suggestions to be implemented into the next DLC. I mean, it's either planned for already, or not and not subject to change.

That said, I'll definitely be glad to have some mode, culture or realm trait to make gameplay lean more onto RPG feeling, even if it is not easy to implement.

weary igloo
#

More than likely the next expansion pass is at least planned out by now too I'd reckon

fair hawk
#

It could be called Hero's Quest realm trait or The Hero's Journey realm trait: something that feels more rpg

fair hawk
#

I would love this hero's journey realm trait or adventure mode to have taverns and inns with a rumor generator, and these could generate quests, infestations or even a new unexpected rival to appear in the realm

med.png Screenshot_20260403-231606.png
#

another idea: in adventure mode could be possible interacting with different cultures of heroes on multicultural taverns and markets adding a layer of random rpg inmersion and not just pay for rumors to one npc

#

this would make each culture enrich the world on this mode

fair hawk
#

inspired by old telnet MUDs

file_00000000ba6c720a8a00079bd1a939b6.png
fair hawk
#

more in AoW 4, happenings style

file_0000000094947243842463e5e3586476.png
fair hawk
#

The Ambition system has great potential for generating RPG-driven content. For instance, a Gloryseeker might focus on high-stakes treasure hunting, while a Shepherd could be dedicated to wildlife conservation. To add depth, a character’s Culture should influence their narrative voice; a Primal hero or ruler would speak with spiritual reverence, whereas a Feudal monarch would use formal, authoritative language—whether in taverns, inns, or grand bazaars.

#

Example of rpg driven content for Destiny traits. Here are those tavern rumors and perceptions for each Destiny Trait:

  • Mark of the Owl (Shadow): "They don't just drink; they listen to the walls. Rumor says they trade secrets plucked straight from the Ancient Wonders."

  • Mark of the Hoard (Materium): "Keep your hands off your coin purse. They can smell gold from a mile away and value a full vault over a full belly."

  • Mark of the Conflux (Astral): "The air hums when they walk in. They say their veins run with pure mana instead of blood."

  • Mark of the Wildspeaker (Nature): "More beast than kin. They’d rather share a bench with a dire wolf than a merchant."

  • Mark of the Tower (Order): "Stiff-necked folk. They won't even sit down without a written decree from their City Tier lords."

  • Mark of the Sword (Chaos): "Trouble looking for a place to happen. To them, a tavern brawl is just a warm-up for a real war."

  • Mark of the Dove (Good): "Too peaceful for this world. They’ll buy you a drink just for looking sad, but their kindness feels... unnatural."

  • Mark of the Butcher (Evil): "The room goes quiet when they enter. They don't care for gold or gods, only for the next kill that makes them stronger."

#

The adventurers you meet possess unique depth; their interactions shift each turn, shaped by the interplay of their class, moral alignment, and cultural heritage, as well as their destiny traits and hidden ambitions.

fair hawk
#

Visitables locations could include: crossroads, inns, taverns, grand bazaar, blacksmith, library, colosseums, mage towers, castles, haunted mansions, crypts, towns, haunted forests, ancient wonders, mountain ruins, and large dungeons.

vale anvil
#

Love the mountain exploration idea. Being able to scale the highest mountains and secure passages through them would be awesome and maybe even having a vision buff after completion on that mountain

#

Not annexable, but like, a watchtower on top or a 1 hex path through the mountains that would make choke points and bottlenecks extra strategic

teal sable
#

I loved exploring caves in the first couple of age of wonders titles, Where the fog of war was slowly revealed as you explored

marble smelt
#

That sounds sick, not gonna lie