Most certainly, we welcome the help. For me, I'm really interested in feedback on current ideas and I'm open to new ideas as well.
As far as primitive vs future tech, the problem with that is apparent by studying world history. Perhaps the phenomena that led to the current condition of wide-spread Euro-domination (racially European) is our apparent obsession with war machines (as a Euro-American myself). A more careful examination of world history reveals that Europeans were no smarter or inventive than any other race, although this idea is promoted throughout European-derived culture and history books. What is markedly apparent is the amount of time, attention, effort and energy Europeans put into war technology. This would seem to be the true cause of the eventual condition of wide-spread European dominance. The ability for war machines to turn the tides was perhaps most pronounced in the beginning of World War II when almost all of the English army's veterans were wiped out early in the war when the calvary-minded generals (set in their ways I should add) were met with the harsh reality of German artillery.
So to summarize, future tech is pretty much always going to obliterate primitive tech. This is almost exclusively the cause for continued Euro-dominance/bullying in the world today (probably mostly American) -- it certainly isn't numbers.
What gave me the idea for religion vs science, after Justcallmeike posted his ideas for necromancy and religion is the power that religion has in the world to unite and divide people, to move people into action and to stifle them. I should qualify that most of this, IMO, is the power hungry manipulating others by using religion or God's name. That aside, it's probably had as much influence as technology in the shaping of the world today, so the tech faction having religion or science seemed a forgone conclusion and I think makes a good story line.
History, opinion and ideology aside, I think that the general direction we're looking at for these sub-factions is:
- Magic - Path of Corruption (dark/destructive/abusive magic): moderately high capacity to damage, moderately weak defense, high numbers of cheap/weak units, relies on detrimental effects for game balance
- Magic - Path of Nature (natural/healing magic): moderately weak capacity to damage, strong defense (moderate to slightly weak armor, massive healing/regen effects, unique defensive capabilities) and unique attacks.
- Tech - Path of Enlightenment (religion): moderate capacity to damage, strong defense (high armors, and healer units that can heal quickly)
- Tech - Path of Reason (science): highest capacity to damage, moderately weak defense, beset by the nuances of technology (shit always breaks in real life!!!), unique abilities and beneficial units that aid the faction in modalities unavailable to other factions.
For the tree-huggers, we may go the path of tying their strength to forest, although the impact of that with current popular maps will have to be examined. The one I most want to do here is an upgrade that eventually allows them to traverse through forest as open ground and maybe even increasing regen while in or next to a tile containing a tree. Adding "forest" as a field of travel and allowing this sub-faction to travel through it will allow them to perform ranged attacks from a standpoint where non-ranged units cannot harm them, a powerful asset.
The trick with 4 faction is the balance of power between them, while keeping it interesting. For instance, it seems fairly natural that religion should have an offensive boon over undead (and we plan on that) and that science should have a napalm-like answer to the poor druids shooting arrows at them from the trees. The story-line is important to keeping it fun, but the balancing act may require the most work.
Poll