User blog comment:Glflegolas/Thoughts on the future of the mod/@comment-25841881-20180922165220

"Some of them have a unique weapon or two, but when it comes down to it, what's the difference between Gondor and Rohan for example? Very little unless you're into mounted archers or Rangers of Ithilien. Blue Mountains and Durin's Folk are virtually identical, and as for the various Orc factions?"

I think you're looking at this wrong. Factions shouldn't vary much in terms of mechanics. Your gameplay experience shouldn't be vastly affected by what faction you choose. Rather, factions should exist and vary for the sake of immersion within the world and roleplay. I do agree that factions shouldn't be the major sustained focus of development, but that we still need more.. Primarily in the East, where it's bland and barren. I'd say that a good development plan would be focusing on mechanics, but adding on factions that benefit from those mechanics. Like, for example, overhauling the Dwarves along with a Mining update.

In terms of your suggested mechanic-changes.. I'm not sure much can really be done in the way of mining. Mining will be pretty bland and boring regardless of complexity.

Oceans, Weather, and Ships would all be beautiful.

I'd also say that enhancing the survival aspect of the mod would be good. Keep the existing hungry-slower-than-vanilla, but also slow down the growth of crops, trees and animals. Make things take potentially up to 10 times longer to be ready for harvest. Make berry bushes grow in larger, but far rarer, patches. Perhaps even make hired units have a food upkeep.

Economy. Right now money is of quite limited use. Paying traders to reforge things was a nice change, but money still feels like it's only useful in multiplayer.

Ambience. Things like improving the night sky even more, or more changes like waterfall mist, etc.