Zitro 'Balspeed' / 'one' / 'mod of mod' Removed

[zitro1987]

Are we talking about the cheat/exploit of ranged flying units exhausting their shots, then waiting until combat ends? That is a cheat - a casual player would probably not think of it and AI is not programmed to cheat either.

So I wouldn't want to change the game considerable to manage an exploit. However, your second idea seems both practical and logical (flyers get exhausted staying off ground). In fact, I could even take it a step further and ground the flyers after just 12 turns. That seems like a tough modding project (just like my other flying proposal in post 120) as it means also stopping flying animation.

Edit: I still am hesitant in changing flying unit features around an exploit I find quite boring and never do. I exhaust my shots, then gotta engage in melee.

[Seravy]

Are we talking about the cheat/exploit of ranged flying units exhausting their shots, then waiting until combat ends? That is a cheat - a casual player would probably not think of it and AI is not programmed to cheat either.

Cheat? Why?
The point of having ranged attacks is to attack from afar and not to engage the enemy. Returning for more ammo is common sense and is what any plane in any real war does.
Yes, using a flying ranged attacker is a tactical advantage, that's the whole point of building one. They only really work on specific neutral targets -those that cannot fly nor shot-, as wizards will nuke them and/or build ranged/flying units themselves.
I don't think trying to "fix" an intended, working, and fun game feature is a good idea. If anything, I would like to see the AI doing this instead. In fact, AI flying units should never engage a nonflying enemy unless they are stronger or a damage over time enchantment is in effect.

[Anthony]

Are we talking about the cheat/exploit of ranged flying units exhausting their shots, then waiting until combat ends? That is a cheat - a casual player would probably not think of it and AI is not programmed to cheat either.

Cheat? Why?

Well, the other option is to change the entire encounter generation scheme so there are no lairs or neutral cities that cannot engage fliers.

[letsdance]

did you update the help files? or will they confuse me if i just download and play your mod? for example, will i know what spell does what before i cast it?

[zitro1987]

did you update the help files? or will they confuse me if i just download and play your mod? for example, will i know what spell does what before i cast it?

Text is mostly updated all the way through, including spells, buildings, etc. There may be some issues here and there.

[letsdance]

whenever i add or remove a life book, i get "you cannot take both, life and death magic". it does not happen with death books.

the following are probably insecticide bugs:
gnoll bowman did not shoot at my draconian spearman even after they dispelled guardian wind (they did before i cast gw)
demon lord summoned 3 demons but they never moved or attacked my war trolls
AI did not even clear the easy lairs

i downloaded from the link in the first post:

Zitro mod - Download (1.28a version) - September 21 (version changes: see document for details)

i suggest adding a year to the date. is this the current version?

edit: nm read the .doc =) will finish the game then post a feedback =

[letsdance]

ok i played a game with myrran, warlord, 5 life, 1 chaos, 1 nature. purple(!) trolls on hard.

it was fun and i like the changes to the races and spells. recommendable mod. some things i did not like (naturally this list is longer, but it does not change that all in all i liked it):

settlers too cheap, or spearman too expensive (build cost, i didn't care about the upkeep). i only produced settlers at start until i had colonized my continent (was a large one). i lost one town to neutrals, but not more. they were pretty inactive.

i build granary only when i wanted animists guild and farmers market only as last building. they are too expensive compared to the other buildings and the food from shipwrights guild is more than enough. in general all the buildings produce free resources, just granary and farmers market are so expensive.

town size not that important anymore because so many buildings give fix bonus.

since all the other buildings have low upkeep, i never had money troubles. in the late game, i bought a building each round in a newly settled dracon town, until i had them all except wizards tower, and started high end unit production. this seemed a bit too easy.

never played with heroes because at the time i got my 2nd one offered to buy, i already had ultra-elite adamantium war trolls and the AI could not defend against that. soon after i conquered the biggest enemy capital and quit the game (playing to the very end is boring from here).

being alone in myrror was boring. i needed to defend only one tower and could settle all of myrror. the AI didn't touch most of the lairs on arcanus. probably for the same (unknown) reason it did not clear another tower.

[zitro1987]

New Update:
*Settlers cost 20 more
*Granary costs 10 more, but has 1 less upkeep. Given that 1 food converts to 1 gold - it's a free building with +20 pop growth.
*Farmer’s Market costs 35 less and with 1 less upkeep (I understand the complaint - population is less important in this mod)
*Myrran Wizard starts with only 2 additional mana instead of +5 (the lonely aspect is a strong benefit, need to continue weakening this retort)
*Golems considerably weaker (5 less hp) - Magic Immunity is such a good trait that it needs to be balanced out.
• Magicians cost generally 10 more, have 1 less shot (5), but have 1 more ranged attack rating (8)
• Warlocks lose ‘lightning’ ranged attack, instead gain two powerful ranged attacks.
• Most top-tier units cost ~15 more.

[letsdance]

*Granary costs 10 more, but has 1 less upkeep. Given that 1 food converts to 1 gold - it's a free building with +20 pop growth.

yes but all others are not just free, they provide additional benefits. i would probably build this version of granary, which sounds like i had to make decisions, which is good. it also depends on race. if you play a slow growth race, you want the growth bonus more. with a fast race it doesn't matter.

it's not that this version of granary is bad, it's just that the other buildings are so much better. ship wrights and animists guild could use higher upkeep for example, if you don't want to lower total upkeep. university too.

in the current LRM version i removed the myrran fortress mana bonus completely.

[zitro1987]

New version with some major city and racial changes - particularly to make them less similar to each other.

• Grand Vizier only does buildings.
• Enemy AI combat spells more random (factor increased from 20 to 25)
• Demons now cost 35, higher stats and still with spell-casting abilities.
• Alchemist Guild needs no buildings
• Priests have 2 fewer shots, +1 ranged, and added ‘healing spell’ on top of ‘healer’
• Wizard’s Guild needs university (and alchemist)
• Barbarians lose 10 growth and the ability to build library, sage’s guild, university, alchemist/wizards
• Barbarian tier 1-2 units have -1 resistance but have +1 movement, +1 more thrown, and roughly 25% cheaper.
• Barbarian cavalry cost 15 less and move 1 more.
• Barbarian Berserker cost 15/1 less but have 1 less melee (11 ->10) and 2 more thrown (4->6)
• Gnolls cannot build farmer’s market.
• Gnoll Wolf Raiders cost 10/1 less.
• Halflings cannot build War College.
• Slingers cost 10 more, have 1 less shot, but have +1 ranged damage.
• High Elves have -20 growth now, but can build 2 previously removed buildings: bank and forester’s guild.
• Elven Lords have 1 less melee, but lower cost.
• Lizardmen grow the fastest at +30 growth
• Lizardmen cannot build sawmill, miner’s guild, mechanician’s guild, city walls.
• Nomads lose +1 movement, but gain pathfinder and +1 armor
• Nomads can now build unique ‘parthenon’ after oracle.
• Nomad Priests are now ‘high priests’, requiring Parthenon, costing 45/1 more, and have +2 melee, +1 ranged, +2 shots, +1 resistance, +1*4 hp.
• Griffins cost 10 less, but lose 1 hp per figure.
• Dark Elves can build fantastic stables to recruit nightmares, the most expensive normal unit in the game.
• Nightmares with +1 melee, +2 ranged, +1*2 hp.
• Trolls now have 2 figures instead of 1. To hit and hp adjusted.
• War Trolls have 1 less armor and cost 10 more.