Caster of Magic Release thread : latest version 6.06!

[Seravy]

Any thoughts on variable casting cost based on cities per my last post? Or is that undosblu code wise.

You are targeting on resolution so that's impossible even in theory. Unless it always costs 200 and gives you some of it back when done but that's really weird.

[Nelphine]

Right right. I'm still thinking in teems of gsmss that can give info on mouse over, so that you could see the cost changing depending where you targeted. My bad.

[Domon]

what about making it an enchant unit spell that gives a unit the build road ability?

EDIT: and since it basically makes a unit an engineer, you can call it "conjure degree" :P

[Seravy]

what about making it an enchant unit spell that gives a unit the build road ability?

EDIT: and since it basically makes a unit an engineer, you can call it "conjure degree" :P

Not doable. Even if it was, that's an AI killer. The AI assumes units that can build roads are engineers, so you could have that on strong units to deceive it thinking you're having nonmilitary units.

[lechium]

Isn't it a bit harsh that casting Raise Volcano on a resource like adamantium just destroys the resource forever?

[Nelphine]

Not really. It might create adamantium too. Sure its not as likely, but its possible. Slightly more important, adamantium is a bonus - you can't rely on ever getting it, so it shouldn't be the end if the world.

I think its particularly bad because of the feeling of losing some awesome rare thing. But that's more a human psychology thing.

Could be neat to have another chance to gain minerals when the volcano becomes a mountain though, especially if you could give an increased chance to remake any mineral that had been there.

[occasionalplayer]

I have cast Flame Blade on cannons (that already had adamantium) and it did not show any effects. It did, however, work on other units. Could you check please?

Outpost growth: I find that sometimes very random - beyond being playable, actually. Beastmen outposts at one point took forever to grow (my first city was at 13 at the time, I sent the settler at size 5). It totally affects strategies IMO and makes inquisitor less valuable for me. Couldn't something predictable be done? Such as: every outpost is instantaneously a hamlet. If you feel that this favors slow growth-races, then modify settlers cost (the slower the race, the more expensive).

I agree that volcanoes could be given an additional 20 percent chance of generating ores once they reconvert to mountain. That makes it different in its effect from corruption (not entirely destructive) and enhances the terraforming ability.

[zitro1987]

On Conjure Roads: a 200 research cost version is fine with me. I wouldn't want to see the spell gone.

This is simply a preference, but I would like to see 'aether sparks' be slightly more oriented towards reducing mana/magic ammo as opposed to being another direct damage spell (2 commons in sorcery is a lot, let chaos/death kill stuff). In other words, reducing the spell attack power by 5 but causing ammo and caster to go down to 1/3 instead of 1/2 or reduce both by a constant (e.g. caster reduced by 20, shots reduced by 4)
 ** Even better, I would like it to have conditional logic that it only targets units that have magic shots and/or caster (like warp wood with ranged units)

Another preference is having fireball cost 20 but having it deal 2 more damage points. This would mean magicians having the traditional option of spending all caster points for 1 fireball, and allowing fireball to really stand side by side with lighting bolt as a potent direct damage spell. (of course, fire giant may need a 15-20 mana cost increase to accomodate a more powerful fireball)

What if call centaurs or construct catapult is replaced with a more situational construct warship for sea battles?

Raise Volcano destroying minerals - let's keep it as it is, as harsh as it may be. I don't like the idea of having resources as a guarantee - it makes 'gems', 'crystals' adamantium, and well dwarves too overpowered.  Good counter against transmute as well, plus it's chaos, let chaos be destructive.
** I like the idea of increasing the mineral chance to 20%, but it'd have to come with a cost increase of at least 20 mana. Raise volcano is useful on tundra or with change terrain
** this is an example how Caster of Magic succeeds at magic magic feel really powerful and essential to winning the game

flame blade works on arrows and slingshots, not cannons.

Outposts having a more linear and less erratic progress rate is ok with me, but I wouldn't cry if it remains as it is. If more linear, it could use the 'outpost %' variable (generally 15-25 but would need reevaluation with this kind of change) as population growth and each of the outpost icons representing 100 pop (meaning, we have to get 700 to become a hamlet as we always start with 3 outpost icons)

[Seravy]

I have cast Flame Blade on cannons (that already had adamantium) and it did not show any effects. It did, however, work on other units. Could you check please?

Most buffs don't raise melee attack power if it was zero. Makes more sense on ranged but it's usually that way for melee as well. There are a few exceptions making it a bit inconsistent.
If you meant no ranged attack increase, cannons aren't missile attacks, they are rock attacks.

Couldn't something predictable be done?

Not really. Outpost size goes from 1 to 10 which is nowhere near fine-grained enough to use a nonrandom growth. It would take extra work to change that. I guess I can add it to my list of things to try but that's for later.

Raise Volcano already has a 20% chance of Minerals when cast. I don't want to add a chance when turned to mountain because it would be annoying to watch all volcanoes I put in enemy territory every turn to see if there is a new adamantium I have to get rid of.

The primary intended role of AEther Sparks is to provide a direct damage spell where you don't have to pay extra for illusion damage. Psionic Blast is an absolute waste of mana and skill on units that don't have much armor.

[GermanJoey]

Can you explain why you don't feel like 1 to 10 is enough room for nonrandom growth for outposts? Why can't outposts start at 1, and then gain 1 house per turn for most races, and 2 houses per turn for "fast" races? (lizardmen, klackons, gnolls, barbarians)