Terrain

[Catwalk]

Updating this thread to include general terrain changes rather than just movement.

1) Pathfinding costing 1 MP per move
2) Setting mountaineer movement cost on plains to 1
3) Roughly doubling movement of all units (as listed elsewhere)
4) Coal: 10% discount on buildings.
5) Iron: 10% discount on troops.
6) Gems: +40% income
7) 1 food for shore tiles
8) ½ food for ocean tiles
9) ½ MP for shore tiles for swimmers
Please comment, and submit any ideas you may have.

[kyrub]

I am looking forward to reducing the blitz pathfinders. Now it is easy - I know what to do.

For 2) and 9) - a volunteer with a good skill in Hex-editing would be much appreciated. It is not hard, but it requires calm and precise changing of a good number of bytes. The reward: You will learn how to change terrain cost for any type of movement, for any type of terrain (or you may ask for alternative reward, like eternal glory or a beer or... whatever).

[WhiteMage]

I agree with 1, 2, and 3, but disagree with 9. Why would swimmers move with half speed on shore? They move with normal speed on both water and land. Shore is not different.
I propose
5: In general only roads (and cities) should allow half (or less) movement cost. Therefore, I would eliminate the half movement cost of non-corporeal spirits, which is counterintuitive, exploitable for exploration and early attacks, and is bugged (especially with stacking). This would kill 3 flies with 1 strike.

[Catwalk]

I agree with removing pathfinding from non-corporeal, will include this.

I think faster shore movement for swimmers makes them more interesting. They will have another use besides going from one continent to another, their own little mini pathfinding ability. I never get excited about lizardmen, this would make them appeal a lot more to me.

[Catwalk]

Updated this thread to include other terrain changes as well as movement stuff.

[kyrub]

Wild idea no. 89:
Could overall terrain of a square sometimes influence constants of a combat taking place on it (to add some variety)?

Example:
Combat in a (thick) forrest square = all long range damage is halved
Combat in a swamp square = all movement is halved

[Catwalk]

I like that idea, if it's easy to implement. However, the human player would have a much easier time using this than the AI players. I'm thinking it shouldn't affect city combat.

[kyrub]

It can be done, that's sure.

Effect per combat square would be better. But we have no graphic representation for swamps, mountains, tundra... And the trees, as it seems to me, do not always give clear idea on which square of the battlefield is / is not the forest placed. Not very good for an implementation of battle terrain effects...

So far we have (as a combat terrain)
hills, "rough", trees, road, plains.

[Catwalk]

I'm not sure about combat effects based on combat terrain, as there's very little at present. Would you be able to add terrain? Which method would it be easier to teach the AI to use?

[kyrub]

I have no good answers to your questions.
That's why I opted for bigger scale, overall combat disposition. I think we can stay on this level for now.