THE TRENT WAR --- a new campaign!

[raknefne]

I will have to check with Ice Spider from WoTn which spits ice and can freeze, 20% chance,. It works there. I will check, if I can't make it work, I just remove the chance to burn on ranged attacks, shooting after all is an improvement for the Fire Spiders.

[jorko80]

Hi raknefne, Sirlancelot
As I said to raknefne already I play not just impossible but combined with a very good mod which removes all unbalanced stuff and makes the game super challenging. This is for both The Legend and Crossroads and believe me beholders are not overpowered. Units with ressurection and some other abilities are, but raknefne already took care of some. And some abilities should really be removed from phantom creatures(creatures made with phantom spell).
@Sirlancelot - these mods are not mine so I don't know if I can translate them ,but they were the inspiration for me to make my mod for WotN-Ice and Fire.
@raknefne - the problem with WotN is that everything is thrown at you after just the first island. You have access to so many powerful creatures and the money is infinite and the game is becoming ultra boring. The gorgons(snake summoner) maybe powerful in the beginning but later with more experienced and powerful enemies they are not. In my mod I made many changes regarding access to new islands and it's not easy to get there and the money is so hard to obtain - I even named the mod - Expensive .
I will translate my mod and in time I can think about the others, but it will be much later(maybe in the end of this year). I expect to finish the translation of my mod around the end of april(start in march).

P.S @raknefne - In the spider_fire.atom file in the arena_params section under hitback=1 insert this line - posthitmaster=features_burn, it should look like this:
arena_params {
features_label=cpi_spider_fire_feat
features_hints=poison_defense_header/poison_defense_hint,fire_resistance_header/fire_resistance_hint,mind_immunity_header/mind_immunity_hint,flaming_header/flaming_hint,fire_spit_header/fire_spit_hint
race=neutral
cost=60
level=2
leadership=30
attack=12
defense=12
defenseup=3
initiative=6
speed=2
hitpoint=30
movetype=0
krit=20
hitback=1
posthitmaster=features_burn
posthitslave=features_flaming
hitbackprotect=0
attacks=moveattack,throw,web
features=mind_immunitet
This should allow the burning chance to work.

[Sirlancelot]

Hmm, I think I'm getting at shops the same spells in Sprudne than I saw in Jerneland.

Dragon Arrows, Nature Call and Invisibility are repeated for sure.

Just coincidence/bad luck? If it's just coincidence I'm perfectly fine with it, eh.

jorko80:

Beholders are not overpowered, unless you face an army which consist basically of level 1 creatures. But the certainty (=100%), that you will put level 1 creatures to sleep makes them boring, too predictable. The same goes for the 0% to enchant level 5 creatures and the 10% to affect level 4 (I don't remember a single time a beholder put to sleep a level 4 creature, by the way)

My point of view, of course.

And some abilities should really be removed from phantom creatures(creatures made with phantom spell)

Agree. Otherwise the spell should be limited to be cast just once per battle or directly removed until balanced.

[raknefne]

The spells in Sprudne, jerneland are random. I rarely make spells fixed. I have more fixed creatures instead.

[Sirlancelot]

Fine, it's really exciting to have to manage to survive with just a bunch of spells, and specially be persuaded to cast some usually non relevant like Precision or Avenging Angel!

Did you place Polar Bears on every map, or just in the first two areas? I only found 19 of them, for now. I wonder because I like them and got two items that improve their speed and morale, but with so few available cannot risk my money right now investing on them.

By the way, I run out of Priests and Inquisitors with my Paladin! Argh, now that I reached the third Holy warrior medal.

The game keeps funny and interesting, although maybe there're too many level 4 creatures around. That implies a bit silly/suboptimal to continue carry over level 1, 2 & 3 mobs. Because they rarely have hit points enough to survive all battles without loses and pursuit the Leadership medals. It's a shame.**

** Not that I care much, I'm just worried to catch leadership enough to keep struggling through the campaign.

A bit of criticism:

There're some fights where the visibility of the farest corner of the screen is difficult to track / see in detail. I remember specifically two battles where I couldn't see the grid properly and had to guess. Unfortunately, moving the camera didn't help a big deal. I'll show you some screenshots whenever I get across that situation again.

Kudos:

Avenging Angel and Call of Nature spells changes make such conjurations more desirable. Perhaps the first can be empowered even further. I modified mine locally so it last for 6, 7 and 8 turns on levels 1,2 and three respectively. And still doesn't feel overpowered, mostly because I miss Target but also due to the modest amount of damage it inflicts *and* the high mana cost it has when compared with crowd control "monsters" early/midgame like Slow. Which by the way may be pricier in mana and crystals cost and a bit nerfed. Mine longs for 1,2,3 rounds instead of 2,3,3.

Love to watch ghosts and pterodactyls flying across the sea. Really nice idea to put them there.

I also noted hostile pirate ships notice you and begin your persecution from afar.

I expected a battle inside my submarine, but hey, you cannot have all.

[raknefne]

To Sirlancelot:

Polar Bears: It is random what you can hire.

Level 4: Did you mean, there were too many level 4 to hire early game compared to level 1-3? There's some randomness too here, could be different in another game, but I'll have a look.

Avenging Angel Spell: Good point, I never used it before. Have just made the following changes for version 1.2 (hope it is not overpowered, I never upgraded it before and rarely learned it):
Price 500 (was 2.500), Mana 6/8/10 [was 9-13-18], Crystals 1-2-5 [was 3-5-8], Damage 90-150 (was 85-130), Duration 4-5-7 (was 4-5-6).

Map visibility: If you don't have a photo, maybe just describe which map and what area for the arena, then I'll have a look. Some arenas are different with new tactics, for instance when you come to Lower Trent map, there are NO chests to be digged up, but there're more chests to find IN battle (a man tells you when early on that map).

"Mini boss" question: Have you have a fight with the tougher heroes with no retreat option, sort of a mini-boss fight? There is 1 on Jerneland, 1 in Sprudne etc. The one on Sprudne has tons of goodies behind it, including a 1-2 free level 5 units. Also did you try some of the bosses?

[Sirlancelot]

Originally Posted by raknefne

To Sirlancelot:

Level 4: Did you mean, there were too many level 4 to hire early game compared to level 1-3? There's some randomness too here, could be different in another game, but I'll have a look.

No, simply remark the attractiveness of going with a group of level 1-3 creatures for a while. If you see many level 4 creatures to hire, quickly end with a party only composed with them.

What I mean is, some creatures don't have their moment to shine.

Map visibility: If you don't have a photo, maybe just describe which map and what area for the arena, then I'll have a look. Some arenas are different with new tactics, for instance when you come to Lower Trent map, there are NO chests to be digged up, but there're more chests to find IN battle (a man tells you when early on that map).

Don't worry, whenever I come across a simmilar situation, I'll take some screenshots.

EDITED: Ok, let's see first a photo with a normal, common frontal perspective:




Now, the diagonal/isometric perspective I was referring to:




No matter how you move/position the camera, the upper right corner has a poor visibility. This situation can be aggravated if the area is crowded by large pictures of creatures. For example, of horsemen or dragons.

"Mini boss" question: Have you have a fight with the tougher heroes with no retreat option, sort of a mini-boss fight? There is 1 on Jerneland, 1 in Sprudne etc. The one on Sprudne has tons of goodies behind it, including a 1-2 free level 5 units. Also did you try some of the bosses?

No, not yet. I didn't feel forced to do so to progress, so I'm still waiting the perfect moment; the instant I predict my power is high enough to avoid heavy casualties.

Bug (maybe is important):

SPOILERS AHEAD:

I reached Sprudne and started kitting, exploring the map. Then I spoke with both Brylhar and Grot and got their missions/quests.

I couldn't find the missing stolen supplies robbed by pirates. No idea where they were. And "Sea Dog" was labelled as "Very Strong". Thus I decided to start the Grot quest. I found the former orc female transformed in a frog. Talked to her, spared her life and return to Grot. Grot persuade me to put the frog to rest, and so I did. Then I returned to the castle and Grot wasn't there. Spoke with Brylhar, who apologised and inform me that Grot had lost his mind. And point me out to speak with him. I did, and then, to my surprise, the shaman congratulated me for solving the three quests:




However, Jhon "Sea Dog" and the missing supplies quests remain active and incompleted.