AstralLein
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Map V 1.1 was won by a player using the "hero," 100 days (GG-Arantir). The rumors about the map's difficulty are greatly exaggerated, but I didn't find it particularly easy or difficult. The map's landscape turned out well, and in some places, even beautiful. There are some well-executed dialogue scenes. However, everything that happens on the map is done in the style of a sketch. As I understand it, the main entertainment for the player should be the fight against Giovanni. He came a couple of times with a more or less serious army. Then he just grabbed whatever he could and went again. This hard-working guy acquired logistics and at least a couple of times a week tried to grab something. There was no difficulty in dealing with him, but such a headache is beyond measure. An orc running out of a human castle looked very strange. The knight, with his racially incomplete nature, didn't exactly make the air any fresher. In contrast, the two final heroes turned out to be quite likable. (I didn't expect them to be, so Naadir participates in the final battle)
Arantir doesn't have the "raise dead" spell at the start – this encourages the player to use other necromancers, because any other necromancer has this spell in their spellbook. It's a bit strange to create a map around a main character while simultaneously discouraging players from using him. This is further emphasized by the magic temple where you get the necessary spell, but the guards are completely disproportionate. (It can be bypassed without losses either by having "PM" or by having a well-developed hero, but not quickly). It turns out that it's easier to get "PM" in another way, and the temple is not needed at all.
The swamp with ghosts is a bad idea, in the form it's presented. I went to the swamp, had a couple of encounters with ghosts, and stopped going there. First, how can the player know that there is actually a passage there? Trying to force your way into the unknown is not a rewarding activity. Second, what is there to do? I didn't read about the artifact on the swamp anywhere in the game. Third, the AI walks freely through the swamp, and it is their heroes who reach the desired location first. In my case, the special artifact dropped from a randomly defeated brown hero. Finally, the newly created artifacts are very questionable.
The transformation of the city when captured by Arantir happens automatically; it would have been possible to ask the player if they want this or not. The cities are fully built, and turning the living into the undead in your own castle is not a problem. During the transformation, the city is destroyed. Another reason not to make GG Arantir.
I agree with the already expressed opinion about the road to the orc city. It's not done well. Only the hero who defeats the orc horde can pass freely back and forth. I used the "city portal" to drop a supporting hero into the city, but getting out of it is an impossible task.
The fat officials look disgusting and are not particularly functional. What is the point of creating them? Or is this an attempt to finally discredit the Castle army?
I've been waiting for your comment as a professional for a long time :)
1) Yes, there is. The game's difficulty is very uneven. In the new version, I'm striving for a balance of difficulty at the beginning, middle, and end of the game (currently, the difficulty is only possible at the beginning, and even then, not for long).
2) More likely, the main problem is... the idea is this: protect your capital from Giovanni and at the same time give a beating to the blue player. But the balance turned out poorly... and Giovanni becomes just an annoying fly, and Benedict is "one-time use." We will fix it. Hopefully...
3) The orc is an alternative leader for the blue side. He establishes order in the orcish castle, and then the AI can do whatever it wants.
4) This was a hint at the need for a second hero... but I guess I overdid it. I will also balance it, as much as possible.
5) The brown hero should get these artifacts... so that the player can then take them from him. Trial and error is an alternative for those who are not lazy. The Cloak of Deadly Shadows on the swamp is a quest item. The Skull, also on the swamp, is the strongest hat on the map. Well, and the bundle and the Ring of Light's Eye are Easter eggs.
6) This is an oversight. When the map was released, I didn't implement the resetting of bonuses in the blue cities while the player owns them, as intended... but now I know how to do it, thanks to AlekseyS, and this will fix the problem of the advantage of "living" cities.
7) The path to the orc city is indeed a stupid idea without justification. It will simply be removed.
8) We will make a new model :D since so many people are complaining :rolleyes: The officials are for expanding their own storyline, plus it's always nice to add a new unit :)
Thank you for the detailed and helpful comment. And special thanks for the replays :)
