Posts from The release date of the expansion pack is approaching. Auto-translated

I removed the 4th point from the "what can and should be excluded" section (meaning it can be built and used).
I moved the 4th point from the "what is better to leave" section to the "exclude" group.

What can and should be disabled:
1. Hero classes - against removal
2. Creature experience and taxes - for removal
3. Turn timer - I don't see the point... There was an example where a player waited an hour for their opponent's turn.
4. Ban on scrying and vision spells - doesn't matter
5. Modified hero skills - against removal

What is better to keep:
1. Replacing scrolls with gold piles - for
2. Replacing cartographers with veils of darkness - for
3. Replacing heal forts with magic forest - for
4. Bank - against
5. Choice of neutral city types (goodbye dear secondary towns) - against
6. Ban on seafaring spells and artifacts - against
7. Ban on the Angel Wings artifact - for
8. Limit on Dimension Door and Hit-and-Run - for
9. Built-up second-level dwellings at start - against
10. Advanced witch huts - for
My humble opinion...

Dream, by the way, what's the point of our discussion? Are you going to bring this to the attention of Horn and Co.? So they can develop a new version of the editor? Or what?

Dear Dreamcatcher, please let me know if you need any help... if my knowledge is sufficient, I am at your disposal;)

Me too ;)))... Want to be useful ;) =)))))))))

Thank you for your willingness to help! I think the main assistance will be needed in distributing the TE itself. And how to technically integrate it with SOD is described below.

Added 1 minute ago

I've read many times about maximizing the integration of TE with SOD, and each time this hybrid turned out to be 100% TE.

Were there any such experiments? It means that it was integrated incorrectly ;)

Added 14 minutes ago

In general, the best thing would be to not decide what to leave and what to remove, but to make everything optional - IMHO.

And everything will be optional. That is, several files with game settings will be created, which will be posted in the rules and adopted as a standard. And players will be able to change any settings by agreement if they want.

Dream - by the way - what's the point of our discussion? Or are you going to bring this to the attention of Horn and Co.? So that they develop a new version of TE? Or what?

There is no need to develop a new version; any changes can be rolled back if they are not embedded in the executable file, but are stored in text files in the game's Data directory. I see the process as follows: first, TE is installed in its current form, that is, the latest version 1.03q. Then, three or four ready-made files with game settings are copied into the game. Some of them I will adjust based on the discussion results, and others I personally cannot create and am waiting for help from the development team. Some files are automatically connected to the game, while others require simple actions to load them in the game interface. And that's it - we play SOD with the TE interface.

Added 22 minutes ago
I am very pleased that the idea is gaining support :) In fact, I am terribly tired of endless click-click, click-click - I got confused with the heroes, I didn't transfer them correctly - and the time ran out... The only thing I didn't expect was the unanimous rejection of the bank. I was initially against it, but then I tried it out - and I liked it. For example, I need one gem to build unicorns, but there are none anywhere, and there is no one to take them from... Or I'm one tile away from a pile of gems. But in the bank, I borrow 1 gem, the next day I take a pile and return two, no problems. Well, if everyone is against it, then so be it ;)

I have many arguments against it, but here I would just like the new version to have, for example, a notification for the opponent that they will be playing against someone using the "TE" build.

Otherwise, I create a game, and I've scraped together the last of my resources for magic, only to find out that it was pointless, as there's no speed boost or slow effect...

Therefore, it would be good to have such a window for the "TE" player before the start of the game:
Warn the opponent about your (deficient) build ;)

I wouldn't want to come across as old-fashioned, but still...

1. Many players, I think at least half, have version 4.0 of the game (Platinum). Can TE 1.03q be installed on it? If not, then we immediately cut half of the players off from the game. There will likely be no compatibility between the resulting product and version 4.0. In general, this is my main question.

2. A secondary question. If TE needs to be installed, then the game management will also be TE-based, with numerous settings options in English. It seems to me that the gaming community on this forum is only just forming; it is in the process of development. Many are just starting to play online, like me. And instead of a simple and understandable game, they will suddenly be offered dozens of new options. This will likely scare people away. Try to explain to a beginner the difference between classic TE and the resulting TE-based product.
I think that by the second sentence, the connection will start to fade and be lost...
If a player desires new features, they will go directly to heroes.by, not to this site.

Message from Nagan-4
I've read many times about maximizing the similarity between TE and SoD, and each time this hybrid turned out to be 100% TE.

Were there such experiments? It means that they were approaching it incorrectly.

Experiments were conducted. And it was said that all players on SoD would be satisfied. In the end, no one was satisfied. Either a person switches to TE, or they continue to play their game.

All of the above is just my humble opinion.

2 Nagan. 1) You can install Total Enhancement (TE) on The Shadow of Death (SoD) – I installed TE this way. 2) To avoid numerous settings in English, there is a Russian localization (it weighs 1 MB). And, in my opinion, it is easy to figure out the settings. Gamers don't know much about TE; they just need everything explained, from installation to changes in the game.

The PR continues. :D

It seems to me that the gaming community on this forum is only just forming; it's in its early stages. Many are only now starting to play online, people like myself. And instead of a simple and clear game, they are suddenly offered dozens of new options. This is more likely to scare people off. Try explaining the difference between classic TE and the resulting TE product to a beginner.
I think by the second sentence, the connection will start to blur, fade...
If a player craves innovations, they will go directly to heroes.by, not this site.I completely agree in every way.
I've been playing Heroes for more than a year; I've read about the TE version, game reports on TE, the manual, and even wanted to try installing it and playing myself, but as soon as I imagine the hassles of installation and configuring all sorts of options, the desire vanishes. And what can be said about those who are just starting to play Heroes?
My point is: if there is a desire to popularize TE on this forum, - roll TE back completely to regular Platinum, so that absolutely everything except the interface remains the same. No banks, no experience, or anything else is needed (at least at first). So that one doesn't have to learn how to play all over again. Only in this way might something actually work. If it's possible to implement TE, then only by this method. Otherwise, we'll just talk, argue, fall out, and that will be the end of it. And one more thing: so there are no problems with installation and configuring all sorts of options. Personally, I want to:
1 simply Download
2 simply install without setting starting configurations
3 simply play regular SoD, but with a convenient TE interface
And that's it! I don't need slow on the second level or any of that other stuff.

In my opinion, the TE version is not bad. After all, no one argues about which is better, Heroes 3 or 4; everyone plays where they like, so if a niche of players appears who will enjoy TE, that's a plus. Moreover, there are plenty of masters of this genre.
So, I'm for the rapid popularization of this version on this forum.
Let it be the way it is played on Battle.net. And then disable the options as you like.

I'll share my point of view as well:)

try to make TE closer to SoD? - but why?
TE and SoD are turn-based strategies, but they are far from being twins..., and only the players themselves can "force" people to play TE, IMHO. Practice, and more practice - that's what's needed. Why add a third option to the choice?
Dreamcatcher, with all due respect, BUT:
you're suggesting creating something in between, right? Something convenient, right?
The word "convenience" here comes solely from just one button. Well, this can be done in the regular SoD as well ;).

As for the versions themselves, here you go:)
let's just assume that gamers are already divided into 2 groups - these are those who chose SoD and, accordingly, those who chose TE, are you suggesting adding a third "class," is it worth it?

try to make TE closer to SoD? - but why?

My goal is not to implement TE, but to improve the interface. This is why the idea of "castrating" TE came about.

The word "convenience" here stems solely from having just one button. Well, this can be done in the regular SoD as well ;).

Explain how - and I will happily delete my sermons here because they are no longer needed! :)

Well, judging by the fact that people still crave something new, something that, in their opinion, is more effective than the "outdated" system with its Stone Age troop transfer methods, and even more so, the still unclear TE, the idea still stands... I just showed my position, that's all :). So, your sermons are not superfluous ;). A little higher, you wrote that you are still figuring out how to change spell levels in TE, so contact the developer directly ;). I think Horn won't refuse, realizing that something, something special, might result. I'm sure he can also show (tell, explain, etc. - it doesn't matter :)), how to implement the idea with a single key press... But I'll ask the question again: In your opinion, will SOD with the TE interface unite gamers, or will it serve as another division?

P.S. "That's why the idea of 'castrating' TE was born" - nicely put :D

But I will ask the question once more:
in your personal opinion, will SoD with a TE interface unite gamers, or will it serve as another division?

P.S. "That's why the idea to castrate TE was born" - beautifully put :D

I think that it will actually unite them. I just set up a poll — let the gamers decide for themselves what they like most :)

I also found the phrase original when someone called TE a castrated SoD :smile04:

And I completely agree with inviz!!
Slow at the second level isn't needed by anyone playing SoD. But a convenient interface—now that's a different story!

As an off-line player, I'll say that even it stresses me out to drag artifacts and troops back and forth through hero chains, especially if, for example, you need to transfer from a hero who has 30 flies to one who has only one! (And having to hold Shift on top of that)... I can imagine how hard it is for online players, especially if the time limit is 1-2 minutes :-)

Although in off-line I'll have to play SoD, because in TE, definitely no one will be playing off-line... :-(

A little while ago, you mentioned that you were still figuring out how to change the spell levels in The Editor – so, reach out directly to the developer ;).

Now I've figured it out – someone from the Team helped me :smile44: