Posts from Ascension: gameplay mechanics.

In this section, please share ideas for the gameplay mechanics of Ascension. Here, information about changes to resources, skills, months, landscape types, and hero parameters will be posted. Descriptions of races and units can be found in the adjacent section.
For now, I will present the changes regarding the Zodiac signs:
Monster and resource weeks will remain, but the appearance of monsters and resources on the map will be optional.
Each hero will have their own Zodiac sign. (Idea by Gamehunter)
List of "combat" signs: (only active if a hero with that sign is present)
Axe
Spear
Bow
Battle
Soldier
Banner
Crossbow
Axe
Guard
List of "magic" signs: (only active if a hero with that sign is present)
Sorcerer
Enchanter
Witch
Alchemist
Staff
Ritual
Potion
Scroll
Shaman
List of "economic" signs: (active if that week is present)
Sage
Merchant
Farmer
Ruler
Bard
Goblet
Glove
Ring
Hound
List of "universal" signs: (active if that week is present):
Throne
General
Feast
I haven't come up with the specifics yet.

Here are the changes regarding the Zodiac signs: Monster and resource weeks will remain, but the appearance of monsters and resources on the map will be optional.
Each hero will have their own Zodiac sign. (Idea by Gamehunter)
List of "combat" signs: (active only if a hero with that sign is present)
Axe – all melee units get +1 attack
Spear – all melee units gain the ability to attack 2 tiles in a row
Bow – all ranged units get +1 attack
Battle – all melee and ranged units get +1 attack
Soldier – all melee units get +1 attack and defense
Banner – all ranged and melee units get +1 morale
Crossbow – ranged units no longer suffer from range penalties
Dagger – ranged units no longer suffer from melee penalties
Cuirass – all ranged and melee units get +1 defense
List of "magic" signs: (active only if a hero with that sign is present)
Crystal Ball – all mage units get +1 attack
Tarot Cards – all mage units get +10 mana
Ritual Dagger – the hero gets +10 mana
Manuscript – the hero gets +1 magic power
Staff – all mage units get +1 defense
Ritual – all mage units get +1 attack and defense
Potion – any healing magic heals for 10 more HP
Scroll – any attacking magic deals 10 more damage
Apprentice – any summoned creature gets +1 attack and +1 defense
List of "economic" signs: (active if a hero with that sign is present)
Scout – all heroes reveal larger areas of the map
Merchant – prices in markets are reduced by 10%
Sage – the Grail map area is revealed (if there is no Grail map in the mission, the Sage cannot appear)
Traveler – terrain does not affect movement
Ruler – +500 gold each turn
Bard – you can hear more rumors in taverns
Goblet – all troops of all heroes get +1 morale
Gauntlet – the diplomacy skill of all heroes increases by 10%; if the skill is not present, the base diplomacy skill is added
Hound – no one can flee or surrender
List of "universal" signs: (active if that week is present):
Throne – you can build 2 buildings once per week
Warlord – all stats of all heroes' troops get +1, except for initiative, charges, and damage
Feast – all troops of all heroes get +3 morale
By week:
During the Plague week, all living troops have -50% growth, undead have +50%; during the Harvest week, living troops have +50% growth, undead have -50%; during the Cataclysm week, both living and undead have -50% growth, elementals have +50%. Once every 12 days, there is a full moon (all werewolves get +1 to attack, defense, speed, and +10 to life); in the next 12 days, there is a new moon (all werewolves get -1 to attack, defense, speed, and -10 to life).
Day and night:
If a hero attacks neutrals, if they have more than 50% of their turns completed, it is day; if they have less, it is night (on the first daytime attack, there is a 20% chance of dawn; on the first nighttime attack, there is a 20% chance of dusk). If a hero attacks another hero or a city, there is a 50% chance of day or night (the probability of dawn and dusk remains). Light magic is 25% more effective during the day and 50% more effective at dawn; Dark magic is 25% more effective at night and 50% more effective at dusk. For werewolves, +10 life and damage at night.

There are many unbalanced abilities, but overall, you grasped the concept. There's a zodiac button in the hero's menu; clicking it opens a window. On the left are the negative aspects – a separate topic, which I'll address soon. On the right are the positive aspects. Both sides are divided into three categories: blue, green, and yellow cells. A penalty is indicated by a red border around a cell of any color. So, blue represents bonuses for units during battle. Green represents bonuses for the hero on the global map. Yellow represents magical bonuses/penalties. This could be anything from a week-long bonus to the summoning magic skill to a random spell or mana regeneration per day. I'll make a more detailed list soon (maybe tomorrow).

Regarding the Astrologer skill: if it only predicts, then it's better to make it an ability; if it modifies bonuses, that smells like imbalance (Apprentice stage +1 attack, Grandmaster stage +5?), and it also increases the workload. Regarding toggling bonuses on and off during the game—that's a mistake; after all, constellations aren't televisions. Point out which signs are imbalanced? As for negative ones—separate negative signs could be introduced, randomly determining who they affect at the start of the week (this choice could be influenced via the Astrologer ability or magic), but introducing bonus signs on equal footing with negative ones creates too many variables (since some units also depend on the time of day), or negative ones should only be introduced with strong signs.

The concepts of Day Warrior and Night Warrior currently include +10 damage at night and +15 at sunset for own kind, and the same but during the day for day warriors. Is it worth changing them?

The concepts of day warrior and night warrior currently include +10 damage at night and +15 at sunset for night warriors, and the same but during the day for day warriors. Should they be changed?

I think we shouldn't include these concepts at all for balance reasons, and besides, it's extra work.

Regarding the Zodiac signs. In more detail:

1. There are 12 Zodiac signs - dragon, griffin, etc. We attach a suitable Zodiac sign to each hero.


2. There are three types of bonuses and penalties: magic-blue, arena-yellow, and global-green.

3. The Zodiac sign determines the bonuses and penalties for a specific week. For each week, there are 4 values for each sign: two pluses and two minuses.

Pluses and minuses can come in two variations: magic and global, or combat and global, depending on whether the hero is a warrior or a mage. That is, if the hero is a warrior, they will have a pair 1 every week: a combat minus and a combat plus, and a pair 2: a global minus and a global plus.


As for how the plus or minus is determined. Each Zodiac sign has a specific schedule for each week. 3 categories (magic, warrior, global) contain 2 parameters each. The hero selects 2 categories - global and warrior/magic depending on the hero's class. Thus, there are 2 parameters in these categories.

There is a standard parameter that should occur if certain conditions are met. For example, a navigation penalty requires the hero to be on a ship. If the hero is not on a ship, the navigation penalty is replaced by a second value, which is universal.

4. These are located in the hero menu. To see the current two pairs of bonuses and penalties for the week, you need to click the Zodiac button. A window will appear. Advantages will be on the right, disadvantages on the left. At the bottom is a checkmark to close the window.

5. The "Astrologer" skill removes the negative influence of the stars entirely. That's it. Compared to other hero skills, it's quite a valid skill, as the disadvantages are intentionally not too strong.

6. Negative influences:

Global:

1. Enemy in the army. - 150 gold every day.
2. Fog. The hero's vision is reduced by 1/3.
3. Calms. Reduces movement distance on a ship by 20%.
4. Curse. -1 luck.

Combat:

1. Dampness. Broken war machines on the battlefield - half HP.
2. Vengeful. +1 damage; - 2 defense.
3. Spirits. Morale of creatures below level 4 drops by 1.
4. Evil Fate. Impossible to retreat from the battlefield;

Magic:


1. Hex. Inability to cast the "Magic Arrow" spell and -1 mana every day.
2. Hated Friend. 1 troll joins your army, filling a slot, and cannot be dismissed. After dying in battles, it is resurrected, and leaves at the end of the week.
3. Cursed Sword. A sword "grows" into your hand slot, which cannot be removed during the week. The sword gives -2 to defense. It disappears at the end of the week.
4. Chaos. If there are creatures from different towns in your army, starting from the lower-level creatures, they will desert your army by 5% on the first day, 10% on the second, 15% on the third, 20% on the fourth, and 25% on the fifth. On the seventh day, 35% of creatures will leave. With each new day, the number of creatures decreases, and the percentage is subtracted from that new total.

Positive influences:

Global:

1. +n money every day. n=50*hero level.
2. Resource +1 every two days. The resource is unique for each race.
3. Insight. "Diplomacy" skill for a week. Not expert.
4. Swift March. Increases vision by 1/4 and slightly increases hero speed. By how much is a question.

Combat:

1. Desperate Fight. All melee creatures - +1 attack, and after their death, 1 unit of that stack is reborn at the stack's location. Does not apply to creatures of level 7 and above.
2. Stout Defense. +3 defense, and -1 hero attack. Activation: if the hero is in a town. If not, it does not activate. It also works outside the town.
3. Tactics. Basic tactics if the skill is missing, expert if basic is present. If expert is present, "Tactics" will not appear in the astrologer slot.
4. Surprise Attack. Hero's troops always move first during days 1, 3, 5, and 7 of the current week.

Magic:

1. Celestial Mana. +1 mana on the first day, +2 on the second, and so on in an arithmetic progression.
2. Ancestral Knowledge. Grants a spell, and not a random level 1-2 one, but a special one, unique to each race, and not too strong.
3. Hidden Power. Gives +n damage to attacking spells, where n=1/2*hero level.
4. Help of the Gods. Gives air elementals in amount n, where n=1.3*hero level. They do not fill a slot, but appear at the start of each battle in quantity n.



Essentially, two pairs of pluses and minuses provide a great many combinations and diversify the game. I have introduced 4 bonuses/penalties for 3 categories, but it's generally better to make 5 for broader variety. You won't like some of them.

2Saruman: you can think up a 5th skill and replace those you find unsuitable with your own. Some parts at the end will have to be discarded due to unfeasibility. If you like the concept in general.

I hope I didn't make it too complicated? )

Second point: attack range. All creatures will have an attack range parameter added. For example, an archer will be able to attack from 5-6 tiles away, but not across the entire map. Firstly, this will diversify the tactical plans of units and battles – for example, you can move your troops into a dead zone for archers. Archers will now not only stand in one place – we will also be able to see the animation of their movement. And finally, this adds realism – not all projectiles can fly long distances.

Better late than never :) :cool:
Regarding the zodiac. I think having both a bonus and a penalty for each week would make it too complicated. Perhaps it should just be either a bonus or a penalty. For example, if a hero is born under the sign of the Throne, they get a bonus during Throne week, and a penalty during Revolt week.
The global, combat, and magic skills system is good.
I don't think the Astrologer skill should be a full-fledged skill, but rather a secondary ability.
Range - it's possible, but I think it would make things unnecessarily complicated.

You could also introduce two new resources: iron and ebonite.

I suggest adding the possibility for random travelers to visit cities. For example: A wandering bard visits a city – and more heroes appear in the tavern (or at least with stronger troops; they cannot enter a city without a tavern). A mage – a new spell becomes available in the magic guild. A traveler – a section of the map is revealed. Wandering performers – +1 morale for all troops in the city. A trading caravan – prices on the market are lowered or raised (they cannot enter a city without a market). A sorceress – +1 luck for all troops in the city. A smuggler – new items appear on the artifact market (they cannot enter a city without an artifact merchant). A merchant – an exclusive offer to sell/buy resources; if there is a hero in the city, they offer war machines; if there is a hero and an artifact merchant, they offer artifacts. An engineer – a 25% damage increase for towers during the next siege (if there is a citadel or castle). A fair – +1 morale for all troops, lowered trade prices. A mercenary squad – an offer to hire. A squad of runaway bandits – an offer to join the army; if accepted, the troops in the castle suffer -1 morale

We could also introduce two new resources: iron and ebonite.

I've also thought about that. Iron could be a special resource for Haven. Bones for the Necromancers. Wood for the Elves. )

So:

1. Non-linear battlefields. That is, not just a square with troops fighting on it. Try more complex shapes. Make it impossible to shoot through certain obstacles. For example, trees. And make some locations (like a swamp) have a higher concentration of trees. Then archers will only be able to shoot through the areas where there are no trees. This will enhance the tactical aspect.

All sorts of passive obstacles. They don't block the path, but they slow down/deal damage. In the same swamp... hmm, a swamp. It slows down a creature moving through it by 1 square.

Underground buildings (battlefields) of various geometric shapes, again to enhance the tactical component. The shapes can be very diverse - from "+" to rectangles (long, narrow corridors).

2. I have this idea: when 100,000 melee soldiers attack, only the first ranks actually hit the enemy. So, I suggest introducing a kind of "damage limit" - damage is dealt only by as many creatures as the defenders have. That is, 200 centaurs attack 100 goblins, and the damage is dealt only by a hundred centaurs. The system is conditional, but I think the main idea is clear. Now, necromancers with their hordes of skeletons can be contained more effectively.

This system works especially well in conjunction with the fact that global time and arena time will be linked.

3. Creature experience. Ideally, it should be measured not in levels 1/2/3, but in percentages. Let's say, initially, all creatures have 100% experience. The maximum experience level is 300%, and units at this level are three times stronger than "newbies." However, we hire "newbies," right?
So, for example, a hundred centaurs fought, inflicting a certain amount of damage in battle. This damage is converted into experience; the formula for the conversion (a balanced one) needs to be determined through experimentation. The formula is approximately: experience = 100% + (damage amount * pi) / number of creatures. It doesn't matter. We get centaurs with 150% experience. We go to the Castle.
We hire 50 centaurs. The experience of the entire group as a whole is again approximately 100-110%. That is, creatures continue to level up throughout the game. Flexible experience is another component of the game's non-linearity.

4. Buried artifacts. As you know, by gathering information from four obelisks, you can find and unearth the Grail. However, most often, this either doesn't happen or happens at the very end of the game. So, to enhance the adventure aspect, I suggest introducing a system of buried treasures.
On the map, there are two objects: the buried treasure itself – gold, resources, an artifact; and a marker for it. This could be a "small" obelisk, reduced in height. Of course, creating a second puzzle map is too difficult. The small obelisk immediately indicates the location of the buried treasure, immediately showing the open, black-and-white game screen, as happens when all four obelisks are found. Another type of obelisk could be used: one that indicates where the treasure is buried in words. For example, "40 steps to the east, turn there, and 10 steps back." This is even more interesting and easier to implement.

5. Catapult deployment before battle. This isn't even my idea, and it's not for Heroes 3, but for Heroes 5. However, I think it makes sense to make taking castles a little more difficult – after all, they are mighty fortresses, not sandcastles that heroes with an army equal to the castle's garrison rush to besiege.

In short, if the "ballistics" skill is absent, the catapult does not fire for 1 turn before the battle. It "deploys." With the ballistics skill, everything falls into place. At the same time, the skill will become more in demand.

Gamehunter, that's awesome! I don't even have anything to add. Perhaps we could consider a more complex siege system, with trebuchets, different types of ammunition for catapults (infected cows, stones, liquid fire), ladders, and wolf pits, and we could even let units be launched at towers...
By the way, what do you think about my RPG? I thought it might interest you...