Posts from Heroes 5.5 WarGame Edition - Tactical Edition.

/topic/7486/
I'm playing using the link on this page, post 162. I didn't find another link on this forum.

In that version, hero classes were not yet implemented. Wait for the release version of Duels in a few days. The thing is, I don't publish intermediate versions on all forums because they are mainly intended for testing.

So, what’s the status of the release version?

As usual, there's that last 1% left, and it's taking longer than expected. At the same time, I'm also working on restoring the website, which contains a lot of content about creatures, abilities, and so on. The forecast is that within 2 weeks, along with the release, the website will also be launched.

Hooray! Only two weeks left!

Actually, the anticipation is very exciting; there are many great people with equally great ideas, but not all of them make it to the finish line...

Sorry for repeating the question, but what's new in WarGame compared to the standard 3.1? I read somewhere that 3.1 was full of cheating with abilities, and then I saw somewhere else that in 5.5 they removed a lot of things and practically castrated half the game...
Please enlighten me, those who have played and tested it, because I haven't had the time to try it out myself.

It’s not that there’s a lot of new stuff in WarGame Edition; it’s just that everything has been completely redone, absolutely everything. The technical possibilities of modding and the author’s imagination have been given free rein.

Sorry for the repetition, but what's new in WarGame compared to the standard 3.1? I read somewhere that in 3.1 there was a lot of cheating with abilities, and then I saw somewhere else that in 5.5 they removed and cut out almost half of the game...
Enlighten me, those who have played and tested it, because I haven't had the time or opportunity(((

Let's start with the fact that, at the current stage of development, WGE only applies to duels, although there are plans for the entire game (standard), but all this is going through the alpha testing phase (it is not yet clear whether there will be a ban on chains, whether there will be penalties for battles, a ban on fleeing, etc.).
And tell me, what exactly were the "cheating" abilities that were cut, if a huge number of combat perks of units were strengthened many times over, and magic was strengthened many times over (except for mass spells and Chaos)? For example, the difference between +150% initiative acceleration and +40% initiative acceleration, or the difference between 100% cavalry bonus per tile and 5%, speaks for itself. And all this is within the balance.

What was actually cut:
- influence of luck (50%/150% damage instead of 50%/200%)
- speed of infantry (only flyers retain class mobility), previously speeds were reduced for everyone (it seems that this version was published here)
- the ability to focus is limited by the introduction of heavy-class units, which, on the other hand, made it possible to introduce super-damage dealers of the "one hit = minus stack" class into the game, because they can now be blocked
- ammunition for archers, which makes the supply wagon relevant and prevents building the entire game on shooting from a corner
- mana reserves of heroes, because spells have much greater power
- mass versions of powerful spells are replaced with area-of-effect spells (4x4), because see the example of buffs above
- spell durations are reduced - this makes Sorcery more playable
- less "meat" in duels, the difference between top-tier units and numerous squads is emphasized, the micro-management element for the HP of top-tier units is emphasized
- formally, the damage from a hero's direct attack has been reduced, but in fact it has increased, due to the amount of "meat" (but now you can't kill an entire dragon with just one hit)
- formally, the levels of duel heroes have been reduced, and artifacts and hero perks are not used (except for schools, silences, and luck), simply because in this format there are troops and magic, but not progression (unlike the future Arena format)

Added 8 minutes ago

It's not that there's a lot of new stuff in WarGame Edition, it's just that everything has been completely reworked, everything. It's all that the technical possibilities of modding and the author's imagination could come up with.

For example, there are 177 new units. Of course, we're not talking about models, but about stats and abilities, but nevertheless. In some cases, there is a similarity to the original, approximately the same as the similarity between creatures from Heroes 3 and Heroes 5. There are also new models: all light (emerald, gold, azure) dragons, ice dragons, lizard upgrade, ifrits.

Added 1 hour 55 minutes ago
Regarding the game on the map, what direction is being taken (in future development):
Strategicality. And this is:
1) distribution of resources between multiple objects:
- many cities
- many armies
(against the RPG-ness, when 1 fist is pumped up, and 1 city is developed for it)
2) game dynamics, allowing for such classic strategies as:
- rush (the ability to arrive in week 1)
- harass (weak passage guards, the ability to arrive with combat cockroaches)
- expand (the ability to quickly move into several cities in week 1)
- development (various builds that give an advantage at different stages of the game)
- reconnaissance (the ability to quickly scout the map with cockroaches to track the opponent's actions)

The problem of chains is currently being tested. A chain is the ability to instantly teleport troops from any point on the map to any other, which makes it very easy to gather a "fist". This simplifies breaking through, allowing you to break through huge armies of neutrals as many times as you want per turn (with the same army, but with different heroes). This reduces the outcome of the game to the results of one "final" battle of such super-fists.

On the other hand, here is a perfectly normal game with accelerated dynamics. By the end of week 1, both players already have 6 cities. However, the first player was lucky enough to capture the second home castle, and 2 more home dwellings of level 6. And on day 8 (red rush), he arrives with 15-20 units of level 6, teleported through a chain, and simply wins the game, because the second player could not gather the same "fist". An obvious contradiction between balance and chains.

If chains are canceled, this same super-fist, gathered from 2 identical castles, will no longer be able to win the game, because it is not all-powerful (it does not have super mobility). It can be successfully opposed by many armies, gathered from different castles, because these armies faster "eat" the map and capture more objects and other cities.

On the other hand, without chains, the supply of troops is very difficult (as in a real strategy). This can lead to a large dispersal of troops (breaking through with "beggar" troops). That is, there are 2 extremes: breaking through with a "fist" and breaking through with "beggars", which we would like to avoid.

Another element, the introduction of a 50% turn penalty for battle. With accelerated dynamics (the range of movement of heroes), the number of battles per turn is skyrocketing, which increases the time spent on a turn. The introduction of penalties solves this problem, but reduces the pace of breaking through. Also, the introduction of penalties slows down combat heroes, but the logistics of "cockroaches" remains at a high level, which allows you to quickly transfer troops or scout the area before breaking through.

The ban on fleeing solves the problem of teleporting heroes through neutrals, as well as free "cheats". But it solves it too harshly; it is possible that in the end, a variant like in Dota will be adopted, where killed heroes are resurrected only after a certain time.

In short, these elements of the game on the map have both advantages and disadvantages, so they need to be carefully worked out. At the moment, I cannot say that these elements will definitely be implemented exactly in this form.

Author, hey, make WGE!

Author, hey, make WGE!

I am making it, it's just taking a long time.

Regarding duels:
- a re-evaluation of ability power is needed (there are about 200 of them including spells, and about 800 tied to specific units); about 50% is done - this is the most labor-intensive part of the work
- a redistribution of unit power stats is required (planning to increase physics for all units by +20%, which will weaken strike spells, which are currently favored)
- updated descriptions for units are needed (see below)

Additionally, in parallel, I am working on development for map play, testing ideas in Heroes 3. The main vector now is the re-evaluation of the economy (emphasis during construction is placed on resources rather than gold). The essence of the idea is to increase the relevance of resources (as is known, in Heroes, gold is always in deficit, while resources only when there are too few of them). Furthermore, focusing on resources will complicate the construction of identical or allied towns, which is logical since they are more advantageous (in terms of morale and the ability to combine super-stacks).

Building dwellings (profile resources):

Castle: gold, ore, wood
Academy: ore, gems, mercury
Rampart: wood, gems, crystals
Inferno: wood, mercury, sulfur
Dungeon: ore, sulfur, crystals
Fortress: gold, sulfur, gems
Stronghold: gold, crystals, mercury
Necropolis: all resources

Principle: any pair of towns overlaps in exactly 1 profile resource, while identical towns overlap in all 3 profile resources, which complicates construction. Exception - Necropolis, which overlaps across all 3 profiles but is weaker. Its specialty is the ability to convert troops from any other towns.

Building the Mages' Guild (profile resources):

Castle: mercury + crystals
Academy: gems + sulfur
Rampart: crystals + gems
Inferno, Dungeon: mercury + sulfur
Necropolis: mercury + gems
Fortress: sulfur + crystals
Stronghold: crystals + gems

Principle: each profile school of magic corresponds to its own rare resource (orcs have war cries instead of schools of magic). Thus, building guilds with shared magic profiles is complicated (profiles are especially felt on floors 4-5).

Building the economy (municipality + market branches)

Castle, Academy, Rampart, Fortress: gold + ore
Inferno, Necropolis, Dungeon, Stronghold: gold + wood

Principle: towns of allied factions (by morale) overlap in 2 profiles, while hostile ones - only in 1. Thus, building allied towns is complicated.

Regarding creature descriptions that need updates
(help from forum members would be useful here; outdated descriptions are provided):

Field Clerics:

<>Priests of the Church of Light often take part in war, calling divine wrath upon the heads of enemies. They oppose war in principle, however, if it cannot be avoided, they prefer to fight with honor and use their powers to remove enemy charms.

(regeneration spell added, plus there is a general blessing, and removing charms has been replaced by anti-magic)

Sun Adepts:

<>They can no longer be turned from the path they have chosen. The Sun blinded them and leads them down only one road – a road full of blood. Fanatics just like crusaders, they use magic to blind others, leaving them a choice – die or follow the path of the Sun.

(changes: mass power (punishing) + holy word spells added; abilities added: shooting without penalty + half-power shooting)

Marble Gargoyles:

<>The weakest but fastest among their kind, these gargoyles are enchanted so that the stone used in their creation strengthens them at the sight of fallen allies and simultaneously protects the living from enemy charms. Mages spent a great deal of time creating this spell, but it was worth it – seemingly fragile creatures, they can become killing machines in an instant.

(additional silencing aura added as with alt-mages)

Obsidian Gargoyles:

<>Obsidian – a volcanic stone considered a powerful source of Chaos magic – has the wonderful ability for wizards to resist all four elements and most magical attacks. Because of this, obsidian gargoyles became the favorite toy of mages in arenas, magical duels, and in battle with opponents such as dwarves or elves.

(elemental immunities replaced by magic immunity, energy channel added (as with mages))

Granite Golems:

<>Granite golems are a formidable force in the armies of mages: enchanted by the same spells as marble gargoyles, protected from enemy arrows by the hard stone they are made of, and covered in spikes that punish an incautious opponent.

(spike wall replaced by arrow protection + magic protection, i.e., spikes are no longer relevant)

Guild Magi:

<>Many wizards belong to one guild or another; their magic book depends on it as well. Furthermore, in many guilds, wizards are taught the art of energy channels, allowing wizards to spend significantly less mana on creating spells.

(energy channel removed, crystal, fist, and arrow in the book)

Star Mages:

<>Excellent astrologers and seekers of secret knowledge, these mages dedicated their lives to monitoring the sky and discovering the laws that Nature itself obeys. In their quests, they mastered the forgotten art of preserving a spell's power regardless of distance, which gives their magic arrows special potency.

(focus on summoning: summoning elementals/phoenix/hive/wall of swords)

Desert Sorcerers:

<>Mages of the deserts, as they are also called, have mastered an unusual type of magic – sand magic. Imbued with the aura of their masters, the sands protect everyone near the sorcerer from magic arrows. In addition, the sand protects the mage himself and helps him in close combat, turning into sharp spikes under the enemies' feet.

(book: celestial shield, anti-magic, fire wall, chain lightning)

Oasis Marids:

<>Marids are Djinn of Water. It is thanks to them that luxurious cities of mages prosper in the middle of endless deserts. Marids provide water for the sorcerers' settlements, turning them into blooming oases; however, they can not only give life-giving moisture but also take it away, dehydrating the organism.

(death blow removed, cast sorrow and phantom, neutral by alignment, but hired in Academies as a subspecies of djinn)

Volcanic Ifrits:

<>Ifrits, Djinn of Fire, are among the most mysterious creatures of this world. They enter into alliance with no one except the sorcerers of the Haven. It is said that ifrits are fallen djinn who defected to the side of Chaos, and the reason they help mages is to corrupt them and plunge them into an abyss of sins.

(cast fireball and armageddon, demons by alignment, but hired in Academies as a subspecies of djinn)

Astral Djinn:

<>Astral djinn belong to no single element; they are the pure embodiment of magic – primal, uncontrollable by anyone, even themselves. The spells of these djinn are quite powerful, however, no one can predict exactly which charms they will apply.

(magic immunity replaced by all-element immunity, death blow added)

Gluttonous Imps:

<>Imps occupy the lowest rung in the hierarchy of Pandemonium. They are weak and timid, but their strength lies in their numbers. Among imps, mana is considered a delicacy; they devour as much as can fit inside them.

(bloodlust added, as with alt-berserkers)

Collector Devils:

<>These small creatures of Chaos generally stay close to their masters, clinging to them. They steal mana from enemies and store it in their stomachs, then vomit it into flasks and hand them over to their lords, providing them with an additional source of magical energy.

(no-response attack added)

Crimson Nightmares:

<>Sometimes the outcome of a battle was decided precisely by attacks of the same flesh-bound hidden fears of surface dwellers. Like an embodied dream, they gallop toward their creators. Few are able to withstand their onslaught, and only a few can fight while being near them.

(new distinctive abilities: panic terror (analogous to incorporeality, but with fear effect instead of miss) instead of aura of terror)

Fire-skin Nightmares:

<>Those who believe that the exiled children of Chaos fear nothing are gravely mistaken. Proof of this are the nightmares born in Gehenna itself. Taming these flaming stallions is incredibly difficult, but the demon lord who succeeds will gain a powerful weapon against which even the bravest champions of all races do not dare to stand.

(new distinctive abilities: aura of terror instead of panic terror, fire skin, immunity to fire)

Abyssal Monstrosities:

<>"Undoubtedly, this diabolical creature wanted to vent all its malice, accumulated over centuries, on me. The mindless monster responded to my every blow, my every lunge; I fear that if not for the wings, it would have certainly hit me with its sword. Fiery rage blazed in its eyes; realizing its own helplessness, the demon only became angrier and more ferocious, but its days were numbered..."

(abilities: bully + infinite retaliation, book: plague + mass beam)

Lords of Chaos:

<>"Lords of Chaos occupy the highest position in the demon hierarchy – they can only be compared to the most powerful lords of the Abyss and Gehenna, commanders of the armies of the Firstborn. Their flaming mace is a symbol of power, with which they can summon balors by sacrificing the corpses of fallen servants"

(summon ifrits instead of balors, who are usually unavailable for Inferno towns since they are hired permanently in Academies)

Grim Nosferatu:

<>Nosferatu are among the most powerful vampires, and yet, they live far from necropolises, standing under the banners of Death only for generous gifts or old friendship. They possess hypnosis, and pale, grim eyes – that is one of the typical images their victims see before death.

(infinite retaliation added)

Plague Liches:

<>Spellcasters of Darkness are skilled embalmers, warlocks, and even scientists. No one can compare to them in knowledge of rare and dangerous diseases, which they send upon the lands of mortals every year. However, their favorite remains plague – a common but effective way of painful killing.

(book: mass slow, weakness, and plague, wave of death (=unholy word))

Higher Liches:

<>Some necromancers who have mastered the higher mysteries of Death become lords of the dead. Their skills in raising undead are unmatched, and very often enemies encountering an army of the dead realize that the battle was lost long ago, for no matter how much they hacked and slashed their flesh, they rose again and again.

(book: reanimation, berserk, general distraction and curse)

Furious Goliaths:

<>Rudiarii are gladiators who have gained long-awaited freedom. They are a symbol of the victory of spirit and body. Their very presence infects others to perform feats, to strive for victory in battle. The rudiarii themselves would rather give their lives than allow an enemy to once again chain them or their friends in shackles. Underground, a quote from one knight is widespread: "To kill a rudiarius' friend is to sign a just but cruel sentence for yourself."

(name change: rudiarii to goliaths)

Twilight Witches:

<>Usually, twilight witches are a support unit in the troops of dark elves. Thanks to their magical talents, a company of minotaurs – an even more ferocious force on its own – can double in size before the opponent's eyes, and slowing charms come in very handy for beasts or raiders, allowing them to strengthen their onslaught.

(vampirism spell added)

Sturdy Rock-breakers:

<>These brave soldiers make up the dwarven militia. Before the start of battle, they diligently prepare their positions, constructing trenches and embankments. An enemy attacking them will have to fight on conditions favorable to the rock-breakers.

(arrow protection added)

Highland Defenders:

<>Elite warriors of dwarves and veterans of many subterranean battles, highlanders are well protected from both arrows and swords and spears. And yet, their armor is not as heavy as that of most other dwarven troops. They dream of the day when they will no longer have to mourn fallen comrades.

(arrow protection removed, infinite retaliation added)

Spear Throwers:

<>Beast-hunters are respected members of dwarven society, for it is they who provide the underground cities with the favorite food of the subterranean people – wild boars. If necessary, they also take part in war, goring enemies like fat beasts.

(old name change: spear-thrower beast-hunters due to length; maybe keep old description but change name to <some adjective> + beast-hunters?)

Goblin Bandits:

<>The most agile among goblins, scouts are the first to warn the orc village of an approaching enemy – and the first to switch sides if the battle is not going in the tribe's favor.

(name change, unit essence: fast-footed, high damage, cowardice + double strike (if no retaliation), betrayal)

Monstrous Cyclopes:

<>"What are we eating today:
Pigs, roasted, two dozen. Fish, boiled. Foul salad, the shamaness made it. For the chief, there are two more deer.
For the cyclops – five dozen goblins. We'll starve them before the battle."

(devouring goblins replaced by enhanced attack: ignore 50% of unit defense, analog to monsters from Heroes 3)

Tropical Cyclopes:

<>"Island orcs speak of their cyclopes with reverence. They say they are not ordinary but magical – their eye is entirely red, and fire gushes from it like from a sorcerer's palm. And allegedly they can cast the evil eye – whoever they curse with their eye immediately loses their fortune!"

(goblin devouring added)

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Additionally, descriptions for neutral units are completely missing:

Seasoned Wolves (tier 2, reserve (splitting) + double strike)
Water Elementals (tier 3, book: boulder + ring)
Air Elementals (tier 3, analog to harpies: flight+no-response attack+return)
Earth Elementals (tier 3, heavy class, infinite retaliation, magic protection)
Fire Elementals (tier 3, shooting + fire skin)
Catacomb Mummies (tier 4, magical attack, regeneration, book: reanimation, plague, sorrow, distraction)
Grotesque Manticores (tier 5, flight + numbness)
Lunar Templars (weak tier 6 (strength = knight), heavy class, death blow, cursed strike)
Preserve Phoenixes (tier 7, flight, immunity to fire, fire shield, rebirth, magic protection)

I wanted to watch videos on YouTube dedicated to the project, but they all flicker – what’s the problem, and where can I find good videos to watch?

Uploaded a random video (from January 5th, a battle between Ibba and Garuna), and didn't notice any flickering.

they all shimmer there, I didn't watch it – it's impossible, but I'm really curious to see it.

they all flicker there, I didn't watch it - it's impossible, but I'm really curious to see it.

This is a local problem; no one has complained about flickering before. Do other YouTube videos play without flickering, specifically videos about Heroes 5?

That’s exactly how all normal ones are, but yours are flickering.