Posts from Heroes 5.5 WarGame Edition - Tactical Edition. Auto-translated

Building prices have been set:
w - wood
o - ore
m - mercury
s - sulfur
c - crystals
g - gems

Please note that the amount of resources in piles on the map has been reduced by half (for example, a pile of sulfur gives only 1-2 sulfur, instead of 2-4). Thus, the value of resources relative to gold increases. The goal was to bring the value of resources to the following ratio:
1 wood/ore ~ 250 gold.
1 rare resource ~ 500 gold.

Pricing policy:
Building price = Value of effect + Value of unlocks (500 for each) - Cost of opportunity (500) - Cost of day (1,000).

For example:
Town Hall = 2000 + 500 (unlocks access to the Magistrate) - 500 (locks access to the Town Hall) - 1000 (cost of day) = 1000
Magistrate = 4000 + 500 (unlocks access to the Capitol) - 500 (locks access to the Magistrate) - 1000 (cost of day) = 3000
Capitol = 8000 - 1000 (locks access to all Capitols) - 1000 (cost of day) = 6000

The price of most buildings is distributed among different resources, and, unlike the original, the emphasis is shifted in favor of resources (rather than gold).

Some prices may vary slightly, shifting a small part of the price (250) to the previous or subsequent buildings in the chain; this small detail is necessary to obtain convenient prices. Also, for convenience, the resource requirements for each building are expressed as one total number; and the number of types of required resources is usually 1-2 (emphasis).

In order to balance villages that have a different number of unlocked possibilities from the start, small discounts (in the amount of 250-500) have been introduced for some races on certain basic buildings.

Buildings with similar functionality, such as forts, mage guilds, and blacksmiths, have different values and, therefore, different prices for different races.

Some buildings have been enhanced. For example, a fort/stronghold/castle gives a +3/6/9 bonus to attack and defense during a siege for the defender. Training grounds allow retraining for 80% (50% with a commander) of the price, up to 12 creatures per week. And the slave market allows selling creatures for 200% of the price in gold (+50% for each additional market).

The blacksmith has become a useful building, not just a passing one. The tent pays for itself even without a skill, as it is cheap, and the value of each healed hit is twice as high as in the original (more expensive creatures); the plague tent with a skill is a formidable alternative to the ballista (stronger in the early game). The wagon has become more in demand due to the reduced ammunition of archers. The ballista also pays for itself without a skill, being 1.5 times cheaper and 4 times more powerful at the start than in the original, but it upgrades more slowly (the damage of the ballista does not depend on the level of engineering).

A huge amount of work has been done – even drawing the diagrams took a lot of time, not to mention the development itself – respect and kudos:smile20:
The question is, how was the Plague Tent buffed?

The question is, how was the plague tent buffed?

The tent, like some other things, such as ranged towers, was indirectly buffed by reducing the amount of "meat" in the army (a large number of active armies, faster game times). 100 hit points is a minus half a dragon, a huge benefit in terms of WGE, where dragons don't accumulate in armies in large numbers. I anticipated in advance that reducing the "meat" in the army would only benefit the game in many aspects.

Comparison with a ballista.
Damage (2-4)x, attack 15, initiative 9. Average damage at the start is (2-4)*5 = 10-20 (due to the higher average starting attack and knowledge stats = 5). In the middle of the game, the damage will be about 30-60 per shot, with a triple shot of 90-180. The tent's damage is formally lower, but it ignores the target's defense + has higher initiative (10 versus 9), so in this case, the tent is approximately equal. The downside of the tent is the limited number of shots (it makes 4 instead of 3), as well as twice the lower survivability (defense 5 versus 15).

As for the comparison of the plague tent's shot and healing, dealing damage works much more effectively than healing (with the exception of reducing losses in breaking through). At least because for the first 1-2 turns, the tent can act while there is no one to heal; and also, the choice of target for dealing damage is many times greater than for healing (only the wounded).

Added 22 minutes ago

A huge amount of work has been done - even drawing the diagrams took a lot of time, not just the development itself - respect and kudos:smile20:

All of this has already been implemented in the game; essentially, what remains is:
1) connect the heroes, set up the starting troops and spells
2) connect the artifacts
3) set up the banks and map generation from GSC (guards)
4) another unit rebalance
5) scripts (implementation of working skills and perks)

Compared to what has already been done (units, spells, classes, the wheel, prices, city layouts), this is not much.

Wouldn't you rather have 8 bases?

Wouldn't you like 8 bases after all?

8 bases for leveling up instead of 6? No, that's completely unnecessary. Moreover, connecting to it carries risks, as the new executable may contain other extraneous things. Currently, I use the minimal version (24 hero classes), but even it has 2 drawbacks: 1 neutral (999 ID for neutrals) and 1 detrimental (easier leveling after level 24), but fortunately, it's not very relevant.

Why I don't like the idea of 8 slots, 24+ levels, and similar things: I'm creating a mod for the game style that I understand and clearly realize that dynamics is one of the key aspects of the mod. Therefore, I'm not at all interested in possible improvements to a non-existent, drawn-out game, because if the game has dragged on, it means something went wrong (a design error by the game designer, a design error by the map designer, or the player doesn't know how to play properly). It's precisely about creating a dynamic game. Other mods from other authors may, on the contrary, revolve around 10-hour playthroughs, 30+ levels, and similar things. Different audience, I don't understand such a style at all.

Unique starting armies:

KNIGHTS - base:
Rutger = 5 swordsmen + 2 monks
Ellaina = 35 militia
Dugald = 18 archers

PALADINS - upgrade:
Godric = 20 recruits + 2 inquisitors
Frida = 1 paladin + 8 crossbowmen
Nicholas = 8 knights + a tent

TEMPLARS - alt:
Alaric = 10 archers + 2 adepts
Valeria = 20 fanatics + 4 crossbowmen
Orlando = 2 heavy griffons + 10 fanatics

MAGI - base:
Hafiz = 40 skirmishers + a wagon
Narhiz = 4 wizards + 8 marble gargoyles
Razzak = 8 granite golems

MYSTICS - upgrade:
Cyrus = 3 steel golems + 15 arsonists + a ballista
Nazir = 30 arsonists + 1 efreet
Maahir = 25 obsidian gargoyles

ARCHMAGES - alt:
Ora = 16 onyx gargoyles + 20 pests
Zeheer = 35 pests + 3 magnetic golems
Faiz = 16 onyx gargoyles + 3 magnetic golems

DRUIDS - base:
Ilfina = 1 mystic unicorn + 15 pixies
Alaron = 2 druids + 5 blade dancers + a tent
Dirael = 20 pixies + 3 hunters

GUARDIANS - upgrade:
Anwen = 4 rangers + 15 nymphs
Talannar = 15 leaf dancers
Winrael = 25 nymphs + 4 leaf dancers

RANGERS - alt:
Wingael = 8 wind dancers + 15 dryads
Ossir = 8 snipers
Faidaen = 4 snipers + 7 wind dancers

VETERANS - base:
Tolgar = 5 bone crushers + a ballista
Helmar = 10 berserkers + 10 rock golems
Wulfsten = 4 bears + 5 berserkers

WARRIORS - upgrade:
Ingvar = 25 sentinels
Karli = 16 javelin throwers
Rolf = 5 berserkers + 2 armored bears

PRIESTS - alt:
Hangvul = 5 vikings + 6 harpooners
Erling = 2 elders + 10 warriors
Brand = 15 warriors + 3 vikings

DEMONOLOGISTS - base:
Gward = 25 imps + 3 succubi
Agrail = 2 crimson horrors + 8 rift demons
Grol = 13 hellhounds

DESTRUCTORS - upgrade:
Biara = 1 balor + 15 parasites
Jezebeth = 8 demonesses
Wayer = 13 sulfur demons + 5 cerberuses

INFERNOS - alt:
Daleb = 15 quick demons + a ballista
Nimus = 5 liliths + 8 quick demons
Grok = 25 devils + 5 fire elementals

ASSASSINS - base:
Waishan = 20 lurkers
Tralsai = 3 predators + a ballista
Letos = 7 beasts + 2 gladiators

WARLOCKS - upgrade:
Sinithar = 12 assassins + 4 furies
Shadia = 6 furies + 2 raiders
Railag = 4 punishers + 7 assassins

WITCHES - alt:
Ilaya = 2 shadow witches + 7 hunters
Kifra = 6 giants
Iranna = 8 hags + a tent

NECROMANCERS - base:
Orson = 30 poisonous zombies
Vlad = 30 skeleton warriors + 10 poisonous zombies
Kaspar = 6 ghosts + 15 skeleton warriors + a tent

CULTISTS - upgrade:
Arantir = 18 plague zombies + 5 lamias
Markel = 1 plague lich + 20 skeleton archers
Ornella = 25 skeleton archers + 5 lamias

REAPERS - alt:
Naadir = 8 spirits + 10 cursed zombies
Deidra = 15 cursed zombies + 15 skeleton warriors + a tent
Lucretia = 2 nosferatus + 4 spirits

BARBARIANS - base:
Krag = 8 bruisers + 8 steppe centaurs
Keegan = 45 bandits + a wagon
Argat = 6 shamans + 25 bandits

CHIEFTAINS - upgrade:
Kunyack = 30 beastmasters + 2 chieftains
Gotai = 6 daughters + 8 nomad centaurs
Tilsek = 14 marauders

SHAMANS - alt:
Hagghesh = 18 war centaurs
Shak = 35 defilers + 1 paokai
Kujin = 4 amazons + 5 provocateurs + a ballista

I would like to point out that such diverse armies are not just a whim for the sake of formal diversity, but are quite functional armies capable of breaking through light defenses and passages, which are sufficient for scouts and in the early game can serve as a base for developing a scout into a combatant (in the first week, the gains from the castle are comparable to the starting troops).

Starting Spell System

1. Each hero should have at least one starting spell, and moreover, they should be able to cast it (starting skill, starting mana). Otherwise, a hero without magic will start boring (can't do anything), and the Spellcasting and Knowledge stats will not matter at all, which introduces a certain imbalance.

2. Ideally, a hero should have several spells at the start, from different schools, as this provides a choice when casting and a choice when leveling up.

3. Ideally, a hero's starting spells should depend on their class.

4. Ideally, the starting magic should be balanced, as different spells have different costs, different dependencies on spellcasting, skill, and different power.

Initially, I planned to give specific spells in a 1+1 format (1 class spell + 1 personal spell), but this gave an advantage to the hero who had the same school in their skill, and it is difficult to select personal spells so that they are relevant, do not repeat too often, and are well associated with the hero, without being as explicitly tied as starting troops.

Therefore, I came to the conclusion that the best system is randomness, but guided randomness. After all, spells also come from the guild randomly, and there is a certain logic in this. Magic should be a miracle, not an expectation!

1. If there is a school and specialization in a specific spell of this school, the hero receives this spell. If instead there is a specialization in a perk, the hero receives a random spell of level 1-3 from this perk (for example, Power or Haste for Righteous Wrath, but not Holy Word). If the school is open (without perks), the hero receives a random spell of level 1 of this school.

2. If there are two starting schools, the hero receives 1 spell for each school (total 2 spells).

3. If there are no starting schools, the hero receives a random spell of level 1 from a random school among the typical schools of the class (for example, for an assassin - this is light, darkness, or chaos, and for a witch - only darkness).

4. With the exception of specialization in a specific spell, selection is based on mana. Examples:
- Daleb (5 mana) cannot receive Thorns (6 mana), so from his native Chaos, he 100% receives Arrow.
- Vaishan (10 mana) specializes in ice, but cannot receive Ring of Cold (12 mana), so he 100% receives Ice Block.
- Vlad (10 mana) specializes in a specific spell - Reanimation, and receives this spell, despite its cost (12 mana); but, although he cannot cast it at the start, he also has a second school - Darkness, from which he receives a random second spell of level 1, Curse (2 mana) or Weakness (5 mana).
- Helmar has a specialization in Power (punishing) only formally, because he does not enhance this spell, but can only add its effect to another buff, and in an unpredictable way; therefore, it is not beneficial for him to cast Power itself (the specialization will not work), so he does not have it. But he has a starting perk, Protection, according to which he receives Stone Skin or Dodge.

5. Additionally, the hero receives spells for the perks that he has, for which they are due (for example, Earthquake for Lord of the Land or several random spells of level 3 for Wisdom).

6. Instead of spells, Orcs receive a random warcry of level 1, and Dwarves receive a random rune of level 1 in addition to spells.

7. The rules for generating starting spells apply only to the hero's starting magic; during the game, when receiving a new school, the hero will NOT receive a random spell from it, as would be the case at the start.

In short, heroes start with random spells that correspond to their starting perks, schools, or class. The vast majority of them (all except specialists) are level 1. This is their fundamental difference from level 2 spells, which do not come for free.

It should be noted that necromancers do NOT receive the Reanimation (raising the dead) spell at the start. As I said, reanimation is a completely separate process that takes place during the battle, without transforming bodies, and which can be used by anyone, not just necromancers. Moreover, even heroes of the Reanimator class do not receive this spell (except for the specialist Vlad). The fact is that you can also reanimate in different ways. If Vlad does this with magic during the battle, then Orson performs a ritual after the battle (Eternal Slavery), and Kaspar uses a tent for the same purposes. In all cases, the result is the same: your own troops are resurrected without transformation. This is why the class is separated from other necromancers (Reapers and Cultists).

Faideen – Haste (+mass for perk)
Faiz – Bolt (+mass for perk)
Gward – Weakness (+mass for perk)
Ornella – Curse (+mass for perk)
Letos – Plague + Dodge/Bless
Nazir – Fireball
Dirael – Hornets
Zeheer – Elementals + Dodge/Bless
Vlad – Reanimation + Curse/Weakness

Ilfina – Bless/Exorcism (+mass for perk)
Helmar – Dodge/Skin (+mass/ive for perk) + Arrow/Thorns
Khafiz – Crystal/Swords (+Earthquake for perk)
Rolf – Arrow + Fist/Crystal
Vaishan – Ice Block

Ilayya – Curse/Weakness (+random spells of level 3 for perk)
Rutger – Curse/Weakness (+Teleport for spec)

Dugal, Godrick, Frida, Nicholas, Alaric, Ingvar, Erling, Kaspar – Dodge/Bless
Valeria, Nimus, Kifra, Iranna, Railag, Deidra – Curse/Weakness
Ossir, Anven, Talarnar, Vinrael, Maaheer, Grol, Naadir, Arantir – Fist/Crystal
Razzak, Hangvul, Agrail, Biara, Jezebeth, Wayer, Sinitar – Arrow/Thorns
Daleb – Arrow

Ellaina, Orlando – Dodge/Bless/Curse/Weakness
Vingael, Alaron – Dodge/Bless/Fist/Crystal
Narhiz, Cyrus – Fist/Crystal/Arrow/Thorns
Tolgar, Wulfsten, Brand – Dodge/Bless/Arrow/Thorns
Shadia – Arrow/Thorns/Curse/Weakness
Grok – Arrow or Curse/Weakness
Lucretia, Markel – Fist/Crystal/Curse/Weakness

Ora – Dodge/Bless/Curse/Weakness/Arrow/Thorns/Fist/Crystal
Karli – Arrow or Dodge/Bless or Fist/Crystal
Tralsai – Dodge/Bless/Curse/Weakness/Arrow/Thorns
Orson – Dodge/Bless/Curse/Weakness/Fist/Crystal

Orcs – Bloodlust/Rally
Dwarves – Rune of Energy/Rune of Berserk

Is there any plan to introduce a level 0 spell for Rangers?
Something like a "cleansing" arrow.

A zero-cost spell would take up space in the spellbook, which would be inconvenient. And its actual usefulness is likely to be very low. Regarding the technical aspect, there is also a problem – I don't yet know how to add such spells to the game, and whether it is even possible, and if so, how. In the Haven faction, there is a fist spell that costs 3 mana, in the Chaos faction, there is an arrow spell that costs 2, and in the Dungeon faction, there is a curse spell that costs 2. Thus, enchanted attack can be translated into a very economical mode.

Technically, it's possible. In my own builds, I automatically add a spell with 0 mana cost and 0 damage when the Enchanted Arrow is obtained.
However, I use Rain on the initial clearing phase to its full extent, and using the spell after 3 stacks have been accumulated, when it's no longer necessary, is too mana-intensive.

I'm curious, what method did you use to make the racial ability work in the early game?
In WGE, such a clear-out would still take 0.5 turns, as the enchantment is set to have that specific effect.

I wonder, what method did you use to make the racial ability work in the early game?
In WGE, such a clear-out would still take 0.5 turns, since that's the penalty set for enchantment on the scale.

Three levels in Cursed. That's how nasty I am.

			CREATURE_PEASANT 
			CREATURE_ARCHER 
			CREATURE_FOOTMAN 
			CREATURE_FAMILIAR 
			CREATURE_DEMON 
			CREATURE_HELL_HOUND 
			CREATURE_SKELETON 
			CREATURE_WALKING_DEAD 
			CREATURE_MANES 
			CREATURE_PIXIE 
			CREATURE_BLADE_JUGGLER 
			CREATURE_WOOD_ELF 
			CREATURE_GREMLIN 
			CREATURE_STONE_GARGOYLE 
			CREATURE_IRON_GOLEM 
			CREATURE_SCOUT 
			CREATURE_WITCH 
			CREATURE_MINOTAUR 
			CREATURE_FIRE_ELEMENTAL 
			CREATURE_WATER_ELEMENTAL 
			CREATURE_EARTH_ELEMENTAL 
			CREATURE_AIR_ELEMENTAL 
			CREATURE_PHOENIX 
			CREATURE_DEFENDER 
			CREATURE_AXE_FIGHTER 
			CREATURE_BEAR_RIDER 
			CREATURE_GOBLIN 
			CREATURE_CENTAUR 
			CREATURE_ORC_WARRIOR 
		

I was also considering something similar (eliminating all sworn enemies), but then there wouldn't be much point in leveling up the racial faction itself, only for the perks.

If you make everyone your sworn enemy, that's cheating (especially with a barrage of enchanted arrows), but if you only do it for the first 3 levels, it limits your choices, which is also not ideal.

I was also thinking about something similar (to declare war on all sworn enemies), but then there wouldn't be any point in leveling up the racial skill itself, only for the perks.

Well, that's the point – not all of them, but only the first three levels.
That is, the racial skill works immediately when declaring war.
And, at the same time, it provides some protection against a rush. When someone like Orson arrives early with a crowd of low-level skeletons/zombies.
After that, you have a choice – either leave those three levels as they are, or declare war on higher-level units.

Well, that's the point – it only applies to the first three tiers.
In other words, the racial skill works immediately when breaking through.
And, at the same time, it provides some protection against rushes. When someone like Orson arrives early with a crowd of low-level skeletons/zombies.
Later on, you have a choice – either keep these three tiers or set more high-level units as enemies.

And how does this work – giving up 3 * 8 = 24 sworn low-level units for 1-3 target units (depending on the racial skill's upgrade)? I don't see the motivation to level up the racial skill, and that's the problem with this approach.