Help or tutorial on MoMx

drono

Chieftain
Joined
Apr 6, 2006
Messages
13
I am trying for the first time Master of Mana Xtended, and I have to say I am absolutely overwhelmed.
There is no available tutorial, help, wiki. No hint on what's going on. No manual. No civilopdia entries, not general ones to get used to general concepts, no specific ones to understand single issues.

I am quite used to this situation, I am going to try and map all the major MODMODs and update infos on the active Fandom wiki (https://fallfromheaven.fandom.com/wiki/User:Ghastguillo ).
But on WildMana I am at a loss and I need help. I tryed to play with WildMana, but it is so different at current state of development. I am trying some games with Master of Mana Xtended, with lowest level of difficulty, with all the debugs tricks described on https://fallfromheaven.fandom.com/wiki/ModMods (well, I have written the page...). I have also activated the console (and I have never feel need to use it) and I have edited the CIV4GameSpeedInfo.XML to reduce spawn of Barbaian, to no effect.

My problem are:
1. The mana system /promotion system is crazy. Everything is changed. Promotion to get the spell actually active are confusing. There is no hint to where you are going, how to get there, how powerful is that sphere.
2. Tech has the same problem. And I may not beeline anything, I have to click only on single next research.
3. Barbarian are absolutely out of control. I played some deity with raging barbarians on FFH2 MNAI: that was tough. This is simply absurd.
In my current game I am the leader with double point of the second. BUT I am surrounded by 4 goblin fort with garrison of about 4 goblins each, with Strenght 83(?????????????). I have since turn one powerful firebows with Str6 and fireballs (turn 1 fireballs???????), I have also followed some random advice found on this board and so I have some powerful mages with Fear and Lightining Sparks, I go around my 4 cities founding new cities and simply destroying any small barbs groups I find with a compact stack of 5 firebow and 4 mages. I have got amazing firepower and the scatter ability of Fear, but it is nothing compared to a single 83 Str goblin, he would swallow an army of Red Dragons for breakfast.

Barbs 1300% more powerful than player is completely broken, it is completely illogical, it is absolutely not fun.

I think there is something I am missing: please help

This is my CIV4GameSpeedInfo.XML with edited iBarbPercent (no effect).

Ghastguillo

...
<Type>GAMESPEED_NORMAL</Type>
<Description>TXT_KEY_GAMESPEED_NORMAL</Description>
<Help>TXT_KEY_GAMESPEED_NORMAL_HELP</Help>
<iGrowthPercent>100</iGrowthPercent>
<iTrainPercent>100</iTrainPercent>
<iConstructPercent>100</iConstructPercent>
<iCreatePercent>100</iCreatePercent>
<iResearchPercent>100</iResearchPercent>
<iBuildPercent>100</iBuildPercent>
<iImprovementPercent>100</iImprovementPercent>
<iGreatPeoplePercent>100</iGreatPeoplePercent>
<iCulturePercent>100</iCulturePercent>
<iAnarchyPercent>100</iAnarchyPercent>
<iBarbPercent>10</iBarbPercent>
<iFeatureProductionPercent>100</iFeatureProductionPercent>
<iUnitDiscoverPercent>100</iUnitDiscoverPercent>
<iUnitHurryPercent>100</iUnitHurryPercent>
<iUnitTradePercent>100</iUnitTradePercent>
...
 
I am trying for the first time Master of Mana Xtended, and I have to say I am absolutely overwhelmed.
There is no available tutorial, help, wiki. No hint on what's going on. No manual. No civilopdia entries, not general ones to get used to general concepts, no specific ones to understand single issues.

Maybe there is something wrong with your installation. In my game there are civilipedia entries.
You could take a look at the following thread to read about the basic concepts of each civilization, the religions, guilds, magic etc: https://forums.civfanatics.com/threads/xtended-5-0-quick-guide.576177/

1. The mana system /promotion system is crazy. Everything is changed. Promotion to get the spell actually active are confusing. There is no hint to where you are going, how to get there, how powerful is that sphere.

You don't need promotion to get the spell active. You need to research each spell via magic research and have the appropiate tier of magic unit and enough mana.

3. Barbarian are absolutely out of control. I played some deity with raging barbarians on FFH2 MNAI: that was tough. This is simply absurd.
In my current game I am the leader with double point of the second. BUT I am surrounded by 4 goblin fort with garrison of about 4 goblins each, with Strenght 83(?????????????). I have since turn one powerful firebows with Str6 and fireballs (turn 1 fireballs???????), I have also followed some random advice found on this board and so I have some powerful mages with Fear and Lightining Sparks, I go around my 4 cities founding new cities and simply destroying any small barbs groups I find with a compact stack of 5 firebow and 4 mages. I have got amazing firepower and the scatter ability of Fear, but it is nothing compared to a single 83 Str goblin, he would swallow an army of Red Dragons for breakfast.

Barbs 1300% more powerful than player is completely broken, it is completely illogical, it is absolutely not fun.

I think there is something I am missing: please help

This is my CIV4GameSpeedInfo.XML with edited iBarbPercent (no effect).

Ghastguillo

I would recommend to research warrior cast early on to keep up with early aggression. Also, do not sell slaves or give money to barbarians when they ask for it. This will make them stronger. But I agree with you that the barbarians need some adjusting and that they might be a bit too annoying.
 
TECHS
as a side note, you got 4 research systems working in parallel:
- technology (searched through normal science) (spread out into military, mystic and civilian panel)
- Guilds (you buy it with culture) ; you can open guilds paths after some specific civilian tech.
- Faith (searched using faith & you can buy it using faith -but in that case the accumlated search is lost) : IIRC you need to open the religious guild to open faith research (?)
- Magic (searched using sorcery science (books); along mana-paths) you can open new mana path when accessing a new mana type : all adepts/mage get access to all spells you found through the magic research. (you can "build" mana nodes only of the mana you already have access to ; new nodes are available only by world wonders, aspected mana node, capturing the last city of a civ, world improvements)

Military techs rarely open access to new units, but give access to : new equipement & +2str strengthening to most units.
Mystic tech open access to some civics, adepts, mages, priests, temples...etc
Civilian give access to Guilds tech opening, improved tile yield, culture,

UNITS
Each civ has a limited rooster of units types (5-10 max) (different spread depending on civs)
at start you get much of your units available.
however a few units of the rooster are accessed using guilds techs / military tech or magic tech.

Most units of the Rooster are units that get boosted by the "military tech +2str" . (up to +12str iirc)
Other units are accessible by summoning them ; either using Faith or Magic research : they don't get access to military +2's, but often have mana affinity, even some times +2mana affinity.

there's not much STR difference between melee / recon / archer / mounted.
the difference happens using the promotion paths !

PROMOTIONS
units get promoted to veteran (lvl2), then elite (lvl3) and then Specialize 1 & 2.
so you can "choose" promotions evolutions only at level 4 (or 5?)
then each unit-type (melee / recon / archer / mounted / disciple / arcane / siege(?) / beasts ) get a choice between 2 or 3 "orientations" ; the 2-3 orientations are generic, but the availability depends on unit type :
offense / defense / healing / exploration / archery / ...other (I forgot since it's been 1-2 years since I played)
recon get to choose between offense , exploration and trapping
archers get to choose between offense, defense or archery
Mounted get to choose between offense, exploration
...Etc
you can only chose 1 orientation per unit.
orientation defines most of the promotions the unit will have access to in the future (some promotions are limited to 2 or even only 1 orientation !

each orientation path opens specialisations that are generally unique to the combination of unit-type & orientation (even if a few are open to multiple unit-types : ex: explorer)
you can take specializations twice : level after orientation, & at level 10 or 13 ; this choice is important !
some specializations open further promotion choices (example : trapping orientaiton gives access to Poison Master specialization which gives access to poison blade and to poison bomb 1-2-3)
Some specialization do not open further promotion choices.

HERO
All units can get the HERO promotion at level (10?)
Hero gives the promotion "second chance" to your unit after a few turns, which enables him to attack or defend... and retreat with all initial health instead of dying.
thus heros have the advantage of using this aspect since level 1 ! ; and a specific specialization gives 20% chances to get the second chance promotion ... accessible at level 5!

BLITZ :
Blitz promotion/mechanics allows multiple attacks per turn but gives only 33% xp .. so not really worth it unless you get 5mvt units and find big stacks !

YIELD:
On top of Hammers, Commerce and Food you get access to other Yields
- Mystic : Faith, Sorcery, Mana
- Mundane : leather, lumber, stone, metal, herbs
Faith & sorcery are used for the research ; they are produced by buildings, and a few un-buildable improvements
Mana is generated by mana nodes and by some buildings : it is used by arcane units to cast spells and for the civ to cast spells / summon creatures.

Mundane yields are needed to build units, buildings and to buy gear for your units.
while the Hammers are consumed while you build the units, the Mundane yield are paid upfront.

GEAR
Gear is important to units; Gear can increase str, str%, movement and give access to "spells" : sword or axes have a slashing attack, spears have a double spleed attack, lances have a charge attack, Hammers/axes can have a bludgeonning attack.
(those increase str% or first strikes...Etc and often have to be activated before the attack ; further the weapon types have increased/decreased efficiency versus different types of armor worn by the ennemy.

CITY SPECIALISATION
Cities are to specialise !
Some techs (often civilian techs) open access to city district: only 1 per city !
- sage district (increase science & sorcery)
- noble district (more xp to units, more population, more culture...)
- merchant district. (more gold, yield)
Then once a city has such district, special effects are applied, buildings are accessible
upon some tech/guil tech, specialisation districts are accessible to further specialise the district:
Noble --> war / culture / faith
Sage : science / sorcery
Merchant : gold / yield / ressource

BARBS:
they are settled every 3-4 tiles around you and really separate civ from each other. Don't feed them, otherwise they will get super strong...
There is a bug with Ogres getting a str 100 or so Ogre.
Exploring barb camps can give you free gear (of adavanced tech ) or free yield (by the 100x) !
Leave the barb camps alone, they will provide free xp for your units as soon as you get 1 military tech giving +2str).. and only raze those pesky barb camps once you are strong enough and ready for expansion !

TIPS:
-getting the first (or 2nd) military tech early gives 2-3 free warriors ; getting the "shrine of hero" (?) mini-wonder before turn 80 gives a free heroic unit (of a tier usually not buildable at start)
-getting a specific magic tech before turn 80 or 100 (normal speed) give a free spell research package (200 or 800 spell research)
-getting a district in your first city before turn 80 gives a mini-wonder in said city : Noble district gets you a free great menagery, Sage get mini-library-wonder, Merchant get Bazar of Mamon.


I hope that is helpful
 
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