Master of Myrror Fantasy Mod 2.0

[Drift]

Next patch is uploaded and now I'm waiting for Thunderfall to move it to its proper location. In the meanwhile, here's the final unit layout of the patch.

Chaos - all units have at least +1 hitpoint bonus, all units can ‘paradrop’ via chaos gates

• Footmen
  Fanatic(2.1.1 - 15) -> Beastman(2.2.1 - 20) -> Chaos Warrior(4.2.1 - 30) -> Chaos Ettin(7.3.1 - 80) -> Mauler(8.4.1 - 100)
  
  Defenders
  Devil(1.3.1 - 25) -> Beholder(1.4.1 - 40) -> Guardian(2.5.1 - 60)
  
  Cavalry
  Chaos Knight(5.2.2 - 60) -> Wyvern Rider(6.3.3 - 100)
  
  Others:
  Helldrake(7.2.2atar - 180), Archdemon(10.5.2 - 200)
  
  Ships:
  Curragh(1.1.2 - 15) -> War Galley(2.2.3/4.1.1/trans.2 - 30) -> Cog(2.4.4/trans.3 - 40) -> Caravel(4.6.5/trans.5 - 60)
  
  Galleass(6.4.4/8.1.1 - 50) -> Fire Ship(8.8.5/16.1.2 - 80)

Death - all units can pillage, all units have some kind of enslavement ability

• Footmen
  Skeleton Warrior(1.1.1 - 5) -> Zombie(2.2.1 - 18) -> Shadowman(3.3.1 30) -> Cursed Legionary(5.3.1 - 50) -> Vampire(6.4.1 - 80)
  
  Defenders
  Skeleton Spearman(1.2.1 - 10) -> Necromancer(1.4.1 - 40) -> Ghost(2.5.1 - 60) -> Wraith(3.6.1 - 80)
  
  Cavalry
  Death Knight(4.2.2 - 50) -> Nightmare Rider(6.3.2 - 80)
  
  Others:
  Shadow Demon(8.4.2 - 140), Black Dragon(5.2.2atar - 160)
  
  Ships:
  Curragh(1.1.2 - 15) -> Galley(2.2.3/trans.2 - 30) -> Cog(2.4.4/trans.3 - 40) -> Ghost Ship(8.6.6/trans.3 - 60)
  
  Deathfortress(4.8.4/trans.8 - 80)

Nature - all units see two squares, land units with movement of 2 or greater ignore movement penalties in forests and ancient forests

• Footmen
  Beorning(2.2.1 - 25) -> Ent(3.3.1 - 40) -> Earth Elemental(6.5.1 - 80) -> Forest Giant(8.5.1 - 120)
  
  Defenders
  Gnoll(1.2.2 - 15) -> Half-Gnoll(2.3.2 - 30) -> Gnoll Ranger(3.4.2 -50) -> Gnoll Champion(4.5.2 - 70)
  
  Flying offensive
  Pterodactyl(4.1.2atar - 100) -> Great Eagle(6.1.2atar - 140)
  
  Others
  Hawk (0.0.3atar - 10), Centaur(5.3.2 - 80), Griffin(4.6.3 - 120), Dragon(8.3.2atar - 240)
  
  Ships:
  Curragh(1.1.2 - 15) -> Sea Serpent(2.4.4/trans.2 - 40) -> Drake Ship(6.4.4/trans.3 - 60) -> Dragon Ship(6.8.5/trans.4 - 80) -> Dragon Turtle(8.8.5/12.1.1/trans.5 - 100)

Life - most units are amphibious

• Defenders
  Acolyte(1.2.1 - 12) -> Cleric(2.3.1 - 25) -> Sorcerer(3.4.1 - 40) -> Wizard(4.6.2 - 80)
  
  Attackers
  Protector(2.1.2 - 25) -> Bowmaster(3.2.2 - 40 -> Champion(4.2.2 - 50) -> White Rider(5.3.2 - 70) -> Paladin(6.4.3 - 90)
  
  Others
  Dragon of Light(6.3.3atar - 200), Angel(8.5.3 - 140)
  
  Ships:
  Curragh(1.1.2 - 15) -> Great Galley(2.2.4/trans.3 - 30) -> Cog(2.4.4/trans.3 - 40) -> Caravel(4.6.5/trans.5 - 60)
  
  Hawk Ship(6.4.5/4.1.1 - 50) -> Eagle Ship(10.8.6/8.1.1 - 80)

As those familiar with the mod's earlier unit setup, things have changed quite a bit - especially at seas. There are total of 25 new units - some replace existing units, but quite a few of them are completely new.

This patch brings some other changes too:
- Nature mages can build mines
- Death mage units are no longer draftable
- Governments have been tweaked
- Death mage special improvement with +25% production bonus belongs to Chaos mages now.
- Life mages get Monasteries that spawn Warrior Monks.
- Tech costs have been adjusted to a more reasonable level.
- Civilopedia has a bit more information. Even attempts of flavor.
- Different improvements and units may come with slightly different techs now.

All in all, I haven't been this excited about a patch since I released MoM's first beta. I truly feel that we are now at the point, where all that is left to be done is to add some new units as they come out of production and do some balancing with the new setup.

 

[Klyden]

Looks excellent. Will give it a spin when it appears.

For play testing purposes (and information for others), I will probably try a nature mage position.

 

[Klyden]

Its up!

 

[Drift]

Beta patch 9 (30MB)

Extract to Civ3\Conquests\Scenarios\ after installing the mod base install AND Beta patch 8

Changelist can be seen a few posts above.

Edit: I released an update for this version. Extract to same folder after installing beta 9.

 

[Drift]

I thought I'd upload the title screen I've been using lately. Picture is by http://www.visualparadox.com

Download MoM title screen
- To use the title, replace x_title.pcx in Civ3\Conquests\Art\ , but remember to back it up first!

Preview:

 

[The Last Conformist]

DL'ing ...

I'm currently undecided if I'll continue my current Tlaloc game, or install this right away and start a new game. If the later, I'll try a Death Mage.

 

[Drift]

Originally posted by The Last Conformist
I'm currently undecided if I'll continue my current Tlaloc game, or install this right away and start a new game. If the later, I'll try a Death Mage.

Go ahead and finish your game if you feel like it. However, I have a hunch that after you have played beta 9, you won't feel like going back to beta 8. At least I don't.

BTW Beta 8 saves should work 100% with Beta 9 so you should be safe installing the patch right away in any case.

 

[embryodead]

Damn, I have that pic (title screen) as a wonder splash in my mod

 

[Drift]

Originally posted by embryodead
Damn, I have that pic (title screen) as a wonder splash in my mod

But not with such pretty colors, I assume.

 

[Klyden]

After getting run over by death mages twice, I finally have a nature mage game going that shows some promise.

Just something to kick around as I have realized my mistake from my first thrashing, but in the past I have had a tendancy to go for temples as quickly as possible, no matter who I was playing. The simple reason was because that was the easiest improvement to get to that could be built that increases culture to give me bigger boarders.

Unfortunately, it also means that unless I am playing the life mage, I am not getting any better military units and that can be crucial early in the game as I got run over by tons of zombies and could only defend since I did not have the next level of nature units.

Perhaps an improvement that is relatively cheap and increases culture by 1 a turn that everyone starts with may be something to consider. This puts less of a priority on temples for their culture increasing effect, yet still allows some expansion/choice.

Will report back with more information when I get a bit further. So far, the changes look very promising.

 

[Drift]

This is something that has occured to me too from time to time. It could be bit of a problem. It was originally meant as a sort of life mage perk, but it does limit choices in early game.

I wouldn't want to make an improvement producing just culture. How about faction-specific shrines at Chaos Magic II, Death Magic II, Life Magic II and Nature Magic II? That would get rid of Enchant Shrines spell as it could target only one of the four, but I don't think one wonder is as crucial as early game balance. Also, Shrines couldn't be prereqs for Temples.

I'll put my thinking hat on.

Thanks for the quick feedback.

 

[mrtn]

I have the same problem. It seems that you always have to build tons of military in the beginning, as you'll always be attacked by a chaos mage.
now with beornings I can attack, but I have probably lost that goblin city forever as it was rebuilt by a third faction.

 

[Drift]

Should I go with the faction specific shrines? I've got an update adding them 90% done...

Edit: other changes of that update would be changing Tranquility and Enchant Shrines. Tranquility added Shrine in all cities and Enchant Shrine doubled happiness produced by Shrines. Their replacements would be:
- Spell of Healing - healing on enemy territory at Life Magic IV
- Enchant City Defenses - double city defenses at Life Magic I (should this one become obsolete? How effective is it in practice?)

If you are wondering about what Firewall does these days, it gives walls to all cities.

Is the Chaos mage behaviour a problem? It's probably because of the cheapish Fanatics and Beastmen that make them so cocky. However, being aggressive is pretty essential for Chaos mages. As a small adjustment, I just made Lo Pan a 3 aggressor. Tauron is 5 and Sss'ra 4.

 

[The Last Conformist]

I rather like the faction specific shrines idea.

 

[Drift]

Update 1 for Beta 9 (0.3 MB)

Extract to Civ3\Conquests\Scenarios\ after installing beta patch 9 successfully. Overwrite existing files.

Changelist:
- Each faction gets its own Shrine that comes at their own level 2 magic tech (Nature Shrine comes at Nature Magic II and so on). This makes racing the Life magic tech branch less essential.
- Enchant Shrines and Tranquility removed.
- Added Spell of Healing great spell. Comes at Life Magic IV and allows healing in enemy territory.
- Added Enchant City Defenses great spell. Comes at Life Magic I and doubles city defense ratios. Becomes obsolete at Life Magic VII.
- Halls of the Dead are a prerequisite building for Temples.
- Fixed some civilopedia entries.
- Lo Pan has aggression of 3 instead of 4.

 

[The Last Conformist]

Can't DL that, for some reason - get a "timed out" msg.

 

[Drift]

Originally posted by The Last Conformist
Can't DL that, for some reason - get a "timed out" msg.

civfanatics.net is down.

 

[Drift]

Edit: Servers are back up so I take this temporary download off.

 

[The Last Conformist]

 

[mrtn]

I think that the chaos units, at least the first one, is too good. That extra HP is important, and let's them kill off the poor nature mages.