Master of Myrror Fantasy Mod 2.0

[Drift]

@Lusikka755

I'll consider the Cuchulainn. It's one additional megabyte for the expansion though and doesn't add anything new apart from somewhat prettier graphics for one unit...

@BradRinWi

New Monastery is still a little iffy I'm afraid. Even though I don't want to hold back with the expansion, I also don't want to add a detail that's prone for balancing problems. New unit stats are going to give me enough headaches.

I will do something about the monasteries though. I just haven't decided yet on it.

 

[Drift]

Master of Myrror 2.0 Beta1 (38MB)

• Before installing, make sure you have Master of Myrror 1.0 or 1.01 installed.
• This is a self-extracting archive. Execute it, browse for Civ3\Conquests\Scenarios\ and hit "install". Overwrite existing files.
• After you've installed the mod, just choose "civ-content" from Conquest main menu and select Master of Myrror.biq

Changelist:
- 4 new mages, one for each faction.
- Unique unit for all mages, makes for 16 completely new units.
- Redone civ trait system.
- Some unit graphics have been updated.
- Lighter terrain graphics included as a standard version.
- "Space race" graphics have been updated and a new video created for victory.
- Dragons changed back to melee units, but they can only be accessed via a wonder that produces them slowly. They are now clearly the strongest units available.
- Unit stats now progress more steeply. Meaning that tech advancement is more important and fighting from a technological disadvantage hurts more.
- Ships carry ~33-50% more units.
- Some small tweaking here and there. (Enchanted springs are cheaper and come more early, Pterodactyls come at early second age,...)
- Some new tech icons (by Lusikka755)
- Monasteries were removed for the time being.
- Some other stuff I'm no doubt forgetting.

Well, things move quite rapidly when you just sit down and get to work. I had some of the work and large amount of planning already done when I started this crunch nine days ago, but I never thought it would be this finished this soon. However, mark my words - this is not finished 2.0. It doesn’t contain all the features and and niceties the final version will have. However, it does have majority of the planned additions and everything that I’ve changed is supposed to work properly. That’s not a promise though. I can almost guarantee that there will be problems with stuff. There always is.

The reason I put this beta out so quickly are the new unit stats. The unit stat progression in MoM 1.0 was too slow. There wasn’t enough incentive to keep up the research and new units didn’t provide quite enough punch for the trouble it took to get them. Therefore I've made the stat progression more steep and roughly 60% of the units have higher stats. It's a big change and needs to be tested as thoroughly as possible. I haven’t had the time to playtest these stats myself so they most probably won’t be right from the start. But that’s why it’s called a beta test.

Feel free to comment on anything you find worth mentioning (basically almost everything is worth mentioning). However, please don’t be offended if I won’t follow your advice. I promise to give each idea a good hearing and the beta test of 1.0 shaped the mod greatly so ideas do get through to the final product. I may also be a bit more conservative than I was during 1.0's development. I don't want to tear the mod apart and rebuild it differently - I want to build on the current foundation.

Beta is open for everyone and I encourage all players of the new version to give some feedback in this thread, via personal message or by email to address drift1981@hotmail.com . Thank you.


Here’s a visual guide on what new stats look like. I won’t swear each unit’s stats are right as I may have changed them in the editor after making this chart, but mostly they should be correct.

(attack.defense.movement - cost)

Chaos
Fanatic(2.1.1 - 15)
Beastman(2.2.1 - 20)
Chaos Warrior(4.2.1 - 30)
Chaos Ettin(8.4.1 - 70)
Mauler(12.6.1 - 100)

Devil(1.3.1 - 25)
Beholder(1.5.1 - 40)
Lava Elemental(3.7.1 - 60)

Chaos Knight(5.2.2 - 60)
Wyvern Rider(9.5.3 - 100)

Archdemon(15.8.2 - 200)

Death
Skeleton Warrior(1.1.1 - 5)
Zombie(2.2.1 - 18)
Shadowman(3.3.1 30)
Cursed Legionary(6.4.1 - 45)
Vampire(9.6.1 - 65)

Skeleton Spearman(1.3.1 - 20)
Necromancer(1.4.1 - 30)
Ghost(2.7.1 - 50)
Wraith(4.9.1 - 70)

Death Knight(4.2.2 - 50)
Grave Spider(9.5.2 - 70)

Shadow Demon(12.6.2 - 120)

Nature
Beorning(3.2.1 - 25)
Ent(4.3.1 - 45)
Earth Elemental(8.5.1 - 80)
Forest Giant(12.8.1 - 120)

Gnoll(1.2.2 - 15)
Half-Gnoll(2.3.2 - 30)
Gnoll Ranger(4.5.2 -50)
Gnoll Champion(6.8.2 - 70)

Centaur(7.4.2 - 80)
Griffin(12.6.3 - 120)

Life
Acolyte(1.2.1 - 12)
Cleric(1.3.1 - 25)
Sorcerer(2.6.1 - 40)
Wizard(3.9.1 - 70)

Protector(2.1.2 - 25)
Bowmaster(3.2.2 - 40
Champion(5.3.2 - 50)
White Rider(8.5.2 - 70)
Seraph(9.6.3 - 100)

Archangel(12.8.3 - 140)

Lizardmen
2.2
3.3
5.5
7.7
9.9

Orcs
2.1
4.2
7.4
9.6
10.7.2

Elves
2.1.2
3.2.2
6.4.2
9.5.3
12.6.3

Men
2.2
4.3
7.6
9.7
11.9

Dark Elves
2.1.1
4.1.1
6.3.1
9.4.2
12.6.2

Trolls
3.2
4.3
8.4
12.6
15.9

Dwarves
1.3
2.4
4.7
6.9
8.12

Goblins
1.1
3.1
6.2
7.3
9.4

 

[Lusikka755]

Downloaded. Will be testing it this evening.

 

[The Last Conformist]

Same here.

 

[LeeT911]

This is hands down my favourite mod. Absolutely. My biggest gripe with the original Master of Magic was the moronic AI (not that it's great in C3C, but a step in the right direction). I've been playing 1.0 for the last week or so. Haven't tried the new beta yet, although I am downloading. Will play later tonight if I have time... exam period sucks

Speaking of which I have an exam in about three hours... Rest assured I will give you more complete criticism after I've had a chance to test it out.

 

[Drift]

Thanks guys.

Don't play in regicide BTW before I release first patch. The new mages don't have a king unit set for them.

 

[The Last Conformist]

Just started up a game as Raven, and my first impression is this:

Agr+no desp penalty+immediate irrigation sans fresh water=spectacular REXing

We'll see what it leads to ...

 

[Drift]

Hmm. Are you telling me that I should give irrigation a prereq?

Could be pretty interesting...

 

[The Last Conformist]

I'd consider setting a prereq for irrigation without fresh water, yes. It do a little to limit the growth of these factions. Increasing the shield cost of their settlers could also be considered.

 

[Drift]

I'll have to think about the irrigation thing. Nature 5 could be one candidate for allowing irrigation without water.

How about giving the irrigation itself a prereq? Does the game need it to slow down the rather fast early expansion?

 

[The Last Conformist]

To early to tell, I think.

FWIW, I hate having to wait for irrigation in certain other mods ...

 

[The Omega]

Just realized that the 2.0 beta was released! Soon as I finish my current game, I'll play it!

 

[Pfeffersack]

Another approach to limit the influence and impact of the agricultural trait is upping the food harvest and consumption; this way a single unit more food on the city tile or from irrigating desert is less valuable.Combined with more expensive settlers it can decrease the gap between agr. civs and non-agr. ones.

 

[LeeT911]

Played the new beta through the first age as Rjak (random). No wars yet, so can't comment on unit balance. A couple 'pedia mistakes I picked up:

1) Under "Vampire Lord" it says they are built by Kharan though it should be Vlad.
2) In the description for Kharan, clicking on the link for Nightmare Rider gives "Invalid Entry", although the Nightmare Rider can be accessed through the unit list.

Those are really minor things though. The biggest thing I found so far is that building the Enchanted Spring requires Nature V, meaning that only Nature mages can build them. I take it this was not intentional and probably should be Nature IV. My cities were getting stuck at size 6 and I had no way of letting them grow.

I do, however, like having more mages, as well as only two traits per mage. Anyway, I'll change the aqueduct thing in the editor myself and then start up another game to see if we can test the unit balance.

EDIT: Just remembered, Death government says 2 military police in the 'pedia, but I had smilies next to three units in my cities.

 

[Drift]

@Pfeffersack

Don't want to touch those... too much balancing.

@LeeT911

Damnit! What was I thinking with that Enchanted Spring? Well. Seems like a patch is in order.

I'll also look into the other things you mentioned. Thank you for the feedback.

 

[Drift]

Master of Myrror 2.0 Beta1 - patch1 (1.5MB)

• Before installing, make sure you have Master of Myrror 2.0 Beta1 installed.
• Extract to Civ3\Conquests\Scenarios\. Overwrite existing files.

Changelist:
- New spell anims from aaglo.
- New anim for Death Cloud
- Moved Enchanted Spring to Nature IV
- Moved Nature mage Irrigation without fresh water to Nature V
- Fixed some bugs with pedia
- Gave new mages king units
- Some other stuff

Ok, I'm in a real hurry, so gotta go. Hope it works fine.

 

[The Last Conformist]

I think I'll start up a new game with the patch. Didn't get far yesterday anyway (had to prove to Elysium that it was very possible to extricate oneself from the hole he'd dug himself into in the Dragon and Rood scen ).

 

[n12m13]

This mod must be the best mod ive seen, but unfortunately i only do not have the expansion.Are there any other fantasy mods like this for people that dont have the expansion?

 

[Lusikka755]

A little report: Nothing to complain so far

Still missing that secondary magic a bit though. Two same type of mages are still a little... ummm... same. But I guess I won't have that one in the 2.0.

 

[Drift]

@n12m13

You basically need at least PTW (Preferably Conquests as it has a lot more mods) to play proper scenarios/mods. Regular Civ3 isn't very user-friendly with mods and therefore, doesn't have too many of them.

@Lusikka755

I will think about the secondary magic, but it's pretty damn difficult concept to do properly with Civ3 tools. We'll see what happens, but don't have your hopes up.