[Modular] Unique Features Plus

[Pazyryk]

Version 0.10beta. This is lifted mostly from Orbis (parts or all of which was surely lifted from elsewhere) with some changes.

• All unique features are permanent features on map: they will never "disappear" for any reason.
• 5 UFs can be explored. Explored UFs revert back to base UF (which can be explored again) in 100 turns.
• Aifon Isle provides Water Mana; Bradeline's Well provides Entropy Mana
• added Mount Kalshekk (found in jungle, provides gems)
• added Tower of Eyes (mind mana; explorable)
• Of the five UFs that can be explored, four can be "sealed." This can only be done by a 3rd or higher level Elohim monk. This will remove any bad mana (death and mind) and seal the UF permanently so it can never be explored by anyone. Bradeline's Well can never be sealed (my understanding is that souls bound for Hell use this portal to get out of Erebus; you don't want to stop it up!). In any case, 3rd or higher level Elohim monks can sanctify the Well to eliminate it as a source of entropy mana.
• Elohim can never explore any UF

Please let me know if anything isn't working as intended. This should work perfectly well with or without my Elohim Keepers of the Holy Places mod (I tested with and without this).

To do:

• I think the Kalshekk pedia entry may be Orbis specific. If any Mazatl experts want to make a go at an entry, I'll be happy to replace the existing one. (The Tower has a nice pedia entry that I lifted from the lore.)
• More interactive UFs using onPythonMove and code from other mods or of my own devising
• Surely Barbados will make a showing (but not as a starting settler murderer)

I intend to learn to make an installer. For now, it's a .zip file. If you unzip it from inside your FFH Wild Mana folder, it will place all files where they need to go.

 

[[to_xp]Gekko]

looking great, thanx

 

[Valkrionn]

If you're still looking for more unique features, there is wonderful art by Warkirby for Rinwell Isle in RifE.

 

[esvath]

Wooohoooo!

[*]added Tower of Eyes (mind mana; explorable)

To do:

• More interactive UFs using onPythonMove and code from other mods or of my own devising
• Surely Barbados will make a showing (but not as a starting settler murderer)

How about Tower of Eyes (unexplored) cast fear on any units approaching it? Then Tower of Eyes (explored) cast fear on any units owned by non-X civ? (the X civ is the civilization with culture encompass the Tower of Eyes). I did it in my personal modmod. Makes approaching Tower of Eyes more difficult (since I also add dispel courage in onPythonMove; the only one can approaching Tower of Eyes are Paladins, or unit with high resistance )

And do you manage to workaround the 100-turn "needs to be worked on" in upgrading UFs? If yes, how did you do it?
EDIT : found your solution in ModModding Guide. I wonder if I can do this in vanilla FfH? Hmmm...

 

[Pazyryk]

esvath, I like your basic idea. It is an interesting idea if it can be used strategically by a civ. But I wonder if it's better that the explored UFs don't do much (they are just empty husks...). The lore is that this is the dungeon where Kylorn locked up Perpentach, who then used his mind magic and mental domination to escape (though not bodily). So effects of this UF should involve puppets, charm and unit domination (loosing control altogether). I'm going to try for moderation in any additional effects I add, but this would be the theme for this one.

Valkrion, what's the basic lore behind Rinwell Isle?

 

[Valkrionn]

Rinwell Isle has featured in most FfH story-thread-game-things (whatever the hell they are called).

Traditionally been the source of some kind of evil.

That's pretty much it. I have it function as a claimable fort, and spawn drowns/stygian guards.

 

[Pazyryk]

The graphic looks much nicer than Aifon Isle, which always makes me think of a kiddie pool with some rubber ducks floating around. Can anyone convince warkirby to redo Aifon Isle?

 

[esvath]

Pazyryk, in my interpretation, exploring the Tower of Eyes requires mastery of whatever Mind magic left there. So, it's rational for the civ succeeded in it to use the power of the Tower to repel hostile units. Of course if the hostile units are powerful enough to destroy the surrounding cities and place the Tower in its culture, the Tower is taken and the hostile civ will be able to use the Tower's power.

Of course, when the Elohim sealing the Tower, this effect is gone

And I forgot to mention that there is a x% chance for units approaching Tower of Eyes to get Enraged or Crazed or both

 

[wapamingo]

Hope this gets merged. Good Stuff

 

[Tholal]

Cool concept. Though with your other Elohim mod, it seems like it might be too easy for the Elohim to lock down these sites. Maybe some way for other civs to break the seals (with consequences of course)?

 

[[to_xp]Gekko]

sticky! and hopefully merge as well

 

[captainmission]

i noticed mercantilism stated it halved the respawn rate for features to become unsealed again. Is that intentional?

 

[Pazyryk]

Hmmm... have you noticed whether that statement is true (if it is in your borders or you work the tile)? The UFs use the same mechanism that lets graveyards upgrade outside borders. Does mercantilism say the same thing for a graveyard?

 

[[to_xp]Gekko]

it's the same function that governs cottage growth I guess, which is what mercantilism is intended to do in WM.

 

[Pazyryk]

Yes, but there is a bOutsideBorders tag that lets graveyards and the explored UFs upgrade when outside borders. If Mercantilism really doubles their upgrade rate, then that is a bug. If it doesn't but the pedia says it does, then that is also a bug (albeit a minor cosmetic one).

 

[captainmission]

i gave it a test; it's just the pedia saying that, mercantilism has no affect on respawn