Thank you all, I hope everyone enjoys this once it's completed, although I will continue to make the additional campaigns and scenarios for a long while after. The number of hours I have put into this is probably more than I care to count!
Here's a bit of an update on gameplay setup.
I've made a few changes to the overall game just a bit... and I think I've decided on the best way to do the creature structures that will occasionally be scattered about on the map.
Unit Counts
As a general rule, every 10 creatures in HoMM3 will be represented by 1 creature in CoMM3. Experience levels will be different depending on how many actual units there are (1 through 10), but they will for the most part be limited to starting out as Conscript or Regular, and only rarely will be Veteran or Elite. (The experience level names still not sure what to change them to??).
This gives greatest flexibility to get the appropriate number of creatures on the map, and also makes large stacks of certain creatures difficult to get through, just as was in Heroes.
Airfields/Magic School Towers
For the AI in scenarios, it is known the AI never or extremely rarely builds Airfields, so preset airfields in strategic locations will be setup for the AI, so it is capable of using it's magic. I need to test to make sure it uses airfields, although I'm pretty sure it will. I believe it moves air units to cities because in normal games, it's cities are close enough to have close to the same range. It should use them here.
Also, workers that require no population can be built so player can more easily create airfields (magic towers) without penalizing population, but worker rate for anything else will be incredibly slow. This way it is AI capable, but this will likely be disabled for AI.. because of above reason.
Creature structures
Creatures structures that can be captured and will produce creatures for the player will happen in certain scenarios and situations, BUT scenarios with many many structures scattered about makes this impossible for Civ 3 to do this for them all (not enough city graphics and civ's to appropriately accomodate them all).
So in these cases (which will be most cases), the appropriate structure will be on the map, but when taken, units will be captured that can be upgraded to the appropriate unit in your city (I THINK this is possible ????). If it is not possible, then that is a bummer! I need to test it.
AI Bonus'
Due to AI stupidity, AI will be granted bonus' above and beyond normal AI bonus' to make the game FUN. Yes, more advantages usually seems opposite of FUN, but it is also no fun when you clean house on AI on SID difficulty with no problems or strategy needed.
And it is enjoyable when AI puts up a good fight. Human players always do way better combat wise, so this will help AI be competitive. As an example, in WW2-Global I used to lose 1 units for AI's 5 or 6. But, these AI advantages will carry over to player once the player starts gaining ground, this will help win a scenario quicker once ball is in players court.
Exploration
Hope everyone likes exploring. No scouts, so you have to use your units. One air unit (Visions Spell) will be available also with air recon. Exploring through the darkness makes it interesting when you run head on into an AI contingent of enemies, or a powerful neutral stack gaurding an important pass. It will be tough to know where everything is, and to keep an eye out on important areas, which means unit recon will be necessary in many cases so you don't get flanked by the AI.
Gold
initially I thought that there may be too many items (gold, treasure, resources, swords, shields, etc) laying around that can be picked up (well, not tons of them, but quite a few.. VP locations are all over the map though, so no annoying long hauls around). But this has turned out to be quite the opposite, money will be worth it's weight in gold literally! And you will be on the search for items (it makes a huge difference between mediocre play and becoming a more powerful force). AI aggresively goes after these items, so if you don't get them, it means AI is getting the benefit.
Heroes/Armies
Heroes will only be able to hold 1 unit (makes AI capable of using Armies). Heroes will all be slightly different for each civ, and different depending on if they are might or magic. So deciding whether or not to hold on to your Heroes for a stronger unit, or plop a weaker unit will be a big decision to make. Heroes are also not invincible to higher level single units. I recently had a solo Cerberus (Lvl3) take out my Halberdier (Lvl1) in an Army that was in front exploring the fog, so care must be taken with them!
Tom
I suppose it still works for human player though?
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