Well, I'd like to try to keep things nice in here. I think a difference in play styles is the root of this - often MP vs. SP or PBEM issues are seen very differently. Also, some people play to WIN and some people play to look around and breathe in the feeling of the map.

I agree with Air Warlord's assessment, and I am primarily a MP WIN-first guy, but I can enjoy lazy exploring and I don't really side with his tone - my way is my way, but not necessarily the right way. I've never had the computer throw a mastery on me in a RMG - and if it seems that I could take it down in a few turns without much effort, but I could be wrong here. Now, on other maps (Elqueens big map, I forget the name) of course it's there - it's an important part of the map. I've very much enjoyed the challenge of teams games where my enemy threw up a mastery spell and I had to rush/sneak attack to bring it down quickly before I lost the game. Those have been some very very fun games.

For most SP players, do you normally play custom maps or RMG? If custom, like air says it can be turned off. If RMG, I don't have a good solution I suppose. Making the research cost be more (not casting or upkeep) would I think make it harder for the cpu to cast it early, and would not make it any harder to disjunct it.

If it's really a big issue, I'm sure stranger can make two versions of the mod, one with and one without - it would sort of be a shame because to play against each other people must all have the same version and that will reduce compatability. But... arguing back and forth is a shame too.

Instead we should celebrate how geeked we are about this new beta and all start screaming at stranger to get it done quicker, quicker!!

There's no call to get snarky and call other people's observations "funny nonsense," though. That's simply rude.

On the rude thing: Air, it's not like you to be impolite. And it won't help any point you're trying to make to attack anyone personally. The mod will be excellent, and it will be so because of the range of people who contributed to it and whose views were taken into account.

So, to all of us, let's stay constructive

And thanks for the continued feedback....the readme file is udpated, and we should have a beta by the end of the week.

Regards,

BJ

[This message has been edited by The_Stranger (edited 02-07-2006 @ 01:38 PM).]

AI can summon lvl4, build many wizard towers and cast mastery spells on rmg maps, if you give it some turns extra, also depends on map size, xl map with 8 wizard is best for the AI so the AI can take over lots of capitols getting insane income and production and research, but this is only possible, if the player allows it.

agressive gameplay will not make the AI do any of this stuff.

And Air does know his stuff, of course, for multi game playing. But that doesn't mean he can't be civil Keep posting everyone...

Try the new Retribution map; the AI throws Death Mastery about turn 65, give or take. Now if you can knock out that map's AI before that happens, I will bow to your skill. However, I don't see that happening any time soon. That's a hell of a tough map, and I salute the maker, Sin911, for a very tasty map, so far.

I've been playing AoW since the beginning, have helped on other mods than Dwiggs, and collaborated on several maps; what part don't I do well, in your opinion? I do not lower the level of the board by making any of this personal A_w--why did you feel compelled to?

I'm looking forward to the beta, Stranger. If you want the readme and stats, text, etc. proofed, let me know. I did a lot of that some years ago as you are probably aware.

I'm off to work soon, but here's a quick answer:

you can add as many variations of an ability as you like to different units. So, conceivably, you could have 10 units with different versions of magic bolts. However, for simplicity's sake, I'm trying to limit the number of such variations in the mod, though there are some cool new abilities added. All of them will be described, and the units which have them will be listed, in the readme file.

Regards,

BJ

You are either turning off the exploration, dumbing down all the CPU races or studying the maps in the editor.

20 turns? Count the hexes from Selena's castle to the Nameless One.

To build what you would need, to study spells that you will need, takes at least 20 turns by itself. And you want me to believe you not only built the units and studied the spells necessary to get to Mastery, and ALSO marched there and wiped them out?

Maybe,lol, IF you happened to find a bunch of powerful units to hire and had the money.
IF you got lucky and found Life Mastery in a Vault.
IF you got great TC results every time a wanderer slowed you down or you explore something to get artifacts.
IF you just happened to choose that direction to explore (which one was it, btw, to Red or Black? They are not on the same path by any stretch of the imagination).
IF IF IF...

Awful lot of ifs there, my friend. You must be the luckiest player on the whole Board..., or?

[This message has been edited by kaskoid (edited 02-09-2006 @ 06:27 PM).]

Anyhow, let's keep on topic...whatever that is

Kirky Picardo has generously given my a hideous, monstrous looking spider to use, which should fit the Dark Elf unit quite well. I'm hoping to get a beta out within 2/3 days, and will post a link so that the download shouldn't take too long.

Regards,

BJ

[This message has been edited by Air_warlord (edited 02-10-2006 @ 01:14 AM).]

Moving on, as I'll be changing names of some abilities, buildings, and spells while I'm in the mld editor, does anyone have any thing they'd like to see changed in particular. For example, "Blazing Comet" is a perfectly adequate name, but it does not capture the triple swhirling explosive effect that the spell has in Dwiggs. I can change this, or any spell, production name, or ability name should anyone think up a superior title. So, post your suggestions....you know, something like putting yourself as the director of the game on the credits screen....

[This message has been edited by The_Stranger (edited 02-10-2006 @ 03:30 AM).]

For the Blazing Comet, how about renaming it to Blazing Comets?

Air_warlord and kaskoid - stop arguing - you're both wrong and i'm infinitely smarter than both of you, so there's no arguing with me. take that!

Stranger - please call the spell "triple swirling explosive spell" and put my name where it says Director in the credits. Also, I would like you to rename mass confusion spell "just my freaking luck" and sacred wrath to be "Divine Smackdown". Also, some spell should be named after Chuck Norris. And please include ninjas in your mod. Ninjas are very cool. I suggest something like 20att,def,dam,res, with lots of life and special abilities. Ninjas can fly, too.

Harumph.

2-3 days for a beta!!! wowie woowa.

[This message has been edited by Zylithan (edited 02-10-2006 @ 08:18 AM).]

It's only arguing when it get's nasty or personal. I have no personal animus for Air_warlord, and I didn't think that he got too terribly personal. I merely pointed out what I saw to be flaws in his assertions, and he rebutted; that's debate or discussion.

[This message has been edited by kaskoid (edited 02-10-2006 @ 11:49 AM).]

and I don't mean to freeze speech or to end conversation. I just feel bad for poor stranger, changing the rules for the spell every few minutes and then coming back to the board to find another problem :P and of course flaming is bad, so i wanted to cut it off ahead of time.

On for serious questions. This beta version will be compatible with v1.4 maps, right? That's part of the point? If I don't yet have 1.4, do I need to get that first, or will the beta version install everything I need? I suspect I will be a happy camper to be able to play this mod (beta at least) by next weekend.

[This message has been edited by Zylithan (edited 02-10-2006 @ 01:37 PM).]

I'll think on Mitch's suggestions and...well, just pretend I didn't read Zylithan's

Starfire -- Fires of Heaven (refers to Holy)

Production sites -- Workshop; Guild Hall; Ironworks/Foundry/Forge (pick one)

Military -- Barracks; War Hall; War College

http://www.geocities.com/brad_josse/bradaow.html?1139645334625