TBS Age of Wonders 1 & 2

[BING XI LAO]

I've been obsessively playing Dominions 5 for the past 16 months and have only just now burned out on that game (It's very difficult and complex). So the above style probably owes a lot to the excellent style of Dominions lore.

 

[BING XI LAO]

I've made another map, this time an extra-small one for three players - so small that the entire map almost fits into three screenshots, one for each level. Only a little bit of the top and bottom is missing from the screenshots.
Each of the three map levels features a different 1v1, and there is a central teleporter system to move between them. The ''Caverns'' and ''Depths'' map levels actually have surface terrain - laid out in nearly the exact same way as the actual surface. Vision will still be restricted in these 'underground' levels, as far as the game engine is concerned - so I put in the map description some stuff about the evening and early morning.

Mirrored Oasis of Nathyazik.

noon in the snow brought by the Frostlings

evening in the mire created by the lizardmen

early morning in the Halflings' garden

MAP LORE

To whom does the Oasis of Nathyazik belong, and who is invading? Will it become an icy haven for Frostlings in the middle of the Talpachar Desert? A swampy water-vault for Lizardman broods? Or a wealthy Halfling garden, a new 'Granary of the Sands' to rival Kusunda?

Nathyazik has been brought into the Arch of Fate by a higher power, or by the meddling of a sorcerer aligned with one of the three races. All three visions of past and present stand athwart each other in shadowy imitation, and none can tell which is true, or who was responsible. Dream, memory, and action meld into one.

While history is tangled, the cycle of day and night has stalled. The Lizardmen and Frostlings fight in frost opposed by midday heat, the Halfings and Lizardmen wage war in the mire through the evening, and the Frostlings and Halflings do battle in a luscious garden in the first rays of dawn. Only when one ruler stands supreme can the strands of history be woven back together, and the future of Nathyazik decided.

 

[BING XI LAO]

AoW+, a 2020 hex edit of the game engine. Not sure of all the changes made, but the guy doing this casually talks about the 'LBA collapse' (late bronze age collapse) and is currently learning Ancient Greek for fun. So there's no way he has bad ideas.
It's gonna be EPIC"!!!!!!!
http://aow.heavengames.com/downloads/showfile.php?fileid=1224

 

[octavius]

Would be useful to know if it was intended for SP or MP, and how it will affect the AI.
It will take a hell of a lot of modding to make AoW1 superior to Shadow Magic game mechanics wise when it comes to the SP experience, IMO.

 

[Lagi]

i just briefly check it, what it appears to change (bear in mind I dont know AOW1 by heart):

unit upkeep cost from : 4/6/8/10 => 2/5/10/15 ... which is a great change!!
Defense cost : 5 => 10 ... expected it to be higher. still improvment.
HP cost: 5 => not allowed? ... whoah.. thats good. I think. Hero can be glass canon, but will not take a role of invincible tank. I like it "on paper" i hope would be good in practice too

looks like migration time doubled - another excellent change. Because I dont like changing each city race, it feels artificial, and take some flavor from game. I will still do migrate cities , but hopefully it would be harder

all unit installation cost 50 and take 1 turn - wtf?! I hope every modder can change that

Hero skill points 1st level: +10 points; next 2nd level +5 .... good good

wall cost (wooded/stone) 60-2turn / 80-2t = > 40-1turn / 250-5 turn [cost of walls depend of city size too]

the cost of independent city bribery is much higher ... very good

 

[vota DC]

i just briefly check it, what it appears to change (bear in mind I dont know AOW1 by heart):

unit upkeep cost from : 4/6/8/10 => 2/5/10/15 ... which is a great change!!
Defense cost : 5 => 10 ... expected it to be higher. still improvment.
HP cost: 5 => not allowed? ... whoah.. thats good. I think. Hero can be glass canon, but will not take a role of invincible tank. I like it "on paper" i hope would be good in practice too

looks like migration time doubled - another excellent change. Because I dont like changing each city race, it feels artificial, and take some flavor from game. I will still do migrate cities , but hopefully it would be harder

all unit installation cost 50 and take 1 turn - wtf?! I hope every modder can change that

Hero skill points 1st level: +10 points; next 2nd level +5 .... good good

wall cost (wooded/stone) 60-2turn / 80-2t = > 40-1turn / 250-5 turn [cost of walls depend of city size too]

the cost of independent city bribery is much higher ... very good

Lol 50 to unlock lizardmen slug or kobolds for orcs.

Not sure about not being able to raise hp, who would take regeneration then?

 

[Lagi]

With AOW+ I just have most amazing game ever, as humans (i never play them before) - that I won.

Whole game I was fighting for control over cities & thinking with which race to keep good relation. I collect nice armors and items. My def was 7, in vanilla that was meh but here it feels powerful.

Some heroine join and then abandon me with my gold medal heavy cavalry. I suspect that my ring with Path of decay - was not her favorite jewelry Close to the end game she come back under my banner, only to die from mass of independents, when she trying to loot a city to satisfy my greed. Hey i didnt tell her to die, ok?

I remember that I meet quite often questing units that join me for few gold coins, only to help me raze their home cities of rival faction

When i have some good relations, I left this race cities unguarded for enemies to conquer, to milk after the rebels that was happy to join me back :

"hurray our savior come" - ("no you idiots, i dont want to pay for your training") :D

I love how an amazing decision is whether to Loot the city or Raze it. If you start looting city, then you might not make it before the citizens organize militia. And this few gold coins are not worthy it, but still its some free money that is gonna waste ... he he he I can try my luck.

Migration take like 6 or more turns. And it pissed locals to no end, that new neighbors don't have green skin. So the immigrants need to be escorted with strong army in town. That ofc bind our legs from conquering new lands.

My capitol produce Air Balloons - wonderful unit. Then some Lizards take my capitol, only to meet with wraith of homo sapiens that revolt against those pesky reptiles. But surprisingly my people do not want to accept me back as their rightful ruler, not without 700 gold. That I dont have .

I lost all cities, even my capitol prefer to stay independent . My lonely hero, was summoning frogs to raze lizards cities and hire locals swordsman to help destroy the same city and then disband them :D

I freeze the sea to get from one Island to another. I cast tornado to reduce amount of defenders. Finally, hail storm kill the last lizard leader.

I was clearly the bad guy in this game. I'm thrilled, AoW+ is telling great stories! . This game was not that fun before.

P.S. cheat engine with speed hack greatly increase the pleasure of battles. and Swiftness scroll ofc.

 

[octavius]

I think I will try this mod when I reach the first user made AoW1 campaign (probably by Arctic Wolf) on my play list.
Should be interesting to see how it works out.

 

[Lagi]

I was trying playing AOW+ campaign but the turn limit on some mission are too harsh now, or im not good enough. At the end I stick to scenarios.

 

[BING XI LAO]

I think I will try this mod when I reach the first user made AoW1 campaign (probably by Arctic Wolf) on my play list.
Should be interesting to see how it works out.

It installs as a separate .exe file that even references different saved games, so you can play it parallel with vanilla game, so issues switching back and forth.
On the other hand it will receive a major patch at some point.

I might make a single-player oriented map, since I've masde 6 multiplayer ones and have started to enjoy the story and visual aspects more alongside MP balance / gameplay considerations. What sort of things are good to have in a SP map? IE, any tips for making AI challenging but not too much so? Are AI allies cool to have? etc.

 

[octavius]

SP maps work best as quest maps due to the poor AI. In a dynamic war map the AI will need a huge numerical advantage to be a threat.
Lots of teleporters can be to the AI's advantage, since it's good at calculating movement. And Lizardmen make a good AI race, since they don't bother with boats.
So a map with lots of water and teleporters, with the Lizardmen led by a four star Water Magic general may make the optimal AI enemy.

Allies can be good if they are not important. Otherwise it's better as a co-op game, if you have one or more equal positions against a powerful AI enemy.

 

[Whiny-Butthurt-Liberal]

What's wrong with AoW 3?

 

[BING XI LAO]

What's wrong with AoW 3?

It's ugly, styled after civ5, has bad lore, and streamlined mechanics.
In AoW1 - If your troops don't have magic damage, they literally can't fight Air Elementals or Wraiths, they will just die while doing zero damage, because of Physical Immunity. If you don't have boats, you can't cross rivers, in AoW3 I think boats autospawn or something. You can't take a walled fort, even one with no garrison, without a unit with Wall-crushing, pass wall, flying, or wallclimbing. These are all good things!

Anyhow I get the impression AoW3 is pretty good, but it's definitely not to my taste.

 

[BING XI LAO]

Might make an adventure scenario where you only have your leader and some of those special infantry/mage heroes, and you rely nearly exclusively on spells and items to kill enemies. Would have to think about how to make unit recruitment for specific purposes interesting, like lizardmen for getting across a river.

 

[Whiny-Butthurt-Liberal]

You're ugly.

 

[vota DC]

What's wrong with AoW 3?

It's ugly, styled after civ5, has bad lore, and streamlined mechanics.
In AoW1 - If your troops don't have magic damage, they literally can't fight Air Elementals or Wraiths, they will just die while doing zero damage, because of Physical Immunity. If you don't have boats, you can't cross rivers, in AoW3 I think boats autospawn or something. You can't take a walled fort, even one with no garrison, without a unit with Wall-crushing, pass wall, flying, or wallclimbing. These are all good things!

Anyhow I get the impression AoW3 is pretty good, but it's definitely not to my taste.

Flanking is really nice in AOW 3 but many other things are dumbed down like flying unit.
The physical immunity can be obtained with mods.
Another novelty that I don't like is the fact that every city can be the same. Improve the city with buildings is ok but the fact you get from tiny village to metropolis in few months is immersion breaking while in AOW 1 taking big cities did the difference. I would like a compromise with city improvements still in but give a fixed maximum value.
Also regrowth is a great mechanic in AOW 3, I wonder if can be introduced in AOW 1 if they release source code.

 

[Lagi]

...AOW 1 if they release source code.

Hebrew literally AMEN

 

[Lagi]

Bing put link to your mod in 1st post of this thread

 

[BING XI LAO]

Ok, but I'll add Lighthawk's mod too
Also you were right in your comment on GoG that the Northern Glow was stupid wth 7 DEF, so do keep making suggestion for future changes to the mod

 

[BING XI LAO]

Archer

Human Archers were commonplace in the wars of the Fall of Inioch's Court. Since then, the bow has been neglected as wealthy warriors look to armour and horses, while the cities establish corps of musketeers and pikemen. Only among rural peasants and hunters does the bow still find favour. While there are some skilled Human archers, the highest compliment given to them is "He has elven blood."

Man At Arms

Human Men-at-Arms can be anything from a feudal levy to an independent mercenary. Though cheaply equipped with sword, shield and light armour, such men have been the foundation of Human conquests since the arrival of their race in Athla. Many such swordmen have risen to the nobility by first becoming a captain of their fellow soldiers, and then carving out a new territory from one of the other races.

Pikeman

Pikemen and Musketeers have together become famous after a string of unlikely victories, baffling their foes. The power of the musket and the reach of the pike are necessary for ordinary men to slay monsters, or to challenge elite warriors empowered by shamans and sorcery. Yet the training, discipline and teamwork of these troops set them apart from the rest of Athla just as much as their weapons. They are harbingers of a new, Human-dominated era.

Pikemen can strike first when defending against a melee attacker.

Lancer

Lancers are recruited from Humans of modest wealth, such as artisans and the lowest ranks of the nobility. Unable to afford heavy armour, Lancers rely on a tactic of charges and retreats, as well as performing scouting duties.

In contrast to the mighty pedigree destriers ridden by Cavaliers, Lancers can only afford the smaller, more docile horses which have been produced by crossbreeding with Azrac stock.

Charlatan

Charlatans epitomise the Human phrase, "Jack of all trades, master of none." Their legitimate talents are few, but they strive to appear masterful at everything.

The one art which Charlatans excel at is deception, aided by the petty spells they mix with their music. Duping others into believing they possess more than their true share of knowledge and wisdom, Charlatans thrive alike in a Mayor's city hall or a Baron's rustic castle. Charlatans see through the deceptions of others with ease.

Charlatans wield magical bolts and the sword competently, but they are ill at ease on the battlefield, preferring to use stealth or brazen lies to achieve their aims. One popular human saga tells the misadventures of a rather dim Charlatan, 'Cugel the Clever', who eventually triumphed over his foe, an Archwizard, through dumb luck and persistence.

Cavalier

Human aristocracy has had only three centuries to develop since the fall of Inioch's court. The basic pattern laid out in that time continues: human lords are expected to active warrior-captains. In contrast to Elven society, even a common soldier can rise to lordly status should he lead a band of Men to conquer new territory from another race. As such, only Cavaliers from long-established holdings are educated: most are illiterate, but read battles well.

As the elite warriors of humanity, Cavaliers are called on to stand head-to-head with dangerous monsters. The bravest are a threat to even a Dragon should it deign to enter melee. Most horses in human lands derive from Azrac herds, but the destriers ridden by Cavaliers are bred with the horses used by Orcish heavy cavalry. Unbiddable but intelligent, these brutish steeds are a threat in their own right with steel-shod hooves.

Like all Humans, the most battle-hardened Cavaliers are adept at leading their allies in battle.

Musketeer

Pikemen and Musketeers have together become famous after a string of unlikely victories. The range of the musket and the reach of the pike are necessary for ordinary men to slay monsters, or to challenge elite warriors empowered by shamans and sorcery. Yet it is the training, drills and teamwork of these troops which truly sets them apart. They are harbingers of a less chaotic, Human-dominated era.

Musketeers wield a recent human invention, adapted from the Dwarven Bombard. These handheld cannons are powerful enough to pierce even a Dragon's scaly hide with their heavy metal shots, and gunpowder is simple enough to produce for any town of significance.

Air Galley

Like the musket, the Air Galley is a human variation on Dwarven ingenuity. Any great shipwright can see an Air Galley constructed, but only the greatest human cities have alchemists skilled enough to create the lifting gas for the twin balloons.

As with Dwarven Balloons, Air Galleys have no sails, and travel under the power of engine-driven propellers. These engines were copied from the Dwarven design after a Dwarf balloon crash-landed in Human territory. Human craftsmen do not understand the principles behind such devices, but as long as they copy the originals faithfully, accidents are rare. The engines are fueled with coal, and each air galley carries a replacement.

Air Galleys sport two rows of ballistae, and can be used to carry seven warriors in airborne assault over walls, rivers, or mountains.

 

[BING XI LAO]

New map is in the works

 

[BING XI LAO]

ALERT
WE HAVE A PBEM RECRUITMENT THREAD AT SEVEN (7) PLAYERS!
https://www.gog.com/forum/age_of_wonders_series/new_pbem_signup

Map being considered is 'An Uneasy Silence', which represents the entire Athla campaign map with all 12 races.
Can we get some KKKodexers/??

the-brazilian-slaughter

 

[Dawkinsfan69]

New map is in the works

looks sick

 

[Dawkinsfan69]

just launched this for the first time in ages and I cannot express how overjoyed I am that the UI actually scales to 4k res and everything is super readable. usually these older games make all the text look smaller than this and fucking impossible to read in 4k
so happy that I can play this instead of needing to play ugly civ5 graphics rip off AoW3

 

[BING XI LAO]

just launched this for the first time in ages and I cannot express how overjoyed I am that the UI actually scales to 4k res and everything is super readable. usually these older games make all the text look smaller than this and fucking impossible to read in 4k
so happy that I can play this instead of needing to play ugly civ5 graphics rip off AoW3

If you run into the showscene crash fix, then the solution is the first link in this thread; also, using the game setup to run things in Windowed mode allows you to alt-tab without the graphics bugging out. The window can be stretched to whatever size so it's still effectively full-screen.
And yeah, it is nice how well the game works on a full size monitor. Ingame UI elements can even be moved around and resized!