Master of Magic remake from Thea developers and Slitherine

[Inconceivable]

Every single fantasy 4X has claimed to be a MoM spiritual successor and none of them are that. There's something special in MoM that is a bit hard to pinpoint.

Yeah, but sometimes I wonder if that something special is just nostalgia.

 

[dacencora]

Every single fantasy 4X has claimed to be a MoM spiritual successor and none of them are that. There's something special in MoM that is a bit hard to pinpoint.

Yeah, but sometimes I wonder if that something special is just nostalgia.

It is not. I played MoM FAR after its heyday. There is something special about it. But I also think there is something special about HoMM 1-3 and Age of Wonders. I haven't played much of Master of Orion 1/2 but I hear they're also great.

Very controversial and unique opinion that I have there, I know.

 

[Lacrymas]

Every single fantasy 4X has claimed to be a MoM spiritual successor and none of them are that. There's something special in MoM that is a bit hard to pinpoint.

Yeah, but sometimes I wonder if that something special is just nostalgia.

It really isn't. I played MoM for the first time a few years ago and I didn't even know it existed when I was a kid/teen. Don't get me wrong, there are a few very good fantasy 4X games in their own right out there, but none of them are like MoM or can be called spiritual successors of MoM.

 

[InspectorRumpole]

I've never played MoM.

Isn't it quite similar to AoW?

 

[AgentFransis]

The only true spiritual successor to MoM is Dominions.

Any game that actually calls itself a spiritual successor to something is just a cheap knock off.

 

[Inconceivable]

Interesting to hear those opinions from nostalgia-free people.

Maybe it does have to do with the pixel-graphics then. There's a special charm to them, maybe because they leave more room for imagination. Or the "imperfection" of the graphics, the lack of fine detail, somehow makes the whole more vibrant, less of a program that runs on your PC, and more of an immersive experience. Like you said, it's hard to pinpoint.

I feel the same way about Colonization. The remake "Civilization IV: Colonization" is probably one of the best remakes of a classic ever made, but the pixelated old cousin somehow always manages to win me over.

 

[Lacrymas]

I've never played MoM.

Isn't it quite similar to AoW?

It kind of is, but not really. MoM is slower paced (not necessarily slower to play) and there are quite a few very significant gameplay differences, both in the strategic and tactical layer. You are more reliant on magic in Master of Magic (shocker) and exploration is faaar more important in MoM than in AoW.

 

[Inconceivable]

I've never played MoM.

Isn't it quite similar to AoW?

MoM is like medieval Civilization with magic. AoW is a more curated experience - playing across premade maps, with a storyline. You're basically just raising armies to conquer the map in order to complete the mission and continue to the next map.
Both have a tactical combat system where armies face off against each other, but on the strategic layer, they are very different. AoW is more casual.

 

[Blake00]

Interesting to hear those opinions from nostalgia-free people.

Maybe it does have to do with the pixel-graphics then. There's a special charm to them, maybe because they leave more room for imagination. Or the "imperfection" of the graphics, the lack of fine detail, somehow makes the whole more vibrant, less of a program that runs on your PC, and more of an immersive experience. Like you said, it's hard to pinpoint.

I feel the same way about Colonization. The remake "Civilization IV: Colonization" is probably one of the best remakes of a classic ever made, but the pixelated old cousin somehow always manages to win me over.

I'm the same.. there's just something about the original Colonization along with Master of Magic that seems to make them almost timeless.

 

[Zboj Lamignat]

I'm genuinely surprised they didn't release the 3.0 Elemental patch as a separate game. Not even being ironic rn.

I've never played MoM.

Isn't it quite similar to AoW?

AoW is like a mix of MoM and Warlords and some of the mechanics are obviously very inspired by MoM (like how magic works, power nodes, summoning, balancing mana for research/casting etc). MoM, however, is a classic 4X at its core while AoW is a campaign/scenario driven game. Both are great and you should definitely play MoM. The graphics are super dated but the UI and gameplay is smooth and nice, pretty much MoO2 standard, if you played that.

 

[Reality]

I kind of want to PSA about avoiding Warlockaster of the Arcane in terms of "MoM inspired" games because of how angry it makes me.

Highlights include the dumb as rock AI that manages to upkeep bankrupt itself despite 400% income, doesn't build city improvements in the right order and thus stays on tier 1 spam for 80~ turns, trades Gold for Mana at a 20 to 1 Ratio that can make players rich instantly, Automatically accept any diplomacy from players that they are suffienctly "afriad of" due to military strength even if their displayed relationship is negative 100.... Oh and the games' also features a horrific stackable resistance system that is gameable to the point of A: Lategame people enchnated to to over 90% resist all damage types, B: Turn 10 40% resistance to everything unit that is also your cheapest unit in the faction.

 

[Zboj Lamignat]

The real problem with Warlock is that it's one of those "nu-civ combat was really amazing, wasn't it" 4X. I remember it being quite popular and well-regarded on the codex, never understood why.

 

[Blake00]

I enjoyed Warlock quite a bit (with all it's DLC as without them it's too light on features) although I was disappointed with it's simplified combat. I never seem to hear anything good about Warlock 2 though so haven't been in a hurry to try that.

 

[Galdred]

The real problem with Warlock is that it's one of those "nu-civ combat was really amazing, wasn't it" 4X. I remember it being quite popular and well-regarded on the codex, never understood why.

It suffered the reverse issue of Civilization, though.
The combat itself was also the same as in Fantasy Wars/Elven Legacy (from the same publisher, and maybe developer?), but the AI was totally inept at casting anything on the strategic map, or getting any tiers 2+ building. However, unlike Civ AI, it could focus fire, pull damaged units out, and put frontliner in front of archers.

Every single fantasy 4X has claimed to be a MoM spiritual successor and none of them are that. There's something special in MoM that is a bit hard to pinpoint.

Yeah, but sometimes I wonder if that something special is just nostalgia.

Not at all. When it first came out, I discarded it at some kid's Civilization, and only played it on dosbox more than 10 years after its launch or so, after Age of Wonders: Shadow Magic. It was a really special game, and nothing comes close.
I have more than 300h on Dominions 5, but it is pretty different, and it doesn't feel as elegant (but it has a greater complexity, and a functionning MP scene).

 

[Grotesque]

Fallen Enchantress: Legendary Heroes released a big 3.0 update a few days ago. Anybody check it out?

Why are you asking about Fallen Enchantress in the Master of Magic remake thread?

https://rpgcodex.net/forums/threads...chantress-released.77252/page-16#post-7481644

why?
your autism was triggered by the improper posting?

 

[mondblut]

Hexmaps have always looked cooler:

Now try going east or west.

Also, these maps are full of ridiculously straight lines and parallels. Square grid maps are nowhere as fake and unnatural.

There is a reason we've got 4 cardinal directions, not 6.

 

[BING XI LAO]

I've never played MoM.

Isn't it quite similar to AoW?

It kind of is, but not really. MoM is slower paced (not necessarily slower to play) and there are quite a few very significant gameplay differences, both in the strategic and tactical layer. You are more reliant on magic in Master of Magic (shocker) and exploration is faaar more important in MoM than in AoW.

It's true that MoM has more exploration, it has far deeper city development and founding of new cities is more important. And it has deeper/more mechanics in general.
But Age of Wonders 1 can be just as magic-heavy if you use the mod and maps I made (which are the multiplayer norm). Master of Magic is the better game in theory, but in practice AoW1 is the game with multiplayer, less ancient graphics (or soy shit graphics with this remake) and scenario editing.

 

[dacencora]

I've never played MoM.

Isn't it quite similar to AoW?

It kind of is, but not really. MoM is slower paced (not necessarily slower to play) and there are quite a few very significant gameplay differences, both in the strategic and tactical layer. You are more reliant on magic in Master of Magic (shocker) and exploration is faaar more important in MoM than in AoW.

It's true that MoM has more exploration, it has far deeper city development and founding of new cities is more important. And it has deeper/more mechanics in general.
But Age of Wonders 1 can be just as magic-heavy if you use the mod and maps I made (which are the multiplayer norm). Master of Magic is the better game in theory, but in practice AoW1 is the game with multiplayer, less ancient graphics (or soy shit graphics with this remake) and scenario editing.

And while I love the grid-based battles of MoM, there is something special about the battles in Age of Wonders. Both great games!

 

[Blake00]

Fourth MuHa dev diary is here. This one is about races and some more Wizards, including the fact that they're clearly listening to us complaining fans as they've got the artist back in to get rid of cute boy band face Tauron and bring back his old beard haha! They also fixed the weird MoM blogs under Thea2 category website thing too lol.

http://muhagames.com/mom-dev-diary-4-october-2021/

.

 

[HeroMarine]

I'm impressed that the drawings don't look awful. Instead the units actually resemble something cool from the times before games got gay or cartoony. Congratulations to the devs.

 

[Gaznak]

I can't look at the modern art style. It all always looks the same, soulless and bland, as if drawn by the same artist. Paradoxically, low-res pixel-era art (like MoM and so on) should in theory be the same-looking in every old game - but in fact it's not, and looks and feels more various, immersive and alive.

I personally don't need any 'MoM spiritual successor' so long as I have MoM itself and AoW 1-2-2.5.

 

[Blake00]

Fifth MuHa dev diary is here. This one is a Q&A that reveals some new and interesting info particularly on how moddable the game will be.

http://muhagames.com/dev-diary-5-november-2021/

.

 

[Gaznak]

Well, Kali art up there is just another proof for this:

I can't look at the modern art style. It all always looks the same, soulless and bland, as if drawn by the same artist.

It's so predictable what you will see from modern artists when they hear the name "Kali". No phantasy, no creativity, no magic, just some Wikipedia level of ideas.

And I never comprehended what's the hype about their Thea game(s). TBH I didn't play 'em but the thing is that I never would, and never will. They look so... I don't know... millennials-naive in a bad way.

 

[Gilius Thunderhead]

Pixel art can't be improved, it's its own style. If you want to make new art it has to stand on its own as great fantasy art. Unfortunately most fantasy art is absolute shit, even from relatively famous artists. And things are much worse now than 30 years ago.

The only aspects of MoM that can be improved are related to gameplay. Caster of Magic goes in the right direction but also deviates from the original formula significantly (opting for balance above everything else). An improved MoM would keep cheesy gameplay which the player would have the choice to abuse or not, and significantly improve the AI (world, diplomacy and combat), as well as add some new mechanics to keep the game fresh and varied.

 

[Nahel]

Why the hell no multiplayer.