[MOD] Tales of Auriga

Taeves

Newcomer

9 years ago

Jan 28, 2016, 5:07:24 PM

Cultists.

I understand Outposts don't work with their mechanics. That's okay.

Other then them I like using the Elven Hippies or the Dust Addicts.

Now that I have my coffee beside me it is time to play!

lilyophelia

Shadow Lord

"For every complex problem there is an answer that is clear, simple, and wrong." -H. L. Mencken

lilyophelia

Shadow Lord

9 years ago

Jan 28, 2016, 6:41:16 PM

Okay! I'll do cultists pretty soon. Ardent Mages today, and Cultists tomorrow (if all goes well).

One idea I have for Cultists that I'll probably implement is +vision on converted villages with the outpost techs. Was thinking about it in the shower this morning. ;P

Taeves

Newcomer

Taeves

Newcomer

9 years ago

Jan 28, 2016, 7:59:55 PM

I decided to play as the Wild Walkers this morning, on Serious with Hard minor factions (I'm not very good with the Walkers). I find there is little difference in minor faction difficulty so I bump it up in the hopes it slows the AI down a bit.

Things are going pretty well for me thus far surprisingly. I have four cities (I took one through force accidentally, I forgot I didn't give them Weapons of the Enemy) and one Outpost. Just upgraded the Outpost with 50 Glass Steel. It feels a little expensive but in 10 turns or so I'm sure I'll be happy with the constant Dust.

I chose Wild Walkers since you had finished them. Their Heroes are crazy now! I decided to get all the XP bonuses early, then move over to grab the Initiative, DMG, Attack and work my way up to the other Damage bonuses. I imagine I'll be unstoppable until the other Factions get their new skills. So a little too early for any feedback there. I am looking forward to having my future Cultist heroes crush the Drakken however.

Is there any way to make the minor factions more disturbing? I'd be happier the more difficult they are. I like the idea of trying to hold my own against these rampaging monsters, while also engaging other civilizations. It was fun pre-ToA but the ramped up difficulty makes it impossible to go back to regular Endless Legend now.

Amplitude should just hire you.

lilyophelia

Shadow Lord

"For every complex problem there is an answer that is clear, simple, and wrong." -H. L. Mencken

lilyophelia

Shadow Lord

9 years ago

Jan 28, 2016, 8:06:56 PM

Aww, I appreciate the feedback, but I think they do amazing things already. It's really easy for me to play with the game and adjust things after they've done all the hard work. I am Endlessly grateful to the studio.

I really love having hard minor factions. One of my goals is to increase the difficulty of the minor faction units each time you reach a new tech era. Also, I'll probably bump up the xp/turn for minor faction armies to +10xp or so. Every level is +20% in stats.

One problem I'm having is that early armies end up being just one unit. If left undefeated, they take up the army slots that the villages would use to pump out 2-6 unit armies later on. I may go ahead and play with these settings a bit more if you think even harder minor factions would feel good.

I personally like really, really hard minor factions, but I didn't want it to feel unbearably hard. Thank you so much for the feedback here.

Taeves

Newcomer

Taeves

Newcomer

9 years ago

Jan 28, 2016, 8:28:21 PM

I have no idea what other people would think, but having insanely hard minor factions would definitely further set your mod apart. And it suits the way I play.

Without a doubt I am far from being a great player. I have beaten ToA on Endless with Broken Lords but it's easy to win with them. I usually play on Hard or Serious with everyone else, I don't like how the AI cheats. Like others have said in different threads, it gets very difficult to build any legendary buildings. On Endless it gets pretty silly.

Which is why having very hard minor factions is so interesting to me. I'd like it to be very difficult for anyone to expand, especially early. It's pretty good now but the further it goes the happier I'll be.

lilyophelia

Shadow Lord

"For every complex problem there is an answer that is clear, simple, and wrong." -H. L. Mencken

lilyophelia

Shadow Lord

9 years ago

Jan 28, 2016, 9:03:42 PM

Okay, Taeves, just remember you told me to do it!

I'm sitting down to work on the Support Tree and Ardent Mages now.

I'll tweak the Minor Factions and try to have a new update later tonight (not sure if it invalidates your saved games when I update).

Thanks for being a project buddy. <3

Taeves

Newcomer

Taeves

Newcomer

9 years ago

Jan 28, 2016, 10:05:48 PM

You're welcome, although more importantly thank you for further developing the mod! While I do hope others enjoy the changes you're making I selfishly don't care too much if they don't. Win/win if they do!

I'll try the Ardent Mages tomorrow after I get the update tonight. I usually avoid playing them as I am terrible with them. But if their heroes are better it may be the crutch I need to get through a game alive.

I'm off now to play a new game with Broken Lords again. I want to see how many Outposts I can make and how much damage I can do with a super aggressive Wild Walkers hero.

lilyophelia

Shadow Lord

"For every complex problem there is an answer that is clear, simple, and wrong." -H. L. Mencken

lilyophelia

Shadow Lord

9 years ago

Jan 29, 2016, 3:10:58 AM

Going to be pushing a new update shortly.

Ardent Mage faction tree is all done (for now, at least). The Support tree still needs to be reworked, but it's functional at the moment.

City garrisons are now 8 units base, which allows you to mix/match armies before you send them out. I think it'll be a nice quality of life adjustment.

Full patch notes: v1.31: Ardent Mage faction tree is now live; Support tree is not updated, but it is functional; Removed Infantry Slayer from 2H Bows (was too strong on an already strong and overrepresented role); Increased Flying Slayer on 2H Bows 1 rank to compensate; Added Slow Down to 1H Swords (allows Infantry to control the battlefield and gives them a niche); significantly boosted the difficulty of Minor Faction units on Hard (Taeves made me do it!); once you settle a region, minor faction spawn rates slow way down (to give you a chance to conquer them); Increased the size of city garrisons to be 8 units base (increases with tech like normal); this should allow you to create/store more units in cities (allowing flexibility in creating new armies);

DEVFrogsquadron

Broken

Frogsquadron / François (\franswa\) "I am tormented with an everlasting itch for things remote. I love to sail forbidden seas."

DEVFrogsquadron

Broken

52 300g2g pts

9 years ago

Jan 29, 2016, 11:14:38 AM

Taeves wrote:

In regard to Mezari now being free; from what I understand they're going to be free for everyone at some point in the future. Just not yet, sadly.

That is correct. We actually need to patch it in the game to make them freely available. We might have announced that was going to happen without consulting the production teams before.

lilyophelia

Shadow Lord

"For every complex problem there is an answer that is clear, simple, and wrong." -H. L. Mencken

lilyophelia

Shadow Lord

9 years ago

Jan 29, 2016, 3:50:57 PM

Thanks for the update, Frog!

Lots and lots of changes to military buildings coming in the next patch.

Also going to try adding +vision on converted villages with watchtower techs.

Support tree (and maybe Cultists tree) is on my todo list for later today. After that (but probably not today), I'll knock out some new cultist heroes (because I feel like that completes the experience).

I also want to go back and convert all the base heroes to use the role system: aka gov, gen, spy, or vers (with the markers so it's easier to see/use them in the academy). I'll keep the expanded heroes mod slightly separate (so people can just use new heroes with their other mods), but I'll be rolling all the new heroes from the other mod into this one. I don't think I will be able to easily adjust the vanilla heroes without making it part of the standalone mod.

And finally, in my current game, minor factions are truly rampant, but cray fun. There's nothing like facing 16-18 level 8 buffed Sisters of Mercy to make you respect the faction. They're chewing through my armies, but I'm slowly whittling them down. Thanks for the suggestion, Taeves...I think. ;P

Taeves

Newcomer

Taeves

Newcomer

9 years ago

Jan 29, 2016, 4:52:03 PM

lilyophelia wrote:

And finally, in my current game, minor factions are truly rampant, but cray fun. There's nothing like facing 16-18 level 8 buffed Sisters of Mercy to make you respect the faction. They're chewing through my armies, but I'm slowly whittling them down. Thanks for the suggestion, Taeves...I think. ;P

I'll admit I blacked out a bit each time you said Cultists. I cannot wait for that update, especially the Hero changes.

I am off to play a new game RIGHT MEOW! If I actually die to minor factions I think I'll be the happiest I've been playing a game in ages! More importantly, if they can further slow the AI's expansion (by Settler genocide) I will never bother with another mod for this game. This has already become a staple.

lilyophelia

Shadow Lord

"For every complex problem there is an answer that is clear, simple, and wrong." -H. L. Mencken

lilyophelia

Shadow Lord

9 years ago

Jan 29, 2016, 5:05:03 PM

Look what you made happen!

I am actually having a blast. Taking a single new region feels like wiping out a highly advanced enemy AI.

At the start of the game, things are way more manageable. This is very late game (where I'm up to 4 Cities and 1 Outpost); two of my regions are perma-pillaged atm.

It's fun to build up like two full armies, and knock out 1/3rd to 1/5 of the built up roaming armies.

This is 208 of an Endless game. Honestly, the AI can't be expected to be a competitive threat (at least on Hard) in the mod. It's really about growing an empire in a harsh environment. I feel like the AI is just there to add some flavor and to trade with (or pillage). They have a hard time dealing with the villages in their home regions.

I do know that some factions do manage to expand to 5-6 regions.

VIPKnightofPhoenix

Empire VIP

"One can only match, move by move, the machinations of Fate...and thus defy the tyrannous stars." - Kain

VIPKnightofPhoenix

Empire VIP

26 000g2g pts

9 years ago

Jan 29, 2016, 5:10:17 PM

I'm as masochistic as the next guy, and then some, but this...

...

(I like the concept of it though! But it sounds like too much anxiety for me)

Taeves

Newcomer

Taeves

Newcomer

9 years ago

Jan 29, 2016, 6:10:08 PM

I'm on turn 75ish with Ardent Mages on Serious/Hard minor factions. I'm terrible with the Mages, trying to manage the pillars and keep my scantily clad army alive isn't going so well. My first game I got wiped out by my faction quest, my party of 4 got obliterated against just two normal enemies. I'm not sure if that's the mods fault though. I should have manually fought that one.

Anyway on my second play through I survived the first few quests but now the roaming armies are pillaging my two cities at a whim. I had the option of making both cities on/near rivers but both had few industry to exploit. So I'm way ahead in science and food but struggling to build units. I couldn't decide whether to focus dust or industry.

I'm also undecided on how I feel about my Mage hero. I like the extra damage and attack tree, at first I thought it was too much but now I feel like it's too little. Especially now that the tree doesn't branch off into other areas. That and the monsters killing my peoples.

I may have to go back to playing Wild Walkers or Broken Lords to give a better opinion on the difficulty of the monsters. I'm really excited by the picture you put up there!

In response to KnightofPhoenix; I don't feel any anxiety with the added difficulty of the monsters. When you first start a game there isn't a LOT of difference. You have time to explore, you have time to build and even expand into another region. By around turn 25 you begin to notice it. Last night playing Broken Lords I still stomped through everything. If you can survive and do well through the first 50 turns you're basically unstoppable. You'll level up like crazy.

On that note, I sort of feel like mid to late game needs a boost for minor factions. Perhaps a global quest that gives monsters a 25% perma-dmg increase.

Taeves

Newcomer

Taeves

Newcomer

9 years ago

Jan 29, 2016, 6:21:20 PM

I had a question about the mod. I was discussing trading with AI and how cheesy it can be. In my Mages game today, the stupid Drakken again tried to force me into peace. I decided to see how much tech I could make them give me.

I didn't have the influence for the fourth tech, but I had enough for the three. Which seems a little too much for what I was giving up. Does Tales of Auriga modify the AI's trading in any way?

lilyophelia

Shadow Lord

"For every complex problem there is an answer that is clear, simple, and wrong." -H. L. Mencken

lilyophelia

Shadow Lord

9 years ago

Jan 29, 2016, 6:26:04 PM

Well, remember that this is on Hard Minor Factions. The units are a lot stronger on hard, a little stronger on normal, and pretty easy (like the vanilla game) on easy .

I think you really need to avoid fighting minor factions as much as possible. There's very little benefit to attacking roaming armies or straying too far away from your territory.

It's also good to build up armies before engaging, and realizing that you're probably going to lose a lot of units.

I find that my pattern is exploring neighboring regions, being careful to give roaming armies their space. I have to shop for good pacification quests and weaker minor factions. And once I pick a region, I settle a new city (and use the garrison to help fight required battles.)

Pacifying your home region is top priority, and it requires a good pacification quest, 6-8 units, or a simple bribe!

If anyone wants to try a game out on easy/normal and let me know if that feels decent, I'll leave the hard settings alone.

lilyophelia

Shadow Lord

"For every complex problem there is an answer that is clear, simple, and wrong." -H. L. Mencken

lilyophelia

Shadow Lord

9 years ago

Jan 29, 2016, 6:28:05 PM

No, it doesn't affect the trading at all. However, there's been a lot of talk about this with the vanilla game. If they don't have access to any Titanium (because expanding is difficult and they can't nab a region with it), the AI might value it much higher.

Taeves

Newcomer

Taeves

Newcomer

9 years ago

Jan 29, 2016, 6:38:32 PM

lilyophelia wrote:
No, it doesn't affect the trading at all. However, there's been a lot of talk about this with the vanilla game. If they don't have access to any Titanium (because expanding is difficult and they can't nab a region with it), the AI might value it much higher.

I knew it. I hope they adjust that, even if they have zero access to Titanium giving up four techs like that is way too much. I'm not so sure they're so starved for titanium either. They built both the first two legendary buildings. Even if they have zero left and no access to more, they shouldn't be throwing that much tech at players for a quick fix.

lilyophelia

Shadow Lord

"For every complex problem there is an answer that is clear, simple, and wrong." -H. L. Mencken

lilyophelia

Shadow Lord

9 years ago

Jan 29, 2016, 6:45:26 PM

It's actually a pretty recent thread in the main forums (LINK). I have to admit I don't do a lot of diplomacy in most games.

Taeves

Newcomer

Taeves

Newcomer

9 years ago

Jan 29, 2016, 7:02:36 PM

Yeah I've been participating in that thread. I asked here to confirm whether or not ToA had made any changes to the trading ai or not.

Edit: Yeah, Hard minor factions are hard now. Too hard. They level too fast now, I think they need to have their total number reduced a bit or have them level a little slower. Or just leave them as they are. Afterall, they ARE hard.

Fine tuning the normal setting for minor factions may be more of what's needed.

I think I'm going to take a break from Endless Legend for a bit.