Extended Era revived - version 36

[elricz]

Btw it is a little outdated.
The factions are still the same, but there a few extra units (like the Sidhe bears) and of course a few other changes

You are right, I am fixing it now, based on version x.25.0. It should be ready in about an hour. I need to review the script, as the current one still takes too much manual interaction.

[Noyga]

It looks that you missed the two new Sidhe lines : Bears (Young Bear -> Bear) and Snowcasters (Hoarfroster -> Snowdancer -> Blizzardlord).

Btw i'm releasing v0.23.0 (for BfW 1.2.x) now :
The offline version is there: http://bluebloup.free.fr/wesnoth/Extend ... 3.0.tar.gz

22/4/2007: v0.23.0 (stable)
- Nagas:
- New attack frames for the Hunter
- New Naga Assassin levelup for the Hunter
- Sidhe elves:
- New young bear base frame
- Decreased the Spirit cost from 24 to 21
- Decreased the Hoarfroster from 19 to 17
- Outlaws:
- name change : Henchman -> Ruffian
- updated the sickle attack icon
- new astral blade attack icon

Since i had problem with wescamp (Berlios was down) i couldn't manage to get the translation updated, so i might release v0.23.1 soon (hopefully there were not any major strings change in this version).


About missing description/frames :
Graphics:
- most units only have a base frame
- the level 3 outlaws would need some resizing : they look smaller than the L2s (who use mainline graphics) !
- two units don't have their own frames : the new Naga Assassin (Lvl2 Hunter) and the Dwarvish Firethrower (in fact it has one standing frame, but it is unusable for attacks)
- some extra unit might be added if someone draws them some frames : A Sidhe Ice Wyrm line (Mythological's idea) and some swimers/flyers for the Chaos, Dark Elves and outlaws faction
- the Sidhe snowcasters frames would need to be redone in order to be more different from the lightning mages.

Descriptions:
Some units don't have a proper description, other might need to be improved or changed.
In particular those don't have a proper description:
* Aragwaithi: Flagbearer, Captain, Pikeman, Guardian, Longswordsman, Swordmaster, Scout, Lancer, Silver Shield, Wizard
* Bears: Young Bear, Bear
* Chaos: Lesser Muatation, Greater Mutation, Abomination, Marauder, Soulhunter, Overlord, Hound, Chaos Daemon, Greater Daemon
* Nagas: Naga Assassin, (Naga Guardian, Naga Warden, Naga Sentinel) <- one description for the 3 units
* Orcs: Orcish Warlock, Orcish Witch Doctor
* Sidhe Elves : Hoarfroster, Snowdancer, Blizzardlord.
My idea for theses snowcaster was they were non noble Sidhe elves that tried to imitate the Sidhe nobles (those who casts lightning) by learning magic. Finally, they end up with another kind of element-based magic.

[Vendanna]

Here is my try for the Naga Guardian

"These heavy fighters are elite guards of the naga, choosen by their dedication and skill, their purpose is to defend their sleeping brethen from any menace or guarding their hidden cities from outside invasors until the great awake of their civilization arrive. These nagas are mostly unknow in Wesnoth since they can only be found near Naga cities."

Of course, if the Naga slumber comes to an end it could explain why you suddenly start to see these guardians and their hunter brethens

[Temuchin Khan]

* Sidhe Elves : Hoarfroster, Snowdancer, Blizzardlord.
My idea for theses snowcaster was they were non noble Sidhe elves that tried to imitate the Sidhe nobles (those who casts lightning) by learning magic. Finally, they end up with another kind of element-based magic.

First, my brother suggested a possible new name for one of the new Sidhe units: "Frostmason." I think this might work as the name for the level 1 unit, with "Hoarfroster" replacing "Snowdancer" as the name for the level 2.

Frostmason -> Hoarfroster -> Blizzardlord

Frostmason:

"Some Sidhe commoners long for the prestige of their magic-using betters. They try with all their might to master the art of casting lightning at their foes with deadly precision, but find it is beyond them. At the last, however, they discover that there is an element they can somewhat control -- frozen water. This is their claim to greatness."

Hoarfroster:

"The Sidhe nobility do not lightly accept the fact that some among their subjects seek to join the ranks of the mages, but they are pragmatic and acknowledge that even weak ice magic is a useful supplement to their own skills, as long as its practitioners remember their place. Therefore, they have established the rank of Hoarfroster as a reward for Frostmasons who excel in both skill and loyalty."

Blizzardlord:

"The Sidhe nobility, though not accepting commoners into their ranks, nonetheless pick the most skilled and loyal Hoarfrosters and raise them to the rank of Blizzardlord, giving them authority over the Frostmasons and Hoarfrosters. The expectation is that the Blizzardlords will keep their fellows loyal and obedient to the nobility and train new recruits."

[elricz]

It looks that you missed the two new Sidhe lines : Bears (Young Bear -> Bear) and Snowcasters (Hoarfroster -> Snowdancer -> Blizzardlord).

Umm, they should be there, at least from my computer I see them. Maybe they are in the cache, refreshing the page should work. For now I am not doing anything to prevent caching of pages, as they don't change so often it saves bandwidth and load time.

Btw i'm releasing v0.23.0 (for BfW 1.2.x) now

Would you like it also on the units page? I haven't had much time to review the script, but for sure I could run it again with this data.

[Noyga]

It looks that you missed the two new Sidhe lines : Bears (Young Bear -> Bear) and Snowcasters (Hoarfroster -> Snowdancer -> Blizzardlord).

Umm, they should be there, at least from my computer I see them. Maybe they are in the cache, refreshing the page should work. For now I am not doing anything to prevent caching of pages, as they don't change so often it saves bandwidth and load time.

It might be a cache issue, it works now for me....

Btw i'm releasing v0.23.0 (for BfW 1.2.x) now

Would you like it also on the units page? I haven't had much time to review the script, but for sure I could run it again with this data.

As you like. IMHO it's not necessarily worth the effort.
Well so far, for the modified/extra units there is no difference between the two versions of the era outside the different holy resistance setting (perharps there is a few other very minor differences, but i don't recall any).

[Noyga]

Intersiting description.
@Vendanna: perhaps it would fit better to the Warden or sentinel (the two higher levels) ?

@Temuchin Khan: I did like the Snowdancer names (it find it fit wall with the other Sidhe *dancer names, but the Frostmason is really nice with these descriptions.
Maybe i should start a poll, what do people think about how these snow/blizzard casters should be named ?

[Vendanna]

Well in my mind Guardian is higher than warden.

aka for me its like Warden > Guardian > Sentinel, tought I could be biased by some unknow reason

You could use the description as you see it fit, however

[Noyga]

In fact it is :
Guardian (n1) -> Warden (n2) -> Sentinel (n3)

[Eleazar]

Well in my mind Guardian is higher than warden.

... Warden > Guardian > Sentinel.

This progression sounds more natural to me also.

[Yogin]

I agree the Ghulam al Rami doesn't excel in any one area, it does have some of the best staying power of all the cavalry, with it's good defense, multiple attacks and high hitpoints. It also gives a lot for the lowest cost.
I would suggest that the Ghuulam al Rami isn't awesome, but may be a little low for the cost.

Umm... The problem is you shouldn't be comparing "cavalry." You should be differentiating units by "role." Compare scouting units with scouting units.
The Ghulam al Rami isn't a scouting unit. It should be compared with other 5-6 move units, rather than compared to scouts like the 9 move Elvish Archer.

[Yogin]

I just took a look at this, and only read the last 3-4 pages of the thread, so apologies if what I'm saying has either been said before, or is inaccurate.

Firstly, I assume you aren't changing unit specs if that unit exists in mainline, correct? If that's the case, I would hesitate before changing Kalifa around too much, as it was slated to be included in mainline (and may still be), and was designed to be balanced with mainline.

Secondly, why are some factions from mainline imported into EE with no change(UD, Drakes, Knalgans), and others have added units (Rebels, Northerners, Loy)? That should increase the power of the latter factions, thereby under-powering the former factions, I believe.

Thirdly, it's a little weird to see multiple units that fit into multiple factions, eg. dwarves and knalgan factions. Those two factions share over 50% of their units. Wouldn't it be better just to get rid of Knalgan Alliance, and put the gryphon somewhere else? I know mainline has this problem with the mage, as well. It's one of the things that annoys me about mainline, too.

Fourthly, is EE balanced for 1.2.x or 1.3.x?

[Weeksy]

Adding units to factions in order to balance them vs. specific EE factions is often the only way that balance (in either branch, 1.2.x or 1.3.x, we have versions for both) and besides, the mermaid initiate needed to be used somewhere... Dwarves vs. Knalgan Alliance have many similar units, but play a fair amount differently... Keep in mind that AFAIK some units have been put in just because they are fun units and don't throw the balance off a ton... and yes, neither has a mage, but they have something that works similarly; a Berzerker... Learn to use ulfs well, and they can be used to remove certain pesky units from terrain you don't want them in... Berzerk=Poison=Marksman=Magical in much of balancing...

[Vendanna]

I was checking the Naga Hunter description to get an idea for the advancement and found it funny that it is stated that they are somewhat poison resistant when it is not

"Naga Hunters are Naga who are skilled at hunting with a bow. Since the naga are naturally resistant to poison, they have no qualms about hunting with poisoned arrows. These two foot long shafts, tipped with a potent poison, have been known to slay many kinds of prey."

and mi idea

"Some in the Naga had found the advantages ¿to imbue? their weapons with their natural poison in order to deal with whatever could be their prey, these nagas more acustomed to the benefits of their ranged weapons lure deep in the naga forests serving as the naga civilization scouts"

Between an assasin is something you call to someone that kills is own specie for no special motive, I think its a role more befitting for a Constrictor (huge snake) that could be the executioner of those betraying to the naga.

since nagas with bows looks more like a forest lurking specimen I think that a snipper is more appropiate, benefiting of his natural camuflage to attack their victims.

[Temuchin Khan]

@Temuchin Khan: I did like the Snowdancer names (it find it fit wall with the other Sidhe *dancer names, but the Frostmason is really nice with these descriptions.
Maybe i should start a poll, what do people think about how these snow/blizzard casters should be named ?

Good point. I hadn't considered that. Still, to me "Hoarfroster" and "Snowdancer" both sound like good names for a level 2 unit, but not for a level 1. Hence, I proposed my brother's idea of calling the level 1 unit "Frostmason."

What if the Frostmason line branched?

Code: Select all

Frostmason -> Hoarfroster -> Blizzardlord -- same as what we have
           -> Snowdancer -- not as good on the attack, but regenerates on snowy terrain only

And a unit description:

"Some Frostmasons become so enamored of the frost and cold as to spend frigid winter nights outdoors. They eventually become at one with the cold north wind and the ice and the snow, and draw strength from these blustery elements. They are known as Snowdancers."

What do you think?

EDIT:

If the Ice Wyverns are ever added, we could explain it by saying that they were found and tamed by the Snowdancers.