Help for Returning Vet

[autolycus]

It's been six years since I last trod the (un)hallowed ground of these forums.
Essentially, I was retrenched in the spring of 2008, and that took my mind off Wesnoth (and other things).

My question is: for those of you with experience bridging these years, what features do you think I should be studying as I try to catch up with six years of not playing? Wesnoth looks like a vastly different (and much more beautiful) beast these days...

[beetlenaut]

Obviously the graphics have been redone since then, but I don't think you won't find the game play any different. You will find some new units, and some small differences in individual units that you remember, but it will take a while to find all of those. You should read up on the traits. There are quite a few new ones, though most of them apply only to certain races. "Holy" is now called "Arcane" and is sometimes used by evil creatures too. Mostly, the game has expanded, but not gotten much different at the core. Have fun trying out all the campaigns!

[Simons Mith]

One big difference: the AI has improved. If you find you get caned on AI settings you used to be OK at, that's not you, it's Wesnoth.

[autolycus]

Obviously the graphics have been redone since then, but I don't think you won't find the game play any different. You will find some new units, and some small differences in individual units that you remember, but it will take a while to find all of those. You should read up on the traits. There are quite a few new ones, though most of them apply only to certain races. "Holy" is now called "Arcane" and is sometimes used by evil creatures too. Mostly, the game has expanded, but not gotten much different at the core. Have fun trying out all the campaigns!

Thanks very much. I'm looking forward to trying them out. I hear that some of the old ones have been rebalanced and enhanced or completed. I guess playing through would be the best way to catch up!

One big difference: the AI has improved. If you find you get caned on AI settings you used to be OK at, that's not you, it's Wesnoth.

Ah! Okay. That will be an interesting experience. I wonder if real life experience will help to compensate for that! Thanks!

[iridium137]

Interestingly enough, I first started playing in Feb 2008 on version 1.3.16. And surprisingly, not much has actually changed since then. There are a couple of (mostly very minor) unit stat tweaks for balance reasons. There are a bit of changes in appearance and UI. A few campaigns (Dead Water, Delfador's Memoirs, Legend of Wesmere(?)) got added to mainline and some others got tweaked. But that's about it really. Nothing that fundamentally changes how the game is played.

Also... I just realized I've been playing this game for almost 7 years. WOW.

[autolycus]

Interestingly enough, I first started playing in Feb 2008 on version 1.3.16. And surprisingly, not much has actually changed since then.
[...]
Also... I just realized I've been playing this game for almost 7 years. WOW.

That makes me feel a lot better. I keep thinking I must be missing something.