Imperial Multiplayer Era - version 0.17 released

Flametrooper · Post by **Flametrooper** » July 6th, 2006, 6:26 pm

Shyde wings do NOT look good on the valkryie. If ypu're gonna copy, take Celestial wings or Gryphon wings.
Everything else looks great. Somehow I think you don't even need a staff, just the magic on her bare hands.

Post by **turin** » July 6th, 2006, 7:50 pm

Flametrooper wrote:Shyde wings do NOT look good on the valkryie. If ypu're gonna copy, take Celestial wings or Gryphon wings.

I agree, but I don't particularly like how the Celestial wings look either... I'll find something that looks good.

Flametrooper wrote:Everything else looks great. Somehow I think you don't even need a staff, just the magic on her bare hands.

No weapon, just bare hands? I like it... what should her melee attack be, then?

Post by **turin** » July 6th, 2006, 8:20 pm

Non-shyde wings for the Valkyrie.

Now, does the Galdra get wings too?

And what about "Witch" for the level 1? It makes sense, but it doesn't have the right feel to me... it makes you think of an old hag.

JW · Post by JW » July 6th, 2006, 10:12 pm

turin wrote:Non-shyde wings for the Valkyrie.

Now, does the Galdra get wings too?

And what about "Witch" for the level 1? It makes sense, but it doesn't have the right feel to me... it makes you think of an old hag.

NICE SPRITE!!!!

Post by **turin** » July 7th, 2006, 2:08 am

I have committed the .cfgs for these girls. You can test them out in latest SVN. I basically made up random stats for them; any suggestions are appreciated.

Hm... I have some cool ideas for animating these girls, but they require more skill than I possess.

Basically, they wave their hands around making runes, and the magic follows their hands like they are waving glowsticks. Then, they throw their arms towards the enemy, the magic follows, and the magic missile is thrown.

PS: If you've noticed that I've been VERY active the past few days (5 posts in this topic today, 6 yesterday), it's because 1. it is summer vacation, 2. I don't have homework (I had to write an essay and a sources book in June, which took a lot of time), and 3. two of my brothers are away at camp, so there's less competition for the computer... I'll be much less active the next two weeks, though, since I'll be in England and unable to use a computer.

ozymandias · Post by **ozymandias** » July 7th, 2006, 10:33 am

Hmmm... there definitely does have to be a Witch unit somewhere in Wesnoth, but the name has more of a lvl 2 feeling. I keep thinking of something with "-maiden" in it for the lvl 1... like Loremaiden, or Herbmaiden. Then it'd be cool if the line had a lvl 3, too, and that one could be a Crone or Hag. But with the Maiden already taken for the Shieldmaiden, that would be a bit repetitive. Bah, rambling, but no names...

Anyway, I agree with the shield-suggestion - wouldn't hurt to make it a bit impressive, not large though, but colorful. Making the wings gray would make 'em look less angelic.

Oh, and if you don't want staffs, how about daggers - err, athames. Also very magical, and more witchy.

Post by **turin** » July 7th, 2006, 1:32 pm

ozymandias wrote:Oh, and if you don't want staffs, how about daggers - err, athames. Also very magical, and more witchy.

Wikipedia said that athames represent the "male principle".

Anyway, since there's nothing theoretically wrong with not giving them a weapon, I'll keep them unarmed for now. That might change in the future.

Post by **turin** » July 7th, 2006, 2:00 pm

The Plan:

We now have all planned units done for the Marauders, Lavinians, and Wild Elves. That means we should focus a lot on balancing now. I'm going to release IE 0.13 soon, and then we'll make changes until it is fairly well balanced. That will be version 1.0.

The facilitate this, I've split the IE into two eras - Imperial, and Imperial (unbalanced). Imperial has only the Lavinians, Marauders, and Wild Elves. Imperial (unbalanced) has the three other factions as well. We want to get the three main factions balanced right now. We want the other factions balanced too, but that's not our main priority.

After that, we will add individual factions back in (probably starting with the Arendians), rebalancing the era for each new faction.

ozymandias · Post by **ozymandias** » July 7th, 2006, 2:49 pm

Wikipedia said that athames represent the "male principle".

Well, they're long and pointy. Figures.

But they're used in Wiccan Rituals, according to that selfsame article, which might fit the Marauder Culture somewhat, although AFAIK Wicca draws most of it's inspiration from Celtic sources.

Anyway, I don't think it unreasonably for a priesty person to use a knife as a focus. Presumably they'd use both male- and female-aspekted objects, and likely they're carrying a bowl of some sort somewhere under their tunic (do I sense bloody sacrifices to the bog-gods? Oh yes!).

That said, what matters is what looks cool. A staff is ok, but kind of run-of-the-mill. A knife is more sinister. I like knives

Post by **turin** » July 7th, 2006, 2:59 pm

Well, right now I'm not giving her a staff either - she doesn't have a weapon.

A knife makes sense, I agree... I just don't really want to give the Marauders Yet Another Blade Attack. Right now every level 1 unit has a blade attack except the Crusher.

About the level 1 name - I read somewhere than another word for "witch" was "Volva". I dunno if I like that, though.

Post by **Eternal** » July 7th, 2006, 3:18 pm

Uhh...

(looks at the wings)
Mind if I borrow those wings? They would be very educational indeed.
And I bet those celestials wouldn't mind such pretty wings i their backs either.

Oh... and IMO the spear is good weapon for her. I couldn't imagine a valkyrie with any other weapon than a big lance.

Post by **turin** » July 7th, 2006, 3:27 pm

Eternal wrote:Uhh... (looks at the wings)
Mind if I borrow those wings? They would be very educational indeed.
And I bet those celestials wouldn't mind such pretty wings i their backs either.

Uh... sure. They weren't particularly hard to make. The process was basically:
*draw an outline of wings in black
* fill it in with white
* using the brush (not the pencil) on 75% opacity and drawing with black, give the wing texture (=feathers)
* Using a light grey color and the same opacity on the brush, go over the black outlines so they blend better with the rest of the wing.
* redo as needed.

It will probably look better if the Celestials don't all have similar or identical wings, so... repeat as needed.

Eternal wrote:Oh... and IMO the spear is good weapon for her. I couldn't imagine a valkyrie with any other weapon than a big lance.

Agreed. The Valkyrie will be keeping her spear, as will the shieldmaiden. The question is - what weapon, if any, should the Acolyte, Seeress, and Galdra have?

Post by **turin** » July 7th, 2006, 3:37 pm

Ranger M wrote:This sounds cool in every way that i can think of , I may try to make this (later) while I am animating the arendians too.

OK.

Ranger M wrote:Turin is coming to England? Out of curiosity, where are you going?

Somewhere near London. It's an educational thing, so I'll probably visit several different places.

Ranger M · Post by **Ranger M** » July 7th, 2006, 3:44 pm

turin wrote:Hm... I have some cool ideas for animating these girls, but they require more skill than I possess. Basically, they wave their hands around making runes, and the magic follows their hands like they are waving glowsticks. Then, they throw their arms towards the enemy, the magic follows, and the magic missile is thrown.

This sounds cool in every way that i can think of

, I may try to make this (later) while I am animating the arendians too.

turin wrote:PS: If you've noticed that I've been VERY active the past few days (5 posts in this topic today, 6 yesterday), it's because 1. it is summer vacation, 2. I don't have homework (I had to write an essay and a sources book in June, which took a lot of time), and 3. two of my brothers are away at camp, so there's less competition for the computer... I'll be much less active the next two weeks, though, since I'll be in England and unable to use a computer.

Turin is coming to England? Out of curiosity, where are you going?

I will be just as active soon (and not cut out by my brother because I use a laptop + Wireless), I just need to finish some other stuff first.

Ranger M · Post by **Ranger M** » July 7th, 2006, 4:03 pm

turin wrote:Somewhere near London. It's an educational thing, so I'll probably visit several different places.

And for some reason your post is above mine...

Unfortunately I don't live in or around London, and don't go there often (even though my cousin lives there), so there wont be a chance of spotting each other.

BTW, will you have free time to go around on your own, or will it be like most educational trips where you must stay with or around the teacher at all times? (I hate them, because the teacher always seems to focus on all of the really boring bits, and walk straight by anything remotely interesting.)

On a more important note, if you are starting to focus on balancing, shouldn't there be another release soon (so that we get suggestions) or have the url of the svn posted here, so that people can make their own balancing suggestions on the factions?

EDIT: opps, ignore that, you already said that you would release soon.