If you could control map creatures in combat?

[Taodor]

What do you think about that if you could control map creatures in combat when oponent player engage fight with them? If there is more than 2 players they could swich in controling every combat. This would be an option you could turn on/of before game. and only for multiplayer and hotseat.
Is this posible to create at all in programing sence?
This sistem actualy exist in H4 TCG game....

[The Mad Dragon]

I think it would be interesting if we could control neutral stacks. It would add a lot more strategy, especially if we know what stacks are important to take down first.

[jeff]

On the other hand it could greatly increase the AI turn times, particularly in the early stages of the map when the AI is clearing several of those stacks. It would also allow you to reduce the AI forces, scout them and lower the overall difficulty of the map. An interesting idea maybe, a priority definitely not.

[timagalant]

We don't really need to hurt the AI in H4 any more. It could be an amazingly cool feature in multiplayer. It will also get rid of the biggest drawback of playing online - The first couple of hours are just like playing single player while needing to wait a long time between turns. If during the opponent's turn, you would be fighting most of the time, it would be great.

I think it's a great idea.

[jeff]

Now I don't play multiplayer, but how would it be decided who plays which neutral stack.

[timagalant]

I guess the next player or something.
Most multiplayer games are 2-player where it doesn't cause any problems anyway.

[Dalai]

This idea was implemented by scripting. IIRC, it was one of Rakne Fne scripts. It is good

[Akul]

Yeah, it is very easy to do. Just change the owner of the creatures to one of the player when the stack is attacked.
Once, I accidently made red player vs. red player combat

[Taodor]

Of course this would be just for multiplay or hotseat. And it would be good if there was sequence in controling sacks, if 3 players are playing when player1 engage in fight with some stack player2 will control that sack and in second fight stack will be controled by player3 then again respectively and that would be the case for every player. And this should be an option you could turn on/of before game!

Dalai> so it is already part of equilibris? or will be?

Akul> and how do you exactly change owner and when?

[Akul]

Through scripts of course.

I might make this feature possible in few MP maps (not fan-made tough because I have no right to change their maps). Tell me which maps from vanilla game you like to play and I'll make and send you the upgraded versions.

P. S. keep the number lower then 5, ok?

[Dalai]

Dalai> so it is already part of equilibris? or will be?

No. It's simple scripting, we leave it to mapmakers.

[Andy_Dandy]

I've started to make some brilliant XL-maps for Heroes 4, with emphasies on multiplayer. I think the idea of controlling your opponents (just the human opponent) oposing creatures is great. It will make multiplayer much more fun on those large maps.

I understand from this thread that it's easy to implement such a concept to a map, but how do I do it?

[Swiftfingers]

One of the problems with controlling a human players opponents is that you will gain information as to the make up of your opponents army. This will give players information that they wouldn't normally have. While it doesn't necessarily give one player an advantage over another, it does take away an element of surprise. It may also give clues as to where they are on the map, depending upon what map is being played.

Just some thoughts.

[Andy_Dandy]

One of the problems with controlling a human players opponents is that you will gain information as to the make up of your opponents army. This will give players information that they wouldn't normally have. While it doesn't necessarily give one player an advantage over another, it does take away an element of surprise. It may also give clues as to where they are on the map, depending upon what map is being played.

Just some thoughts.

Jepp, I agree, that's a problem. You will know what kind of units he has chosen, and how his heroes are developed. But it would be nice to have as an option, especially on larger maps, and with no simultanious turns in multiplayer.

[Akul]

If map is small, then element of suprise ain't really so important.

[Dalai]

One of the problems with controlling a human players opponents is that you will gain information as to the make up of your opponents army. This will give players information that they wouldn't normally have. While it doesn't necessarily give one player an advantage over another, it does take away an element of surprise. It may also give clues as to where they are on the map, depending upon what map is being played.

Just some thoughts.

It's a two-way road. You can disguise your strenth, and even alignment. You know what your opponent will see and control what you think he should see.

Another interesting thing - mapmaker can put same creatures on different equally important points on the map (like passages between opponents). Your opponent will understand, how far you can reach, but still have no idea where exactly you are (like what passage you chose to go through).


Regarding "how" question - neutral army should change owner when attacked. You have to find a way to change owner correctly so that the same player doesn't fight for both sides . To do that you can use some variable, which is changed in the beginning of every turn.

Experienced mapmakers can give you much more details, I think

[okrane]

I think this is great.

Honestly, it a brillant way to avoid the boredom during all that waiting time.

[pacobac]

on AC league we have some map to learn h4 multiplayer game to neebie, on theese map each player play neutral army on adversary batlle, try theese map:
http://www.archangelcastle.com/h4/ligue ... arrain.zip

the advantage is: new player learn fast tactic battle
the very big disadventage is, the game is very very very so loooooooong

h4 game is long game, if you control neutral army on each battle, dam, you died because of boring slow game

dont implant this madness on next equil, just possible script, see our maps, actual editor do it....

[Dalai]

dont implant this madness on next equil, just possible script, see our maps, actual editor do it....

I totally agree with you here, we leave it to mapmakers.

[okrane]

so when will you release it?