H4 campaign in progress - The Tale of Young Mudgeon

[Karmakeld]

yeah slowly progressing, but still progressing.. :-)

[Karmakeld]

Well it seemed that each polish, made some new scratches regarding map 4, but I think we're getting close to having fixed all bugs and issues. Now I'd like someone to test it on Novice, just to see if difficulty is okay (with all recents changes).
Map 5, is getting closer to reaching a more fair ballance. (Expert was at some point harder than Champion). Advanced is being tested and only a few more Things has to be added..
Both maps will feature special settings regarding difficulty, so playing champion will sometimes feature other elements than on novice.

[Karmakeld]

so map 4 is done. All encountered bugs have been fixed and a voulenteer has agreed to test it on novice.
map 5 is also progressing. test on advanced just passed through. still needs approvel on other difficulties, though. Champion needed more challenge, but other than that, it's basically just down to 1 thing. Balancing a boss fight. Hoping that's all that remains of map 5.

[Karmakeld]

last test result vs. boss came in good on intermediate aswell. I would like a novice test though,just to be sure ballance is good on all difficulties. Any voluntiers?

[Karmakeld]

So status is, the novice test hasn't yet been completed and I fear it might take some time before my tester has the time. So if no one has voluntiered within 14 days, I'll just upload the first 5 maps as they are, even though map 4 and 5 haven't been tested on novice.

[Karmakeld]

so finally, in last minute, a friend has voluntiered to test map 5, he will do so next weekend. So depending on amount of changes needed to be made, I hope to release the first 5 maps sometime during week 30/31.

[Kalah]

Sounds good. Remember to send minimaps as well; one for surface and one for underground, and possibly a screenshot if you want that portrayed on the site.

[Karmakeld]

thanks for the reminder.

[Karmakeld]

I just rechieved these nice comments from my testers:

"Our comments:

All five maps are fun, challenging, and have an engrossing storyline. Obviously a lot of thought and work went into the plot. The maps are very well done with lots of adventure, original characters, locations and great quests. There are some really hilarious scenes and plot points that had us laughing out loud. Fans of Monty Python (Donald being a huge fan) will love the references to Monty Python and the Holy Grail. Even the credits are very funny. It is apparent that a great deal of work went into all of the maps and we highly recommend these maps to any Heroes IV fans. We are looking forward to more from karmakeld.
Linda and Donald Bryant"

"Each of those maps is unique in a different way. Engaging and humorous story, well thought out enemies as well as interesting puzzles will keep you glued to the screen for days! Just please don't forget to take breaks..." (Maciek 'Warzyw' Mielczarek)


The first part will be uploaded this week. So stay tuned..

[Karmakeld]

So I got feedback from 1 person. (still better than none). But it seems atleast one of the maps ain't suited for champion players who play for the highest score. This mean I will make an update. Atleast 2 of the maps will be udated. The first being map 2, and the 2nd being map 4. First update will only focus on making it possible to reach Megadragon score. Map 4 is merely a graphical adding, and will have no actual game play change.
I will be very similar to this screenshot and will not just be a triggered ambush, but an actual shown one on the adventure map..

[Karmakeld]

so regarding map 2's update, artifacts have been placed to speed up the movement and an issue with tiger recruiment will also be changed for the better. One last thing, my kind tester Maciek/varzyw suggested, was to increase difficulty and add actual armory damage to Mudgeon's gear. This will mean that player must choose between tools to repair either his armor, weapon or wand. Choice will affect att., def. or max spellpoints stats. Lack of proper tools will cause a continious decrease in the stats of your choice. Meaning your armour will offer less protection as it gets more damaged after each battle, unless you're able to repair it. In other words:

As the son of a blacksmith and a fool
Mudgeon said, I'll need a proper tool
the tool I need to repair my armour,
should be nothing less than a dwarven hammer
for sharpening my sword, I'll need a grinding stone
one that's not too big, for I must carry it alone
an ointment to preserve, the mana in my wand
I was given by my master, before I went beyond
beyond the borders, of the region of the wheel
excited about my journey, that is how I feel

[Karmakeld]

most fixes has been made. Minor fixes need to tested in map 5 for novice players hoping for better balance. But I hope to released update in january.

I'm currently working on map 6. We'll get to meet Gauldoth Half-Dead again and also his spellbound servant Mardor, will appear as an actual hero .
I will post more specific details about map 6 later, but when Mardor first comes into play, (as a ghost), he'll first need to find a way out of this old ruin.

[iLiVeInAbOx05]

So the time period / setting for your campaign is during the events of Heroes IV? Looking good man, keep it up!

[Karmakeld]

Yup. It takes places before, during and after several of the stories in Heroes IV and Winds of War.
There's a bit prior to Gauldoths story connecting my story, as well as some background story to Baron Von Tarkin. But in the end it'll all tie together.

[iLiVeInAbOx05]

Yup. It takes places before, during and after several of the stories in Heroes IV and Winds of War.
There's a bit prior to Gauldoths story connecting my story, as well as some background story to Baron Von Tarkin. But in the end it'll all tie together.

OoOoOo I haven't finished the Gathering Storm campaign yet (stopped playing when I started working on my campaign). Do any of the characters from the original HOMM4 campaign make an appearance in The Winds of War? Not seeing any of them in Gathering Storm also kinda stalled me on completing it.

[Karmakeld]

No, both expansions included all new heroes. But unlike HIV, the stories in the expansions has relations and Will both all meet in the end.
The only cross references between characters and their campaigns Are within each title/expansion.
But I do sum up the story of both Gauldoth and Tarkin in case some hasnt played their campaign.
Gauldoth was my fav. character and had the most interesting story I felt, but I also needed a villain, but didn't bother to Make up my own also I thought it'd Be fun to include some of the excisting heroes in my story. It was also easier to continue in the excisting World and with the nations that had been presented.

[Karmakeld]

for those interested, work is very slowly progressing. Recently I've been working on some updates for the first 5 maps, which I very much hope to release within this month (patching has just become so popular that I felt like doing some myself

[iLiVeInAbOx05]

patching has just become so popular that I felt like doing some myself

LOL! I see what you did there

[cjlee]

The name isn't very good though. I tend to associate Mudgeon with Curmudgeon everytime I see it, and missing that Cur, he's a guy without his grouchy pet dog.

[Karmakeld]

cjlee, never heard the term Curmudgeon before. I know you played the first map, not sure if you proceeded, though but suggestions to are welcome..

iLiVe.. well, I just felt like joking a bit about it ;-) Though it does seem they patch H7 faster.. Guess, I need a bigger team..