Talk:Development/@comment-26393217-20150529015919

items.xcr:

There's surely some inconsistency when the "Boots of Striding" (+1 Speed) are sold 15 crowns, whereas the new "Messenger's Escorts" (+1 Speed; +1 Setup Army Point) are sold 3 crowns and bought 12 crowns!

Initial troops screen:

The new Swarm regular units, Spider and Spider Queen are not proposed as regular Swarm units to carry into the battle. Hopefully, the Swarm race gets two unused slots.

Post-battle retinue screen:

I don't know if this is intended or if this is a side effect of v1.03.25: the Oakman is now elligible for retinue (as experienced with the Fey; I didn't test high level enough Oakmen with the Wood Elves). Back to v1.03.23, if I remember correctly, no basic builder was elligible for retinue. You could get a Dwarven Smith through a quest, and you could take Eagles, Ancient Whisps and Treants, which are not basic builders.

Wood Elves feedback:  [RANT]

With v1.03.25, the Wood Elves get the Oakman at the Tree of Life from the start, and get the feys at the White Tree from level 2 Haven on. Balance considerations aside, I feel like the game harmony was broken and that's why: back to v1.03.23, _all_ the races would follow the same progression when they upgrade their stronghold.

Level 1 was the totally "realistic" ("historical") outpost: only builders, basic infantry and archers, and some or none upgrades.

Level 2 was the "realistic" castle: a variety of buildings, cavalry, most "realistic" upgrades, and sometimes, a very minor magic user.

Level 3 was the "fantasy" city: small trained flyers, magic users, clearly exotic or fantasy units.

Level 4 was the "mythological" stage: huge advanced flyers, all siege weapons, full upgrades (including spell-like powers), major spellcasters.

Level 5 was the "heroic" final stage: generals, dragons and titan.

What I mean is that playing with level capped strongholds added a distinct flavor to the game.

Now at level 1 stronghold, Wood Elves are Whisps, Forestguards, >Oakmen< and Gladwardens, whereas High Elves are Whisps, Iceguards and Long Bows, and Feys are only Oakmen and Sylphs...

At level 2 stronghold, Wood Elves are Whisps, Forestguards, >Oakmen<, Gladewardens, Ancient Whisps, Woodriders, Hunters, >Pixies Sprites< (plus Phoenixes), whereas the High Elves are Whisps, Iceguards, Long Bows and Dragon Knights (plus Phoenixes).

Given the cost of those Fey units are on the same scale as the Wood Elves units' costs, we may have a Fey army instead of an Elven army. I'd say that at this point, the Wood Elf "flavor" is lost.

I fear that putting the Oakman to the White Tree (still at level 2 stronghold?) won't be enough: we'll still have a "blurred" level 2 Wood Elf faction. It's a bit like the Empire would get its foreign mercenaries too early, or the Dark Elves their daemonic allies so early: we'd get "blurred" factions as well. [/RANT]