We have released a testing version of v0.25, which you can choose to try out if you wish. Any testing and feedback you can give will be appreciated. This testing version uses a separate database, so it doesn’t interfere with the main release or any of your ongoing games. In order try it out you must right-click on Chaos Reborn in your Steam Library and select ‘Properties’ from the menu. Then click on the BETAS tab and enter the beta access code GoblinGoblinOfSteel (if you haven’t done this before). Then select the ‘testing’ option from the drop down menu.
Note: the new terrain rendering system does not yet work on Mac OSX or Linux, so don’t try this beta release if you are using those operating systems.
Here is a summary of the new features:
The league competition has monthly seasons with gold, silver and bronze medals being awarded for the 3 top ranked players, and 7 runners up medals for the next 7 places. At the start of a season you have to earn stars by winning games and ascending ranks from the lowest (rank 9) to the highest (Grand Wizard). The ranks and stars needed to reach the next rank are:
Stars for winning are awarded based on the number of wizards in the battle - 1 star for a 2 player game, 2 stars for a 3 players game and 3 stars for a 4 player game. Additionally, a bonus star is given for a win streak if you have won the previous 2 ranked games. At rank 5, Manticore Master, a star is lost for losing a battle and you can go down ranks. When you reach the Grand Wizard rank you are given a world ranking and no longer earn stars, and can no longer be demoted. This ranking is based on an Elo rating system designed to reflect players’ skill.
At the end of the season rankings are reset, but not completely to the lowest level. You start the next season with 1 star for each rank achieved during the previous season.
Asynch ranked games can be played, but can’t be started more than ⅔ through the season. They use a 2 day per turn timer. Any games unfinished during the current season contribute to the next season instead.
All ranked games are Victory Point games with a game turn limit dependant on the number of players.
Line-of-sight is traced from the centre of the attacking hex to the centre of the target hex
Any intervening hexes are checked for obstructions (higher level terrain, creatures, trees, rocks,etc.)
Line of sight traced directly along a hex side can be blocked if either hex sharing that hex side is blocked.
Obstructions are considered to fully occupy the hex (i.e. no shooting between adjacent hexes containing creatures)
The relative heights of attackers, targets and obstructions are then taken into account.
Everything has a height level.
Creatures have a height 1, 2, 3 or 4.
A wizard riding a mount has the height level of the mount.
Terrain hexes have height levels of 0 (ground level), 1 or 2
Terrain obstacles also have a height level - rocks and mana sprites are 2 and trees are 4
The actual height level of a creature = creature height + hex height
The actual height of terrain objects = terrain object height + hex height
If an intervening obstruction is at least the same height or higher than the average height of the attacker and the defender then line-of-sight is blocked.
Example: A 2 level hex sits between a dwarf standing on a level 1 hex and a giant. The dwarf can attack the giant - his height is 2 (1 for the hex + 1 for his height), the giant’s height is 3 making an average of 2.5, which is higher than the intervening 2 level hex.
Example: An elf standing one level 1 hex cannot shoot at a wizard at ground level if there is an intervening hydra. The elf’s height is 3 and the wizard’s 2, making an average of 2.5, which is not higher than the Hydra’s height of 3.
When you select a creature or entity the info box on the top right of the screen will display the entity’s height, the terrain height and the total height.