«

[Japo]

Back in the time I managed to beat the game in Impossible. My strategy was moving against the enemy capitals as soon as I had a suitable army, disregarding everything else. IIRC when a wizard is defeated, his cities turn barbarian (brown flag) and they never take any initiative. They won't move against you, and you can take the cities one by one whenever you feel like.

[Yes Or Nay]

Well attacking as soon as you have the needed supplies is, I am afraid, the only approach with which you can beat the game on Impossible. If given enough time (which is not that much on Imp), they will amass huge armies and attack you, and this attack is very fast, because the computer seems to automatically know where exactly you are on the map.

[Xfieldok]

Thanks for the info on impossible, I think I will stick to hard.

Can anyone tell me how the scoring works? Some is obvious but how do the Years work?

And what's the highest score you have heard of?

Originally Posted by Xfieldok

Hi
Has anyone managed to complete a game on this level? I used to play regularly, and sometimes win, before I upgraded it.

Now I generally get hit with something like Ammageddon and attacked by 9 wraiths within the first 20 moves or so. I don't think I have ever got past about 50 moves.

:mad:

Just finished winning an impossible game. Impossible level was fairly easy in the original release, but the 1.31 upgrade makes it much harder. Enemy wizards do not die when their tower is destroyed (on impossible level), they are merely banished for a few turns. To finish off an enemy wizard you must take every last city from him. His forces will actively defend while he is banished, but cannot use spells.

I like to take runemaster and artificer, this lets you create magic items for half the mana you get back when destroying them, which really pumps your mana early game. A semi-exploit, I suppose, but on impossible you need all the help you can get. Warlord is also very helpful. I don't play on Myrros at high difficulty, growth is too slow to be worthwhile. I don't have a lot of faith in heroes or summoned creatures, I prefer developing the high end military units as soon as possible. Stacks of 8 magicians + 1 paladin work well against most enemy wizard cities. My favorite races are barbarians, high elves, and high men.

[Smiling Spectre]

I think, this game is too easy even on Impossible. I beat it, like, five-six times on Impossible without any speeding. I like to explore everything and only then kill enemies - or don't kill, but cast Spell of Mastery.

Two keywords: Regenerations and Diplomacy.

And yes, it was 1.31.

[Borodin]

Originally Posted by Smiling Spectre

I think, this game is too easy even on Impossible. I beat it, like, five-six times on Impossible without any speeding. I like to explore everything and only then kill enemies - or don't kill, but cast Spell of Mastery.

Two keywords: Regenerations and Diplomacy.

And yes, it was 1.31.

What makes it easy--and I know this has been said, before--is that the AI is too stiff in its rules. They simply made a wonderfully complex game, and had trouble making an opponent that could handle all the parameters. Stardock's opponents are much better at that, and if you want to see a really fantastic AI, try Cryptic Comet's Armageddon Empires.

I know Stardock is working on a fantasy-based strategy title with some MoM-like elements. That will be interesting to see, though I admit I like the Civilization-style interface in MoM better than what Stardock does. Still, if they can reproduce a lot of those classic elements and produce a great AI, who am I to complain?

Oh, and Cryptic Comet is producing a fantasy-based strategy title set in Milton's Hell. That should be ready in about a month.

[Smiling Spectre]

Yes, AI broke MoM, that itself is fantastic (or else I would not trying to beat it so much times. Most games have 1 try for me. Or lesser.

The same problem plagued, for example, Space Empire IV and, for less extent - Alpha Centaury. Amazing technologies, that broke gameplay, because opponent cannot properly handle it. (In case of SE4 battle AI of opponent is impressive. It is diplomacy, that broke game completely).

BTW, site of Stardock's Elemental: War of Magic worth to see. Especially it's journals. I cannot say anything about interface, because Frogboy repeated now and again "everything on move now".

Stardock's GalCivs have very impressive diplomacy, but, in turn, it is very hostile one (at least in GalCiv1). For me it is the same problem as with Civilization 3: you need non-stop military rush, or else you will be crushed by your former allies. It haven't place for peaceful diplomat, as me.

Armageddon Empires is solid game. But too clumsy in interface with way too clever opponents (or it seems such for me, while I battle interface I gave it about six tries, then gave up: when you feel your own stupidness now and again just because you discover new "simply" feature, that put everything upside down... it is not very cool. And "permanent death after capital fall" not cool too... but I can live with it.

So just now my strategy favorite is Dominions 3. AI is strong enough to beat me, haven't diplomacy flaws (and diplomacy at all ) but map is so large (if you want it), that you can react and tune army for every opponent.

[another_guest]

I'm also curious to see how Elemental turns out, this is the first game since MoM that actually has a good chance of bringing improvements over MoM. Unlike all those failed clones/copies that brought a weaker, simplified, far less fun version with updated graphics.

I can't remember how GalCiv 1 was like but I would say it's definitely possible to play peacefully in GalCiv 2, thanks to many diplomatic elements that can help to get good relations with other races. Plus you can bribe other races into going to war with each other, which leaves you in peace

That's the main point where I expect Elemental to be quite different from MoM: the diplomacy section. For all MoM's great qualities, I always felt the diplomacy was its weakest point, with allied wizards suddenly becoming hostile for no apparent reason.

Still have to check Armageddon Empires, I downloaded the demo months ago but haven't gotten around to trying it...

[Smiling Spectre]

Originally Posted by another_guest

For all MoM's great qualities, I always felt the diplomacy was its weakest point, with allied wizards suddenly becoming hostile for no apparent reason.

Actually, I never seen such situation - after some degree, of course. Most wizards have degrading relations with you, but simultaneously relations improved, when you have treaty and greatly improved, when it is alliance. Usually treaty is enough to keep them in one state, and alliance supress problems completely. So I simply bought they free will up to needed degree.

But! There is one exclusion: if your any unit in "warning" area (3 squares all-around) from any opponent's city, then "warning counter" starts and opponent says "remove it!". After three turns, if any unit of yours (not necessary the same, also not necessary staing in range all this time) will be found in warning range - it will be counted as "war" from your side, and you will receive message about your treachery.

Still have to check Armageddon Empires, I downloaded the demo months ago but haven't gotten around to trying it...

Take theirs manual - you will need it. Game is very tangled even with it, but without manual it became near to impossible.

[CrybKeeper]

Originally Posted by Scatty

I don't think there was ever a map editor for Master of Magic, probably for the simple reason that every time you start a new game, the world is generated randomly, so there's not really a point for such editor.

Just a heads up everyone, There actually was a hastely made editor for MoM PC version:

I found and used this game/trainer/editor. It doesn't take long to figure out using the Item maker, or general MoM Editor, but the Map editor will take you some time to understand, unless you really know your DOS. You can edit both planes, by simply clicking 'Tab'.

It works in DOS mode, with the standard DOS commands. There are two EXEcute files and Includes a somewhat helpful, help file. This editor allows you to, edit the map(EDMAP.EXE), or edit your spells(hit F5), gold, attributes,plus more(EDMOM.EXE), of any previously saved games.
Simply drag the chosen EXE file into DOSBox and open your previously saved game. It will be something like this - 'edmap save7.gam'

LINK: http://www.mofunzone.com/game_traine...of_magic.shtml

Also, the manual and spell book are still avialable for download, as mentioned here in this thread, a couple years back.

LINKS:

SpellBook(pdf):http://www.replacementdocs.com/download.php?view.642

English Manual(pdf):http://www.replacementdocs.com/download.php?view.641

EDIT:

Apparently, I'm using an old version of DOSBox.
Anyways, use that F1 key, to understand how most of this editor works.
If there is anyone willing to figure out the MAP editor, good luck on that and please let us know how it works?

This image is of the EDMOM.EXE screen. I have tested this one out, for the most part. The basic stuff, does save and change in game, successfully.

I edited my gold in this shot, from around 1000gp, to 11,000 or so. It Works quite well!