Master of Magic News

Greetings Wizards,

Please see here the patch note which introduces a host of exciting new features and improvements.

Legend:
FIX - Fixed an issue. ADD - New Features. MOD - Modified

ADD Steam Workshop
ADD More modding tools and options:
ADD Mod event adventures
ADD Mod Images (external files, low entry modding)
ADD Mod assetbundles (compressed 2d art, 3d models and animations)
ADD Mod data format and usage
ADD Mod settings save/load and cache
ADD Mod management sort and activate
ADD Mod database (new entries and entries override)
ADD Mod script (new scripts and script override)
ADD Modding option Extra Building for race - now from trait we can add buildings when particular race is under our wizard influence or main race (Example: orcs may receive it even if that race is not our main race)
ADD Modding option Extra Skill for race - now from trait we can add skills when particular race is under our wizard influence or main race (Example: orcs may receive it even if that race is not our main race)
ADD Modding option Trait For Race - so we can now create trait which can be used only by one race
ADD Mod cache accelerator in form of partial and mod related cache extension for power simulation + Forced unit value allowing to avoid simulation all together. Adding a new unit requires about 0.5% of previous cache build time (in most cases almost not noticeable.)
System includes an option to distribute pre-cached blocks of mod-related units with it.
ADD HeroSkillBonus - now on start we can add skill to any/all heroes
[15:26]
ADD Town Growth Multiplier options - one is for player and second one is for foes
ADD Lair density game option (play with many, or no lairs at all)
ADD Distance between towns game option (to reduce city spam)
ADD Spell favourites system with drag&drop and find by favourite functionalities
ADD Quick Save and Quick Load functions
ADD Difficulty settings preview, accessible from pause menu
ADD Added popup information when testing modules in adventure editor
ADD Added tooltips for some buttons in adventure editor
ADD Sparkles on enchanted units on map
ADD Sparkles to QuorkCrystals, CrysxCrystals and Gems
ADD Settings option to select the monitor on which to display the game for multi-monitor systems
ADD Fullscreen toggle in settings
ADD Town Map Always On setting (in game settings)
ADD Capital and summoning circle icons at the top of the town screen
ADD Game window can now be resized while in windowed mode
[15:26]
MOD Hero recruitment from event or spells - you can now choose from 2 heroes offered + I Need a Hero Trait from the Throught the Myrror update increases this choice to 3
MOD Stonemason Trait now also gives +10% Production bonus the the capital
MOD Unrest mechanics so that most modification to unrest will add/remove Rebels
(now most spells and buildings modify rebels instead of unrest. Also, garrisoned units reduce Rebels and not unrest %)
MOD Rewards from lairs will now favour premade equipment instead of random
MOD Spell rarity in lair rewards now depends on the number of magic books owned, in line with the og
MOD Bleeding - now it's not working on Death immunity or mechanical units
MOD Added unrest and starvation warning icons to town markers and town lists
MOD Housing Production - give always base bonus instead only when workers == 0
MOD Tweaks to unit dying animation on battle hud grids
MOD Visual tweaks to town marker
MOD Town marker now shows the number of units standing on the town's tile, not only those with active guarding orders
MOD Rebels warning will now show for cities where the number of rebels is half or more of the town's total population
[15:26]
FIX Diplomatic status sometimes becoming damaged which resulted in new deals not being signed correctly (we are still unsure what might be the cause of damaged status but if one occurs, it will be cleaned up)
FIX Time Stop enchantment - it should no longer be possible to gain casting skill and research progress while it is active, also crafting in towns is stopped and neutral armies' turn is skipped
FIX Additional mp cost for crossing rivers not being added after loading a saved game in fast loading mode
FIX Map POIs not being shown on cartographer/minimap when under half-fog-of-war
FIX Fortress Bolt - when unit with RIGHTEOUSNESS is attacked by Fortress Bolt from death not nature
FIX Select target town for spell - if town is on other plane than active one and it is a target of town spell, target still will be valid and plane will change for human wizard
FIX Spell SPELL_WARD upkeep cost - it was showing 25 instead of 5
FIX unit information on battle hud not updating when they should
FIX Call the Void can destroy outpost now
FIX Crash when archers with life steal shot - animator was a null if figure was dead and then risen because of life steal
FIX diplomatic statuses not being correctly rebuilt after loading a saved game
FIX some textures not displaying correctly (just white squares) for users with Turkish as their OS language
FIX base hero name displayed instead of alternative hero name in some places
FIX now HERO-ROLAND can't have Caster skill
FIX change page with wizards / race - if we change wizards page, the first wizard on next page will be auto selected (same with race)
FIX Animation speed for some units now remain as intended after a battle or changing a plane
FIX Enchantments from location active in second fight
FIX Enchantments from locations other then magic node active on defenders
FIX Lifebringer and Stonemason - they add skill to units in the moment of receiving trait
[15:26]
FIX The group that destroyed the town became defenders of the ruins
FIX Wizards registration happening after they are assigned traits, resulting in traits applying enchantments having owners set to 0 which is not correct wizard ID
FIX Neutral units moving on a currently not viewed plane will no longer cause plane switching if the option to follow enemy movements is set to off
FIX Stacking enchantment from mutual owner
FIX Crash when one of autosaves had its meta file damaged
FIX Regression in heroes stats
FIX Crash during midgame unit update iteration
FIX Battle enchantments to not apply on dead units
FIX Raise Dead and Animate Dead spells
FIX While having edgescrolling set to on with multimonitor setup, the camera will no longer scroll continuously when the mouse is outside the game window

Master of Magic players, prepare for an enthralling world where arcane forces and mystical beings collide. Rise of the Soultrapped invites both veterans and newcomers to immerse themselves in a universe rich with magic, strategy, and untold secrets.

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]
Unleash a variety of spells that combine technology and magic in unimaginable ways. From summoning scouting probes to reveal hidden nodes on the map, to empowering your units with tech sprites and discovering new locations, the tech dungeons, guarded by a mysterious rogue element of the new race, the Soultrapped.

Defeat them to gain valuable resources and rewards and trigger a chain of events that will challenge you in the mid to late game.
Unlock the full potential of Techmagic, command powerful heroes, and conquer the realms of Arcanus and Myrror. Embrace the challenge and become the ultimate master of this enchanting fusion of technology and magic.

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]
New DLC Features:

• 3 New powerful Wizards
  
• New magic school: Techmagic
  
• A new race: Soultrapped
  
• 10 new Techmagic spells
  
• 4 new heroes with new skills and unique quests
  
• 5 new traits to customize your Wizard
  
• New Enemy lairs and roaming armies of the rogue soultrapped
  

Master of Magic: Rise of the Soultrapped is available now:
https://store.steampowered.com/app/2482370/Master_of_Magic_Rise_of_the_Soultrapped/

To celebrate this launch, Edmon will showcase the gameplay on the Slitherine Twitch channel on Monday, August 28th, at 8:15 PM UK time. Make sure to mark it on your calendar!

And if you haven't had the chance to play the game yet, now is the moment: Master of Magic will be on sale for the duration of the Steam Strategy Fest at a 30% discount!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1623070/Master_of_Magic/

Alongside the release of the Rise of the Soultrapped DLC, an expansive Free Update is now available for everyone.

This update includes:

• Steam Workshop integration
• Memory management for assets
  
• Quick Load/Save option
  
• Increased distance between towns to reduce city spam
  
• Favorites in the spellbook and a repeat spell button
  
• Display of current game settings available for viewing in-game
  
• Improved Hero recruitment through the Myrror content update
  
• Lair density adjustment
  
• Sparkles on enchanted units on the world map
  
• Plus, many modifications and fixes
  

You can find the full dedicated article here to see the details of what this update will bring.

And if you haven't had the chance to play the game yet, now is the moment: Master of Magic will be on sale for the duration of the Steam Strategy Fest at a 30% discount!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1623070/Master_of_Magic/

Get ready to wield unimaginable power, forge alliances, and uncover the mysteries of the Soultrapped in a gaming experience that will leave an indelible mark on the world of fantasy gaming.

Set to launch on August 28th, in conjunction with the release of the DLC Rise of the Soultrapped, a substantial free update will also be introduced.

Players can choose to play this free update

Below, you'll find all the key features of this update:

Steam Workshop: A comprehensive overhaul of the modding tools and the integration of modding into the Steam Workshop.



A list of Quality of Life improvements, including:

Management of memory for assets: As we and modders add more assets, memory demands increase.
Quick Load/Save option Increased distance between towns to reduce city spam



Favorites in the spellbook and a repeat spell button Display of current game settings available for viewing in-game

Hero recruitment: When recruiting a hero via a spell or trader, you will now have a choice between two random heroes.

Through the Myrror content update: The Wizard Trait 'I Need a Hero!' will now provide an additional hero choice when recruiting.

This update will be released for free to everyone on August 28th. Don't miss the chance to download it and embark on your new adventure

Buy Master of Magic now:
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1623070/Master_of_Magic/

[h2]Master of Magic & Steampunk[/h2] Hissing steam, the chugging of polished brass pistons, flying contraptions with butterfly wings, or maybe even the glimmer of otherworldly magic. It's science fiction, with a twist. And it has a name: Steampunk.

Hissing steam, the chugging of polished brass pistons, flying contraptions with butterfly wings, or maybe even the glimmer of otherworldly magic. It's science fiction, with a twist. And it has a name: Steampunk. A strand of movies, games, and books that involves fantastical technology married to recognizable, perhaps clunky, machines straight out of the Industrial Revolution of the 19th Century. 



Steampunk’s origins are intimately intertwined with other major societal developments from the era this genre depicts, most interestingly with those first expressions of science fiction. Jules Verne’s Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Seas or The War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells could be prime examples of how people in the past, chiefly writers, envisioned the gleaming world of the future. These fantastical stories planted a creative seed that would blossom only many decades after, from the 1960s to 1980s, to be exact. 

[h2]Steampunk: an imagined alternative history[/h2]

Nowadays, Steampunk is known as one of the various “punks” or subgenres of science fiction, sharing the stage with the original Cyberpunk and other strands such as Atomicpunk, Clockpunk, and even Solarpunk. Steampunk’s “punk” moniker was given, much like a tongue-in-cheek reference, after Cyberpunk exploded into popularity in the 1980s. 

But what “is” Steampunk, actually? It's an imagined alternative history where steam engines remain in mainstream usage, with a serious dose of fantastical technology or even a hint of magic sprinkled on top. Writers and creators use the romantic visions of 19th Century Victorian times (or, for instance, the American Wild West) as a jump-off point to fantasize about a retro-influenced future. This can be anything from massive airships propelled by plodding steam engines to mechanical computers using gears and levers instead of electronics.



[h2]Dive deep into the world of steam and brass: Movies[/h2]

What are some of the top examples of Steampunk in present-day media? What should you check out if you want to dive deep into the world of steam and brass? There are countless films, books, comics, and art about Steampunk; the following is just a list of suggestions. 

A great place to start is a wallop of film nostalgia with The Time Machine (1960), the classic that introduced us to H.G. Well’s vision of traveling to the far future on celluloid. Apart from introducing - a now iconic - time machine, it also featured the terrifying Morlocks, hair-raising adventure, and renowned time-lapse technique to depict the passing of centuries in a matter of seconds. 

A more modern take would be Studio Ghibli’s Howl’s Moving Castle. Released in 2004, the film was written and directed by the visionary Hayao Miyazaki, based on the 1986 novel about a young girl being bewitched while a war between kingdoms rages in the background. This particular example has a heavy dose of magic. Still, intriguing and the most visually arresting is its richly imagined turn of the 20th century’s society, from warships to devastating flying machines to the actual moving stronghold on legs.  

[h2]Books[/h2]

Turning the page to the written word, you wouldn’t be amiss to read The Difference Engine, an alternative history novel by William Gibson (the pioneering father of Cyberpunk) and Bruce Sterling. It’s widely considered establishing the Steampunk genre’s foundations in the Victorian world of 1855, with the story seeing the successful introduction of the mechanical computer by Charles Babbage. 

Heading over to the comic section, don’t forget to check out The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, a series created by writer Alan Moore and artist Kevin O’Neill in 1999, which features a Justice League-esque group of rather unique individuals battling nefarious forces around the turn of the 19th century. A slightly less well-received movie starring Sean Connery - but still fun - found its way into the cinemas not long after.



[h2]Games[/h2]

We saved the best for last: games! If you want to have a real taste of Steampunk while gaming, one of the seminal titles that set the bar (very) high is Final Fantasy VI, released in 1994. This renowned role-playing game, created by Square for the Super Nintendo, propels the player into a magical world resembling the Second Industrial Revolution.

A bit more recent, but equally acclaimed, is Irrational Games’ BioShock Infinite, with its massive floating city of Colombia, alternative universes, robot-like birds, and many more fantastical inventions.

And of course, the list wouldn’t be complete without Arkane Studios’ Dishonored series, the first seeing the light in 2012. With its dystopian setting of the plague-ridden industrial city of Dunwall, this action-adventure game is a unique take on the Steampunk genre. Check out more details of this story - and more - in Slitherine’s deliciously fulfilling The Geek Recipe interview with Arkane co-founder and game designer Raphael Colantonio.

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

The Steampunk genre doesn’t stop growing. The upcoming new expansion of Slitherine’s popular 4X strategy game, Master of Magic: Rise of the Soultrapped, is a case in point. A fusion of machinery and magic will revolutionize the wizarding planes of Arcanus and Myrror. A new realm - Techmagic - can be explored for the very first time in this major expansion, bringing new units, new playable Wizards, traits and spells, and new heroes. Bulking machinery and Steampunk-like tech intertwine with the marvels of the arcane, introducing a new race, the Soultrapped. They act as guardians to a formidable new stronghold that, once conquered, can provide a vast new zone filled with precious resources. 

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

Steampunk keeps on inspiring. Who knows what this fantastical retrofuturistic take on science fiction will bring next? 

Master of Magic: Rise of the Soultrapped is set to release on August 28th on Steam. 

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2482370/Master_of_Magic_Rise_of_the_Soultrapped/

Credits

Text: Stephan Meijerhof
Pictures: Pixabay, MyComicsShop