Warlords Battlecry: The Protectors of Etheria News

AI
Tweaked the AI’s handling of Dwarven Mines
Tweaked the priority of units seeking corpses to eat
Fixed bug where the auto-casting of Gather Corpses wouldn’t check for any carried corpses before making the unit devour them to restore HP

Heroes
Fixed description error with Ritual Combat. Heroes only ever gain 20% of their maximum mana regardless of the target sacrificed and monstrous units can’t be sacrificed

Items
Fixed missing and outdated items
Fixed bug where some crown chests would be displayed as an actual item chest and give nothing when interacted with

Spells
Fixed bug where Create Item would leave the curse data on newly created items blank, which prevented them from being upgraded by Item Smiths
The caster of the spell is now only targeted by their spell if they are viable for it

General Bug fixes
Melee attacks that cause inflictions now correctly trigger Fortitude on the victim if they successfully resist the infliction
Fixed bug where Undead lost their Poison, Lethal Poison and Ghoulplague immunities
When viewing a hero in the scenario lobby, you can no longer interact with their inventory unless it’s an AI hero and you are the game’s host
Fixed bug where key presses that performed actions based on the mouse cursor’s location (such as pressing Alt to view more details of a production item) wouldn’t work in windowed modes
Fixed rare bug where selecting a Reformatory with Dark Path daemons would display miners in the control panel
Fixed bug where selecting a multi-level building that’s being converted would display miners in the control panel
Fixed bug where a selected building’s view stat would be partly seen under the production queue in the control panel (when Floating UI is set off for productions)
Fixed Crusade research descriptions

Gameplay
Missile units no longer lose range when shooting at higher targets
Tongu Snakepriests now have 17 mana (was 16) - allowing them to cast Spray Acid

Story
(WBC2) Silvermyr: you can now search the Mystic Tower for a special event
(WBC2) Silvermyr: fixed some grass coast to sand coast terrain transitions
(WBC3) Visit The Seers: fixed bug where you would instantly win the scenario

Misc
The Escape key now has a delay between activation when used in the menus (so it doesn’t trigger multiple times a second and close through all menus and then the game)
The WBC2 campaign now plays the conquered citadel video upon you vanquishing an enemy player



Changelog: https://www.moddb.com/games/the-protectors/features/changelog-092b


Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2420170/Warlords_Battlecry_The_Protectors_of_Etheria/

Discord: https://discord.gg/vqVqssE

Forum: http://the-protectors.forumotion.com/

Donations: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/TPCtreasury

This update mainly focuses on bug fixes, stability improvements, some quality of life additions and important balance changes. Despite it being a smaller update, it still contains a vast number of changes (spanning 2 ModDB article pages) so be sure to check those out to see everything change and new addition. But below are some highlights:

• Minotaurs, Plaguelords and Swarm economies have been revisited. These races are no longer dependent on the opponent's actions to get their unique economy going.
  
• Plaguelords have received a lot of quality of life additions that makes playing them much more user-friendly.
  
• Fixed common bugs and crashes with shipyards that made naval maps largely unplayable.
  
• Plague of Revenge custom chapter can now be played (previously would result in instant-defeat on the first mission after a certain point).
  
• And a massive amount of bug fixes and stability improvements!
  

Surprise! Something new! It wouldn't be a TPE update without any new content. XD



Changelog:

Part 1: https://www.moddb.com/games/the-protectors/features/changelog-092a

Part 2: https://www.moddb.com/games/the-protectors/features/changelog-092a-part-2


ModDB: https://www.moddb.com/games/the-protectors

Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2420170/Warlords_Battlecry_The_Protectors_of_Etheria/

Discord: https://discord.gg/vqVqssE

Forum: http://the-protectors.forumotion.com/

Donations: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/TPCtreasury

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

The Protectors’ latest update, version 0.9.2, introduces a wealth of changes and enhancements aimed at improving the gameplay experience while staying faithful to the core values of Warlords Battlecry. Following feedback from the community, this patch revisits several mechanics and features, refining them to appeal to both long-time fans and new players. The update brings back damage types and armour systems, significant quality of life improvements, hero and item overhauls, a revamped building interface, and an updated Warlords Battlecry 1 soundtrack.

[h3]Damage types and armour system[/h3]
The reintroduction of damage types and armour systems marks a major step towards restoring the tactical depth of the original games. Units now possess specific armour percentages against different damage types, offering players a clearer understanding of their strengths and vulnerabilities. This overhaul ensures tactical variety and intuitive unit roles, while also addressing issues caused by the previous unit type system. Dual-damage mechanics have also been refined to make them more effective and strategically valuable. Additionally, each race now has access to new dual-damage type research, enhancing their ability to counter opponents effectively.



Unit statistics have undergone extensive revision, with elite units and titans becoming more cost-effective and powerful. A new cost calculation system ensures fairness in unit and building costs.

[h3]Dual-wielding items for all heroes[/h3]
Heroes and items have also seen substantial updates. Instead of wearing a sword and a shield, any hero may now opt to wield two swords instead. Perks like Archery, Magery, and Throwing have been removed, allowing any hero to equip any weapon with appropriate stat requirements. New skills such as Spellslinger and Runecrafting further enrich hero customization. The introduction of two-handed weapons adds another layer of diversity, and the updated item upgrade system makes high-rarity items more desirable and easier to identify.



[h3]User interface and buildings[/h3]
The update also introduces a new building production wheel, streamlining the interface and improving accessibility. Other building-related improvements include visible conversion progress and expanded garrison options, which now accommodate more unit types. Towers can now contest conversions, enhancing defensive strategies.



[h3]WBC1 Soundtrack modularity[/h3]
A new modular soundtrack, based on Warlords Battlecry 1, adds immersive audio elements, complete with an adjustable volume slider for stingers.

[h3]AI improvements, conqueror diplomacy and some extra content[/h3]
Numerous bug fixes and AI improvements enhance the stability and intelligence of the game. AI units now utilize abilities, items, and garrisons more effectively, while new mechanics like unit pathfinding and spell-casting adjustments improve overall gameplay flow. Other updates include the addition of diplomacy features in the Warlords Battlecry 2 campaign and new content such as buildings, afflictions, and faction-specific mechanics.



[h3]Adjustable key mechanics[/h3]
Key mechanics like the base radius, resources, and upkeep have been revisited based on community feedback. The base radius now limits forward bases and emphasizes racial distinctions, though options exist to disable it for those who prefer a different playstyle. The resource system, while simplifying unit production, has been fine-tuned to maintain balance and thematic coherence. Upkeep has been adjusted to encourage comebacks while mitigating the economic dominance of leading players. Future iterations of these systems are under active consideration to address lingering concerns.

[h3]Updated campaigns and chapters[/h3]
Finally, campaigns have been improved to align with these changes. Updated mechanics ensure better balance and functionality, providing a more cohesive experience for players revisiting the original campaigns.

This comprehensive patch not only addresses the feedback from 0.9 but also sets the stage for a promising future for The Protectors, delivering a richer and more balanced gameplay experience. We thank you for the continued support and hope to see you on the battlefield!

The Protectors Team

Changelog: Changelog 0.9.2

ModDB: https://www.moddb.com/games/the-protectors

Donations: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/TPCtreasury

Discord: https://discord.gg/vqVqssE

Fixed bug with autocasting Criminal Underworld perk ability
Fixed some mines’ resource costs
Fixed the Tears of Dawn (WBC1) custom chapter not being accessible
Fixed bug where Immobilizing Blow didn't deactivate after striking a target
Spell effects with limited usage should now be synced in multiplayer
Fixed allied conversion sniping
Fixed 16+ build skills getting too fast
Fixed item validation not taking curses into account

Version 0.9.1 addresses some of the issues with the previous installment, containing mostly bug fixes, crash fixes and some minor balance changes. The most notable changes seen in post version 0.9 are presented in the feature rundown video. The new 0.9.1 patch changes are listed below.

Difficulty

Difficulty levels of the AI were adjusted, making the lower level ones easier to defeat (and Demigods slightly harder to defeat). Campaigns now have a Very Easy option.

Gameplay

Critical stun, freeze and paralyze effects have been adjusted based on attacker's & defender's damage stats. As these crit effects now work on a comparative basis like the others, they are more fair than before. Basic units that had a metal cost now cost gold exclusively, so there are no longer any unit types which are forcibly locked behind the rarer metal resource costs. Crystal costs for abilities are now 10% cheaper and may be adjusted via an external file by any user. The more expensive miners, typically ones with fighting ability, now occupy more mining slots (i.e. are more efficient at mining). Wood Elves now turn mines into trees automatically based on a timer and that timer is reduced with each Oakman sent inside the mine. The Empire's embassies have been substantially weakened, having a much smaller conversion radius, taking longer to convert, and now can no longer be placed within a radius of another embassy. Most missile units have had their stats decreased (typically damage), on exception of some with longer attack speeds. Missile siege weapons are now classified as medium, allowing them to be countered by most anti-missile units.

Heroes

Adjusted all classes' starting stats and bonus skills. Typically, wizard heroes have received ~+50HP and -5MP, fighter heroes have received ~+200HP and ~+5 Damage. Hybrid spellcaster/fighter heroes gain ~+10 Mana. All XP-giving skills now award XP levels (and any decimal level bonus awards XP, so if for example a unit required 5 xp to get to level 2, and your hero has a skill which gives that unit +0.6 unit levels, the unit will be produced with 3xp), making them much more usable.

Visuals

We've made the fog weather look less intrusive. The control panel production area has a Loop option separate from the Cycle option. We've also added a new Empire hero avatar.

Scenarios

We've updated and reworked many scenarios for campaigns and multiplayer alike. Many now incorporate new mechanics and features, such as proper, dedicated cover and negative cover zones, terrain height, resource carts, items and the new decurser and item smith utility buildings. Special events were also edited to fix some undesired effects (such as the reward for conquering Etheria).

Bug Fixes

Over 100 bug fixes, including but not limited to stability issues, unavailable production issues, gameplay issues and performance issues, are delivered with version 0.9.1. All of this was made possible by you, so thank you for the plentiful bug reports and feedback!

The Protectors Team