Beta 0.951

I’m going to continue to write notes, as I did in the previous beta version, for some of the games that I’m going to play. Please feel free to comment or question anything mentioned within this thread:

I ran the update file without any hitch. Don’t know if the options reset back to default or not…looks like my preferences have been maintained.

Game 5: 

• When selecting your sovereign, recommend two new circles:
• One with a ‘?’ for a random sovereign
• One with a ‘faceless humaniod’ signifying ‘create character’
• My 4-year old son chose me to play Magnar…so away I go.
• Really like the voice addition when reading the book at the beginning, but had to turn my volume WAY up to hear it. I haven’t touched the default sounds settings.
• Don’t like how you can still click outside of the book and leave it…is there a way to go back and read the book again??

 Here is an image of my starting location…no ctrl-n restarts. Let’s see what I’m randomly given… 

http://img3.imageshack.us/img3/7461/game5empire0.jpg

• Ugly dead-end at southwest of my capital. Would have thought some resources would be there for an outpost at least. Nothing.
• Umm…okay, I just left my ‘island’ and came across a 3x3 area (no way around) of 8 bandit camps. What’s with that??
• I like how a quest-tie no longer appears so close…it makes you walk a little ways.
• WOW. Really like how ‘2 population’ was sent to the imperium fo a reward to my first combat. Encourages RPG to grow your empire.
• Also like how quickly my capital leveled up…though I do have Sovereign’s Call on it as well.
• Not sure why the trade window is opening up every time I win some loot.
• Really like the ‘toggle grid’ option in the tactical battles!
• Woa! Was moving my pioneer, and all of a sudden a group of mites started walking too. Mix up in the turn order, I think…
• Like how the new ‘loot population’ feature sends the population to the nearest city.
• Still don’t like how an item is highlighted by default in the build and training selections. Makes for accidental builds.
• AND a perfect example of the above. Was going to build a logging camp in the forest, but it auto-built a cleric. The forest was removed so NOW I can’t build the logging camp!!
• Still have to pioneer spam. Every time I’m ready to build an outpost, I have to redirect my pioneer to one of the few city spots I’ve found. Doesn’t give me a chance to expand my resources. Still think scouts should build outposts….not pioneers. 

Here’s a shot of how my game is progressing. 

http://img507.imageshack.us/img507/3041/game5empire1.jpg

• Don’t like how computer uses magic when I toggle ‘auto-play’
• Oh wow! I just noticed that units with movement left are highlighted now in the top left corner! Excellent addition!
• Maul seems to have been balanced very nicely now…either that or my heroes just know how to dodge more often.
• Altar just randomly offered me tribute. Didn’t think I deserved it…but I’ll take it.
• Just came across the first city of the Altarians. They’re don’t seem to be using city enchantments.
• Just came across Yithral. They’re using enchantments. That said, looks like their city of Alhain-Al-Assan was lucky and received 3 essence!!
• Roads should auto connect between cities and outposts too.
• I really like the rebalance with horses and wargs that was done. Good job!
• And the game just crashed…

 Reloading autosave….see what I have to redo… 

• When entering into a lair, it screen always moves to the next active unit, whereas it should wait at the lair location to see what’s inside. Always have to reselect back again…
• Sometimes at the start of the turn, all the trees are white-rendered. A bit of scrolling corrects this glitch, but it does exist…
• K, this is stupid. Ceresa wanted me to back out of here territory, and I agree…but it put Magnar on the far side of her territory off a little peninsula and I’m totally blocked there. Major bug! 

Screenshot of the bug here. 

http://img51.imageshack.us/img51/62/game5territorybug.jpg

• When buying items from another nations shop, they should cost more.
• Well, Ceresa asked me to leave again…now I’m on the FAR side of her empire with no way of getting back…stupid, stupid, stupid. At least I can explore again… 

Ummm….I don’t even know what to make of this…

http://img543.imageshack.us/img543/7909/game5graphicsbug.jpg

Reloaded. Problem went away. Anyways, that’s going to wrap things up for this evening. Will continue playing another day…

Here’s a shot of my map so far.

http://img33.imageshack.us/img33/4213/game5empire2.jpg

I will say this: Didn’t need any troops yet. A bit of a shame and disappointment that none of the AI or monsters want to be aggressive towards me on ‘normal’ setting. Also don’t really like it that ONLY my capital has access to essence. Kinda lame, considering that this IS a game of magic. Also didn't care for the pioneer spam in the early game. Would have preferred building scouts instead, but there currently is no point to doing that.

Anyways, more to come in a later post...