Game world

The player is the Overlord, a demigod who lives with his faithful servant the gremlin Zarr in the Astral Plane. The goal of the game is to join your world with fragments “floating here and there in the astral plane.” In addition to the player, other demigods live in the Astral Plane, also collecting their worlds.

To add a shard to your world, the player must destroy enemies who want to capture the shard. Shards provide the player with bonuses and allow you to build new buildings, recruit new units, etc. on other shards.

Plot

There is no storyline for the single-player game, since the player's goal is to capture a single shard and the game ends after victory/defeat. However, in the campaign the course of events is not so monotonous, and capturing the fragment is only one of the stages of the game. In addition to it, there is also the astral plane, where the actual development of the plot takes place. At the same time, there are many branches, and the ending, which has several winning and losing options, depends on the player’s tactics. It is possible to destroy all opponents, however, despite the apparent victory, soon after this the player's world will also be destroyed by the forces of chaos, the complete opposite of the orderly Eador.

Despite the fact that it is Chaos that is trying to absorb the fragments, its weapons are demonic creatures born on the border between Eador and Chaos. Thus, regardless of the chosen tactics, the player will have to interact with other Lords. However, the evil Lords insist on submission to them, and the good ones strive for cooperation. Among other things, the lords share their opinions about each other with the player - although some will try to benefit from this.

Completing the game almost always requires destroying the worlds of other Lords, but this will somehow deprive the player of some information about Eador. The finale of the campaign can consist either in the complete destruction of rivals using a special device, or in uniting the warring parties into an alliance that jointly resists the forces of demons. The campaign features seven Keys of Truth, by receiving which the player can learn about his role in the world of Eador - he turns out to be the spirit of Time, deprived of his powers and at the same time freed from constant monitoring of time.

However, having collected them, the player's hero receives the gift of persuasion, becoming a prototype of the Creator Eador, capable of reconciling the Lords. This campaign path allows you to learn as much as possible about Eador, his birth and the sequence of events.

Astral

According to Zarr, the Astral is the mental plane of existence, the Universe, while the fragments are the physical plane. In the Astral plane one can see fragments of worlds belonging to the physical plane, but they are nothing more than “thought forms”, “projections” of the physical onto the mental.

The magazine "Best Computer Games" gave the game 84% out of 100, awarding it with the crown with which the editors award masterpieces. Verdict: “Anyone who misses Eador because of the poor graphics will be committing a monumental stupidity.”

After a short loading we are given a choice of the main character from four classes. This walkthrough (it can also be regarded as a guide) is dedicated to the “Fearless Warrior” class. We read the legend of the selected character and enter into dialogue with Danur. The dialogue itself, questions and answers will be rewritten below to clearly show the sequence of actions. If you want to match this walkthrough, then click on the following options:

Why did you choose me?

But why am I so special?

Explore the world? I've been doing this since childhood!

Okay, let's go.

We select the main character by clicking on his portrait with the left mouse button or clicking the “Next hero” button. His portrait is located directly above the figurine itself. By clicking on it, we see an action wheel. To move around hexes - hexagonal figures in a location, click on the desired hex with the left mouse button. As you can see, a new task has appeared in the hero’s order scroll. If necessary, we can cancel it by hovering over the portrait and clicking “Cancel task”. For the hero to start acting now, click on the “End turn” button highlighted in the lower right corner of the screen - the figure will move to the hex we need. Click continue.

We are given two hundred gold coins, which we can spend in a nearby store. Click on the hero’s portrait and select “Visit stores.” On the right is the store's goods, on the left is the hero's inventory, items from which are available to us at any time in the game. To purchase items, you need to hover your mouse over the product you like and read the information about it; about properties, characteristics and price. Each item must be in a specially designated place in the hero’s inventory. I bought the following: a short sword, a knife, ordinary arrows, a bow, a fist shield, and simple chain mail. After completing your purchases, press “Esc” and talk to Danur.

Ancient ruins

We are given the task of finding and killing green-skinned goblins. We point at the icon (portrait) of the hero and select “Visit special places.” Currently only Ancient Ruins are available. Having chosen the only option, we complete the move in the usual way. We find ourselves on the battle screen, and the first stage of the battle begins - the deployment of troops. Since we are attacking, our troops occupy the left zone of tiles (that's what hexes are called in the game). But we don’t have troops as such at this stage. Click “Start Battle” - three goblins appear. We read the tips, where the mechanics of the battle are superficially described to us. We end the move and give the goblins the opportunity to move. To attack after their actions, we simply hover the cursor over the enemy and press the appropriate button. Several times you will have to end your move and attack. After the victory we find some gold and minerals.

Our teacher again provides sponsorship, providing two hundred gold. We can hire several warriors with them. To get to the garrison's outlet, we perform the same actions as earlier in the store. Most of the cells are initially inaccessible, but with proper experience they will gradually open. I hired two militiamen and one slinger. To exit, press “Esc” again and get the second task, agree, go to the “Special Places” section, select the Destroyed Tower. According to tradition, we complete the move.

Destroyed tower

Since we are playing as a fearless warrior, we choose the “Attack!” option accordingly. From the tooltip that popped up, we learned that the one with the higher initiative score attacks first. If the indicator is equal, then the enemy acts first. We gradually move our fighters closer to the enemy, and at a certain turn we begin the battle. If your squad includes a slinger, then he should be left behind the tough ones so that he can deal damage from a distance. We defeat three opponents, collect trophies and increase the level.

Now we have the opportunity to visit the library where spells are studied. The spells we have already learned will be located in the lower left part of the screen, and those available for study will be located on the right. No resources are required to acquire them, so we can safely experiment, combine, rearrange and remove abilities. It should be noted right away that these can be used in battle only once and must be repeated in the next battle. Having completed our study, we leave the library. We receive an assignment from the teacher. Before setting off on a mission, you should replenish the supply of necessary items, repair items, and, if possible, hire new soldiers. Personally, I filled the gap in the thinning ranks by purchasing two more fighters. As soon as we are ready, we move out.

Ancient crypt

We arrange the warriors in hexes, begin the battle - four opponents appear: two skeletons, two zombies. There shouldn't be any problems fighting these easy enemies. We win, we buy the necessary things, people, etc. In general, the game will further develop in a similar direction. Now let's look at individual elements of game mechanics that may cause difficulties for inexperienced players.

World Exploration

The lion's share of the area is immersed in thick fog. To become a large landowner you need to travel across the map, fight for forests, fields and castles. It is necessary to constantly be on the move so that the indicator of the explored area increases each time. On the way, of course, there will be dozens of enemies, such as robbers, goblins, giants, magicians and mercenaries. Before each battle, you should prepare in advance so as not to be defeated.

Construction

We can begin construction in accessible settlements and other populated areas; schools with various directions, recruitment centers and architectural structures will be built. You can build in different areas of the city. We choose the block we need and the building we would like to build. Below we are shown the cost of construction and its conditions. In fact, the construction of each building requires one or more structures from the player, without which further construction is not possible.

Combat system

For each battle, it is necessary to initially calculate a strategy that varies depending on the terrain - rocky, hilly, forest or flat. The speed of movement, the endurance of the characters and the strength of the damage inflicted on the enemy depend on this. If the warriors' endurance is too low, then the damage as such will be weak. Well, if the stamina completely drops to zero, then the squad will not be able to oppose anything to the enemy. To prevent this from happening, it is necessary to give subordinates rest. The rest button is located on the bottom action bar, don’t forget to use it.

It is worth taking these factors into account when deploying troops. Those warriors who specialize in ranged attacks should be kept at a distance from the enemy and fired from a distance to reduce the potential damage. It is better to put strongmen and simple militias with mercenaries in the front ranks, and regard magicians as a “finishing” force. In addition, you need to remember that archers and slingers cannot attack the enemy when they are directly in front of him (1-2 hexes).

Also, do not forget about the annoying property of armor and weapons - they wear out and break. Don’t forget to repair them in the town shops so as not to find yourself in an awkward situation on the battlefield. The same applies to our squad, which can thin out from battle to battle. In general, we buy, hire, repair, study.

That's it for our short guide to Eador: Lord of the Worlds can be considered completed.

Game: Platform: PC Genre: strategy Release date: April 19, 2013 In Russia: April 19, 2013 Developer: Unicorn Games Studio, Alexey Bokulev, Snowbird Game Studios Publisher in Russia: 1C-SoftClub / Track down the Fate of indie projects in in most cases it is unambiguous: either “it fired” or “it didn’t fire”. In the first case, the game receives some merit at exhibitions, positive reviews from critics, and can serve as a good entry into the big game industry for developers. In the 2nd case, the creation of independent creators goes unnoticed - and that’s where it all ends.

But it turns out that sometimes the 3rd scenario comes into play. The indie toy can expect a remake that will turn it into a slightly more mainstream product.

"Eador"- an example of such a transformation. In 2009, with the help of one enthusiast and several assistants, the turn-based strategy “Eador” was born. Creation”, which immediately appealed to fans of the genre who were able to come to terms with the scary graphics in the spirit of the old Heroes of Might and Magic 3.

An atmospheric project with a carefully designed world caught my attention "1C-SoftClub". "Eador" managed to get a lucky ticket to the “mainstream” sector, and so that the game does not look like a “Cinderella” against the background of its peers in the ecological niche, craftsmen from Unicorn Games Studio with the support of the original creator Alexey Bokulev, they gave her a manicure, pedicure, perm, liposuction - in general, they adjusted the graphics to modern standards and added little things.
If you look at the construction mode for a long time, you can see how the number of available buildings in the menu grows from shard to shard. Here... This...

Perhaps we’ll talk about innovation first. Then the lucky ones, who were not prevented from getting acquainted with “Creation” by severe technical obstacles, will be able to immediately scroll down to where the score is.

The refreshed graphics, on the one hand, look completely modern, and on the other hand, they are very close to the original, not a single spirit of which was harmed in the process of “making a marafet”. Well, in other words, if previously we had a corresponding picture from HoMM3, now we are seeing something like HoMM5 or even 6. Only the division of the global map into sectors does not look completely appropriate for the “heroic” picture. It also assigns "Eador" some charm of originality, as well as the emphatically fabulous pointed hats of wizards or an unusual image of demons: instead of the usual devil-like creatures - purple winged creatures of obscure origin.

Among the “little things”, the first thing that catches your eye is the training, which was not in “Creation” - a very decent mission, thanks to which the game interface immediately becomes much friendlier to newbies. There is even intrigue and a denouement: after playing the introductory chapter, we suddenly discover that “in reality, everything is not as it really is.”

God. Very nice, god

But in essence, our hero is an immortal Lord - an essence whose properties are difficult to list even for the gremlin who serves us, whose simple but very natural humor brings an extraordinary “live” to the game.

Somehow a whim came into our heads - to make our own world from fragments drifting in the astral plane, thereby strengthening order as opposed to chaos, ready to devour all living things - including us. The fragments in appearance most closely resemble asteroids, covered with vegetation, climate and even population. To add a new “ten acres” to your own “plot”, it is enough to capture a piece of land floating in a multi-colored cosmic broth, displacing your opponent from it.
No one will tell the player in advance which option is more profitable: from time to time it is better to be good, from time to time - evil. A rival could be, for example, a local lord who lived for himself and lived in his own domain until the time we impudently invaded his area. Or another ruler - yes, yes, we are not alone in the Universe!

“Colleagues” in omnipotence, along with us, are rebuilding their little worlds. We quite often have to fight with them for fragments. In theory, one can even be friends with rival rulers in approximately the same way as with the kings of adjacent countries in Civilization: at some point we will still have to confront yesterday's allies.

Meanwhile, the megacontinents that we recreate from fragments are given to us not only to stroke the sense of our significance, but also as a strategic resource. Each new trophy generates several units of stellar energy for our protagonist. It is this energy that provides prizes when capturing fragments: there a little more gold will arrive per turn, here a few magic crystals will be poured at the start.

Rubbish money? Not quite

Blue crystals are the second most important currency in Eador. If the generous metal is used to buy “units”, build buildings and calm down failed subjects, then the crystals go to magic - all magic, be it an attempt to hit the enemy in the ears with a spell or a cunning ritual, as a result of which funds magically escape from the pockets of the population into a chest belonging to the ruler - in other words, to us.

It seems it's time to set the record straight. We were just talking about other rulers, stellar energy, fragments, and now - about fighters, buildings and the robbery of our own electorate. The fact is that, having chosen a continent for conquest, we move to a lower level - or to the physical plane, to put it abstrusely. The powerful ruler here is less than “the voices in the heads of a handful of schizophrenics,” as our gremlin puts it.
Oh, this sweet, unobtrusive “hex”! The heroes play the role of hallucinating madmen. Unlike HoMM or King's Bounty, "Eador" presents these guys doing all the dirty work as expendable. Lost a hero? Not a failure. You can revive it for a certain amount of gold crystals. Or hire a new one. But each subsequent character will cost us even more than the previous one. For comparison, if the first hero costs a hundred coins, then the second one will cost 500.

In general, one of the basic principles "Eadora" consists in the impossibility of taking in quantity. Sprinkle a dozen heroes? It is completely unprofitable, moreover, virtually unrealistic. Stamp out more warriors? It's stupid, because each character can carry a very limited number of fighters with him - one per connector. You won’t even be able to “pump up” your government in all directions to the maximum: the limit of buildings is also limited. This means that we constantly have to choose: what do we need more - a stable or an outpost? The Brotherhood of Light, where healers are trained, or the shooting range where archers train? Strategy, strategy and strategy again - there’s no way to do this without it.

Hardcore walks the planet

Fans of the genre, who are usually afraid of the game's "improvement" after it leaves the indie field, can be measured: if in any way "Eador" and it has become simpler - this is only true when it comes to saving. If “Creation” struck the imagination, in addition to the rest, with the impossibility of recording one’s successes in order to go back in case of trouble, then "Lords of the Worlds"- this is a more realistic view of things. By default, we are even automatically saved on every turn, which can be very useful.

So how to play "Eador" It won't work at random. Whatever the level of difficulty we choose - and there are seven of them, for a minute - we will still have to turn around in order to save the army in battles. After all, each “unit” here is a piece product, which, being hardened in battles, not only becomes stronger, more resilient, healthier, but also acquires special abilities.

Thus, some infantrymen can learn the “Thrown March” skill - accelerating movement in battle. And fighters with a long-range weapon will have the opportunity to shoot twice in one turn if we choose this particular improvement as we “pump up”. The very beauty of the “uniqueness” process is that we ourselves decide what “bun” the warriors will acquire after gaining experience.
Why are there so many dissatisfied people? Because there aren't enough mass shootings. Everyone knows that only mass executions can save the country. Not only the army becomes more experienced as the game progresses - the hero also “pumps up”. In addition to the increase in the number of slots in the squad and the growth of basic traits - we are allowed to improve one parameter to choose from upon reaching the newest level of mastery - a specialization has also been prepared for the hero after the tenth level, which opens up access to wonderful multi-class transformations. A warrior, say, can become a “tank” berserker, a killer with poisoned blades, a Knight of Light who heals himself, or a Knight of Darkness, in whose arsenal the remarkable power of a weapon strike will be combined with black mysticism.

Special places for important people

It is necessary to develop and improve not only in order to defeat competitors. After all, there are also “special places” - the local analogue of dungeons, where you can stumble upon a wide variety of enemies: from weak goblins to terrible dragons. Naturally, the loot that the hero will receive in case of victory will also vary.

We immediately find some “special places” in the corresponding list in the menu of abilities associated with each province. Others are discovered in the process of exploring these same provinces, while it is necessary to spend a whole turn on the “round” of discovery, and the result will not necessarily be exciting. Almost always, we simply discover new lands for settlers - and the population of people or non-humans in the nearest village begins to grow.

In terms of visibility "Eador" still inferior to the latest games in the series HoMM And King's Bounty, so it’s difficult here with all sorts of atmospheric caves. But the number of probable finds is very large: ruins, houses, protected monoliths and even ordinary shops selling products that do not yet seem to be in our capital.

The fights are an exalted ode to the hexagonal era HoMM. Players familiar with the “heroic” series will probably feel such a nostalgic recognition when watching local battles.

Players familiar with the Russian gaming industry do the same: in the process of showdowns with opponents, freezes occur every now and then, which can only be dealt with by rebooting. At least that's how it was at first. At the moment, the situation has been partially corrected with the help of patches. Lo and behold, after a month, English words will be eradicated from the interface. Maybe the resolution will become more comfortable for owners of wide-format monitors.
Why not dumplings in broth? Wilderness, province, village

Regardless of the level of difficulty, we will have to struggle over each province. These are the same sectors on the map on which our well-being directly depends. If in the family castle we build global buildings that influence the development of our country as a whole, then “on the ground” small improvements like barns, taverns, mills or stables work. All these buildings can increase income, relieve hunger, or improve the mood of their subjects.

Mood is a very important thing in "Eadore". At the beginning, we didn’t have our own provinces - we only had a capital with a castle. Around are villages where goblins, barbarians, robbers and other riffraff live. In the best case scenario - free peasant settlers. None of them are particularly happy about our unexpected dominion. In one case out of 5, it is possible to resolve the matter amicably, and not just like that, but for a very round sum. But more often than not the natives don’t even want to talk to us - they immediately rush into battle. Naturally, after the conquest we find a whole mass of people who were already dissatisfied with our rule from the very beginning. It’s worth robbing the province a few more times to urgently replenish the treasury - and that’s it: hello, rebellion! The guards hired to protect the area may or may not be able to suppress the uprising. Then the village will have to be recaptured.

In order to prevent uprisings, it is necessary to take advantage of every convenient opportunity to show your subjects who is the best ruler here. As soon as our country grows a little, complaints and petitions begin from all sides. There the witch sent a plague on the people, here a local hero asks for help with equipment for hunting monsters. Usually, we have several options for solving a problem. You can kill plague rats with poison ordered from alchemists for crystals, or you can send a team of hunters to kill the creatures, and different approaches work in different cases.

In general, if our ruler doesn’t care about the villagers’ failures, order them not to bother them with such nonsense. Of course, such behavior will not amuse the inhabitants, which means we will be one step closer to rebellion.

Karmic balance

It is not only our subjects who watch our deeds with jealousy. IN "Eadore" The law of karma plays a huge role. Every action of the heroes under his control affects the reputation of the ruler - and this is far from an empty phrase! The more we care about our subjects, the more often we choose the “velvet revolution” instead of conquest, the closer we are to the bright pole. Even the choice of spells used in battle will affect the reward or retribution that our demigod will receive for his actions.

The typical scale of good and evil affects almost every nuance of the game. If the fighters in our squad are not bad, but the hero is not good, the army will experience cognitive dissonance on this basis, and morale will collapse. Having entered into agreements with the evil orcs, we most likely will not be able to get along with our sweet soul mates and peaceful villagers. In the end, the player's actions have an impact on diplomacy: existing in relative peace with the wisest King Oinor will be even easier if we live according to our conscience.
Not all overlords are equally useful. This obviously lacked etiquette lessons in childhood. And maybe a belt.*** "Eador"- such an epic fantasy canvas, a universe that can be studied for a very long time - and still almost everything remains unknown, unexplored and full of secrets. Despite the bugs, freezes and shortcomings, "Lords of the Worlds"- a reason to say thank you to the creators. At least for the fact that, thanks to their efforts, the project has become more accessible, understandable, and more aesthetically pleasing than it was in the unique version. On some computers the game was launched for the first time: not all owners of modern hardware and operating systems can touch “Creation”. So release "Lords of the Worlds"- a positive event. Absolutely right.

Pros: atmospheric, meaningful world; unique karma system; nice graphics; extensive “pumping” of heroes and fighters; a huge number of randomly generated events; the principle of the superiority of property over quantity.
Minuses: freezing; bugs; updating the game on the go. about the game rating system

Greetings dear readers of LKI! I am Alexey Bokulev, and it just so happened that I happened to visit Eador in order to later write a computer game based on my astral adventures. I'm incredibly glad that, despite the modest graphic design, people still play Eador. This gives hope that all is not lost and not everyone has turned into “average consumers” for whom “gross product” is stamped in the assembly lines of the gaming industry.

And to make playing “Eador” even more interesting, I will share with you some tips and memories of creating the project, information from behind the scenes of the gaming workshop. Happy reading and, of course, victories in the world of Eador!

This article will not contain any ready-made solutions and strategies, descriptions of the very best tactics and the “correct” start. Eador was intended to be a decision-making game. Almost any action here is a choice (whether it is conscious or not is another question). Therefore, detailed instructions “how to play correctly” kills one of the most important parts of the game.

Instead, I will try to expand the options, revealing some nuances that will help make any gaming decision more informed. We can say that this article is a small book of recipes (culinary or alchemical, whichever is closer), the use of which will add a new flavor to the game you already know.

• Strategic recipes
• Tactical recipes
• Campaign success
• How Eador was created

Strategic recipes

Goblins are considered by many to be the most useless and pointless of the races of Eador. Sometimes they are even called “a bad joke of the gods.” I hasten to assure you that this is not so. Goblins are sometimes simply irreplaceable. For example, if you replace spider berries with goblin eyes in a Night Vision potion recipe, its effect and duration will increase many times over.

Pfearosgus, "Modern Alchemy"

The first recipe. Preparing victory from improvised means

One of the keys to success is the ability to adapt to the situation. It is better to be in harmony with the world around you, and not try to impose your own rules on it. If there are swamps around the ancestral castle, and the only resources are wood and mandrake, there is no need to try to build an army of swordsmen and guards against all odds. It would be much wiser to use shamans, and instead of early rebuilding the fort, spend resources on magic schools - fortunately, there are no problems with crystals. The wise choice of the first hero also largely depends on the starting conditions. If there are gold-bearing plains all around, you can choose a commander; if there are solid swamps, a wizard will come in handy; a warrior and a scout are good in any situation, since they are not so demanding of certain resources.

There are two swamps nearby, and the family castle itself is located in the swamps. It’s entirely possible to take a risk and try to start as a magician

It is important: The difficulty level of the game affects the starting income of resources and their initial quantity, the strength of neutral troops, the experience gained by the heroes and the level of corruption. The most “fair” difficulty level is expert, where the player is not given any concessions or penalties. The difficulty level does not affect the strength of opponents in any way; the level of computer opponents is responsible for this. The higher it is, the more dangerous the enemy.

Here is another example when it is better to make decisions based on the current situation: the construction of income-generating buildings in the provinces. The construction of mines and sawmills is a good method of strengthening the economy, but it is important to consider feasibility. The mine costs 70 coins and brings 5 ​​gold per turn (if there is no resource in the province). That is, in a standard situation, the construction of a mine will pay for itself in 14 moves. However, in addition to gold, the mine requires iron, and if it is not there, the price can increase significantly, which will increase the payback time for the construction. Thus, it often happens that it is profitable to start building mines only after gaining access to iron. The same goes for sawmills and redwood.

If you still can’t find a resource, try to bargain it with your opponent. And while the trade agreement is in effect, do not forget to build something that requires the purchased resource every turn, otherwise the funds under the agreement will be paid in vain.

On a note: If you have an extra strategic resource, try offering it to one of your opponents in exchange for gold or crystals. Trading will not only increase your income, but also improve your relationship with your business partner.

The second recipe. Elixir of Planning

However, making decisions based on short-term gain is not always the best option. If you always go with the flow, you don’t know where it will lead, so it’s better to have clear plans for further development, but at the same time constantly adjust them depending on the game situation.

Memory

Some of the lords of Eador have a rather difficult fate (meaning their fate in our world). First invented as characters in a fantasy novel (which I never finished writing), they managed to take part in the AWC strategy - Ancient War in Chetraney, written in 1995. In Eador, many of them have changed greatly due to the nature of the game world. But the names and general character traits remained the same.

In addition to some characters, I borrowed geographical names and names of heroes from the book. Another useful development was the “ancient language” invented for the novel. The roots of this language were used to generate the names of the Shards. So any of the names like “Krasekon” or “Assatnod” has its own meaning (“Krasekon” means “dragon sword”, “Assatnod” means “eastern mountain”).

For comparison, here are portraits of the same rulers from AWC and Eador. It seems that immortal beings live
the years just brighten...

One of the “rare” buildings that requires a whole set of specific buildings of the military quarter for its construction

When rebuilding a military quarter, it is useful to remember that in addition to access to new troops, some buildings will allow you to hire guards. On a small map, it is worth building a recruiting point and a school of spearmen - this way you can build a barracks, which will give you access to cheap and strong guards - light infantry. On large Shards there are quite good sentinels, to access which you need a school of slingers. These big-eyed guys are able to disperse the fog of war within a radius of two provinces, which can be quite useful when searching for resources and enemy castles. If you want to protect yourself from riots, the Light Brothers will help you make your dream come true; access to them will open after the construction of the Brotherhood of Light (healers are trained there).

Some lines of buildings for guards continue at subsequent ranks. For example, if you want to deploy combat priests to guard the province, you will have to provide them with junior prayer staff in the form of doctors and monks. Guardian magicians, who allow increasing the flow of crystals from the province and who bear the proud name of “battle sorcerers,” also need assistants - shamans and sorcerers. And these are not all similar lines - there are many such combinations in the lock. Therefore, you need to think about who will guard your peace at the very early stages of the game.

Memory

Ancient War in Chetraney, written in 1995, was created on an ES-1841 computer, with a b/w monitor similar to a small Soviet TV. The game was running in CGA mode (320x200, 4 colors), and these available colors looked like black, white and two shades of gray on my screen. When I first saw my creation on a color monitor, I immediately rushed to turn the game into black and white mode. The fact is that noble shades of gray have turned into acidic lilac and turquoise colors.

If you are not afraid of terrible graphics, keyboard control (mouse is not supported) and sound from a PC speaker, you can find this antediluvian creation here: eador.com/AWC/AWC.rar. Unfortunately, the source code of the game was lost, so I won’t be able to stop her from asking for the password. Passwords are in the archive, in the codes.tbl file.

The correct selection of magic schools is no less important than the correct selection of warriors. It should be remembered that, in addition to access to the spells themselves, any school of magic makes it possible to perform a ritual that, in terms of usefulness, can outweigh all the spells combined. For example, if you decide to hire a mage as your first hero, the Altar of Chaos, which opens access to the Dark Ritual, will be very useful for a comfortable game. A timely exchange of civilians for crystals can restore the supply of magic stones, which have become depleted after yet another demonstration of new tricks to the barbarian neighbors.

In addition, schools of magic are interconnected. If you want to learn how to turn loyal militia into dragons in the future, build a school of Magic from the very first round.

Recipe three. How to get good from evil

The ability to benefit from any situation is a trait of a successful ruler. Even the most unpleasant incidents sometimes bring some benefit.

For example, if residents are unhappy with your government, you can benefit from this. The battle with the rebels is a good school for young heroes. The main thing is to remember that the strength of the rebel squad will depend on the level of the province. If the hero is still very young, it makes sense to plunder the province to the level of “reclaimed lands” so that he can accurately cope with the rebels. Another useful effect of riots is the ability to quickly increase the kill count to complete tasks. The composition of rebel units depends on the race inhabiting the province. Therefore, if the crystal issued a task to kill militias or gnomes, it is often easier to anger your own subjects than to look for the necessary opponents in abandoned farms and mines. By the way, gnomes are found not only in their ancestral lands, they are also part of the detachments of the halflings, and, say, fairies can be found among the elven guards.

It is important: keeping elves, gnomes and centaurs in obedience is quite difficult, especially in the early stages of the game, when there are no buildings to improve the mood of the population. The best way to control these races is to form an alliance. If the province was captured by force, be prepared for constant riots. The buildings of the ancients (sanctuary, temple, etc.) can significantly influence the situation; It often makes sense to conquer unruly provinces only after you manage to discover such drawings, or with the proper development of the ancestral castle.

Many seemingly negative events can also be beneficial. For example, an epidemic in a province will improve the mood of residents by paying for the work of doctors, or get crystals by selling corpses to necromancers. In addition, such events shape the character of your character, which also brings some benefits (in the form of the morale of the corresponding troops, the mood of the inhabitants of certain races and relations with other rulers).

Even losing a province has a small positive effect - the less land there is, the lower the level of corruption. Goblins are the most corrupt of Eador's races, and their lands do not generate much income. So giving up a goblin province without resources to the enemy is often quite beneficial from an economic point of view.

Such different corruption

Different races influence corruption in a country with different strengths. If we measure corruption in abstract units, for different races it will have the following values:

Therefore, the Steward's House and its subsequent improvements will be most effective in reducing corruption if installed in the lands of goblins or gnomes.

Tactical recipes

Shaking the soul out of an adversary is far from the only way to win a battle. If this soul is hidden behind thick armor or a ton of muscle, alternative methods of achieving victory become especially relevant.

Ineron, “Battle Spells. Workshop"

The first recipe. Starvation

Endurance is a very important indicator. If it falls below five, the warrior’s characteristics will decrease; if it becomes zero, the warrior will freeze and his armor will be halved. Therefore, it is very important to provide timely rest to tired soldiers and not give the enemy a break.

Memory

Of all the rulers, I had the most trouble with Erdu. The blank verse with which this iltan is explained did not want to fit into the meaning that I initially tried to convey to the player. As a result, Erdu had to add his own terminology and write additional awkward verses to explain it. So, for example, the words “Creation” and “Great” appeared, into which Erdu invested a special meaning. But after the torment with Erdu, the dialogues with Oumm and Do-Gor shed balm on my soul, exhausted by poetry.

In addition to obvious methods of influencing enemy stamina (such as the “Fatigue” spell or the “Stunning Strike” skill), there are several small tricks that will allow you to wear down the enemy much faster.

It's no secret that a warrior spends a unit of stamina on a strike. If a fighter moved and attacked in one turn, he will spend an additional unit of stamina (that is, twice as much). Well, if he moved through a swamp or hill - goodbye to another one!

Thus, by constantly retreating from strong melee warriors, we thereby force them to lose additional strength. Often, instead of bludgeoning an impenetrable "tin can", it is much more effective to make it run after your troops.

Additional losses of stamina when moving occur if the warrior's speed is reduced below one by some effect. Therefore, a slowdown spell or a well-timed crippling blow can increase stamina losses to four units per turn (note that “Slowdown” itself drains a unit of stamina from a warrior per turn, that is, the total losses will already be five units - half the stamina reserve of most warriors of the first rank).

When, exhausted, the enemy takes a forced rest, it’s time to attack him en masse with the words: “Do you remember how you drove me?”

Memory

The second recipe. Intimidation

Morale not only changes the attack indicators, but also has another property: if it drops to zero, the warrior will begin to panic. As soon as all the enemies run away in panic, the battle will be won; you don’t even have to catch up with them. A simple spell “Fear” from the first circle of the school of necromancy will help to bring the adversary to such a state. It is especially effective in the hands of a professional wizard with knowledge of thaumaturgy, although other heroes can successfully use this magic. The main thing to know about Fear is that its effect is greatly influenced by magic resistance. Each point of target resistance will reduce the effect of fear by 2. Therefore, the best candidates for the role of an alarmist are those whom Mother Nature has offended with resistance and basic morale. For example, executioners or cannibals.

The enemy is running! Shall we pursue experience or mercifully let go?

If after the spell the enemy has 1-2 units of fighting spirit left, it is not at all necessary to spend another spell on him. Receiving a severe wound (more than 10 points of damage or more than 25% of maximum health) or the death of a comrade on an adjacent square can have the desired effect.

On a note: If any action or effect reduces a warrior's stamina below zero, he will lose morale instead of stamina. Reducing morale to negative values ​​will cause the warrior to have a reduced chance of stopping the panic.

Those who enjoy intimidating their opponents will appreciate the sorcerers - these second-rank warriors will be able to learn the “Fear” spell, which will allow them to produce real volleys of horror. Devils, demons and fiends can also instill fear in the enemy - any blow from them reduces morale. Demons, in addition, can cast the enchantment of the same name once per battle.

Well, if you are lucky enough to get your hands on the “Cloud of Terror” spell, you can put entire armies to flight.

Morale, unlike stamina, is not restored for the next battle. So even if you fail to defeat the enemy with “Fear,” he will not be able to recover from the shock he has experienced for a long time. To “prepare the ground” before intimidating an opponent, the “Mortal Horror” ritual is very good. Timely sabotage by a scout can significantly help both in intimidation and exhaustion.

On a note: The “Sleep” spell is perfect for depriving a warrior of stamina or morale. The spells “Fear” and “Fatigue” do not wake up sleeping people, they just start having nightmares.

Recipe three. Veterans

Sometimes veterans become stronger than warriors of higher ranks, so their training is an important part of tactical combat.

Memory

In the early stages of development, the balance was more "arcade-like". That is, warriors died much more often; winning the battle without losses was almost impossible. At some stage, I decided to almost double the life of the fighters, although I was afraid that the battles would drag on too much because of this. They have indeed become a little longer, but the scope for tactical maneuvers has increased. Therefore, it was decided to leave the change.

The Veteran Warlock is a fearsome force on the battlefield. And although he is still only the third level, thanks to the medals, the shot power is already 21. Or there will be more...

When level 10 executioners are ahead, even a computer opponent will feel uncomfortable.

To effectively create veterans, you need to know the rules by which experience is distributed among fighters.

Part of the experience goes to the hero, part is evenly divided between all participants, and part is distributed depending on the course of the battle. This takes into account how many enemies the warrior killed, how much damage he inflicted, received and healed, how much stamina he spent, how many spells he cast. A warrior gains the most experience for killing an enemy; in addition, this increases the chance of receiving certain rewards after the battle. So if you want to raise someone into a veteran, try to finish off wounded enemies with them. In addition, you need to constantly act like a trained warrior - expose him to attack, maneuver, use special skills, etc.

Please note that experience is shared among everyone who participated in the battle, including dead and summoned warriors. If experience is very important to you, try to avoid summoning spells and do not take “extras” and “lubricant for swords” into your squad, fighting with the required minimum of soldiers.

Memory

Initially, the idea was to allow escape from battle, but not as a whole squad at once, but by each warrior individually. Those remaining on the battlefield had to cover the retreat (the longer they resisted, the less chance they had of catching up with those who retreated). But in the end, it was decided to abandon such a system, since the implementation of this entire kitchen is quite labor-intensive and the influence of chance on the success of the “chase” is too great.

Ingredients for a Successful Campaign

Memory

One of the most difficult tasks in implementing the interface turned out to be the construction screen in the ancestral castle. For several months I couldn’t figure out how to cram over two hundred buildings into half the screen. The solution came when work began on rendering the buildings. To save space in the drawing, many buildings were turned into improvements to existing ones. The same thing happened with the interface - the improvements were “hidden” under their predecessors. At the same time, the division of buildings into quarters arose.

Finally, a few tips for those playing the campaign.

Save energy in the early stages of the game. It will be useful for purchasing all kinds of “goodies” when you need to storm enemy worlds.

Pay attention to unusual events that occur on the Shards. Sometimes they can open an additional branch of campaign development.

If you want to see one of the story endings of the campaign, and not just destroy all rivals, regularly communicate with Zarr and your opponents. Don't rush to destroy everyone. Get rid of those who really bother you.

If, after a series of defeats, there is not a single neutral Shard left in sight, the only way to approach the center of the Astral is to destroy the world of one of the opponents. If you cannot yet attack other people's worlds, such a situation will lead to defeat.

Your character and relationships with your opponents are transferred from the Shards to the Astral (not in its pure form, but quite noticeably). Use this to improve your relationships with those you consider beneficial allies.

Memory

The lack of a “normal save”, which many players complain about, is a deliberate choice. I really wanted the game to be perceived as a living story, and not as some kind of mathematical problem that can be twisted this way and that until the desired result is obtained. Even "Return to the Past" was added late in testing, mainly to allow new players not to get involved in losing battles due to not knowing the strength of their opponents.

We bring to your attention answers to questions from the editors of the site about the game "". The press attache answered questions Snowbird Games Vladimir Tortsov.

What awaits us in this infinity?

What was your goal in creating a remake instead of a sequel? What came first: the desire to reach a larger audience or to give old fans an updated game?

When after leaving" Creations"in Russian retail, the question arose about the further development of the series, we had some dilemma - to do a remake or start developing a full-fledged continuation. There was one difficulty with the sequel - when you release a continuation of the game, it is usually important for players to know where it all began. If the players do not understand , what's happened " Eador"and where did the two come from in the name of the game - good luck with it. Naturally, we wanted to give " Creation"a second chance and introduce the largest possible audience to this outstanding game. However, we are trying not to forget about the fans of the original, and listen to their comments and remarks. I hope that the game will be enjoyed by veterans" Creations"and for beginners who will compare" Lords of the Worlds"not with the old two-dimensional original, but with modern toothy competitors.

A fine summer day.

A lot of words have been said about the possibility of playing any role, taking the side of good or evil. Will there be any bonuses as you move deeper into the light/dark side? If so, will those who choose to make different decisions while remaining closer to neutrality lose out?

That's right - the game has a built-in karma system that tracks the player's behavior and the decisions he makes, and then influences the development of the plot and various gameplay bonuses or penalties. It cannot be said that the Light Lord will be fundamentally different from the Dark Lord or the “neutral” ruler. The player's worldview will influence how other Lords, playable races treat him and how likely it is for good or bad events to happen in his provinces. In the world " Eadora"good and evil are in balance - the evil Lord will more easily find a common language with the same odious Rulers as himself, as well as with the evil races of Eador (like orcs or goblins); the Light Lord will be easier to come to terms with elves and halflings, as well as enter into an alliance with one of the good Lords. The Neutral Lord will also not be alone - races like lizardmen and centaurs, as well as other Lords who are neither good nor evil, will be happy to make friends with him. .

This is not to mention the fact that the game always gives you the opportunity to reconsider your views during the campaign and switch from one worldview to another, systematically committing good or evil deeds and making appropriate decisions during various game events.

Putting order in the possessions.

Given the impressive graphical changes, how much more demanding will the game be compared to Creation?

Approximately 3.158% more demanding. But seriously, we cannot yet accurately formulate this proportion. Suffice it to say that if you can run on your computer, then about the performance" Eadora"You definitely don't have to worry :)

Cold fog of war.

How are things going with the choice of race? Will there be a main race in the game?

No, it will not. The point is that in " Eadore"(unlike the same "Heroes"), we are not playing for a mortal hero or even for the leader of some empire, but for a real deity. Therefore, the choice of our successors is not limited in any way. By default, controlled ones will fight for us we are people (for they are the most common race on Eador), and later all others will be able to join them - orcs, elves, centaurs, lizardmen, etc. Thus, the choice of allies depends entirely on the player (and on the presence of a certain race). on the fragment - worlds without a single elf can theoretically also meet).

Looks like someone decided he was safe on the island.

Are there any expansions or sequels currently planned? Or will the fate of the sequel be determined by the success of the remake?

The riddle is never rich, so yes, we concentrate on “ Lords of the Worlds“turned out to be successful. And then a lot of things can be done.

Eh, it’s hard to be a tree in such a barren area...

In 2011, the idea of ​​​​creating a global game over the network was mentioned, but now the multiplayer mode is designated as a “hot sit” and the ability to fight each other within the same map. Why didn't the idea of ​​a massive multiplayer mode come to fruition? Or was it decided that such a large-scale undertaking was worthy of a separate game?

Yes, for a long time we could not decide how multiplayer would be structured in the new " Eadore"The idea of ​​global multiplayer is indeed devilishly complex - if you approach the implementation of this idea in a hurry, you can create something that is not playable at all. Therefore, we decided to tackle a more realistic task - creating a multiplayer mode at the strategic and, possibly, tactical levels. Maybe in One fine day we will be ready to “go out into the astral plane” :-)

Should I go... through the forest?

What changes (except visual, of course) can be seen in the new “Eador” compared to the original?

First of all, these are the special conditions of the fragments. IN " Creation"After capturing the nth fragment, they all merged into one mass, and the game lost a significant part of its charm. In " Lords of the worlds"We plan to introduce shard worlds, which have special conditions that greatly affect the gameplay. For example, the player may encounter a world filled with the undead, or a world where acid rain constantly falls, and iron instantly becomes unusable. All such conditions you will have to adapt, but this is what will give the game additional interest. Well, in small things: new types of terrain, new random events, numerous corrections to the behavior of AI.

Mind you, whoever loses is a heretic!

Are there different endings to the branching plot?

Thousands of them! Mm, well, to be more precise - 12, but, you see, this is still quite a lot for a turn-based strategy, we don’t “do” tea. Some of them are variations on the "Game Over" theme, some paint rather pessimistic pictures, and some can be called positive in all respects.

No, dear barbarians, we are not a “korovan” for you to rob us.

The system with no saves from the original would be considered merciless by many modern gamers. Will she be present in the new game?

Yes, it is true - this is a system that is merciless to newcomers. We plan to leave this option as, so to speak, a hardcore mode for the most seasoned gamers. All other mortals (including me) will be able to save the game at any time.

It seems to me that the fight will be quick, but unfair.

One of the goals in working on “Eador. Lords of the Worlds" was the creation of a more dynamic and rich story campaign. How long will it now take to complete it? How much shorter has it become?

Let us assume that the passage " Creations"It took player A 200 hours. During this time, he failed the session and quarreled with a girl, but achieved enlightenment and became a real fan" Eadora". So A, who already knows all the inputs and outputs of the original, will be able to pass " Lords of the Worlds"in 30-35 hours. But player B, who about " Eadore“I had never heard of the remake before, most likely, it will take about 60 hours to complete it. Such is the positive dynamics.