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Newbie guide and questions on gameplay

Humanophage

Arcane
Joined
Dec 20, 2005
Messages
5,441
Feel free to ask your questions on gameplay in this thread.

First of all, apply for the clan.

1) Your position on the map
The newbie boots fully restore your AP the first time you put them on, effectively meaning you have 7 AP + 14 AP at start. Use it for exploration. Then teleport to a clan member nearest to the region where you'd like to settle (see the maps) - that is done by going to Management -> Management. Review your coordinates and move to an appropriate spot on the map, which you should look up in a thread about your continent. Here's the overall map/continent system:
MortiaMap.gif


2) The location for your first city
The first city should be built with both timber and stone tiles next to it. It takes a lot more time to gather resources that are even two tiles away from the town. Pictured below is a good location for a city: it has 6 resources within 1 tile. Timber is a bit more important than stone in the beginning. Consider building in the proximity of large forests so tat it would be convenient to kill orcs (large forests can be seen on the world map). Water isn't very critical, it only matters because of ships - and you won't build those in a while.
Location.jpg


3) How to develop your first city
Keep your dark aura till the tax becomes absolutely unbearable. Its positive effect on the economy is tremendous. Note that the economic benefit applies to all of your cities, not just the first one! You should try to build a citadel as soon as possible - not just because it gives two more serfs, but because it allows to build roads and factories. The cheapest and most useful buildings to fulfil the requirements would be the barracks and the tavern. Once you build a citadel, you should focus on factories and roads. The builder is a decent investment as well, but only becomes critical shortly before your dark aura is removed. Build a fencing school so that your swordsmen grow while you're busy with the economy.

It's fine to experiment, just don't forget the factories.

4) What to do with the quests
In addition to getting you acquainted with the game, the quests give huge material rewards. The one about the orcs is especially important. Here is how it goes: build a village, get a LVL 3 hero with volunteers. Drop the volunteers into the village - you won't need them. Click the portrait of the hero and invest two points in close combat and one in logistics. Build the barracks as soon as you can. You will be rewarded with 20 swordsmen. Give the swordsmen to your LVL3 hero. Go smash the quest orc, but don't attack others just yet. Equip the items. The sword gives +25% attack against orcs.

5) How to hunt orcs if you're a newbie
Orcs are a good source of items and XP. They are found on darkened wood tiles (don't forget to turn darkened tiles on). At this stage, the only kind you should attack are archers, as they are feeble in close combat. You should attack them with your swordsman hero, who should be standing in the woods for better cover. It is better to approach orcs from a non-wood tile, as they can't shoot you there. Be careful not to attack while adjacent to two or more orcs, as all of them will retaliate simultaneously.

Eventually, you should start hunting orcs with squads of 60+ volunteers or pikemen, and save the swordsmen.

6) Some suggestions on the interface
You can view the profile of any player by shift-clicking on him. You can also add marks this way.
 

Hobo Elf

Arcane
Joined
Feb 17, 2009
Messages
14,154
Location
Platypus Planet
I've been meaning to ask this, but could you explain the 8 different skills that we can train our heroes in? Such as what kind of bonuses Leadership gives, and what kind of spells can we cast with Black Magic and White Magic.
I know it's pretty obvious what the skills do, but I'd like to see some numbers, if possible.
 

Pika-Cthulhu

Arcane
Joined
Apr 16, 2007
Messages
8,159
Im just going to rip some info from the Encyclopedia then add my flawed thinking to how it applies in game.

Skills

Every hero can achieve level 10. In order to gain a new level, you have to gain experience. The skill points you are awarded when achieving a new level can be invested into any of the available skills. Skills can be developed to maximum of level 4.

* Close combat:
Raises the close combat damage of the unit. Every new step raises the attack force by 12% from its basic value.

Remark: The interdependence of the attack/defense parameters and damage received is non-linear.

* Distant attack (shooting)
Raises the impact of your distant attack by 12% for each level achieved.

* Stamina (Durability)
Raises the defense and HP by 12% and 5% respectively for each new level.

* Leadership
Raises the maximum quantity of soldiers that your hero can control. A hero with 0 leadership skill can control 4 cohorts of units. Each new step raises this limit by 1 cohort. Each type of units has its own number of soldiers that form a cohort.

* Logistics
Raises the quantity of Action Points by 12% for each new level achieved.

* White magic
Allows your hero to use white magic spells of a certain level.
* Dark magic

Allows your hero to use dark magic spells of a certain level.
* Spying

Decreases the visibility of the hero and allows him to enter cities of your enemies for gathering intelligence information. A spy can find out the exact number of units under a hero's control, as well as the spells he’s under. Espionage level 4 allows you to do this from a 4 cells distance, while Espionage level 1 allows to do it only from 1 cell distance.

As for the numbers, I believe they are calculated from the individual units stats.

These are the Volunteer stats.
Type: Warriors
Attack: 6
Distant attack: 0
Attack range: 1
Defence: 5
Distant defence: 5
Magic defence: 10
HP: 30
AP: 6

If given to a Hero without any increased stats, you would see 6AP, 30HP 6 Attack, 5 Defense for Close and distance (5 D:5 which made me think of dice rolls) Magic defense 10. From there its some math. Ill work on some numbers in a spreadsheet and see what I can come up with.

Each unit has a set number to form a cohort, with Volunteers/Pikemen it is 15, Archers/Crossbowmen is 10, Swordsmen/Landsknechts are 7, and Dragoons/Knights are 5. So a hero with base Leadership can keep on him 60 Volunteer/Pikemen, 40 Archers/Xbowmen, 28 Swordsmen/Landsknechts, or 20 Dragoon/Knights, and the max is 120/80/56/40 for fully upgraded Leadership.

I am still trying to think the best upgrade choice for each unit, I know that Leadership is a choice stat to pump high, but im not sure if a more defensive (durability) or offensive (Close combat) stat build would be best, and for which units (Im thinking Pikemen with their higher number capacity would serve best as garrison troops) but I still need to think, and plan and spreadsheet, and I have gotten over my headcold, so my math has gone back to sucking and my patience waned.
 

Hobo Elf

Arcane
Joined
Feb 17, 2009
Messages
14,154
Location
Platypus Planet
Thanks. I'm wondering how useful White Magic and Dark Magic are.
Also, I think I'm gonna build a hero with A few levels in logistics and lots in espionage, and then go spy on our enemies all Solid Snake-like.

Is there a limit to how many heroes we can have? At the moment I'm thinking of building a Spy, a Wizard (dunno what magic yet, probably Dark) and later on a leader with, well, leadership.
 

Pika-Cthulhu

Arcane
Joined
Apr 16, 2007
Messages
8,159
Hobo Elf said:
Thanks. I'm wondering how useful White Magic and Dark Magic are.
Also, I think I'm gonna build a hero with A few levels in logistics and lots in espionage, and then go spy on our enemies all Solid Snake-like.

Is there a limit to how many heroes we can have? At the moment I'm thinking of building a Spy, a Wizard (dunno what magic yet, probably Dark) and later on a leader with, well, leadership.

You may have as many heroes as you have Karma to afford them. A hero uses up 10 Karma per hero. You only begin to develop karma after leaving the Dark Aura, and at 0.5 per day at that. You can also receive Karma through posting helpful things on the forums, and doing quests and such. This is what I gleaned from the Encyclopedia. Also, if you have a referral, you receive 10% of their karma gains IIRC.

For an espionage agent, that sounds like a good plan, beware that towers have counterintelligence capabilities (I think that means that they can spot you sooner, less so with more espionage) Might be worthwhile just getting a large contingent of Volunteers and leveling your heroes in the woods on orcs and not allocating many points just yet, and spend more time working on a good economy to set yourself up for when you do leave the Dark Aura.

As for the magic, there is both White and Dark magic, I would suggest eventually having 2 wizards, one of each school, but that is far advanced, as the spells that your hero can cast have to be from scrolls. White magic is mostly helpful, and Dark being the more malevolent kind.

http://terrabellica.com/~book/scrolls
 

ElectricOtter

Guest
So after you build a citadel, is there any other ways of obtaining more serfs?
 

ElectricOtter

Guest
Okay, one more thing: I'm doing the newbie quest where you have to send a scout carrying mail to a nearby village. I am at the village (katana's, actually), but every time I try to pass the mail, it says "resources may not be transmitted". What the hell am I doing wrong?
 

Tycn

Savant
Joined
Sep 11, 2009
Messages
1,852
Location
Prosper Land
ElecTriCotter said:
So after you build a citadel, is there any other ways of obtaining more serfs?
Build a palace. Besides that, I don't know.

I'm wondering if it is possible to relocate a settlement. It's been alluded to but I have no idea how one would do so.
 

Pika-Cthulhu

Arcane
Joined
Apr 16, 2007
Messages
8,159
Got some info from a post I made on the TB forums RE: Tribute.

Its always same sequence of numbers, for everyone and not as a function of player's development.

day 1. 1 gold
2 1 gold
3 1 gold
4 3 gold
5 3 gold
6 3 gold
7 4 gold 1 timber
8 4 gold 1 timber
9 4 gold 1 timber
10 5 gold 3 timber
11 5 gold 3 timber
12 5 gold 3 timber
13 15 gold 7 timber 5 metal
14 15 gold 7 timber 5 metal
15 15 gold 7 timber 5 metal
16 25 gold 12 timber 12 metal
17 25 gold 12 timber 12 metal
18 25 gold 12 timber 12 metal
19 35 gold 16 timber 16 metal
20 35 gold 16 timber 16 metal
21 35 gold 16 timber 16 metal

For relocating, im not sure if there is another way, but if you have a Roads building level 12, you may move the city one Tile.
 

Pika-Cthulhu

Arcane
Joined
Apr 16, 2007
Messages
8,159
Dicking about in open office I made a spreadsheet using the Formula provided by Humanophage. So far this is almost identical to values I see in game. I did have the cost of the building, but I forgot a few entries and did not record the time for construction, so I ommited them.

This is for factory and Collection of resource only, for Delivery, I will work on a Roads upgrade data sheet. DA stands for Dark Aura, the values of collection whilst still remaining under the Dark Aura. The Metal collection value I estimated roughly as I did not have the raw time with 0 Factory to run with.

Factory Level and Collection times.
Code:
Level Gold(DA)	Gold	  Timber(DA)	Timber	 Stone(DA)	Stone	  Metal(DA)	Metal
 0	01:00:00	02:00:00	00:56:00	01:52:00	01:15:00	02:30:00	02:40:00	05:20:00
 1	00:53:20	01:46:40	00:49:47	01:39:33	01:06:40	02:13:20	02:22:13	04:44:27
 2	00:48:00	01:36:00	00:44:48	01:29:36	01:00:00	02:00:00	02:08:00	04:16:00
 3	00:43:38	01:27:16	00:40:44	01:21:27	00:54:33	01:49:05	01:56:22	03:52:44
 4	00:40:00	01:20:00	00:37:20	01:14:40	00:50:00	01:40:00	01:46:40	03:33:20
 5	00:36:55	01:13:51	00:34:28	01:08:55	00:46:09	01:32:18	01:38:28	03:16:55
 6	00:34:17	01:08:34	00:32:00	01:04:00	00:42:51	01:25:43	01:31:26	03:02:51
 7	00:32:00	01:04:00	00:29:52	00:59:44	00:40:00	01:20:00	01:25:20	02:50:40
 8	00:30:00	01:00:00	00:28:00	00:56:00	00:37:30	01:15:00	01:20:00	02:40:00
 9	00:28:14	00:56:28	00:26:21	00:52:42	00:35:18	01:10:35	01:15:18	02:30:35
10	00:26:40	00:53:20	00:24:53	00:49:47	00:33:20	01:06:40	01:11:07	02:22:13
11	00:25:16	00:50:32	00:23:35	00:47:09	00:31:35	01:03:09	01:07:22	02:14:44
12	00:24:00	00:48:00	00:22:24	00:44:48	00:30:00	01:00:00	01:04:00	02:08:00
13	00:22:51	00:45:43	00:21:20	00:42:40	00:28:34	00:57:09	01:00:57	02:01:54
14	00:21:49	00:43:38	00:20:22	00:40:44	00:27:16	00:54:33	00:58:11	01:56:22
15	00:20:52	00:41:44	00:19:29	00:38:57	00:26:05	00:52:10	00:55:39	01:51:18
16	00:20:00	00:40:00	00:18:40	00:37:20	00:25:00	00:50:00	00:53:20	01:46:40
17	00:19:12	00:38:24	00:17:55	00:35:50	00:24:00	00:48:00	00:51:12	01:42:24
18	00:18:28	00:36:55	00:17:14	00:34:28	00:23:05	00:46:09	00:49:14	01:38:28
19	00:17:47	00:35:33	00:16:36	00:33:11	00:22:13	00:44:27	00:47:24	01:34:49
20	00:17:09	00:34:17	00:16:00	00:32:00	00:21:26	00:42:51	00:45:43	01:31:26
21	00:16:33	00:33:06	00:15:27	00:30:54	00:20:41	00:41:23	00:44:08	01:28:17
22	00:16:00	00:32:00	00:14:56	00:29:52	00:20:00	00:40:00	00:42:40	01:25:20
23	00:15:29	00:30:58	00:14:27	00:28:54	00:19:21	00:38:43	00:41:17	01:22:35
24	00:15:00	00:30:00	00:14:00	00:28:00	00:18:45	00:37:30	00:40:00	01:20:00
25	00:14:33	00:29:05	00:13:35	00:27:09	00:18:11	00:36:22	00:38:47	01:17:35
26	00:14:07	00:28:14	00:13:11	00:26:21	00:17:39	00:35:18	00:37:39	01:15:18
27	00:13:43	00:27:26	00:12:48	00:25:36	00:17:09	00:34:17	00:36:34	01:13:09
28	00:13:20	00:26:40	00:12:27	00:24:53	00:16:40	00:33:20	00:35:33	01:11:07
29	00:12:58	00:25:57	00:12:06	00:24:13	00:16:13	00:32:26	00:34:36	01:09:11
30	00:12:38	00:25:16	00:11:47	00:23:35	00:15:47	00:31:35	00:33:41	01:07:22
31	00:12:18	00:24:37	00:11:29	00:22:58	00:15:23	00:30:46	00:32:49	01:05:38
32	00:12:00	00:24:00	00:11:12	00:22:24	00:15:00	00:30:00	00:32:00	01:04:00
33	00:11:42	00:23:25	00:10:56	00:21:51	00:14:38	00:29:16	00:31:13	01:02:26
34	00:11:26	00:22:51	00:10:40	00:21:20	00:14:17	00:28:34	00:30:29	01:00:57
35	00:11:10	00:22:20	00:10:25	00:20:50	00:13:57	00:27:54	00:29:46	00:59:32
36	00:10:55	00:21:49	00:10:11	00:20:22	00:13:38	00:27:16	00:29:05	00:58:11
37	00:10:40	00:21:20	00:09:57	00:19:55	00:13:20	00:26:40	00:28:27	00:56:53
38	00:10:26	00:20:52	00:09:44	00:19:29	00:13:03	00:26:05	00:27:50	00:55:39
39	00:10:13	00:20:26	00:09:32	00:19:04	00:12:46	00:25:32	00:27:14	00:54:28
40	00:10:00	00:20:00	00:09:20	00:18:40	00:12:30	00:25:00	00:26:40	00:53:20

Roads Level and Delivery Times
Code:
Level Timber(DA) Timber    Stone(DA)	Stone      Metal(DA)   Metal
 0	00:42:00	01:24:00	00:50:00	01:40:00	00:25:00	00:50:00
 1	00:37:20	01:14:40	00:44:27	01:28:53	00:22:13	00:44:27
 2	00:33:36	01:07:12	00:40:00	01:20:00	00:20:00	00:40:00
 3	00:30:33	01:01:05	00:36:22	01:12:44	00:18:11	00:36:22
 4	00:28:00	00:56:00	00:33:20	01:06:40	00:16:40	00:33:20
 5	00:25:51	00:51:42	00:30:46	01:01:32	00:15:23	00:30:46
 6	00:24:00	00:48:00	00:28:34	00:57:09	00:14:17	00:28:34
 7	00:22:24	00:44:48	00:26:40	00:53:20	00:13:20	00:26:40
 8	00:21:00	00:42:00	00:25:00	00:50:00	00:12:30	00:25:00
 9	00:19:46	00:39:32	00:23:32	00:47:04	00:11:46	00:23:32
10	00:18:40	00:37:20	00:22:13	00:44:27	00:11:07	00:22:13
11	00:17:41	00:35:22	00:21:03	00:42:06	00:10:32	00:21:03
12	00:16:48	00:33:36	00:20:00	00:40:00	00:10:00	00:20:00
13	00:16:00	00:32:00	00:19:03	00:38:06	00:09:31	00:19:03
14	00:15:16	00:30:33	00:18:11	00:36:22	00:09:05	00:18:11
15	00:14:37	00:29:13	00:17:23	00:34:47	00:08:42	00:17:23
16	00:14:00	00:28:00	00:16:40	00:33:20	00:08:20	00:16:40
17	00:13:26	00:26:53	00:16:00	00:32:00	00:08:00	00:16:00
18	00:12:55	00:25:51	00:15:23	00:30:46	00:07:42	00:15:23
19	00:12:27	00:24:53	00:14:49	00:29:38	00:07:24	00:14:49
20	00:12:00	00:24:00	00:14:17	00:28:34	00:07:09	00:14:17
21	00:11:35	00:23:10	00:13:48	00:27:35	00:06:54	00:13:48
22	00:11:12	00:22:24	00:13:20	00:26:40	00:06:40	00:13:20
23	00:10:50	00:21:41	00:12:54	00:25:48	00:06:27	00:12:54
24	00:10:30	00:21:00	00:12:30	00:25:00	00:06:15	00:12:30
25	00:10:11	00:20:22	00:12:07	00:24:15	00:06:04	00:12:07
26	00:09:53	00:19:46	00:11:46	00:23:32	00:05:53	00:11:46
27	00:09:36	00:19:12	00:11:26	00:22:51	00:05:43	00:11:26
28	00:09:20	00:18:40	00:11:07	00:22:13	00:05:33	00:11:07
29	00:09:05	00:18:10	00:10:49	00:21:37	00:05:24	00:10:49
30	00:08:51	00:17:41	00:10:32	00:21:03	00:05:16	00:10:32
31	00:08:37	00:17:14	00:10:15	00:20:31	00:05:08	00:10:15
32	00:08:24	00:16:48	00:10:00	00:20:00	00:05:00	00:10:00
33	00:08:12	00:16:23	00:09:45	00:19:31	00:04:53	00:09:45
34	00:08:00	00:16:00	00:09:31	00:19:03	00:04:46	00:09:31
35	00:07:49	00:15:38	00:09:18	00:18:36	00:04:39	00:09:18
36	00:07:38	00:15:16	00:09:05	00:18:11	00:04:33	00:09:05
37	00:07:28	00:14:56	00:08:53	00:17:47	00:04:27	00:08:53
38	00:07:18	00:14:37	00:08:42	00:17:23	00:04:21	00:08:42
39	00:07:09	00:14:18	00:08:31	00:17:01	00:04:15	00:08:31
40	00:07:00	00:14:00	00:08:20	00:16:40	00:04:10	00:08:20

Again, Metals collection and delivery times are an estimation as I had no raw data. If anyone has conflicting values with the current sheet, please let me know, and I will run the formula again.

The formula is. Base Time * 8 / (8 + Level of building)
 

Pika-Cthulhu

Arcane
Joined
Apr 16, 2007
Messages
8,159
Katana_LOL said:
NEEEEEEEEEEEEEERD!
you sure your not asian? :thumbsup:

If I was Asian the math wouldnt have taken me this long to work out, calculate, and fiddle with the spreadsheet. Does half polynesian count?
 

Berekän

A life wasted
Patron
Joined
Sep 2, 2009
Messages
3,112
So level 8 factories/roads are the same as level 1 in DA? That's not too hard to obtain, great.
 

Katana_LOL

Educated
Joined
Dec 9, 2010
Messages
77
Thats more than a little fucked, ive missed 1 tribute as of last night, wat next!?
 

ElectricOtter

Guest
ElecTriCotter said:
Chef_Hathaway said:
Gotta walk into his city.
Tried that. Still not working.

EDIT: nvm, got it
Still having problems. This time, it just doesn't show the option to pass the mail to his city. Yes, I am in the same cell.

EDIT: okay, this time I really got it.
 

Katana_LOL

Educated
Joined
Dec 9, 2010
Messages
77
Maybe you guys could walk around my heroes and city's im not in the clan yet, so you guys are bound to get attacked
 

Tycn

Savant
Joined
Sep 11, 2009
Messages
1,852
Location
Prosper Land
How so?

Question: is it possible to collect resources from a tile your castle is built on?
 

Pika-Cthulhu

Arcane
Joined
Apr 16, 2007
Messages
8,159
Tycn said:
How so?

Question: is it possible to collect resources from a tile your castle is built on?

No, you can only use Geology on your city tile, even if its on a tree or a mountain.

RE: Katana, when under the Dark Aura, you cannot attack a unit, or rather, you cannot instigate and attack, sitting yourself in defense mode on a tile that someone enters may allow you to engage for defense, not 100% sure.
 

Tycn

Savant
Joined
Sep 11, 2009
Messages
1,852
Location
Prosper Land
Thanks.

I assume it is possible to transfer resources between your own cities if they both have markets? Seems a bit more convenient for the lazy than using heroes.
 

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