New map - The Dancing Crusader

[protecyon]

If you would like to take a look at the original page visit this link:
https://www.celestialheavens.com/1131039937

[littleduckie]

The screenshot certainly does look attractive!

[Caradoc]

Boyoboy! GOW is one of my favorite mapmakers and it's been a long dry spell.

[Caradoc]

Grumpy, if you see this how about dropping me a hint. I forgot how to close the west and north portals. I have now defeated all the green and blue heroes that come through and have become fabulously wealthy taking tribute from the others. I'm ready to move on.

[Grumpy Old Wizard]

You close the invisible west and north portals by destroying the 2 temples of death that are there. Just step close to the temples and you get a message that you burn them down and they disappear from the map. Anytime you aren't sure what to do check the map victory condition and that will usually tell you your next goal.

[Caradoc]

Got it. I had not gone completely into the northern temple. But after all this fooling around, I find I only have a few days left before the 91 day deadline. Am I hosed?



And, oh yes, I have noticed that I do not need to send a hero to dance, so I have placed a designated dancer next to each ring and have been dancing like mad. Is that OK?



(I would hate to restart since things are otherwise going well for me. Exxon has managed to get a level of Order, so with the Apprentice Handbook, he has been able to cast Precision on the shooters. Wormy has topped out in Nature and has GM Resurrection so even in tough battles, losses are minimal.)
Edited on Mon, Nov 07 2005, 08:32 by charleswatkins

[Grumpy Old Wizard]

When you reach day 91 there is an option to disable the timed loss.



The dancing should not count unless Elkron is there. I'll have to look at the script if you have been getting bonuses without him at the ring. Since the bonuses are mostly not permanent it should be ok though.



Are you sure you aren't just getting the standard message from the rings when you dance without Elkron there? Looking at the script (Dance at Fairy Ring) it starts with "If this army has the heroe named Elkron." The script is also not run unless the counter variable DancedToday=0, and that counter is set to 1 when the placed event is executed. If you are indeed getting bonus please send me a saved game so maybe it'll give me a clue as to what it going wrong.



Worm cannot make potions unless he has the apprentice's handbook, but precision is certainly more valuable to your army. Old Wizard
Edited on Mon, Nov 07 2005, 11:44 by Grumpy Old Wizard

[Caradoc]

Oh, I have not been getting bonuses except sporadically, but I was always getting your message in addition to the standard one. I had not been counting. I'll watch more carefully and let you know if there's something wrong.



I don't often use potions, so there's no big loss there, but if he might make another magic arrow I'll let Worm carry it when I'm not going into battle. If he would just make me a Bow of Sharpshooting ...



Did I mention that I am having a really good time!

[Grumpy Old Wizard]

To get Worm to make another spider silk arrow make sure your army has a potion of binding. Move all spider silk arrows out of your army for one day. The begining of the next day he'll make another one. Same for arrow of stunning except it requires a potion of demon fire.

[Caradoc]

Ooh, Ooh! I got the Bow of the Elf King! Look out now! (But then I found out that those haunted mines were not going to be so easy after all.)



Back on the home front, I have managed to Charm a Megadragon, wh ich ought to really help with castle defense. Stick him in the doorway and keep him healed and the ground forces will never get in. I hope.



Question: Is Glenda supposed to join the main party or should she stay behind to guard the Hidden City? I'm too far invested in Elves, Fire Elementals, and Waspworts to abandon them, so I'd have to drop the Mantises or Faerie Dragons. Choices, choices. (Objectively, the weak link is now Ekron, but I can't really leave him since there are so many events for him. Would it be unwise to separate him from Worm and let him hold the support troops?)

[Grumpy Old Wizard]

Glenda is supposed to stay and guard the Hidden City of Faldar, as Elkron told here she is in charge of city defenses, rebuilding, and growth and made her the governor of the city. Also she cannot pass through the gates that mark the borders of Faldar, so the only way to get her outside would be to use tricks or town gate.



Elkron and Worm must both be present in the final battle, so it would be unwise to stop leveling either of them. The two heroes that can go anywhere with Worm and Elkron are the dryad, Cyrene, and the monk, Jeremy.

[bob1760]

This looks like such a great map and story. I must not be very good at this because I've tried it about 6 times and cannot get past the first part. I can take the first city and do everything along bottom of the map but then tons of heroes start pouring in and many of them have armies several times as strong as mine. I get beat right down and loose the city. I can't break out into the area to the north to find the death temples. I've tried this on 3 different dificulty settings. Any advice? Thanks, and again the map looks really cool.

[Caradoc]

Bob, for me the key to early success was Waspworts. I lost all my wolves, sprites, and leprechauns to get them but after I had massed about 10 I found the other dwellings were easy to capture. Go underground to get the elementals. Don't miss the Town Gate scroll!

[bob1760]

Thanks for the tips. I've got a bit further now. I destroyed the two temples and beat the mummies in the pyramid. Is there a 3rd temple I am suppossed to destroy. I don't see anything else to do but the gates to the next section still say I'm not done.

[Grumpy Old Wizard]

Bob, Giggles told you that the secret entrance to the pyramid is on the west side of the pyramid. Put your cursor over the lower left side of the pyramid, around the middle, and make your army walk into it. That will put you into the secret chamber.

[Caradoc]

G-R-E-A-T M-A-P !



I just finished and would like to say this was about the most enjoyable map I've ever played.



It has all the things I like: good story line, well developed characters, attractive and clever layout, plenty of quests and NPCs, challenging but winnable battles, and a big finish.



Thanks, GOW. I'm going to post a note in the Forums in case anyone has overlooked this masterpiece.

[kazooman59]

I just finished this map as well, and I loved it. It's the most fun I've had playing Heroes 4 in ages. The titanic battles over all the goldmines and hero stacks were great fun - very tough until I figured out a strategy.



The final battle was a killer - great job.

[CloudRiderX]

Hmmm this map seems to be getting some good comments. I think I will have a go at it!

[HellSpawn]

From what I see, with screenshots and praise, I'll give it a try, but first I need to finish my new map...

I can tell, from the screenshots though, that there is alot of artistry..

[taspool]

Just finished and wanted to echo the praises of others. Wonderful map, fun to play from beginning to end.