In the land of Degoth, the five kingdoms have long lived in peace. However, long ago, some races formed separate organisations and refused to join the kingdoms. Three groups were imprisoned by our ancestors in their own homes. But something happened in the depths...
I've had a lot of work in the past weeks and months, so I haven't had time to test.
At the end of December I received some suggestions for bugs and errors which I fixed then.
(current version)
However, out of 2500+ downloaders, no bug reports, criticisms or suggestions from anyone since then.
Consequently, and as a result of my own brief testing, the map is playable.
I hope I have at least visually delighted many players.
I will suspend further development of Masters of Degoth for lack of testers and information...
However, there is a new project on the horizon:
HOTA 1.7 - Industrialisation of Degoth
6 Player, and all Factions will be playable. (Except Factory, which can only be Factory) :)
Please, if anyone has any more suggestions for my Masters of Degot map, please do so, or forever hold your peace. :D
My email address is zolesmaps@gmail.com
Thank you.
ZoleS (Magyarország) writes:
29-04-2024 00:40
Industrialization of Degoth - Masters of Degoth
...under contstruction...
Author: SirLouis (Cracow, Poland), 06-01-2024 22:54 When final version? - Masters of Degoth Have you finished test beta version? Is this playable final version ?
ZoleS (Miskolc, Hungary) writes:
07-01-2024 17:12
Test ph.. - Masters of Degoth
I'm in the middle of the beta test (Dungeon). I'm out of the starting area, I'm at the Purple Key, all the Ai are out of their area. At Lila, one of the Ai Players sailed not far from me. :) So it looks like version V098231230b has several major bugs fixed.
Configuring the creatures will only be done for 1.0, but unfortunately I work a lot in the office...
Author: dod (Poland), 03-01-2024 17:29 Is it possible to visit tents if the opponent does not open the gates himself? - Masters of Degoth Is it possible to visit tents if the opponent does not open the gates himself? I've been playing for over 12 months and none of the computer opponents have gone out into the open. Some didn't even make it to the tent of their color. For this reason, all one-time gates in the game are still closed. Is there a different way to get to these territories? Are there any independent tents to look for? Because I don't know if there's any point in continuing to play, I've captured a few individual locks, but I don't know how to get to most of them? is the only option to wait until the computer itself visits the keykeeper's tent and opens its one-time gates?
ZoleS (Miskolc, Hungary) writes:
03-01-2024 19:34
Ai and Keytent bug fixed in V098231230b - Masters of Degoth
There are 2 of each player tent on the map. The second tent is in the outer areas in a closed valley, accessible underground and 1 pendant is the key which can also be obtained in a mission behind the secondary fortress in the middle.
I don't know which version you are playing, but since the last patch (V098231230b) Ai is now freeing and opening its gates, I tested it.
Author: ZoleS (Miskolc, Hungary), 31-12-2023 12:25 Minor Fix - Masters of Degoth - Masters of Degoth V098.231230 - III.Last Open Beta
Minor Fix:
Closed Blue Player hero bug
Add Orange Black gate
Pathfinding enabled
Plans:
V0.99240101-10 - Closed Testing phase
Testing/Improving the Strength of Neutral areas
Testing Boss strengths
V0.99240111-XX - Closed Fixing phase
Final refinements, corrections based on information received
Quests text improvement and expansion
Changing the strength of the start location monster
Check and modify the strength of neutral areas
Increase Hard Places Resource number
Change some Gates?
etc...
V1.0A240XXX - 1.0 Release plan
Check and modify the strength of neutral areas
Check Boss Strengths
Expansion of text sections
Author: ZoleS (Miskolc, Hungary), 27-12-2023 12:28 Open Beta III.Last Phase - Masters of Degoth Now:
V098.231226b - Open Beta III.
Fixed Major Bugs:
Ai Key Tent - close up of a locked hero (3M3W1D)
All Hero Skills Fixed
Bosses are stronger
...and:
Add Gold Warehouses, Derricks etc. some players
Some creature conditional gates cancelled
Some Quest level requirements have been reduced
More Town Portal, Summon Boat, Water Walk scroll on neutral places
Plan:
V0.98231226-30 - Beta test phase
Testing/Rethinking the Strength of Neutral areas
Testing the Gates
Testing Boss strengths
V0.99240101-07 - Closed Fixing phase
Improving the strength of neutral areas
Changing in the strength of the start location monster
etc..
V0.99240108 - Last Beta Release
Final refinements
textual expansion
corrections based on information received
V1.0A240xxx - 1.0 Release plan
Check and modify the strength of neutral areas
Quests text improvement, expansion
Check Boss Strengths
Expansion of text sections
Author: ZoleS (Miskolc, Hungary), 26-12-2023 18:25 Christmas update coming soon - Masters of Degoth The road to the tent is free, but Ai still doesn't want to go there for Blue, Tan and Green. I have considered an earlier advice and solved the problem. So I'll send the update to the website V0.98231226 later tonight. As soon as it's up I'll post the update info.
ZoleS (Miskolc, Hungary) writes:
26-12-2023 23:14
Open Beta III. V98231226b - Masters of Degoth
I sent to evgkuz... Waiting to upload. ;)
Author: RXD, 24-12-2023 15:57 Unpolished Diamond - Masters of Degoth I downloaded it and tried again.
Its a big improvement from last version.
finished on 15/3/2. (or like 9 hours)
Picked tan castle and bought Gunnar logistics specialist when I had the chance.
I only did a few quests for artifacts I really needed, like Sphere of Permanence, Charm of Eclipse and like 3 others. Sold like 20 inventories of artifacts (mainly for gems).
From any point in the game it was fairly easy - Just the first 3 months are somewhat challenging, but you can take your time.
Enemy bosses/players could be like 5 - 10 times stronger - I mean with rampart gold % and like 40 towns, wtf is the AI supposed to do if I can get like 100k skeletons in 5 days from towns? I could even resort to demon farming, but it wasnt necessary at all. The AI is just too stupid to prioritize, thats why you have to buff it sooo much with gold and creatures. Most of the time, they couldnt buy out half of their lower creature armies in towns, so, for example, thats +10k sharpshooters for me extra. For every week that passed by, I was getting so much more stronger than the AI, so time was on my side.
Like 75% of monsters, artifacts and quests are untouched, idk why you implemented so many "unnecessary" things. The enemies are simply to weak, to justify this amount of farming. I just bought out my angels from time to time.
I cant possibly grasp the amount of work you put into this, but I fear for most people its sadly not enjoyable and very tedious. There was just no intention for me to farm anything properly (i just got the angels buildup running fast), because the AI was so underwhelming in strength.
Balancing this unpolished diamond will be a challenge on its own for sure.
thanks for uploading, good luck.
Merry Christmas.
ZoleS (Miskolc, Hungary) writes:
25-12-2023 20:05
:) - Masters of Degoth
Your comment is very valuable. Thank you. Merry Christmas.
Author: ZoleS (Miskolc, Hungary), 21-12-2023 16:53 V097.231220 - Update information - Masters of Degoth Fixed Major Bugs:
Drow queen - Ok
Ai Key Tent - Ok
Alliance available:
2v2v1 and 2v3 (and FFA)
Ai:
Stronger, More Revenue.
Gates:
The path to the all player Key Tent is clear.
Path to Boss Key Tent with one gate condition removed.
Inventory/Artifact problem:
More-closer Junkman. Sell what you don't need.
Key Artifact: This map was not designed for beginners and not meant to be played once. I take plus 1-1 Quests and Key Artifacts helper Seers Hut.
Necro:
COD Available L50+, Necro items available later (1-2pcs). 2 Ampf. building disabled.
Grail:
Only builds up around the end game in the starting town. (Plus 1 diggable.)
Spells:
Town Portal available earlier. (It was already obtainable in infinite numbers after obtaining Purple Key in Portal Cavern.)
View Spells available but only after conquering outer areas.
(Quests: In principle, for each quest I put in what the end of the quest chain gives.)
Plans:
V0.98231230 - Open Beta III.
Skills fixes
Increases in the strength of the start location monster.
Rethinking the strength of neutral areas.
Rethinking/improving gates.
and others...
V0.992401xx - Closed Fixing Phase
Improving the strength of neutral areas.
Rethinking boss strengths.
V1.0A240xxx - 1.0 Release plan
Quests text improvement, expansion.
Boss Strengths Improvement.
Expansion of text sections.
Pls send the bug report and informations to zolesmaps@gmail.com
Author: ZoleS (Miskolc, Hungary), 21-12-2023 15:49 V097 - Masters of Degoth Yesterday I finished fixing the major bugs. The update has been sent to the website owner... Other information after the update is available.
Author: ZoleS (Miskolc, Hungary), 11-12-2023 20:07 CREATOR - Masters of Degoth Dear contributors, positive and negative commentators, and last but not least Wasilix!
Thank you very much for your comments, ALL of them. First of all, the Test is the Main Goal and the corrections from the many comments! As soon as enough info is gathered, version 1.0A will be ready.
Wasilix! Like me, you are a busy grown man. ;) But you helped me a lot, especially when I forgot how strong the necro cape is. :) So thanks for everything.
There are many types of players and I will try to accommodate them all. But the goal is a lengthy mission and boss based Scenario. Mostly for 2-3 players. The final version will be 3v2 or 2v2v1. Everything on the map is obtainable but level dependent, which I will decrease (or increase.)
Unfortunately as I wrote before, I love HotA but I haven't played it much on my own, I prefer to edit.
(I think I found it in 2020-2021, if I had known in 2014 that there was a great team of people who worked on the game... hm. ;) )
I played a lot in the 2000s, not alone, Heroes 3 RoE - SoD.
So I've forgotten a lot of the gameplay. But I love "painting" maps and have edited several maps for other games.
I'm sorry for those I've upset, but I couldn't wait to share it with you. :) Unfortunately all my testers are busy people :D
Well bugs will be fixed, I think around Christmas. Lots of work to do... But I'm still waiting for your comments and bug reports.
If you want to get an updated version please contact zolesmaps@gmail.com.
I will start major repairs after Dec 22.
Sorry for the translation errors, though DeepL is good stuff. :)
News:
I've laid the groundwork for two maps, but maybe the second one will be something (your recent comments helped me decide :D )
If I'm that busy it might be ready in 2025 :D
I have to take some blame for mentioned criticism here, because ZoleS reached out to me asking to play test his, which I promised to do, but in the end didn't deliver on my promise. I started the map in total 3 times and played for roughly 6 weeks each time (for necro, tower and some other faction, can't recall which one).
Every time I loved the start of the map, but felt that difficulty is getting waaay too low for me after I get going. While I mentioned difficulty issues to ZoleS, I must have put more stress on it and I must have told him that the difficulty issue was one of big reasons (probably the biggest) why I didn't muster enough willpower to deliver on my promise. If I were more straight up with him, perhaps the map would reach everyone in a more balanced shape. For that I say I'm sorry to ZoleS. I didn't act all that well in that case.
However, I think this map has great potential, and I'm happy to see that many people see this as well. ZoleS definitely has talent for map making and is a great fella overall. Quest system may not be for everyone, and may warrant some tweaking, but overall it's something quite unique, and I don't believe it should be completely scrapped out. I'm sure if players aren't forced to complete most quests (like mentioned DD/Drow Queen issue, which I think is just a bug), AI players are significantly boosted and possibly neutrals also boosted across the board outside starting areas (maybe the latter was already addressed), this map would no doubt be great.
If I read it correctly, CoUK has been eventually banned and removed, which is great to hear. Red even without CoUK is unbelievably strong, but I don't see a reason nerf red beyond that. I'd just put in the map description that, that different starting positions offer different degree of challenge, and put red as the easiest. Whoever wants to have it harder shouldn't play necro at all in maps like this, because necro is often just very easy to play.
In regards to AI boost, I'd echo suggestion of @32167. It's a very simple tweak, but it may improve things quite a bit in regards to interaction with other players.
Also thanks to everyone giving constructive feedback. It'll help making this map a treat to play for everyone.
Cheers!
Olexandr (Germany) writes:
10-12-2023 16:45
THanks for your comments - Masters of Degoth
1. There is no doubt the map (landscape) design is great. It was a pleasure to discover the word. Just haven't mentioned it as everybody else has said it already.
2. But the way (player) areas are "protected" with landscape natural borders, tents, and artifacts makes it impossible for someone to win without looking into the map editor (in case computer players are NOT busted and do not visit tests/open borders from their side). I.e. to get into the tan area 2 of 2 avail artifacts on the map were needed, and 1st one was easy to spot, and for 2nd I had to search in the editor.
This is unless computer players are boosted and open tent guards on their own i.e. via @32167 suggestion. Which is already mentioned.
3. quests - there are so many that I had to check in the editor what particular one gives and whether I should bother. It is not convenient to track all of them, but I should admit that info days and 10 gold/info quests somewhat helped - not particularly but at least smth.
3. CoUK is not 100% banned, but it is accessible end-game only, so it has no to limited use only. But even without it for any slow player (who I am) the game lasts for 12+ months which brings all monsters to 4K at some point and each battle gives them back to the red player as 4K skeletons.
4. I would disagree with the TP-related comment - there are few scrolls - so for me it was not an issue.
For me ban of "view world/map/terrain" (or how this spell is in EN) was an issue. The map is huge and a player needs a way to look where is smth.
5. I disliked the idea of late-game granted grail structures - espessially for Tower - it revealed all the whole map which for me is uncomfortable - I could not see what I've discovered and what not yet. Additionally, it made all computer turns slower.
6 "bug" with Drow Queen - I think it works this way - see picture
Olexandr (Germany) writes:
10-12-2023 17:03
forgot to mention - Masters of Degoth
7. "Bonus" Heroes in prisons - they start with 15K points which sets 2ndary skills to random - which I hate.
Author: Olexandr (Germany), 10-12-2023 04:23 Seems like no other way to win but to get DD from quest - Masters of Degoth At a glance, Drow Queen and her hometown location are locked with no way to get here but to do 100500 quests and get DD.
Other than that everything is already said - too many portals/borders locked by artifacts. Too many pointless quests. Boring.
P.S.
Red Necro is overpowered - Vidomina ends a game with 100% overall necro skill and 1+ M skeletons - so it like U have Azure Dragons/Phoenixs and skeletons - and you just go through the map and harvest new soldiers.
Olexandr (Germany) writes:
10-12-2023 04:29
oops - Masters of Degoth
just checked the map in editor - Drow Queen somehow get into 2nd town, so it is actually NOT here hometown
Pavlo (Ukraine) writes:
10-12-2023 12:31
Same - Masters of Degoth
I have got the same issue. Played with red player, and when I got to purple's first town the hero wasn't there and there was no way to get to the yellow water portal. Not sure how the hero gets to that another town, but the map is great overall
Author: ZoleS (Miskolc, Hungary), 08-12-2023 22:12 Creator - Masters of Degoth Hello. Thank you very much for the feedback. I played the game a lot during the Heroes 3 releases. Now Heroes 4..5. :) I found the HotA reel a few years ago, played a bit then, but it's not the same playing alone as it used to be. So I got into map editing instead. So the Heroes 3 rule system is forgotten. :) So thanks for the constructive criticism. I will start making improvements based on the reviews around Christmas.
Author: Gioully (Roma, Italy), 08-12-2023 21:09 Why no TP - Masters of Degoth Just tell me, why the hell every (or almoust every) hota map must have tp blocked!?
Ofcourse, it shouldn't be avaible right avay, but should be possible to get it on early game! Not only after hours of traveling through the map (and after that it really doesn't matter if we get it or not)!
ZoleS (Miskolc, Hungary) writes:
08-12-2023 22:19
Answ - Masters of Degoth
The TP can be obtained on the map. Firstly outside the starting area, in the form of Scroll at Tent 2, and by questing in the Portal cavern. But I'll put the scroll closer to inside the starting area... Thank you.
Gioully (Roma, Italy) writes:
09-12-2023 14:07
Re - Masters of Degoth
This is definitely the most difficult thing, setting the TP so that it is available relatively quickly, but not too quickly.
Sorry, but for me playing XL and larger maps without TP is just a boring waste of time.
You can always set spells on the map and in guilds randomly (whoever gets it has it, whoever doesn't get it has bad luck)
Regards
Author: 32167, 08-12-2023 17:18 drawn very beautifully, but absolutely unplayable - Masters of Degoth The map is drawn very beautifully but now it’s absolutely unplayable…
Gave up playing twice, on the fifth and eighth month. RXD wrote everything in great detail. But I see one more way to solve the problem.
In a period of eight months no one AI player could reach their tent and open their areas. Several players broke through a one-way teleports. But they were so weak that they immediately died fighting monsters on the map. So, I’m suggest two things:
1. put one hero at a distance of two steps from the tent (for all five human possible player). Set a trap-event (for human player only) between the hero and the tent (like in “Flames of war” start). After opening the tent, they can be killed by another event on the way back
2. Add the weekly event ln ALL (AI only) towns. One additional population per week in first month, two in the second, e.t.c.
Thus, the AI players will be quickly released and will be strong enough for a human player/s.
Author: Ja Rite (United States), 08-12-2023 05:57 Like Haven't quit yet... - Masters of Degoth The map concept is fun but inventory is a huge problem and trying to remember which crappy items you need to keep is very very annoying.
I can't sell all the junk because it might be needed for random gates. Twice I've had to turn around my main hero and go back to unload items simply because I couldn't fit anymore stuff and I hadn't found TP.
I'd recommend completely getting rid of all the quest item requirements, make the gates level restricted or cost resources or beating battles.
It could be a fun map, and as others posted massively up the difficulty of your opponents.
Playing as Tan Castle went as Lord Haart wanting money which has been helpful I guess, was planning on switching mains when I freed Sir Mullich but you made the prisoner heroes useless without earth magic or wisdom.
Thanks for making it, I'll write a full review if/when I beat it.
Author: RXD, 08-12-2023 01:22 tedious - Masters of Degoth i played tan castle, with sylvia navigation specialist (thank god for that)
i stopped playing at month 8, taking the P1 and P2 areas
after like 1 hour its getting very, very tedious - just clicking for hours straight, other opponents are just too weak, they cant navigate at all and are not boosted, there is no point in taking most fights, im lvl 48 just by mob exp
have you played it? my estimate was that i end this map around month 23 probably if I kept playing
i also left out of boredom, selling 6 inventories of the same 7 types of artifacts isnt fun really
i think you need to forget this BS questing systems and 5000000 gates, most of the time you dont need any of this - take down most restrictions, boost the AI like 5 times, then its going to be a decent map
I played Secrets of Degoth, i wonder why this map is completely different in style...
thanks for the effort, thanks for uploading, good luck
RXD writes:
08-12-2023 01:27
btw - Masters of Degoth
btw the world design is very, very pretty, map looks like painted, you nailed that completely
Author: Kaspo, 07-12-2023 13:52 Repetitive - Masters of Degoth Thank you for your work, but it's tedious and repetitive, at least for the first few months. Battles with lots of creatures don't add anything, they just unnecessarily lengthen the game. I left him out of boredom on the 4th month.
Author: ZoleS (Miskolc, Hungary), 06-12-2023 19:33 Map Territories - Masters of Degoth Hello. I am looking for Beta Testers for the map. If you have any comments about the map, please either post here or send an email to zolesmaps@gmail.com. Thank you very much.
Also, as a courtesy, I am attaching a mini-map with the areas marked. ;)
Masters of Degoth walkthrough
V098.231230 - III.Last Open Beta
Minor Fix:
Closed Blue Player hero bug
Add Orange Black gate
Pathfinding enabled
Plans:_______________________________________________
V0.99240101-10 - Closed Testing phase
Testing/Improving the Strength of Neutral areas
Testing Boss strengths
V0.99240111-XX - Closed Fixing phase
Final refinements, corrections based on information received
Quests text improvement and expansion
Changing the strength of the start location monster
Check and modify the strength of neutral areas
Increase Hard Places Resource number
Change some Gates?
etc...
V1.0A240XXX - 1.0 Release plan
Check and modify the strength of neutral areas
Check Boss Strengths
Expansion of text sections
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