The TattleMaster/Archives/Issue 13

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This is an archived issue of The TattleMaster.
Issue 12 Issue 13 Issue 14
BattleMaster "Post Mortem"January 31, 2009
The site author of http://buildingbrowsergames.com recently asked Tom to write an article about BattleMaster. Tom agreed, and the resulting article can be read online here. It provides some interesting insights into the development of the game.
--Indirik
War Island Family HomesJanuary 31, 2009
The latest login message:

Sunken Family Homes
The south islands have finally been submerged today. The 43 families which still had their family homes on them are now without a home, but will have it a lot easier to found a new one.

Tom

--Indirik
Big Change for InfiltratorsJanuary 30, 2009
Under the new class/subclass system, infiltrators are no longer "invisible". This means that they will always show up on scout reports and on region details. In addition, their location is always listed on the realm character listing. Instead of being invisible, the infiltration subclass itself is no longer shown on any of the character lists. This means that even though the character has the subclass of "Infiltrator", they will appear on the character list as only "Courtier" or "Warrior". It is possible that high-skilled infiltrators will be able to choose the subclass that is shown on the character listing.

Edit: Warrior/Infiltrators are also able to recruit troops.
--Indirik
Some Exciting ChangesJanuary 26, 2009
Tom recently posted the following message to the Discussion List:

We're doing a number of exciting changes these days to the

BattleMaster code.

One thing you'll like is that we are converting most tables over to client-sortable tables, which means you can sort them quicker and easier. The character, region and realm lists on testing have already been converted. We know that one or two columns (days in realm, for example) do not yet sort properly, but that will be fixed shortly.

All this is part of an effort to make BattleMaster a little more modern. When it was launched, Javascript was optional and very limited. Today, we can do a lot of interesting things with it, while still remaining somewhat backwards-compatible. The new client-sortable tables will show alright on any really old devices without Javascript, it's just the sorting that won't work.

We have more great features in the pipe already.

Tom

--Indirik
New Class System Goes Live on All IslandsJanuary 26, 2009

New Classes System
A major update to both testing and stable has brought the game to the new classes system. The switch should be almost complete now, the only remainder of the old system is the Switch Class page, which will be redone shortly. (ed: This is already done, too.)

This large update had to be applied to stable as well in order to prevent any bugs that might result from code differences. As it's a fairly large update, there are probably a few bugs left. If you spot any, check the Bugtracker, report them if they haven't already, and we will fix them in short time.

Tom

The Change Class page has already been implemented, and is now live on all islands. The system is still not quite done yet, though. There may be some class/subclass combinations that are not possible. There are probably other things that don't quite right, either. Feel free to add any information you have to Talk:New Class System.
Indirik
Some New Class System Changes ActiveJanuary 22, 2009
Tom has posted the following login message:

Class System Changes
Changes to the new classes system are now starting to go live. One change that you will notice is that recruitment limits have already been changed. Especially Courtier class characters (Traders, mostly) will notice changes in their recruitment options.

If the recruitment screen tells you when you're trying to add men to your unit that you have a limit of 0 men, that means your class or subclass could not recruit this type of unit at all, but we didn't want to take away the unit you currently have.

Tom

We've heard reports that Courtiers (formerly known as bureaucrats) can recruit at most 25 men, and cannot recruit cavalry or special forces at all.
Indirik
More Information About Classes and SubclassesJanuary 21, 2009
Some information regarding some of the features/restrictions regarding the class/subclass system has come to light. First, here is the list of main classes:
  • Warrior (old knight)
  • Courtier
  • Priest
  • Adventurer

And here is the list of subclasses:

  • Mentor / Student
  • Diplomat / Ambassador
  • Trader
  • Infiltrator
  • Cavalier
  • Hero

And here are some interesting tidbits that have been gleaned from various sources:

  • Only the "Warrior" class will be able to train their troops.
  • Courtier classes will not be able to recruit cavalry and special forces, and can only recruit small units
  • Some skills are linked to a specific class, and some to a specific subclass
    • Swordfighting is linked to the Warrior class
    • Oratory (Formerly known as Preaching) is linked to the Courtier class
    • Infiltration skill is restricted to the Infiltrator subclass
    • Trading is linked to the Trader subclass
  • The skills you can train are are those linked to either your character's class or subclass. This means that certain class/subclass combinations will not be able to train skills that were considered core skills for certain old-style classes, or may have skills that are not necessarily useful for that class/subclass combination. (At least until the system has been more thoroughly implemented.) For example:
    • Warrior/Infiltrator can train swordfighting
    • Courtier/Infiltrator or Priest/Infiltrator (yes!) can not train swordfighting
    • Courtier/Infiltrators (which all infiltrators currently are) can train Oratory (which they can't really use (so far as we know))
    • A Warrior/Infiltrator can not train Oratory skill
  • Additional abilities may be added to the subclasses in order to make certain combinations possible, such as Priest/Hero, or Priest/Cavalier. This will require some of the existing classes and subclasses to be rethought.
  • The Adventurer class cannot have a subclass
You can read Tom's complete posting to the Discussion List here.
Indirik
New Class System InformationJanuary 10, 2009
Tom posted the following message on the Discussion List regarding the new class system. These options are not yet available in the game, although class/subclasses are listed on your character status page.

New Classes System
We are currently working on a change to the way classes are handled in the game. This change will also pave the way for the diplomats that we talked about, which are required for the better diplomacy system we discussed.

What we are going to do is separate classes into two - a main class and a sub class.

The main class determines your primary "way in life". There are only four main classes:

  • Warrior (old knight)
  • Courtier
  • Priest
  • Adventurer

The "courtier" is new and is a class for all those whose primary focus is not warfare, but peaceful interaction. Those who today play bureaucrats, traders, etc. fall into this class.

The subclass determines your actual day-to-day activities. So while the main class is your broad direction, the subclass is how you implement it. Your tools and methods.

There are eight subclasses at this time.

Having a subclass is OPTIONAL. You do not have to, in fact many players will not.

Adventurers can NOT have a subclass. Warriors, Courtiers and Priests can. All main class/subclass combinations can be mixed freely. Of course, some combinations will be very common (Courtier+Infiltrator), but that makes the uncommon ones just more interesting.

Subclasses are:

  • Mentor / Student
  • Diplomat / Ambassador
  • Trader
  • Infiltrator
  • Cavalier
  • Hero

An Ambassador is simply a Diplomat with official support. Anyone can become a Diplomat, but only the ruler can turn a Diplomat (any Diplomat) into an Ambassador, or an Ambassador into a simple Diplomat again. Only Ambassadors have the abilities associated with treaties as described on the Enhanced Diplomacy page.

Mentors will have to give up their subclass to become a mentor, but they retain their main class, so they are a little less hindered than currently, and there can be Warrior-Mentors, Courtier-Mentors and Priest-Mentors.

The interaction between main- and subclass will be interesting, but I will not yet answer detailed questions, as many details are not yet finalised. But everything should be quite obvious, really.

For example, while all three main classes (adventurers always excluded, remember) can become traders, there will obviously be considerable differences between a Warrior-Trader, a Courtier-Trader and a Priest-Trader. For example, priests can not recruit a unit, courtiers can only recruit small units. But courtiers will have more civil options, some of which allow them to find better trade routes.

It will be a while until the system is completely implemented. Especially Priest-X combinations will not be available for some time until we solved all the trouble that the priests' different travel system could cause (e.g. Priest-Infiltrators moving away immediately after an attack).

Tom

Indirik
Scouting Changes: You Better Hire Some ScoutsJanuary 10, 2009
A new change has gone into effect on the testing islands regarding the scouting system. Trained scouts are now required to scout regions. If you don't have any trained scouts, then you can't scout. You can also only scout as many times as you have trained scouts. Those of you who have been playing for two years or so will remember the different trained and untrained scout reports. It appears that the new systems is trained or none.
Indirik
And You Thought Travel Times Were Long Already...January 10, 2009

Road Quality

On testing, travel times will now take road quality into account and travel in winter will be slowed down.

Tom

Some people are noticing extremely large travel time increases on Dwilight.
Indirik
Preaching Skill RenamedJanuary 9, 2009

Preaching Skill Renamed

The skill "Preaching" has been renamed to "Oratory". Nothing else has changed in how it works, etc.

Tom

Indirik
Character Subclasses Appearing on TestingJanuary 8, 2009
Recently players on the testing islands have noticed the appearance of two new entries on their character statistics page: Main Class and Sub Class. This is almost certainly a first step toward an extensive makeover of the character class system. Some of the combinations that have been seen so far include:
  • Character Class: Hero
  • Main Class: Warrior
  • Sub Class: Hero

  • Character Class: Cavalier
  • Main Class: Warrior
  • Sub Class: Cavalier

  • Character Class: Trader
  • Main Class: Courtier
  • Sub Class: Trader

  • Character Class: Knight
  • Main Class: Warrior
  • Sub Class:
    • (No subclass is given for this class)

  • Character Class: Bureaucrat
  • Main Class: Courtier
  • Sub Class:
    • (No subclass is given for this class)

As of now, you can still only choose your class the same as always. The new information appears to be a display only.
Indirik
Character List Gets a MakeoverJanuary 8, 2009
The island-wide character list on testing islands has gotten a makeover. The new style is the same as that used for the realm list. In addition to a new look, it also displays the character's family name. In a related change, a user's family page now lists the sex of the character next to that character's age.
Indirik
One Less Testing IslandJanuary 8, 2009

Far East moves to stable

The Far East Island has been moved to the stable branch.

This leaves two islands as "testing", namely Beluaterra and Dwilight.

Tom

-- Indirik
New Mentor/Student System on TestingJanuary 8, 2009

New Mentor/Student system

A new mentor/student system has been activated on testing.

The main change is that students and mentors do not have a 1:1 relationship anymore. All mentors of a realm can now teach all students of a realm. When the student concludes his study, he can grant mentor points to all the mentors who have taught him.

Tom

This is a long-anticipated change to the mentoring system. (Although a bit different than was first anticipated.) This new change should allow new players a much greater chance of receiving timely information, and from a much wider pool of knowledge.
-- Indirik
Name Changes AvailableJanuary 8, 2009
If, for some odd reason, you missed all the previous name changes, here's another chance. This is a good opportunity for those of you who didn't plan on going to Dwilight, but found yourself there and would like to stay.

Name changes are available again in the "Politics" tab.

This feature is intended only for those with names that don't qualify for the SMA rules on Dwilight. Only changes away from obviously bad names will be accepted.

Tom

-- Indirik
New Tax System ChangesJanuary 6, 2009
Tom sent the following message to the Discussion List today. It highlights some very important changes to the tax system soon to be in operation on the testing islands.

tax system change
We are currently preparing a minor, but important change to the tax system.

Instead of the lords deciding how much they give to the duchy or realm, and the dukes how much they pass on to the realm, we will now have a consistent "higher-up decides" system. In other words:

  • Lords decide how much taxes the peasants pay to them
  • Dukes decide how much taxes each region pays to the duchy
  • Rulers/Bankers decide how much taxes each duchy and imperial region pays to the realm


In order to allow this to work as simple as possible, duchy/realm shares are now taken from the local tax income before any knights are paid. That allows the banker/duke to set them from 0% to 100% with no regard for the local distribution.

It is a simple change, but we hope that it creates a lot of power-struggles within realms, and makes lords a little more defensive of their deeds. The important benefit this brings is a way to punish people THROUGH THE HIERARCHY.

So if a knight is not behaving well, the duke can punish that knights lord with a higher tax share, possibly causing the lord to pass on the penalty. That's the future - punishment down the hierarchy, everyone is responsible for the people under him, but he can also decide to defend them, if he wishes to.

Yes, that means that banker fines are probably going to go away sooner or later. But first we need to check whether this system works.

Yes, it DOES create enornemous potential for "evilness". Yes, duke X could decide to take most of the taxes away from all his lords. Which, of course, would cause most of his lords to leave the duchy. Yes, some lords may not be able to (not bordering any other duchy), which would force them to do some low-level diplomacy (e.g. convince another lord to switch as well) first. All that is intentional. We WANT to create more strife and a little more hostility within realms.

The changes will go live on testing with the next code update in a few days.

Tom

This is a big change to the system which will require some rethinking in the way realms handle gold up and down the hierarchy.
-- Indirik
"Too Much Peace" Code Active in TestingJanuary 6, 2009

Too Much Peace
New "too much peace" code is active on testing now. Our goal, as always, is to invite you to more war. That means that when your realm is hit by a "too much peace" penalty, drawing back to do region work is the wrong answer and will only make the problem worse. Please keep that in mind.

Tom

At the latest turn change, many realms received an "empty" Too Much Peace message that had only the title and no content. This means that your realm should not have received the notification at all. (See bug note 4592.)
-- Indirik
Fixes LiveJanuary 5, 2009
All fixes completed as of the morning of Jan. 5 have been uploaded to testing.
-- Danaris
January 24, 2009
Bug 4000 When sending messages to "some" nobles of a group, the full names of the first six recipients are displayed on the message composition screen.
January 22, 2009
Bug 4647 Travel should once again consume the correct number of hours.
January 21, 2009
Bug 4633 The target of an Impeachment should now lose their position.
January 21, 2009
Bug 4641 The Realm Food Report should now correctly report previous storage, production, and new storage values.
January 21, 2009
Bug 3826 You can now protest while at or returning from a tournament.
January 21, 2009
Bug 4648 Warrior class characters can train their troops again.
January 21, 2009
Bug 4649 Changing class should no longer cause your unit to be dropped as militia.
January 21, 2009
Bug 4188 Guild grants and fees have been fixed, and have been re-enabled.
January 21, 2009
Bug 1547 The Character Count graph on the Statistics page now works.
January 21, 2009
Bug 4644 It should now be possible for the first candidate in a referendum on Dwilight to withdraw from the referendum.
January 14, 2009
Bug 4611 When changing class, you receive a report of "...your men have also been converted to militia duty due to class restraints..." and your unit is dropped as militia in the current region.
January 14, 2009
Bug 4630 The routefinder should now take road condition and seasons into account when planning routes.
January 12, 2009
Bug 4563 Nobles appointed as region lords will now have their good/bad mark status reset.
January 12, 2009
Bug 4584 Army founders are now able to send messages to the army they sponsor.
January 12, 2009
Bug 3672 The General can now see unit strength, ready status, and army assignment for all nobles in the realm.
January 10, 2009
Bug 4602 4604, 4605, 4606 Several travel-related bug fixes due to the recent travel changes.
January 10, 2009
Bug 4600 Priest should now have access to manage their unique items.
January 10, 2009
Bug 4491 Lords should now receive a special message when they arrive in their region.
January 10, 2009
Bug 4512 Unique items now have a link to the wiki page for the item.
January 10, 2009
Bug 3725 Scouting can now only be done by trained scouts. If you don't have any trained scouts, you will not be able to scout regions.
January 6, 2009
Bug 4592 Inappropriate, empty "Too Much Peace" warnings should no longer appear.
January 6, 2009
Bug 4583 Archers are firing at enemies engaged in close combat, and while they themselves are engaged in close combat with an enemy
January 6, 2009
Bug 4592 Empty "Too Much Peace" warning appears inappropriately. (Fixed)
January 6, 2009
Bug 4590 Marshals and Seconds should once more be able to take command of their armies in battle.
January 2, 2009
Bug 4473 Rulers can now send orders to their Council and Dukes.
January 2, 2009
Bug 4206 Anyone who can send orders to "all of" a particular group should now be able to send orders to "some of" those nobles in the same groups.


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