Interesting topic this mod and multiplayer. I remember from other games a nice feature. Every player could play with whatever gui mods he wanted, but only he would see them. The server handled all the mechanics send the data to the other player that could have locally totally different GUI mods.

The problem appears when we are talking about other type of mods that change mechanics/stats…

It might be interesting to apply only common elements changed, disregarding the mod that offered it. For example, players use two different balance mods, which share some settings, other differ in values, the rest don’t cover:
default values: A=100, B=100, C=100, D=100, E=100

1. A=120, B=150, C=70, D=80,
2. A=120, B=130, C=50, E=170
   resulting properties: A=120 (shared), B=130 (the overlapping increase from default 100), C=70 (as default was 100, decrease only that much as both parts agreed), D=100, E=100 (another player didn’t altered this).

This mode creates magnitude of different results, some of them might be de-balanced, so one might consider it somehow ‘random’, so this should be optional. The straight-forward rule ‘enable only common mods’ seems to be the basic settings merge mode, but this requires players cooperation (especially when choosing balance mods, a single player with different version of the same balance mod would disable it entirely). The third option might be to follow specified players settings, transferring all the parameters to other players when needed.

Idea for future:

There is morale bonus/minus, when creatures in army are from different alignment (evil/good/neutral) and different factions (neutral etc).
And there is a creature bonus HATE, that requires other mod in depedences and full list of enemy faction, so two factions that hate each other must be turned on together.

I propose external configuration of factions, that will not require all of them turned on.
Factions there will get some changes in mix/HATE strategy. Other factions not mentioned here will stay as they were.

“factionRelation”
{
“castle”: //faction name
{
“ally” : “rampart”, “tower”],
“enemy” : “inferno”, “necropolis”]
}
So Castle will not loose morale when mixing Rampart, Tower.
When mixed with Inferno units, morale loss will be twice (compared to mix with other evil races).
When fighting Inferno, creatures will get some additional bonus to damage replaced hate.
When some of mentioned factions are not turned on for game, VCMI will just ingnore them.
This can be tuned by some form.
}

H4 is a perfect example of a new version of a game with very good ideas which were awfully implemented.

Just having 4 creature levels an heroes using creature slots destroyed any sense of the castles’ trees.

Another breaking-through idea for future:

to modify ability SHOOTER to make limited shooters:

{“type”:“SHOOTER”,
“subtype”:1, // 0 - regular shooter, 1 - shooter with limited distance
"val":6 //number of hexes for distance
}

It will be very useful, for example, for grenade throwers - to throw grenade to full battlefield is too cheating, but if range is limited, they become second-row defence line.
And for weak shooters. I don’t remember now, but I barely remember, that orcs in HMM2 couldn’t shoot through all field (I may be wrong).

In H2 all flyers can cross all battlefield. Same is for archers/shooters.

Simpler: “distance”:6 // 0 = not limited

Maybe, we could have units with multiple attacks?
Mini-window, or interface-element, where you can choose if unit will strike with melee, ranged attack, granade throw, natural ability applying or spell casting.

Range/melee/spell attack choose is planned, as I was said.

I got a new idea, I think it’s not hard to implement.
Where right-clicking on creatures on map. there is name of creatures and size of stack. I think it will be good to also write here creatures level. There can be a hell of new creatures, so player will be pleased, if he will see level of guards on map.

Why not extend your idea and add an additional level that shows creatures full stats just like in battles.

EG. Click right once opens summary, rClick on icon inside summary => full stats.

Why not subjoin the number of players?

It’s a good idea. But this requires also new dialog window, instead of only adding text to string. You know that multiple upgrades dialog is not yet here, this dialog is also for very distant future, I think.

I throught about another idea for future.
There is a lack of information, when going to town hall tree of dwellings.
It’s only text string like “Barracks allows to recruit Pikemen”.
So it’s needed to buy dwelling and only next see creature stats/abilities.
What if right after building icon place standard box with creature and stats like in dialog of hiring. So player can click creature in icon of building bying dialog, and see, what abilities creature has.
It’s good not only for first times playing new town. But for times when playing with different balance mods.
It is was not available in standard HMM3, so VCMI can advance here.

How about incorporating heroes chronicles in the accepted datasets? I suspect it’s the exact same engine…

Another suggestion to creature configs (mostly for future random map generator):
volatile value, which points that creature will never join hero (aggressive state to max).
There can be made some creatures with very big HP or with very strong abilities. So non-required field like
"neverJoin" : true
will help to keep them only on map.

Two more suggestions:

1. It would nice feature to have possibility of creating hero skill (learnable or permanent) that converts one type of creatures into another (like Gelu or Tarnum);

2. It would interesting feature, if player could make building straight on map. Like digging for grail, but in another manner - first, you make ground clean (one turn - one cell), then you put building on cleared ground, and it’s built in a few (variable) days. Probably, could be done by “builder” hero. But then comes enemy hero and destroys your building…
   Just a suggestion, needs careful designing, and definetely not compatible with classic HoMM, but there is already castle destruction in WoG )

We already have it and it’s used in at least two mods.

And how you want to make player stop from blocking the path with this building?

Don’t understand what building at all?
But I remembered really good idea.
In WOG there is possibility to leave creature stack on map.
I think that idea needed to be continued.
Every hero must have ability to leave creautres on map.

1. first he points where to leave creatures (maybe it’s button near “dig button”).
2. than In “Garrizon” dialogue he selects stacks and move them to first row and presses OK
3. on map appears tent with player colour flag (or just tent with colours of player).
4. if player “attacks” it’s own tent on map, he will open Garrizon dialogue. If he dismisses creatures ot takes them back, tent on map disappears.
5. If enemy attacks tent, he fights stacks, diplomacy cannot help him to join tent forces to his army

PS Tent may be 64X64 size big.

Well, it would block other player also. But this case, destruction of should happen faster then building. For example, it took you 8 days + some resources to build 8 block building. For other player it will require 1 day to destroy this blocking building, to pass through.

Like in Disciples 1-2: first you plant rod with archangel for 150 gold, then comes another player rod planter and removes your rod for no cost. So you have to think carefully, if it worth to put rod or not, especially, if enemy is nearby and he’s ready to devastate.

But ok, it would be nice “simcity/rts” type feature for some mod, but not necessary.