README - Wheel of Destiny / Advanced Classes Mod for VCMI
Wheel of Destiny is a gameplay expansion mod for VCMI inspired by advanced class progression, hero specialization, war machines development, hybrid classes, and additional battle abilities.
This is a public test version. The mod is playable and the main systems are working, but balance is not final. Passive abilities, active class skills, cooldowns, values, penalties, requirements, resource costs and Tier effects may still change after player feedback.
Feedback is welcome and needed, especially about balance, class skills, Tier upgrades, war machine effects and overall progression speed.
MAIN FEATURES
- Advanced Class Progression
The mod adds a new Advanced Classes system for heroes.
Heroes can progress through class paths and unlock Tier 1 to Tier 4 upgrades.
The current class progression includes:
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Warrior path
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Mage path
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Adventurer path
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Hybrid class path
Each class path contains multiple upgrade stages. The system is designed so heroes can specialize into different playstyles instead of only using the original hero class identity.
- Pure Classes and Hybrid Classes
The mod supports both pure class progression and hybrid class progression.
Pure class progression focuses on Warrior, Mage or Adventurer development.
Hybrid classes are separate class routes for heroes that combine different playstyles.
A hero should follow either a pure class route or a hybrid route, not both at the same time. Hybrid classes are intended as an alternative path, not an extra layer on top of a completed pure class tree.
- Tier 1 to Tier 4 Class Upgrades
The Advanced Class system uses a Tier structure:
Tier 1:
Base advanced class choice.
Tier 2:
Active class skill / battle ability.
Tier 3:
Stronger passive class upgrade.
Tier 4:
Ultimate class upgrade / powerful class ability.
Tier 1 and Tier 3 are mainly passive bonuses.
Tier 2 and Tier 4 can unlock active class abilities used during battle.
Some abilities are still placeholders or early test versions. Final unique ultimate abilities may be redesigned after feedback.
- Active Class Skill Buttons in Battle
The battle interface now supports custom class ability buttons.
These buttons allow heroes to use class abilities during combat.
Important behaviour:
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Tier 2 active class skill works in battle.
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Tier 4 active/ultimate class skill works in battle.
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Class skill casting does not consume hero mana.
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Cooldown / turn limitation is used as the balancing mechanic instead of mana cost.
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The system is separate from normal spellbook casting.
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Quick Combat / autocombat compatibility has been preserved.
The active class skill system is functional, but final balance and final ability design may still change.
- Passive Class Bonuses
Passive class bonuses are applied to heroes and/or units depending on the class upgrade.
These bonuses are visible in the unit information window.
Some passive bonuses currently use existing VCMI bonus types and existing mechanics.
Future polish may add custom icons/graphics for passive class bonuses so the unit information display looks better.
- Main Class Window UI
The hero window has been expanded with an Advanced Classes interface.
Current UI additions include:
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Advanced class window / class progression display.
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Pure class view.
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Hybrid class view.
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War Machines + Catapult view.
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Tier icons / upgrade nodes.
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Class names and descriptions.
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Right-click information for some skills and effects.
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Confirmation / upgrade logic.
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Reset button for testing class choices.
The UI is still being polished. Some graphics and descriptions may be improved later.
- Reset Button for Testing
A reset button has been added for testing purposes.
It can reset the hero’s class progression choices.
This is mainly intended for testing, debugging and balance checking before final release.
The reset system helps testers try different class paths without starting a new game every time.
- War Machines + Catapult Tree
The mod adds a separate War Machines + Catapult progression tree.
This system is independent from the main class path.
The War Machines + Catapult tree includes development for:
The tree uses upgrades, requirements and resource costs, similar to building upgrades.
The system is intended to make war machines more interesting and more useful during longer games.
- Resource Cost System
War Machines + Catapult upgrades use resource costs.
The upgrade logic checks whether the player has the required resources.
If requirements are met, resources are consumed.
This was added server-side so the upgrade system is not only visual.
This system may also be expanded later to other class upgrades if needed.
- Machine Effects Window
The War Machines system includes an EFFECTS window.
This window allows the player to choose special machine-related effects.
Current supported effect categories:
The EFFECTS window uses custom icons, click areas, selection frame and save logic.
Selections are saved per hero and used by the battle logic where implemented.
- Ballista Effects
Ballista can use selected spell-like shot effects.
Current Ballista effect examples include:
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Magic Arrow Shot
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Slow Shot
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Weakness Shot
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Curse Shot
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Disrupting Ray Shot
The selected Ballista effect can trigger after Ballista attacks.
The activation chance starts low and can increase with later War Machines upgrades.
Balance values may change after testing.
- First Aid Tent / Plague Tent Effects
The Tent branch can trigger selected pulse effects.
Current Tent / Plague Tent effect examples include:
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Bless Pulse
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Shield Pulse
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Stone Skin Pulse
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Precision Pulse
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Fortune Pulse
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Curse Pulse
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Weakness Pulse
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Disrupting Ray Pulse
The normal First Aid Tent healing remains separate.
The Plague Tent concept is intended for undead / necromancer style gameplay, where the tent can become offensive or debuff-based instead of normal healing.
Some values and final behaviour may still change.
- Ammo Cart Modes
Ammo Cart effects are implemented as passive ammunition / supply modes for shooter units.
Current first-version Ammo Cart modes include:
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Piercing Ammunition
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Blessed Ammunition
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Siege Ammunition
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Endless Supplies
These are intentionally simple and stable.
Ammo Cart modes do not turn non-shooters into shooters.
Ammo Cart modes do not add random spell casting.
Ammo Cart modes do not use risky spell-after-attack mechanics.
This was done to keep the system safer for Quick Combat, modded units and general compatibility.
- Catapult / Siege Progression
The Catapult branch is part of the War Machines + Catapult tree.
It is intended to focus on siege warfare, wall damage, tower damage, gate damage and fortification control.
Some Catapult-related mechanics may still be expanded after additional testing and feedback.
Current Catapult upgrades are included in the tree structure, while final special siege behaviour can still be improved later.
- Tier 7 War Machines Protection Concept
The War Machines tree includes a final high-tier protection concept for machines.
The idea is to eventually protect war machines from harmful spells and spell damage, especially global damage spells such as Armageddon.
This is intended as a late-game reward for heavy investment into the War Machines + Catapult system.
Final implementation and balance may still be adjusted.
TECHNICAL / CODE CHANGES
Main code areas changed during development include:
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Hero window UI logic.
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Advanced class window rendering.
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Class progression state handling.
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Tier upgrade confirmation logic.
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Active class skill buttons in battle.
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Battle action processing for class abilities.
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War Machines + Catapult tree UI.
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EFFECTS window logic.
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Machine effect selection and saving.
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Server-side upgrade/resource validation.
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Netpack / visitor support for new actions.
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Callback support for upgrade actions.
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Quick Combat compatibility fixes.
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Debug logs for testing new mechanics.
Important modified source areas include:
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client/windows/CHeroWindow.cpp
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client/battle/BattleWindow.cpp
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server/battles/BattleActionProcessor.cpp
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server/CGameHandler.cpp
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server/CGameHandler.h
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client/CCallback.cpp
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client/CCallback.h
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lib/networkPacks/PacksForServer.h
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lib/networkPacks/NetPackVisitor.h
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lib/networkPacks/NetPacksLib.cpp
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server/NetPacksServer.cpp
The exact file list may differ depending on the development branch and patch version.
CURRENT STATUS
Working systems:
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Advanced Class UI opens correctly.
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Pure class progression works.
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Hybrid class view exists.
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Tier upgrades work.
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Active class buttons work in battle.
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Active class skills do not consume mana.
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Quick Combat issue after active class changes was fixed.
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War Machines + Catapult window works.
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War Machines upgrades work.
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Resource cost / server-side upgrade logic works.
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EFFECTS window selection works.
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Ballista / Tent / Ammo Cart effect selection works.
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Ammo Cart passive modes work.
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Reset button exists for testing.
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Passive bonuses are visible in unit information.
KNOWN TEST VERSION NOTES
This is not a final balance release.
The following may still change:
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Class names
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Class descriptions
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Skill descriptions
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Tier requirements
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Resource costs
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Bonus values
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Cooldowns
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Active class skill effects
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Passive class bonuses
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War Machine effect chances
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Ammo Cart values
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Catapult special mechanics
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Ultimate Tier 4 abilities
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UI graphics and icons
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AI support
AI support is not a priority for this first public test version.
The current priority is player testing, bug reports, balance feedback and suggestions for better class abilities.
FEEDBACK REQUEST
Please test the mod and send feedback about:
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Which classes feel too strong or too weak.
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Which Tier upgrades are useful or useless.
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Which active class skills feel fun.
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Which active class skills feel boring.
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Which passive bonuses need changes.
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Whether cooldowns feel fair.
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Whether War Machines upgrades are worth the cost.
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Whether Ballista / Tent / Ammo Cart effects are too weak or too strong.
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Whether the UI is understandable.
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Any crashes, bugs, missing texts or broken tooltips.
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Any suggestions for better Tier 4 ultimate abilities.
Balance feedback is especially important because most numbers are still temporary.
INSTALLATION
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On VCMI Launcher from folder
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Start a new game for the safest test result.
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Open the hero window and use the Advanced Classes interface.
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Test class progression, battle skills and War Machines upgrades.
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Report bugs and balance feedback.
IMPORTANT
This mod is still in active development.
Some systems are already working, but the final version will depend heavily on testing and community feedback.
Do not treat the current values as final.
The goal is to build a large, fun and replayable advanced progression system for VCMI heroes, with class specialization, hybrid routes, war machine development and more meaningful late-game hero growth.
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