The Conqueror's Fieldguide to The Groll's Universe - All about his maps and mapmaking - DO Panic!

Topic Subject: The Conqueror's Fieldguide to The Groll's Universe - All about his maps and mapmaking - DO Panic!

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The Groll
Member

posted 08-10-06 03:09 PM EDT (US)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Welcome to the world of "The Groll"~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~The Conqueror's Fieldguide to The Groll's Universe~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

AoW is a part of my life, and I have been making maps for this game since I have discovered this wonderful gem of a game and saw the flat, boring maps that came with it.

There is a lot of potential in this fantastic game, but the maps that came with it seemed to be too easy to me and, quite frankly, boring.
So I wanted to do something about that. Something to keep the fun, to unlock the potential, to make it more interesting to play this brilliant game for much longer.
In other words: create new and better maps for this great game!

I'm not saying that the maps that come with the game are bad. The designers of this game must be fantasic people, but the time for releasing a game is short and they had to finish the maps in a realistic time.

So I started the editor and begun mapmaking. The Editor is the key to the whole game, and even though it has its bugs it is a gem and can keep this wonderful game alive for years. I want to thank TS for this wonderful game and the editor very much.
It drags me far, far away from this world!

My fantasy become a daemon and my mind coalesced with this fantastic tool. Landscapes appear under my fingers and my feet walk in these lands. A new world becomes real! After some hours of work I can imagine it and feel it under my feet!

Now after some years of mapmaking and much positive and negative feedback, many questions about this or that in my maps, I want to give us (me and you) a thread where you can ask me things and give feedback to my maps.
But I don�t want to answer all the questions alone. I want to work with you gals and guys together. I hope that you and other people have fun helping me to answer questions about secrets or errors in my maps. Or give positive or negative feedback and maybe praise me a little ;-)
So let�s talk about questions, hints, errors, criticisms or anything else in "The Conqueror's Fieldguide to Groll's Universe". I have made some maps for AoW I too but I don�t know if anybody still plays AoW I so this thread is dedicated to my AoWSM maps.
There is absolute no money I earn with mapmaking as everyone knows. Mapmaking is only a big fun for me and you should remember that when you post here.

These are my AoW:SM maps:

01. Marlenes Welt - Download it here: Marlenes Welt
02. Marlenes Schatten - Download it here: Marlenes Schatten
03. Marlenes Gnade - Download it here: Marlenes Gnade
04. Secrets of Marlenia - Download it here: Secrets of Marlenia
05. Gates of Elocin - Part I - Download it here: Gates of Elocin - Part I
06. Davids Winter Wonderland - Download it here: Davids Winter Wonderland
07. Fairy Wedding - Once in a Lifetime - Download it here: Fairy Wedding - Once in a Lifetime
08. Marlene�s Laughter - Download it here: Marlene�s Laughter
09. The God�s Arena Of Magic And Power - Download it here: The God�s Arena Of Magic And Power
10. The Wilderness - Download it here: The Wilderness
11. Mia-Mina & The Seadrake - Download it here: Mia-Mina & The Seadrake

These are my Converted AoW I maps. Converted to AoWSM AOW I mod:
1. Kayland - Download it here: Kayland

These are my AoW I maps:

1. Kayland - Download it here: Kayland
2. The Pheonix - Download it here: The Pheonix
3. Search for Excalibur - Download it here: Search for Excalibur
4. Aqua - Download it here: Aqua

Other special things I made for AoWSM:

1. AoWSM Sound Set - Download it here: Listen to the AoW I Music in AoWSM
2. Gentleman Rules and Setup Catalouge - Download it here: Still under construction - Only a first build

Contact: You can send me a private email too but only please if you think it is impossible to find help in this thread.
The_Groll AT gentlemansclub DOT de

Some hints for playing my maps can be found on my little private homepage too.
For example: How to open the "Pharaos Crypt" in
["Secrets of Marlenia")]

I want to thank Heaven Games and especially Mr. Swolte for this little place very much.
I have asked Swolte where to place this thread and he sayed that this is the right place.
Thank you Heaven Games and Swolte!
It�s only one of hundreds of threads, but here you can ask all about "The Groll�s" maps and I can answer an often asked question once so that there will be no need for each of you to ask me again and again via email.

From time to time I will give special hints about my new upcoming map or new updates of my older maps in this "World News"-post. So check in here from time to time.

World news today in the Conqueror's Fieldguide to Groll's Universe
01. Thread opened. Welcome all!
02. For months now I have been working on a new map. Don�t ask me when it will be ready, please. You will see it when it�s done - Mapname is Marlenes Laughter
03. I want to rework and update all my older maps. I know of many bugs with events and other things (aside from ideas how to improve those maps). If you want to help, send me detailed infos about bugs, problems or whatever you think needs to addressed, please.
04. Older Tips for Gates of Elocin Earlier asked questions
05. 12.May 2009: I will release all passwords from all my maps that are still password protected. Secrets of Marlenia v.2i & j: Kay
If someone need other passwords let me know.
06. 12.May 2009: After releaseing my turnament map "The God�s Arena Of Magic And Power" I will release one last map soon. It will be no. 10. 10 Maps are a lot for one man. That is really enought then for a while and I will take a timeout from mapmaking.

07. "Latest News" Map Released. Mia-Mina & The Seadrake. It�s for a very special person.

AoWSM Maps: 1. Marlenes Welt 2. Marlenes Schatten 3. Marlenes Gnade
Up.1.4 Maps: 4. Secrets of Marlenia (UPatch 1.4 Map - update) 5. Gates of Elocin - Part I (Mapmaking Competition - Winning Map) 6. David�s Winter Wonderland 7. Fairy Wedding
8. Marlene�s_Laughter 9. The Gods Arena Of Magic And Power 10. The_Wilderness 11. Kayland (AoW I Mod) 12. Mia-Mina_&_The_Seadrake
11. AoW I Sound Set for AoWSM 12. Gentleman Rules Set
Need Help? The Conqueror's Fieldguide to The Groll's Universe
Proud member of the Upatch 1.4, 1.5 & 1.6 Team

[This message has been edited by The Groll (edited 04-12-2014 @ 02:24 PM).]

Author

Replies:

Luke811
Member

posted 06-21-11 02:56 PM EDT (US) 241 / 262

Yes we played the map together sitting side by side and with some distance, but I think the comming turns need a side by side tactic.

Wow you talk about popping out the UG from north and south??

The only way you can get to the surface by boat is at the magical water fountain in the middle west, not?? And moving much more isn't possible, as you can't go over the waterfall I thought. So don't quite understand what you mean with "from there you can sail the sail"? And what you mean with north and south? Is there another water UG opening, or do you mean the normal UG openings?

They do not spawn? They arrive by boat? Never saw AI using many boats, the heroes must spawn not? Or you've used teleporters that could be an option too.

What tastes like chicken? Precious ? Yes !
Chicken does, but so does turkey. It means they are all
against us, how else would explain such an inconsistency ?
You ,you're against me, at least I know that.
The universe smiles wicked, hungry smile at us, but through bars, mind you.

The Groll
Member

posted 06-22-11 06:57 PM EDT (US) 242 / 262

The only way you can get to the surface by boat is at the magical water fountain in the middle west, not?? And moving much more isn't possible, as you can't go over the waterfall I thought. So don't quite understand what you mean with "from there you can sail the sail"? And what you mean with north and south? Is there another water UG opening, or do you mean the normal UG openings?

You can use the water cave close to the dungeon pirate city to sail with a boat from the dungeon to the surface. After you are on the surface you can sail from this place to the far east with your boats. The waterfall is WATER (only with heavy water curling damage) and water can be used to move ships. Try the waterfall with your ships.

They do not spawn? They arrive by boat? Never saw AI using many boats, the heroes must spawn not? Or you've used teleporters that could be an option too.

Teleporters.

Luke811
Member

posted 06-24-11 04:45 PM EDT (US) 243 / 262

Ah strange.. I tryed it a while ago, very quickly.. I though it would do water damage.. and I though I saw "grass" as discription, but maybe I just saw it totally wrong. Thanks I'll check it out again, knowing I can reach the ocean by this way is nice.. buying ships at the coast seemed a bit far.

Kloesie
Member

posted 08-27-11 06:55 AM EDT (US) 244 / 262

Hallo,

First I want to say that I love your maps.

But I have a problem with Marlenes Laugther. If I save a game after turn 135 I can't load it again. The loading bar fills halfway and then stops. I played the map 3 times and it happend every time.
Can something be done about this.

Kloesie

Albaron
Member

posted 08-28-11 02:34 PM EDT (US) 245 / 262

This is normally the behaviour if you saved the game with different resources and try to start it with correct resources again.

Can that be the fault? Although it is strange if it happens three times on the same turn.

This scenario has more than 5000 events, probably you ran into a mistake among them. It happened to me too.

What wizard did you play?

A Proud Member of the Unofficial Patch Team

[This message has been edited by Albaron (edited 08-28-2011 @ 02:36 PM).]

Fanaprimo
Member

posted 08-28-11 03:51 PM EDT (US) 246 / 262

It will happen when a Reflecting Pool is razed too.

Kloesie
Member

posted 08-29-11 04:10 AM EDT (US) 247 / 262

I played with the Orcs, the Frostlings and the dwarves.

Can you tell me wich rescources you use? I have the upatch1.4 installed but it doesn't appear in the customrescources list.

I haven't razed a reflecting pool for as far as I remember. Mayby one of my oponents did.

Luke811
Member

posted 08-29-11 06:50 AM EDT (US) 248 / 262

A pitty marlenes laughter is just too big, my game also stalled after a few 100 turns.

And yes upatch 1.4 doesn't shows off in the AoW Setup - custom resources, it's the default one. So you done nothing wrong, it's the massive event map itself. Nothing is perfect, although this map comes close.

HellBrick
Member

posted 08-29-11 07:14 AM EDT (US) 249 / 262

A pity Marlene's Laughter is not too big, it's just buggy as hell. You guys should probably organize a demonstration to promote fixing it in Groll's eyes =)

Speaking seriously, send me the buggy save (all ways to contact me are in my profile, pick any one), so I could tell Groll more about the bug and probably fix the save. I collect AoW bugs, and this map is such a precious source of them =)

Author of the post is not responsible for any side effects of reading it, including mental trauma, blown up brains, hurt feelings, law violation, sudden death or understanding what the hell author meant.
---------------
Twitter
MP Evolution 2.0 | Lab break 1.0

[This message has been edited by HellBrick (edited 08-29-2011 @ 07:16 AM).]

The Groll
Member

posted 08-29-11 02:12 PM EDT (US) 250 / 262

Ahhh... �hhh... Hmmm...
Yes, I am guilty.
I need to rework this "masterpiece of bugs", "demonstration of bug" or whatever we want to call it.
I am sorry. I have collected many small errors some bigger errors but what I really want to get are big gamebreaking bugs like the ones HellBrick found.
Example are razed "seeing pools bugs". When I made this map I and maybe all mapmakers did not know this game bug - that breaks the game and makes it corrupt.

Please feel free to pump out the errors or bugs you found.

Right now I will not be able to repair the map. I am very busy but what makes it total impossible, I need a new computer to start this helljob because my computer is to slow to work on this monster.

Swolte
AOWH/AOW2H Seraph

posted 09-07-13 10:04 AM EDT (US) 251 / 262

reopened!

Get the unofficial Patch v1.4. here!
My best AoW-Sm map: Drums of Death (This is the multiplayer version; for single player, or AI use different version)
Other proud AoW-sm maps: The Key of Kharzul, The Fight for Light, Waikiti Island, Goldrush Mountains
My proud AoW2 maps:The River Arne
Coordinator of the v1.4 and v1.5 patchteams, Seraph of AoWHeaven, PBEM Singles Champion 2008

The Groll
Member

posted 09-08-13 04:18 AM EDT (US) 252 / 262

Thank you Swolte

Map: Marlenes Laughter
Question: How to enter Kind Davids dungeon Kingdom:

You can enter the area with one of this rings from the two hexes with this strange looking places beside the signs.

First way:
For the northern/western sign.
You need the Ring "Nicoles Ring der Liebe" located in Nicole Stadt. Then you must bring it to this hex with the stone plate.
Then the wall will open where the two fires are at the wall.

Second way: To do this is to have the Item "Davids Schl�ssel" at the same place/s.

Third way:
You need "Kays Ring der Liebe" at the same place/s.

Fourth way:
You need "Marlenes Ring der Liebe" at the same place/s.

All four rings can be found in the four cities of the beloved family.
This all works for both loacations from the north/west or south/east.

Beware. Read signs! Use the ring to open AND close the walls.
This is the place where no one can ever reach you in this world if you are inside and if you have this rings.

You have to have AND carry the rings, not lay them down at this places. You must carry them.
This goes for all races.

I hope you will now be able to enter this fantastic save area.
If you read and understand all signs in this whole area you will understand why things are as they are.
I know it works because I have tested it during the work when I made the map.

[This message has been edited by The Groll (edited 09-08-2013 @ 04:23 AM).]

Fanaprimo
Member

posted 10-01-13 01:28 PM EDT (US) 253 / 262

Found last week a saved game 4 years old.
The Wilderness (Emperor level) day 60,Remembered that I got stuck, out of money and stormed.Did not know what to do.
Loaded a saved game day 40 and went on.Finished in day 306.
Never found a way to the Greater Demon.100 days were not enough. What did I missed?

Found it! The Hot cave.Moved around it.Never had it in sight.Had seen the Greater Demon, missed that he stood on the cave entrance.Seeing only the half of it's cave, in my view he was standing at the end of the cave and I was looking for a teleporter or something to enter the cave.
BTW, Groll, the tempel of the great Worm is on the wrong location,I suppose it should be right on top of the Worm cave.

[This message has been edited by Fanaprimo (edited 10-02-2013 @ 12:26 PM).]

USer16
Member

posted 03-29-14 12:55 PM EDT (US) 254 / 262

Once again Groll, thank you for you wonderful worlds!

To shorten the waiting of AOW3 I started once again Marlene Laughter. Now with reflecting pools destroy event removed. But I came on some nasty bug - in two turns after my last savegame (about 180 days) it can't save the game at all - 23 842 bytes sized savegames no matter what autosave or manual save I made - the same thing.

And another savegame from my old try it just crash the game on some turn.

I have two questions about it

1. May be there are some hints how to overcome these difficulties and continue playing ?
2. Have anybody ever played Marlene Laughter till the end ?

P.S.: I really do want to play these map, it's the best map I ever saw. %)
P.P.S.: I have both savegames for investigation purpose if needed.

Problem solved - I installed MPE and save game bug disappeared.
Update - Nope. Turn 183 - broken saves again.

[This message has been edited by USer16 (edited 03-30-2014 @ 01:45 AM).]

The Groll
Member

posted 03-30-14 10:37 PM EDT (US) 255 / 262

I am sorry dear USer16 but I can�t help you with this bug.

The game maybe spawned to many independent units and kept them all during the game during to turn 180?
therefore the big save game size?
I don�t know but on day 180 you will have conquered a good part of the world for sure.

MPE can help with many bugs for sure.

I have played the game for many days in some game.
I don�t remember what day it was... in the end.

Nevertheless and sorry for the buggy map I thank you a lot for your kind nice words.
Such acts makes me very happy.
Thank you.

Edit: I just take a look on my last game, playing Hobbits on the ML map. I am on day 138 in a very interesting game.
If you like I could send you this game to continue it for an exchange for your trouble.

[This message has been edited by The Groll (edited 03-30-2014 @ 10:44 PM).]

USer16
Member

posted 03-31-14 01:20 AM EDT (US) 256 / 262

Thank you for your warm answer!

Yes I conquered half of the upper world (and aready finished Hobbits and Elves - spawn of revengers of the race are great!), and 1/3 of underground, though I'm in alliance with shadow world, it's not needed to be conquered.

Thank you for the savegame but sure it's not need of it because the starting story (about of 50 turns) of each race is still the best. So I'll try dwarves this time. I'll try to remove most of the monster respawning cycles in editor, and then retry playing these map hoping I could finish it. )))

PS: as for the savegame size, yes it's about 12mb. I start land converting may be it caused also bigger size of the map or even that savegame bug.

PPS: Some hints for those who don't like the waiting time of the map - If you alt-tab AOW - turns goes much faster (but it's often has some chance of game-crash - so it's also an opportunity to save more often)

[This message has been edited by USer16 (edited 03-31-2014 @ 01:39 AM).]

The Groll
Member

posted 04-12-14 02:16 PM EDT (US) 257 / 262

Map: Secrets of Marlenia
Question: How to enter Pharaos Crypt?

Origianl question was:
How to open Pharaos Crypt link doesnt work.
Can you add the link that work or just tell me how to open Pharaos Crypt.:

Here is the missed image that explains what to do.
The map is old now and I can�t remember it myself but the image explains what you must do and where you must do it.
Follow the numbers and it will explain itself.
You need to grab the item from no. 1 position first.

I hope I was able to help you.

[, (443.33 KB)]

Main post link updated.

[This message has been edited by The Groll (edited 04-12-2014 @ 02:24 PM).]

USer16
Member

posted 04-21-14 11:08 AM EDT (US) 258 / 262

Marlene Laughter.

Now I removed everyturn monster spawn events. The gameplay becomes much more enjoyable, but less thrilly at the start. I used MPE. And during 162 turn it's just dropped out of AOW no matter what. It dropped out during 161 but somehow it's passed that turn.

It was very enjoyable and interesing game - espacially that siege of dark elven sorceress in shadow world. I don't remember such a great stories even in campaign.

And another bug - in midgame most of the gods quest couldn't be finished by fulfilling theirs requirements. After several saves-loads they could be finished, but after one finished quest the bug persisted.

I can give a sovegame for some analisys if needed.

According to the log it's some FX-related bug:

Operating System: Windows 8.1 (6.39600)
DirectX Version: 9.0 (4.09.00.0904)
Desktop Resolution: 1920x1200x32
Physical Memory: 1613 / 4076 MB
Virtual Memory: 1336 / 2047 MB
Winsock 2 Detected: YES

AoWSM Version: 1.30
Resources ID: 0
Display Resolution: 1024x768x16
Display Mode: Full Screen
Pixel Format: 5-6-5
3D Renderer: Hardware
Display Driver: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 760 (nvd3dum.dll)
Driver Version: 0.0.0.0 (4318 / 4487)

Detail Level: High
Cursor Mode: Software
Sound: On
Music: On
DirectSound: On

Map: !Gnome7.asg
Day: 162
Play Mode: Simultaneous
Connection Type: Local
Players: 9
Human Players: 1
Seated Player: 3
Current Player: 2

Combat: None

Application opened at: 8:01:00 PM
Invalid FX - starLposf (IL)
Exception occured during TEventActionTE (8:01:53 PM)
System Time Error - Restart AoW2
Application closed at: 8:01:54 PM (3 errors)

Update: Restarting the map opened and saved in MPE editor showed that the map is incompatible with MPE - same crash with TEventActionTE but on turn 10 with Sedna Icenwind.

[This message has been edited by USer16 (edited 04-22-2014 @ 01:25 PM).]

USer16
Member

posted 04-28-14 04:12 AM EDT (US) 259 / 262

I managed to overcome this bug. I opened the map with cheats, removed fog of war and turned on the observer. and after that reload the savegame - and there were no such a bug. So I've almost finished this great map. I haven't ever played in something this great, with such a detailed story. Someday I'll replay this scenario once again.

The Groll thank you for this map. It's Ultimate Age of Wonders Experience I ever had!

I also came here to ask for a little spoiler. How to kill the Demon Ring, or finish this quest.

The Groll
Member

posted 04-28-14 09:05 AM EDT (US) 260 / 262

Hello USer16

Thank you a lot for your compliments.
I know the map is buggy as hell...
It�s so big and there are som many events and many of them did not work and there are other bugs like event based rebuild pool of seeing what causes a crash too (Use MPE to avoid this bug because Hellbrick fixed it in MPE).

Nevertheless it looks you had great passion with me and my `Hellbaby Map`.
You are also an experienced guy as it seems fixing it all yourself and finding ways to avoid bugs.
Of course not everybody is able to help himself.

I am sorry for making such a buggy map but when build it (it was on a 2,6 Ghz Single Core CPU) I have tested almost all the events in testgames and then it worked in this sandbox games.
Longer event script stories must be tested before one can release such stories ina map and this stuff worked fine while I made the map.

The Groll thank you for this map. It's Ultimate Age of Wonders Experience I ever had!

I bow down for this wonderful compliment.

It�s not that easy to get such compliments today.

Maybe you dare a vote for this Hellbaby on:
http://aow2.heavengames.com/downloads/showfile.php?fileid=965&ci=ad01a8106be463d47e1efe41a0fda0dcYToxOntpOjA7YToyOntpOjA7czoxNDoiU2VhcmNoIFJlc3VsdHMiO2k6MTtzOjM1OiJsaXN0ZXIucGhwP3N0YXJ0PTAmYW1wO3NlYXJjaD1ncm9sbCI7fX0=

I also came here to ask for a little spoiler. How to kill the Demon Ring, or finish this quest.

You ask for killing the Demon hero here?
I don�t remember it all and maybe somebody else can give a better hind but I remember it is possible of course and I tested it ingame with golden and ancient dragon testarmies.
But it is also possible that this hero is vulnerable to only one immunity. Maybe it is poison so you need a poison weapon and strike him down with poison attacks using a superhero yourself. In any cas you can kill him - I know this.
In any case its worth the show if you kill him.

Side note about races:
Every race have its own starting story while there is less individual story during the long game for every race. But this is not needed because the map is full with many quests and stories during the game as you said.
Playing the dwarfes is interesting too but no AI will ever be able to kill you if you develop the dwarfes until a marginally turn, lets say 50 or 70 because then you are save in your earth kingdom. but no good player can ever be killed by the AI anyway if one survive this days in most cases and maps so have fun with the dwarfes.

What I would like to know and hear is:
Has somebody ever played the games in the `gamers paradise` game city casino complex (Las Vegas for AoWSM fans) in the dungeons and did you had fun there?
Are you even addicted to playing the games there and stop playing the normal game during a little time while you play there?
And did you win the jackpot?

It was a great effort to make all this games with scripted events but it also was big fun to create this games with the script system.

[This message has been edited by The Groll (edited 04-28-2014 @ 09:07 AM).]

USer16
Member

posted 04-29-14 02:13 PM EDT (US) 261 / 262

I was a bit frightened to play those games because I thought I could lose some heroes there. And I was a bit busy with Norgkay so I moved further, and I moved around with some units there, but only had Magical Spirit roulette active with him. And of course one of my heroes died in the lava pit %).

I managed to destroy that demon it definetely was worth it )))

The Groll
Member

posted 04-29-14 04:46 PM EDT (US) 262 / 262

Hey thanks a lot for the vote.

Nice you answer my question about the gamers paradise.
You did not need to take good units into this games.
You can play different games there and only in the upper right corner there are games where you can pay with the lives of your men.

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