Alliances and Updated Random Map Generator

30 Sep at 14:37 Comment Views: 0

Greetings, Champions!

Autumn has arrived in full force, bringing with it a refreshing wave of updates and our most anticipated patch yet! Join Ana from Heroes Take Turns in our latest broadcast as she breaks down everything included in the Roadmap Patch—featuring Alliances, an Advanced Random Map Generator, and an array of quality-of-life enhancements. Best of all, the patch is available right now!

Let’s dive straight into the core highlights!

Steam Reviews: Your Voice Shapes Our World!

Before we jump into the release notes, we have a quick favor to ask. Please consider dropping us a Steam review! We actively read through your feedback—it remains one of our most valuable tools for understanding your experience and helping fellow adventurers discover Olden Era. If you haven’t shared your thoughts yet, we would truly appreciate your support!

Alliances — Play Together, Conquer Together!

Kicking things off with our most requested feature to date: Alliances! Cooperative and team-based gameplay have officially arrived in Olden Era. You can now join forces with friends and family to dominate maps side by side across both PvE and PvP modes.

This feature took considerable time to develop, requiring profound overhauls to both the user interface and core gameplay systems. We wanted to ensure it felt seamless while incorporating your continuous feedback—including fully integrated simultaneous turns. Say goodbye to waiting on your teammate’s actions; you now play in parallel and push toward glory in real time.

For the first time in the series, you can freely trade resources, request supplies, transfer entire armies between heroes, and pass artifacts back and forth. All of these mechanics are fully compatible with “Remote Footholds” and the “Pocket Dimension” spell.

Furthermore, if even a single member of your alliance fulfills the map’s victory conditions, your entire team achieves victory! As the game evolves, more templates, scenarios, and maps will gain Alliance support, alongside retrofitted classic maps. Expect deeper features down the line based on your ongoing feedback.

Configuring an Alliance Match

To embark on an Alliance adventure with friends—whether cooperating against AI or battling rival teams like 2v2—simply establish a lobby via the Multiplayer menu and send out your invites!

Prefer teaming up with an AI partner against computer opponents? Jump straight into action using Quick Start with one of five brand-new, pre-configured Alliance templates.

Alternatively, fine-tune your parameters through Custom Game by selecting any standard template or diving straight into the “Broken Alliance” scenario.

Advanced Random Map Generator for PvE

Speaking of map creation, let’s explore our next major addition: the Advanced Random Map Generator.

Our map generation technology has been in active development for five years, serving as a foundational pillar of the project. Offering remarkable flexibility and depth, we proudly consider it the most sophisticated random map generator in the franchise’s history.

Since Early Access began, we’ve provided over 50 distinct random map templates tailored to various playstyles. While template-based systems offer endless replayability combined with the predictable balance of preset rules, your feedback highlighted a different desire.

Many casual PvE enthusiasts expressed a preference for absolute unpredictability, noting that the thrill of sudden discovery and chaotic exploration outweighs rigid competitive balance.

To cater to this playstyle, we’ve designed a dedicated, highly customizable generator mode tailored specifically for PvE matches against AI on entirely randomized terrain. Within the Advanced Random Map Generator, you can freely tailor:

Victory conditions
Map dimensions
Free-for-all or Alliance configurations
Resource richness and node density
Command limits for active heroes
Symmetrical versus asymmetrical layouts

Once your parameters are locked in, proceed directly to faction and hero selection to launch your journey! Because these maps bypass traditional template pools, expect unscripted surprises at every turn. Fear not—the classic template system remains fully intact for PvP and players who appreciate structured balance.

Initially rolling out exclusively for PvE within the Quick Start menu, we invite you to test this feature thoroughly and share your insights. Expect expanded settings for this generator in future updates!

Additionally, we’ve enriched template descriptions across both PvE and PvP modes so you always know what challenges lie ahead. Let us know how these clearer overviews improve your game sessions!

Hero Skills Balance Updates

While one division of our team built these monumental features, another focused intensely on numerical refinement, fulfilling our Q3 Roadmap commitments regarding hero skill adjustments.

Key highlights implemented in recent updates include:

Overhauled Necromancy mechanics accompanied by a streamlined, intuitive user interface.
Vital balance passes applied to core Schism and Grove abilities.
Comprehensive rebalancing across general-purpose hero skills.

Catch up on exact patch notes and quantitative alterations via Patch #8 and Patch #11.

Refreshed Save & Load Menus

We listened closely to your critiques regarding the legacy save system. To eliminate clutter and confusion, your saved games are now categorized as follows:

Dedicated Single Player and Multiplayer parent tabs.
Individual save sub-categories generated automatically for each active campaign profile.
Independent file groupings dedicated to individual map and scenario playthroughs.
A distinct category reserved exclusively for puzzle and combat challenges.
Legacy saves predating this patch safely archived within an “Unsorted” directory.

Updated Emoji Wheel & Communication

The tactical communication wheel has received a complete makeover. Expanded options now range from lighthearted greetings to expressions of utter astonishment and battle rage. Emojis can now be deployed dynamically on both the world map and directly inside combat arenas. Let your allies and adversaries know precisely what you think of their tactical genius!

Improved Matchmaking System

Competitive integrity has been enhanced with a fairer rating calibration system, where losses carry heavier penalties at upper tiers compared to lower ranks. Furthermore, rating disparities between opponents now exert a much stronger influence on point gains and losses.

To celebrate these adjustments and clear historical matchmaking friction, we have reset the competitive leaderboards so everyone can vie for the crown anew! Expect further competitive tuning in future roadmap releases.

Looking Ahead: Near-Future Plans

Upcoming PvE Adventures

Following the tremendous reception of the “Broken Alliance” map and “Prisoners” scenario, our design teams are hard at work crafting fresh single-player experiences. Stay tuned for exciting announcements coming this October!

Major Balance Overhaul

A sweeping update is on the horizon, bringing reworks to the Temple faction skill, adjustments to percentage-based damage scaling, and brand-new artifacts and abilities. Prior to its global launch, we will host a public beta branch so you can test these changes alongside our development crew!

New Creatures on the Horizon

Our upcoming balance patch will also introduce fresh combatants to the adventure map. Among them is a majestic, fan-favorite classic creature returning to the series.

Accompanying this veteran warrior is a nimble, mysterious newcomer making its debut in the world of Enroth—a creature widely celebrated across classic fantasy lore!

Step by Step Toward Perfection

As always, our team remains deeply dedicated to honoring every commitment we make. We balance our focus carefully between PvE and PvP communities, ensuring every player finds meaningful updates, even when complex mechanics require extra development time.

With our Q3 objectives successfully fulfilled, production is already underway on late-year roadmap milestones. We’re also training our computer opponents in advanced tactical behaviors to make solo matches sharper than ever. More details are on the way!

Changelog

Version 0.81.02

Bug Fixes

Combat & Creature Mechanics

“Double attack” bonuses now accurately apply to alternative attacks used by Onyx and Jasper Dancers.
Traps now correctly detonate when creature stacks are forcefully displaced onto their coordinates.
Traps positioned within the effective radius of “Overwatch” effects now trigger reliably.
Stepping onto a “Spatial Snare” trap no longer permits a creature stack to continue its turn upon triggering positive Morale.
Applying Speed and Initiative modifiers to summoned units now instantly recalculates turn order sequences properly.
Resolved an edge-case bug where the death of an Energy Phoenix at round-end caused the opening stack of the subsequent round to forfeit its turn.
Fixed dual error states causing combat softlocks after an Energy Phoenix perished during round exhaustion—specifically linked to “Reality Distortion” interactions and simultaneous negative Morale triggers.
“Reality Distortion” now correctly deals calculated damage at the final turn of its active duration.
Healing-prevention mechanics now universally block all forms of health restoration without exception.
The Mist Qilin’s passive protection now correctly shields it from incoming Speed and Initiative reduction effects.
The “Murderous Glee” passive now reliably activates even if the initiating stack eliminated its target via a counter-attack.
“Naira’s Kiss” triggers dependably even when a stack finishes its turn following timer expiration, with damage scaling correctly affected by incoming damage reduction modifiers.
The “Buckler” artifact now properly permits counter-attacks against foes possessing “Swift Strike” traits acquired mid-battle.
Phoenixes resurrected via the “Immortal” passive are restricted from using active abilities prior to fully waking up.
Ranged units operating under “Berserk” statuses behave correctly, creature passives fire accurately, and Iriyads no longer harm themselves.
Abyssal Envoys governed by “Will of the Abyss” no longer claim unintended extra turns upon rolling positive Morale.
Various delayed post-combat triggers now fire correctly after the final enemy unit is defeated.

Creatures

The Infiltrator’s “Sharper Blade” passive now functions as intended.
The Infiltrator’s “Shadowstrike” active ability now correctly bypasses target Defense values.
The Hive Queen’s “Squash the Weak!” passive ability operates properly.

Spells & Skills

The “Sorcery” skill tree now correctly boosts trap efficacy.
“Pocket Dimension” casting is now restricted from targeting unreachable map locations.
Resolved a stat vulnerability bug tied to hero Xirr’s unique tactical specialization.
Scroll-based World Map spells now track remaining charges correctly when transferred between different heroes.

Artifacts

The “Vortex Robe” artifact no longer triggers multiple erroneous procs when processing multi-hit spells.
A dedicated hotkey has been introduced for dismantling unwanted artifacts.

AI & Stability

Battlefield AI no longer bypasses strict operational limits on hero ability casting.
Fixed a persistent softlock occurring when AI attempts to capture neutral towns previously abandoned by departed or defeated players.
Fixed a navigation freeze triggered when an AI hero interacts with a portal destination currently occupied by another unit.
Eliminated rare instances of turn progression freezing immediately following a player defeat.
Resolved a rare exception bug that prevented specific save files from loading successfully.

Major Feature Implementations

Alliance Framework: The Alliance system is fully live, empowering players to unify against common threats. Key attributes include:
- Simultaneous online turns with zero operational friction. Allied players occupying adjacent map nodes maintain independent parallel actions.
- Temporary object and player locking systems to maintain turn safety (e.g., preventing allies from interacting with a hero currently engaged in battle).
- Shared fog of war and visual pathfinding indicators between verified allies.
- Seamless asset sharing via standard exchange menus for troops and artifacts.
- Dedicated resource transfer interfaces accessible through an upgraded player roster panel.
- Remote inventory synchronization via “Remote Footholds” and “Pocket Dimension” mechanics.
- Custom scenario templates custom-built for cooperative Alliance sessions.
Save & Load System Overhaul: The entire save infrastructure and UI have been redesigned from the ground up:
- Campaign runs, scenarios, and custom maps organize saves into dedicated self-contained profiles.
- Advanced sorting filters by timestamp, title, and in-game playtime.
- Direct file loading capabilities directly from the manager window.
- Expanded save metadata displaying minimap snapshots, active hero rosters, and match summaries.
- Clean segmentation between Single Player and Multiplayer archives.
- Filtering tags spanning campaigns, templates, tutorials, and connection protocols (Hotseat/Online).
- Batch deletion capabilities for streamlined cleanups.
Quick Start Redesign: The setup workflow has been vastly streamlined:
- Templates and scenarios now present deeply detailed overview panels.
- Sorting tools and category filters simplify finding ideal map styles.
Fully Procedural Random Map Generator: A new standalone generator builds wholly unique maps from scratch based on custom sliders (available in single-player Quick Start), including options for symmetry, zone richness, team assignments, and win conditions.
Emoji Wheel & Notification System Expansion: Enhanced communication options now span world exploration, garrison towns, and combat skirmishes with custom notification pings integrated directly into the player list.
Ranked Matchmaking Adjustments: Leaderboards have been reset alongside structural improvements including automated anti-cheat filters, standardized 1000-point entry ratings, and a rank-dependent point fluctuation system penalizing losses more heavily at elevated competitive tiers.

Minor Gameplay Adjustments

Preferred combat camera angles are now preserved globally across matches rather than applying from the subsequent battle onward.
Siege-spawned defensive traps receive priority placement logic, preventing overlap destruction.
Maximum health pool increases no longer inadvertently restrict the quantity of Fire Larvae summoned into combat.
The “Emerald Resonance Controller” now protects temporary entity summons against banishment mechanics.
The Temple edict “Sacred Lands” has been converted to “Sacred Protection,” shielding friendly heroes from adverse effects across both adventure maps and combat grids.

Official Community Wiki

Whether you’re a newcomer or a seasoned series veteran, consult the Official Community Wiki to sharpen your strategies! Maintained by dedicated community contributors, it offers exhaustive breakdowns of unit stats, spell progression tiers, and mechanical data. You truly are an incredible community!

Join Our Community

Stay connected, share your triumphs, and chat with developers across Discord, Steam, and Facebook! Don’t forget to drop by the unofficial Community Subreddit to join broader discussions. And of course, keep those reviews coming—they mean the world to our team!

With deep appreciation,
💙 The Unfrozen Team

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