New features for players:
* Loading for multiplayer. Any save could be used for multiplayer.
* Restart for multiplayer. All clients will restart together.
* Loading from single save.
* Hotseat mixed with network game. Multiple players per client.
* Now connection to server could be cancelled.
* Return to menu on disconnections instead of crashes.
* Restoring of last selected map, save or campaign on next run.
TLDR on important changes in engine code:
* UI: work with server separated from UI
* UI: all explitic blitting replaced with IntObject's
* UI: all new code use smart pointers instead of DISPOSE
* Gameplay always start through lobby controlled by server.
* Threads receiving netpacks now shared for lobby and gameplay.
* Campaigns: heroes for crossover now serialized as JsonNode.
* Universities, Scholars and Witch Huts may offer new skills
* Moved encode/decodeSkill to CSkillHandler
* Refactored CSkill interface and CSkill::LevelInfo image storage
* Legacy game constants renamed to ORIGINAL_XXX_QUANTITY
* Added experimental support for cumulative effects for ENCHANTED bonus
* Updated and fixed SPECIAL_PECULIAR_ENCHANT processing
* Initial implementation of cumulative spell effects.
* Scheme for new spell feature - cumulative bonus.
If running with --spectate/-s CPlayerInterface will appear even without human players.
Following command-line options also available:
--spectate-ignore-hero
--spectate-hero-speed=N
--spectate-battle-speed=N
--spectate-skip-battle
--spectate-skip-battle-result
Boolean options can also be changed in runtime via client console:
set spectate-ignore-hero on / off
Spectator mode also:
- Work with --onlyAI option when starting game or loading saves.
- Allow to use any cheat codes.
- Give recon on towns and heroes.
gosolo: make AI to take over every human player in game. Second command would give control back to CPlayerInterface.
controlai: give control of one or all AI players to CPlayerInterface. Command "controlai orange" turn orange to human player while "controlai" without color specified make all AIs human controlled players.
