FYI, people havent entered the game in the right order, so could be long breaks between turns, but we are in no stress I guess?

Yeah, this is very buggy!

I managed to launch a map, and found an Archon Fortress, curious what it was, and what the reward gives me I open the tome of wonder, bad mistake! Instant crash, so I guess my advise is, do not try the tome of wonders!

We just did a quick test with Marcus and it seems the solution I propose could work.
Here is what we did: I created a PBEM game for 2 players, and selected a pre-made leader with "Surface". He joined and selected "Default" starting layer. I tried to launch, it crashed. He then rejoined with a layer selected, I tried to launch and it worked.

Please let me know when you have rejoined with a layer selected.

I tried to launch and it crashed....
I relaunched AoW3, reset to default the map settings on a new RMG map, and tried to launch again the game, and it crashed again. Tried to generate the map 3 times, 3 times it crashed.
Based on the map generations I tried, it seems that when you select your starting layer (Surface or Underground) instead of leaving it to "Default", it does not crash (so far 3 out of 3 success), whereas if you don't, it crashes (about 9 out of 9 crashes).
So could everyone please log in again to that game and changes his leader to choose a layer?

@Refineus: please do not recreate the SR layer on map 1, we will fix that soon. As you can see here, I asked help to xlnt to reproduce your issue as I'm too busy right now. Once the issue is reproduced, it should be fixable quickly. Meanwhile, the best is probably to work on map 2 if map 1 crashes in the Map Editor (does it?).
If possible, could you please come here: https://www.the-battlefield.c... to discuss with me (there is a small tab with my name for private chat)? As I explained earlier, I can't access Steam on my laptop so it's very complicated to type. I have tons of things to discuss with you, would be much easier here.

Gloweye was replaced with Refineus !

Ok, managed to find the dropbox link in post #269774 but you should know that the direct link doesnt work, it goes to the first page of the thread.

Clicking on that dropbox link leads here:


Not sure if that is different to what I already have.
In the link there is also an "archive", but in that folder there is nothing relevant, I think.


So, Im not sure where to find the 2nd file (if indeed that first file I saw before is not the second).
I will download that first file now and see if I can do my turn in the first test.

Yes, sorry that file was for the test #1 and become outdated after launch of test #2.
The new instructions are there: http://aow.triumph.net/forums... ("== Instructions for the alpha test participants ==")
@Marcus: please first download ONLY the Shadow Realm.taf mod and play your test #1 turn, to make sure everything works there with the update (then you can leave that game, it's finished). Then get the second .taf for this game. Otherwise, it will cause conflicts because we have 2 mods with the same name now. (so one of the mod from test #1 needs to be deleted or ignored)


@xlnt: something specific to test is what is listed here as "Recent fixes, need to be checked" here: http://aow.triumph.net/forums... (please bookmark the post, I'm going to update it regularly with new info)
Also please note what is not yet done is listed in the "To do" section on the Wikia: http://age-of-wonders-3.wikia...

I had bookmarked the link you sent me, but it's not available anymore?
https://www.dropbox.com/s/lcubf3nj9cqkkbm/SHADOW%20REALM.taf?dl=0

Please share the new/correct link and I will join asap.

Almost everybody joined, I'm going to launch in about 9 hours, @Marcus and Dr_K: please join.

https://imgur.com/a/UzziK

i will reset to default - i used UG but there was no option for SR too

edit: 
https://imgur.com/a/BUGM1

09:04:22]Couldn't parse decodentabilities@decodence and theme in rmg@charlatan
[09:04:22] desc: http://192.168.0.1:1900/gated... />[09:04:22] st: urn:schemas-upnp-org:device:InternetGatewayDevice:1
[09:04:22]
[09:04:22][ERROR]Couldn't parse decodentabilities@structures in rmg@gloweye


[09:07:44]===============================================================
[09:07:44]Setting random seed 0x6025e3ab
[09:07:44]===============================================================
[09:07:44][ERROR][WORLD_ACTIVATE]Cannot randomize alignment for independent city
[09:07:45][ERROR][WORLD_ACTIVATE]Cannot randomize alignment for independent city
[09:07:45][ERROR][WORLD_ACTIVATE]Cannot randomize alignment for independent city
[09:07:45][ERROR][WORLD_ACTIVATE]Assertion failed: "false" 
[09:07:45]Message: [WORLD_ACTIVATE]Meandor's name be praised! The game just crashed. A mini dump file was created at C:\Users\Admin\Documents\My Games\AoW3\Logs\minidump0218_0904.dmp. Give the .dmp, .pdb and .exe files to the programmers. 
[09:07:45]d:\source.aow.steam\aow\game\source\PC/MainPC.cpp(77): (click to open)

So you have all 4 mods and not other mod running (not balance mod)?

Maybe try to reset the settings to default when you create the new random SP map. Then you need to add back the UG layer (without UG, no SR layer).

i joined the game but i failed to start a single player map - error was in the lines of: map size must be set (in the debug console)

any hints?

Ok, instructions posted: http://aow.triumph.net/forums... ("== Instructions for the alpha test participants ==")
Game hosted!

RedChameleon was replaced with Gloweye !

"It is best if we adopt a systemic method but we do not all have the time or interest to do it. So basically I am counting on you xlnt and Red Chameleon to be more systemic." With Red Chameleon out, all is on you.
So yes, all the others will probably just play the game normally, including me because integrating all the bugs reports and coordinating with the modders is very time-consumming + I need to work on the RMG and it's also very time-consumming.

well necro has no morale and towns/units have some immunities and adding a new race should call for testing this integration

are you guys just intending to play a game?

In regards to "balance", I at least see this as a early indicator on if the classes need some nerf.
I gave a bit of feedback on Necro, and they where very strong. The reanimators wasn't very expensive but easily the best reanimator I ever tried. We didnt get so far in the other game, but it's an early indicator they might need a price boost or a nerf in attack.

Hey there! Gloweye should release the updated RMG mod later today. Due to time difference with China, I will be able to host only tomorrow, so see you tomorrow for the details for joining!

@RedChameleon: ok it's a pity you cannot join this time. Take care and see you for next test game!

@xlnt: yes, let's me bring some additional info:
"animations": we don't have the FX yet so no need to test that.
Necro: I'm not sure why you say it's special?
"find integration issues with the rest of the game" and 1vs1 and 2vs2: we're not yet there. It's still early alpha so we do not yet have all the elements to assess balance.
So the most important at this stage is really just to compare what's on the Wikia and what's in game and see what has not been correctly added/modified + provide broad balance feedback.

Hi guys,

I am having problems with playing my turns at the moment. Very sorry about that. But for now not able even continue with the games I have already started. Thought it would be fair to let you know and not keep you waiting, etc. 
Not sure when the real world stuff, which is currently on the way of playing will let me play again. So, please proceed with the game. 
Apologies again. 

great - i believe i understand the requirements now:
 - focus on content integration, trigger all links, animations and skills and try to put all units under all possible conditions. As necro is a bit different - test explicitly necro. Use wiki to log and as a Truth Oracle.

 - find integration issues with the rest of the game, approach should be to start a lot of sessions and try more global spells and abstract stuff that affects all races, terrain combos, spells from specializations, etc.

- last and least: make some games to find out balance issues in 1vs1 and 2vs2