Patch #400025
Greetings Skylords, Skyladies and Skyfolk,
this is a minor update as a follow-up to our previous patch #400024. Many of the changes/fixes in this update are behind-the-scenes, which means that there is not too much to show. Most of our time has been spent on tracking down and trying to solve the issues that are causing unexpected server downtimes. Thank you to everyone who has been understanding of the situation!
General changes
Prevented the player state to automatically change from `Do Not Disturb` (DND) to another state by the game automatically. For example, previously if you had set your state to DND and then started a match, your state would automatically be changed to `Ingame`. This does not happen anymore and if the player now manually sets their state to DND it will remain in that state until the player chooses the `Online` state again.
General fixes
Fixed in-game chat slow-mode also applying to group, team and match channels.
Credit goes to Michal "aRusher" Urbanek for creating this guide at gamepressure.com. After going over it a couple of times, I decided to fix mistakes and extend some paragraphs to provide even more information by including snippets from his Battleforge dictionary and tips section. I believe the below compilation should have a place on the BFR forums as a compendium of how mechanics and the main interface works. Also, to provide an easy to read but useful guide to newcomers, and as a general refresher course for when the game finally re-launches.
Battle interface The framed parts are described below: This panel allows us to group units. We can give orders to particular groups. 1 - selects all the units on the battlefield. You should be careful with this tool because if you order your troops to move, all of them will do so, including those left to guard some place; 2 - a click on a number selects a corresponding group; 3 - a click on a plus symbol creates a new group or joins already existing groups. 1 - Description of current mission objectives (in PvE). In PvP skirmishes the time remaining until the end of the match is displayed here; 2 - the number of unit points you have used (one unit is not equal to one point, the number of points depends on the unit's size) - when you reach the limit of 120 points, you can't summon any more troops, unless you kill some you already own; 3 - Power pool. The number shows how much Power you have which is needed to summon units, create buildings, cast spells or activate abilities. Power Wells supply you with Power but guard them well, because you don't get Power back when your adversary destroys them; 4 - The Void, where 90% of the cost of each card's usage is transferred, when a unit/building/spell is killed/destroyed/cast. From there, gradually, the Power spills to your pool. The number inside the skull indicates the amount of Power in the Void, and the arrow shows how much Power you receive every two seconds; 5 - the number inside the Power Well image tells you how much Power your Power Wells can produce, before they run dry. The arrow shows how much Power the Wells give you every two seconds (one such structure equals one point per two seconds); 6 - the mini-map with marked scenario objectives; 7 - the amount and kind of owned Orbs - in this case the player has two Fire Orbs. Every card requires a specified amount of Orbs of some color. Monuments give you one Orb of a chosen color and can only be built in designated spots on a map. You don't get Power back when your adversary destroys them; 8 - click on this button and on a building to begin its repair. It doesn't require any kind of "builder", but you have to have a unit near the structure to initiate its repair. The same can be achieved by clicking on a building and then on the appearing hammer icon; 9 - messages for other player. After clicking you can choose one of the messages ("Beware!", "Defend this place", "Attack here" etc.), than, you have to click on a place you want to indicate; 10 - takes you to a place indicate in the last message (see above); 11 - double-clicking it kills your selected units; 12 - a picture or portrait of a selected unit with the current attack value and number of hit points (considering all the auras). If the creature is under the effect of spells then it is indicated in the bottom - left corner above the attack value. After a unit is summoned it becomes dazed for 15 seconds: the unit has half of its life points, can't use its special abilities and deals 50% less damage. This only occurs when the unit is summoned far away from an Orb/Power Well. In the bottom left corner of every card or portrait, next to a sword or a bow you will find a letter, which tells the size of an enemy that will be hit for 150% of the base damage. S is for small, M medium, L large, a XL extra large. Also check the size of your own unit (the letter to the left of the Card Life) and try not to send it against enemies with such weapons. If the letter is replaced by a star, the unit doesn't receive a bonus to attack on any kind of unit. Some creatures are able to change their weapon type; 13 - stops the unit; 14 - orders the unit to remain in place (it doesn't attack an enemy if not ordered to); 15 - after clicking on this button and on an enemy you initiate attack. You can achieve the same by right-clicking on an enemy unit. 1 - a card you can play (all the requirements are fulfilled). Numbers in the bottom left corner are the Charges, telling you how many times you can use the card before it becomes unavailable and enters cooldown (the time it takes to charge up again); 2 - a card you can't play because you don't have enough Orbs;
All cards, except spells, can have these four symbols in their descriptions: is a ranged attack, the unit can attack from a distance; means a clickable ability that you have to trigger on an ability symbol, which, most of the times, appears above the unit ; allows to change the card's mode. After the change, depending on the card, it can deal extra damage at the cost of speed, attack only ground/air targets and much more; tells us that the given ability is passive which means that it's active all the time. Some passive abilities work only in an appropriate card mode (look above)
