New magic item

[zillusion]

Item name:
zillusion's cloak of illusion

level 2 item
Enemies cannot see hero's stack unless they are within 2 squares of hero.
Or (better if possible)
To see hero's stack, enemies must be within their view radius minus 4 (a scout must be next to it, archon/demon within 3 spaces, red dragon within 4 spaces). [This would also increase the value of spending points to increase a hero's viewing range.]


An alternative version (harder to code, but more interesting):
Hero can designate 2 other units that will appear to be that hero. Original hero and those units all appear to be that hero (but only hero has other attributes, such as movement, strength, etc.). When other units are killed, hero can designate a new unit to appear to be his hero.
If this were possible to implement, I'd call it "zillusion's cloak of illusion" and the other one zillusion's cloak of invisibility.

Are these possible Snotlin?

[piranha]

I think a item that would hide the army permanent like that might be too good. I could see this feature as a spell where invested points in the spell could hide the army 1 additional view range but only remain active for as long as the spell is active. It would still help you to pass the defence line of the enemy.

We have a bit of things to do before spells are here but it's planed to add a magic system in a big hero update.

[KGB]

A level 2 item with a 'Conceal' power that reduced enemy view radius by say 2 (or 3) would be very useful. I don't think it would too powerful at all as it would force players use units with higher view radius's and would as Zillusion suggests make view radius more valuable to take. It would also make scout towers more valuable as well.

KGB

[Igor]

Invisibility or a step to it gives additional chance to weak player against strong player. At my look, let skill to rule, we don't need something making units invisible.

[Igor]

One thing is about it, that was in DLR, where some hero can take bonus of invisibility. One way was to find him - to take high level quest ('Hard' class) on such hero, and only if such quest were offered in number of possible quests. Then invisible hero can easy went through front line into opponent's rear and raze everything there. It was some kind of diversion war.
I don't mind to create a new unit with very weak strength, may be strength 2, move 22, view 6, which can downgrade opponent's viewing ability on 2 or even 3 points. But only for this unit itself, not for all stack with such unit.
But I don't think we need something to make invisible hero here. That is why I can't agree with Zillusion's offer.

[Zaque]

As an aside on your second idea, how about just being able to change which hero is shown on the screen. That way if you have a horse lord you could say pick the visual of a ranger to try and get the enemy to either not attack, or attack with the wrong unit types. Wouldn't be as powerful as your suggestion but probably easier to code, and still useful I think.

[Igor]

What about to hide type of hero instead of showing wrong face? Picture will show unknown hero. I wouldn't like to see any cheating in game. Hiding type of units is already in use, if to try to see what kind of unit are 2nd and 3rd in group of 3 enemy's units.

[Zaque]

I don't see what you mean by cheating. Part of the reason to show the "wrong" hero face would be to try and confuse your opponent more. Maybe I should have been more clear, in that when you actually went into battle it would show the correct hero, just not on the main map so you could get the "true" info by scouting what you are attacking, which most people do anyway. If you didn't show the correct hero when attacking then it because more of a question of who knows the game the most so that the "correct" hero could be figured out based upon the win %.

[Igor]

Houh... Not always when you see opponent's hero you attack him. May be you don't plan to do it yet. The offer of wrong hero's face is based on wish to hide hero's type from opponent, right? (if it's not so, it's probably deception) But what stops you now to use fight order to hide your hero by putting a scout as a strongest unit at the last position in stack? This doesn't need something another than already exist. But if it's not enough to hide your hero but necessary to show that you have for example pal. instead of barb., this looks like deception of opponent. As for me, I don't like such combination, fight order looks enough for me to hide information of my heroes.

[KGB]

Invisibility != Undetectable

Many players seem to confuse one with the other. For example:

1) Invisible does not mean you are silent (ie would be easy to hear an army moving about with all it's men, vehicles, mounts etc)
2) Invisible does not mean you don't smell (ever been near a large group of horses or other animals. They stink from a fair distance). I can only imagine a large unwashed army moving around smells even worse.
3) Invisible does not mean you don't leave traces (ie old campfires, trails from hundreds of men walking through grass/forests etc)

Actually an invisible army doesn't make much sense. How would they move around without running into each other (ie how can you find your own soldiers) or avoid getting lost etc. It only makes sense for 1 person.

That's why simply reducing the view radius as a 'Conceal' skill is more realistic. So that they can still be found but you just have to be closer to them because they are experts at concealing themselves.

KGB