Eador. Masters of the Broken World

Return of the Astral Level marked a significant update in Year 9 for *Eador: Masters of the Broken World*, as it reintroduced a previously removed feature that expanded gameplay possibilities. Alongside this, players gained new features for shards, allowing for the merging and exploration of personal shards, and a new toolset for scenario creation that empowered players to design custom scenarios.

• New Content: The Return of Astral Level brought back this crucial aspect of gameplay on May 19, 2021. Players could also explore new features for shards and utilize a new toolset for scenario creation, enhancing creative possibilities.
• Gameplay Mechanics: The rewritten astral mechanics improved the core gameplay experience, alongside the ability to fine-tune astral lords, allowing for more strategic depth.
• AI Enhancements: The improved astral level AI enhanced the challenge and engagement in gameplay, making encounters more dynamic.

Tracked sources for Eador. Masters of the Broken World were limited between 2019-04-19 and 2020-04-19, with only 1 verified change captured in this window. The recorded activity centers on Improved Multiplayer Stability and sits between Fixers of the Broken World Mod Released on 2018-11-22 (modding) and Return of Astral Level on 2021-05-19 (new_content), making this a light but still readable period in the game's history.

• Verified activity: 2019-08-30 - Improved Multiplayer Stability: The server stability for multiplayer has been enhanced..
• What stands out: The period is defined more by a small number of isolated updates than by a large roadmap beat or expansion-sized release.
• Before this window: The closest earlier tracked activity was Fixers of the Broken World Mod Released on 2018-11-22 (modding).
• After this window: The next tracked activity was Return of Astral Level on 2021-05-19 (new_content).

Eador. Masters of the Broken World celebrated its 5th anniversary by making the game free to keep until April 22, 2018. Additionally, the game Eador. Imperium launched with a 50% discount, giving players a chance to explore the newer title in the series.

• Free Game Offer: Eador. Masters of the Broken World was available for free from April 19 to April 22, 2018, allowing players to secure a permanent copy.
• DLC Discount: Eador. Imperium launched on April 19, 2018, with a 50% discount, encouraging players to try the latest installment.
• Mod Release: The Fixers of the Broken World Mod released on November 22, 2018, developed by Jagulars, which significantly altered the balance for heroes and some units in the game.

Sandbox Mode launched on May 5, 2017, introducing a new way for players to create their own campaigns with customizable AI behavior and parameters. This update also included a reworked tutorial aimed at improving accessibility and guidance for new players.

• New Content:
  • Sandbox Mode: Players can now design custom campaigns with adjustable AI settings.
• Gameplay Improvements:
  • Reworked Tutorial: A completely new tutorial was implemented to enhance the onboarding experience for newcomers.
  • Fixes for Gameplay Errors: An upcoming patch aimed to address various annoying gameplay issues.

• Multiplayer Enhancements:
  • Multiplayer Functionality Restored: The multiplayer experience received significant fixes to improve stability and address desync issues.
  • New Registration Required for Multiplayer: Players needed to register again using their Steam/GOG key to access multiplayer features.

• Performance and Stability:
  • General Stability Improvements: Enhancements were made to improve the overall stability of the game.
  • Netcode Issues Addressed: Significant improvements were introduced to reduce desync issues in multiplayer.

Eador. Imperium launched on January 27, 2017, marking a significant expansion for *Eador. Masters of the Broken World*. This stand-alone expansion introduced a wealth of new content, including four new heroes, a new winter-themed Shard world, and 15 new units. Players also gained access to a new tactical map, enhancing strategic gameplay.

• New Content: The expansion added:
  • Four new heroes, each offering unique abilities.
  • A new tactical map to strategize battles.
  • A winter-themed Shard world, providing a fresh setting for exploration.
  • Fifteen new units available for players to recruit and deploy.

• UI/UX Improvements: The strategic map interface was enhanced with province names now always displayed, improving navigation and overall user experience.

• Performance Fixes: The April 29, 2016 patch included various stability and interface improvements, addressing gameplay interruptions.

• Discount Promotions: Following the launch of *Eador. Imperium*, various discounts were offered, including a 15% coupon for owners of *Eador. Masters of the Broken World* and a 10% launch discount for the new expansion.

The introduction of the Hero, Units and Items Transfer Feature on June 10, 2015, marked a significant update for Eador. Masters of the Broken World, allowing players to carry over progress between shards. This update was complemented by the addition of an autocombat option for province attacks, streamlining gameplay for those confident in their army's capabilities.

• New Transfer Feature: Players gained the ability to transfer one hero, selected items, and units to the next shard as of June 10, 2015.
• Autocombat Option: The new autocombat feature launched on June 10, 2015, allowing players to skip tactical battle loading.
• Hero Information Window: A new window introduced on April 28, 2015, provided detailed information about heroes prior to hiring.
• Income Generation Tooltip: Added on August 31, 2015, this tooltip enabled players to see how their income was generated in provinces.
• Diagonal Camera Movement: Players could now use the Num-pad for diagonal camera movement on the strategic map, enhancing navigation since April 28, 2015.
• Performance Fixes: A rollback option was made available on July 1, 2015, allowing players to revert to version 1.6.0 to address graphical glitches from the 1.6.1 update.

Sacred Gift DLC launched on April 30, 2014, as a free content update celebrating the one-year anniversary of *Eador: Masters of the Broken World*. This update introduced 17 new units including the Ice Demon and Fire Giant, as well as new multiplayer battle modes. Additionally, the Allied Forces DLC released on June 5, 2014, bringing 14 new units with unique skills and abilities.

• New Units:
  • 17 new units added in the Sacred Gift DLC, including Black Widow and Fire Giant.
  • 14 new units introduced in the Allied Forces DLC, featuring Orc Witchdoctor and Elf Ranger.
• Multiplayer Features:
  • New multiplayer tactical map battles and shard battles enabled, allowing for competitive play online.
  • Random settings generation for custom shard battles added.
• Visual and Gameplay Improvements:
  • A minimap feature was introduced, allowing players to toggle it using F2.
  • Visual informing for province sieges was improved, enhancing player awareness of neutral unit actions.
• Balance Changes:
  • Cavalry guard hiring requirements were adjusted to require the Warriors guild instead of the Barracks.
  • General unit balance adjustments were made to improve gameplay dynamics.
• Linux Support:
  • A long-awaited Linux version was released on June 5, 2014, expanding the game’s accessibility to more players.

The April 14, 2014 update introduced several notable changes, including new icons for province types and additional hero names. Players also received significant gameplay enhancements like the ability to turn units in any direction during tactical battles and the introduction of a Hotseat mode for strategic maps.

• New Content:
  • New icons for province types.
  • Additional set of hero names added.

• Gameplay Enhancements:
  • Units can now be turned in any direction during tactical battles.
  • Customization of difficulty levels for custom games on a shard.
  • Hotseat mode added for strategic maps.

• Balance Changes:
  • Additional damage bonuses were implemented for flanking attacks and attacks from behind in tactical battles.

• AI Improvements:
  • AI-controlled heroes received unique names, enhancing immersion.

• User Interface Updates:
  • A quick access menu was introduced.
  • Ranged attack displays were added for units like devils and catapults.

• Quality of Life Improvements:
  • Savegame file sizes were reduced significantly, making for a smoother experience.

• Localization:
  • Spanish and Italian localizations were added, expanding the game’s accessibility.