Okay, so this thread is a little pointless when we're talking about a game as old as MoM. Still, it came to mind and I thought it would be an interesting option.

There should be a setting that limits node and ruin exploration to stacks containing at least one hero. This would prevent or at least slow down some of the semi-exploit early-game node-popping methods like summoning hordes of Hellhounds or Wraiths or whatever. It would make heroes more important, including even the bad ones like The Dwarf.

I'm not saying it should be a strict rule in the game, but it would be fun to be able to play that way.

I always take my heroes on a grand tour of the worlds. For one thing, it's the best way to build up their XP really fast. Well, since you can always do as you choose, I assume you mean a toggle to force the AI to play along.

It would slow down lair exploration, for sure. But you'd lose the ability of your early-game magic or guardian spirit to uncover unguarded lairs, with their free gold and/or mana. And you wouldn't be able to start clearing monster-generating lairs near your cities until you had at least one hero strong enough to help do so. And if that hero got killed in the process, you'd be back to square one.

You also wouldn't see as many heroes helping to guard your opponents' wizard fortresses, since more of them would need to be out and about, exploring. You'd also be less likely to see stacks with two or more heroes in them, since the AI would have a need to divide and conquer.

It's still possible. I don't remember where the link is (it's in one of the other threads on this board) but if you can find it, drop a suggestion to the developer of Insecticide, and see whether something likes that makes it into version 1.40p.

In the meantime, what I like to do in games where I want to try to collect All The Treasure, is set node strength as high as you can, which makes them as tough to crack as possible. Eight sky drakes pretty much requires an army... or at the very least, a Hulk. ;)

It would seriously impede clearing sites since you'd have to not only wait until you have a hero, but you'd have to wait until that hero can survive the battle (especially for sites with ranged defenders). If you have a couple of sites near your capital, you can't stop the close range spawn points for a long time. And if a node happens to be on the only strip of land leading in/out of your peninsula...

It is an interesting idea, but personally, I don't think I'd care for it in practice. Those sites are too important to several aspects of the game, unlike in Warlords 2 and 3.

kyrub.

I would consider suggesting it, but I seriously doubt it's possible to add it to the game. Besides, he's a busy guy with Insecticide and his SMAC patches and all the other stuff he does.

It couldn't hurt to put a bug in his (or her) ear. If it's truly unfeasible, that'd be as far as it went anyway; if not, you just might eventually get your wish.

Kyrub comes and goes, whenever he works up the enthusiasm to make new changes. He's stated that in general he's lost interest in .EXE editing. His last attempt at making v1.4o resulted in unintended bugs and he hasn't been heard from since. He'll be back, but no prediction when.

I get the idea he doesn't particularly care to hear from people who have nothing to offer but complaints and demands. In fact, this whole thread would be about making a new variant or a mod, and his Insecticide patch does nothing but fix the game to how it should have been, or to conform to what the official strategy guide states.

He's posted in the Insecticide thread here in the not-too-distant past.

I never really intended for this idea to be taken seriously except as a thought experiment. I was contemplating the game and I thought it would be a fun way to play for a change. In general I've always wished that exploring ruins had more depth to it.