Dev Diary: Halloween 2018

[BB_Sious]

More information about the upcoming Halloween event

Dear scaredy-cats,

The waiting is over, a new event is making its way to The Settlers Online! Introducing the Halloween Event 2018, an eerie, ghastly and forbidding event which - contrary to its unwelcome nature - has been long awaited by many of us! Back in August 2018, we published a Sneak Peek, revealing some of its new features: new seasonal adventures, a new general and two new buildings - the Laboratory & Haunted Mansion. Let's get a closer look at what this year's Halloween Event holds for our Community:

EVENT SCHEDULE

Event start: 22nd of October, at 08:00 UTC
Start of removal phase: 12th of November, at 09:00 UTC
Complete deactivation: 17th of November, at 22:59 UTC
Level requirement: 19+

HALLOWEEN 2018 CHANGES

• New Campaign: Can you save the Terrorized Town!?
  
• New General: The Mad Scientist
  
• New Building: The Laboratory
• New Building: Haunted Mansion
• New Seasonal Adventures
• Halloween Exclusive Excelsior Skin

Read more about...

• Pumpkins & Seasonal adventures
• Golems
• Merchant: Specialists
• Merchant: Buildings
• Merchant: Buffs & Items
• Misc. Information
• Removal Phase & Deactivation

Have fun and creepy settling!
BB_Sious

Let the jack-o'-lanterns flicker in the feedback thread.

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• Availability: Only during the Halloween event
• Benefit: You can acquire special items for Pumpkins in the Halloween shop category
• Trade: The Pumpkins are tradable like regular resources
• Removal: Check removal phase details as event resources and Halloween items are available only for a limited time!

You can get the event resource by...

• Unlocking Halloween 2018 Achievements
• Sending Explorers on a Treasure search
• Collecting Pumpkins that spawn on your home island
• Winning rewards for defeating Golems
• Completing Halloween quests
• Producing them with Pumpkin Cemeteries
• Trading with other players
• Item gifts from friends
• Buying Pumpkin packages in the Shop

After reading your further feedback regarding Seasonal Adventures, we'll be making a few changes this year: the adventures below will drop twice the normal amount of resources, refills and now twice the amount of experience points upon completion!⁂

The list of seasonal adventures for Halloween 2018:

• Wild Mary
• Stealing from the Rich
• Victor the Vicious
• Sons of the Veld
• Raiding the Raiders
• Secluded Experiments
• The Dark Brotherhood
• Whirlwind
• Ali Baba and the Treasure of Knowledge
• Ali Baba and the Treasure of Wisdom

This year's Halloween Event will also feature a brand new and exiting Campaign Quest Chain: The Terrorized Town! These short adventures will all feature on the same island - this allows us to fine-tune the balancing for all level ranges; using the Black Knights adventure as a baseline point of reference.

Don't underestimate this challenge: this small island is full of surprises! Not everything will be as it seems: the line between friends and foes will blur - you'll need to keep your wits about you if you wish to uncover the true sinister villains behind the town's woes. Will you heed the call for aid from this small and vulnerable town? Defend its citizens, find the source of these ghastly creatures and put a stop to them!

After all - your ethereal detective skills will be handsomely rewarded with one of our brand new buildings, but more on that further down .

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As we all know, it is customary to animate the tiny "Event Island" located in the centre of the map on certain special events: the 4 Golems are back, alive and kicking! But don't let them kick too much... it is up to you to defeat them once again, no matter if it's a Rock Golem, Greater Golem, Ancient or Supreme Golem. Don't get intimidated by these guys; we've heard they're allergic to certain water buffs you can create in the Provision or Rarity Provision House! Here's how you can defeat them:

Defeat the Rock Golem with Purified Water

If your level is within 19 - 25 range, you will have to defeat the Rock Golem, which will respawn five times, getting more powerful with each respawn. If you don't level-up to 26 in the meantime, the last Rock Golem will keep respawning. Use Purified Water in order to defeat it. The production of Purified Water in the Provision House / Rarity Provision House will cost you 20 Water and 20 Copper ore.

Defeat the Greater Golem with Enriched Water

If your level is within 26 - 40 range, you will have to defeat the Rock Golem five times - careful, they will again get more powerful with each respawn! Only after having defeated it for the fifth time will the next type of Golem show up: the Greater Golem, which also has 5 difficulty levels. If you don't level-up to 41, the Greater Golem will keep respawning. Use Enriched Water in order to defeat it. The production of Enriched Water in the Provision House / Rarity Provision House will cost you 40 Water and 20 Iron ore.

Defeat the Ancient Golem with Holy Water

If your level is within 41- 55 range, you will have to defeat the Rock Golem and the Greater Golem five times. It's getting more and more challenging! Only after having defeated the 5th Greater Golem will the Ancient Golem appear, with 5 difficulty levels. This Golem will keep respawning as well if you don't level-up to 56. Use Holy Water in order to defeat the Ancient Golem. The production of Holy Water in the Provision House / Rarity Provision House will cost you 60 Water and 20 Titanium ore.

Defeat the Supreme Golem with Glistening Water

If your level is 56 or more, you will have to defeat all the previous Golems five times. The Supreme Golem - introduced with last year's Halloween event - will then make its majestic appearance and will keep respawning. Use Glistening Water in order to defeat it. The production of Glistening Water in the Provision House or the Rarity Provision House will cost you 100 Water and 25 Platinum ore.

Overwhelmed?

It takes 16 hours for each Golem to respawn and in the meantime, you can prepare the buffs in order to defeat it. This might get overwhelming, but don't fret, friends are here to help you out! Your friends who are above level 19 can produce any of these buffs and fight the Golem for you. When its HP reaches 0, a button for confirming the Golem's defeat will be enabled. Only you, as the island owner, can press that button and only after pressing it will the Golem disappear. You and your friends can also "overbuff" the Golem with more buffs than it is required, with no further effect.

Below level 19?

Dear TSO novices, here's what you need to do. In order to witness the appearance of the Rock Golem, make sure the middle area of your home island is revealed; put that explorer to work! Remember, you can only see the Rock Golem if you are below level 19, but you cannot fight it, nor can you produce water buffs. We don't want you to miss out on all the fun, so get the game rolling and reach level 19!

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This year's horrific headliner is the brand new Mad Scientist General: a man with a love for brewing up the most terrifying of creations - more often than not resulting in an explosive end! The other three well-known Halloween specialists are also available yet again at the in-game merchant shop. Lord Dracul, a malicious general thirsty for... battle, the Conscientious, tireless Geologist and the sinister Grim Reaper General - don't sell your soul for any of these specialists! Instead, simply purchase them for Pumpkins at the merchant:

Name: Lord Dracul
Description: A General who recovers twice as quickly from defeat and travels twice as quickly to adventures.
He attacks enemies in combats via first strike and deals area of effect damage.
Cost: 2,450 Pumpkins
Limit: 1 (former acquisitions don't count)


Name: Conscientious Geologist
Description: Finds an additional deposit whenever possible.
Cost: 375 Pumpkins
Limit: 1 (former acquisitions don't count)


Name: Grim Reaper General
Description: This is a specialist with the same values as the Battle Hardened General, but a different appearance.
Cost: 1,560 Pumpkins
Limit: 1 (former acquisitions don't count)


Name: Mad Scientist
Description: A General who is "Crazy for Explosions" and gives the Demolition ability to your units, as well as increasing the damage of heavy units.
Cost: 4,999 Pumpkins
Limit: 1

The way we described in the past how different damage modifiers are applied is different than it actually works in the game for this general. To avoid changing the current mechanic and therefore potentially rendering tactical maps, battle calculators etc. wrong under most circumstances, we decided to leave the mechanic untouched and instead explain how it actually works.

In the past, we said that all absolute bonuses are applied before the relative ones. Then the relative bonuses are summed and applied at once instead of one after another. This order is changed. First, the relative bonuses are applied to the base value, and then the absolute bonuses are applied. This leads to a small difference if both absolute and relative modifiers are active. As an example with a 120 damage unit, an absolute +10 damage bonus and two separate 10% damage modifiers:

How it was described:

• (120 + 10) * (1 + 0.1 + 0.1) = 156

How it works now:

• 120 + 10 + (120 * (0.1 + 0.1)) = 154

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The Laboratory

The Laboratory enables various resource conversions and is also rewarded by completing the new campaign quest chain; this reward is unique in that it does not count towards the shop limit of 1 per player. Additional Laboratories will increase the production speed of these conversions.
It costs 3,999 Pumpkins and you cannot trade it or send it as a gift.

The Haunted Mansion

The Haunted Mansion increases your population limit by 145, while also having some other spooky surprises when you interact with it. It's limited to 3 per player.
It costs 2,450 Pumpkins and can be traded, but it's not giftable.

PUMPKIN CEMETERIES

Production: Each Pumpkin cemetery produces event resources (Pumpkins) over time
Limit: 3 per player and version = 9 buildings (former acquisitions don't count)

You can build them on your island: not only do they provide Pumpkins, but they also contribute to the Halloween mood!

The Pumpkin cemeteries can only be refilled with "Pumpkin refillers". If you're wondering how you can get those precious refillers, you should play adventures: not all of them offer Pumpkin refillers, but most of them do. You can find the complete list in the in-game Event window.

There's another thing that can happen to your Pumpkin cemeteries: they can deplete. If that is the case, you can purchase Fertilizer from the in-game merchant to revive them. It costs 75 Pumpkins and it revives the depleted cemetery with 10 Pumpkins. This might look like a bad deal at first, but you will be able to use refillers and buffs again on a restored cemetery.

Small version: Costs 50 stone and 100 pinewood planks
Common version: Costs 150 marble and 200 hardwood planks
Noble version: Costs 10 granite and 25 exotic wood planks

IMPROVED BAKERY

Description: The Improved Bakery produces bread at three times the speed of a normal Bakery
Limit: 2 per player (former acquisitions don't count)
Cost: 1,250 Pumpkins
Trade/Gift: Tradable, not giftable

IMPROVED DEERSTALKER HUT

Description: Produces meat without using a meat deposit, twice as fast than the regular Deerstalker Hut.
Limit: 2 per player (former acquisitions don't count)
Cost: 2,850 Pumpkins
Trade/Gift: Tradable, not giftable

IMPROVED FARM

Description: Produces wheat 3 times as fast as a regular farm
Limit: 3 per player (former acquisitions don't count)
Cost: 700 Pumpkins
Trade/Gift: Tradable, not giftable

THE VILLAGE SCHOOL

Description: Speeds up the process of getting new settlers in your village.
Limit: 3 per player (former acquisitions don't count)
Costs: 600 Pumpkins
Trade/Gift: Not tradable, not giftable

SILO

Description: Replenishes wheat fields over time.
Limit: 3 per player (former acquisitions don't count)
Cost: 600 Pumpkins
Trade/Gift: Tradable, not giftable

IMPROVED STOREHOUSE

Description: Another type of Storehouse that provides 3 times more space for resources than a standard one.
Limit: 3 per player (former acquisitions don't count)
Cost: 600 Pumpkins
Trade/Gift: Tradable, not giftable

FISH FARM

Description: A scientific state-of-the-art fish farm: it doesn't require a deposit to produce fresh fish.
Limit: 3 per player (former acquisitions don't count)
Cost: 700 Pumpkins
Trade/Gift: Tradable, not giftable

DECORATIVE PUMPKIN CEMETERY

Decorative building: Have a Pumpkin Cemetery on your Island all year!
Description: Spook your island's visitors and be in a Halloween mood.
Cost: 325 Pumpkins
Limit: None, transferred to Star Menu when demolished
Trade/Gift: Tradable, Giftable

MINIATURE GOLEM STATUE

Decorative building: Have a golden Golem on your Island
Description: A shiny golden Golem
Cost: 375 Pumpkins
Limit: None, transferred to Star Menu when demolished
Trade/Gift: Tradable, Giftable

DECORATIONS

Description: Increase your island's spookiness and help get everyone in the Halloween mood.
Limit: unlimited
Cost: It varies, check the Halloween shop
Trade/Gift: All of them are tradable and giftable

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Now it's time to introduce some of the buffs available during the Halloween Event! There will be old content available, that we're all familiar with from the previous years, but also a new buff: the Witches' Familiars! This buff increases the output of all Epic Workyards on your home-island! We've also got another surprise:


The Halloween Excelsior Skin

New to this year's event is an exclusive Halloween themed skin for the Excelsior. Don your floating ship with pumpkins and cobwebs to take part in this ethereal celebration.
It costs 50 Pumpkins for a temporary 5-day buff, or 995 Pumpkins if you'd prefer to have it look that way permanently! Both versions are tradable and giftable.

Name: Witches' Familiars
Type: Zone-wide Buff
Cost: 325 Pumpkins
Effect: +100% output on Epic Workyards for 8 hours



Name: Platinum Horseshoes Recipe
Type: Recipe for the Rarity Provision house
Cost: 825 Pumpkins
Effect: Increases movement speed of generals in the zone by 20%.



Name: iGor
Type: Buff
Cost: 56 Pumpkins
Effect: +200% recruitment speed on Barracks or Elite Barracks for 6 hours


Name: Zombie Bite
Type: Zone-wide buff (wildlife)
Cost: 45 Pumpkins
Description: Be careful with this! One mishap may turn dozens of your settlers into zombies.


Name: Ouija board
Type: Zone-wide buff (wildlife)
Cost: 45 Pumpkins
Description: Legend has it, this board can be used to talk with the spirits, and bring them to where you are...


Name: Bucket of candy
Type: Zone-wide buff (production)
Cost: 125 Pumpkins
Description: Zone Effect +100% output on Smelters (Bronze, Iron, Steel, Gold, Titanium, Platinum) for 24 hours


Name: The Headless Horseman
Type: Buff
Cost: 45 Pumpkins
Description: +300% output on Stables or Elite Stables for 24 hours


Name: Efficient traps
Type: Recipe for the Rarity Provision house
Cost: 560 Pumpkins
Description: Buff area Effect: +200% output on the Hunter, Deerstalker Hut, Improved Deerstalker Hut
for 12 hours on a 2 squares radius


Name: Fertilizer I-III (3 single items)
Type: Buff + Refiller
Cost: 75 Pumpkins
Description: Revives and refills a dried up Small, Common or Noble Pumpkin Cemetery with 10 Pumpkins


Name: Nash Williams
Type: Buff
Cost: 48 Pumpkins
Effect: Use on Barracks and speed up recruiting time x4 for two hours.


Name: Grout (200)
Type: Resource
Cost: 170 Pumpkins
Effect: Ressource that is needed to upgrade buildings to level 6


Name: Omniseeds (250)
Type: Refiller
Cost: 90 Pumpkins
Effect: Refill item: Adds 250 units to any deposit (except gem pits)


Name: Trick
Where: It can be produced in the Provision house and applied on a friend's building
Cost: 50 simple paper and 50 fish
Effect: The affected building cannot be buffed as long as Trick is in effect.


Name: Treat
Where: It can be produced in the Provision house
Cost: 200 water and 50 pinewood planks
Effect: It removes the Trick effect from a building. It also buffs the targeted building (+300% production for 2 hours).


Name: Banshee's Scream
Where: It can be produced in the Mayor's House (with collectibles)
Cost: 10 Scarecrows, 5 Banners and 1 Leather
Effect: +200% output to a Pumpkin Cemetery for 6 hours.


Name: Werewolf's Howl
Where: It can be produced in the Mayor's House (with collectables)
Cost: 20 Barrels, 10 Grain Sacks and 2 Leather
Effect: +300% output to a Pumpkin Cemetery for 6 hours.


Name: Zombie
Type: Buff
Cost: 96 Pumpkins
Effect: +300% to the production of a workyard. The effect lasts for 12 hours.


Name: Mr. Myers
Type: Buff
Cost: 24 Pumpkins
Effect: +300% to the recruitment time of Barracks. The effect lasts for 1 hour.


Name: Frank and Stein
Type: Refiller
Cost: 90 Pumpkins
Effect: Refills the Marble deposit. Amount: 1000 units.


Name: Sandman's Powder
Type: Zone-wide buff (optical)
Cost: 50 Pumpkins
Effect: Turns day into night on the home island. Lasts for 7 days.


Name: Halloween Surprise Box
Type: Surprise Box
Cost: 195 gems
Description: Provides one of 12 adventures that grants the chance to gain Pumpkins refillers.

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• HALLOWEEN 2018 ACHIEVEMENTS
  All of last year's achievements return, all of them rewarding Pumpkins.

• COLLECTIBLE PUMPKINS
  Pumpkin collectables will be guaranteed to spawn. Each time you click on a Pumpkin collectable, one Pumpkin will be added to your warehouse.

• Ghosts and Zombies
  Where have all the animals gone? Oh right, the zombies got them! Zombies and Ghosts will replace the wildlife on your island. It seems they learned to coexist in... creepy harmony?

GRAPHICS AND SOUND

• Info Screen & Widget
  The event info window will show you the remaining time of the Halloween event. Also, the info widget is displayed on the left side.
  
  
  

• Spooky background music
  For the duration of the event, the in-game background music will be changed to different tracks.

• Modification of several graphics
  Several graphics will be modified, for example, the logo and the loading screen.

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WHAT HAPPENS IN THE REMOVAL PHASE?
12th of November, at 09:00 UTC

• The core mechanisms of the event will be turned off, but the event shop category will remain until Deactivation.

• All quests, achievements and event-related collectables will be deactivated. The ongoing quests will be cancelled.

• Event Adventures will be cancelled and cannot be started anymore.

• Explorers will bring Pumpkins if they were sent before the Removal phase kicked in. New explorer searches will not bring any event currency.

• Golem respawns will be removed. Already spawned Golems can still be defeated, but there will be no reward for defeating them since the quests will have been cancelled at that point.

• The Pumpkin refillers reward from adventures will be deactivated and the Seasonal adventures will return to their normal rewards.

• The creation of "Banshee's Scream", "Werewolf's Howl" and anti-Golem buffs are related to the Halloween event. Therefore this option will be turned off. If you started to produce an event item shortly before the Removal Phase kicked in, this item will be finished even after the Removal phase. The same goes for completed items: you can still pick them up after Removal phase.

• You can use the Banshee's Scream buff in order to get more Pumpkins before the Removal phase finishes. The buff effect will end and you won't be able to use such buffs anymore after the event deactivation.

• The event-related loading screen will be set to the default loading screen and the event window will be deactivated.

WHAT HAPPENS AFTER THE EVENT DEACTIVATION?
17th of November ~21:59 UTC

• The Halloween shop category will be deactivated. Pumpkins will not be visible anymore in the warehouse. Pumpkin collections will be removed from the Mayor's House.

• New trade offers containing Pumpkins can't be set up anymore.
  Already running trade offers containing Pumpkins will be set to invisible until they expire.

• Pumpkins remaining on each field, no matter if the fields have been built or if they are still in your Star Menu, will be converted to coins, along with all remaining refillers.

• No matter where the Pumpkin originated from (Cemetery, warehouse, mails etc.), you will get 0.5 coins for 1 Pumpkin.

• After Deactivation, the "Trick" and "Treat" buffs created can still be used on your friends' buildings, but you won't be able to create more of them

• Any Event Adventures in the Star Menu will be deleted.

• You can apply the unused Golem buffs on the Mayor's house to get a resource refund.

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Dear settlers,

We'd like to make a clarification on Seasonal Adventures as stated in the Dev Diary:

• We made a mistake - there will not be a 2x XP bonus from Seasonal Adventures and we're sorry if this raised expectations.

Happy Settling,
BB_Sious

[BB_Sious]

Dear settlers,

We'd like to make another clarification on Seasonal Adventures as stated in the Dev Diary:

• Following today's hotfix, Seasonal Adventures will now provide the intended 2x XP bonus. Thank you for your patience and understanding!

Happy Settling,
BB_Sious