High descent
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
High Descent is a massively multiplayer browser game which was officially launched May 15th, 2001. Players attempt to ascend through the ranks of nobility by hiring mercenaries and battling with other noblemen. The game regularly attracts 3000 players a season, which sometimes last as long as three months.
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[edit] Tiered servers
Since late January 2005, the High Descent servers have been organized into a tier based system. Players must finish a season within the top 50% to access to the next tier level. New players start on either the Wiltshire and Yorkshire server, while experienced players may gain access to the Edinburgh server.
During 2006 a new server was added, called "Perthshire". This is a tier 1 server, like Wiltshire and Yorkshire. The only difference is the length of the seasons.
The Edinburgh server is the test server. All new changes are tested there first. If the change is successful then when each server ends it is updated all at once. This reduces down time. Each server has its own end time different from all the others. So at any given time Wiltshire might be on version 4.4 and Perthshire and Yorkshire might be on 4.3.
You start out with 50 gold, no mercenaries and 5 attacks each day. All these things can be enhanced by applying allocation points, which can be obtained after progressing Nobility Ranks. There is a Town Hall where you interact with other players. The merchant sell mercenaries, armor and weapons.
[edit] Mercenaries.....
| buy level | Ranged | Mounted | Swordman | Staveman | Axeman | Rogue | Knifeman | Whipman |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shortbowman | Page | Guard | Beadsman | Grinder | Brave | Butcher | Dungeon Guard |
| 5 | Compound Bowman | Scout | Footman | Shepherd | Severer | Trogyldyte | Thief | Slave Driver |
| 10 | Longbowman | Squire | Blade Wielder | Sticksmen | Patriot | Amazon | Rebel | Lasher |
| 15 | Arbalest | Cavalier | Duelist | Zealot | Strongman | Fiend | Villain | Stingman |
| 20 | Composite Bowman | Duke | Crusader | Monk | Legionnaire | Berserker | Wanderer | Enforcer |
| 25 | Recurve Bowman | Knight | Blade Dancer | Friar | Patriot | Savage | Outlaw | Chainsman |
| 30 | Crossbowman | Captain | Templar | Sidesmen | Champion | Valkyrie | Spy | Coil Master |
| 35 | Repeating Bowman | Raider | Paladin | Stylite | Halbardier | Barbarian | Assassin | Pit Master |
| 40 | Battle Bowman | Prince | Blade Master | Stick Master | Antipaladin | Viking | Rover | Slayer |
| 45 | Warbowman | King | Lord | Hero | Juggernaught | Gladiator | Agent | Whip Lord |
| 99 | none | none | none | Bing | none | none | none | none |
[edit] Rank
You have your ranks which is by how much your noble is ranked. When you battle you gain nobility points. When you have the amount of points you need, your rank rises and you get 2 allocation points to add to your daily attack, max mercenary (how many mercenaries you can have, mercenary buy level (the ability to buy high levelled strong mercenaries) and your daily salary. In the beginning all upgrades cost 1 allocation point. later on with more pooints allocated the prices for max mercenaries, and Daily battles increaces.
Every 5 levels the picture of your house changes. It slowly gets bigger and bigger.
[edit] Town Hall
This where you can chat with other players.
This is otherwise known as the forum.
[edit] Armory
Where you go to equip your weapons and armor to your mercenaries.
You can only have 15 weapons and armour combined in your armoury at a time.
When equipping armour bear in mind that archers cannot equip shields, and all mercenaries have certain weapons they can equip. For example swordman (guard, footman...) can only equip Knives and Swords. Where as a Stavesman (Beadsman, Shephard...) can equip staffs.
[edit] Battle Grounds
Where you go to attack other player's mercenaries so as to gain gold, nobility points and level up your own mercenaries.
This is the main part of the gain you use your daily attacks here. You chose a Nobleman to attack. Then it displays a screen showing mercenaries names, health, and type (ranged, mounted, melee). there is then a play by play dialogue of the battle. It shows who hits who for how much damage , and how much health they have left. at the end it says either who wins or stalemate. on a stalmate you get half the amount of exp for you and your mercenaries. If any mercenaries gains a level it will tell you. it will also tell you if you gained a Nobility Rank. There are statistics at the bottom. This tells you who did the most damage on different attacks and who killed how many enemies.
When battling it is best to have a combination of mercenaries. Melee mercenaries are good against other melee and ranged mercs. Mounted mercs are good against melee. Ranged mercs are good against other Mounted.
The attack order is as follows: Melee attack melee, then ranged, then mount. Mounted attack mounted, then ranged, then melee. Ranged attack melee, then ranged, then mounted. As you can see, ranged units can and should be protected by mounted and melee units, while they themselves dish out more damage than the enemy can take. This is commonly called the shooting wall strategy, and is the most common strategy played successfully.
When you are attacked it gives you a message that (...) attacked you and got (...) experience.
[edit] Arena
Where you go to train your Mercenariess against beasts or to bet money on jousting matches.
In the Gladiator pit you can pit you Mercenaries against anything from arctic wolves to elephents. There are 12 different monsters. The elephants are the strongest and the wolves the easiest. The strength of the monster being fought is determined by the level of the attacker. You can only put one Mercenary into the Pit at a time. If the mercenary kills the Beast then they gain experience and You gain a small amount of gold.
In the jousting pit you bet on a jousting match. You can decide the odds of one knight winning. They you chose how much gold you want to bet with 5 being the minimum and the max being your level times 5. The farther the odds are in your favor the less money you would win. At odds of 1/10 (you have 1 out of 10 chances) there is a give rate of 5 times your bet amount. If you bet at 5/10 then it is 1.5 times your bet amount. and if you bet at 6/10 it is .4 times your bet amount. if you lose then you just lose your bet amount.
[edit] Blacksmith
Buy weapons or armour from him. You can also get him to increase the strength of your armour and weapons through enhancments
Weapons and Armour is bought by level. When you buy it it will say the level. This is the level your mercenary must be to equip this armour.
[edit] Merchant
You can buy or sell weapons or armour from the merchant too. These are generally at cheaper prices as other players have sold them. You can also find pre-enhanced weapons for higher prices. At the Merchant you can also buy Mercenaries and varied prices and levels. Bear in mind these have be sold by other players with their stats put in.
[edit] Alliance
A team of players joined together to interact and fight against other alliances.
Each Alliance can have 15 members. If you are in an alliance there are alliance battles. In an alliance battle it takes your mercenaries along with your allied Noblemens and battles them against the other alliance. If you are on the wining team you get some experience.
[edit] Museum
Go here to view records of great people such as the strongest mercenaries, strongest noble, fastest mercenaries, players with the most wins, players with the most losses, alliance with most wins, alliance with most losses etc.
[edit] Hall of Justice
If you are suspicious that a certain user is cheating you may file a complaint here. All complaints will be investigated by the Investigative Branch of the Hall of Justice, and if evidence is found a panel of judges will vote on whether or not the accused is guilty of an offence.
[edit] External link
- www.highdescent.com
