[h1]Greetings, your Grace! 👑[/h1] [hr][/hr] While the king's leadership and management skills play a key role in the kingdom's prosperity, its survival remains threatened without the assistance of its Heroes. Unfortunately, as many rulers have found out the hard way, these Heroes, despite their glorious qualities, can also prove to be... rather capricious or driven by lust for gold! Will you be able to bend your subjects to your will and oversee their actions? Will you ensure the well-being and safety of the realm? And finally, will you be able to reach an agreement with the mighty, independent Heroes? Welcome to “Crown of Greed” - an unusual RTS game featuring unparalleled and distinctive management and command systems! However, let us start from the very beginning… [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/41063387/007b2430acda99831c4405eb769bcd428a57edd4.png[/img] [h2]Free will and a deep AI system as the gameplay driving force 🧠[/h2] [hr][/hr] Your tale takes shape in the magical, Slavic-inspired realm of Rodovia, currently tormented by the enigmatic, incredibly intelligent and hellishly sinister dragon. Harnessing the power of dark magic that embraced the nearby barrows, forests, and long-forgotten tombs, life was breathed anew into a myriad of horrifying creatures. Naturally, no ruler can permit their land to be plagued by legions of undead, werewolves, vampires, or giant spiders, and the responsibility to shield your people from inevitable doom falls upon you… and Heroes of the realm. And so, let’s start with one of the most unique features of the “Crown of Greed” project. Other games of this genre allow you to simply select specific units and issue commands with a few clicks of your mouse. And what if... [b]NPCs had their own free will and extensive AI systems[/b]? What if you can't order them to do something, but you have to convince or even bribe them to do it? Due to the optimal balance of authority and the significant independence exhibited by all NPCs, you'll experience the genuine role of a ruler facing real difficulties and engaging challenges. Once you begin one of the selected missions (enhanced with additional procedurally generated elements) and explore the possibilities offered by your main, most important building - the Castle - you will be ready to give your first commands. [h2]Heroes and Contracts 📜[/h2] [hr][/hr] [b]Heroes[/b], an essential element in achieving goals, can be for example induced to perform their tasks through so called [b]Contracts[/b]. However, it is not always as simple as it may seem at first glance. Only an appropriate amount of gold or resources can convince them that it is worth taking the risk of executing such a Contract and putting their lives on the line. Therefore, one of the key skills that you will have to master will be good recognition of their needs - only then will you be able to offer them a deal they will agree to and keep your treasury relatively intact. Make no mistake, Heroes hold a deep fondness for gold, and we will delve into how they make use of it down below. [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/41063387/0ae172f90dca795abcf57368319f30cc01f76058.png[/img] [h2]Subjects and the Castle 🏰[/h2] [hr][/hr] However, powerful Heroes are not your only means of achieving your goals. Your loyal [b]Subjects[/b], who are also endowed with advanced AI, await your [b]Orders[/b]. Such Orders are used to issue tasks to all the player's direct Subjects, who do not require Orders. And so, they will carry out the Orders you approve in the special settlement management system. Being more specific, you can decide on how to collect taxes, prioritize the repair of damaged buildings, guard certain areas by your troops, or issue many, many other commands. As mentioned above, the center of your rule will be the Castle. The Castle panel can be used to manage your lands, construct new buildings, issue Orders and Contracts or conduct numerous research. Moreover, structures are categorized into those you can construct manually and those that are spontaneously erected by your subjects. Buildings that are built by your people, such as farms, bakeries, mills, and agricultural fields are the main sources of coin (via taxes) which then go to the treasury. The higher the tier of your Castle, the more new management options you will unlock! [h2]The Magic System ⚡[/h2] [hr][/hr] The most active manifestation of your will as a King is [b]Magic[/b]. Using specially selected spells, you can influence the very fate of your realm. They can for example directly hurt or weaken your enemies, support Heroes during their missions, or even have a positive effect on the buildings under your control! The Magic system, if properly used, can change the course of events and save your dominion and Subjects from any harm. [h1]The in-game world and its characteristics 🧐[/h1] [hr][/hr] With a grasp of the fundamental mechanics that make “Crown of Greed” unique among other games of this genre, it’s time for a more lore-based, immersive look. As you already know, after starting a new single-player campaign, you are introduced to the current situation of the kingdom that you inherited as your father's only heir. Now the realm has fallen victim to the attack of the malicious and cunning dragon and his dark magic. Using a dedicated campaign map, you will have to choose one of the available missions, each with its own regions and objectives. At this point, it is worth mentioning that each of them is characterized by high replayability through procedurally generated random elements and the option to increase the difficulty level, and thus unlock special badges or increase your high score. [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/41063387/4101df3e0527e280872a8cf1053d8b865f779e84.png[/img] After choosing a mission, your trusted advisor will familiarize you with its goals and tell you what problems plague the selected area. With only your Castle, a handful of subjects and a few basic buildings at your disposal, you will have to expand your settlement and complete the mission objectives. Moreover, some of the missions have their own unique conditions and limitations that force you to try new, different strategies and development directions. Soon after, brave Heroes will appear at your gates, looking for an opportunity to gain fame and glory. How they spend the gold they earn from Contracts is entirely up to them... although as the king, you can influence their decisions. If you remain idle, they will probably drink away their money at a nearby inn or empty their pouches playing dice. On the other hand, there are ways to maximize their utility by providing them with an opportunity to evolve. If you give your Heroes access to appropriate buildings or the means to grow, they will spend their coin on upgrading their equipment, training, or improving their combat abilities! But there’s more. Thanks to your Contracts, Heroes can explore nearby forests, hills and misty swamps in search of powerful artifacts and items that will further enhance their power. It would be a great loss to lose such a great Hero (which can happen quite often!), so remember to always properly estimate Contracts for their power level and capabilities. [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/41063387/b2ef4ac4ad5272926fcac596ab8614776609a428.png[/img] Demonstrating proficiency in command, strategic orders, planning, and settlement development may empower you to safeguard the land and its people from impending destruction. Thanks to a beautifully recreated map and diverse missions, you will visit various corners of your kingdom, each with its own characteristics and problems. We hope that in addition to the unique gameplay, the game will charm you with its attractive, dark graphics and intriguing score. That being said, we can't wait to witness your confrontation with horrifying monsters intent on wiping your empire from the face of the earth. We're eager to see how you handle the management of unpredictable Heroes, Subjects, and other free will endowed NPCs. And finally, we look forward to seeing how you will cope with expanding your cities and whether you can thwart the sinister plans of the deadly dangerous dragon. [h2]Thank you, Rulers![/h2] [hr][/hr] We trust that our introduction to the "Crown of Greed" project has heightened your appetite for an exceptionally immersive adventure in the magical realm inspired by the Slavic mythology. Rest assured, we pledge not to keep you waiting for a long time, and we will soon release additional interesting information and details about the game. Thank you for staying with us, Rulers! Be sure to follow our Social Media channels and Discord server for the most exciting and fresh news. See you soon!