Scenario Review: SoF 8 - The Dragon

Feedback for the mainline campaign Sceptre of Fire (not to be confused with the Heir to the Throne scenario of the same name.)

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taptap
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Re: Scenario Review: SoF 8 - The Dragon

Post by taptap »

(1) What difficulty level and version of Wesnoth have you played the scenario on?

Dwarf Lord (Difficult), 1.9.9

(2) How difficult did you find the scenario? (1-10)

6

(3) How clear did you find the scenario objectives?

Ok.

(4) How clear and interesting did you find the dialog and storyline of the scenario?

Who are these dwarves? (Are these friends of the crazy dwarf lord Thursagan killed earlier?)

(5) What were your major challenges in meeting the objectives of the scenario?

Overcoming the bats in time. Accepting losses (steelclads, lords, stalwarts) and defending against a horde of berserkers. (You may kill one or two, but how badly damaged will you be thereafter?)

(6) How fun do you think the scenario is? (1-10)

7+ (None of the issues others complained about.)

(7) What, if any, are changes you would have made to the scenario to make it more fun?

Better dialog. What is happening exactly? Who are the dwarves?

Defending the final chokepoint was no problem at all - this could have been different if I had lost one more dwarf lord however. The AI didn't dare to attack the two lords in good position with melee (and had not enough berserkers left to do a chain suicide), and against ranged I had time to rotate them with a sentinel and my third remaining lord.

The linear progress of my opponents from level 1 to level 2 to level 3 units, without ever having a more mixed army composition, was astounding too.

Slightly smaller bank account but higher income for the dragon = more continuous reinforcements. Maybe give the dragon some (not 20) other units. There are nice fire elementals or similar units in other campaigns.

(8) Was there any event that caused you to lose the game and forced you to reload or restart the scenario?

Embarassingly yes. Squeezed myself into the tunnel too fast, with nearly no room to maneuver, the dwarves catching up and the wrong units at front to take out bats fast enough.
I am a Saurian Skirmisher: I'm a real pest, especially at night.
Armendariz
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Re: Scenario Review: SoF 8 - The Dragon

Post by Armendariz »

I have a big problem. Everytime I finish the previous scenario and want to play this one, (Version 1.9.9) I only have one character "Augcatil" (dwarf warrior lvl 1, don't know the expression in english ;-). I don't have the heroes of the previous scenario, and I neither can recruit units I levelled in the scenarios before. I got at the end with a few units, until the stone in the end, but of corse I couldn't finish without having Thursagan. What happened? I already tried to repeat from a prior saved game ("the persecution" I think"), but the product was the same.
Can somebody help me?
Valvinar
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Re: Scenario Review: SoF 8 - The Dragon

Post by Valvinar »

Im sorry if this is the wrong place but i think i experienced a bug. I never got any of the dialogue between the beginning and the forge. I watched the dragon die (an extremely lucky berserker got him into the red) and got beat up by dwarves but no dialogue.
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Pewskeepski
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Re: Scenario Review: SoF 8 - The Dragon

Post by Pewskeepski »

(1) What difficulty level and version of Wesnoth have you played the scenario on?
Steelclad (Challenging), 1.10.0 - 240 Starting Gold.

(2) How difficult did you find the scenario? (1-10)
8. Hardest scenario in this campaign so far!

(3) How clear did you find the scenario objectives?
Clear.

(4) How clear and interesting did you find the dialog and storyline of the scenario?
Meh. I never could take talking dragons seriously... I think this game in general should save that for the drakes.

Some talk about who the dwarves are, and why they're in alliance with the elves would be nice to have whether or not Baglur survives this far.

(5) What were your major challenges in meeting the objectives of the scenario?
Berserkers are tough; they were picking off my rear fighters easily. It was a real challenge trying to keep away from them.

(6) How fun do you think the scenario is? (1-10)
6.

(7) What, if any, are changes you would have made to the scenario to make it more fun?
Lower the amount of beserkers.

(8) Was there any event that caused you to lose the game and forced you to reload or restart the scenario?
Loss a couple times due to a berserker attacking Krawg and (naturally) winning.

(9) If you know a bit of the Wesnoth Markup Language - do you think that the WML of this scenario is clear and well commented? If not which part would you like to be documented better?
Maybe a few comments explaining how the turn system at the end works?
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wstrfrg65
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Re: Scenario Review: SoF 8 - The Dragon

Post by wstrfrg65 »

There is a problem with the 1.10.3 version. When you get to The Dragon in SoF you start off as a randomly named dwarf fighter with no other heroes and no recall and so you cannot finish the campaign. Please help!
jtarheel
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Re: Scenario Review: SoF 8 - The Dragon

Post by jtarheel »

wstrfrg65 wrote:There is a problem with the 1.10.3 version. When you get to The Dragon in SoF you start off as a randomly named dwarf fighter with no other heroes and no recall and so you cannot finish the campaign. Please help!
Same problem here.
Mac OS 10.6.8
BoW v. 1.10.3
Forgetful
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Re: Scenario Review: SoF 8 - The Dragon

Post by Forgetful »

wstrfrg65 wrote:There is a problem with the 1.10.3 version. When you get to The Dragon in SoF you start off as a randomly named dwarf fighter with no other heroes and no recall and so you cannot finish the campaign. Please help!
I'm new to the forums, so hi all! :-)
The problem is caused by the victory-event of the previous scenario "Outriding the Outriders". It looks as if the author intended to kill all units you acquire during that scenario but accidently wipes out your whole recall list as well.

Here is a quick and dirty fix which worked for me:
1) Find the file "7_Outriding_the_Outriders.cfg" in the campaign data.
2) Therein, find the victory-event

Code: Select all

    [event]
        name=victory
        (...)
        [kill]
            side=1
        [/kill]
        (...)
    [/event]
3) Change "side=1" to "race=human".
4) Clear the cache (on Mac delete all files in "~/Library/Application Support/Wesnoth_1.10/cache")
5) Replay the scenario 7 ("Outriding the Outriders") from the beginning
6) Enjoy scenario 8 as it should be.

I'm still new to Wesnoth and WML in general, so I'm not sure if steps 4 and 5 are necessary. I'd be glad if someone more WML-savvy could provide a proper fix (I'd prefer killing all player units on the map rather than killing all human units - then we don't run into problems if a later version of this campaign gives you other human units than Alanin). Hope that helps.
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Alarantalara
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Re: Scenario Review: SoF 8 - The Dragon

Post by Alarantalara »

Actually, the problem is caused by the victory event in scenario 6. If you are able to defeat all enemy units (the alternative solution), your forces are not specially stored but instead left on the recall list. Scenario 7 still works normally (since you have no opportunity to recall any units) but the recall list is then cleared, removing all the units and because they weren't stored, it's not possible to bring them back.

So you can avoid the problem without changing anything by not killing one of the leaders in scenario 6 and ending the scenario in a different way.
Curtis
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Re: Scenario Review: SoF 8 - The Dragon

Post by Curtis »

(1) What difficulty level and version of Wesnoth have you played the scenario on? — 1.11.13 Lord (most difficult)
(2) How difficult did you find the scenario? (1-10) — 10 Impossible
(3) How clear did you find the scenario objectives? — The objectives were clear but absolutely unobtainable.
(4) How clear and interesting did you find the dialog and storyline of the scenario? — Meh. Nothing wrong, I suppose.
(5) What were your major challenges in meeting the objectives of the scenario? — I was outnumbered seven to one and wasn't able to make it anywhere near the forge.
(6) How fun do you think the scenario is? (1-10) — 1 Impossible scenarios are not fun.
(7) What, if any, are changes you would have made to the scenario to make it more fun? — Are you kidding? If you deleted the elves and all of the pursuing dwarves except the Berserkers, I still couldn't do this without saving and reloading.
(8) Was there any event that caused you to lose the game and forced you to reload or restart the scenario? — I haven't technically lost yet, but I have no chance and came here to [censored] about it.
(9) If you know a bit of the Wesnoth Markup Language - do you think that the WML of this scenario is clear and well commented? If not which part would you like to be documented better? — I know no WML.

All I've gotten to is the end of turn four. At this point I've seen fourteen Blood Bats (killed five), have five creating a line keeping me from advancing, and there's another line of four directly behind them, so IF I could kill all five in the front rank (I can't, because I can only attack from four spaces), I'd only gain one space this turn. Meanwhile, I'm about to be eaten from the rear by the Berserkers.

There were six Berserkers to start with, and I've killed three so far, but at the cost of a level 2 and level 3 Stalwart. There's practically no one left to take their place — two level 1 scouts and a Griffin Rider are about the size of it, and there's no good defensive terrain for them to occupy.

Let me run down the opposition: In addition to the twenty I mentioned above, coming up my rear are ten level 3 Elves who are so far back they likely won't get engaged. There are also five each Steelclads and Thunder Guards (level 2), and three Dwarvish Lords and two Dragon Guards (level 3). The level 3 Dwarves and the Berserkers were all 5 movement, so they caught up to me in a body.

My force is pitiful by comparison. I had 200 gold with which to work and only seven recallable characters.
Thursagan is nowhere near level 4, and he has one each level 3 and level 2 apprentice Runesmiths (all move 4).
My Lord has maxed out (move 4) and he has two move 5 Lords to back him up.
I had the level 3 loyal Stalwart and two level 2s (all move 4), but the level 2s were killed by the Berserkers last turn. (One of them leveled up to 3 in the process of killing the first Berserker, but he was killed by the third Berserker.)
I have two level 1 Griffins (Krawg and a Rider), who move like molasses in the caves.
And three level 1 Scouts, two of which move 5 and the other 6.

I realize you people aren't responsible for the walkthroughs, but I am flaming mad at the deceptive description of this scenario. The path isn't easy to follow. Because of the shroud, I sent three characters (the fast Scout, a normal Scout and Krawg) into a dead end in the east, from which they are now backtracking and will likely all be killed by Berserkers this turn (turn 5).

The Bats aren't supposed to hit until I arrive in the forging cave, but they appeared as soon as I turned south (turn 3). I haven't even gotten to the flaming chasm yet, though I can see it ahead to the southwest. Contrary to the walkthroughs' "You'll find some level 1s" if you're playing on hard, EVERY Bat is level 1, so you can't move past them, they deal massive damage, and they're hard to hit. Fortunately they're vulnerable to crushing attacks, so the Runesmiths and Lords can do pretty well against them, though I've taken a lot of damage in only two turns. The walkthrough's suggestion to use Scouts (this is why I bought three of them) was worthless.

I won't have to worry about moving past the Dragon, as I'll be dead before I get to the Dragon.

I would've loved to use Lords and Runesmiths on the Berserkers, but I needed them to deal (unsuccessfully) with the Bats. The Stalwarts, Scouts and Griffins aren't very useful against the Bats, so those were what was left to handle the Berserkers. I really thought that the level 2 Stalwart who leveled during the fight would've given a better account of himself, but none of my Stalwarts (or Lords) are Strong, and all of the Berserkers are.

Telling me to find narrow places to defend is all very well, except the pursuing Dwarves captured the last narrow place last turn, and the Bats won't let me advance to another one — if there is one. There aren't any within sight.
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D-Wade
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Re: Scenario Review: SoF 8 - The Dragon

Post by D-Wade »

(1) What difficulty level and version of Wesnoth have you played the scenario on?
1.10.7 - Normal

(2) How difficult did you find the scenario? (1-10)
5 - It seemed a lot more difficult in the beginning. But finally it wasn't very difficult at all.

(3) How clear did you find the scenario objectives?
Clear.

(4) How clear and interesting did you find the dialog and storyline of the scenario?
Somewhat strange. Who exactly are these dwarves and why would they work with the elves (even with some coins it's still very unlikely)?

(5) What were your major challenges in meeting the objectives of the scenario?
I thought that I was pretty screwed as the dwarves and elves appeared with their lvl. 2 and 3 units. But I just ran away and held them at the choke point (the small mountains right in front of the mushrooms). They did not really attack (only about 1 attack per round) and I only lost one Runesmith before the mission finished.

(6) How fun do you think the scenario is? (1-10)
7 - It seems to be a pretty hard challenge but in the end it isn't. That's somewhat relieving.

(7) What, if any, are changes you would have made to the scenario to make it more fun?
Tweak the dialogue and extend it. Why are those dwarves mercenaries and what do they think about the dwarves they are hunting. Maybe they have some inner conflict going on...

(8) Was there any event that caused you to lose the game and forced you to reload or restart the scenario?
No.
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Inky
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Re: Scenario Review: SoF 8 - The Dragon

Post by Inky »

(1) Level and version? Hard (Lord), 1.12.4, 257 starting gold
(2) Difficult? (1-10) 8 - Need a lot of Dwarvish Lords/Runesmiths to place at the rear of your line.
(3) Objectives? Clear.
(4) Dialog? Fine. The non-Krawg dialogue at least.
(5) Challenges? Those annoying berserkers!
(6) Fun? (1-10) 7
(7) Changes? Seems fine as is.
(8) Restarts? One restart to beginning because Krawg died. (Why do I have to drag that weak gryphon around a cave anyway?)

Finished turn 27. Lost an explorer, sentinel, steelclad and fighter (nothing too important)
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sine_nomine
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Re: Scenario Review: SoF 8 - The Dragon

Post by sine_nomine »

(1) What difficulty level and version of Wesnoth have you played the scenario on?
Difficult (Lord), Wesnoth 1.12.4
301 starting gold
(finally used all of it! Note that my starting gold is somewhat low here because I didn't flee in the previous scenario)

(2) How difficult did you find the scenario? (1-10)
3 to run
7 to fight

(3) How clear did you find the scenario objectives?
Well, the proper way to play it is pretty obvious

(4) How clear and interesting did you find the dialog and storyline of the scenario?
Fine (but it doesn't make sense when you kill everything)

(5) What were your major challenges in meeting the objectives of the scenario?
If you are running: nothing really, just hold the line instead of fighting since you might take more damage if multiple enemies suicide attack you.
If you are fighting: I chose to fight slightly east of the starting area. I was able to endure the attacks from a couple berserkers with my dwarf lords but lost a couple units to the following ones, I couldn't retreat further without giving up position (I suppose you could run to the forge area and fight back from there, and that might actually be better due to more villages, but that would take forever). Use a runemaster to scare off the bats. Then just rotate your units and retaliate when it's safe to do so. Once the initial wave is dead, send your full army to kill the elf since he will be pumping out reinforcements. Once he's dealt with, you need to kill the dragon (well not really). There's only one hex where you can hit him and it's unsafe to ever attack him first so rely on retaliation attacks and finish with about-to-level units.

(6) How fun do you think the scenario is? (1-10)
3 if running, you're basically running without any obstacles except for bats.
7.5 if fighting

(7) What, if any, are changes you would have made to the scenario to make it more fun?
Well for one, the dragon could actually attack you once you get to the forge rather than sitting around in his keep. There's only one tile to stand on that can convince him to move and it's kind of lame that he can just run away if he feels like it. Ideally you should fight the dragon and some of his troops while also holding the line against the pursuers.
If you don't want the player to be able to kill everything, you could give the enemy way more gold and tons of berserkers. But that wouldn't be as fun.

(8) Was there any event that caused you to lose the game and forced you to reload or restart the scenario?
I did okay on my first attempt but the way I arranged my defensive line was subpar so I restarted.
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Konrad2
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Re: Scenario Review: SoF 8 - The Dragon

Post by Konrad2 »

1) What difficulty level and version of Wesnoth have you played the scenario on?

1.14.4, Hard

(2) How difficult did you find the scenario? (1-10)

3, dwarves are good at defending, the only challenge was to get fast through the batwall.

(3) How clear did you find the scenario objectives?

Clear.

(4) How clear and interesting did you find the dialog and storyline of the scenario?

Clear.

(5) What were your major challenges in meeting the objectives of the scenario?

Not being stopped by the batwall.

(6) How fun do you think the scenario is? (1-10)

7

(7) What, if any, are changes you would have made to the scenario to make it more fun?

-

(8) Was there any event that caused you to lose the game and forced you to reload or restart the scenario?

I forgot to move some units before ending my turn.
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LordWolfDan
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Re: Scenario Review: SoF 8 - The Dragon

Post by LordWolfDan »

(1) What difficulty level and version of Wesnoth have you played the scenario on?

- 1.14.5, Normal

(2) How difficult did you find the scenario? (1-10)

- 9
(3) How clear did you find the scenario objectives?

- Clear, STILL RUN FOR IT!!

(4) How clear and interesting did you find the dialog and storyline of the scenario?

- Seems good, like knowing the dragon (who happens to be that skeletal dragon from The Eastern Invasion) and creating the sceptre of fire. I think that the mercenary dwarves should've been Shorbear clan avengers, not some other generic clan

(5) What were your major challenges in meeting the objectives of the scenario?

- Holding off against the enemy forces, especially dwarves

(6) How fun do you think the scenario is? (1-10)

- 6

(7) What, if any, are changes you would have made to the scenario to make it more fun?

- Instead of generic clan of mercenaries, go with Shorbear clan avengers

(8) Was there any event that caused you to lose the game and forced you to reload or restart the scenario?

- Had to restart at one part because Krawg got mauled by the berserker. Why do I need that gryphon anyways?!
devavrata
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Re: Scenario Review: SoF 8 - The Dragon

Post by devavrata »

Content Feedback wrote: March 11th, 2008, 11:27 pm(1) What difficulty level and version of Wesnoth have you played the scenario on?
Battle for Wesnoth 1.8.3, Easy, Battle for Wesnoth 1.10.7 Medium, Battle for Wesnoth 1.12.5 Hard
(2) How difficult did you find the scenario? (1-10)
6
(3) How clear did you find the scenario objectives?
Clear
(4) How clear and interesting did you find the dialog and storyline of the scenario?
Clear, the exchange with the dragon is interesting.
(5) What were your major challenges in meeting the objectives of the scenario?
Had to sacrifice some units, playing the role of Leonidas at the Thermopylae by blocking the three-hexes passageway west of the start. That delayed the enemy about 10 turns. Even when they killed one of the units and other was so much wounded as to flee, leaving one unit on its own, they wouldn't attack it! It was a level-2 unit, with almost enough experience as to upgrade to level-3, and so they wouldn't attack it and would be slowed down by its control zone. This delay made it easy to get to the anvil and hold it for enough time. Also, the dragon is killable - it requires flying to get to him, and your only flying units are the two gryphons, which can hardly beat him on their own, but then the dragon chose to attack some elves and lost half of his life, so it became possible to kill it.
(6) How fun do you think the scenario is? (1-10)
8
(7) What, if any, are changes you would have made to the scenario to make it more fun?
It is fine as it is.
(8) Was there any event that caused you to lose the game and forced you to reload or restart the scenario?
No.
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