Scenario Review: DiD 9 - A Small Favor - Part III

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Scenario Review: DiD 9 - A Small Favor - Part III

Post by Content Feedback »

(1) What difficulty level and version of Wesnoth have you played the scenario on?
(2) How difficult did you find the scenario? (1-10)
(3) How clear did you find the scenario objectives?
(4) How clear and interesting did you find the dialog and storyline of the scenario?
(5) What were your major challenges in meeting the objectives of the scenario?
(6) How fun do you think the scenario is? (1-10)
(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?
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fareley
Posts: 66
Joined: September 10th, 2008, 5:45 pm

Re: Scenario Review: DiD 9 - A Small Favor - Part III

Post by fareley »

(1) What difficulty levels have you played the scenario on?
hard, 1.5.3
(2) How difficult did you find the scenario? (1-10)
1 - getting the book was REALLY EASY
(3) How clear did you find the scenario objectives?
clear enough - find and get the book
(4) How clear and interesting did you find the dialog and storyline of the scenario?
it was okay
(5) What were your major challenges in meeting the objectives of the scenario?
nothing
(6) How fun do you think the scenario is? (1-10)
6 - it's easy but hey it's really fun watching your "friends" doing all the job, killing and getting killed and you just open the doors, sit there and wait until you can get the book...
(7) What, if any, are changes you would have made to the scenario to make it more fun?
darken has too many too strong monster. And they fought the battles for me. Maybe change it to a real rally to the book? Each one has to go a different path and you have to be the first getting the book?
(8) Was there any event that caused you to lose the game and forced you to reload or restart the scenario?
no
(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?
look at (7)
blue
Posts: 26
Joined: July 8th, 2009, 11:43 am

Re: Scenario Review: DiD 9 - A Small Favor - Part III

Post by blue »

1. Evoker (Challenging) 1.6.4
2. 5
3. Clear
4. Nice
5. None got a bit reckless and lost a 3 lvl ghost but nothing serious
6. 5
7. None
8. None
Benefuchs
Posts: 54
Joined: February 24th, 2009, 9:40 pm

Re: Scenario Review: DiD 9 - A Small Favor - Part III

Post by Benefuchs »

(1) medium, 1.6
(2) 2
(3) crystal. get the book and leave.
(4) OK
(5) not getting to bold 8)
(6) 7
(7) as said before, weaker or less units for Darken Volk would make it more difficult but more interesting.
(8) no.
(9) N/A
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Maiklas3000
Posts: 532
Joined: June 23rd, 2010, 10:43 am

Re: Scenario Review: DiD 9 - A Small Favor - Part III

Post by Maiklas3000 »

(1) What difficulty level and version of Wesnoth have you played the scenario on?
Difficult (hard); 1.8.3

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

(3) How clear did you find the scenario objectives?
Clear, but not about the northeast cellar. A cellar is a room and the mage went to the outcove in the northeast corner, so at first I thought there was a hidden tunnel there. Maybe put a signpost at the end of the tunnel.

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

(5) What were your major challenges in meeting the objectives of the scenario?
None.

(6) How fun do you think the scenario is? (1-10)
4

(7) What, if any, are changes you would have made to the scenario to make it more fun?
Why doesn't the necromancer fight for the book here? That would have been really cool, though a bit nasty to have all these allied troops change sides in the middle.

Otherwise, as others said, weakening his troops would make the battle a lot more interesting.

(8) Was there any event that caused you to lose the game and forced you to reload or restart the scenario?
No.

(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?
Sparse. Expound on the two cases of who gets the book.
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Thrash
Posts: 223
Joined: June 25th, 2010, 1:54 pm

Re: Scenario Review: DiD 9 - A Small Favor - Part III

Post by Thrash »

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

1.8.3, Hard, 2 Nightgaunts, 1 nearly leveled Shadow, 2 Spectres.

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

3, compared to part 2, this was trivial.

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

The "cellar passage" wasn't crystal clear.

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

OK.

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

None.

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

4, nothing new here over part 2.

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

I'd combine this with part 2 and just have Darken "go independent" at some point in the middle of the scenario as a foreshadowing (assuming that is possible with WML). It's not like you need his troops and that would be more distributing in some ways.

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

No.

(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?

Seems ok.
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santosis
Posts: 74
Joined: October 11th, 2010, 12:04 am

Re: Scenario Review: DiD 9 - A Small Favor - Part III

Post by santosis »

(1) What difficulty levels have you played the scenario on?
Challenging (medium) 1.8.5

(2) How difficult did you find the scenario? (1-10)
5 - No real troubles, a few restarts to maximize XP.

(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?
I expected a bit more when I picked up the book.

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

Keeping quality troops alive.

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

(7) What, if any, are changes you would have made to the scenario to make it more fun?
None.
a
(8) Was there any event that caused you to lose the game and forced you to reload or restart the scenario?
Spacing units to prevent a gang-up kill.
Doopliss
Posts: 23
Joined: February 9th, 2011, 8:29 pm

Re: Scenario Review: DiD 9 - A Small Favor - Part III

Post by Doopliss »

(1) What difficulty level and version of Wesnoth have you played the scenario on?
Normal (challenging), 1.8.5

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

(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?
The super-secret chamber full of highly-trained guards seemed a bit silly.

(5) What were your major challenges in meeting the objectives of the scenario?
None, really.

(6) How fun do you think the scenario is? (1-10)
4. It doesn't really have anything the previous stage didn't (except a clumsy ally), but at least it was quick.

(7) What, if any, are changes you would have made to the scenario to make it more fun?
Remove it entirely and place the book at the end of the last chapter?

(8) Was there any event that caused you to lose the game and forced you to reload or restart the scenario?
Nope.
podbelski
Posts: 151
Joined: June 7th, 2011, 8:35 pm

Re: Scenario Review: DiD 9 - A Small Favor - Part III

Post by podbelski »

Another boring map :( great it's so short. The biggest wtf is Volk appearing with a group of experienced units. The question is where did he get them? And why could not he summon them earlier?!

So TBH I dislike this 3-part journey, I can say it's ok as is, some people even find it very fun. Can't see anyone rebuilds these scenarios so whatever.
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Ninjuri
Posts: 167
Joined: April 28th, 2012, 2:59 am
Location: California

Re: Scenario Review: DiD 9 - A Small Favor - Part III

Post by Ninjuri »

(1) What difficulty level and version of Wesnoth have you played the scenario on?
Normal 1.10.2
(2) How difficult did you find the scenario? (1-10)
4
(3) How clear did you find the scenario objectives?
100%
(4) How clear and interesting did you find the dialog and storyline of the scenario?
OK
(5) What were your major challenges in meeting the objectives of the scenario?
I couldn't find the right unit to engage the mages with, all of mine were extremely weak vs arcane and fire, so i actually had merlin tank a bit.
(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?
Don't know.
(8) Was there any event that caused you to lose the game and forced you to reload or restart the scenario?
No
Fate is against me.
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Pewskeepski
Posts: 378
Joined: November 17th, 2010, 6:24 pm
Location: An icy dungeon beneath Antarctica

Re: Scenario Review: DiD 9 - A Small Favor - Part III

Post by Pewskeepski »

(1) What difficulty level and version of Wesnoth have you played the scenario on?
Summoner (Difficult), 1.11.2

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

(3) How clear did you find the scenario objectives?
Unclear that it's Malin or Darken who must obtain the book, but that's pretty self-explanatory anyway.

(4) How clear and interesting did you find the dialog and storyline of the scenario?
Good. Maybe the mages defending the book could show some determination?

(5) What were your major challenges in meeting the objectives of the scenario?
Losing kills to Darken Volk's minions :annoyed:

(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?
Guards should arrive at some point and commence pursuit!

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

(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?
OK I guess.
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flammstrudel
Posts: 74
Joined: April 13th, 2013, 9:08 pm

Re: Scenario Review: DiD 9 - A Small Favor - Part III

Post by flammstrudel »

(1) What difficulty level and version of Wesnoth have you played the scenario on?
1.10.2 Summoner (difficult) – no reloads

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

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

(4) How clear and interesting did you find the dialog and storyline of the scenario?
Not much going on.

(5) What were your major challenges in meeting the objectives of the scenario?
None.

(6) How fun do you think the scenario is? (1-10)
This one is absolutely trivial. There are like... 4 or 5 enemies scattered over the entire map? I don't understand the purpose of this scenario, it's not even a token to advance the plot. They just grab the book and get out. I won't give it a bad rating because it takes 5 min max to complete. *confused*

(7) What, if any, are changes you would have made to the scenario to make it more fun?
Either make it a lot harder or place the book in the previous scenario and skip this one.

(8) Was there any event that caused you to lose the game and forced you to reload or restart the scenario?
No.
devavrata
Posts: 119
Joined: August 30th, 2012, 8:59 pm

Re: Scenario Review: DiD 9 - A Small Favor - Part III

Post by devavrata »

Content Feedback wrote:(1) What difficulty level and version of Wesnoth have you played the scenario on?
Battle for Wesnoth 1.8.3, Easy/Medium/Hard
Content Feedback wrote:(2) How difficult did you find the scenario? (1-10)
5. I find it to be too easy. However, ir order to make it a fair judgement, I reckon it's because of The Trouble With Continued Scenarios.

It all starts because Battle for Wesnoth is a game that allows role-playing-like development of units. It allows units for raising their level, and then allows the player to recall his/her improved units on the next scenario... and continue to raise their level.

Because army improvement is possible, Battle for Wesnoth campaigns count on it (making their scenarios progressively difficult). Because Battle for Wesnoth campaigns count on it, army improvement becomes a requirement (because increased difficulty becomes unsurmountable without an improved army). Hence, adequate army improvement becomes part of the game.

Because army improvement becomes part of the game, as the campaign goes on, the set of possible armies players carry on widens. Player might be passing the scenarios barely, or by a long shot. Let's call this the Cumulative Effect - the more scenarios passed, the more uncertainty about what kind of army the players have. Competitive players get extra developed armies. Of course, players cannot and shouldn't be discouraged from trying this - it is a game after all, so win big is of course better than simple winning. Besides, gamers don't know whether or not their army will suffice to overcome the next scenario, so they must do their best to improve it.

This creates a dilemma for campaign designers. What should be the expectation of improvement of the player's army throughout the campaign? Setting it too low would make the campaign increasingly easier for competitive players and even boring - but setting it too high would would make the campaign too difficult for the rest. The most scenarios on the campaign, the bigger the cumulative effect is, so a long campaign is a campaign bound to become boringly easy for competitive players. On the other hand, Battle for Wesnoth designers have some tricks to deal with this dilemma. On some scenarios, they can do things such as limiting the number or type of units. And globally in the campaign, they can make some characters leave or betray the player, or just halve his/her gold/units provided a plot justification. In fact, Descent into Darkness does a little of this.

But then, the three scenarios of A Small Favor have a second Cumulative Effect. Because of parts II and III having no villages nor possibility of recruiting/recalling, the designer must count on the player's army being progressively reduced and consequently set the difficulty of part III easy enough to be finished with a quite reduced army. Bear in mind that if the player gets to part III with an army too reduced to finish the scenario, he/she would be forced to go back and replay from part II in order to get a better army... and if that isn't enough, he/she would be forced to replay from part I - it's like one of those videogames with too distant save points, which forces you to replay large parts of the game if you fail.

So, when I evaluate this scenarios difficulty to be too easy, it is because this scenario suffers from The Cumulative Effect doubled. Competitive players can not only develop a better army than expected, but also suffer less losses than expected. The span of possible armies the players might get becomes too wide.

My point: yes, this scenario is too easy - but it has to do with it being the second straight "no recruit/recall" scenario. This "no recruit/recall" is different from usual, and it is nice to have it for a change, but ultimately produces a scenario with a too wide difficulty span. And with a too wide difficulty span, the designer is bound to failure - a lot of players will find it boringly easy, or a lot of players will find it of unsurmountable difficulty, or even both. So, the "no recruit/recall" might be interesting for a single scenario, but never for two straight ones.
Content Feedback wrote:(3) How clear did you find the scenario objectives?
Clear
Content Feedback wrote:(4) How clear and interesting did you find the dialog and storyline of the scenario?
Clear, short dialog.
Content Feedback wrote:(5) What were your major challenges in meeting the objectives of the scenario?
No challenges.
Content Feedback wrote:(6) How fun do you think the scenario is? (1-10)
6
Content Feedback wrote:(7) What, if any, are changes you would have made to the scenario to make it more fun?
Well, there's the end part... after getting the book, the objective changes to getting to the exit, which the player must do quickly because he's allegedly overpowered. Another "Flee Because The Plot Says So" situation, which by now are familiar to me... and fun to play with, because most times you can defeat the allegedly overwhelming enemy. But wait! By the time you get the book, most enemies are defeated anyway. So why flee?

There goes my suggestion, either:
  • Forget about getting to the exit, just make the scenario end when Malin gets the book. Leave to the dialog the why and how Malin leaves the place.
  • Give Malin a real reason to flee... get him a flood of new enemies coming from, say, the north and the west.
Content Feedback wrote:(8) Was there any event that caused you to lose the game and forced you to reload or restart the scenario?
No
Content Feedback wrote:(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?
-
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Maiklas3000
Posts: 532
Joined: June 23rd, 2010, 10:43 am

Re: Scenario Review: DiD 9 - A Small Favor - Part III

Post by Maiklas3000 »

(1) Level and version? Hard, 1.11.15.
(2) Difficult? (1-10) Maybe a 5, because the big room is slightly dangerous and you might lose a unit.
(3) Objectives? Clear.
(4) Dialog? Fine.
(5) Challenges? The mages in the big room.
(6) Fun? (1-10) 3.
(7) Changes? Volk's army appears from nowhere for no reason to do nothing. I suggest you get rid of them. I suggest the player should control Volk too.
(8) Restarts? Restarted from start after I lost a unit. No save-reloads.
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Inky
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Re: Scenario Review: DiD 9 - A Small Favor - Part III

Post by Inky »

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

(2) How difficult did you find the scenario? (1-10)
2 - trivial. Was expecting some kind of nasty surprise actually.

(3) How clear did you find the scenario objectives?
Not clear about where to exit is. Also I think the objective of moving to the exit is pointless; the enemies are gone by then.

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

(5) What were your major challenges in meeting the objectives of the scenario?
Finding the exit (wasn't clear where it was).

(6) How fun do you think the scenario is? (1-10)
3 - you don't have to do anything; it's more of a cutscene.

(7) What, if any, are changes you would have made to the scenario to make it more fun?
Remove the objective of moving to the exit. It is confusing and serves no purpose.

(8) Was there any event that caused you to lose the game and forced you to reload or restart the scenario?
None.
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