Beyond the Watcher's Horizon [SP Campaign] - WIP

[skeptical_troll]

Hello, dear Wesnothers!
It’s me again, opening a thread in this section one last time as I embark on what is likely my final campaign.
This is the sequel to "Return from the Abyss". To be honest, RftA was originally meant to be a quick prequel to this one ( ). Every now and then, I dusted off the story from my dungeon shelf and added a bit here and there.

Staying true to that spirit, I’ve decided to publish the campaign piece by piece, with plans to roll out a couple of scenarios every few weeks—more or less. I know what you’re thinking, but fear not! I have several scenarios ready, almost ready, or half-ready, so I’m confident I’ll keep this plan afloat, at least for the first few months. This first episode contains the first two playable scenarios!

But enough about me—let’s talk about the campaign!

Beyond the Watcher's Horizon is set about ten years after RftA and will center around Othrondor's struggle against his old enemy, with Khafir and other familiar faces at the heart of the action. This campaign connects the dunefolk to the lore of the elemental stones (like the Ruby) and the dwarves' crucial role in their protection.

Featuring: archaeology, witch-hunts, unusual biology discoveries, and extreme humidity excursions.

If you played RftA, you probably know what to expect, though I’ve made the scenarios here typically easier and shorter (it will get worse towards the end, I promise!). Aside from dunefolk and dwarves, players will also control nagas and occasionally other factions.

As always, I welcome your feedback, replies, critiques, praise, and of course, tactfully sarcastic remarks.

Oh, I almost forgot the teaser screenshot! Those get you the views. Any bets on the fate of that Ulf?

[skeptical_troll]

New version is out! It adds 2 more playable scenarios and the first cut scene of the campaign, plus some achievements.
Featuring a tribute to Steve Irwin, unpaid engineering work, and some Dunefolk politics, cause politics is what made SW prequels awesome, right?

[white_haired_uncle]

Missing image in difficulty selection:

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error image: could not open image 'units/nagas/dirkfang.png'

viewtopic.php?p=684291

Naga Dirkfang moved to units/nagas/mixed/dirkfang.png

BTW, do you do anything interesting with the intro/title screen? At "lower" resolutions, I get this:

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20241104 17:54:23 error general: An error due to possibly invalid WML occurred
The error message is :
Failed to show a dialog, which doesn’t fit on the screen.
 
When reporting the bug please include the following error message :
src/gui/widgets/window.cpp:912 in function 'layout' found the following problem: Failed to size window; wanted size (1352,506) available size 1280,800 screen size 1280,800.

I'm playing on 1.19.5+dev, so that likely has something to do with it, but I'd like to figure out what's up. I don't have 1.18, does this work okay at 1280x800 there?

First scenario objectives don't make sense, "at least one between"? I think you might be trying to say that at least one of those two needs to exit, in addition to the two that are required?

S1: wml: No speaker found for [message]. It's the last message, at a guess I'd say you have to use a capital S here (I have no idea if unit types are case sensitive, but the other Spectre messages work okay):

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type = spectre

S1: Tons of these:

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unknown unit in advances_to list of type Earth Elemental: Earth_lvl2

S1: So, where's the exit? I had to look it up. And when I did I noticed that you can't exit if both dwarfs are in the exit area because count=1. And then once I figured that out ... the scenario didn't end and the objectives didn't update???

[skeptical_troll]

Missing image in difficulty selection: [...] First scenario objectives don't make sense [...] wml: No speaker found for [message] [...] Tons of these

Thanks, fixed those bugs!

BTW, do you do anything interesting with the intro/title screen?

Dang it! That problem again! I guess I got carried away with spaces to make the title big. It's not a problem of the dev version, happens in 1.18 just the same. I reduced the font size to 60 and now it works. I wonder why I don't get the same issue with CotD and RftA, where I do the same. Maybe it's the longer title of the campaign.

So, where's the exit? I had to look it up. And when I did I noticed that you can't exit if both dwarfs are in the exit area because count=1. And then once I figured that out ... the scenario didn't end and the objectives didn't update???

I see the issue. I tried to clarify the objectives and added a marker to the point beyond which you have to lead the three (or four). The scenario will continue as long as you stand with Eridon, but I forgot to explain it

[white_haired_uncle]

Bridge building doesn't work. It's been several turns and nothing happened (turn_built_16_12 is 6, and it's turn 11). I finally moved the unit, thinking maybe it takes more than one load of wood or something, and he still has an hourglass. I'm not going to try to figure it out.

[skeptical_troll]

Bridge building doesn't work.

seems like I edited a line by mistake before uploading the last version. Fixed now. It should work the simple way, no need for more than one wood.

[Otdoy]

Hi skeptical_troll! Totally psyched to see you produce another story with Khafir. As usual, varied challenges, great storyline, lots of intrigue. Can't wait for the rest. I do have to say, your dialogue skills seem to have become richer over the years, with more emotional depth. I remember having made comments about the emotions in Return from the Abyss, now in this new campaign it all seems to fall so well in place.

Oof, the bridge building scenario. Brutal. I admit it, I cheated. The spawning units made it really hard for me. Especially the freaking alligators. I thought I got rid of those??? Allowing those to be 'exterminated' might make this scenario more winnable. For me at least.

Speaking of RftA, I played through a couple of months ago, having not re-visited it since years ago, when it first came out. I found the scenarios... nerfed... a bit? Especially the sewer escape, which I remember as being totally desperate in its original form (hey where did the dog collar go?) Other scenarios also seemed easier, such as the final big battle. But hey, it was still a lot of fun, and maybe it was easier because I knew in advance what to do.

Thanks again for all the hard work and looking forward to the rest.

[skeptical_troll]

Hi Otdoy! Nice to see you are still around and thanks for your encouragement, as usual. That's always a great motivation boost

Oof, the bridge building scenario.

would you believe it, it was a pretty straightforward scenario 3 days before publishing the update. Then I thought it was too basic (and too similar to the previous one), so I added the alligators+building mechanics. I can definitely tweak the gator re-spawning, it's already supposed to be slower and slower as turns progress but I can turn it down a notch.

Speaking of RftA [...] I found the scenarios... nerfed... a bit?

I don't know which version you played last, I presume it was still the 'Khalifate' days, right? Many things changed by then, I may have nerfed some scenarios since the general comment was that the campaign was too hard, but nothing crazy. So you just got better and/or your previous knowledge of the campaign helped.

hey where did the dog collar go?

If you're talking about Khafir's necklace, back then Taptap convinced me that it was an unnecessarily violent and unstylish method for a king and that his power and charisma would be enough.

[Otdoy]

If you're talking about Khafir's necklace, back then Taptap convinced me that it was an unnecessarily violent and unstylish method for a king and that his power and charisma would be enough.

Ah? Maybe. I thought it lent a lot of drama to the story. Khafir obeys, then disobeys, then is forced to obey again in a most humiliating way. It's true that it's not a kingly gesture, but Othrondor is under a lot of pressure here... and he's dealing with non-dwarves who have betrayed him. In his anger we can understand him dealing with "lesser humans" as if they were dogs. But, I can understand your choice, and thanks for the explanation.

[skeptical_troll]

New version out! 2 More scenarios, shorter and more relaxed than the previous ones. Some sightseeing, useful trivia, and convenient academic connections.
I also tuned down the respawning of crocodiles in the bridge scenario to make them less of a nuisance.

[Konrad2]

Prologue was rough.

S3
lay siege -> laid siege
For some reason I received the crocodile achievement when I killed the first crocodile.

S4
It is soon -> It is too soon

(Is it just me, or are there so far only achievements for the first 4 scenarios?)

[skeptical_troll]

Prologue was rough.

In a good way I hope by the look of your stats, it seems you haven't taken the easy way out

Is it just me, or are there so far only achievements for the first 4 scenarios?

Indeed, couldn't come up with original ideas, for S6/7. Maybe that will change in the future.
Thanks for spotting the typos!

[Konrad2]

S4
Maybe an achievement for keeping the guards alive?

S5
you tought him -> you taught him
more than this. but -> more than this, but

S6
Maybe an achievement for killing scorpions?
Btw, why can't I recall any of the students I recruited in S4?

S7
relativelt -> relative

Mar'e'i, Sigrod, and Nolas are demanding upkeep.

S8
There doesn't seem to any use for the ability the dwarves have. That's a bit of a let down.

[skeptical_troll]

Maybe an achievement for keeping the guards alive?

Interesting idea, could implement it here or in similar scenarios

Maybe an achievement for killing scorpions?

I thought about it, but it's too similar to the crocodile one. I'm going to include a more 'relaxed' one.

Btw, why can't I recall any of the students I recruited in S4?

Actually, my intention was to prevent him to recruit/recall at all here, but I forgot to add that code.
It didn't make sense to me story-wise that Arzeh would bring his students along, and fighting was focused on other units. They aren't lost forever though, in this campaign I'm planning several switch back and forth of armies.

S8
There doesn't seem to any use for the ability the dwarves have. That's a bit of a let down.

not sure if with S8 you refer to the temporary ending or if you're peeking ahead. They'll have their use in the next release! I gave them the abilities from their appearance because it felt more natural, even if in the first scenario they aren't really necessary.

[Konrad2]

not sure if with S8 you refer to the temporary ending or if you're peeking ahead. They'll have their use in the next release! I gave them the abilities from their appearance because it felt more natural, even if in the first scenario they aren't really necessary.

The temporary ending. It's good that they'll have their use in the next scenario, but I still think it is important/much better for them to be able to make use of their abilities as soon as they are introduced.

(I don't know if you saw, but I also sent you some feedback on discord)