The Rise of Wesnoth 10 - Sewer of Southbay

Feedback for the mainline campaign The Rise of Wesnoth.

Moderator: Forum Moderators

User avatar
Majki-Fajki
Posts: 35
Joined: March 8th, 2009, 10:32 pm
Location: Pila, Poland

Re: The Rise of Wesnoth: The Sewer

Post by Majki-Fajki »

(1) What difficulty levels and game versions have you played the scenario on?
Medium, 1.4.5

(2) How difficult did you find the scenario? (1-10)
6

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

(4) How clear and interesting did you find the dialogue and storyline of the scenario?
Medium. Two mages have very paper dialogue lines. They should i.e. argue, who will kill Haldric or something - for now, there is no difference between this mages, therefore, as character, one of them is not necessary.

(5) What were your major challenges in meeting the objectives of the scenario?
Time. I decided not to kill mage in northern part of the map, but to run to the exit instead. After all - one fire mage, white mage and few other troops slashed and burned everything. Maybe spider was little problem - 22 points of damage per hit leaves a bruisers.

(6) How fun do you think the scenario is? (1-10)
Very - 7. I love fighting in caves and tunnels. It's very easy.

(7) What, if any, are changes you would have made to the scenario to make it more fun?
It's good as it is.
silent
Posts: 244
Joined: February 20th, 2009, 5:53 am

Re: The Rise of Wesnoth: The Sewer

Post by silent »

(1) What difficulty levels and game versions have you played the scenario on?
Medium, 1.4.7

(2) How difficult did you find the scenario? (1-10)
6. The spider at the end is the difficult bit

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

(4) How clear and interesting did you find the dialogue and storyline of the scenario?
Contrary to everyone else's opinion, I found the dialogue fitting. There are two power hungry mages down here because they sought the ruby of fire for personal power. And since they both want it, it makes sense both try to kill Haldric. Although, the second mage could say something...

(5) What were your major challenges in meeting the objectives of the scenario?
The spider. Mages are easy to kill on the offence, a spider is not.

(6) How fun do you think the scenario is? (1-10)
5. It takes a while to hack through bats and scorpions

(7) What, if any, are changes you would have made to the scenario to make it more fun?
It's fine
Joram
Posts: 366
Joined: September 2nd, 2008, 5:36 am

Re: The Rise of Wesnoth: The Sewer

Post by Joram »

(1) What difficulty levels and game versions have you played the scenario on?
Hard 1.6.0

(2) How difficult did you find the scenario? (1-10)
I came in with 596 gold.

8- Mostly because I didn’t feel like recruiting/recalling more than 3 castle loads, and because I wanted to train up a bunch of Wesfolk.

(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 dialogue was interesting enough, but the storyline was very weak. What was to prevent the “banished” red mages from leaving as easily as Haldric entered? It would make more sense to say that a pair of Arch mages created a stronghold in the sewers with some of their followers, etc.

And of course, if one is going to say that they were banished down there, and couldn’t leave, what did they eat? They're not liches.

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

Standing off a bunch of Red mages in the tunnels without losing anything. Also, the spider at the end was annoying.

(6) How fun do you think the scenario is? (1-10)
2- Not much fun at all, for the following reasons:

#1- The old bottleneck situation. It really isn’t much fun to just beat your way through layer after layer of enemies, with minimal, if any, tactical thinking.

#2- All of your units move really slowly in caves. This makes tactical maneuvering minimal, and also means that you are spending some turns just sitting there, watching your guys move 3 spaces a turn. It also makes it extremely difficult to get opportunities to level up new units, as you have to move your front line tank back, move the new unit forward, and be sure of having an opening in which you can put your tank to again hold off a wave (which means if you're unlucky, and your new recruit doesn't kill off the target, it's a goner; no way to compensate for poor luck).

#3- Having hordes of Red Mages makes leveling new units really difficult. I wanted to take this opportunity to level some Wesfolk, but couldn’t make it. 3 hits from a red mage will kill a thief or a poacher (at least, it will kill a quick one; and those are my favorite). See above on the inability to compensate for three misses from your thief.


Of course, part of the difficulty is that I just didn’t want to recall any more lvl 3s (I already was recalling 5).

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

I think that if I were in control of this campaign, I might remove this scenario altogether. It doesn’t add anything to the continuing story, it is a cave scenario with the old hold-the-bottleneck story, and it adds length to an already long campaign.

An all-night scenario seems to me like a good idea, because in theory, it should allow you a good opportunity to upgrade some Wesfolk. But half of the wesfolk units are light foot, whose primary value is their difficulty to hit; and the Red Mages take away this advantage.

Also, the scorpions render half of the wesfolk units of negligible value, as they have that blasted 70% impact resistance.

So in the end, I upgraded more lawful units than chaotic.

Now, the bit of dialogue where Lady Jessica mentions that anyone who is strong in magic can sense the Ruby would lose some of its force without this scenario. So I suppose that there is that. But other than that, I don't see much fun in this one.
The Fires of Pride 0.3, a heavily story based campaign.
On hold while I try and finish my book
sabalzen
Posts: 25
Joined: April 1st, 2009, 12:50 pm

Re: The Rise of Wesnoth: The Sewer

Post by sabalzen »

(1) What difficulty levels and game versions have you played the scenario on?
Normal, 1.6

(2) How difficult did you find the scenario? (1-10)
9 - I needed three goes at this.

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

(4) How clear and interesting did you find the dialog and storyline of the scenario?
It was fine, I liked the intro.

(5) What were your major challenges in meeting the objectives of the scenario?
First time through I was too cautious, and retreated back into the starting cave when the first wave of attackers arrived. The swamp cave completely filled up with enemies and I couldn't get through them in time. Second time through I made the opposite mistake, and tried to rush a small group through as fast as possible, but they all got picked off as I couldn't hold all the fronts I needed to. Third time through I got it right, by rushing both paths simultaneously.

(6) How fun do you think the scenario is? (1-10)
6. As others have said, although its a pleasant enough diversion, there isn't very much point to it.

(7) What, if any, are changes you would have made to the scenario to make it more fun?
Some sort of artefact to recover? The possibility of recruiting one (or both) of the mages? Some tangible reason to include the scenario in the campaign.
shadowblack
Posts: 368
Joined: April 15th, 2010, 3:03 pm

Re: The Rise of Wesnoth: The Sewer

Post by shadowblack »

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

(2) How difficult did you find the scenario? (1-10)
3, and only because the enemy has both poison AND magical attacks

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

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

(5) What were your major challenges in meeting the objectives of the scenario?
Reaching the Green enemy and killing the leaders without losing anyone.

(6) How fun do you think the scenario is? (1-10)
5 – too slow-going without any real challenge (except for the few mages)

(7) What, if any, are changes you would have made to the scenario to make it more fun?
1) Give a hint where the exit might be
2) Widen the south passage leading to the Green leader – currently it’s just 2 hexes wide, so reaching the Green leader takes a while

(8) Was there any event that caused you to lose the game and forced you to reload or restart the scenario?
No, nothing
You are a Dark Adept: You immerse yourself in the dark arts... potentially with great rewards...
User avatar
fenny
Posts: 39
Joined: August 19th, 2010, 2:22 pm

Re: The Rise of Wesnoth: The Sewer

Post by fenny »

1) 1.8.2 medium difficulty
2) 3, quite easy, if you have the right units
3) clear
4) ok
5) loosing nobody to the cave spider
6) 6, nice underground level, and a good chance to make some money or level up some units
7) nothing
8 ) i lost a precious unit to the spider, i didn't want to loose
User avatar
Maiklas3000
Posts: 532
Joined: June 23rd, 2010, 10:43 am

Re: The Rise of Wesnoth: The Sewer

Post by Maiklas3000 »

(1) What difficulty levels and game versions have you played the scenario on?
Lord (challenging/hardest); 1.9.3; 458 starting gold

(2) How difficult did you find the scenario? (1-10)
8

(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?
Good.

(5) What were your major challenges in meeting the objectives of the scenario?
Poison (Giant Scorpions), swamp, Red Mages, Giant Spider.

(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?
More varied enemy.

(8) Restarts?
Yes, a few restarts from start due to losing units I didn't want to lose, no save-reloads.

(9) WML?
Oh noes. There is a comment, but it's about the Calgary Flames. Should comment the "map".

(10) Replay?
Attached.

My starting and ending units are like so:

4 Poachers => 3 Trappers, 1 Huntsman
4 Thugs => 1 Thug, 1 Bandit (almost ready-to-level), 2 RIP
4 Mages => 2 level 2 Mages, 2 RIP
2 White Mages => 1 White Mage, 1 Mage of Light (was ready-to-level)
1 Mage of Light => (same)
1 Trapper => 1 Huntsman (was ready-to-level)
Level 3 Lady Jessene => (same)
Level 3 Burin => (same)
Level 3 Prince Haldric => (same)

All the level 1 units were raw recruits. It's pretty cool that one advanced to level 3 and another almost did, plus lots advanced to level 2.
Attachments
TRoW-Sewer_of_Southbay_replay.gz
(58.74 KiB) Downloaded 825 times
sw_emigre
Posts: 38
Joined: August 10th, 2009, 10:17 pm

Re: The Rise of Wesnoth: The Sewer

Post by sw_emigre »

Content Feedback wrote:(1) What difficulty levels and game versions have you played the scenario on?

hardest, 1.9.3

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

9. About 4-5 restarts. You'd think you could go with some new recruits, as last post did, but I could never get it to work for me. I had much less starting gold (258 I think), so I couldn't recruit as much fodder. Eventually I settled on the strategy of using many more level 2-3 units. In the end, I leveled a couple of poachers and a spearman, but I lost a level 3 halberdier and a level 2 white mage. All my mage recruits bit the dust.

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

Fine.

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

Minimal.

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

Red mages decimate anyone who gets in their way, meaning I wasn't able to level any new mages.

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

2. No real strategy involved.

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

I'd just skip the scenario altogether if I could.
line
Posts: 94
Joined: January 11th, 2012, 9:21 pm

Re: The Rise of Wesnoth: The Sewer

Post by line »

(1) What difficulty level and version of Wesnoth have you played the scenario on?
Lord (Challenging) 1.10.3
380 starting gold
Finished turn 30/33

(2) How difficult did you find the scenario? (1-10)
7. It’s not that difficult to pass it, but quite hard not to lose a unit. I recruited quite a few lvl 1 units. However, the enemy leader (as always) should be approximated carefully. Make sure to take out the red mages before and even then it’s careful action as there are still scorpions, bats and the lvl-3 mage himself.
Using fodder this might be easier, but I decided to take some damage tanks (Burin in the west, a Royal Guard and an IM in the east). With that careful movement, the time limit got critical for me.

(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?
The fog and the red mages as well as both of the leaders cause careful movement. Combined with the bad mobility underground the time limit can be critical. In the end, the spider might surprise you (especially if you can’t surround it with enough units to kill it on your counterattack and/or the scorpions are attacking together with the spider dealing out additional damage and blocking the hexes next to the spider which you need to counterattack).

(6) How fun do you think the scenario is? (1-10)
6. It’s very likely to lose a unit, especially after a bad move that can’t be undone due to the fog. On the opposite, it’s a good chance, to upgrade some lvl-1 units.

(7) What, if any, are changes you would have made to the scenario to make it more fun?
None. Even though I don’t like this one too much, it adds some variety to the campaign. As it is a long campaign, two underground scenarios cannot be too many.

(8) Was there any event that caused you to lose the game and forced you to reload or restart the scenario?
I think I made every possible mistake: First I restarted due to moving too cautious and getting in time trouble, afterwards to losing a unit because of the red mages.
Attachments
TRoW-Sewer_of_Southbay_replay.gz
(54.46 KiB) Downloaded 750 times
User avatar
Maiklas3000
Posts: 532
Joined: June 23rd, 2010, 10:43 am

Re: The Rise of Wesnoth: The Sewer

Post by Maiklas3000 »

(1) Level and version? hard, 1.11.15, 482 starting gold, L2 Lady Outlaw.
(2) Difficult? 6. Just need to keep criticals out of harm's way.
(3) Objectives? Clear.
(4) Dialog? Fine.
(5) Challenges? The combats in the two big swamp rooms are interesting, since it's an alien environment. Recruiting several Poachers is almost a necessity. The other challenge is taking down the enemy leaders, since they are Arch Mages. I think each cost me a leveled unit.
(6) Fun? 7. Monotonous.
(7) Changes? Less gold, optionally more income, for the enemy. You can reduce player gold as well. It would be more interesting as a smaller battle, since the bigness doesn't really add anything in an underground battle with chokepoints. This would help keep it from becoming monotonous. There are quite a lot of villages... in a sewer. I would eliminate some, and adjust minimum gold for the next scenario to offset it. Most underground scenarios in other campaigns are sparce on villages. Finally, the enemy recruits only bats, scorpions, and red mages, which means you don't have to think too hard after a while. I think I have the perfect idea to increase the biodiversity... mudcrawlers! They're like big piles of poo, so appropriate for this scenario. I finished on turn 32/33, so turn limit seems perfect.
Attachments
TRoW-Sewer_of_Southbay_replay.gz
(66.8 KiB) Downloaded 709 times
Theron
Posts: 137
Joined: May 13th, 2008, 10:49 am

Re: The Rise of Wesnoth: The Sewer

Post by Theron »

difficulty: HARD / wesnoth version: 1.11.15

Stats:
Scenario, starting gold (default+carryover),turns/max turns,recruits-recalls-advancements-losses-kills
10 200+238 28/33 2-10-7-0-64

Comments:
This scenario screams: mages, the more the better. Silver mages are so useful: teleporting, fire attack and highly fire resistant. Rogues (skirmishers) are handy, too.
Attachments
TRoW-Sewer_of_Southbay_replay_HARD.gz
(73.94 KiB) Downloaded 754 times
User avatar
taptap
Posts: 980
Joined: October 6th, 2011, 5:42 pm

Re: The Rise of Wesnoth: The Sewer

Post by taptap »

Lord / Challenging. Recruited only partial. All kinds of outlaws, got bogged down in the W until I levelled up my poachers and then some more in the bottle neck (the eastern group arrived at the exit earlier). Finally levelled thieves, who did much work, plenty of Robin Hoods as well. Finished the very last turn, but still w/ 166 carryover gold. Stupidly made a second archmage instead of silver mage to instant regret. Finished the last turn.
I am a Saurian Skirmisher: I'm a real pest, especially at night.
User avatar
Flameslash
Posts: 633
Joined: December 21st, 2008, 12:29 pm

Re: The Rise of Wesnoth: The Sewer

Post by Flameslash »

(1) Level and version? Normal, 1.13.5
(2) Difficult? 9. The first scenario in the campaign that I haven't been able to beat.
(3) Objectives? Clear.
(4) Dialog? If the mages were banished, why didn't they just leave? What did they eat? How did they 'recruit' the wildlife to their side?
(5) Challenges? The poor terrain, the bottlenecks, the large amount of poisoners, the impact resistance, being attacked from the shroud, and the swarm of high-level mages.
(6) Fun? 2. I never like cave scenarios at the best of times, as they're a slow crawl. This was made worse by the swarms of units from every direction, making it impossible to move forwards.
(7) Changes? I'd make the terrain less hostile, widen the bottlenecks, and reduce the amount of enemies.
Hestelvar
Posts: 36
Joined: July 29th, 2016, 7:41 pm

Re: The Rise of Wesnoth: The Sewer

Post by Hestelvar »

(1) What difficulty level and version of Wesnoth have you played the scenario on?
Easy. 1.13.4

(2) How difficult did you find the scenario? (1-10)
7

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

(4) How clear and interesting did you find the dialogue and storyline of the scenario?
Clear, but the storyline is weak. Could use more backstory about the banished mages. Such as why they stayed in the sewers? And what they eat?

(5) What were your major challenges in meeting the objectives of the scenario?
The spider provides a fitting climax to the scenario.

(6) How fun do you think the scenario is? (1-10)
5, just average, though the magi are an interesting enemy.

(7) What, if any, are the changes you would have made to the scenario to make it more fun?
There is a curving passage south of the "Danger Ahead" signpost that is begging to house a surprise - whether an artefact/ally or a monster doesn’t matter, both would be best.

(8) Was there any event that caused you to lose the game and forced you to reload or restart the scenario?
Losing royal/loyal units.

Remarks
There were moments when I was unsure which side my red mages were on.
I generally enjoy underground scenarios, yet in the context of this story/campaign this seems an unnecessary chance to easily level magi.
Attachments
TRoW-Sewer_of_Southbay_replay_2.bz2
With Early Wesfolk Alliance
(27.77 KiB) Downloaded 642 times
TRoW-Fallen_Lich_Point_replay.bz2
Without Early Wesfolk Alliance
(33.01 KiB) Downloaded 649 times
Thrash
Posts: 223
Joined: June 25th, 2010, 1:54 pm

Re: The Rise of Wesnoth: The Sewer

Post by Thrash »

(1) What difficulty levels and game versions have you played the scenario on?

1.12.6, Normal

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

8, you have to play it very carefully to succeed.

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

Clear enough.

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

Good.

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

I lost on my first attempt because I ran out of time after I beat the wizards and before I could escape. I got bogged down getting into the initial chamber and spent a lot of time working through the first room. Second time I recruited my red mages first and blasted my way in and established a beachhead which let me progress more quickly.

After that it's careful tactics to keep a red mage, bat, lich, or spider from killing a key unit.

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

7, some slogging at the end to get to the spider, whose attack is a crap shoot - not many units will survive if it hits twice.

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

Give the player some warning about time being a factor. I assumed beating the lichs would be the climax, but then you still have a long way to go.
Attachments
TRoW-Sewer_of_Southbay_replay.gz
(68.6 KiB) Downloaded 666 times
Post Reply