Single player scenario: "Forward They Cried"

[Glowing Fish]

I just wrote a fairly straight-forward single player scenario. (Very small chance I might actually make a campaign out of it).

It is called "Forward They Cried", and it is fairly complete, except for I want to add more dialog and maybe one or two tricks and effects in. There might also be a few AI settings that need to be tweaked, but overall, it is ready.

It is one scenario, and has no custom units or graphics.

Let me know how it works out.

Oh, and also, right now it is on the 1.4 server, which I know is not very glamorous, but it is what I have been playing.

[Turuk]

I downloaded your scenario and gave it a try, I have to say that I like it. The dialogue is simple but well-written, and the map is small while retaining room to maneuver.

The battle at the bridge was one of my favorite scenario battles I have played in a long time. The setup with the fort to the south means that the player and the Orcish leader's units are just going at it, and it really gives the impression of a hard-fought battle. The mentality that there is just the one scenario makes you play differently (at least me), as I found myself much more likely to accept losses in order to win a certain position on the bridge, or push over on to the far bank. Even then, the fact that the battle is not over at the bridge but that the orc leader keeps recruiting more to make you fight just to get to him is a nice tough.

All in all, I think it is a great scenario as it accomplishes exactly what it sets out to do. It ran just fine as well, I did not run into any bugs.

[Glowing Fish]

The mentality that there is just the one scenario makes you play differently (at least me), as I found myself much more likely to accept losses in order to win a certain position on the bridge, or push over on to the far bank. Even then, the fact that the battle is not over at the bridge but that the orc leader keeps recruiting more to make you fight just to get to him is a nice tough.

All in all, I think it is a great scenario as it accomplishes exactly what it sets out to do. It ran just fine as well, I did not run into any bugs.

How many kills/losses did you get?
And did you win? And how many attempts did you have to take before winning?

[Turuk]

33 kills with 16 losses. 3 advancements.

I won on the first time through, though I only had one turn left at the end. I could have played tighter at the bridge and lowered my loss numbers, but I might not have made the time limit. That bridge is a killer.

[Glowing Fish]

I corrected some typos, and changed an AI setting in it.

I want to get more feedback before throwing some more stuff into it.

[Glowing Fish]

I am planning on writing this for 1.5.x, but I am waiting to install 1.5.x until I have some problems in Ubuntu Jaunty ironed out (as soon as I get my system working, I go and ruin it)

I have got the AI to behave kind of how I want it. The AI will actually defend the terrain along the river, instead of rushing into it and attacking you. Of course, one problem is that the AI will sometimes go into the river and just sit there next to your units, which is not the best thing for it to do.

I want to know how people find this scenario. If anyone manages to beat it, I would like to see a replay.

[Turuk]

A replay of someone beating it on your changed setting, or at all?

[TheGreatRings]

Just played it twice. First time, I stupidly lost my lost my leader before I even reached the bridge. I got reckless, and all three goblins attacked him at once.

Second time, I made it too the bridge, but lost my healer after I got their. At that point, I had to move units half way across the map to heal them, and I ended up losing again.

An interesting map, and all in all harder than it looks at first. Also, I really like the idea story-wise behind it. Usually we're following rebels, or monsters, or an epic quest or apocalyptic invasion. We see rather little of the lives of ordinary Wesnothian soldiers on a routine mission, so this was seeing a side of the world that is rarely dealt with much.

[Soliton]

Here's a replay with an all horseman approach.

[Glowing Fish]

Here's a replay with an all horseman approach.

Ah, okay. Do you think there is something particularly unbalanced about it that an all horsemen approach works? Or did you just pick that approach for fun?

It still is a pretty challenging scenario, it seems, since it couldn't be won without many casualties, and it took most of the turns.

We see rather little of the lives of ordinary Wesnothian soldiers on a routine mission, so this was seeing a side of the world that is rarely dealt with much.

If it isn't too much of a spoiler of what I am doing here, I actually had a secret agenda behind this scenario, politically. Of course, games are meant to be fun, but the problem with war games is that it makes war seem like an epic struggle that you can win with a clever strategy. So I wanted to make a scenario that resembled a real battle more---fairly stupid and bloody. And I think this scenario wins at that.

[Turuk]

Sheesh you and Master of Battle doing the same thing at the same time. Bad habits must spread like the plague. Please do NOT double post, especially when your posts are only four minutes apart.

[beetlenaut]

Very nice! I love the fact that the AI doesn't get any more resources than you, but still makes it really tough. It took me four tries because I kept running out of time, or playing too aggressively because I was about to. (Then I see soliton's replay. ) I would love to see several scenarios like this in the mainline campaign dialog! If you make another one, I will certainly download it.

I think the balance is perfect the way it is. It might be nice if you add other difficulty levels though. Or maybe that would defeat the purpose.

...fairly stupid and bloody.

It sure is. I lost more units than I kept.
Recruits: 19
Losses: 11
Kills: 37
Advancements: 4 (Two red magi, one duelist, and a shock trooper by killing the enemy leader.)

[Glowing Fish]

Very nice! I love the fact that the AI doesn't get any more resources than you, but still makes it really tough.

They actually might get a bit more...they have less gold, but they start with those extra units. Of course, you have a healer and leadership, so its about even.

It took me four tries because I kept running out of time, or playing too aggressively because I was about to. (Then I see soliton's replay. ) I would love to see several scenarios like this in the mainline campaign dialog! If you make another one, I will certainly download it.

I have another idea for a similarly disadvantaged scenario, or maybe even a campaign. But I haven't started working yet.

I think the balance is perfect the way it is. It might be nice if you add other difficulty levels though. Or maybe that would defeat the purpose.

I did change the AI just a little bit so that the Nagas won't come ashore...but it might actually overall disadvantage the AI, because other units won't come ashore there either. But I think it is "balanced" as I want it. Which is just barely, possibly, winnable, but not without heavy casualties.

[Glowing Fish]

Well, I opened this up under 1.6, and so far what happens is the wrong line of dialogue gets read, and then I lose as soon as I kill an enemy unit...

So, I guess I have some editing to do! I hope to figure out the new WML and get it up on the campaign server soon.

[Orcish Shyde]

Well, I opened this up under 1.6, and so far what happens is the wrong line of dialogue gets read, and then I lose as soon as I kill an enemy unit...

So, I guess I have some editing to do! I hope to figure out the new WML and get it up on the campaign server soon.

Did you wmllint it first?