Unto Others - WIP/Feedback

[OctarineSourcerer]

Hi! So, I'm back again with another research scenario, and once more it'd benefit from some sanity checking, lest I unleash it on poor souls who are then deeply confused and estranged.

This time, you've infiltrated a city under cover of night, allied mages in tow, to end a ritual. Find the ritual, protect the mages as they disable the ritual. Right?
It introduces a mechanic that may be slightly confusing to some, and while I've tested the scenario to heck, it definitely needs others' eyes.

I'm curious to know if:

• The scenario is particularly easy or difficult - why so? Any ideas that spring to mind about how this might be changed?
• Anything is confusing at all or not explained well. I'd hope that I've covered all bases here, but seeing as I wrote the thing it'd be all too easy for me to miss something not being explained
• Does the scenario get more or less tense at points? Do some objectives feel more important than others?
• Any bugs occur

When the scenario's not got any particularly glaring holes in it, it'll come with a questionnaire, but I'd be a fool to put it out without having anyone else look at it. Anyways, thank you so much for having a look at all! And have a wonderful day

The questionnaire link itself for anyone coming from the plugin's feedback page: https://bit.ly/invest-q

[white_haired_uncle]

I'm curious to know if:

• Anything is confusing at all or not explained well. I'd hope that I've covered all bases here, but seeing as I wrote the thing it'd be all too easy for me to miss something not being explained

Being defeated by completing the objective is confusing.

Seeing teams that are both my allies fight each other.

Pala killing one of my units when we are allies.

I wonder if you have considered that the player might find the right click menu items before they are introduced by the dialog.

[OctarineSourcerer]

Being defeated by completing the objective is confusing.

Seeing teams that are both my allies fight each other.

Pala killing one of my units when we are allies.

I wonder if you have considered that the player might find the right click menu items before they are introduced by the dialog.

Hmm, that's good to know, thank you. So, in essence the idea is that the mages aren't doing what you think they are, and that's hinted at partway through the scenario (and should show new objectives, at that). Still, it sounds like the initial objective shifting isn't particularly clear, will work on that. It's a little unusual I'll admit, but it does serve a purpose in the research, honest.

When teams both allied to you fight, did you use the right-click menu item of "Consider X as allies"? This doesn't *actually* make them allies, but displays them as allies on your turn only. On their own turns, they continue with their true allegiance's actions. I'll try and make it clearer.
Unless there was actual alliance there, in which case that's a bug Same with Pala killing one of your units - if you'd just hit "consider as allies", he'll still be aggressive to you. But if his allegiance has changed (due to you turning on the mages they've made the ritual go critical), he shouldn't attack you.

And as for the player finding the right-click items before they are introduced, it's something that's come to mind, but I wanted to at least give players the option of trying it out instead of locking them to only using it after a certain point (though it might be reasonable to do so). If it wasn't for the right-click items, it'd instead be hacing the mages *not* allies on the player's turn to allow them to actually be hit, and that's a lot more obvious.

Thank you for playing and the feedback! I hope it wasn't too terrible after all that

[white_haired_uncle]

Being defeated by completing the objective is confusing.

Seeing teams that are both my allies fight each other.

Pala killing one of my units when we are allies.

I wonder if you have considered that the player might find the right click menu items before they are introduced by the dialog.

Hmm, that's good to know, thank you. So, in essence the idea is that the mages aren't doing what you think they are, and that's hinted at partway through the scenario (and should show new objectives, at that). Still, it sounds like the initial objective shifting isn't particularly clear, will work on that. It's a little unusual I'll admit, but it does serve a purpose in the research, honest.

When teams both allied to you fight, did you use the right-click menu item of "Consider X as allies"? This doesn't *actually* make them allies, but displays them as allies on your turn only. On their own turns, they continue with their true allegiance's actions. I'll try and make it clearer.
Unless there was actual alliance there, in which case that's a bug :P Same with Pala killing one of your units - if you'd just hit "consider as allies", he'll still be aggressive to you. But if his allegiance has changed (due to you turning on the mages they've made the ritual go critical), he shouldn't attack you.

And as for the player finding the right-click items before they are introduced, it's something that's come to mind, but I wanted to at least give players the option of trying it out instead of locking them to only using it after a certain point (though it might be reasonable to do so). If it wasn't for the right-click items, it'd instead be hacing the mages *not* allies on the player's turn to allow them to actually be hit, and that's a lot more obvious.

Thank you for playing and the feedback! I hope it wasn't too terrible after all that :)

I played it through (lost) a few times:

1) Straight fight, no right click.
2) Took the option.
3) Abused the right click menu from turn one.

At no point did I see the objectives change, and actually checked them manually to see that they hadn't changed.

Pala, and the "allies" fighting happened in try #3.

Spoiler:

Oh yeah, the comment about NW isle is probably going to be confusing. IIRC, it was my ally that first found the ritual (try #1), and if I hadn't seen which way he went I probably would have thought I needed to go NW. The comment is factually accurate, but probably misleading in some cases.

Also, while I'm still not really sure what the point here is, the turn limit was a major clue to search, not fight. If you're not going for blatantly obvious, you may want to increase it a bit.

[OctarineSourcerer]

I played it through (lost) a few times:

1) Straight fight, no right click.
2) Took the option.
3) Abused the right click menu from turn one.

At no point did I see the objectives change, and actually checked them manually to see that they hadn't changed.

Pala, and the "allies" fighting happened in try #3.

Spoiler:

Oh yeah, the comment about NW isle is probably going to be confusing. IIRC, it was my ally that first found the ritual (try #1), and if I hadn't seen which way he went I probably would have thought I needed to go NW. The comment is factually accurate, but probably misleading in some cases.

Also, while I'm still not really sure what the point here is, the turn limit was a major clue to search, not fight. If you're not going for blatantly obvious, you may want to increase it a bit.

Huh okay the objectives not changing is a _definite_ bug, I'll look into that, thank you.

Were the "allies" fighting true allies?... actually, asking that is making me realise it should be easier to check their actual-ally status.

Spoiler:

Ah damn, completely hadn't realised it was NW instead of NE, my bad. And as for the time hinting that searching must be done.. I'll see about tweaking it a little.

I don't mind there being a clue to search, but I do want the mages' real plans to be a "oh crap" rediversion of resources for the player.

[Lord-Knightmare]

Nice and quick scenario, I guess. Clear and concise objectives and not too stressful either.

UNTO-Unto Others replay 20211209-030010.gz

(14.53 KiB) Downloaded 88 times

[OctarineSourcerer]

So, I was on intermission from my PhD a while. Came back, and fixed a bug which had managed to spring in right after I'd tested it all, a single comment being uncommented. So, should be actually playable now! The questionnaire's set up too.