The Dark Hordes [Wesnoth 1.18.0+]

[KameRamen]

This is the current development and discussion thread for the oldest undead campaign The Dark Hordes.

Lead fugitive dark sorcerer Gwiti Ha’atel to mastery of the undead hordes. Seventeen playable scenarios and an epilogue. Originally made by Circon, edited by Bruno and pjr a long time ago, maintained by AI0867, and currently developed by KameRamen.

Reconstructed as codename Rebirth.

NOTE: Version 0.12.0 (codename Rebirth RC 4) is the greatest update to date and features a major rewrite of the prose along with an improved plot and a new character. Save files will still work after this version, but I recommend restarting from the beginning if possible to focus on the storyline.

“A necromancer cold as lead,
The battle fought by Erzen’s Stone;
He raised the corpses of the dead
And made his eldritch power known.

He through the darkness called to those,
The shades who heard from nether shore
Who came to him, who dead arose;
They took his life and left no more.”

(Intermediate level, 17 scenarios.)

With the help of a previous developer, AI0867, the migration of the repository from Wesnoth-UMC-Dev to Git is complete. Also, I have re-worked the port to Wesnoth 1.18 accordingly; this allows me to officially re-release it to 1.18.

Current GitHub repository: <https://github.com/wesnoth-legacy-proje ... ark_Hordes>
Repository by AI0867 for initial work only: <https://github.com/AI0867/The_Dark_Hordes>

Now all finished!

Future development will first shift toward making all scenarios of this original version playable. This is by far more feasible than revising everything from scratch. The remaining scenarios are as follows:

• Scenario 12: Assault on Alduin -- Gwiti destroys the High Council of Arch Magi in Alduin. -- Done in version 0.12.0

• Scenario 13: Landfall -- Gwiti crushes an unprepared Aldril. -- Done in version 0.12.0

• Scenario 14: Ambush -- Elynia makes a surprise attack against Gwiti. -- Done in version 0.12.0

• Scenario 15: The Crown Prince -- Gwiti deals with both the Crown Prince defending Dan'Tonk and the risen Morgorath. -- Done in version 0.12.99

• Scenario 16: Glyn’s Forest -- Gwiti escapes to Glyn’s Forest and confronts the orcs. -- Done in version 0.12.99

Then, a cutscene (or a short scenario) portraying the eventual duel with Elynia will serve as the epilogue of this campaign.
The situation has changed dramatically. I am convinced that this time the ending is near.

[KameRamen]

The Dark Hordes rise from the dead... forever.

I will re-release campaign version 0.8.0 probably within a few days. This is just a port. I will thereafter release the version 0.9 series (codenamed Rebirth) in phases.

S1: A New Chance

Basically, full-scale development is underway on GitHub, with redesigned map by RKT and various upgrades already incorporated into the first scenario, which will be 0.9.0.

[KameRamen]

Version 0.8.0 is now available!

First release with porting and tweaks for 1.18. Changelog here:

Code: Select all

Version 0.8.0
- General:
    * Migrate repository to Git by AI0867
    * Campaign updated for 1.18 with various bugfixes
- Scenarios
    * 11 - An Orcish Coup
        + Finished map with villages
- Translations from Wescamp
    * Updated translations: ga, nl, possibly others

More details are available on GitHub.

NOTE: Future versions will add revisions, so saved data may no longer work.

[SanDonk]

Hi, I have just downloaded this. I am interested in help with playtesting the potential mainline campaigns. Would it be appreciated if I played it and shared my scenario-by-scenario feedback in a similar form to the feedback for mainline campaigns? Or not really, because the work is now ongoing on the later scenario and you already know, what to do? Thank you for honest answer (I am asking, whether to "bother" now or wait for a half a year, when it is finished in mainline).

PS. Thank you for taking this project and wish you a good luck! TDH (the unfinished 7 or so scenarios) was the first campaign I won as a child back at the time, when there were only 5 campaigns and old music (as HttT is long and I got stuck in some scenarios).

[KameRamen]

Hi, I have just downloaded this. I am interested in help with playtesting the potential mainline campaigns. Would it be appreciated if I played it and shared my scenario-by-scenario feedback in a similar form to the feedback for mainline campaigns? Or not really, because the work is now ongoing on the later scenario and you already know, what to do? Thank you for honest answer (I am asking, whether to "bother" now or wait for a half a year, when it is finished in mainline).

Hi, thanks for your interest. I have been thinking about proposing TDH to the mainline for a long time, but unfortunately, it is not going to happen with the current plan. This is because, at least this time, I am planning to adopt an ending as a prequel to IftU (one of several ideas there were) which is unlikely to be accepted by the mainline.

As for feedback, personally, I think it might be better if you waited a while until some further release. As revisions to prose, gameplay, and additional scenarios are planned to be implemented, which could change considerably from the current version. I will announce here when ready. If you are so interested, I can share the latest working data with you, but that is up to you.

PS. Thank you for taking this project and wish you a good luck! TDH (the unfinished 7 or so scenarios) was the first campaign I won as a child back at the time, when there were only 5 campaigns and old music (as HttT is long and I got stuck in some scenarios).

That is good to hear! I will do my best to finish all scenarios for TDH.

[KameRamen]

Version 0.9.0 is now available!

Visual/gameplay revision was made to the first two scenarios and the bigmap was completely rewritten. No changes to the story or existing prose. Changelog here:

Code: Select all

Version 0.9.0
- General:
    * Codename Rebirth RC 1; basically too many fixes
    * Rewritten bigmap
    * Some additional music
- Scenarios
    * 01 - A New Chance
        + Revamped
    * 02 - Brother Against Brother
        + Revamped
- Units
    * Graphics tuning by KameRamen

More details are available on GitHub.

Not all scenarios have been completed yet.

[KameRamen]

Version 0.10.0 is now available!

Gameplay improvements to all original scenarios (scenarios 1 through ) have been made. We will now begin the process of updating and completing subsequent scenarios. Changelog here:

Code: Select all

Version 0.10.0
- General
    * Codename Rebirth RC 2
- Scenarios
    * Revamped remaining Circon's scenarios (03-08)
        + too many changes to list
        + In other words, part 1 work is almost done
    * 09 - Underground River
        + (WIP) Revamped, except for its map
    * 09x - Some gold-carryover fixes.

More details are available on GitHub.

Not all scenarios have been completed yet.

[KameRamen]

Version 0.10.1 is now available!

This is a relatively small release, but contains several bug fixes and revisions. Changelog here:

Code: Select all

Version 0.10.1
- General
    * Storyline updates (almost done)
- Scenarios
    * 01 - A New Chance
        + Some bugfixes
    * 10 - Return to the Northlands
        + (WIP) Revamped, except for its map
    * 11 - An Orcish Coup
        + (WIP) Revamped, except for its map
        + Major re-balancing

More details are available on GitHub.

Not all scenarios have been completed yet.

[KameRamen]

Yeah, the campaign is almost at the development phase where I would like to have some feedback. There should be no major changes in future updates that would corrupt save data. Especially gameplay-wise reviews and ideas are needed I believe.

[tsunami_]

I have played the first 8 scenarios. Here are some bug reports/questions/suggestions.

01 (A New Chance)
When I defeat the ogre, the naga disappear and also the mudcrawlers on the naga side disappear. However, the newly recruited ogre and the the ogre-side insects do not disappear. Not sure if this is expected behaviour.

03 (Skull of Morgorath)
543 gold carryover

04 (Mages and Elves)
Gwiti suddenly makes a long journey down to Wesnoth. Maybe mention how long it took, and what he was doing in the meantime. For example, terrorising the orcs that live around, or travelling through wastelands to hide.

05 (Inside the Tower)
I finished the scenario and Susanne says all my revenants survived. Who is Susanne??
Carry-over is 693 now.

06 (Crelanu's Book)
Why am I separated from my soldiers?
I was confused where to find the book, then I remembered the lightbeam from the Mage Tower. Now I feel smart.

08 (Underground pool)
On my first turn, I kill a dwarf and Tanar says "You’re the one who’s going to hell!"
On enemy turn, another dwarf attacks and says "Die, you dirty orc!"
I feel like these phrases are backwards.

I suggest that you add

minor map spoiler:

unlockable shortcuts here. It will make it less tedious if the player sends Gwiti and Tanar up the wrong tunnel.

I will start the next scenario with 767(!!!) bonus gold.

---

[tsunami_]

This is a rather small point, but in some scenarios there are these torches:

It illuminates the south hex, but from the positioning, it looks like it should illuminate four hexes.


---

[Konrad2]

S1
When Nati dies, the scenario does not end.

S2
I'd love an addition to the dialogue stating that his new followers allow Gwiti to recruit more units.

Mages and Elves
How did Gwiti make it this far into Wesnoth without being spotted?

Inside the Tower
Achievement 'Survive all the revenants in the dungeon' -> 'Keep all revenenants alive in the dungeon'

[KameRamen]

@tsunami_ Thanks for the feedback!

01 (A New Chance)
When I defeat the ogre, the naga disappear and also the mudcrawlers on the naga side disappear. However, the newly recruited ogre and the the ogre-side insects do not disappear. Not sure if this is expected behaviour.

Ok. I will make another side for the creatures coming out of villages. Doing so should make the behavior more natural.

04 (Mages and Elves)
Gwiti suddenly makes a long journey down to Wesnoth. Maybe mention how long it took, and what he was doing in the meantime. For example, terrorising the orcs that live around, or travelling through wastelands to hide.

Agreed. The prose has been updated in version 0.11.0 released today.

05 (Inside the Tower)
I finished the scenario and Susanne says all my revenants survived. Who is Susanne??
Carry-over is 693 now.

It's like an Easter egg, but so abrupt that I'm thinking of deleting it (or replacing it with something else).

08 (Underground pool)
On my first turn, I kill a dwarf and Tanar says "You’re the one who’s going to hell!"
On enemy turn, another dwarf attacks and says "Die, you dirty orc!"
I feel like these phrases are backwards.

Oh Fixed.

I suggest that you add

minor map spoiler:

unlockable shortcuts here. It will make it less tedious if the player sends Gwiti and Tanar up the wrong tunnel.
shortcuts_here.png

Thanks, I edited the map. Well, I think this scenario needs some more rework, so I'll put it on my list of things to do.

I will start the next scenario with 767(!!!) bonus gold.

Apparently too much gold was carried over. Fixed (60% -> 40%).

This is a rather small point, but in some scenarios there are these torches:
illuminating_torch.png
It illuminates the south hex, but from the positioning, it looks like it should illuminate four hexes.

Fixed.

[KameRamen]

S1
When Nati dies, the scenario does not end.

S2
I'd love an addition to the dialogue stating that his new followers allow Gwiti to recruit more units.

Mages and Elves
How did Gwiti make it this far into Wesnoth without being spotted?

Inside the Tower
Achievement 'Survive all the revenants in the dungeon' -> 'Keep all revenenants alive in the dungeon'

@Konrad2 Replied on Discord. Thanks

[KameRamen]

Version 0.11.0 is now available!

Codename Rebirth RC 3. Three completely new portraits were painted by Tsunami. In addition, all existing maps were beautifully reworked and a new Alduin scenario was drafted. Some prose and lore has been experimentally updated.

Changelog here:

Code: Select all

Version 0.11.0
- General
    * Codename Rebirth RC 3
    * A few updates to prose and lore
- Graphics & Artwork
    * New portraits by Tsunami_ for Initiate and Deathmaster
    * CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 license added
- Scenarios
    * All existing scenarios are done;
        + 09-11 maps reworked
        + Some re-balancing
    * Optimize all maps
    * 12 - Assault on Alduin (NEW, unfinished)

More details are available on GitHub.