Town vs Gown - version 0.4 on campaign server.

[tw]

I'm intending to make a campaign provisionally titled Town vs Gown. It will follow the fortunes of the fellows and students of the University of Abesford. A riot between them and the townspeople results in their fleeing east, in the hope of finding a place to found a new university.

So far I only have the map of Abesford and the concept for the first two scenarios.

1) A group of bandits attack the town, the townspeople and university ally uneasily to defeat them. Just a gentle introduction, mainly to show Abesford in its 'pristine' state.

2) The main riot between the townspeople and the university, resulting in the latter's flight eastwards.

Abesford
[map]gcggffgggggfffffffffffffffffffffffEfgfgg
ccccggfgffgffffffffffffgfffffffffEEfffff
ccccccgggffffgffffgfffffffggffffEhhfffff
ggcccccggfggffgfffgggffffgffffffEhhhfffg
gfggccccggfffgfffffgffffffffffffEEhffffg
ggffgcccccgggCggffffffffffffgfffffEgfffg
EEgfggcccccCC2CggffffffgffffffffffEggffg
ggEEggggc//cCCCgffffffffggfffgfffEEfffff
GGggEEgE/cccggggffggfffffffffggfEgfffgff
GGGGgEEgccccgfggffgggffffffffgffEffffffg
GGGGgEgggcccgfggggfffgffffgfffffEffffffg
GGGGgEgggcccggffgggggGggfffffgffEffffgfg
GGGggEEggcccgggffggGGGGGggffffffEfffffgg
GggEEgEggcccgRggfggGGGGGGGggffffEfffffgg
gEEgvgEtgcccRtRgfggGGGGGGGGGgggfEfffgggg
EggggvEvgcccRRvvgggGGGGGGGGGGGggEfffgfff
vggCggEEgcccggRRvggGGGGGGvGGGGGgEffffffg
gCCRKCgEgcckggggRggGGGGGGGtGGgggEffffggg
gCRgtCgEvgkkkkggRtgGGGGGGGGgggggEffhffff
gCRRRCggEEkkkkkgRgggGGGGGggggggEEfhfffff
ggCCCRCCggkkkccgEgggggGggEEEgEEggffgfffg
ggCRgR1RCgEgcccgEggggtgEEgggEgEEggffffgg
ggCgR?RgCgEtcccgEEvEEEEggggfggggEEggffgg
ggCRRRRRCgEgcccgvgEggggggfffffggggEEggfg
ggCCgRgCCCEgcccgggEvggggffffffffgggEggff
ggggCCCCRKEgcccggvEgggggffgfffgfgggEgggg
gvggggggCgEvcccGGGggggggggfffffffgggEEgg
ggEEggggggEgcccGGGGgggggggfgfffffffgggEE
gggvEEvggEEvcccGGooogggGGGggggffffffgggg
GGggggEEEvgGcccGogpgogGGGGGGggggffffgggg
GGGGgg?R?GGGccccogggogGGGGGGGGgggffgffgg
GGGGGg?R?GGGccccKggoogGGGGGGGGGGggffgfgg
GGGGGg?R??GGccccc|ogggGGGGGGGGGGGgggfgfg
GGGGGg??R?GGGoc|/cccgcccGGGGGGGGGggggfgg
ggGGGgg?RR???KggcccccccGccccGcGcGcgggffg
ggggGggg??RRpRggvogGGGGGGGGGcGcG|vccggfg
gggfgggggg??RpKooggGGGGGGGGGGGGGGgggccgg
ggggffgggggg?ggggggGGGGGGGGGGGGGGggfggcc
gggfffffggggggggggggGGGGGffgGGGGGggfgggg
ggfffgfffgggggggggggggGggffffgGgggggffff[/map]

The 'castles' are the university's colleges. Ignore the start positions, that's just for testing purposes.

The units for the university will initially be elves, mages, and possibly necromancers.

I'm particularly interested in ideas or scenarios for events to happen on the journey. They need not be original - if you have already written something you think would fit well let me know.

[Glowing Fish]

Well, I have to give you points for plot originality!

[Changeling]

Why Town vs. Gown?

[Temuchin Khan]

Why Town vs. Gown?

Well, to spell it out: townsfolk vs. those who wear the academic gown.

[tw]

Well it's not finished properly yet, but here's the first scenario.

TODO:

Most of the victory and defeat conditions. So far only 'Death of any of the University" works, albeit in spectacular fashion.
Make the bandits target the colleges.
Try and fix it so they can only rob each castle tile once.
Make Swiftfoot have more movement, and not stay in his keep all the time.
Change the bandits from chaotic to lawful, since they're a group known for daytime operation.

Also a few more plot ideas. It's mainly a mages' campaign, which might make the tactics interesting. In my experience mages are strong in offense but weak defensively. Necromancy will figure in some scenarios.

The group will split; some will head east to found a new uni, others will head north, but turn back and retake Abesford. I'll let the player choose which thread to follow first, but both must be completed.

There is hopefully going to be a scenario titled "Spiders on a ship". No prizes for guessing the movie it will parody.

[Darn Penguin]

There is hopefully going to be a scenario titled "Spiders on a ship". No prizes for guessing the movie it will parody.

Well, just be careful with that. While parodies are technically protected speech, the BFW folks get really jumpy around the concept of potential copyright infringement.

[Ultimatum479]

Try and fix it so they can only rob each castle tile once.

I haven't tried building a campaign or even a map yet, but I know there are plenty of campaigns with treasure chests that only the player's side can reach. Why not just put treasure chests on every castle tile and make it so your men can't pick 'em up?

[tw]

Nice idea, though there's a risk of it looking silly.
Another I considered is to have the bandits also turn the castle into ruined castle; problem with that is there's no no dwarven ruined castle.

[Ultimatum479]

It can't look silly if you edit the chest sprites to be the size of a pixel.

[tw]

Well I have the first scenario fully playable.

But I'm still having a little trouble with the AI. I still need the bandits to target the colleges properly. So I need a way to have them go for certain locations, terrain types, or possibly items if I implement it that way.

Now to do the next one. Which won't be the main battle, that's been pushed back to the third.

[tw]

Version 0.2 is now on the campaign server. There are two scenarios, the second is in serious need of balancing, it's too hard at present.

[tw]

Following the forum's hiatus, version 0.3.1 is on the server, with 3 _working_ scenarios. And I'm working on the fourth right now.

[Ewan]

Very much enjoying (as an academic!) the setting.

However, I really *hate* the persistant inability to recall. Scenario 2, OK, I understand and agree with the limit to new undead - but why cannot they then be recalled for the flight in scenario 3? Annoying.

Otherwise, bravo .

[tw]

That's a bug, Ivesi SHOULD be able to recall his undead in The Riot, possibly along with the units in Daylight robbery, though not hire any new undead.

I'm working on scenario 4 now, which is a standard defeat-the-enemy-leaders job. And I'll try and fix the recall issue too.

[tw]

Version 0.4 on the server. Ivesi's recall list now works.

Unless I do more today, there won't be any further updates until the 21st April at the earliest.