Scenario 2: Blackwater Port

Feedback for the mainline campaign Heir to the Throne.

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TGM: Orb
Posts: 11
Joined: February 10th, 2008, 5:44 pm

Post by TGM: Orb »

(1) What difficulty levels have you played the scenario on?
Challenging
(2) How difficult did you find the scenario? (1-10) [1]
2, albeit I didn't bring the fight to the orcs. To be honest, I can't see any threat of the horse lords being overrun, so it just comes down to isolating and outflanking the orcs with absolutely no long-term concerns.
(3) How clear did you find the scenario objectives?
Clear, but I can vaguely remember (hope I got the right scenario) there not being 'Objectives Available' on the menu thing.
(4) How clear and interesting did you find the dialog and storyline of the scenario?
Clear, but again simplistic and not interesting to me.
(5) What were your major challenges in completing the scenario?
None, really. Just keeping vulnerable units out of reach of the orcs.
(6) How fun do you think the scenario is? (1-10)
4. Nothing particularly interesting.
(7) What, if any, are changes you would have made to the scenario to make it more fun?
I'd have weakened the horse lords' guards for the Challenging level. There was absolutely no point for me in standing and fighting in a conventional manner, since two swordsmen and a couple of level 2 cavalry can comfortably hold off or destroy every unit the orcs can send at them. Additionally, I'd have added a few more turns, since the short time period means that there was no chance at all of me being defeated unless I actually charged Conrad or Delfador out into the orcs completely unsupported (plus, a few more turns would make attacking the orc base feasible on Challenging).
Jigsawn
Posts: 15
Joined: January 29th, 2008, 7:52 pm
Location: Midlands, UK

Post by Jigsawn »

(1) What difficulty levels have you played the scenario on?
Wesnoth version 1.3.14 - Normal difficulty

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

(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 ok. Setting was quite nice as was the survive scenario.

(5) What were your major challenges in completing the scenario?
None - I was comfortably able to hold the orcs back with barely any help from the ally (in fact his horses would get killed pretty easily). I didn't take many losses and managed to level up quite a few units. I didn't have enough troops to storm the enemy fort though.

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

(7) What, if any, are changes you would have made to the scenario to make it more fun?
- Have more allied troops and a bigger orc presence.
- Have a village or two between the player and the orc base to help with healing.
- Have some other events in the scenario (what about a few caves which trolls come out of?)
Lyinar
Posts: 13
Joined: February 18th, 2008, 1:23 am

Re: Scenario Review: Blackwater Port

Post by Lyinar »

Version: 1.2.8

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

Medium.

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

2, I'd say.

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

Crystal.

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

Clear, yes. Interesting, sorta. I liked the way Horsemen were explained using entirely in-character terms.

(5) What were your major challenges in completing the scenario?

None, really.

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

7. It's not outstanding, but it's also not frustratingly difficult. Good chance for a new player to learn the ropes with an ally to back them up.

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

It seems fine as-is.
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Buddy Jimm
Posts: 48
Joined: July 25th, 2006, 11:54 pm

Re: Scenario Review: Blackwater Port

Post by Buddy Jimm »

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

Medium, 1.3.17

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

3. Staying alive isn't hard at all, just the ol' veteranizing. When gold is short and terrain rough, recalled elves still seem preferable to horsemen. The intelligent player will heed Sir Kaylan's tutoring, but equally heed his demonstration of the folly of charging full-HP grunts and archers at night.

Haldiel makes an okay scout in this one though, and is immensely valuable for the remainder of the campaign.

(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?

Overall, great. But I think Haldiel, being such a cheap date, should be allowed at least a second sentence explaining his eagerness to fight for Konrad. Something simple, yet personal, like a firm belief or being forced from his home.

(5) What were your major challenges in completing the scenario?

It can get to be a chore if Kaylan's nighttime charge proves unusually disastrous, as the numerous and occasionally leveled enemy survivors can force my elvish rabble back even from forests.

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

5. Not great for horsemen, but good practice for learning to use your elvish backbone.

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

Might be cool story-wise if orcish reinforcements arrived on turn 10-11 with news of victory over the elves. And then Konrad and Delfador could respond with disbelief. I think on the whole this would set a good stage for the subsequent escape to Alduin.
tungdil
Posts: 5
Joined: March 3rd, 2008, 10:36 pm

Post by tungdil »

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

Medium, 1.3.19

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

9. Staying alive for my little conrad, and getting experience wasn't to easy - without too much gold from the previous campaign. Also trying not to loose any fighter.

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

Not so clear. I was'nt really able to fullfill the optional goal of killing the orc-leader, because I only tried to survive, nothing more. The orcish fighters were too big for my fighters.

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

Nice dialog, but would also prefer more informations about the playing characters. Why do the try to resists against such an overwhelming force?
Only for a possible heir? No, this isn't too realistic.

(5) What were your major challenges in completing the scenario?

Surviving and not loosing fighters. No chance for me to strike back. This was a hard scenario for me.

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

8, but a hard scenario - especially if this should be a beginners learning scenario. And it's the second hurry, hurry scenario in this campaign!

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

Maybe, more gold for conrad at the beginning. And a hint that catching the villages would be useful.
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theruler
Posts: 26
Joined: February 29th, 2008, 11:01 am

Re: Scenario Review: Blackwater Port

Post by theruler »

(1) What difficulty levels have you played the scenario on?
Normal on version 1.4.0

(2) How difficult did you find the scenario? (1-10)
5. The help from the AI is USELES.

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

(4) How clear and interesting did you find the dialog and storyline of the scenario?
A bit wordy, but fine.

(5) What were your major challenges in meeting the objectives of the scenario?
none, actually.
The forest patch in the middle of the map was a windfall.

(6) How fun do you think the scenario is? (1-10)
7 = FUN!!

(7) What, if any, are changes you would have made to the scenario to make it more fun?
let the pikemen help you. or at least give more gold to Sir "whatsoever" to recruit more horsemen... (the fall like flies into a fire).
Chuck Norris' watch displays only an hour. Yours.
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Anym
Posts: 7
Joined: April 2nd, 2008, 6:27 pm
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Re: Scenario Review: Blackwater Port

Post by Anym »

(1) Hero (Normal), 1.4

(2) 3: Easier than the first one. I never felt the threat of defeat. [1]

(3) Very clear.

(4) Clear, interesting and helpful.

(5) Finding a balance between gaining experience and just sitting it out.

(6) 6: OK, but a bit too similar in tone to the previous scenario and a bit too easy to be fully enjoyable.

(7) Can't think of any.

[1] as I haven't played the other scenarios in the campaign yet, I can't really rate it in comparison with the other scenarios in the campaign
I look just like Bobbin Threadbare.
SumnerH
Posts: 15
Joined: January 9th, 2008, 6:01 am

Re: Scenario Review: Blackwater Port

Post by SumnerH »

I'm filling these out having done Elves Beseiged-A Choice Must Be Made on "medium" difficulty, and I'm following the advice to rank 10=hardest scenario in the campaign (Seige of Elsenfar), 1 = easiest (Elves Besieged)

(1) What difficulty levels have you played the scenario on?
Medium, Wesnoth version 1.4
(2) How difficult did you find the scenario? (1-10) [1]
4 on average, but the ally's moves can dramatically affect how tough it is
(3) How clear did you find the scenario objectives?
Pretty clear, it's the first one with dual success endings but seemed fine.
(4) How clear and interesting did you find the dialog and storyline of the scenario?
Made sense to me; I'm still in flight, trying to hold off the bad guys until the ship arrives
(5) What were your major challenges in completing the scenario?
Keeping Haldiel alive and leveling some useful units
(6) How fun do you think the scenario is? (1-10)
6. Fairly fun but nothing really special here. Basically trying to time the clock to maximize XP.
(7) What, if any, are changes you would have made to the scenario to make it more fun?
Trolls can be nasty at this time, but smart tactics can deal with them without huge problems. Rather than change this scenario, add another tutorial level on tactics so that people aren't flailing in the water here.

Also emphasize that saving gold and levelling troops are important goals; my first time through, I had Konrad sitting on the keep the whole time recruiting horseman like a mad monkey on crack. It worked to kill the enemy, but it didn't leave me in good shape down the road--giving a heads up that future scenarios depend heavily on bringing in developed assets would be nice.
zyx
Posts: 0
Joined: May 2nd, 2008, 9:29 pm

Re: Scenario Review: Blackwater Port

Post by zyx »

(1) Medium
(2) 1
(3) Clear
(4) Clear and interesting
(5) No defeated units.
(6) 5
(7)
Cuervo
Posts: 11
Joined: December 4th, 2008, 2:25 am

Re: Scenario Review: Blackwater Port

Post by Cuervo »

(1) Challenging. Wesnoth 1.5.6
(2) To do the normal objective 2. To kill the Orcs in 9 turns maybe 7.
(3) Very clear.
(4) Very interesting storyline was somewhat basic.
(5) Beating the Orcs in 9 turns without sustaining heavy casualties.
(6) 7 it is fun to strategize on but the running into the orcs and not being able to plow through fast enough without making a distraction.
(7) Modify the terrain a bit so their aren't so many places where you meet the orcs and stop. It does seem to be a well thought out map though.
AThousandYoung
Posts: 87
Joined: February 3rd, 2007, 2:54 am

Re: Scenario Review: Blackwater Port

Post by AThousandYoung »

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

Challenging (Hard), 1.4.7

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

1 (survive) 9 (kill orc leader)

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

8

(4) How clear and interesting did you find the dialog and storyline of the scenario? 3

(5) What were your major challenges in completing the scenario?

Killing the orc boss in time with all his troops interfering!

(6) How fun do you think the scenario is? (1-10) 5

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

Maybe give the allied leader more money/troops.
mcv
Posts: 52
Joined: March 25th, 2009, 12:47 pm

Re: Scenario Review: Blackwater Port

Post by mcv »

(1) What difficulty level and version of Wesnoth have you played the scenario on?
Medium. 1.6

(2) How difficult did you find the scenario? (1-10)
3. A walkover. Way too easy compared to the much harder first scenario. Originally I thought it'd be harder, because there's not as much forest, and my elves rule mostly in the forest. Originally I ran straight for the forest between me and the enemy castle, but eventually I ended up fighting them in the open as much as in the forest. Orcs aren't hard to fight if you've got bows.

(3) How clear did you find the scenario objectives?
Very clear. I just need to survive. I expected to need to dig in on the edge of the forest, but wiping out the orcs turned out to give me a huge bonus.

(4) How clear and interesting did you find the dialog and storyline of the scenario?
Clear, but not terribly interesting. It's not the kind of game you play for dialogue and story.

(5) What were your major challenges in completing the scenario?
None. I expected open ground to be deadly for my elves, but even that wasn't true. I did accidentally lose my loyal horseman, but I get way too much money anyway.

(6) How fun do you think the scenario is? (1-10)
5. Not as exciting as I'd hoped.

(7) What, if any, are changes you would have made to the scenario to make it more fun?
Much stronger opposition. Make me fight for survival and hide in defensive terrain, rather than waltzing over the opposition.
GrouchyDan
Posts: 7
Joined: April 1st, 2009, 6:35 pm

Re: Scenario Review: Blackwater Port

Post by GrouchyDan »

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

Many versions, both Easy and Medium difficulty. My comments will be based on playing the Medium difficulty level.

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

OK, I'll try to numerically rate the difficulty in the manner Dave requests. To do that, I must identify the most difficult scenario in the campaign. For me, that's probably "Hasty Alliance" because Li'sar often as not seems bent on suicide. Compared to that scenario, "Blackwater Port" is easy in that my ally rarely stupidly effects suicide attacks; any early-finish bonus is immaterial; I've always played the next scenario ("The Isle of Alduin") with minimum starting gold. I'll call this a difficulty-3 scenario.
(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, verbose, prolix.

(5) What were your major challenges in completing the scenario?

None.

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

It's a fun scenario in that it's simple but the strategic choices are interesting and also fundamental, whereas in the first scenario the choices are pretty obvious (recruit archers and shamans because of their 70% forest defence, allowing perhaps one Elvish Fighter sacrificial recruit.) The reflective player learns, during this scenario, the importance of balancing the number of recalled warriors with the number of recruited warriors; the fact that an Elvish Fighter and Elvish Archer both have 60% defense in villages whereas the EF costs less and has more hitpoints; the tactical advantage gained when an Elvish Shaman "slows" a Troll Whelp or Orcish Grunt. I think this is a sort of brilliantly designed scenario and is lots of fun.

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

None.
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Akkarin345
Posts: 429
Joined: January 19th, 2008, 6:16 pm
Location: England

Re: Scenario Review: Blackwater Port

Post by Akkarin345 »

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

1.6 Normal

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

5 ( i attacked the orc to get kills and should have probobly got more units lol)

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

very clear

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

very clear

(5) What were your major challenges in completing the scenario?

Killing the orc within the time limit, killed him on turn 11 / 12

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

5, normal game of Wesnoth. No added events but seeing as its at the start i can understand why.

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

None.
Grisogonus
Posts: 10
Joined: April 22nd, 2009, 1:27 pm
Location: Croatia

Re: Scenario Review: Blackwater Port

Post by Grisogonus »

(1) What difficulty level and version of Wesnoth have you played the scenario on?
(2) How difficult did you find the scenario? (1-10) [1]
(3) How clear did you find the scenario objectives?
(4) How clear and interesting did you find the dialog and storyline of the scenario?
(5) What were your major challenges in completing the scenario?
(6) How fun do you think the scenario is? (1-10)
(7) What, if any, are changes you would have made to the scenario to make it more fun?



(1) Medium difficulty, version 1.6.1.
(2) 6 - not an easy one, I got Defaldor toasted in my first try. Replayed then, I was able to gain a foothold in the woods, although it was a pain (had to reload for more xp). Haldiel barely came out alive from his southwestern diversion (unable to get any significant xp on him), however I did get xp on elvish fighters, promoted 2 to captains, even Konrad got some lol...
(3) Very clear, survive until boat comes.
(4) Everything ok here, standard procedure...
(5) Finishing within the time frame, I barely did it on turn 11 from 12 turns. Getting any gold from this scenario is hard as well.
(6) 7 - Very fun scenarion, nicely set up.
(7) Perhaps give it a few more turns so you can organize an attack on orc leader instead of throwing it in all or nothing manner.
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