[Historical] Scenario Review - EI 1 - The Outpost

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[Historical] Scenario Review - EI 1 - The Outpost

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(1) What difficulty levels and game versions have you played the scenario on?
(2) How difficult did you find the scenario? (1-10)
(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 meeting the objectives of 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?
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Ailurus
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Joined: March 10th, 2006, 11:07 pm

Post by Ailurus »

(1) Attempted the scenario several times, losing each time, on medium difficulty. Completed it on Easy. Played it on version 1.1.1.

(2) On Easy, I would rate it a 3. On Medium, an 8

(3) The objectives were clear, overall - survive, and then reach the escape tunnel

(4) It would be nice, I think, if the mage gave some indication as to how long searching for the trap door would take. Beyond that, it seems good. I especially like the initial banter of the necromancers and lich, and then Daycn getting so worried.

(5) This depends a lot on the difficulty level, in my opinion. On Medium, its a struggle for me to just survive, particularly with the bone shooters coming up from the lich's camp. However, on Easy I had no trouble at all staying alive. The challenge was more how much experience could I wring out of the scenario. I suspect that I could have killed at least one, maybe two, of the enemy leaders if I had pushed hard and used the full turn limits of the scenario.

(6) On Easy, a 5 - it was mostly just a killing field, with a limited number of turns. On Medium, an 8 - difficult to survive, but a good departure in playstyle from the Heir to the Throne scenarios.

(7) When the scenario is on Easy difficulty, the center necromancer does not recruit much of anything - if I recall correctly, he recruited nothing until the end of the first day/night cycle, and when the white mage reappeared with the trap door he had recruited a grand total of three skeleton archers. Perhaps increasing his recruitment rate slightly on Easy would make the scenario better - I found it simple to go on the offensive against his base, while easily holding the other two forces in check (about eight units each to hold the upper and lower leaders in check, with another six charging the central base by the time the white mage returned)

Also, it may be nice if a first time player is given information about approximatly how long locating the trap door will take. I think it would make the last few decisions easier, especially with trying to pull back a few somewhat experienced units, rather than just throwing everything into the fire in a desperate attempt to hold back the hordes, only to lose the leader one turn before (as I found out later) the trap door would appear.
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Gauteamus
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Re: Scenario Review - EI: The Outpost

Post by Gauteamus »

(1) 1.1.2a Medium and Hard, but comments relate to the try on Hard.
(2) Maybe a 9-9.5 to have some leeway for later scenarios - I find it a very hard, but interesting, scenario to beat as the objectives keeps one from using strats one would otherwise use, such as hiding away in some defensive corner (Valley of the Dead?). At the same time you have the HI's as the perfect counter to the skeletons (and mages if one could keep them alive).
(3) Clear objectives now that it is specified to wait for Dacyn two days.
(4) The storyline is intrigueing, as it calls for ones curiosity (who is this dark archon). The dialogue I find rather unclear, but that is perhaps on purpose.
(5) Keeping the main characters alive without straying away from the starting keep.
(6) A funny 7.
(7) Changes: Not many, but maybe give some hints to a possible survival strategy, as strong hinting through dialogue is abit lame, maybe add some more typical 'stronghold'-points to the map where one can defend/heal etc.

I do not know what strategies the Sun-Tzu's out there would use to beat this scenario on hard without saving, so I will bother you with mine in short lines ..
I first bought four HI, grabbed some vills and was then able to buy two more on turn 4.
Went south and west to defend at the edge of the forrest and use the villages at 6,19 and 3,21 for healing.
Lost 4 of the HI, but managed to level the other two :D
Finished on turn 13/16 after a heavy save/loading from autosave to avoid swarming WC's to kill either Dacyn or Gweddry.
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turin
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Post by turin »

Hm... would adding some water around your castle help some? It would make sense geographically, and it might help to have a small stream or something near the castle. I'm not sure about this idea though.
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Jgrr
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Joined: June 19th, 2006, 5:53 pm
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Post by Jgrr »

(1) 1.1.7, medium
(2) for survival, not very hard (1) - for exp'ing units and getting the exp'ed units off alive, medium hard (5)
(3) survival is a very clear objective, the trap door thing was a bit un-clear to me until I accidentally moved my spearman away from the spot :)
(4) the initial ones were OK (though the translation had some errors - mental note to self :) ) but I've hoped to have some more (undead threats, cursing their own troops or something)
(5) choice of units to use (it probably wasn't the wisest choice to recruit 5 spearmen on Turn 1 :) ), and restraining myself not to go to a mad charge after damaged enemy units. I was successful in making a counterattack on Day 2 and killing the first two Bone Shooters, but in the end, I could not level a single one of my units.
(6) defense scenarios are always fun, since they give you the chance to make a versatile defense, retreat on one front and counterattack on the other one (or if you are a bore, just recruit a castle full of HI and stay there). I'd give this one a 7.
(7) most of the units of the uppermost AI seemed to go after my cavalrymen in the North - basically I could avoid them through the entire battle. This could be considered a feature - it would been tough for me to stay alive otherwise - but it still gives the feeling that I only live because of the AI's stupidity
cph
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Post by cph »

1) Medium, 1.2.4
2) 6
3) Clear
4) Good I guess - I'll have to play further through to know what's really going on.
5) The undead seem to all want to march north-west. I foolishly tried fighting from the west side of the river, hoping that would help; but I got drawn to the eye of the storm in the NW, where my small force was overwhelmed.

Second attempt, standing around in the centre of the level, most of the undead walked past to the north, crossed the river, and so they never made a concentrated attack; I could just selectively fight the units that strayed too close to me.
6) 8
7) -
Ke
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Joined: September 6th, 2007, 2:21 pm

Re: Scenario Review - EI: The Outpost

Post by Ke »

turin wrote:(1) What difficulty levels and game versions have you played the scenario on?
Hard, version 1.2.6
turin wrote:(2) How difficult did you find the scenario? (1-10)
Very, I haven't won it yet (after 1.5 tries).
turin wrote:(3) How clear did you find the scenario objectives?
This is my main complaint.

My strategy, which seemed pretty obvious, was to recruit some Heavy Infantry, and a horseman to try to distract the Purple guys (who looked the most deadly - this idea proved largely ineffectual, they didn't take the bait), and make a run for it with the HIs and Gweddry to the top left corner. This was kind-of-but-not-really working (I thought I had some small chance of making it to the end of the turns), until Dacyn's surprise re-appearance, which of course ruined everything. I actually pushed on anyway just for kicks, and nearly made it - I was blocked from reaching the trapdoor on the very last turn (having lost all my units except for the two leaders and that horseman :P).

Actually, I had considered staying at the castle, and I would have tried that if my running away idea had not worked.
turin wrote:(4) How clear and interesting did you find the dialog and storyline of the scenario?
Dialog was good, hinted at some interesting stuff in the storyline. I must say that I found it totally implausible that Dacyn would just disappear without an explanation in such a dire situation. No rational person, however mischevious they were, would do that.
turin wrote:(5) What were your major challenges in meeting the objectives of the scenario?
Lack of gold and/or a more defensible position.
turin wrote:(6) How fun do you think the scenario is? (1-10)
OK overall, pretty good at times. I can't really quantify "fun". 7-8, if you insist.
turin wrote:(7) What, if any, are changes you would have made to the scenario to make it more fun?
Some sort of clearer indication to stay at the keep - I spent much time pondering my strategy and of course actually doing it. I could have saved that time if I had known that I had no choice anyway. Also, as someone else mentioned, the AI does seem to be stuck between heading for my leader and heading for the top left corner. Maybe this is intentional.

I will try this scenario again at some point - maybe on medium :roll:
starless
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Joined: January 3rd, 2008, 5:05 pm

Post by starless »

(1) 1.3.13 on Medium
(2) 9
(3) Clear enough.
(4) I liked the scenario from a gameplay point of view.
(5) Quite difficult to pull it off. The trap door objective at the end made it almost impossible. At this point you are either surrounded or cut off from the trap door. I had to reload a lot.
(6) 4 - It was too difficult to be fun. But was refreshingly different from other scenarios
(7) What if enemies have one castle square less? That way they can't summon so many units at the same time and it will be just a little easier to stay alive.
Strikur
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Joined: August 9th, 2008, 6:57 pm

Re: Scenario Review - EI: The Outpost

Post by Strikur »

(1) 1.4.4 medium

(2) 9, very hard for a first scenario, i didn't get much of anywhere untill my 6th try, when i took over the top keep then lost because of an unforseeable objective change. beat it on my 8th try.

(3) it never says you should stay near the keep. the first time i survived long enough to see Dacyn re-appear, i had just taken over the top keep and was almost dead. the trapdoor surprise is really stupid, there's no way to see it coming unless you already played the mission.

(4) not very good. you have no clue what Dacyn's up to, yet you somehow magically know he's going to "return" in two days.

(5) keeping my leader safe from bats, having to restart because i was too far from the trapdoor

(6) 2, the mid-level surprise on an already difficult mission took all the fun out of it.

(7) give some idea that you have to stay near the keep. it took me a long time to figure out how to survive by taking over the top enemy keep. it was frustrating when i went through all that trouble, then Dacyn shows up and basically says "Haha sucker, now try to get over here in 4 turns or you lose :twisted: "

overall, not a very inviting first mission.
dsa
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Joined: August 22nd, 2008, 8:46 pm
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Re: Scenario Review - EI: The Outpost

Post by dsa »

(1) 1.4.5, I tried it on hard two times, but couldn't finish and therefore played on medium.
(2) On medium 4, on hard 10. The gap between these difficulty levels is in my opinion too big. On hard I was just overwhelmed by the numbers of the enemy troops and I have no idea, what I can do against it (I recruited as many heavy infantryman as possible). Otherwise on medium, I think I could have even beaten the enemy leaders, if I wanted to (with more time of course :) )
(3) Other posted it here already, there should be a remark, that you have to stay near the keep.
(4) It's strange, that you actually don't know what Dacyn is going to do, but nevertheless you know that he returns after two days.
(5) On hard I couldn't defend myselves against so many units.
(6) 6
(7) On medium it is okay. On hard it should be made a bit easier: Either more starting money for the own army or less money for the enemies should do it. Maybe reducing the number of tiles the enemy has to recruit units, would be another method to weaken at least the impact of the attacks.
Jozrael
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Re: Scenario Review - EI: The Outpost

Post by Jozrael »

I would really like a replay of someone beating this level on hard without insane amounts of reloading/luck.
Jozrael
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Re: Scenario Review - EI: The Outpost

Post by Jozrael »

As an additional note, I think the dialogue for this should be slightly rewritten: Someone wrote that the reasons for Dacyn leaving are laughable at best, and I'd be inclined to agree.

Still waiting on a rep for someone beating this on hard without save/loading.
csarmi
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Re: Scenario Review - EI: The Outpost

Post by csarmi »

turin wrote:(1) What difficulty levels and game versions have you played the scenario on?
(2) How difficult did you find the scenario? (1-10)
(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 meeting the objectives of 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?


(Please do not reply if you are not running 1.1.1 or later, as there have been changes to the scenario since previous versions.)
1) 1.4.6, hard difficulty
2) 11. I can't see how it can be done, TBH. You can save/reload like hell, or hope for huge luck and keep restarting maybe.
3) Unclear. I could never figure out that I was to stay around the keep (which is actually a suicide)
4) Staying alive through turn 8-9.
6-7) 3. dying everytime is not fun, it's just boring. maybe some hard to spot but cleverly made defensive area not too far from the keep would help. You can't even do much strategy as it now stands. Is it possible to add some random experience to the units at start so they levelup a bit faster (levelling up heals you which is now about the only way to get hp back)

As for corrections: The white mage should say "I must not be seen" (instead of I can't be seen), I think. I'd also hate him for all my life if I were the lieutenant. With healing there might be a chance...
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governor
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Re: Scenario Review - EI: The Outpost

Post by governor »

(1) What difficulty levels and game versions have you played the scenario on?
Hard 1.5.6
(2) How difficult did you find the scenario? (1-10)
Impossible, try it.
(3) How clear did you find the scenario objectives?
Clear, unfortunately there is an awful surprise if you run away to live.
(4) How clear and interesting did you find the dialog and storyline of the scenario?
..
(5) What were your major challenges in meeting the objectives of the scenario?
Its impossible.
(6) How fun do you think the scenario is? (1-10)
Not fun
(7) What, if any, are changes you would have made to the scenario to make it more fun?
Make it possible to win.
Make the WM appear on turn 5 or 6, or give the player a lot more gold (150?) to recruit with.
palloco
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Re: Scenario Review - EI: The Outpost

Post by palloco »

(1) Hard on 1.4.7
(2) 10. It is very luck reliant, probably even with the right strategy.
(3) Clear enough
(4) Clear and interesting
(5) It is not possible to win the first time due to not knowing the second objective (the obvious strategy when you are facing an army with a strength of 1 to 5 is running away)
(6) 9. One of the few scenarios that cannot be done the first time.
(7) Increase the amount of gold from 80 to 100 or 120. Why would a royal mage come to a place surrounded by undead without any support? Why would he come back when the outpost is probably already crushed?

As a hint to other players here is my replay. The undead will reach the outpost at night, so there is no chance to stand them. We have to delay them by sending expendable units to the front and face them with HI at day.
I reloaded twice: on turn 9 and on turn 12.
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