17a. The Duel
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17a. The Duel
(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?
(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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Re: 17a. The Duel
(1) Invasion, 1.18
(2) 3
(3) Clear
(4) Excellent
(5) Killing Mal-Ravanal (without the Sentinel Shield and Yetiburger)
(6) 8
(7) I feel like Mal-Ravanal's cheap tactics are actually less cheap than turning up with party of anti-Undead units stocked with items and AMLAs. It's quite an easy win, but it works well as a finale in combination with the previous scenario.
The bonus dialogue for the loyal units and Heroes is good.
Mal-Ravanal's fun as a villain and Dacyn banishing Mal-Ravanal is really good.
Dacyn's final scene is excellent. I genuinely thought the ending was heading for Dacyn meeting the same fate as Ravan which adds weight to Dacyn's final moment of quiet heroism.
The epilogue:
Owaec isn't essential, and the conflict is laid to rest in the Drowned Plains but since their conflict is a throughline for the campaign, Owaec not having a line acknowledging Dacyn's fate is a shame.
Overall campaign thoughts:
(2) 3
(3) Clear
(4) Excellent
(5) Killing Mal-Ravanal (without the Sentinel Shield and Yetiburger)
(6) 8
(7) I feel like Mal-Ravanal's cheap tactics are actually less cheap than turning up with party of anti-Undead units stocked with items and AMLAs. It's quite an easy win, but it works well as a finale in combination with the previous scenario.
The bonus dialogue for the loyal units and Heroes is good.
Mal-Ravanal's fun as a villain and Dacyn banishing Mal-Ravanal is really good.
Dacyn's final scene is excellent. I genuinely thought the ending was heading for Dacyn meeting the same fate as Ravan which adds weight to Dacyn's final moment of quiet heroism.
The epilogue:
Owaec isn't essential, and the conflict is laid to rest in the Drowned Plains but since their conflict is a throughline for the campaign, Owaec not having a line acknowledging Dacyn's fate is a shame.
Overall campaign thoughts:
Spoiler:
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Re: 17a. The Duel
Campaign maker here - just want to say that I've read all your feedback and I really appreciate all the time you've put into playing and reviewing EI! If there's anything specific you'd like changed for 1.20, let me know and I'll see what I can do.
Re: 17a. The Duel
Good to know the feedback's somewhat useful. The campaign really is one of the best.
I have a handful of minor issues/tweaks I'll get around to opening on Github (things like civilians being able to block recruitment in Eleventh Hour).
(In my last All-In playthrough, Mal-Ravanal spawned in the top right and spent multiple turns capturing villages (unflagged when the leader switched) rather than advancing - is that behaviour intended?)
Most of the feedback is pretty minor stuff.
Off the top of my head:
I'd say potentially dropping a level or two from the Necromancer and his bodyguards at Soradoc depending on difficulty.
Some of the map design / terrain features in Ill Humours and Castle in the Ice might mislead the player. (Specifically: the right-most villages in Ill-Humours (expensive to acquire) and the gold pile to the left in Castle in the Ice (presumably only significantly profitable if collected by a Walking Corpse)).
I believe Terraent and his knights are intended to be better rewards than Hahid but I'm not actually sure they are that much stronger relative to the difficulty of acquiring them (even once the Survivor trait fix is pushed). Terraent and his knights perform better in the scenarios immediately afterwards and in Spoils of War, but Hahid has two extremely useful potions in the Wildlands arc and is surprisingly useful even in All-In.
The only scenario that whiffs is the Drowned Plains (but I'm not certain I'm even taking the right approach to it (last attempt finished Turn 60 with ~270 gold carryover and 2x Horsemen and Mage recruits)). My impression is that the scenario is under too much pressure from different design goals. It might benefit from being just being shorter or split into two scenarios eg. Reduce the amount of "walking" by cutting the Undead dragon keep and it turning up after the Undead clansmen are destroyed.
Thanks for all your work on the campaign.
I have a handful of minor issues/tweaks I'll get around to opening on Github (things like civilians being able to block recruitment in Eleventh Hour).
(In my last All-In playthrough, Mal-Ravanal spawned in the top right and spent multiple turns capturing villages (unflagged when the leader switched) rather than advancing - is that behaviour intended?)
Most of the feedback is pretty minor stuff.
Off the top of my head:
I'd say potentially dropping a level or two from the Necromancer and his bodyguards at Soradoc depending on difficulty.
Some of the map design / terrain features in Ill Humours and Castle in the Ice might mislead the player. (Specifically: the right-most villages in Ill-Humours (expensive to acquire) and the gold pile to the left in Castle in the Ice (presumably only significantly profitable if collected by a Walking Corpse)).
I believe Terraent and his knights are intended to be better rewards than Hahid but I'm not actually sure they are that much stronger relative to the difficulty of acquiring them (even once the Survivor trait fix is pushed). Terraent and his knights perform better in the scenarios immediately afterwards and in Spoils of War, but Hahid has two extremely useful potions in the Wildlands arc and is surprisingly useful even in All-In.
The only scenario that whiffs is the Drowned Plains (but I'm not certain I'm even taking the right approach to it (last attempt finished Turn 60 with ~270 gold carryover and 2x Horsemen and Mage recruits)). My impression is that the scenario is under too much pressure from different design goals. It might benefit from being just being shorter or split into two scenarios eg. Reduce the amount of "walking" by cutting the Undead dragon keep and it turning up after the Undead clansmen are destroyed.
Thanks for all your work on the campaign.
Re: 17a. The Duel
Not intended! I'll fix that, thanks for the report.(In my last All-In playthrough, Mal-Ravanal spawned in the top right and spent multiple turns capturing villages (unflagged when the leader switched) rather than advancing - is that behaviour intended?)
Will do.I'd say potentially dropping a level or two from the Necromancer and his bodyguards at Soradoc depending on difficulty.
As long as these aren't toooo misleading I'd prefer leaving them as-is, so that players can make the risk-reward judgement for themselves.Some of the map design / terrain features in Ill Humours and Castle in the Ice might mislead the player. (Specifically: the right-most villages in Ill-Humours (expensive to acquire) and the gold pile to the left in Castle in the Ice (presumably only significantly profitable if collected by a Walking Corpse)).
My goal was to make them even-ish; maybe leaning towards Terraent a little.I believe Terraent and his knights are intended to be better rewards than Hahid but I'm not actually sure they are that much stronger relative to the difficulty of acquiring them (even once the Survivor trait fix is pushed). Terraent and his knights perform better in the scenarios immediately afterwards and in Spoils of War, but Hahid has two extremely useful potions in the Wildlands arc and is surprisingly useful even in All-In.
Hahid's elixirs are very powerful, but Terraent and his knights are more helpful for getting Yannic in Soradoc (no elixir, your dunefolk are still low-level, and you won't have gold for mercenary anyway), and Terraent is the only possible way to get Gaennell. And while Mal-Ravanal's capitol is difficult, it can also net a lot of XP. So while Hahid offers more raw power, I'd intended Terraent to compensate with a larger team of allies.
That said, I can certainly nerf Hahid/buff Terraent, if you feel their balance is off?
Yeah, I had a feeling Drowned Plans would be controversial. I personally enjoy playing it, but I completely understand where you're coming from. At this point in the development cycle, it's probably not likely to see any major changes, sorryThe only scenario that whiffs is the Drowned Plains (but I'm not certain I'm even taking the right approach to it (last attempt finished Turn 60 with ~270 gold carryover and 2x Horsemen and Mage recruits)). My impression is that the scenario is under too much pressure from different design goals. It might benefit from being just being shorter or split into two scenarios eg. Reduce the amount of "walking" by cutting the Undead dragon keep and it turning up after the Undead clansmen are destroyed.
As suggested by Konrad2, I'll also be tweaking the "Eleventh Hour" achievement so you can't lock yourself out of it by giving a permanent item to the wrong person in previous scenarios.
Re: 17a. The Duel
I agree that Hahid and Terraent are close in usefulness with Terraent having the edge (assuming you get a good result at Mal-Ravanal's capital). I don't think it's a problem, just wasn't sure that was the intention.
With regards to the map design, in both cases the tradeoff isn't immediately apparent and the campaign is marked as Intermediate difficulty. I think that they might trip some players up, but I can't say for sure.
Obviously you don't have to change them, but to elaborate on the reasoning:
Castle in the Ice:
By default, the scenario clearing the shroud on the gold prompts the player to consider going there. The player won't know the value of the gold pile until they have already moved there.
Ill Humours:
The player is directed to find 6 herbs, in unknown locations (4 of 6 herbs can be found to the left of the player's keep, but the player won't know this).
The amount of space to the right is quite large and has clearings with villages. I think these both suggest that the player should explore the area to find herbs.
(The East/West split in the objectives also nudges the player in this direction.)
The player doesn't know how many crocodiles and mosquitos will be present or the distribution of herbs. I think a player might believe they need to push further right than necessary to get enough herbs.
With regards to the map design, in both cases the tradeoff isn't immediately apparent and the campaign is marked as Intermediate difficulty. I think that they might trip some players up, but I can't say for sure.
Obviously you don't have to change them, but to elaborate on the reasoning:
Castle in the Ice:
By default, the scenario clearing the shroud on the gold prompts the player to consider going there. The player won't know the value of the gold pile until they have already moved there.
Ill Humours:
The player is directed to find 6 herbs, in unknown locations (4 of 6 herbs can be found to the left of the player's keep, but the player won't know this).
The amount of space to the right is quite large and has clearings with villages. I think these both suggest that the player should explore the area to find herbs.
(The East/West split in the objectives also nudges the player in this direction.)
The player doesn't know how many crocodiles and mosquitos will be present or the distribution of herbs. I think a player might believe they need to push further right than necessary to get enough herbs.
Re: 17a. The Duel
Great points; thanks for elaborating. For Castle in the Ice, I think the best solution is to add a label to the gold pile so the player has the info they need. For Ill Humours, I'll see about tweaking the map and/or the herb generation to be more intuitive.
Feedback like this is awesome - I'm so used to knowing the where/how/what of scenarios that I often miss this kind of thing. I hate it because it's more work for me, but that doesn't make it any less awesome
Feedback like this is awesome - I'm so used to knowing the where/how/what of scenarios that I often miss this kind of thing. I hate it because it's more work for me, but that doesn't make it any less awesome