POMARJ Development Thread

[DarkCloud]

To solve Blue starving, perhaps you want to give shipwrecks a bonus food of one.

I don't think that's necessary. I never had any starving problems...

[Arthedain]

Playtest #3

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WARNING: THIS REPORT MAY INCLUDE SOME SPOILERS FOR BEGINNERS OF THE SCENARIO.

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Wow, lucky me. Captured Blue and it kept the fishing harbor AND the fortifications. I placed Oberon and the Copper Dragon south west of the city, trying to block the Demons way. Oberon survived with ease, but the Copper Dragon was killed. Still that was a cheap Price to pay Imho.
I then built a fortress on 108,54. It became my impregnable fortress.

I then played chicken, capturing Twin fangs, and occupied Ruins at 109,51 and 104,58 keeping Bandits at bay, not spawning so close to me. I also built fortresses there, which was very handy especially on 109,51 where pirates sometimes attackes.
I continue the chikcen tactic, and managed with many casalties to establish a new fortresson 102,52. This gave me the advantage of using the tower (airbase). I then played chicken for a while, then I used oberon and my two Pioneers to build fortresses at 102,50 -> 100,50 -> and at last 98,50, laying siege on Vile Rune. With more casualties, I managed to capture the city.
And here we are, week 56. I have lost my both Pioneer units now, so no more chicken tactics. All other heros are still here though (except for both dragons, got a new white dragon through reinforcements though.

Switching to Pomarj Baronny first was very good, now I get techs every three turns. I've got reinforcement via sea (transporting them with ease, though at slow pace, to Blue) and by armies (in blue and transporting them from North West without meeting resistance). Deep Roots is still independent, I want to try and use them as my allies later on. My main problem now will probably be Bandits, going around Vile rune. The rest of the humanoids armies will most likely attack the city. I have no idea how to advance without great casualties. Maybe using the rivers (hills gives defensive bonus too). I will have to heal my armies and get more rinforcements before advancing anyways, and maybe scouting some with Oberon. i have been lucky with this and only met one red dragon, which I managed to kill.

Getting the reinforcement to the north west is very time consuming and frankly a tough job (me and my impatience). Bringing in the ships from the south west isn't that hard for my lazy butt.

[Arthedain]

Oh yeah, forgot to mention.. The Adventurers are still very sucky and useless.

[N35t0r]

Originally posted by DarkCloud

I don't think that's necessary. I never had any starving problems...

If the harbour-equivalent is destroyed, Blue at size 4 doesn't have enough food to feed all it's citizens.

[rjmatsleepers]

One small point about the graphics. I find it difficult to see the size of the city and as a result I unitentionally destroyed one rather than capturing it. Probably there is a way to tell how big the city is, but I can't remember it .

Also, in my experiments, if you capture Blue on the second turn you don't seem to get the 800 gold - is that deliberate?

I tried capturing Twin Fang before Blue, but this doesn't stop the demons and the loss of gold makes it a poor strategy. I haven't found the trick for pacifying the demons. (I suspect I must have found it accidentally once to give me the week 1 save that I use for experiments.) Preventing the counter attack by demons seems to be fairly crucial. If this puzzle is intended to be a feature of the opening, it would be an idea to highlight the problem in the introduction. If not, perhaps you should put the solution in the read me. If the demon problem is resolved, I don't think you need increase the defensive values of the heros.

As far as messages are concerned, I'm slightly torn. They are very good for giving atmosphere to the scenario and initially to help the game player understand and enjoy what is happening, but once you have played through a few times, they become tedious. Perhaps it will help when the pedia entries are written; then if it is turned on, the discovery of the new tech will tell the player which units will arrive where (and why and for how long!)

In my current game I have reached week 50 and built 2 cities to form an outer shield protecting Blue. My heroes are intact, but I've lost my dragons. As far as I can see, the only way forward now is by capturing green cities. I haven't tried to discover trade yet or the "un-petrification" of the Twisted forest.

RJM at Sleeper's

[N35t0r]

hmm... In my recent game, I captured Twin Fang before Blue, on turn 2, and as most of Blue's garrison had left the city, I captured it much easier (2 unts inside only), and I'm pretty sure the demons are gone (the ones that were on the fortress at least).

While I didn't get all 800 gold, having killed a couple of units by capturing the city they were homed to more than made up for it...

[Cyrion]

@Arthedain

It seems you have understood a few things about how the scen works (fortress, spawning...)!

Sometimes it is necessary to "play chicken", but advancing is still possible (and necessary ).

Originally posted by Arthedain
Switching to Pomarj Baronny first was very good, now I get techs every three turns.

Yes, as in any "vanilla" game of civ, a rush towards monarchy (Baronny) is a must!

Deep Roots is still independent, I want to try and use them as my allies later on.

A tactic I used and which seems to work, at least as a buffer for a while!

But if you want them not only neutral, but figthing at your side, then you'd better make some research so that the Kobolds get their bowmen, otherwise they are definitely too weak!

Question: should I raise the stats of both Kobold units?

And when you don't need them anymore...

My main problem now will probably be Bandits, going around Vile rune. The rest of the humanoids armies will most likely attack the city. I have no idea how to advance without great casualties. Maybe using the rivers (hills gives defensive bonus too). I will have to heal my armies and get more rinforcements before advancing anyways, and maybe scouting some with Oberon. i have been lucky with this and only met one red dragon, which I managed to kill.

Yes, I try to advance quickly, along rivers and hills until I have secured a perimeter!

And using my (rare) flying units to cover the infantry! Of course, if a red dragon appears... you'd better have Oberon at 100% on a rivered hill as a cover!

BTW: the Red Dragon is REALLY tough, but not too common...

Oh yeah, forgot to mention.. The Adventurers are still very sucky and useless.

Yeah, they are not really useful as they are, except for some recce or square occupation...

If anybody has suggestion about what to do with them??

[Cyrion]

Originally posted by N35t0r



If the harbour-equivalent is destroyed, Blue at size 4 doesn't have enough food to feed all it's citizens.

There is an easy way around that: I'll just need to pre-irrigate the corn square to the north of Blue, and that should do it!

And not staying in despotism for too long would help too...

Question: which name would be better than despotism for the scenario situation until Baronny??

[Cyrion]

Originally posted by rjmatsleepers
One small point about the graphics. I find it difficult to see the size of the city and as a result I unitentionally destroyed one rather than capturing it. Probably there is a way to tell how big the city is, but I can't remember it .

True! Will be changed!

Also, in my experiments, if you capture Blue on the second turn you don't seem to get the 800 gold - is that deliberate?

No, but not taking Blue at once might have some advantages... See N35t0r post below yours...

I tried capturing Twin Fang before Blue, but this doesn't stop the demons and the loss of gold makes it a poor strategy. I haven't found the trick for pacifying the demons. (I suspect I must have found it accidentally once to give me the week 1 save that I use for experiments.) Preventing the counter attack by demons seems to be fairly crucial. If this puzzle is intended to be a feature of the opening, it would be an idea to highlight the problem in the introduction. If not, perhaps you should put the solution in the read me. If the demon problem is resolved, I don't think you need increase the defensive values of the heros.

Yes, I think preventing the Demon counter-attack should be enough!

And yes, I might put the solution in the middle of the readme, to reward those who read it!


*************** SPOILER ****************
Actually, n35t0r and you are looking in the right direction! Try some quasi-simultaneity, and in the right order...
************ END OF SPOILER *************

As far as messages are concerned, I'm slightly torn. They are very good for giving atmosphere to the scenario and initially to help the game player understand and enjoy what is happening, but once you have played through a few times, they become tedious. Perhaps it will help when the pedia entries are written; then if it is turned on, the discovery of the new tech will tell the player which units will arrive where (and why and for how long!)

Yes, using the techs and unit description to tell the player what would happen is the solution I had chosen as there is no spare room in the event file...

I'll have to write the descriptions though, which might take some time...

In my current game I have reached week 50 and built 2 cities to form an outer shield protecting Blue. My heroes are intact, but I've lost my dragons. As far as I can see, the only way forward now is by capturing green cities. I haven't tried to discover trade yet or the "un-petrification" of the Twisted forest.

Advance before you unpetrify, otherwise you won't be able to save the new units you'll get!

[Cyrion]

Originally posted by N35t0r
hmm... In my recent game, I captured Twin Fang before Blue, on turn 2, and as most of Blue's garrison had left the city, I captured it much easier (2 unts inside only), and I'm pretty sure the demons are gone (the ones that were on the fortress at least).

While I didn't get all 800 gold, having killed a couple of units by capturing the city they were homed to more than made up for it...

Seems you did it... and what are 800 gold???

[Cyrion]

OK, the feedback is really helpful, I'll work on an udate including all the points mentionned above!

As I am not sure I'll be able to do it before the end of the week, don't hestate to go on with what is already in your hands if you feel like it!

Thanks my friends!

[rjmatsleepers]

I have moved on, including capturing Evil Rune. The humanoid attacks seem to have intensified, but they are virtually restricted to one area. My four heros are holding them, but not able to advance.

This has brought me in contact with the impassable area. I thought it was ordinary forest and tried to enter it which cost me a move. I thought that was a bit mean - no way round it I presume. Also I wandered into the lair north west of Evil Rune and lost a unit. I thought it was just ruins. Perhaps you could highlight it by making the colur more distinctive.

At one point the computer shouted "Arepo" at me. (A bit like the final move in a game of Mornington Crescent.) After this a lot of new units appeared in the castle ruins at the top of the map. I presume in the final version the message will be a bit more informative . And do those reinforcements have to be so far away? It's very tedious sending ships up to collect them. Alternatively, is there a problem with joining their spawning ground to the rest of the peninsular so they can make their own way south?

Also, one of the AI civs contacted me and complained about my nuclear tests. I doubt that the scenario actually has nuclear weapons, so there is another thing to add to your "to do" list.

I believe that the spelling will be checked, but just to point out, the resource should be sheep.

BTW, the demon thing is probably no big deal if your allow the heros to be resurrected.

RJM at Sleeper's

[rjmatsleepers]

Originally posted by Cyrion


There is an easy way around that: I'll just need to pre-irrigate the corn square to the north of Blue, and that should do it!

And not staying in despotism for too long would help too...

Question: which name would be better than despotism for the scenario situation until Baronny??

Is it really practical to irrigate the corn before capturing Blue? I would have thought your pioneers would be sitting ducks!

The initial position is an armed expedition. How about something like martial law rather than despotism?

RJM at Sleeper's

[rjmatsleepers]

Re: Small mistake

Originally posted by Cyrion
I just noticed an error: the prerequisite tech for the catapult unit should be CoL instead of Gun!

I'm sure you all know how to change that

And if not, just ask and I'll send the corriged rules file!

Just to make sure - we are talking about the technology Kobold Bowmen?

RJM at Sleeper's

[Cyrion]

Originally posted by rjmatsleepers
This has brought me in contact with the impassable area. I thought it was ordinary forest and tried to enter it which cost me a move. I thought that was a bit mean - no way round it I presume.

Do you mean the Twisted Forest unit? If yes, then I think it looks different enough from the terrain for you to be a bit more cautious en to check what it is before you try to move onto it...

You might also come upon true invisible Impassable unit; as you are allied to them, you shouldn't lose any unit on that occasion!

And yes, I really need them to restrict some foreign units (for a while...)

Also I wandered into the lair north west of Evil Rune and lost a unit. I thought it was just ruins. Perhaps you could highlight it by making the colur more distinctive.

If you think it's necessary I can put a shield on it, but I'm not sure it would look really good...

Your thought??

At one point the computer shouted "Arepo" at me. (A bit like the final move in a game of Mornington Crescent.)
After this a lot of new units appeared in the castle ruins at the top of the map. I presume in the final version the message will be a bit more informative .

Yes, I'll need to update that, sorry!

And do those reinforcements have to be so far away? It's very tedious sending ships up to collect them. Alternatively, is there a problem with joining their spawning ground to the rest of the peninsular so they can make their own way south?

Actually they represent refugees having cross the whole continent before arriving to the Wild Coast, north of Elredd!

The idea was to have to ferry them across (which by the way ain't no big thing if you're trading with Elredd...), and so putting some interest in the maritime part and the pirates.

Of course, I could easily change their spawning point to Blue if you all agree on that...

My initial idea was that most units spawn in Blue, and some of the later ones near Elredd to complicate things a bit...

And I don't want to join their peninsula to the ground and for them to walk the all way through humanoids infested terrain: they would have no chance of surviving this treck...

Also, one of the AI civs contacted me and complained about my nuclear tests. I doubt that the scenario actually has nuclear weapons, so there is another thing to add to your "to do" list.

added!

Do you remember which tech you had just discovered?

Or can someone tell me which discovery triggers the "nuclear test message"??

If I can, I'll replace that tech, if I can't I'll change the message...

I believe that the spelling will be checked, but just to point out, the resource should be sheep.

Yes, it will! What did I write??

Thanks for your feedback