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| Author |
File Description |
| DelCrosB |
Posted on 03/28/16 @ 06:16 PM
| File Details |
|---|
| Version: |
The Conquerors 1.0c |
| Style: |
Fixed Force |
This is my entry for the DTS competition 2016. In an imaginary region of ancient Japan, a group of Samurai organizes a desperate defense of the last bastion of their reign.
This is a traditional fixed force 'Defend the Spot' scenario, with focus on strategy and management of the troops. You have to withstand several hordes of enemies, while protecting the Temple and your commander. Completing some small side quests will make it easier for you to win this scenario.
As always, I did my best to provide high quality map design and atmosphere. Enjoy! |
| Author | Comments & Reviews ( All | Comments Only | Reviews Only ) |
|---|
HockeySam18
Staff
Official Reviewer |
Posted on 04/26/16 @ 06:37 PM
Playability: 4
This was an incredibly fun entry to play. The player is given several contingents of soldiers and required to defend a number of causeways against numerous enemy assaults on each. During this time, the defenders have the option of completing a couple well-thought out sidequests in order to aid their cause. A shining star of this scenario was the way in which the player is forced to use a good deal of strategic and tactical skill and decision making in terms of using and deploying their troops - it is necessary to constantly shift around defenders to react to threats of varying significance, and as a result the player is always kept on their toes. The only real weakness was that the crowded nature of the island and usage of off-grid gaia objects in certain areas made it difficult to properly maneuver troops as needed in some cases, especially when dodging enemy onager shots.
Balance: 5
The balance of this scenario was, in general, excellent, and, as it should be, was quite contingent on the choices of the player. Outnumbered and outmanned, the player is forced to shuffle defenders around to meet numerous threats and suddenly react to surprise attacks that nearly break the line. The player consistently feels challenged, but in many cases the gameplay consists of little more than plugging a gap and letting archers mow down and monks convert (I scored 39 conversions!) the enemy attackers - I feel that a bit more variety in the design of the numerous entryways could have helped here. Nevertheless, the scenario consistently gave a vibe of being difficult yet fair, and the player was rewarded for good strategy and punished for poor choices.
Creativity: 4
While the gameplay tended more towards a combination of established DTS methods, this does not change the fact that the implementation of these was top-notch. I was particularly impressed with the creative design of the player's base and the army composition of the player and the enemy that forced the player down a strategic route.
Map Design: 4
While the overall effect of the design was quite positive, I felt that a bit more attention could have been paid to the forests and the shorelines, which looked somewhat homogenous and could have seen some more work. Additionally, a slightly more open setting could have enhanced the gameplay a bit more. The settlements, however, looked fantastic and made strong usage of effective building combinations and object placement. Elevation was varied and eyecandy usage was rather on-point.
Story/Instructions: 5
The background information and storyline involved was simple but effective and much appreciated, and the instructions were clear, informative, and to the point. Numerous short and effective cinematics throughout the scenario were welcome and helped drive the story.[Edited on 04/26/16 @ 06:37 PM]
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DelCrosB
File Author |
Posted on 07/01/16 @ 09:51 AM
Thanks for the kind words HockeySam, it is a pleasure to receive such a positive review and such detailed feedback. I am particularly pleased that you found the balance to be great, since despite the several hours of playtesting I still felt a bit unsure about that and I had to "guess" somehow what an actual player would do to face all the threats. This is especially true on harder difficulties that I would not be able to beat without knowing how the scenario goes in advance (I'm a pretty weak player actually!).
As for the map design, I will definitely keep your suggestions into account for my future projects. I really enjoy creating nice looking ambientations, and I should improve in making them more functional to the gameplay. As you pointed out, I often overlook the problems caused by off-grid placement of units, especially rocks and trees. This is also caused by the fact that I'm quite bad at micromanaging my units anyway, so I can't feel the difference that much! |
 
HGDL v0.8.2 |
| Rating |
|---|
| 4.4 | | Breakdown |
|---|
| Playability | 4.0 | | Balance | 5.0 | | Creativity | 4.0 | | Map Design | 4.0 | | Story/Instructions | 5.0 |
| Statistics |
| Downloads: | 612 |
| Favorites: [] | 0 |
| Size: | 4.82 MB |
| Added: | 03/28/16 |
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