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Best Files » The Successor - Act One: The Renegade Prince (v. 1,1)
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The Successor - Act One: The Renegade Prince (v. 1,1)
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Author |
File Description |
panel |
Posted on 09/09/11 @ 08:55 AM (updated 12/23/11)
File Details |
Version: |
The Conquerors 1.0c |
Style: |
Mix |
Number of scenarios: |
3 |
Screenshot:
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*** This scenario received the award Best Story in the Game of the Year Awards of 2011 ***
The sequel to this game is out! Download The Successor - Act Two >>> HERE <<<
Ravenia is a land without a King, a land plagued by civil war and foreign invaders. And it has been like that for 15 years now, since the death of the old king, Navar the 3rd. Now, there is finally hope... The prophecy is about to be fulfilled. The Renegade Prince is returning home...
INTRODUCTION
This is the first Act of "The Successor" trilogy, which you might be familiar with if you have played my previous cinematic scenario. If not, don't worry! Everything you need to know is right here, in this download, including a revamped version of the prologue cinematic!
This campaign contains two scenarios, the first is playable, while the second is 100% cutscene.
FEATURES:
- An emphasis on the narrative aspect. If you've enjoyed the intense storytelling of campaigns such as Ulio, spiced up with a little bit of humor, you will probably not be disappointed.
- Two epic 15-minute-long cutscenes, at the beginning and the end of the game, as well as many other shorter ones during the game, that will drive the story forward.
- Gameplay diversity: Role-play, Fixed Force, Defend the Spot, even a little bit of Puzzle, plus a couple of suspenseful one-on-one duels. There should be something in here for every gamer out there, except for hardcore b&d-ers.
- Varied and detailed map design, a whole country with different landscapes, one major city and several towns and villages.
- An interesting cast of characters, including a protagonist who does not fit the "prince charming" cliche.
- An epic soundtrack to match the story. The main character even has his own theme song!
- A detailed .pdf guide, containing all you need to know about the game and its background.
- A total of around 800 triggers.
INSTRUCTIONS:
This game is best played on normal speed with a resolution of 1024X768 and music off. To install it, just place the .cpx file in the campaigns folder and the sound files in the sound/scenario folder.
I hope you will have fun with this game, and I urge you to comment, review and give your suggestions and feedback. I need all the feedback I can get if this is to become a trilogy ;)
All credits are in the beginning cutscene and in the .pdf guide. A particular thank you goes to my playtesters, Bf_Tanks, Dtrungle and Popeychops.
V 1.1 - UPDATES SINCE THE PREVIOUS VERSION:
- fixed all detection area bugs that have escaped playtesting and have been brought to my attention after first upload;
- "relic doesn't show" bug from Teophil's quest fixed;
- turkey now always changes ownership to p1 after little girl quest;
- minor spelling mistakes fixed;
- "Super Tarran" bug which I believed to be fixed is still appearing sometimes. Will probably be fixed in a newer version.
- added one bonus non-playable map, as a teaser for the up-coming sequel!
Thank you to everybody who gave their feedback and contributed to identifying bugs.
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Author | Reviews ( All | Comments Only | Reviews Only ) |
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alekshs |
Posted on 10/02/11 @ 04:57 AM
Playability: 5
During all the time before the campaign's arrival,we only had a prologue available. I thought this would be another big and interesting,but also a bit usual campaign...You disproved it and i'm happy i was wrong.
From the beginning to the end,there were almost no moments i got bored or was stuck due to difficult situations.The game is too easy to play that hints may not be used once (personally,i checked the hints only twice!)
Many fights during Krall's trip, many optional objectives to achieve, very suited music, no need to worry about the army you gain during the trip, nice dialogs (Krall used to be rude most of the times...),no bugs...everything was just very well executed (if not perfect).
There were some parts,however,that need to be checked for random faults (like the case of the turkey).
Anyway, i'd definitely play it again!
Balance: 5
The level is difficulty-level dynamic,so i suppose it would fit everyone. I chose to play on Standard and i have to say that the game is well-balanced. Lots of saves were needed,though,because i encountered some unexpected attacks. Whatever the case,if you play cleverly,no Fanarian or Tugai enemy can beat you. Some objectives are more difficult to complete than others,but that's why saves are to be done,right?
Creativity: 5
The campaign is full or creative ideas. The secret paths to go through, the puzzle you have to solve (with the relic),the well-made towns and villages...A girl that must return to her father,the way you can defeat the Ice Servant,pack of wolves vs the Fanarian army,are some of the most creative aspects of the game.
There are also some very humorous points,like the "gay situation" ( alternate lifestyle,funny as hell! ), gossip ("that prince is such a hottie") and many others.
The places you have to go through and the people you have to meet in order to continue are also well-suited.
In general,creativity here is perfect!
Map Design: 5
Little can be said here: design could not have been better. All these wonderful landscapes and forests... The hills and the cliffs you use make a better picture of the country. The special mixed terrain and the gaia stuff you include (flowers,dirts,animals,forage bushes,...) reflect the country's agrarian and
pastoral type.There are even snowy and deserty
environments!
Generally,nothing to complain about.
Story/Instructions: 5
"The Successor" is a lot-promising campaign,with Krall being the Successor and
Willan the ones who must be killed for Ravenia's sake.There are friends accompanying him,like Tarran, and others that are willing to help Krall complete his mission,like Father Teophil. The challenge is great,as he must kill a lot of enemies and meet many places before reaching the capital of the country and rescuing it by Willan's hands.
The instruction are all-clear and there is some scouting and hints available.The fact is,hints will be of little use,because the game is not complicated at all,except some points that need more than a single battle.Scouts can help a lot,as the map is big and you can easily get entangled.
Additional Comments:
Well done Panel for your patience and care to this campaign. I hope you be satisfied with it and complete the Trilogy! No need to worry about the result,it will be as excellent as this one! |
Khan Ivayl |
Posted on 10/04/11 @ 10:01 PM
"The Successor" by Panel tells the story of a liberator-hero, who is loved by his people for bashing the countrie's enemies, but displays some dark traits, like impatience, arrogance and brutality. I like the anti-hero image, but I had to wonder at times whether, while playing this scenario, I was liberating a country or installing its next Tyranny^^. Inspite or maybe because of this, I had a lot of fun playing "The Successor" and this is what caught my attention:
Playability: 5
The gameplay accurately mimics the challenges of a guerilla-liberation-operation. You have to hide, seek help, recruite new men after loosing almost all of your original troops... Multiple twists keep the action interesting and make the story develop while presenting the player with new challenges.
Balance: 4
It is realistic to loose almost all of your men when fighting guerilla wars, but this happened in almost every major battle, while the difficulty was set to the easiest. Of course some major losses could have been avoided with maneuvers and coordination of the units, I like that idea, but it is difficult to perform quick maneuvers, when one of the tasks is to keep at least 3 units constantly alife during the whole game. For more skilled players this is probably no big deal, so this minor flaw will only cost one point. Overall the balance was actually rather good. It requires some skill to design a map in a way that the player constantly moves on the edge between winning and loosing, without drifiting into impossible. Panel definitely displays this skill in "The Successor".
Creativity: 4
High creativity is evident both from the story and the use of triggers/easter eggs. The broad framework of the story is a metaphor for true historical events and conditions, but it would be unfair to reduce "The Successor" to a historical lesson in disguise. A lot of influences and inspirations become visible, the more the story goes into detail. There appear to be tributes to The Lord of The Rings, Robin Hood, Star Wars, Indiana Jones... whether intended or not, the fact that I can have so many different associations proves that this work is not copying a particular story, but is the unique mixture of whatever has been inspiring panel in the making of process...
There are alot of interesting triggers and easter eggs to consider when rating the creativity. It begins with the use of credits and music that create a movielike atmosphere together with the frequent cinematic scenes. I was happy to recognize a piece of melody from "La Piovra" in the soundtrack. La Piovra was the best show about the Mafia, ever! The sniper-modus for Tarran, the freezing when touching ice, the loosing balance when walking over holes were all very creatively implemented tricks to add new possibilites for the player to enjoy the game. And regarding Easter Eggs it is a necessity to mention the Walker Forest Ranger who is obviously played by Chuck Norris (Speaking about actors for the Mod, wonder if they got Alan Rickmann to play Willan).
Overall the creativity displayed in this Mod approaches perfection, the only thing that was disappointing for me, is that while so much love for detail and effort was put into every aspect of the campaign the storyline makes a too black and white distinction between good and bad nations. Only exception is Willan who is a traitor to the good Ravenians, but a few units changing sides from the other camps would have made a more complex picture and this would match up the effort that is overall visible in the project.
Map Design: 5
I don't need to agree with the author's taste in every point to aknowledge that the map design is highly elaborate. I have my favorites on one hand and there are places which I would have done differently on the other, but I will not detract from the rating because of personal taste issues, this category deserves the full 5.
Story/Instructions: 5
The instructions and background information provided are the most elaborate part of the whole campaign. This category so much deserves the 5, that I almost had given all other categories a 4 in comparance. There is not only the hints and history put in the beginning screen, but you can choose to have an introduction video brought to you from a shepherd boy and there is even a freaking guide!! If you miss on any information it is your own damn fault.
Additional Comments:
The Successor is a very elaborate piece of work, one of those campaigns that clearly exceed what ES have set as standard. I see no reason not to honour the effort and download the campaign :).[Edited on 10/07/11 @ 09:05 PM]
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Sarn |
Posted on 01/19/12 @ 02:06 AM
The Successor is a campaign by panel, consisting of a cutscene/playable scenario and a non-playable scenario, as well as a bonus map. It follows the story of Krall, the son of the late king of Ravenia, as he seeks to retake his father's kingdom from its conquerors.
Playability: 4
This was ridiculously enjoyable. I enjoyed almost every minute of the gameplay (aside from sitting around while Monks healed my soldiers, which was a real life saver, by the way). Even those respites were good though, allowing me to get my bearings. The entire story was enthralling, the challenges intriguing and challenging, and overall one of the best scenarios I've played in a while.
I did come across a few minor bugs. First, east of the Granary when Tarran is supposed to snipe the enemies, I had sent him ahead as a scout, so he reached the hill and entered Sniper Mode before I had gotten the instructions about going onto the hill and snipe. As a result, he somehow entered into a permanent sniper mode, and then when I brought him to the hill, he gained [i]another[/i] 250 attack, and when he left the hill, he only lost those 250, keeping the first 250. When I realized this, I went back to my saved game and did it correctly, but I think you may want to look into this bug.
The other minor problem I found was due to the soldiers in Kron being neutral. My soldiers immediately tried to kill them, and while they didn't kill any, the Kronian soldiers ran away. As a result, when I brought Krall to them, some of them had moved away and did not convert to my army. The only reason this gets a 4 is to give the designer something to fix. Once they're taken care of, this will get a 5.
Balance: 5
The balance was perfect for me. I never was bored because it was too easy, and never was so hard that it frustrated me. I did have to revert to my saved games quite often, especially when first encountering a new challenge. I often had heavy casualties and had to carefully manage my soldiers and be very careful in my decisions.
The mini-boss fights are good examples of this. Each one is unwinnable, unless you know how to beat them. Each one, once you know the trick or strategy (some are more obvious than others) it's winnable, but you still have to be aware and actively managing the battle. Overall, I think that it was quite well balanced.
Creativity: 5+
There are so many creative elements in this campaign that I don't know where to start. There are a number of elements that are not necessarily original, but still well done and creatively implemented (including the jousting, graveyard, and the tunnel),; other elements were new (like the packs of whitefangs dying a time after leaving their territory, the berry quest, and elements of the mini-boss fights). The map design was also creative, especially in the use of rarer units like the palisade gate ends and the map copying in the villages and farmland. I also very much enjoyed the way the designer made the hero a brash, almost unlikable person, instead of the kind of character that the player instantly loves. Krall was rough, insulting, and didn't care for anyone but himself, which stands out to me among other heroes are fight for good or for others. I also was impressed by how the designer was able to play the opening cutscene on the same map as the scenario itself, something I've never seen before. The easter eggs (Walker Forest Ranger?) and little bits of flavor like the women gossiping about the prince were the icing on the cake here. Finally, the music was perfect and provided a great atmosphere to the game.
Map Design: 5
Beautiful. I loved the design of the map, including the interior and boss areas. The entire map utilized excellent use of map copying, terrain mixing, unit placement, and tricks like the shoreless water and the sea foam on the beach. I especially like the richness of the swamp at the beginning the layout of the city. Other highlights were the Granary, the graveyard, the mausoleum, and the Iron Boar lair. The on place I feel could have used a little more work was the forest where the monk is. In my opinion, you could expand it a little to the northwest and add a few more paths. It just seems very linear in that section.
Story/Instructions: 5+
Easily the strongest part of the campaign. The cutscenes, the attached history file, the hints/scouts/history sections, they're all amazing and give a full, rich setting for this story to take place in. The main character is quite different from what you'd expect, and the story is very engaging. With the large number of renamed units and buildings, the in-depth story, and the clear instructions, this would get a 6 if I could give it.
Also, for the designer, I've also answered his questions in the project announcement:
[b]1)Was the game well-balanced for you?[/b]
I felt the game was well balanced. It might be a little on the easy side for a better player, but it was perfect for me.
[b]2) Which aspect of the game did you enjoy the most, and which did you enjoy the least?[/b]
I enjoyed pretty much the entire thing. I think my favorite though was probably either fighting the Tugai horde or fighting the first few rounds after landing at the beginning. My least favorite part would probably be the final boss fight. It was a little anti-climactic for me; it was over too fast. Guide him through the holes, then chop away. If there was a a way to make it last a little longer, that would be nice.
[b]3) If you could change (or add) ONE thing to this game, what would it be?[/b]
As I mentioned, a longer boss fight and maybe larger/more puzzle elements.
[b]4) what is the impression that the main character (Krall) has left you with? I know he is a total asshole, but did you like him or hate him as a character?[/b]
I kind of liked him. However, I feel like after 6 months on the throne, some of his subjects may be wondering why they wanted him back. His attitude and manner are more like what you'd expect from a tyrannical dictator than the protagonist. As such, I really appreciated the part before assaulting Kron where he actually admitted to needing advice. That did it for me. Until that point, he was unrealistically unreasonable, but once that hit, it gave him a lot more depth.
[b]5) Is there any character from the game that you think should have more screen time in the continuation of the story?[/b]
Willan's son definitely needs to play a part. I also wouldn't mind seeing the fire/ice gods influence the story as well.
In summary: this is an amazing campaign and I cannot wait for the next act. (So help me if there isn't one...) Download immediately!
(Also, pretty please with sugar on top can I playtest the next one?) |
HockeySam18
Staff
Official Reviewer |
Posted on 03/13/12 @ 01:53 AM
The Successor, Act I is a campaign about a young man's quest to recapture his fathers kingdom from the invading Fanarians and the usurping Willan. Though at the beginning, I thought this was going to be a usual underdog/outlaw adventure that is seen way too often, Panel pleasantly surprised me with a plot and characters that it takes someone with true talent to imagine.
Playability: 5
In short, this is one of the most fun scenarios I have played in awhile. Many designers, myself included, often fall into the trap of making the quests and adventures in a scenario of such epic proportion too similar. This is not the case here- I doubt anybody could point out anything vaguely redundant about this scenario. Multiple sidequests and open-ended objectives (several ways to complete) make this a very realistic experience.
Balance: 5
As a difficulty-dynamic campaign, The Successor, Act I is a fun and challenging, yet winnable scenario for anybody, from complete newbies to hardcore AOKers. Panel did an excellent job on the one-on-one battles, making them frustrating at first, but winnable with good tactics. I have to admit I cellied real hard when I killed Willan on hard difficulty, with Krall down to 3hp!!! One bug- the "super Tarran" glitch has not been fully eliminated (I encountered it once, but was unable to recreate it, and luckily I had a savegame right before to load). As I was unable to recreate it, it must have been a total anomaly, and I could not take off points for something so small anyway.
Creativity: 5
As stated earlier, the game is not redundant whatever. Furthermore, Panel has implemented some concepts completely of his own design, and some that are just off the beaten track. Highlights included taming a pack of wolves to set on your enemies, dueling a demigod on a vision quest, exploring a crypt, infiltrating the capital via the sewers, and fomenting a rebellion in two cities. Krall, Tarran, and Mohan's use of actual military strategy was a welcome sight, as was the creative plot and dialogue.
Map Design: 5
A perfect 5. While map design can be a subjective topic, even the parts that I might not especially like were still works of art. Eyecandy was abundant and the different terrains were all beautiful and creative. Though this may seem a simple thing to say, everything on the map looked REAL. As I stepped into the land of Ravenia in AOK, it was almost like I was really exploring this land. Panel displays expertise with multiple types of terrain, from beaches (I loved the little waves!), to swamps, to temperate climates, to the barren steppe, to snowy mountains, and even city settings, which I find to be the most challenging thing to design. Simply a masterpiece.
Story/Instructions: 5
Panel seemingly creates with ease a story that is so deep and enjoyable that it makes me wonder why he is not currently making millions as a professional author! All the characters have lots of depth and are very realistic. Krall especially reminds me of the Vlad Dracula that I have been trying to portray: good intentions, yet power-hungry, brutal, cruel and sarcastic- a guy with a serious mean streak. However, his character puts my rendition of Dracula to shame. His story immediately drew me in and kept me hooked throughout, and at times I felt like I was watching a movie, hoping for Krall to succeed, yet despising him for his cruel personality. Your villager in Kron says it perfectly: Krall is the "antihero" type (thrust into the role of the hero). One cannot neglect to mention how well the beginning and end cutscenes tie up all loose ends, while setting the stage for future sequels (yay!).
Additional Comments:
The Successor, Act I is a masterpiece and a must download. AOK players, this is a scenario one cannot skip over. Panel has already given me some incredibly helpful advice for my own project, and playing this furthers my respect for him, as I could not help but see similarities between the designing skill of Panel and greats such as Stoker, Ingo, and Marscheider, a compliment that is not tossed out lightly. This, while not the same theme of scenario, is up there with those classics in all respects, and all I can say in closing is that I hope that the next installments are even better than this one, a very hard act to follow. |
amampa |
Posted on 07/15/12 @ 05:03 AM
Best of the best campaign ever. I was so desperately wanted that it continue after winning the scenario. But it was only one scenario campaign. It should be continue as Successor Act 1 to many many.
Playability: 5
It was so fun and thrilling to play. Kept me playing till it ended. I was surprised when created dungeon beneath dome to get relic back. Never seen such quest in any scenario. in every quest and every step something new to get thrilled.
Balance: 5
I was able to play and win with hard difficulty without getting frustrated. It was fun to play so challenging fights every time throughout scenario. Especially that 1st battle and last battle defending the village before main battle in capital.
Creativity: 5
Creativity is awesome and outstanding. salute for the creativity. Sniper terrain attack, patrolling troops, both hero discussing what to do etc. bandits hideout , Taming the wolfs, Dungeon quest for relic, Demigod fight for winning support from Aztec tribe. everything awesome.
Map Design: 5
Map Design was great and realistic and perfect. Starting from 1st battle with tower support to jungle filled with wolfs, bandit hideout, dungeon and sewer to capital, snowy mountains, Grave yard, everything looks real.
Story/Instructions: 5
Fantastic story from start to end which feels like watching a movie and same time playing it too. Dialogues between three heroes and devising strategy at every mission made playing so much fun. Instructions are the real fun here as it made it playing fun without wasting time and getting bored as to what to do. once again fantastic.
Additional Comments:
Just want to say don't miss it!!! Its a masterpiece.
[Edited on 07/27/12 @ 06:20 AM]
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Possidon
Official Reviewer |
Posted on 01/03/13 @ 11:00 AM
The Successor: Act 1 is the first act in a planned series of scenarios by Panel. The story is set in the country of Ravenia and follows Krall, the renegade prince, as he tries to reclaimed his rightful kingdom after it was taken in an invasion 15 years prior to the events of the scenario.
Playability: 5
In term of playability The Succesor is one of the most enjoyable scenarios I've played. I my own opinion the things that is most important in a scenario to keep me entertain is a decent story and I found that the story of the Successor is one of the best I have seen in an Age of Empires scenario. It is up there with the likes of Ingo van Thiel's Ulio and Lord Basse's Gwyndlegard, my two all-time favourite scenarios. I really enjoyed the main quest and the optional objectives were great fun as well. I thoroughly enjoyed watching the cutscene and the incredible soundtrack gave such an intense effect I felt like I was in the cinema.
I did find a few bugs, the main one being that my soldiers kept trying to kill the Neutral Ravenians meaning I couldn't get additional soldiers for my army sometimes. I resolved this by just allying with this team which didn't really affect and of the gameplay and thus I have not deducted any marks to this score because the scenario is just too much fun.
Balance: 4
The balance is the only thing that prevents this scenario from being perfect. The scenario was very hard and it took a lot of restarting and saving every five minutes in order for me to complete it. The majority of the scenario involves you taking Krall and trying to form as big an army as you can. However there are enemies on almost every corner so as soon as you gain soldiers, you lose them again. I found that the soldiers you gain are a lot weaker than the enemy's soldiers. Where you get Men-at-Arms, Knights and Crossbowmen, the enemy get Mamelukes, Arbalests, Paladins and War Elephants. I understand that I could have saved more units if I used better tactics and quicker manoeuvres, but it is difficult to quickly manoeuvre an army whilst looking out for three different units you have to keep alive at all times. The siege of Kron was also a very difficult part of the scenario. Even with the Siege Ram and Siege Onager I collected, it cost me a lot of units to destroy that Castle.
However, the scenario does include difficulty dynamics you can chose for a harder scenario or an easier one if you're struggling. So I give marks for the inclusion of this. Also the very detailed Hints section gave me some tips that made the game easier. The inclusion of monks to my army just before I entered Kron is a big help because it healed my damaged army and allowed me to convert some useful enemy troops like the War Elephants.
Creativity: 5
A very creative scenario - Superb map design, splendid trigger-tricks and an exciting and incredible story. What more can I say?
Ok fine, you want me to say some more. The Successor was an incredibly creative scenario. As I've stated before I think hat most important part of a scenario is its story. The story of the Successor is fantastic; it is exciting, intense, humours and dark in some places. It when you hear a brief outline of the story at first it sounds like a very unoriginal story. "Oh not again. Let's get another Prince back on his rightful throne". But the Successor is not like this. The scenario's creative trigger tricks and storyline allow the player to do a lot more than liberate am kingdom. You can explore the country and talk to its countrymen; you can rescue prisoners and recruit soldiers. One of the most creative parts of the scenario was when you had to rescue the prisoners using Tarran's sniper mode.
Map Design: 5
The map design is another strength in the scenario. The scenario is set in the country of Ravenia which is spilt into two parts; Donaria and Sylvania; setting between the two is the capital city of Kron. These two lands are very different. Donaria earns is wealth through agriculture and sea trade, so the map is designed showing vast plains and the Tarel Sea to the east. Donaria also includes the city of Gyan, the second largest city in Ravenia, notable for the incredible architecture of the Gyan Palace. To the east of Donaria there is also the dark Donarian Forest, a thick forest with narrow paths leading through to the Badlands, a rocky plain inhabited by outlaws and killers. Unlike Donaria, Sylvania is a mountainous area, it wealth comes from shepherding. The design of Sylvania shows us more hills and mountains, and there are most rocks and trees in Sylvania, rather than flat grassy plains. Inbetween the two we see the city of Kron, the capital of Ravenia. Its thick walls give it a great defence for siege's and it's also famed for its incredible architecture of the Kron Cathedral and Kron Palace.
What I am trying to say here is that the map design in the Successor is very diverse. Panel has shown a range of different design skills all in one map. The ability to design flat grassy plains, rocky plains, dark forests, mountain ranges and huge cities is incredible. All of the different designs in the scenario are perfect. They use a wide range of different blends of terrain mixed together very well. Cliffs are used to add extra detail as well GAIA objects including Mountains. The use of the Map Copy tool to blend buildings together give a great effect in the busy city, which is one of the best looking cities I have seen designed in Age of Empires. Triggers are used to make the map livelier by making units patrol or making villager work on the farms. All in all a beautifully design map.
Story/Instructions: 5
As I have stated many times already the story is the most important part of a scenario, and the Successor does not disappoint. For starters it was given the award for Best Story at the Game of the Year awards 2011, which we host here at AOKH. Panel states that this scenario has a huge emphasis on narrative and compares the story to the likes of Ulio and he is not wrong. There are two 15 minute long cutscene in the scenario, one at the beginning and one at the end. The first cutscene is narrated by a young shepherd boy named Vallar who explains the events of the past 15 years, the assassination of King Navar, the Fanarian invasion and Krall's exile. We then move onto the scenario which follows Krall and his liberation of Donaria and Kron. Finally there is an epilogue which brings back the character of Vallar from the prologue as his uncle return to his village after two years of service with Krall. We are also introduced to Willan's son and see a dream sequence where a young Krall learns who his father is.
The story is very exciting and will grip you to the edge of your seat and make want to keep on playing right through the difficult levels because you just want to know what happens next. There are plot twists and interaction with the people of Ravenia, almost every character on the map talks to you in some way. Most importantly there is growth in the backstory of the characters, especially Krall. The ending of the scenario leaves us with many loose ends which we want to tie up. Who is this boy Vallar? Will he play a part in the liberation of Sylvania? Will Krall be as good a king as everyone thought? Will the Tugai invade Sylvania? Will Willan's son avenge his father's death? All we can do is wait for Act 2 to find out.
In terms of Instructions the Successor gets top marks. There was never a time when I didn't know what I was doing; I always followed the simple instructions. If there was a time when I didn't know how to do a task then all I had to was refer to the Hints section which would give me instructions on how to complete the harder tasks.
Additional Comments:
Overall The Successor is a fantastic campaign and I highly recommend the download. It is one the best scenarios I have played and it certainly does not disappoint. Even though it is a bit on the hard side it is completable with the correct tactics. Well Done Panel!
Thanks a lot for this great scenario
Possidon
Edited for Typos
[Edited on 01/03/13 @ 05:09 PM]
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Julius999
Official Reviewer |
Posted on 01/03/13 @ 04:49 PM
Playability: 4
The gameplay is reasonably fun but somewhat repetitive, and there are some minor flaws. For the vast majority of the game your task is to micromanage your powerful heroes into taking down innumerable small groups of enemies. Occasionally you need to knock down a building, and once you supplement your hit-and-run with a nice "sniper mode" idea. The highlights of the scenario are when something else happens, such as a couple of boss fights, a couple of times when you have to defend a position from assault, and when the heroes explore a crypt.
Sometimes it's possible to fire triggers out of sequence. For example, I killed the crypt guardian before reading any of the parchments, and was somewhat confused about what was going on (I suspect I finished it in an unintended way). A second slight flaw was the neutral red player, as it's extremely easy to accidentally attack them. This has knock-on effects when units which are supposed to join you don't because they've wandered out of position. A third glitch is that it's possible to switch on sniper mode permanently. A fourth small problem was that in the final fight your opponent has an irritating habit of sometimes not following you and wandering off instead.
Balance: 4
The balance in this scenario is rather odd. It starts off difficult (brutally so on the highest difficulty setting) but if you weather the early storm in decent shape it becomes fairly easy. You have a handful of powerful units that can handle nearly everything with hit-and-run tactics, and you accumulate plenty of cannon fodder for the rare moments when it's needed.
Creativity: 5
Probably the most creative thing, as far as AoK scenarios go, is the story. More on that below. There are two boss fights, and one involving ice was fairly novel. A scene exploring an underground crypt was well executed. The idea of sniper mode was also a good one.
Map Design: 4
In terms of appearance the map design was overall good, with the best parts probably being the beach at the start and the meadows south of Kron. In terms of layout, it was slightly strange that units with a long line of sight could see over thin barriers into unreachable scenes.
Story/Instructions: 5
The story is the focus of the scenario and its greatest feature. The protagonist is among the best developed characters in any AoK scenario, and all without the need for any tediously long sequences of dialogue. It's particularly good how his character and his back story is established naturally as the game progresses, and not all dumped on us at once. Probably my favourite thing about the protagonist was the way he mimicked the attitude of the player. It was refreshing to see a "hero" so breezily indifferent to the concerns of the other characters he meets and so intolerant of their demands, back-chat and inability to do anything themselves. Overall, it's a great contrast to the virtuous heir to the throne with nothing interesting or amusing about him.
The instructions were somewhat weaker, but not enough to justify lowering the rating. I had no clue what was going on inside the crypt, for example. I think it would have been better to inform the player about the parchments straight up rather than only in the 'if-you-get-stuck' section of hints. |
WildCardDoW |
Posted on 02/07/13 @ 08:20 PM
The Successor – Act One concerns the story of a land, Ravenia where the rightful King of Donaria’s heir has been disposed following the Kings death, and an invading army has placed a puppet Lord, Willan, in control. The player takes control of Krall and his followers as they embark on a campaign of war to regain the lost kingdom.
Playability: 4
The first task is to cross a river, there are enemy patrols and it is possible if they don’t pay attention you can lose your transport ship, the first main battle is broken into three different attacks, quickly here the difficult task the prince has undertaken is set. I found myself resetting a few times here trying to keep as many units alive as possible, it sets the tone of the challenge that awaits the player. The next portion of the game involves the player recruiting people to their cause, and there are some optional side-quests to undertake as well. The final task involves capturing Kron, the capital which involves taking three separate points of the map. The game uses a fixed force style throughout, with moments where the player is moved to the inside of buildings and the game-style can change here. If I was to mention one flaw is that there is quite a lot of travel, generally this was broken up by the skirmishes, but there were times where I had to wander a long way across the map and then back, it felt pointless. Overall though the enjoyment of the game is amazing and I hate to see what the battles are like on Hard, I’ve struggled greatly (in a good way) in moderate! There are also moments that require the player to do particular things (walk on scroll, talk to certain character) for them to understand how to proceed, so I felt this impacted on the score.
Balance: 5
Even on Standard it may be required for the player to restart more than once, it’s a very well balanced game and I feel most players should be well tested and challenged, I found myself desperately separating weaker units from the stronger ones, and running back to monks with these units just to keep them going. Every group of units you come across, while quite possible to defeat can cause you to lose quite a lot of units, there are some truly challenging moments such as taking the castle which requires the player to plan and time their assault, or defending the Sylvanian village. More than likely there are moments where, while you may be successful, I will still require a reload if your losses are too great.
Map Design: 5
There’s a great use of terrain mixture and some great design effects, using the jungle trees extensively, there are some neat touches throughout the design and for a map this size to be done so consistently well is great! We move from swamps to mountainous passes and beautiful forest paths in between. There’s a huge use of different tree types which keeps everything fresh and stops the monotony that can occur in forest terrains. There are so many strong points here.
Creativity: 5
While there’s nothing ground breaking in The Successor in terms of creativity the thing that impressed me most was the thought and planning that went into certain moments of the game, generally what I would refer to as the "RPG" elements, boss fights, exploration sequences and so on. The trigger work is splendid, and there are some nice touches, "rugs" acting as scrolls. The player is treated to some nicely done "indoor" scenes and the humour is also quite well done.
Story / Instructions: 4
The story is good, it concerns the recapture of a realm that has been conquered, through the use of assassination. Some of the dialogue is strange, and doesn’t work, though that may be down to my next point. The player moves quickly from moments to moment but there is one ‘flaw’ I couldn’t get over, and that is the lead character himself, I honestly found it hard to like Krall, and though this may the designer’s intention, it can ruin the enjoyment of the game and the story, however the intro cut-scene and the closing one are really well done, setting the scene quite well, and perhaps suggest at something more sinister, so we will wait and see, it is possible Act II and III will adjust my opinion when we get the whole story arc. Perhaps my problems are rectified by the final cut-scene outro, but it felt like too little too late, perhaps these moments would have been better served being dealt with throughout the main scenario rather than dealt with at the end. Instructions are top notch, no complaint.
Additional Comments:
Great work panel, I am excited to continue the story, especially because of the hints about Krall towards the end, and the following Acts may affect the score for Story/Instructions, which was the hardest part for me to judge, I flipped and changed my rating numerous times! I disliked Krall, I know some appreciate his "no nonsense" attitude, but it just seems unlikely he can so easily win people over with the way he treats them!
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Lord Basse
Official Reviewer |
Posted on 03/16/13 @ 09:36 AM
PLAYABILITY: This is a thoroughly enjoyable campaign with a variety of challenges ranging from solving puzzles to defend the spot to luring enemies and using your heroes as snipers. The boss fights are also a blast, and they take a couple tries before you have mastered them and can proceed. It took me about four and half (in game) hours to play through the campaign, not counting the cut-scenes; while there were some frustrating challenges (e.g. the crypt) and a lot of long walks, overall it was very enjoyable.
Two things bog down the gameplay to some degree. The first thing is that the red player, the civilians, isn't allied to you, but rather set to Neutral. This means that you often attack buildings and innocent civilians by accident. If you change diplomacy to ally to get around this, you get the unintended benefit of seeing half the map thanks to the Cartography research.
The other issue, which is more of a plot hole, is that you keep losing your entire army at every other battle. Krall is attempting to gather a large army, but in the end he has about as many soldiers as he had when he disembarked at the shores. He hasn't really built up an army, which he claims in the native camp. Perhaps it would've made more sense to give the player a monk/missionary at the start of the game, who could heal your units after each fight, meaning your army would actually grow over time.
Despite these flaws however, the scenario is still loads of fun, and very much deserving of a top score. 5-
BALANCE: The balancing is mostly very good, as the entire campaign provides you with challenge after challenge, never giving anything away too easily. One part was next to impossible though: the battle with the Tugai in the mountains. When I reached this point, I had an army of 30 men, most of them 20-30% damaged, and I was now up against wave after wave of cavalry and onagers. After five or six failed attempts and changes in tactics, I gave up and cheated out. I ran out into the open field outside the village, and then used Tarran to lure the enemy out of their starting points, a few at a time. This took a long while, but I eventually managed to win, albeit not in the intended way. Again, having a monk early on, or adjusting the number of Tugai attackers depending on how many units you have, would take this down from impossible to a good challenge. 4.
CREATIVITY: The setup of the story isn't all that new, but Panel takes a spin on it with a rather complex character that keeps it interesting throughout. There are also a lot of creative bits in the scenarios like well-made map-copied palaces, the music and the sounds, the intelligent boss fights, the indoors scenery and the dark humour. Little things like the sniper mode and gossiping villagers also bring it up. All in all, 5.
MAP DESIGN: Perhaps it is only a matter of taste, but parts of the map design don't hit home for me. The splashes of ice on otherwise very open terrain looked weird and not appealing, the cave walls sprinkled with rocks, gold and stone looked more randomly assembled than they resembled a tunnel, and the rather blocky use of elevation seemed half-finished. At times the terrain mixing also looked more randomly whipped together, in some of the roads for example, rather than there being an aesthetic purpose behind it.
All that being said, the map design is still a strong point of the campaign. The central scenario is made up as an entire country (or rather two) with the city of Kron at the center, the sea to the east, marshlands, mountains and rivers to the north, and so forth. It makes for a very vivid design, and it really feels like you are travelling across an entire country, rather than going through a map designed specifically for the events planned in the story. The design of Kron is also very good for strategy, although some sections look a bit too blocky and plain. All in all it's a good-looking map, despite some flaws. 4+
STORY & INSTRUCTIONS: The setup for the story is pretty basic. You have the hero underdog, rising up against an unworthy king, and you help him in his way to restoring order throughout the kingdom. If that was all there was to it, it would still make for a pretty good campaign, but it wouldn't stand out. What elevates this campaign above the rest is the character of Krall.
As opposed to most protagonists in AoK scenarios, Krall isn't just a tool to get the player from point A to point B, he is an actual somewhat complex character. While the black comedy and modern talk occasionally make his seem a little gimmicky, the character still holds up. Krall really bring the story to a whole new level, putting this very high on my list of great stories. It's no Ulio just yet... but there are two more acts to go!
Oh yeah, and the instructions are good, and the hints are plentiful and helpful. An unquestionable 5 here. |
Little Fighter 2 |
Posted on 06/15/14 @ 03:01 AM
Playability: 5
Your Campaign is very good. I liked it very much. Anyone can play it. I played it continuously for hours together WITHOUT getting bored. No wonder your game is the game of the year.
Balance: 5
The balance is also great in any level of difficulty. Some places I found it tough but the hints you have given helped me a lot. It has adquate level of hints. Both the enemy and the player has balanced forces.
Creativity: 5
Most of your creative work has been the main attraction of your campaign. Perfect creativity. I liked your creativity in the Ice warrior fight better than anything.
Map Design: 5
You have added many gaia units and changed terrains to make it look better and it surely was better. The designing in the secret passage and the bush hill was very nice.
Story/Instructions: 5+
Great Story. The cruel character of the prince, the loyal character of the Best warrior everything added excitement to the story. By inserting the prologue into the campaign, you have conveyed the story to the players without any boredom.
Additional Comments:
This is the first review, i am giving to a campaign, hope you will also give a good review for any campaign which i make. |
HGDL v0.8.2 |
Rating |
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4.8 | Breakdown |
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Playability | 4.7 | Balance | 4.6 | Creativity | 4.9 | Map Design | 4.8 | Story/Instructions | 4.9 |
Statistics |
Downloads: | 7,253 |
Favorites: [] | 21 |
Size: | 14.73 MB |
Added: | 09/09/11 |
Updated: | 12/23/11 |
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