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Author |
File Description |
kevo (id: kevingamer prime) |
Posted on 12/25/04 @ 12:00 AM
File Details |
Version: |
The Conquerors 1.0c |
The bridge repair tutorial walks you through the process of simulating a broken bridge being rejoined. .scx file and a text file walkthough included. I hope you find a good use for this tutorial! |
Author | Reviews ( All | Comments Only | Reviews Only ) |
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zak (id: Chewmen_zak) |
Posted on 12/30/04 @ 12:00 AM
Introduction
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This utility, written by kevingamer_AcX_, is designed to teach the prospective user the triggers required to repair a bridge in a scenario he or she is designing. If you are interested in improving your scenario designing skills and maybe learning a new trick you never knew possible before, this utility is for you.
Utility/Novelty: 4
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Overall, I found the utility explained how to work the triggers quite well. It has the capacity to do what it says it will do. It says it will teach you how to incorporate the process of repairing a bridge into your scenario, and it does.
The trick of repairing a bridge can be quite useful in scenario design. After playing through this utility, the user could have a broken bridge in his or her scenario that is the only way to the other side. The character in his or her scenario might have to get some stone and bring it back to a bridge repairer and then, using the triggers shown in this utility, the repairer would repair the bridge so that it is crossable.
The utility explains everything well, but there is one thing that could be improved. I found the instructions went by too quickly. I had to pull up the send chat function to reread what was already displayed because my mind had not yet absorbed the new information when the next step had already rolled by. That somewhat diminished the helpfulness, effectiveness, and ease of use this utility otherwise would’ve provided. Note: kevo’ emailed me that it would be best to play it under slow or normal speed. Under normal speed, the instructions still rolled by too quickly. Slow was a little better, but it would be highly advised to incorporate a player-controlled advancement function.
Thanks to nathbert, I know understand how novelty is graded. I would say that this utility is novel and not many people know how to show a bridge being repaired in a custom scenario. By playing through this, more people would have an understanding of bridge repair.
Quality/Instructions: 4
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I found this utility to do a fair job at explaining everything it encompassed. It was well written, but the part about tile alignment could’ve been made less confusing. Also, there were slight capitalization errors that lessened the appeal of the utility.
As aforementioned, the speed of the instructions should be made slower or more of it should be user advanced.
Final Thoughts
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Overall, a nice job. However, if kevo’ had heeded my advice that I sent him via email before he submitted it, it would’ve received a better review, i.e. 4.5. |
Tanneur99
Official Reviewer |
Posted on 01/02/05 @ 12:00 AM
The utility shows how to repair a broken bridge in three steps. The zip includes a .scx file, a word document, 'The Bridge Repair Tutorial' and a read me. The utility is of interest for any designer because of its timed construction phases, even if you know the basic trick, remove ‘Bridge A—Cracked’ create ‘Bridge A—Middle’ for ages.
USEFULNESS/NOVELTY: The utility does for what it is intended to be; you witness a good bridge repair simulation, which is without any doubt very useful for scenario design, as I witnessed the bridge repair trick in some scenarios already to which I will give credit under observations. The fact that the trick is not new to the AoK community does not make this utility useless. It is the first utility about a bridge repair, easy to find through 'search' by a designer compared to find one of the scenarios. There are better ways to simulate a bridge repair and useless is the introduction of shallows, which are necessary for the way this utility shows a bridge repair, to make a unit cross the bridge after repairing. It is better, has more ease of use, to place three ‘Bridge A—Middle’ pieces in the gap and to remove them at the games start instead of placing shallows, which look like a ford and a bridge not necessary at that location. With regard to novelty, the trick is not new, it is different, creative, not better, the novelty factor of the utility reduced to the fact that it is the first utility of its kind. 3
QUALITY/INSTRUCTIONS: A good quality bridge repair, the utilities significance lies mainly in the three-step tutorial with a good use of triggers and I encountered no bug. Still this is not perfect, unrealistic to click red and blue outposts to repair a bridge, not a good example of a trigger sequence to implement a bridge repair into a scenario. Unfortunately, the utility comes with the superfluous element to place shallows instead of placing and removing middle bridge parts, quote "Remember to place a string of shallows under the bridge and across the gap. This is needed or units won't cross. Try to hide it or decorate it with eye candy." In addition, to decorate shallows with eye-candy is total blunder and I would like to see a demonstration. Well to hide them would be placing and removing bridge parts over them, but in that case, you do not need shallows at all. The Instructions are well done. The trick explained in game, a bit confusing though, and in the ready to print word document so that the designer does not need to go through the triggers. The information on the author’s description page and the utilities title reflect the utility’s use, the download meets the expectations, but the text passes too fast; you will click the chat box repeatedly on normal speed. 4
OVERALL: A 3.5, Utility 3, Novelty 3, Quality 3.5, and Instructions 4.5
SUGGESTIONS: Get rid of the shallows, place bridge middle pieces into the gap and remove them with a trigger out of sight of the player at the games start. For ideas for a more realistic scene visit the scenarios below and have your text pass slower.
OBSERVATION: The first bridge repair in a scenario I recall was already in the earlier version of 'Timeline' by Puzzleman, uploaded 12/25/1999. '1066 - The Year of the Three Kings' by Frostius uses a simulation with workers, uploaded 10/15/00. In 'Of Farmers and Kings, The Life of El Cid' by King Joshua III you have to find and convince a repairer to continue your journey, uploaded 11/14/01. Last not least a fantastic bridge repair in 'The New World' by Crasher DGDN, uploaded 07/16/02. The moment your villagers step on the broken bridges, a foundation for the middle piece appears and they actually repair the bridge in multiple steps.
IN CLOSING: Simulating bridge repair is worth a download and for bridge repairs I also recommend the third scenario in Casher’s ‘The New World’, you repair three differently broken bridges in the first 15 minutes of the game. |
HGDL v0.8.2 |
Rating |
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3.8 | Breakdown |
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Usefulness/Novelty | 3.8 | Quality/Instructions | 3.8 |
Statistics |
Downloads: | 786 |
Favorites: [] | 0 |
Size: | 71.80 KB |
Added: | 12/25/04 |
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