Mechstra
I've played Thirteen Days - Teaser and wrote this report of my experience and included some suggestions for improving the design. Please just take what you can use and leave the rest, I understand that you are just beginning so I am liable to report many things that you are aware of.
Thirteen Days - Teaser -- Report:
The scenario alpha is very undeveloped, but I enjoyed the experience testing it. I played on every level sticking with 'Hard' as I played many times more to test things around the map for flaws. It didn't find any bugs in the aspects that were set, but there is information given in the instructions/objectives box, that seemed to be about aspects that have yet to be designed. An example would be the instruction to talk to villagers, and the indications of an aspect poisoning that were not available as I played. The instructions and messages that were set to playable aspects seemed good, and I had enough time to read them and they went at good pace. One important thing that I want to note is that there seemed to be a short and quick lag pause during the music. I'm not sure if this was due to my own game files that are quirky due to my fooling with the drs files...I hope that others will report on the music so you can evaluate it against my experience. Also important is the messages related to finding the towns will display even if Lord Oubert is not there to say them, as when I employed a scouting strategy. I suggest you make character specific messages and their subsequent tributes set to the specific character unit Lord Oubert. All playability issues are understandable at this early stage of development.
Balance is the most undeveloped aspect, as it is entirely too easy to win every combat situation. It seems as if there is only one aspect where the player can actually lose, and only if they are a hard-core novice. This aspect is the combat with Lord Heuland, were I instinctively won without ever reading the detailed hints. Perhaps the fact I did this could be considered luck, but even if I had not instinctively retreated there and used my other units to occupy and inflict damage to Lord Heuland, it would have been the very next strategy to try upon restarting. Here the instructions/hinting is also effecting balance by making the playable aspects too easy. Suggestion would be not to include the hints that tell exactly how to win there, and let the player restart if they must. The other areas in the town, play as cut-scenes as it is extremely difficult to be defeated there, and believe me I tried to play like a total idiot there and still was not defeated. The two attacks in the country side were also extremely easy. I went back and played with two Knights, two Axmen, and two Spearmen, and easily defeated the enemies in the countryside. I think this force could have been reduced even further, especially in the case of the village in the North west where the ally will almost defeat the army there, all that is really needed there is Lord Oubert to mop up after the ally has at them.
The creative vision so far is excellent, although most of what I can foresee was not designed yet. The many ways to achieve the objectives like poisoning and following strategic clues in non linear fashion should prove very interesting and exciting. I suggest that maybe the clues or hints be made vague, and perhaps acquired through exploration of the town before entering the courtyard combat with Lord Heuland. The story and prologue plot were very interesting and even at this early alpha state you are well on your way to portraying it well through the scenario. The subject being original is also a creative plus. The music is fantastic.
The 'so far' map is excellent, but even the most excellent maps can be critiqued. The aspect that seemed to detract from the overall excellence was the starting point location. Not that is wasn't pleasing to the eye really, because I did experience it as unique and different. Still, I was put off by the circumstance it was set to portray. In some ways Lord Oubert's starting location came across as his dwelling, and this dwelling seemed more opulent than Lord Heuland's. I was not expecting this from the initial introductions to the circumstances. I guess one could live with it...still my suggestion is to give more attention to the portrayal of the story through your map design as you continue. The country side was fantastic. The technical map design aspects of Heuland's courtyard, and the other town gates was excellent too in that it was pleasing to the eye and it served the game play.
The story and instructions are very good too. The story is excellent and captured my imagination right from the instruction screens. The continuation of it in game and especially in the objectives as journal entries kept me tied to it while I played. The aspect that detracted from what was playable were the walkthrough like hints that for me seemed unnecessary even for aspects that are very difficult. I suggest to remove the objective instead of crossing it out to avoid the clutter of information there. Another caution is that you make precise note of extorting money from the four surrounding villages, only at this early stage of the plot, this is not portrayed well by the game play. Nothing of my traveling through the countryside and villages seemed like extortion. It was more like the villages gave me gifts or that I was rewarded simply for finding them.
Overall I found the alpha design inspiring and I had fun testing it. Improvements made in balance will have the most impact on the overall design so maybe to concentrate your efforts there? Also to keep game play and story a more congruent portrayal of each other. I'm looking forward to the more choices and non linear aspects that you have planned, and I'm sure they will improve the scenario dramatically.
Thanks for the preview.
[This message has been edited by AnastasiaKafka (edited 05-21-2003 @ 10:43 PM).]