On 27-Jan-12, at 1:54 AM, Fabian Mueller wrote:
Okay, let's see how the current system works out in the practise.
I start a campaign at a difficult level that is challenging me.
The recruits of the first scenario are made out of sane decisions
how to win the scenario.
This is working well, if the player has understood the game
mechanics to a certain degree
(which is the case for me).
The following scenarios get harder and my gold is most likely in a
region where I can't go on with making sane
recall/recruit decisions any longer.
Instead of ending up with an army that suits the scenario most I end
up with an army that consists of the highest units
in my recall list for the reasons already discussed.
The more variety the campaign offers (and a well made one should)
the worse is the difference between what I need and
what I must go with.
At a certain point of the campaign the situation gets even worse.
All the units in my recall list have reached their maximum level.
Now the gameplay starts to become very ugly.
In order to not waste all the experience my units could gather
during a scenario I need to recall some first level units.
It's always hard to decide if I can afford another level 3+ veteran
being replaced with a new recruit.
Those few new recruits are fragile since the enemy is facing me with
high level units and they are rare.
Thus instead of having the option to sacrifice them when the
situation would otherwise lead to the loss of my veterans
they must be protected at all costs.
Nevertheless how successful the protection for them works, it's hard
to have them at the right place to go in for the kills.
So my moves aren't going to be the best ones tactic wise but
optimised to give the first level units the opportunity to finish
the enemy off.
I really hate such situations. It feels wrong to retread the maxed
out units because of experience management if the best action
(tactical wise)
to win the scenario would be to give the veteran the kill.
If done consequently the time limit of the scenario is reached or I
end up with too few gold which leads to the fact that most
of the experience still ends up with the veterans.
Frankly you've failed to convince me with this. The error in your
logic stems from the premise you outline right at the start. "I start
a campaign at a difficulty level that is challenging to me." Guess
what? That means you might actually lose (GASP!) The remedy for this?
Try again, or play at a lesser difficulty level. You said it yourself,
its supposed to be challenging, not a cake walk.
I personally believe and enjoy the fact that Wesnoth was a game that
treated players seriously. That didn't mean it was going to let the
player win every time. Rather you might lose, or not win well enough.
What you've described is a player that does not have the requisite
skill to beat the game at that level. Sounds harsh, well it is... I
can't recommend diluting the challenge of the game for a highly
skilled player because someone can't beat it at high difficulty level
and feels bad.
I find it disconcerting that your "solution" to what many consider
good game design is to completely alter the game recall dynamics,
break almost every campaign scenario made and add a massive burden
maintainers because they have to rebalance. Furthermore I actually
doubt it would have any effect you think it would. Campaign
maintainers will just rebalance it in a way that makes high
difficulty, very challenging: low gold carryover or whatever. Then
people with lesser skill will again feel bad because they lost. What
then? Another system?
If there is a problem with the game dynamics for beginners, then I
suggest there needs to be better scenario design, and maybe
implementing some of the suggestions made by other developers for
beginner players (ie end of scenario reinforcements.) However if
you'er on an advanced difficulty level and you can't beat it at that
level, tough luck. My suggestion is try again or decrease the
difficulty level.
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