Heraclius again - anyone would like to playtest

Heresson · December 1, 2003, 13:11

Well, the scenario is far from finishing, still, if someone has a lot of time, it would help me much. I have large part of the artwork (all units and cities) finished, I have events for the first part, for Romans as the player... So perhaps it is time for someone check it and send me some commends. I must warn that the scenario forces You to deal with enormous ammount of cities.

Valuk · December 2, 2003, 10:32

I'm not that good at playtesting, but I'm quite fanatical about the byzantine empire and medieval scenarios

And yes, of course I would like to give it a go, since I've been waiting for this scenario for some time.
If you wish it.

RobRoy · December 4, 2003, 09:20

If it's anything like Fading Lights, I'd love to help.

My time, as you may recall, tends to be feast or famine. I'm a bit busy right now, but hope to have a feast period after Christmas. I'm trying to debate what games I'm going to waste my time on. Have you played Paradox's latest?

Is that too late? What is your target timeframe?

When you say a lot of cities, I know you mean it. Just remember - more cities don't always add value. Maybe I can help you identify some candidates to kill?

Send files to: robroy3@hotmail.com

Valuk · December 4, 2003, 11:41

Yeah, come to think of it, I could do that too...
jan_adlesic_babylon@hotmail.com

Heresson · December 8, 2003, 05:49

Thank You both. I remember RobRoy as my best playtester yet.

Heresson · December 8, 2003, 05:59

I'm having some problems sending the files.
I can't do it where I use internet usually. I'll try again later today or tomorrow
Thanks for patience

Heresson · December 9, 2003, 08:48

I'll visit University Library tomorrow, and then I'll send the files. Oh, and there are more cities to operate than in Fading Lights. But I think it's understandable; You start with 3/4 of Roman Empire...

Heresson · December 11, 2003, 08:35

Some stuff

Valuk · December 11, 2003, 11:17

Great artwork, very detailed!
Better than in Fading Lights & Komnenai.

Valuk · December 11, 2003, 11:22

The strange things is, that I didn't get any attachments on the mail you sent me.
Strange.

Heresson · December 12, 2003, 08:38

WHAT?
Damn, damn, damn. Here we go again.
Soooooooooooooooorrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrry for those problems. I'll send it all again soon. Hope You won't mind the delay

Heresson · December 15, 2003, 05:48

Sending it again.

Valuk · December 16, 2003, 10:56

First comments: This scenario, I think resembles your other two byzantine scenario, ehich is a good thing, althought that means that I find it hard to play, at times impossible and have to revert to cheating due to frustration.
Hm, the Persians and Slavs overran me in the predicted amount of time, thought the Persians failed to capture Antioch, which is strange since the capture of Antioch was step one of the Persian invasion.
Focas is done well, but the Heraclius part...I have taken two shots at playing so far, and in the first go I managed to hold back the Berbers, but it did not go as well in the second.
They captured a fair amount of cities, and since Heraclius was at hand I used him to grind them to dust in my vengeful furor.
That meant that Focas was still in power in 612, and that the Slavs captured Adrianopolis and some cities in Asia minor.
Heraclius was just off the coast of Sicily then...
And the text that suggests the capture of Niniveh is displayed at the wrong time, since the player will probably fighting for survival at that point.
Concerning the cities- The Balkans are just perfect, no need to destroy any city there, Italy is allright as well, you could erase a city now and then in Corsica/Sardinia, west Africa, Egypt, and perhaps even Syria.
All in all, the amount of cities didn't bother me that much, the only VERY annoying thing about it all were the CIVIL DISORDERS.
In the end, I just held enter and ignored all the messages, and starved out a city once in a while.
Didn't do well for my scientific and economic growth, as you might have guessed.
Maybe the Romans should be a monarchy, to prevent some of those disorders.
The rest will follow as soon as I gather the nerve to play it from the beginning again, using a different tactic
this time(I'll leave Syria to the persians until I gather my forces and concentrate on Asia Minor and Adrianople).

Exile · December 18, 2003, 02:11

You're the author of OUTREMER and DAROAE correct? I liked both of those scenarios. I also enjoy scens with lots of cities. If you'll contact me via PM, I'll give you my email and you can send it.

Thanks

Heresson · December 18, 2003, 07:05

Quote:

Originally posted by Exile
You're the author of OUTREMER and DAROAE correct? I liked both of those scenarios. I also enjoy scens with lots of cities. If you'll contact me via PM, I'll give you my email and you can send it.

Thanks

OK.
But I'm the one who made Outremer, Fading Lights, Komnenai and Mamluks. DAROAE was amde by Mathias Koester

Heresson · December 18, 2003, 07:34

Quote:

Originally posted by Valuk
First comments: This scenario, I think resembles your other two byzantine scenario, ehich is a good thing, althought that means that I find it hard to play, at times impossible and have to revert to cheating due to frustration.

Kind of natural...

Quote:

Hm, the Persians and Slavs overran me in the predicted amount of time, thought the Persians failed to capture Antioch, which is strange since the capture of Antioch was step one of the Persian invasion.

That is VERY strange. It never happened in my earlier games.

[quote]
Focas is done well, but the Heraclius part...I have taken two shots at playing so far, and in the first go I managed to hold back the Berbers, but it did not go as well in the second.
[/qupte]

Managing Berbers is pretty easy. You just leave Constantine production unchanged.

Quote:

They captured a fair amount of cities, and since Heraclius was at hand I used him to grind them to dust in my vengeful furor.
That meant that Focas was still in power in 612, and that the Slavs captured Adrianopolis and some cities in Asia minor.

Bad. i don't remember now if I limited paradrop range or no. I guess not/

Quote:

Heraclius was just off the coast of Sicily then...
And the text that suggests the capture of Niniveh is displayed at the wrong time, since the player will probably fighting for survival at that point.

Which is completely intended and historically correct

Quote:

Concerning the cities- The Balkans are just perfect, no need to destroy any city there, Italy is allright as well, you could erase a city now and then in Corsica/Sardinia, west Africa, Egypt, and perhaps even Syria.

Yes, I'll make changes. Though I'll cry while doing that

Quote:

All in all, the amount of cities didn't bother me that much, the only VERY annoying thing about it all were the CIVIL DISORDERS.

Raising luxury rate to 20% is enoygh when it comes to most of cities

Quote:

In the end, I just held enter and ignored all the messages, and starved out a city once in a while.
Didn't do well for my scientific and economic growth, as you might have guessed.

I need to lower scientific rate, that's for sure. ANy suggest w.i.v.t. the value?

Quote:

Maybe the Romans should be a monarchy, to prevent some of those disorders.

Not at the start, but I'm thinking of letting them choose another gouverment, sth like Middle Empire, later in the game; giving them other gouverment at the start would make them too strong

Quote:

The rest will follow as soon as I gather the nerve to play it from the beginning again, using a different tactic
this time(I'll leave Syria to the persians until I gather my forces and concentrate on Asia Minor and Adrianople).

That's a good strategy.
But when it comes to Heraclius. I advise to use him to capture Antioch. persian backs are usually undefended,. and He, guarded with two cavalry, can easily make his way to Niniveh and capture it, and this should help You a lot.

these are only quick answers, I'll think about them and answer them fully soon.

Heresson · January 12, 2004, 09:56

If I haven't written it clearly, I do now. It is "playtesting", but it's rather relieving me of some playing-to-see-what-happens- stuff. The scenario is faar from being finished and the thing You were to test is checking if first, Persian events work. I am right now working on Muslim invasion events. Results are that they do take Syria and Egypt as they should, and large part of Persia, but still I have problems with "liberating" one's own city in the east (event cause that), and I must think about how to make it probable to stop Muslim expansion at Taurus mountains.
Don't complain. the scenario isn't THAT hard. It's boring now, perhaps, because there's still a lot to do, but it should improbve a bit with time

Arthedain · January 12, 2004, 11:30

Heresson: as I read this thread, I got rather curious. Would you please care to tell us some more about this scen? I mean like storyline, what kind of historical period this is in etc etc. Anything you'd like. And I don't recall the name Heraclius so please tell me some.

Varwnos · January 13, 2004, 02:22

Very nice artwork Heresson!

You definately have your own style and the scenario (although i have to say that i dislike massive numbers of cities) sounds very impressive

I hope that you wont see it as an intrusion if i ask you of your view about my own byz units, here?

Heresson · January 13, 2004, 06:10

Quote:

Originally posted by Arthedain
Heresson: as I read this thread, I got rather curious. Would you please care to tell us some more about this scen? I mean like storyline, what kind of historical period this is in etc etc. Anything you'd like. And I don't recall the name Heraclius so please tell me some.

Well, the time of the scenario is supposed to be about 600-750BC, that is since the end of reign of emperor Mauritius till the end of Umayyad caliphate.
It covers some important events in history;
-Focas' revolt
-great, final war between Roman Empire and Sasanian Persia, which is called sometimes the first crusade.
-Slavic conquest of Balkans
-the appearance of Islam and greatest Muslim conquest.
Generally, it is a time when still great Roman Empire, still ruling over practically all Mediterrean coasts, turned into besieged, Asia-Minor locked, so-called Byzantine Empire.

The units are pretty nice, but I'm not an experts on that, actually.