Elemental: Game Play Example – Part 5

Note: This part of the AAR is being run with the Day 0 build so you will see features that weren’t in the gold edition

Yithril vs. Capitar Climax

For years, Roland’s kingdom of Capitar had grown at the expense of the Empire of Yithril. Emperor Verga had been occupied with events in the west.  When his son was killed in battle, he began to revisit the “Thief in the East” issue.

image

The battles would go on for over two years.

imageEven Verga’s wife would come out to fight [AI note: Going to make it so that the spouse doesn’t come out, especially if she has no weapon].

Verga’s wife would escape the battle but the rest of their army was wiped out.  It was then that Roland realized that Verga had moved the bulk of his forces from the West…to the East.

For while Roland was nipping at the edges of the Empire of Yithril…the Empire of Yithril had conquered the Kingdom of Gilden.

imageimage

 

Veterans of War

As the war progressed, both sides were able to recognize the considerable [to the point we thought it was a bug] benefits of experience.

image

With experience came durability. Veterans knew how to survive far better than raw recruits. As a result, the hardened veterans began to be seen as a valuable resource onto themselves.

image

The wealth of the kingdom was going into combating the growing westeron threat. Yithril had taken Haru and lost it. Roland had put out the word that the Kingdom

Verga meets Roland

imageThe two Channelers would meet in battle. Sorcerer vs. Sorcerer.

image  Roland

 

image Verga

The Kingdom also came with a Catapult

image

Verga’s Sorcery wiped out Roland’s crusaders.

image

image Roland’s allies, the Black Widow Fiends, had traveled and fought beside him for years. Now, these immensely skilled [level 5] friends were down to two.  The situation had become so desperate that Roland himself had to enter the field of battle…

A NOTE FOR PLAYERS:

Risking your sovereign when attacking enemy territory is VERY RISKY.  YOU SHOULD NOT DO THIS.

imageIF you (The player IS the sovereign) die in battle in enemy territory you die. It is over.

Roland has an escape route. He could safely leave the battle and fight another day.

 

imageThe catapult finished off the heart of Yithril’s force.

 imageimageRoland’s Wilding ally was down too.

  image

This was one of those moments that could change the course of the world.

Only Roland and his catapult remained. Out of mana, he had no spells up his sleeve. However, Verga was out of mana as well. His morale and that of his catapult were low [which is a penalty on attack].

Yithril still had for soldiers in the battle including Verga himself.  Roland knew he might not ever have another chance.

Roland decided to fall back at first. Could the catapult soften Verga up enough to even the odds?

Morale was getting dangerous.

image

 image

[AI note: He should go after the ranged unit first]

imageRoland vs. Verga: ONE ON ONE! 

imageVERGA FALLS! 

 

imageVERGA ESCAPES!

 

[The Stardock dev team actually watched this live as it was pretty bloody exciting actually]

Yithril had lost its eastern fortress.

157,194 views 87 replies
Reply #1 Top

A good read, but somehow less entertaining than the previous one, if I may be honest. Then again, I guess there is little room for humor in the light of heated, game deciding skirmishes.

Does this conclude the game play example journal, or is there more to come?

Reply #2 Top

There's more to come.

+1 Loading…
Reply #3 Top

I dunno, that looked like a pretty epic fight.

 

The AI Notes are good, hopefully those are going to be added in soon.

Reply #4 Top

Now that was good. Note to self... bring some catapults into combat (launch lots of cows).

Reply #5 Top

I thought it was pretty sweet. Damn, how much longer before the beta folks get to play! X(

Reply #6 Top

Idea for new spell: anchor (or something to that effect). Prevents the unit it is cast on from teleporting (either on the map or from tactical battles).

UI Suggestion: The moving circle on the morale bar doesn't really add anything - why not just use a bar and fill it based on the morale (the same way that the actions bar gets filled)?

For what reason was "king of the hill" removed? Other than having a very out-of-place name...

Reply #7 Top

Quoting Storm, reply 4
Pretty bloody exciting!  This in itself is an argument for MP Tactical Battles!

End of Storm's quote

 

Wait... no MP tactical battles?

Reply #8 Top

Looks like the AI, while still in development, already is more than a match for many players.

Reply #9 Top

"The wealth of the kingdom was going into combating the growing westeron threat. Yithril had taken Haru and lost it. Roland had put out the word that the Kingdom.."

 

Was this line cut short as it didn't translate well in my mind..??..

Reply #10 Top

Wow! Now that's an epic batlle. I'm happy to see that the reason you were having such a seemingly easy time on the Yithril front wasn't the AI's inability to defend, but that the AI was beating someone else up on his other front and then doubling back to attack you. I'm glad Verga escaped. Now I'm interested in seeing how well him and you recover from this battle. I'm looking forward to the next installment. Here's a couple quick questions:

1) How would you rate Verga's tactical AI and his choices in the battle? Obviously he wasn't a push over, but were there any moments (besides him not attacking the catapult) where you thought he made a major mistep?

2) What about you? Did you make any blunders? Did the AI take advantage of them in any way?

Thanks,

Joseph

Reply #11 Top

Great AAR, epic battle. What level is Roland and what have you been putting the points into. I am never sure were to put points into, i usually randomly pick something.

Reply #12 Top

Roland 314, Verga 218. And Verga almost wins? XD

Very cool. :)

Reply #13 Top

[AI note: Going to make it so that the spouse doesn’t come out, especially if she has no weapon].
End of quote

Rolling pin and Nag spell should do the trick. ;)

Reply #14 Top

I like these, however they have given me the increasing sense that something is missing. I realised what - a map of the world this is set in. How can you have a fantasy story kingdoms without a map?

Reply #15 Top

Great journal can't wait for Elemental to be released... though I have to finish Dragon Age Origins... =)

 

All the work you guys at stardock put into the game, and the great communication, mostly by our favorite frog, makes me like Elemental even more. The gamestory looks really great so far... excited to start my own journey.

Reply #16 Top

That was one of the best AARs yet!  \o/

I hope we can build trebuchets, too!

 

Roland had put out the word that the Kingdom

 

...the Kingdom what?!? You can't leave me hanging like this!  The word...is the bird?

 

 

Reply #17 Top

Quoting AndyRoo, reply 15
I like these, however they have given me the increasing sense that something is missing. I realised what - a map of the world this is set in. How can you have a fantasy story kingdoms without a map?
End of AndyRoo's quote

 

there's a very large map for the campaign: https://forums.elementalgame.com/390799

Reply #18 Top

The quote on the infocard for Black Widow Fiends should read ". . . fall into its web. . . " not "fall into it's web".

It's = it is

its = possessive form of it

Otherwise, awesome.

Reply #19 Top

Great story.  That was an epic battle.   This makes me so happy.   Looking forward to next week.

Reply #20 Top

go back over the earlier installments, Andy, there's been some map shots

Reply #21 Top

Rawr! That had me sitting glued to the screen, smirking like a mischievous goblin as I read through the progressive battle and gazed at the accompanying images. Take that, Verga! A bit less focused on humor and more on bone-crushing action and intensity, darn it, now I feel like cracking some skulls.

I quite enjoy these, looking forward to the next installment. Will Roland conquer his rival? Or will he and his kingdom fall to the re-grouped retaliation? The suspense, she taunts me...!

Reply #22 Top

Quoting Hawawaa, reply 5
Now that was good. Note to self... bring some catapults into combat (launch lots of cows).
End of Hawawaa's quote

LOL  "IF" only :)

Reply #23 Top

{/lurk}

i have to say that there's been (at my own risk of developing arthritis later in life) a building, on going and ever more elaborate finger dance over the last year of seeing this game grow.

after this i may have to patent the "triple knot salute"!

i gather your previous worries about the lack of AI resistance (and learning the value of experienced troops) is vindicated by its triumph over Gilden.

pls, pls ,pls may we have this for the weekend :pout:

{lurk}

Reply #24 Top

'Weaknesses:

Ugly - fewer children"

 

Lol, we all know females prefer the bad guys, and that manly chin should hardly be a deterrant ;)

Reply #25 Top

"there's a very large map for the campaign: https://forums.elementalgame.com/390799"

There sure is, however this story is not the campaign. I was referring to this land specifically, the one being fought over.

"go back over the earlier installments, Andy, there's been some map shots"

One, in part one. Showing where Yithril is in comparison to Capitar. None since - hence the increasing feeling that something is missing from the story.