Round Table of Arkain

[LickMyEyeBall]

Well this is convenient, i have to restart all the levels since my progress wasn't apparently saved with this demo

And so my pain and suffering continues.

It wasnt saved for me either. Although it said the transfer of progress has been successful, i still had to make the choices.Perhaps that is a demo thingy.

 

[Shar Dundred]

I am curious about the thoughts regarding Chapter Fourteen, both gameplaywise and storywise.
So I created this!

 

[Boriss]

I would like to start a new discussion here. About the books so far. In the thread about orc race mechanic it was mentioned that the orc book is the weakest book so far. Tho I agree gameplay-wise, I think that weakest story was in the first human book.

Reasoning:
While orc books had no interesting missions gameplay-wise, the first human book was literally by-the-book traitor-in-the-midst.
While there were some interesting character interactions and relationship development, like Aedale and her affection for Blen if he saved her, Salana and Gardon and Aedale with Salomar, orc books had more important relations. Rangul´s relationship with his daughter, how she could influence him to spare humans here and there, how she could soften up Sasrogarn (hard to believe he can be any softer), Rath´s vendetta is bit of a classic one and Zairmak´s interaction with Ironfist. And the undead, playing as grey eminence that is emerging from the shadows? That´s some cool stuff. With exciting momens like where Saphira tells Rahandir about Ironfist and Gardon and he says its familiar to him. Resurrection of that Vanessa girl. Pretty good story there.

It would be nice to actually reveal more of a personal story in the second human book.
As Saphira asks Salana about why she turned on Renova, she could ask Larine (if we have Larine with us while Salana runs for the crown)
about how she ended up with such a bunch of misfits. Something like:
Saphira: And how did you end up with this bunch, Larine? Last I remember you were getting married so what made you join this bunch of misfits
and shades? Nothing personal, Gardon.
Gardon: Grrr
Larine: tells her heartbreaking story
Or maybe have this happen when Larine runs for the throne. Or in both cases. Revealing their personal stories with different choices would bring
people to replay it more with different choices.

To sum it up, I think that the undead book was the best of them.
For me personally story is a bit more important than gameplay, so for me the first human book was a little bit weaker than the orc book.
Yet I understand people who prefer gameplay to consider orc book the weakest part. Whats your take?

 

[Championfighter25]

I would like to start a new discussion here. About the books so far. In the thread about orc race mechanic it was mentioned that the orc book is the weakest book so far. Tho I agree gameplay-wise, I think that weakest story was in the first human book.

I think the orc book had the weaker story, but the better gameplay. Just opinion though.

Reasoning:
While orc books had no interesting missions gameplay-wise, the first human book was literally by-the-book traitor-in-the-midst.

I found chapter 7 and 9, no matter how much of a time consumer and hard they were pretty intresting.
Also literally anything that is simplified to its basics can sound a bit stupid. If the human book is the traitor in the midsts book, then the orc book is brutes acting like their smart just to get outtricked multiple times, never learning and in the end while achieving some success failing book.

orc books had more important relations.

Yeah, i'll have to agree with you here. Same for the undead book.
They, for 1st books had better relation building for reasons you stated above.
The 1st human book missed a few times where it could have built some character bonds.
The orc and undead book pull this off better since the orcs were united, due to facing extinction if they didn't. This made each character closer to one another and even though they may have not liked each other, they had to cooperate and comunicate for the better of the race.
The undead were located in just a medium to big sized mountain, so since they were not that far alway from each other, unlike some humans that were an entire sea away, they got way more oppurtunities. Aridon also sending different undead for different tasks, this bonding them improves the relation development a lot.
Except the Veringar-Largoth case. We don't talk about that one.

It would be nice to actually reveal more of a personal story in the second human book.

Agreed. A character being in a battle or seeing something in a cinematic and that making him tell a bit about his past or revealing a part of him we never knew would be the most efficient way in my opinion.
Yes, we have seen this being used a few times, but one more time won't hurt.

To sum it up, I think that the undead book was the best of them.

Yep, in my opinion it was also the best overall book.
Also come on, a final chapter that you can never lose it? Definetely the best book.

 

[Shar Dundred]

Both versions of Chapter Fourteen in a nutshell:

 

[Tuwnew]

 

[Daffa]

Chapter Fourteen B is out?

 

[Shar Dundred]

Not yet, no.

 

[lekxman22]

Well how much percent of it %

 

[Shar Dundred]

I intend to try and release it along with the final version of the Second Human Book in May.
No promises, though.

 

[LickMyEyeBall]

Considering how much you've been delayed, yeah that date makes sense. Did you try out the PTR? Is everything in tact?

 

[REDON PELLUMBI]

At last I can't wait any longer

 

[Shar Dundred]

What could this possibly mean?

 

[Championfighter25]

What could this possibly mean?

Oh yeah, the make oil great again picture.
Also i guess in the chapter naval battles will have an important role?

 

[Tuwnew]

LOA is pumping oil to fund their campaigns.

 

[Shar Dundred]

Oh yeah, the make oil great again picture.
Also i guess in the chapter naval battles will have an important role?

LOA is pumping oil to fund their campaigns.

Yes, yes and yes.

 

[renegade]

So those Oil Refineries seen in The Red Night weren't so useless after all!

I'm guessing that's going to be our main source of income in the Golden Guard version against the Emperor

 

[LickMyEyeBall]

We warcraft 2 now, boyz.

 

[REDON PELLUMBI]

Hi in what website can I download Warcraft 2?

 

[Boriss]

Yes, yes and yes.

You used those in chapter 13, right? Replaced gold mines with these oil platforms.
Oil industry controlling Arkain confirmed! Stop the oil!

 

[Shar Dundred]

I'm guessing that's going to be our main source of income in the Golden Guard version against the Emperor

Exactly, gold mines are pretty low in this mission.
They exist, but they won't get you to the finishing line unless you rush and can work with little - no Destructors in this mission, btw.

We warcraft 2 now, boyz.

Kinda, yes.
They provide you with gold, though.

Hi in what website can I download Warcraft 2?

Wrong place to ask, I suggest using google or looking at the official battle.net forums.
Apart from that, no idea.

You used those in chapter 13, right? Replaced gold mines with these oil platforms.
Oil industry controlling Arkain confirmed! Stop the oil!

I am the Oil Lord!

 

[Championfighter25]

No Praxeus, no Destructors... What's next? No paladins since ''for storyline reasons'' Holy Bastion man needed all of them to protect the continent of Arkain?

 

[Shar Dundred]

 

[Boriss]

No Praxeus, no Destructors... What's next? No paladins since ''for storyline reasons'' Holy Bastion man needed all of them to protect the continent of Arkain?

Guess you hit jackpot
Will we get allies? Marin as separate ally, Redfist returning with Orie and Cora if we chose so?

Also to address the 12B. I suggest putting more paladins (4-6) at the start of that mission. Would make it a bit closer to Gardon´s version difficulty especially since cooldown on that purificator is way lower than what his manaregen allows, which enables Harmos to speed up the shooting incredibly.

 

[Championfighter25]

Guess you hit jackpot

Almost. Now I only need confirmation we won't have the golden guard version of the siege tank because Marin ''for storyline reasons'' doesn't have the resources to produce them. Then everything will come full circle.

 

[merlockqueen]

I saw that those oil platforms had a gold amount and went oh thats neat i wonder if were gonna do something with them in the orc campagin or undead not in the human! thats pretty hype tbh.

 

[renegade]

"Ed, God is taking pics, look cool and shit"
"Eddy, much as i'd like to look cool in a photo, this goddamn farm is blocking me"
"Then move a little bit to your left?"
"Eddy, it doesn't work that way, also i just realized that we must be fucking giants to be bigger than houses"

On a side note, no destructors? And we must rush? D:

 

[Shar Dundred]

Will we get allies? Marin as separate ally, Redfist returning with Orie and Cora if we chose so?

You will get allies, but neither Marin nor any Redfist forces will appear in the mission.

I saw that those oil platforms had a gold amount and went oh thats neat i wonder if were gonna do something with them in the orc campagin or undead not in the human! thats pretty hype tbh.

They will have an almost infinite amount in Fourteen B (aka 1 million gold).

On a side note, no destructors?

Yes.

And we must rush? D:

I wouldn't say so, but I'd still suggest trying to harvest from as many oil platforms as possible.

 

[LISBOAH]

I wouldn't say so, but I'd still suggest trying to harvest from as many oil platforms as possible.

There is something on that phrase that makes me feel kind of worried...
Like, truly worried as it reminds me of something that happened a few years ago...

 

[merlockqueen]

Is chapter 14b going to be for 1.29.2 or 1.29.1?

 

[LickMyEyeBall]

1.29.2 is on the way, soooooooooo...

 

[Verb8im]

Patch 1.29.2 is live

 

[Boriss]

Shar, I got a request for you. Will you, after wrapping up the second human book, give a little bit of love to the first set of books?
You mentioned something about you wanting to put more orc vs imperial show into the final mission of the first undead book etc.

 

[Shar Dundred]

For those of you who are sick of seeing Gardon with red hero glow, the 1.29.2 update apparently fixed that.
I think. Looks more orange than before imo.

Fourteen B is completely DONE, btw.
It is now being tested.

 

[Boriss]

For those of you who are sick of seeing Gardon with red hero glow, the 1.29.2 update apparently fixed that.
I think. Looks more orange than before imo.

Fourteen B is completely DONE, btw.
It is now being tested.

So, it will be released together with both epilogues in the final version?
Or is another demo coming?

 

[LickMyEyeBall]

That escalated quickly. Thought it'd take another month or so in production.

 

[Shar Dundred]

So, it will be released together with both epilogues in the final version?
Or is another demo coming?

I don't think there will be another demo, but I expect a release very soon.

That escalated quickly. Thought it'd take another month or so in production.

Release early May.

 

[Boriss]

I don't think there will be another demo, but I expect a release very soon.

Release early May.

Ya still havent commented on my request
Is the 14B and rest bein tested with that new patch they aired yesterday?

 

[Shar Dundred]

Ya still havent commented on my request

Because I will do so later.

Is the 14B and rest bein tested with that new patch they aired yesterday?

Created with 1.29.1, so "old" one. @Kasrkin also has that version I think.

Fyi, the full Second Human Book will feature a total of 26 maps.

 

[Boriss]

Because I will do so later.

Created with 1.29.1, so "old" one. @Kasrkin also has that version I think.

Fyi, the full Second Human Book will feature a total of 26 maps.

No new issues with 1.29.1 then, no new massive crash causing bug (what was it, AI you mentioned, right?)?

 

[LickMyEyeBall]

Hope switching to 1.29.2 or a newer version(if they'll release one) won't cause any bugs. Because Ive already installed the new patch.

 

[Shar Dundred]

To make sure that the new patch didn't mess anything up, the entirety of the Second Human Book
will be tested with it after I've updated all maps with the new patch.

Fourteen B seems to have no major bugs so far.

 

[Boriss]

To make sure that the new patch didn't mess anything up, the entirety of the Second Human Book
will be tested with it after I've updated all maps with the new patch.

Fourteen B seems to have no major bugs so far.

We wish Kasrkin nerves of adamantium for that

 

[Shar Dundred]

Tomorrow I am going to send @Kasrkin the finished Second Human Book to test the two versions
of Chapter Fourteen one last time and the Epilogue while I look at the past maps to be sure the patch didn't
cause any major bugs.

Then, we will have our full release of the Second Human Book.
I will, of course, make a post in the Arkain News Network once that happens.

 

[Kasrkin]

I will do my best to be swift and victorious, if all goes well then we add another notch to the completed campaigns belt for the project.

 

[Boriss]

I will do my best to be swift and victorious, if all goes well then we add another notch to the completed campaigns belt for the project.

Victory for the Kasrkin!

 

[lloyd2422]

Question, because this bug(?) didn't happen before in my last playthrough, in chapter 5. Does defeating king rekta first will make scarlett surrender afterwards?

 

[Championfighter25]

Does defeating king rekta first will make scarlett surrender afterwards?

Yes and that's not a bug.

 

[Shar Dundred]

It was added in one of the later versions, I also added a hint of that in the Retka quest.

 

[Boriss]

It was added in one of the later versions, I also added a hint of that in the Retka quest.

Shar, I was thinkin bout the elven roster.
Since in no mission do we have their cav available and even the elven comp is using cav rarely, maybe it would be a good idea to remake Spellstealer into a viable front-line unit.
My idea is as follows:
1) change their armour type to heavy
2) replace the ability to control summoned units into shield block
3) research into them will now grant them magic immunity

Their health is not amazing and for example lieutenants (that 700 hp version of footman) have more staying power in direct melee, but the spellstealer´s magic immunity would make him a viable front line unit that elves sorely lack right now.