Chronicles of the Second War: Rise of the Alliance - Act 1

[The Nightmare Book]

Wow! Simply wow. Looking forward to updating my impression shortly after

 

[doss]

FOR THE ALLIANCE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[BurnedSmackdown]

Will we just need to download the campaign? Got the new asset launcher and went through that process when got updated version of Orc campaign couple days ago

 

[Mekahuargen]

Yes finally!! Today is a great day!!

 

[FlorianGeyerGiebelstadt]

Congratulations on the release!

 

[Tamplier]

Will we just need to download the campaign? Got the new asset launcher and went through that process when got updated version of Orc campaign couple days ago

Safer to reinstall assets cuz on the 2nd of June there were a bit differnt AI scripts in ROA in the installer

 

[BaiyuGalan]

For The Alliance!

 

[KingLichTR]

For the Light! For the King!

 

[Xetanth87]

Map version says 2.0
Install says 1.36.1


It's 2.0 right?

 

[Yoba]

YOU GUYS ARE SIMPLY THE BEST!

 

[Kallel]

What a pleasant surprise!

 

[Standhaft]

FUCK YEAH BOIS REPORTING IN FOR THE GLORY OF THE GRAND ALLIANCE! DEATH TO BLACKBLOODS! HUMANITY WILL RISE AGAIN!

 

[Yoba]

Guys I am stuck at those gates here, what do I do

 

[SalvatorThenorium]

Guys I am stuck at those gates here, what do I do

View attachment 593950

Turn back

 

[Standhaft]

Mine isn't working

Edit: Just FYI I did install the asset installer. Any troubleshooting/questions appreciated, just wanted to let that be known.

 

[Liebanas_dn]

Mine isn't working

Edit: Just FYI I did install the asset installer. Any troubleshooting/questions appreciated, just wanted to let that be known.

I have exactly the same problem. I just checked the REFORGED GRAPHICS ON and OLD TERRAIN TEXTURE ON. But it is still with the same problem.

EDIT: I have activated AllowLocalFiles and now it works!!

 

[Tamplier]

Map version says 2.0
Install says 1.36.1


It's 2.0 right?

yes 2.0. fixed in the hive description too, old text from orc campaing was copied

 

[Standhaft]

yes 2.0. fixed in the hive description too, old text from orc campaing was copied

So do I need to redownload something then?

 

[Malistroth]

Was playing it all day, just finished. So much fun, so much joy, so much quality! That was just amazing. Felt like a child again. Can't wait for the next chapter, great job guys!

 

[JCarrill0]

The first time I started the game (After the install), the Title Screen and the Logo seems to be cut off.

Spoiler: Screenshot

View attachment 593993

I watched the intro cinematic despite this title screen issue, but as soon as it was over I got this issue now and I got sad

Spoiler: Screenshot

The assets I installed are from the new update on 5/30/2026, I'm not sure what happened.

 

[Gekidou]

Mine isn't working

Edit: Just FYI I did install the asset installer. Any troubleshooting/questions appreciated, just wanted to let that be known.

ive got the same problem , mi guys are invisible and blue

 

[Malistroth]

I watched the intro cinematic despite this title screen issue, but as soon as it was over I got this issue now and I got sad

Spoiler: Screenshot

View attachment 593995

The assets I installed are from the new update on 5/30/2026, I'm not sure what happened.

Just keep starting until it works. It's a WC bug, not the mod's.

 

[The Nightmare Book]

I watched the intro cinematic despite this title screen issue, but as soon as it was over I got this issue now and I got sad

Spoiler: Screenshot

View attachment 593995

The assets I installed are from the new update on 5/30/2026, I'm not sure what happened.

I can tell that this is a common issue with Reforged HD campaigns, like Re-Reforged and CSW (and others) - for some reason. I'm just keeping trying to start the mission, and eventually it will load up.
The amount of RAM or GPU doesn't help at all due to the specifics of Reforged's internal design.

 

[Kordan]

Ty, having a blast > (from the past).

Little bug I encountered: On the Fenris Isle (mission 1) Tyralion's book don't have any spells (same thing happens to Cho'Gall in later missions of Tides, I belive it was in the elven mission or Strathholme.

Chuckled when I realised that npc in Chapter Two is Warcraft Youtuber Nobble >

Chapter 2 ending cinematic - music is abnormally loud.

P.S. Orgrim's hammer weirdly hits the table when he speaks in the cinematic xD

 

[Ravager16829]

So do I need to redownload something then?

If you have an existing, old CSW (used for the Orc campaign), remove it.

Be sure to check the integrity of game files (can be done in Battle.net app) before installing this updated mod.

I watched the intro cinematic despite this title screen issue, but as soon as it was over I got this issue now and I got sad

Spoiler: Screenshot

View attachment 593995

The assets I installed are from the new update on 5/30/2026, I'm not sure what happened.

Haven't tested Reforged just yet, but it's a bug related to the game engine optimization that doesn't handle Reforged HD graphics properly.

Offtopic - Not quite sure if my old Rig from 2019 (i5 8th Gen, GTX 1050 Ti) can handle Reforged. My brother also recently got a new gaming laptop, which is much better than my PC. In that case, you can try lowering the graphic settings to fix intermittent crashes.

 

[Lifeburns]

Amazing like aways !

No one can kill Utok Scratcher he survived Gul'dan how Anduin Lothar and Danath Trollbane can take him really ? They watched in disbelief when he just walked away what did you thought you can just execute Utok Scratcher like he has no honor or something ? They could only Kiss his boots while he just walked away from his execution what a Chad from now on he is Utok The Chad

 

[Sam002]

What is act 1 means? Vanilla without the beyond the dark portal missions?

 

[Kordan]

What is act 1 means? Vanilla without the beyond the dark portal missions?

Acts are thematic.

Tides of Darkness was divided into 4 or 5 acts (I don't remember exactly).

First act - preparation for Armada to arrive + meeting Zul'Jin. Second act - Khaz-modan shinanigans. Third act - Northlands culminating in culling of Stratholme. Forth act - dealing with Gul'dan. Etc.

Here Act 1 is about lifting the siege of the capital and Dalaran.

 

[JCarrill0]

What is act 1 means? Vanilla without the beyond the dark portal missions?

Act 1 in Warcraft II (Game) for Human players was called “The Shores of Lordaeron”. It features 4 missions:

• Hillsbrad
• Ambush at Tarren Mill
• Southshore
• Attack on Zul’dare

 

[Standhaft]

If you have an existing, old CSW (used for the Orc campaign), remove it.

Be sure to check the integrity of game files (can be done in Battle.net app) before installing this updated mod.

Uh, okay, I will try, but this is a clean install on a different computer than I played the orc campaign on so I am fairly sure that it won't work. Any other ideas?

 

[JStryker47]

I just finished this act and I was a little surprised that the campaign goes the way it does - I was always under the impression that they both happened simultaneously and that the only mission that didn't actually happen was the final orc one. And while I did enjoy it overall, I'll try not to step on too many toes here, but...

Spoiler: complaints

- I was disappointed not to see Alleria, since I had hoped she'd play as prominent a role in the Alliance campaign that Zul'Jin did in the Horde one.

- Some of the heroes are surprisingly weak at the start, like... what have they been doing with themselves while this whole war was going on?! Khadgar and Turalyon are particularly hard to keep alive, and I kind of thought Turalyon would have a more efficient healing spell, or at least one that didn't cost a buttload of mana.

- While chapters 2 and 4 were simple enough to get through, I had a particularly rough time getting through certain parts of chapters 1 and 3, in which my troops just kept somehow dropping like flies. Attacking the red base in chapter 3 was particularly difficult in that regard, and it didn't help that the allies just kept sending a solitary hero to attack, nor that those blasted peons kept rebuilding and repairing everything I managed to destroy or damage. Couldn't some of those other mages join the attack? Or couldn't I have access to some of those mages, so that I could make use of their polymorph and stuff? At the very least, Khadgar should have a book in his inventory with some mage spells. If all he has at that point are lightning and fireball spells, then I'd hardly call him much of an archmage.

Also, adding a few more oil barrels, during the siege part... wouldn't hurt. When I got to the point where I had to place 3 more, it became difficult to find any.

- If Rend, Maim, and Zuluhed are confirmed dead, I feel like there should be some kind of comments made after they die. After all, they did lead some of those assaults on Hillsbrad, Dun Modr, etc.

Aside from those things, I do love this campaign so far.

 

[StorytimeAlec]

For Lordaeron! For the Light!

 

[Kordan]

Spoiler: Reply about the missions

- Some of the heroes are surprisingly weak at the start, like...

Hero leveling is just a game mechanic, it don't really represent their power level. Plus hero level 3 often times is not that different from hero level 10. It sounds like a big deal but it often is not.

- I was disappointed not to see Alleria, since I had hoped she'd play as prominent a role in the Alliance campaign that Zul'Jin did in the Horde one.

Bet she will come later

__


- While chapters 2 and 4 were simple enough to get through, I had a particularly rough time getting through certain parts of chapters 1 and 3, in which my troops just kept somehow dropping like flies. Attacking the red base in chapter 3 was particularly difficult in that regard, and it didn't help that the allies just kept sending a solitary hero to attack, nor that those blasted peons kept rebuilding and repairing everything I managed to destroy or damage. Couldn't some of those other mages join the attack? Or couldn't I have access to some of those mages, so that I could make use of their polymorph and stuff? At the very least, Khadgar should have a book in his inventory with some mage spells. If all he has at that point are lightning and fireball spells, then I'd hardly call him much of an archmage.

I'm not invalidating your experience, I just want to share that I had zero problems doing all the missions on hard. In fact I like that it's not a push-over, tho not hard either. I'm saying you have all the things you need to deal with it.

- If Rend, Maim, and Zuluhed are confirmed dead, I feel like there should be some kind of comments made after they die. After all, they did lead some of those assaults on Hillsbrad, Dun Modr, etc.

They are shown to be chased away after mission 3.

Also, adding a few more oil barrels, during the siege part... wouldn't hurt. When I got to the point where I had to place 3 more, it became difficult to find any.

Ye, tho I really liked what was going on there naratively with Khadgar, I rarelly enjoy being put on the clock unless it's a "hold the line" objective. This is the only place in the campaign that I love-hated kinda. Time limit is more than enough I just don't like figuring out what is expected of me under the pressure of time.

 

[JStryker47]

Spoiler

- If Rend, Maim, and Zuluhed are confirmed dead, I feel like there should be some kind of comments made after they die. After all, they did lead some of those assaults on Hillsbrad, Dun Modr, etc.

They are shown to be chased away after mission 3.

Aw, man...

 

[Dantalien]

Managed to get halfway in mission one (once) before game started getting constant crashes, started when I reached picks about using Uther or Turalyon, then it made it impossible to even replay mission from start leading to crash moment cutscene ends and throne room scene starts.

Besides that, amazing feeling for 1st mission ngl it's realy intresting how you guys combined ending of orc campaign with human one, castle design was beatiful too.

 

[Kordan]

Finished the last boss fight and I loved it > (act 1)

What a beast of a campaign. Props for well thought out hero abilities: They are pleasant to use and synergize well. Except maybe that "y" "q" heal on Tyralion.

I was thinking I wish campaign developers used combining items tech more often. It's really fun to find items in different chapters to combine them in a mega powerful one later.

Spoiler: Khadgar is a dreadlord

At the very least, Khadgar should have a book in his inventory with some mage spells. If all he has at that point are lightning and fireball spells, then I'd hardly call him much of an archmage.

I mean, chain lightning is okay and fire aoe with stun is the best spell there is to wish for. Illusions... I think they are useless. Maybe they could tank a bit but still too big of a drop off in comparison.

 

[FlorianGeyerGiebelstadt]

It seems like Windows 11 messed up the Registry settings for Warcraft III.In the Registry Editor, the "Allow Local Files" value must exist as a DWORD set to 1 inside the Warcraft III folder, otherwise the graphic assets won't render properly.

reg add "HKCU\Software\Blizzard Entertainment\Warcraft III" /v "Allow Local Files" /t REG_DWORD /d 1

 

[Ravager16829]

It seems like Windows 11 messed up the Registry settings for Warcraft III.In the Registry Editor, the "Allow Local Files" value must exist as a DWORD set to 1 inside the Warcraft III folder, otherwise the graphic assets won't render properly.

" reg add "HKCU\Software\Blizzard Entertainment\Warcraft III" /v "Allow Local Files" /t REG_DWORD /d 1"

I haven't played Reforged yet, but it would be better for the devs to add this instruction in Map Description.

 

[LackerXQPRIME]

Since their first campaign, they've never disappointed; on the contrary, they've only managed to surprise us time and time again. This time, I can say they've outdone themselves once more, creating a wonderful campaign with so much love and care, like a hug for all Warcraft fans. THANK YOU SO MUCH, TEAM LORECRAFT DESIGNS!

 

[papastreck]

This ACT 1 was a surprise, as it was much, much more intense than its counterpart, the Orc ACT 1 demo, and it clearly didn't follow the original WC2 missions as close as TOD did. Facing the entire Horde techtree in the first mission? Hardcore. Gameplay wise though, this campaign was brilliant. Stunning terrain, locations from TOD campaign, many heroes, two bossfights and long missions. The only gameplay issue I'd point out is, of course, the confusing Dalaran sabotage. I believe I've completed it as intended, but the artillery barrage continued. It really lacks a tip that'd indicate how many demolishers you destroyed. Otherwise, cool mechanics, I especially enjoyed mining gold from Dalaran Banks, and even the detail of them not being destroyed after they've been mined out.

As for the narrative aspect, however... It's a bit of a mess. Here's an exempt from Chronicle Volume 2 that formed my expectations regarding the founding of the Alliance:

"Only Kings Greymane and Perenolde stood in opposition to unity, at first due to skepticism as to true threat the Horde posed, and eventually out of a fear of losing regional power in the process. Additionally, King Perenolde personally feared that there existed no real hope of defeating the Horde, and King Greymane was adamant that Gilneas would be able to stand by itself without the aid of others.

The arguments between the human leaders began to grow so intense that Gilneas and Alterac threatened to quit the negotiations entirely. It was then that Turalyon, one of Lordaeron's most famed priests, stood to address the gathered rulers. With Stormwind's young prince Varian at his side, Turalyon delivered an impassioned and charismatic speech, pointing to Stormwind as an example of what awaited any nation that fell to the Horde, and urging those in attendance not to let their pride and lust for power lead humanity to destruction. As he concluded his address, the priest cited humanity's shared virtues of bravery, devotion, and leadership as proof that they could overcome any foe together.

Turalyon was rewarded with widespread applause, his words having gotten through to even the most doubtful present. That very day, the council voted unanimously to form the Alliance of Lordaeron, comprising all of humanity's kingdoms."

Quite frankly, the opening cutscene doesn't show any of that. I was watching it with anticipation as to when Turalyon will appear, as it is, a pivotal moment in my memory, and... It never happened. Moreover, clearly I can't expect the game cutscene to convey the fullness of book complexity, but it lacks depths even for a short cutscene, resulting in, basically, contradictions. In Chapter 4, Lothar jokes about bickering royals, but when we see those royals as they are founding the Alliance, they don't bicker almost at all. Their discussion is calm and composed, and they reach compromise instantly. As a result, insted of feeling like a great historical moment, the opening cutscene felt like... Whatever. And then, in the following missions, it clearly follows the original narrative, as Crowley later states that not all share his liege's stance on the Alliance, despite the fact, that in the prior cutscene Greymane pledges full support to the Alliance. This just causes confusion, and I dearly hope that the founding of the Alliance part of the opening cutscene will see major improvements.

Now, for Chapter 1, once again, it only has issues with the story it presents. It's actually good, except for one part. Before the final gameplay segment, we are shown Orgrim conversing with his lieutenants at Fenris Isle. So far, we know that the Horde targets Capital City as its final prize, and then, when Turalyon arrives with, let's be honest, not that big of a reinforcement, as we are shown, the Horde just... folds over? And Orgim just says "Huh, well, we'll regroup and attack them again." And that just makes me go "Is Orgrim stupid? Why did he even attack the Capital if he is defeated by 20 footman and 10 frigates arriving to reinforce it? Is there a lore reason for this?" Despite the fact, that I know that reason very well, because, once again, my expectations are shaped by Chronicle Volume 2, which says:

A damning omen came in the form of Turalyon's approach from the east. The arrival of this army drew Horde resources away from the siege, which slackened slightly as a result. Doomhammer did not dread Turalyon and his forces—he dreaded what their appearance represented. If Turalyon had arrived before the other Horde forces, then other Alliance armies were shortly en route as well. The need to breach the city became critical, and although the Horde still possessed the death knights and other powerful assets, they required the numbers of the other three clans to effectively storm the battlements.

Eventually, the Dragonmaw clan arrived alone from the east, reaching Doomhammer's army but bringing calamitous news; Gul'dan had taken the other two clans and fully abandoned the rest of the Horde. The warchief also learned that the Alliance had discovered King Perenolde's actions, and troops from Stromgarde led by King Thoras Trollbane had seized the kingdom and its open mountain passes, blocking them properly. The Horde army in Tirisfal was now completely isolated, and could harbor no hope of receiving additional reinforcements from the Hillsbrad Foothills or the Hinterlands. It was in this moment that Doomhammer understood the campaign was lost; at this point, even if Capital City fell, he would be unable to withstand the full power of the Alliance present.

Filled with rage at such a momentous setback, Doomhammer gave the orders for a full retreat back to Khaz Modan, sending a Dragonmaw messenger to deliver the same command to the Horde forces still in the Hinterlands. The warchief hoped to regroup what remained of his armies in an attempt to salvage some success from the war. To cover their retreat, the red dragon riders were dispatched to waylay the Alliance forces, while the Black Tooth Grin clan were given the mission of pursuing and dispatching Gul'dan for his betrayal that may have cost Doomhammer the war.

Clearly, CSW:TOD's timeline differs a bit, but it still follows the narrative above closely. It just... doesn't explain it. Making Doomhammer say something like "Oh no, we were too late, we couldn't capture the city before their reinforcements arrived, we must retreat and regroup now." Would instantly fix that confusing narrative, because with what we have now, it seems like Orgrim lost just because the player changed sides in the campaign, and not for an actual lore reason.

As for Chapters 2 and 3, I don't really have any complaints, everything is great. The Dalaran is gorgeous, Khadgar is old but young in spirit, and Danath is mean, which really makes him an interesting character that stands out among the goodie-two-shoes heroes of the Alliance. In no small part, thanks to the voice actor, who really has that mean edge to his tone.

Chapter 4, however... Its good. It is a bit weird that we get Milan with, what, 3 ranks earned only now. I was wondering what does completing the optional quests actually gives me in previous missions, and I learn about that late. Would be great if this was clarified earlier in the campaign, because currently, I have no idea which optional quests give Milan a rank and which don't, since there were no Milan to check in the first three chapters.
Another issue I have with this chapter is a personal one. There's nothing objectively wrong with the Bloodscribe clan, but I simply don't like them. And don't get me wrong, I like Utok, he is a great character, but I'd just prefer if the Bloodscribe clan got changed into a Blackrock one. And I am fine with Utok having his own personal banner, or his own personal clan, there's nothing really wrong with it, but as I've already stated, I just don't like it. To my tastes, it strays too far into fanfiction and feels like an unecessary meme. I also expected Utok or Tharbek, or maybe both, to die at the end of Chapter 1. Once again, nothing wrong with killing them later, and I don't even mind them being bossfights throught the campaign. But Bloodscribe Clan? I do mind them.

In conclusion, ROA ACT 1 leaves mixed feelings. On one hand, it's beautiful, it's intense, captivating and challenging. On the other hand, it's narrative could use a few improvements, and it is very differing, and hence expectation-defying, in comparison to TOD. I'll closely follow it's development, and I am anxious to see what 'Lost Chapters' will Lorecraft come up with, since the first four regular chapters feel more 'Lost Chapters' than some of the actual ones in TOD. That'll be all, best wishes to Lorecraft Designs!

 

[Yoba]

Hey y'all, the game crashes on chapter 3 Siege of Dalaran cinematic where Khadgar sets catapults on fire

 

[Tamplier]

This ACT 1 was a surprise, as it was much, much more intense than its counterpart, the Orc ACT 1 demo, and it clearly didn't follow the original WC2 missions as close as TOD did. Facing the entire Horde techtree in the first mission? Hardcore. Gameplay wise though, this campaign was brilliant. Stunning terrain, locations from TOD campaign, many heroes, two bossfights and long missions. The only gameplay issue I'd point out is, of course, the confusing Dalaran sabotage. I believe I've completed it as intended, but the artillery barrage continued. It really lacks a tip that'd indicate how many demolishers you destroyed. Otherwise, cool mechanics, I especially enjoyed mining gold from Dalaran Banks, and even the detail of them not being destroyed after they've been mined out.

As for the narrative aspect, however... It's a bit of a mess. Here's an exempt from Chronicle Volume 2 that formed my expectations regarding the founding of the Alliance:


Quite frankly, the opening cutscene doesn't show any of that. I was watching it with anticipation as to when Turalyon will appear, as it is, a pivotal moment in my memory, and... It never happened. Moreover, clearly I can't expect the game cutscene to convey the fullness of book complexity, but it lacks depths even for a short cutscene, resulting in, basically, contradictions. In Chapter 4, Lothar jokes about bickering royals, but when we see those royals as they are founding the Alliance, they don't bicker almost at all. Their discussion is calm and composed, and they reach compromise instantly. As a result, insted of feeling like a great historical moment, the opening cutscene felt like... Whatever. And then, in the following missions, it clearly follows the original narrative, as Crowley later states that not all share his liege's stance on the Alliance, despite the fact, that in the prior cutscene Greymane pledges full support to the Alliance. This just causes confusion, and I dearly hope that the founding of the Alliance part of the opening cutscene will see major improvements.

Now, for Chapter 1, once again, it only has issues with the story it presents. It's actually good, except for one part. Before the final gameplay segment, we are shown Orgrim conversing with his lieutenants at Fenris Isle. So far, we know that the Horde targets Capital City as its final prize, and then, when Turalyon arrives with, let's be honest, not that big of a reinforcement, as we are shown, the Horde just... folds over? And Orgim just says "Huh, well, we'll regroup and attack them again." And that just makes me go "Is Orgrim stupid? Why did he even attack the Capital if he is defeated by 20 footman and 10 frigates arriving to reinforce it? Is there a lore reason for this?" Despite the fact, that I know that reason very well, because, once again, my expectations are shaped by Chronicle Volume 2, which says:


Clearly, CSW:TOD's timeline differs a bit, but it still follows the narrative above closely. It just... doesn't explain it. Making Doomhammer say something like "Oh no, we were too late, we couldn't capture the city before their reinforcements arrived, we must retreat and regroup now." Would instantly fix that confusing narrative, because with what we have now, it seems like Orgrim lost just because the player changed sides in the campaign, and not for an actual lore reason.

As for Chapters 2 and 3, I don't really have any complaints, everything is great. The Dalaran is gorgeous, Khadgar is old but young in spirit, and Danath is mean, which really makes him an interesting character that stands out among the goodie-two-shoes heroes of the Alliance. In no small part, thanks to the voice actor, who really has that mean edge to his tone.

Chapter 4, however... Its good. It is a bit weird that we get Milan with, what, 3 ranks earned only now. I was wondering what does completing the optional quests actually gives me in previous missions, and I learn about that late. Would be great if this was clarified earlier in the campaign, because currently, I have no idea which optional quests give Milan a rank and which don't, since there were no Milan to check in the first three chapters.
Another issue I have with this chapter is a personal one. There's nothing objectively wrong with the Bloodscribe clan, but I simply don't like them. And don't get me wrong, I like Utok, he is a great character, but I'd just prefer if the Bloodscribe clan got changed into a Blackrock one. And I am fine with Utok having his own personal banner, or his own personal clan, there's nothing really wrong with it, but as I've already stated, I just don't like it. To my tastes, it strays too far into fanfiction and feels like an unecessary meme. I also expected Utok or Tharbek, or maybe both, to die at the end of Chapter 1. Once again, nothing wrong with killing them later, and I don't even mind them being bossfights throught the campaign. But Bloodscribe Clan? I do mind them.

In conclusion, ROA ACT 1 leaves mixed feelings. On one hand, it's beautiful, it's intense, captivating and challenging. On the other hand, it's narrative could use a few improvements, and it is very differing, and hence expectation-defying, in comparison to TOD. I'll closely follow it's development, and I am anxious to see what 'Lost Chapters' will Lorecraft come up with, since the first four regular chapters feel more 'Lost Chapters' than some of the actual ones in TOD. That'll be all, best wishes to Lorecraft Designs!

So, the issue why we didnt make the disagreament degree too hot when the kings had council is that we needed to bind them to conclusion that Lothar has to be the leader.
We added a bit of tension from Perenolde and Greymane, but we could not make it to the level of the source material without breaking the narrative logic that we built.
Regarding Turalyon speech - if we implemented it - it would be seen as too long exposition and we already suffered from that in TOD act 1 demo version when we had too much exposition.

Regarding the Fate of Tharbek - I wanted him to be killed on fenris Islaand, but team convinced me that he should live at least till blackrock siege.

Regarding Utoks clan - its a nod to WC2 original finale where narrator says that protagonist will get his own clan.

And final note - we are trying to make the campaing somewhat close to source materieal, but due to inherent contradictiory nature of mutually exclusible TOD original campaings, with non-canon original orc finale we had to take a lot of leaps and do our own retcons of what we saw as feasable, plausable, and implementable in the cohesion with gameplay.

Dont treat this campaign as 100% lore accurate.
WC2 lore is a mess, especially in Tides of Darkness section.
Blizzard made too many complicated retcons themselves, making things even more harder to reconstruct.
Also following books literally is not a good idea, because it will make pacing bad. And I personally see some parts of the books too pompous and unnatural.
Treat our campaing as a fanfiction, because it is fanfiction. An attempt to make TOD campaings not parallel and mutually exclusable, but consequentual.

Hey y'all, the game crashes on chapter 3 Siege of Dalaran cinematic where Khadgar sets catapults on fire

We are investigating how to fix this

 

[Kordan]

And Orgim just says "Huh, well, we'll regroup and attack them again." And that just makes me go "Is Orgrim stupid? Why did he even attack the Capital if he is defeated by 20 footman and 10 frigates arriving to reinforce it?

It's always fun to see other player's opinions, ideas and perspectives.

I honestly think these are rather minor nit-picks. Orgrim said exactly that: we are spread too thin. But I agree he could've been a bit more eloquent with his explaination and maybe he could've smashed that dumb table with his hammer xD

20 footmen: question of scale. Remember those 40 units storming Strathholme? It's actually not 40 units but more like 40 000 in real life scale, I think we agree on that.

I would've loved to see a huge army of 200 footman, and the player maybe has his 20 to command. But come on there's tech and fps to consider.

But Bloodscribe Clan? I do mind them.

Honestly, why I don't get it.

Regarding Turalyon speech - if we implemented it - it would be seen as too long exposition and we already suffered from that in TOD act 1 demo version when we had too much exposition.

If I may share, I feel like intro is long either way (which is cool, I don't understand why anyone would complain, Tides's intro is great), so making it an extra minute longer won't change anything.

I think current intro is nice, sure, giving Tyralion a cool speech is great for character development, if you guys want to / can do it in the future, cool idea.

Hey y'all, the game crashes on chapter 3 Siege of Dalaran cinematic where Khadgar sets catapults on fire

If I may share, no crushes for me but there are some minor fps issues in some of the cutscenes (Mac, latest reforged version). Micro freezes.

P.S. Thank you for making Mission 1 action packed, first mission of Tides was really boring tbh >

 

[Shadi]

-- snippet --

One day you may get the chance to make Your own adaption of any source material and you'll find a hard realization that it's just downright impossible to adopt a literary work (the chronicles book in your case) into a game or a film. It's just not viable, remember, this is gameplay first, story second, otherwise you can just....read the book?

CSW has been around for 6 years now? We have all sorts of FAQs related to just how difficult it was to adopt the source material, bits from the book, modern canon and the chronicles book and make a coherent narrative out of them, This is a re-imagining of the second war to the best of what can be made out of it, You are adapting a story from a company who's known to retcon it's story often and a lot, so It is what its.

As for the 20 footman comment, that is very weird argument, I'm sure you don't expect a 10k model count inside a game engine that is 25+ years old, this is gameplay, In your immersive imagination you are supposed to believe that those "20" footmen are in the thousands, don't be literal in what you see inside the screen.


If you're looking for a "Chronicles book" game adaptation, Then, we're sorry we won't be able satisfy you with this, We are a team of people who take this game seriously and respect it's legacy, but when it comes to adapting to a game, You need to understand just how difficult it is.

 

[Standhaft]

It seems like Windows 11 messed up the Registry settings for Warcraft III.In the Registry Editor, the "Allow Local Files" value must exist as a DWORD set to 1 inside the Warcraft III folder, otherwise the graphic assets won't render properly.

reg add "HKCU\Software\Blizzard Entertainment\Warcraft III" /v "Allow Local Files" /t REG_DWORD /d 1

Maybe this is my problem but can you please explain it like the last windows I used was windows 95 because I didn't understand what you said.

 

[mrking]

Loved it so much from A to Z !

 

[Tamplier]

This ACT 1 was a surprise, as it was much, much more intense than its counterpart, the Orc ACT 1 demo, and it clearly didn't follow the original WC2 missions as close as TOD did. Facing the entire Horde techtree in the first mission? Hardcore. Gameplay wise though, this campaign was brilliant. Stunning terrain, locations from TOD campaign, many heroes, two bossfights and long missions. The only gameplay issue I'd point out is, of course, the confusing Dalaran sabotage. I believe I've completed it as intended, but the artillery barrage continued. It really lacks a tip that'd indicate how many demolishers you destroyed. Otherwise, cool mechanics, I especially enjoyed mining gold from Dalaran Banks, and even the detail of them not being destroyed after they've been mined out.

As for the narrative aspect, however... It's a bit of a mess. Here's an exempt from Chronicle Volume 2 that formed my expectations regarding the founding of the Alliance:


Quite frankly, the opening cutscene doesn't show any of that. I was watching it with anticipation as to when Turalyon will appear, as it is, a pivotal moment in my memory, and... It never happened. Moreover, clearly I can't expect the game cutscene to convey the fullness of book complexity, but it lacks depths even for a short cutscene, resulting in, basically, contradictions. In Chapter 4, Lothar jokes about bickering royals, but when we see those royals as they are founding the Alliance, they don't bicker almost at all. Their discussion is calm and composed, and they reach compromise instantly. As a result, insted of feeling like a great historical moment, the opening cutscene felt like... Whatever. And then, in the following missions, it clearly follows the original narrative, as Crowley later states that not all share his liege's stance on the Alliance, despite the fact, that in the prior cutscene Greymane pledges full support to the Alliance. This just causes confusion, and I dearly hope that the founding of the Alliance part of the opening cutscene will see major improvements.

Now, for Chapter 1, once again, it only has issues with the story it presents. It's actually good, except for one part. Before the final gameplay segment, we are shown Orgrim conversing with his lieutenants at Fenris Isle. So far, we know that the Horde targets Capital City as its final prize, and then, when Turalyon arrives with, let's be honest, not that big of a reinforcement, as we are shown, the Horde just... folds over? And Orgim just says "Huh, well, we'll regroup and attack them again." And that just makes me go "Is Orgrim stupid? Why did he even attack the Capital if he is defeated by 20 footman and 10 frigates arriving to reinforce it? Is there a lore reason for this?" Despite the fact, that I know that reason very well, because, once again, my expectations are shaped by Chronicle Volume 2, which says:


Clearly, CSW:TOD's timeline differs a bit, but it still follows the narrative above closely. It just... doesn't explain it. Making Doomhammer say something like "Oh no, we were too late, we couldn't capture the city before their reinforcements arrived, we must retreat and regroup now." Would instantly fix that confusing narrative, because with what we have now, it seems like Orgrim lost just because the player changed sides in the campaign, and not for an actual lore reason.

As for Chapters 2 and 3, I don't really have any complaints, everything is great. The Dalaran is gorgeous, Khadgar is old but young in spirit, and Danath is mean, which really makes him an interesting character that stands out among the goodie-two-shoes heroes of the Alliance. In no small part, thanks to the voice actor, who really has that mean edge to his tone.

Chapter 4, however... Its good. It is a bit weird that we get Milan with, what, 3 ranks earned only now. I was wondering what does completing the optional quests actually gives me in previous missions, and I learn about that late. Would be great if this was clarified earlier in the campaign, because currently, I have no idea which optional quests give Milan a rank and which don't, since there were no Milan to check in the first three chapters.
Another issue I have with this chapter is a personal one. There's nothing objectively wrong with the Bloodscribe clan, but I simply don't like them. And don't get me wrong, I like Utok, he is a great character, but I'd just prefer if the Bloodscribe clan got changed into a Blackrock one. And I am fine with Utok having his own personal banner, or his own personal clan, there's nothing really wrong with it, but as I've already stated, I just don't like it. To my tastes, it strays too far into fanfiction and feels like an unecessary meme. I also expected Utok or Tharbek, or maybe both, to die at the end of Chapter 1. Once again, nothing wrong with killing them later, and I don't even mind them being bossfights throught the campaign. But Bloodscribe Clan? I do mind them.

In conclusion, ROA ACT 1 leaves mixed feelings. On one hand, it's beautiful, it's intense, captivating and challenging. On the other hand, it's narrative could use a few improvements, and it is very differing, and hence expectation-defying, in comparison to TOD. I'll closely follow it's development, and I am anxious to see what 'Lost Chapters' will Lorecraft come up with, since the first four regular chapters feel more 'Lost Chapters' than some of the actual ones in TOD. That'll be all, best wishes to Lorecraft Designs!

I really appreciate your passion and I am greteful for your feedback, but the game often has so called "gameplay implications" and WC3 engine was designed for controlling small armies and small unit groups. Having too big armies is tanking pathfinding and fps.
Regarding following the books literally - we made conscouis chose to stramline, or simplify or change things as it happens with adaptations.

 

[Yoba]

Tried it multiple times, always crashes in a particular moment of a cinematic:<

 

[Lestorx678]

hello everyone, i have a problem when i try to play, all units appear invisible, somebody can help me please? :c