Jump to content

Recommended Posts

The Siege of Copperpeak

Mac/Windows

 

Author: Ephesos

Difficulty: 5-10

Version: 1.0.1

 

[composite=eyJ0aXRsZSI6IlRoZSBTaWVnZSBvZiBDb3BwZXJwZWFrIiwidGlkIjoiMTM0MDciLCJ0YWdzIjpbImF2ZXJudW0gdW5pdmVyc2UiLCJsaW5lYXIiLCJtdWx0aXBsZSBlbmRpbmdzIl0sImJnYXNwIjp7IjUiOjAsIjQiOjQsIjMiOjEsIjIiOjAsIjEiOjB9fQ==]

Composite Score: 3.8/5.0

 

Best: 0.00% (0/5)

Good: 80.00% (4/5)

Average: 20.00% (1/5)

Substandard: 0.00% (0/5)

Poor: 0.00% (0/5)

[encouragenecro]

 

[/composite]

 

Keywords: Avernum Universe, Linear, Multiple Endings

Edited by SylaeBot
Automated Sybot edit; worker IPB::csrThread/vanadium
Link to comment
Share on other sites

This is a simple scenario done right. It's the kind of thing aspiring designers should attempt to make. This isn't to say Ephesos is a simpleton and his scenarios should be ignored, but the focus is appropriate. Without resorting to technical wizardry or gimmicks, this scenario takes something simple and fleshes it out into something real. At no point did I find the plot contrived, nor did I ever feel like obstacles, which are all quite clever, were thrown in my path just to stretch out the length. Unfortunately, this does cut down on the overall length, but I can't fault a scenario that feels complete.

 

The multiple options for tackling different encounters was a nice touch that could have been very easily left out, but the extra commitment gave some extra life to the situation. This kind of attention to detail is, unfortunately, overlooked in most scenarios, so thanks for making the rest of us look bad.

 

As usual for Ephesos, the terrain is very pretty for the medium.

 

As for negatives, the whole thing is kind of derivative. It's very well designed and it's entertaining, but I walked away from it without feeling that I had experienced something wholesome. I don't want to suggest that there's anything wrong with designing what felt to me like a direct continuation of Jeff's ideas, but it fails to leave the sort of lasting impression that Ephesos' earlier scenarios had. The townspeople and soldiers are nervous because they're supposed to be nervous, but it fails to create any sort of tension. It's not a big deal, but it's the difference between something good (and it is very good) and something great.

 

[rating]GOOD[/rating]

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 5 weeks later...

It's not bad. The story is simple but solid. The graphics are good--I mean, it's Ephesos--but unlike usual, there are no "tricks"--everything just works well. I guess that kinda explains the whole scenario. It's pretty, smooth, and relatively brief. The challenge is good... the rewards feel a bit excessive--those "darkside armors" are 100g apiece, and virtually every enemy in the scenario wears em. The challenge was ok... Travalyan was way weaker than I expected, probably not a suitable final boss, but I don't mind anticlimax. [rating]GOOD[/rating].

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 year later...

Mostly what was said above. Everything works, minimal bugs, combat was appropriately difficult, plot was solid, everything was solid. Really this scenario was just lacking a "wow" moment. The plot was pretty ho-hum, and even individual encounters were not super exciting; there was really never a time when I said to myself "Wow, what I just did there was pretty freaking cool."

 

I liked the island-hopping idea, but felt like in a scenario of this length it didn't really get to pan out. It would be cool to see this concept again in a longer scenario where there more islands with towns on them.

 

All around a solid scenario, but lacking anything noteworthy to put it above the class of "Good" scenarios. Better than Druids, about the same as EoR, and not as good as Shades IMO. [rating]GOOD[/rating]

Link to comment
Share on other sites

One of the limitations BoA has, in my opinion, is the graphics. However, Ephesos really has a way of overcoming this limitation. It's a very pretty scenario, like DoK and EoR. In some ways, the terrain and boats reminded me of Age of Empires. It was a standard good vs. evil plot, although it was cool to see the Darkside Loyalists in a scenario (even though I don't really know what they are, I just hear of them on the forums). It was enjoyable to play, but it would have been nice for it to be longer to expand the plot. The one thing I really didn't like, however, was the "OH NO! THE LEADER IS DEAD! WE SURRENDER" thing, even though it didn't show that the war was over, but still.

 

[rating]Average[/rating]

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 5 months later...
  • 3 months later...

Content: This scenario felt like it was a good, decent size. Maybe I've just played too many 1/10 scenarios lately. I liked the extra exploration you got in this scenario. And the plot could have easily let this scenario last much longer than it did, but I shouldn't complain.

 

Story: The writing was solid, and nearly all the characters were interesting and compelling. I still don't know what that hermit's deal was, but whatever. All the situations you find yourself in are believable. The villains are the Darkside Loyalists, led by NotDorikas, but that still works. I kinda wish NotDorikas was given even more screen time, but the villains still function as is.

 

Pacing: The pacing was very good throughout most of the scenario. You the chance to explore early on, and there are a bunch of interesting scenes. The excitement lags a bit at the end, though. "Oh, it's suddenly ending now? Aw."

 

Combat: The fights were all right. There are a couple really tough encounters, but they are optional. I won the first after spamming Create Illusions, and avoided the second. The final fight was a lot easier that the narrative was leading me to believe. You end up picking up a lot of sellable equipment in this scenario, which is a bit of a pain, because you have to sail back a ways to sell it, and later on in the scenario you won't have a chance to sell anything. I don't recall seeing many other "basic services" later on in the scenario either.

 

Scripting: I had a couple odd, difficult to reproduce bugs that didn't affect gameplay. Sometimes, enemy ships would appear in places where they shouldn't be, but once I got nearer to them, they disappeared. Also, one time part of the sea was replaced with cave floors. Don't know why, but it went away after a reload and I couldn't reproduce.

 

Aesthetics: You've got some nice custom graphics, like the sailing ships. I liked the outdoors design, and I really liked the town design. All the towns were very well done.

 

Overall: Would have been much better had it been longer, but I'm not going to look a bloody fine gift horse in the mouth. [rating]GOOD[/rating]

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...