Convoy - Discussion Thread

[WindHunter 516]

Responsible members of the Skylords Reborn team recently met to discuss possible changes to campaign maps. What is outlined here are the proposed changes to the map Convoy. These changes are not final and are only proposed. As a warning, other map projects such as more RPvE presets and Defensive RPvE have a much higher priority for our team. As such, these, or any campaign map changes, may not happen for a very long time. 

Some changes here are firmer than others, all italicized proposals have accompanying explanations for why we are considering them, but they are the most tentative of all the proposals.

Proposed Changes:

1.   Prevent Walkers from being trapped outside the map.

2.   Change the number of Bandit Walkers from 3 to 5 on expert difficulty.

With these changes, we would be removing the blocking strategy from Convoy, and as such, players will now need to clear the Power Shrine by the 11-minute mark or lose the map. By increasing the Bandit Walkers to 5 we increase the time limit to ~17 minutes.

[Cocofang 347]

A clear case where terrain obviously intended to be inaccessible can be accessed and the entire design of the map crumbles because of that. Easing the pressure by granting more Walkers sounds like good compensation. Buuut I am guessing the issue you want to solve isn't actually inaccessible terrain being accessed. Otherwise the Nether Warp shenanigans on the "uncrossable" barriers would be on the chopping block too. It's the out-of-map part that is deemed unacceptable, no?

But even if you are no longer able to block walkers out-of-map, a big point is that the middle part of the map is presented as being inaccessible and exists as an essential mini-game within the map that players can influence with the artifacts. But going inside this normally restricted area not only undermines that completely but is also unintuitive because everything about the design suggests otherwise.

The difference we have to look at is: Normal run (assuming no exploits, no skipping, no NG takeover on T3 units) VS Normal run + accessing the middle.
The map get a lot easier if you just enter the restricted section in the middle and directly help the Walker with units. And that is on top of the map being played in a way that corrodes the underlying mechanics instead of engaging with them.

[Kapo 945]

From my expierience - doing the map solo with Pure Nature _without_ any blocking tricks - the 3 walkers are really harsh, especially for newer players. But I fear raising it to 5 will make it too trivial. I think the basic notion of giving a little more leeway is correct, but many of us speak from a solo perspective and IMO the map should be balanced around two players. not one. So I would consider raising it to 4 and not to 5 - so some pressure is still on when two players are attempting the map. Since it can be done consistently with 3 without blocking and solo, 6 feels just too much.

 

[LEBOVIN 284]

Changelog Patch #400031:
- Prevented construction of buildings inside the path of the  Raven Walkers.

[Lans 84]

On 12/28/2021 at 7:48 AM, LEBOVIN said:

Changelog Patch #400031:
- Prevented construction of buildings inside the path of the  Raven Walkers.

Makes sense and this shouldn't matter too much but I found a spot where I was still able to build something (screenshot might be for advanced but same thing applies to expert as well, if matters). Is near the last turn before the shrine.

 

 

[LEBOVIN 284]

Interesting, thanks for the report. Just to make sure at other areas especially at the beginning were the blocking was usually done, it did work as intended ?

Edited April 13, 2022 by LEBOVIN

[Lans 84]

7 minutes ago, LEBOVIN said:

Just to make sure at other areas especially at the beginning were the blocking was usually done, it did work as intended ?

Yeah, couldn't building anything in the beginning and I did a quick check of other areas. Just felt odd to find a small patch but don't think it matters all that much except for consistency.

[LEBOVIN 284]

On 4/13/2022 at 5:07 PM, Lans said:

Yeah, couldn't building anything in the beginning and I did a quick check of other areas. Just felt odd to find a small patch but don't think it matters all that much except for consistency.

I checked it, this appears to be not fixable inside the map editor. Terrain cliffs come with an automatic movement blocking in their proximity. This is overpainted in the blocking editor to be ignored so that the walkers do not get stuck. Unfortunately this also overwrites the construction blocker paint in that area.

Edit: Solution found, revert map back to EA version, place scriptmarkers inside the path and cast an invisible clone of scorched earth's construction blocking in troubled areas.

Edited April 18, 2022 by LEBOVIN