Week 4

Mission briefing in Warcraft 2

Things ran differently in the practical this week. We where charged with creating an escape game, the twist this week being we have two weeks to finish it. After about 6 - 8 different ideas for a board that had the concept for escape ranging from ascending a crumbling staircase to an adaptation of the unity game running Fred we settled on a variant of snakes and ladders.

Because the game is yet to be constructed I can only talk about the idea behind it. you must climb a mountain  along side other characteristics of the game and current rules. This idea of the game is to get to the top of the mountain one level at a time moving along each level to get to the next. there are variety of trap that will push the player down the hill or up it while interaction with other players in to knock each other down one level.

While this may seem to be a race it is actually an escape from the water that is slowly flooding the area. this water forces the player ( if standing in it ) to only use on dice for rolling and will down the player if that over taken. You must escape the water by running up a mountain.

On construction more rules and of bits will be finalised.


Games:

Title screen for this version of warcraft 2

The game that will be discussed this week is Warcraft 2.

When I played this I bled nostalgia from every hole in my body like little geysers of happiness. it is an RTS for the playstation 1 and an acestor to World Of Warcraft.

Unlike Wow though the concept is considerably shorter and very simple, it boils down to humans Vs Orcs. As the Humans you fight to defend your new country ( the Orcs destroyed your last one ) from the fleet or Orcs coming for a second fight. and as the Orcs you smash, kill and fight. I remember the game telling a story through each missions briefing and occasional cinematic but the starkest thing I remember is the ability to fail. A lot of games now days are hard to fail/lose/die/etc and I remember failing at lot at this game but I never got mad at it, only more determined to try again.

The unit variety is this and stark contrast of each faction, an example of this would be the basic ranged unit. the Orcs have axe throwers while the humans have archers. This also those the difference between faction with the Orcs being dirty and jerry rigged and the Humans being clean and regimented.

Over all this is a very well made game and I still enjoy it to this day, makes me wish Blizzard would release a Warcraft 4.... HA that will be released when Starwars battle front 3 comes out.

Human buildings

Aesthetics:

Warcraft 2 has a pleasant and youthful look that allowed you to better appreciate the sense of loss when  raid group  of ogers come and slaughters your men and burn your farms.

You units react to your orders with approval and complete devotion and mutter ans proclaim various lines of compliance that gives of a feel that your are very much in charge, a very "I am the law" feeling.

Orc buildings

Particular buildings can be upgraded to suit your needs (which mainly means you need bigger units) and when these upgrades occur the building

As these images show the Humans (above have a more functional or regimental looking while the Orcs have a more exotic look.

This difference can also bee seen in their different units (below). the Orc looking more beserker and the human resemble  stoic warriors of the realm.



This game feels like the war that it is.

Orc units

Human units

Mechanics:

The rules of this game include:

• requiring certain resources (Gold/wood/oil/pigs) to build units and building to complete mission objectives and destroy enemies units and buildings.
• complete objectives
• do not loss your base

With these rules in place you could say that the game is semi-linear and you would be right. It is linear in a sense that you will always shave the one objective and can not change it and no linear in the way you move your troops to complete those objectives.

E.g. an orc mission had you rescue a special troll axe man. When I played this years ago I attacked head on and lost a good 12 orc warriors, playing it now I cut through the trees and sneak the enemy out. either way I save him.

A human base being overwhelmed by Orcish ogers.

This picture is a good example of breaking the third rules and losing your base.







This is showing the beginning of a base to build units to take objectives

Base building in the human campaign

Story:

The Orcs sailing over the ocean for round 2

The game shows a story each level by having text scroll alone the screen explaining what is going on and objective screen come times showing objectives that go with the story text. an example would have the text explaining why this guy is important and an objective informing the player to go and fetch him.






Technology:

This game was realised on the PlayStation 1 so the technology use on this game was less than today's standard.

typical combat with basic melee and ranged units

The technology of this game is selecting the unit you wish to use and tasking it with an appropriate job. peasants mine gold and collect lumber to construct buildings will solider stab and chop things.