The Campaign Tree needs work. I will hold off doing a chart of it pending a new version, if you want to make one while I am doing this sweep. This Campaign Tree isn't overly complicated, I don't think: Anzio to Caen, a crossroads of Toulon (and Montelimar) or St Lo (and Falaise), branches merging again at Arnhem, and a couple of alternative ending scenarios.
Following are the issues that need to be addressed.
First, I call this the "Curse of Caen." Why do I call it that? Because I believe that's where you intended the campaign should go after Draw and Minor/Major Victory. Player: "No, it can't be. Not again. I am sure that this is the scenario that I have played 8 or 9 times now. Villers-Bocage, yes? It's hard to be sure with all those hedgerows. Will I ever make it to Caen? This is an endless loop! Yaaaaaah!!
" I also call it the "Curse of Caen" because it sounds more dramatic than the "Curse of Villers-Bocage." The "Hedgerow Hex" would be even worse and sound like a feature request:- Screenshot 1.jpg (78.05 KiB) Viewed 2488 times
Second issue . . . is already addressed! And I learned something new yet again. Apparently, the branching according to outcomes is determined here, at the Crossroads:
- Screenshot 4.jpg (88.1 KiB) Viewed 2488 times
and not here, where I had anticipated a dead end. To the contrary, I nuked my way through and was properly forwarded to Montelimar after Toulon:
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The third issue is, no Crossroads can ever be the same anymore without Erik's famous signposts! I sound facetious but picture a noob playing through a campaign for the first time; he may or may not see that other slim silver ring and if he does, he may or may not think of clicking on it to discover a choice:
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Sorry, but this blurb violates my Popup Message 350 Character Rule! It's not an exact rule because things like spaces and hyphens may not take up the same amount of room, but it's a good rule of thumb. What is visible here runs to 344 characters whereas the entire message is 371 characters, much too long without a scroll bar:
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- Image0044.jpg (180.29 KiB) Viewed 2488 times
The second popup message fits the box but the message itself sounds a bit anti-climactic and out of place. I know that it's from Panzer Corps and maybe this was one campaign in a series but in OOB, and the way you designed it (no GGC), this is a stand-alone campaign. [Well, on second thought, all of these "Germany East/West" campaigns can be thought of as linked - you provide for core importation, for one thing - but you never referred to any continuation in the others like this here]:
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Interesting! I've never seen you use campaign variables before. A chance to learn something else new. Two quibbles: Do you want to mention in each description what these variables do for gameplay? That is usually the case. And, the pins are colored neutral white instead of Axis grey but that's probably cosmetic; perhaps we will verify that when the time comes:
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Last, but not necessarily least, your campaigns deserve to start off with a bang, a dramatic message that sets the stage. This campaign lacks such an introductory message. If it were mine, I would use something like this:
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- Screenshot 2.jpg (59.9 KiB) Viewed 2488 times
If you like this, feel free to use all, some, or none of it. [I found that you already have this photo in the Anzio scenario. I dug up another, but I really should leave this to the expert!
]:The Deciding Year
1944 begins with the Wehrmacht opposing Operation Shingle, the Allied landing at Anzio. As hard-fought as this battle will be, should rumors of a second front on the shores of France come true, the strain on German forces will be enormous. Add the Red Menace coming from the east and it is quite evident the fate of the Third Reich is at stake.
- germans_anzio.png (279.4 KiB) Viewed 2488 times
[Aaargh. I am going to blow up the forum, or at least this thread perhaps, with so many image attachments in one post. Oh well, wish me luck . . . "Click"]
