Tutorial

[kubrat]

Hello every one! This is a great game!

I'm familiar with the RTS genre and have played AoE back in the day.

But I feel a little bit lost now, because I can't find a tutorial how to play the game. What each structure or unit is for and when to build it.

Is there some kind of tutorial map-pack or something?

[ribez]

Hello every one! This is a great game!

I'm familiar with the RTS genre and have played AoE back in the day.

But I feel a little bit lost now, because I can't find a tutorial how to play the game. What each structure or unit is for and when to build it.

Is there some kind of tutorial map-pack or something?

welcome!

take a look here:

http://trac.wildfiregames.com/wiki/0adManual

and here

http://www.wildfiregames.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=15388

[kubrat]

welcome!

take a look here:

http://trac.wildfire.../wiki/0adManual

and here

http://www.wildfireg...showtopic=15388

Thanks! I've read the wiki. Will check that game guide also.

[hhyloc]

A tutorial scenario to teach the basics of game to new players would be nice to have, IMHO.

[Guest afeder]

A tutorial scenario to teach the basics of game to new players would be nice to have, IMHO.

I might be interested in creating such a scenario. How would I get started with this?

[Spahbod]

I think it needs some scripting capacity in maps. I'm not sure if it is implemented or not.

[Kimball]

I might be interested in creating such a scenario. How would I get started with this?

Spahbod is right; you will need to be able to script in Atlas before this is possible (aside from getting really creative and setting up a self-explanatory map that can teach someone how to play the game - it'd be a hell of a challenge!). There's not really any foreseeable timeline for this feature at this point. If I'm not mistaken, I believe we intend to develop some sort of tutorial map sequence as an optional intro to our campaign, but don't let that stop you from making your own when you're able to.

[Guest afeder]

Spahbod is right; you will need to be able to script in Atlas before this is possible (aside from getting really creative and setting up a self-explanatory map that can teach someone how to play the game - it'd be a hell of a challenge!). There's not really any foreseeable timeline for this feature at this point. If I'm not mistaken, I believe we intend to develop some sort of tutorial map sequence as an optional intro to our campaign, but don't let that stop you from making your own when you're able to.

In the spirit of doing what I am able to, I began a document in the wiki to develop a tutorial on the conceptual level, if nothing else.

[hhyloc]

Ninja'd

A tutorial in the form of a mini-campaign with 6 - 8 scenarios would be best, I think. We should definitely rip off learn from the William Wallace Learning Campaign in AOE 2, explain everything from basics like marching, attacking, building, gathering, unit statistics to advanced things like formation, rock-scissor-paper system, resource management,...

[Mythos_Ruler]

I don't think 6-8 scenarios will be required in order to teach how to play the game. I'm thinking 1 for the basics and 1 for advanced stuff.

[Kimball]

I don't think 6-8 scenarios will be required in order to teach how to play the game. I'm thinking 1 for the basics and 1 for advanced stuff.

Agreed, but don't rule out the possibility of several "advanced' tutorials that explain different tactics and playing styles, perhaps how to adequately deal with certain types of enemies, or a more comprehensive faction-specific scenarios.

[Mythos_Ruler]

Agreed, but don't rule out the possibility of several "advanced' tutorials that explain different tactics and playing styles, perhaps how to adequately deal with certain types of enemies, or a more comprehensive faction-specific scenarios.

Right. But I'm trying to think about what's most possible first. I'm long past the days of grand plans. Would a dozen tutorial scenarios be cool? Absolutely. Am I going to make them? No. Though, once we hit Beta, we'll probably be recruiting scenario designers heavily.

[hhyloc]

The number of scenarios will probably depend on how long a tutorial would take i.e how much do we want to put into a single scenario and the tutorial in general. Personally I would like the tutorial to teach player some advanced things resource management, how to counter enemy recruits, etc... beside the basics.

Scenario 1: The player control a hero and some troops, learn to move, attack, get to know the UI and unit statistics.

Scenario 2: The player now get a small base, learn how to gather resource, build, expand territory. Recruit troops to defend against an enemy raid.

Scenario 3: The player in charge of a much large army, learn how to move in formation for added bonus (Hoplites would be a prime example for this). Build several siege engines and bring down enemy fortress.

Scenario 4: Advanced things?

[Guest afeder]

The number of scenarios will probably depend on how long a tutorial would take i.e how much do we want to put into a single scenario and the tutorial in general. Personally I would like the tutorial to teach player some advanced things resource management, how to counter enemy recruits, etc... beside the basics.

Scenario 1: The player control a hero and some troops, learn to move, attack, get to know the UI and unit statistics.

Scenario 2: The player now get a small base, learn how to gather resource, build, expand territory. Recruit troops to defend against an enemy raid.

Scenario 3: The player in charge of a much large army, learn how to move in formation for added bonus (Hoplites would be a prime example for this). Build several siege engines and bring down enemy fortress.

Scenario 4: Advanced things?

I agree, I would rather err on the side of each scenario being educative and engaging than overwhelming the player by packing the whole "curriculum" into just one or two scenarios.

Edited December 28, 2011 by afeder

[Mythos_Ruler]

How many scenarios were in Age of Mythology's tutorial?

[Spahbod]

How many scenarios were in Age of Mythology's tutorial?

Two. But it taught some advanced tips in the main campaign.

I'd rather suggest a three scenario learn to play campaign.

1: Player has a small army. Learns camera movements, controlling units, FoW and fighting. It ends when player destroyed the enemy army.

2:Player has a small base and learns resource gathering, building structures, bartering and training units. There is no war. It ends when player trained enough units of some type.

3:Player has a base and an army. Enemy AI must be fool. Teaches heroes, healers, traders, navy and champion units. It ends when player destroys the enemy base.

I'd suggest a Greek City State war for the first one, A Carthaginian colony being found for the second one and a Gaelic/Roman war for the third one.

[Guest afeder]

Two. But it taught some advanced tips in the main campaign.

I'd rather suggest a three scenario learn to play campaign.

1: Player has a small army. Learns camera movements, controlling units, FoW and fighting. It ends when player destroyed the enemy army.

2:Player has a small base and learns resource gathering, building structures, bartering and training units. There is no war. It ends when player trained enough units of some type.

3:Player has a base and an army. Enemy AI must be fool. Teaches heroes, healers, traders, navy and champion units. It ends when player destroys the enemy base.

I'd suggest a Greek City State war for the first one, A Carthaginian colony being found for the second one and a Gaelic/Roman war for the third one.

Looks good. I'd put basic combat vs. animals under scenario two as it follows naturally from gathering -> hunting. Then scenario three would move on from combat to actual warfare.

[Almin]

Ninja'd

A tutorial in the form of a mini-campaign with 6 - 8 scenarios would be best, I think. We should definitely rip off learn from the William Wallace Learning Campaign in AOE 2, explain everything from basics like marching, attacking, building, gathering, unit statistics to advanced things like formation, rock-scissor-paper system, resource management,...

I would love that idea! Oh, how I want to defeat Stirling again!!!

[hhyloc]

I'd suggest a Greek City State war for the first one, A Carthaginian colony being found for the second one and a Gaelic/Roman war for the third one.

I don't like the idea of different factions for each scenarios, different factions may have very different gameplay and require adequate strategies to play, this is something we shouldn't have in a tutorial campaign - a campaign to teach newbies.

[kubrat]

The tutorial campaign should only teach the basics. I imagine that there'll be a campaign for every faction. When the real campaign is made, then you should have the first map of either campaign teach the faction specific game play.

[quantumstate]

I think Starcraft 2 also provides good inspiration for advanced tutorials, they have a variety which teach you things like which units counter others, how to defend against early rushes and how to manage large numbers of units using control groups and hotkeys.

[Spahbod]

I don't like the idea of different factions for each scenarios, different factions may have very different gameplay and require adequate strategies to play, this is something we shouldn't have in a tutorial campaign - a campaign to teach newbies.

I don't see any reason fighting a battle with a group of greek hoplites would be much different from fighting a battle with roman legionaries or persian sparabara. We are teaching the very basic aspects of gameplay. Like how to order your units to attack, how to train a unit (in second scenario) and how to use formations (third one). These are usually separate from the civilization you choose.

[hhyloc]

I believe new players should at least learn to play one specific faction in the tutorial before moving on to others in different campaign. Let say he learn the Hellenes first, the tutorial will teach him about basic things like "hoplites are the basic infantry of the Hellenes, they have good attack and armor, they can march in the phalanx formation which will give them bonuses blahblahblah..." and he'll get familiar with it.

How to train a unit or how to use formation is easy to learn IMHO and could be packed into one scenario, but what about knowing the actual benefit of formations (line formation is good for moving to an enemy base, box formation to protect weaker units inside, phalanx formation good at front but bad at rear and flank and may require support to protect vulnerable flank)? Or knowing how to recruit what units vs enemy units (Infantry Spearman counter Cavalry but countered by Archer)? They can't be taught in one scenario, Hellenes have phalanx formation while Celts don't. Hellenes have Hoplites (spearman) as the basic infantry in civ center but Roman have Hastati (swordman) instead. What I'm trying to say here is that if we want the players to understand the concept of strategic thinking, we should introduce him to one faction only and make sure he understand it, not jumping faction to faction in each scenario and make he confused.

[Argantonius]

I think Cyrus the Great would make a great tutorial campaign.

- Persians are probably the most complete/balanced civ in the game. Great variety of units, the basic may be weak but they are cheap and can be easily replaced by the noob who loses his first batch in a botched attack. Average buildings, siege and ships too.

- Most of the early scenarios would be Persians vs Persians before introducing Carthaginians and maybe Greeks as stand ins for the westernmost ME states, so the newbie wouldn't have to factor the differences between civs at first.

- It's the only hero with two forms in the editor: infantry and cavalry (chariot). So you could start teaching infantry warfare before moving on cavalry.

- It's also the oldest of the historical heroes included IINW, so the campaigns (one per civ I suppose) could be unlocked chronologically. Say they are Cyrus-Alexander-Hannibal-Viriato-Julius Caesar-Boudicca.

EDIT: My mistake. Xerxes is the one with two forms. Cyrus is a cavalry unit only.

Edited December 31, 2011 by Argantonius

[hhyloc]

Good idea! I'd like to suggest that for a tutorial, we should only focus on the first few battles of Cyrus in his revolt against the Median Empire like the battle of Hyrba, battle of the Persian Border. Later battles when Cyrus earn the title "the Great" and the rise to power of the Achaemenid Empire should be saved for the main Persian campaign.