Carthaginians Single player Campaign

[WhiteLion]

I'd like to write a single player campaign set between the first and the second Punic War, with historically accurate missions and geographically accurate maps, I'm working on a demo map to represent the battle of Hannibal Barca in the city of Sagunt in Spain... It may be a good Idea to have a little introduction in form of comic to every mission I can write the script for it.

It would be a great way to learn history!
what you think about it? how can I share the map when i finish? is there someone who wants to cooperate?

Edited March 10, 2015 by WhiteLion

[Stan`]

You can share the map here. Players will likely test it. Finding a comic illustrator might be trickyer though.

[niektb]

How would a collaboration with you on this campaign look like? What are you capable of doing and what would you expect from a collaborator in the first place?

[FeXoR]

Hi and welcome to the forum

I'm not sure to what extend campaigns (other than a tutorial) is planned for the first part of the game (500BC-1BC, a second part is panned after release in the timeframe from 1AD-500AD).

However, having a campaign (or at least multiple maps that play like a campaign) is very welcome.

If it will be part of the official release in the end depends on many things but that shouldn't discourage you

EDIT: I think you need some reputation (minimum number of like 5 posts I think) to upload files but you can always add links to the files here in the forum.

You have to "Use Full Editor" to get an upload option.

Have a nice stay.

Edited March 10, 2015 by FeXoR

[WhiteLion]

I'm passionate in history and strategy and I have a background of classical studies. I also have a little bit of experience in programming with java and C++, if it can help.
I already have an idea for the first 3 missions of a campaign, 7 maps can be enough?
If you'd like it I could even include real quotation in latin in the text.
The idea came from the reading of a book "Annibale" by Gianni Granzotto, an italian journalist, I don't know if you can't find it in english, it is a brief and smart summary of the history.
It's the first time I use the map editor, but i think it is fun and I got this idea... I'll try what I can do, anyway every suggestion will be appreciated.
If you want to cooperate even with the map editing it may be good, we can talk about it in the IRC channel.
The story of Hannibal Barca is perfect for a campaign, he was grown up and trained by his father to become a warrior and for sure is one of the greatest in human history, I will send you the complete idea with all the goals for each mission, as soon as i write the first draft.
One last thing I'd like to know if it would be hard to program the AI to perform special tasks in the missions.

[Stan`]

We'll be here to help you if you have question feel free to ask them here

[niektb]

3 missions in 7 maps?

[WhiteLion]

for now I have the story for 3 mission, and I'm working on the map of the third mission, all the campaign will be 7 maps and 7 missions

Edited March 10, 2015 by WhiteLion

[agentx]

> One last thing I'd like to know if it would be hard to program the AI to perform special tasks in the missions.

That depends on how well your scripts are structured and what the special tasks are. If you need special battle behavior things get complicated...

[WhiteLion]

In the survival map, (the one in which every player has a CC on the top of a hill and just a woman walking around) there are troops coming out of nowhere that comes in waves, i need something like that, the behavior must be simple, just something like spawn here after x minutes, attack there.

An other solution to tell the story instead of the comic may be an actor voice, or at least just text.

[simongeorges]

There is now a "trigger" functionality, so you should find exactly what you need to do that. You can take inspiration from Scenarios in Game Modification forum : A silent day in Gaul, for example.

[niektb]

I was about to point to that map to let you see what you can get with basic AI behavior

[auron2401]

Hmm.

how long will the Himelqart sections be? Compared to the hannibal sections that is.

While hannibal barca was hailed "one of the greatest strategists of the ancient times", he isn't nearly as interesting as the Baraq Himself.


I personally think he was the man behind the grand strategy that hannibal implemented (me and many others) Sure, hannibal was great in engagements, but as mago put, "you can create the victory, but you cannot use it" (or however that was phrased), thus i think hannibal isn't much of the grand strategy boyo.

[WhiteLion]

I downloaded A silent day in Gaul, how can I load the map? Also I just finished the first map it's called the Siege of Sagunto, which file must I share to let you try it?

[niektb]

When you download it, you have to put it in the right folder (obviously) and enable the mod under Main menu > Tools & Options > Mod selection. Please note though that it is not compatible with Alpha 17.

Similarly I advise you to set up a mod for easier sharing and playtesting (for others) like explained here: http://wildfiregames.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=19574

Edited March 12, 2015 by niektb

[WhiteLion]

Here it is The Siege of Sagunto, Try it and let me know if you like it http://filebin.net/22j1pk8cah

Edited March 13, 2015 by WhiteLion

[auron2401]

First map chronologically, or the first map you've made?

[WhiteLion]

This is a brief Description of the Campaign as I imagined it

=========
Mission 1
=========
Hamilcare Barca it's the last Carthaginians resistance in Sicily, he must defend the the town of Trapani, the Romans defeat him but then let him go.

Objective:
-Hamilcar must survive.
-Defend Trapani for x minutes.

=========
Mission 2
=========

After the defeat of Carthage, the Romans impose an heavy tax of war.
To pay it the money was subtracted to the mercenaries just returned from the war in Sicily.
So they started a terrible rebellion.

Objective:
-Hamilcar must survive.
-Sedate the rebellion.

=========
Mission 3
=========

Hamilcare part with his son to Gades, and thanks to the abundant mineral deposits can repay war debts of Carthage, Hannibal teenager has a mandate to resist the assaults of guerrillas of the Iberian tribes.
Objective:
-Gather a lot of metal.
-Hannibal must survive.

=========
Mission 4
=========
After the death of Hamilcare in an enemy ambush and the death of Asdrubale in an homicide, Hannibale gained the control of the iberian colonies and started the war against romans as he promised to his father. The first target is the little town of Sagunto.

Try it here!
http://filebin.net/22j1pk8cah

Objective:

-Hannibal Must Survive
-Destroy the Iberian Civic Center

==========
Mission 5
==========
Trebbia

==========
Mission 6
==========
Trasimeno

==========
Mission 7
==========
Canne


PS: I could add even Zama but it was a terrible defeat, it could be part of an other campaign so the player could play by the roman side.

Edited March 13, 2015 by WhiteLion

[auron2401]

Well you are going to have to rewite episode 1. ;3

"Hamilcar felt that Carthage had given up on Sicily too soon in the First Punic War. Hamilcar had been undefeated and was forced to make peace. The subsequent Mercenary War showed that Carthage was capable of further military effort."

To quote the wikipedia. Half the reason why there was a second punic war was because he didn't like the fact he never lost, and his country did. Lol.

[WhiteLion]

You know wikipedia is not the greatest font about history...

A general is defeated when he put down the weapons, in the case of Hamilcar he had the last city in Sicily, Trapani, The city was under siege, he was the general, couldn't run away even if he'd wanted. The city was taken but romans never asked him to put down the weapons (so he wasn't technically defeated), he was honored as a great enemy and instead of taking him as prisoner, they gave him a ship, so he come back to Carthage, to train Hannibal to prepare the revenge.

About the military effort it's all about the metal mines in the iberian colonies, Carthage was a commercial city there was no conscription, the most of warriors were mercenaries... Even the game is pretty accurate about that, the economy was based on trading on the mediterranean sea, with the first punic war the control of the sea was lost so they used the colonies, as in mission 3.

Edited March 13, 2015 by WhiteLion

[WhiteLion]

There is now a "trigger" functionality, so you should find exactly what you need to do that. You can take inspiration from Scenarios in Game Modification forum : A silent day in Gaul, for example.

I downloaded the map, but I got some questions...

Why all those other folders?

In my Scenario I included only the .xml and .pmp files , is that wrong?

How does it work that trigger function? How can I set the tasks for the AI?

[niektb]

I have some other stuff included like a visibility flag.

But you need a maps/scenarios folder and a mod.json file (with your own description inside) to allow it to run as a mod correctly.

Edited March 13, 2015 by niektb

[WhiteLion]

Better like that?

In which folder must I copy the folder of the map to use it with the mod section?

In which folder of your map is written the code of the AI?

map_Siege_of_Sagunto.zip