Ethiopia - testers needed (yet again)

[brunom]

I know, I know, too much time on my hands..

I had a few projects hanging, and these last 2 weeksI have been in a kind of partial holidays... So, that results in scenarios jumping in, one after another. But after this one, a pause is due. For now, I am presenting a draft... As you probably start to gather at this point, I like to have a lot of input and upload a lot of versions before a finalized scenario goes to Hawk.

In this case, here is a map of Ethiopia and around. The original Ethiopia-Djibouti was built in early 20th century and is now in a derelict state.

Scenario conditions are to haul a lot of coffee and make industry profit, plus connecting a few key cities. This draft has rivers done (but not finished, they look awful in a number of places, specially the Blue Nile), cities placed and economy prepared for game. It is fairly realistic.
The point of this draft is to test the game economy and to tune the scenario goals.

Win conditions as well as the whole ingame-events-that-make-up-a-story aren't programmed yet (and for the most of it, yet to be thought of).
Paint and trees will come even after that.

So, for the time being, if you guys find the time.. play this and post your thoughts here:
1.are the goals too easy, too hard or just right?
2.should the terrain be "tweaked" in any specific place?
3.did any idea for an in-game event occurred while playing?
4.are there are other kinds of scenario goals that would be more appropriate?
5.is the economy working?
6.anything else?

Much appreciated
B

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[andy-rails]

well i think it works! (just played in difficult level). Only one little thing: there is no port in Djibouti, perhaps you should put the level of port to the maximum...a little colour, some more river if you want..and then the map is done, congratulations well done and interesting. The goals are right, not too difficult nor too easy (it is rightly difficult to get gold, but this must be!)....and about the events...perhaps some rebellion? The region is very unstable politically as we know...

[brunom]

Funny to see an Italian being the first to take interest in Ethiopia.. eheh, a little bit of history repeating.

I am planning to include a little bit of history in this scenario.. real history, which I am still to investigate and introduce. Game "story" might be something along the lines of the player having to "advise" the King of Ethiopia about which european power to approach - England, France or Italy - each choice kick-starting a different course of events and different bonuses.

As I say, this isn't even a beta.. it's a draft.

Thanks for the input.
B

[andy-rails]

uhm yet...history repeating. I just forgot the ridicolous and tragic happenings of italian colonialism well. waiting for next step in this good scenario!

[brunom]

Those will be included in this scenario.

Been reading Wikipedia and adding events to the scenario... A fun part of it will actually be the Italo-Abyssinian war in the 30's.

Did you know there are written documents where Mussolini acknowledges and authorizes mass use of mustard gas? And that he actually sent order to "kill all Ethiopians made prisoners". A bit shamefully, in fact, but at that time Churchill, for example, praised "Italian conquests" in a public speech, so there was no horror to it - just the everyday business of exploitation.

[andy-rails]

oh yes we know that in the past, colonization and war were responsible of horrible things, i don't think that English or French or Germans were kinder with population during colonial era and about war...we can see the effects of modern war today....but this is a scenario and perhaps a discussion of this things could be better in a historic forum (and my english wouldnt be enough for it ) so let's wait for this interesting scenario to come!

[brunom]

Almost ready.. just tunning up war effects and second version will be posted here today.

Then there's the whole matter of painting the ****** map, but I reckon the final version will be another week at max.. by then my situation-with-extra-time-available runs up anyway.

[brunom]

As I said, it was almost ready..
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This version has all events programmed (apart suggestions and improvements by the members of this exquisite forum). Since the last release, I have also changed minor details in economy and corrected territories for historical accuracy.

This is yet to be tested thoroughly, as there are player choices which will affect story line, and hence, takes time to test all of it. But I wanted to share with you folks the current state of development.

As I said, painting is the next step.. turning this:

Grabmap_small.jpg (23.24 KiB) Viewed 17158 times

Into this:

Ethiopia_sat_small.jpg (22.19 KiB) Viewed 17158 times

[Hawk]

As I said, painting is the next step.. turning this:

Into this:

You can do it. Just takes a little patience, or a whole bunch a' skill.

[brunom]

Just play tested a bit and found a few things wrong already.. A couple of typos, a few sentences where my poor English fails on me, somalia-ethiopia border looking wrong and most importantly - effects due to war aren't happening the way I wanted.

Apparently, a hidden territory will not stop being hidden with an "Access All = FALSE" event. I wanted to use this in order to make parts of Ethiopia unavailable during war time. Is this right? Does the territory need to be visible to be "closed down"? And wartime didn't affect my company as much as I wanted to, so modifiers will be tweaked in that aspect too.

I also noticed electric trains are too easy to introduce, available steam engines are poor and no diesel ever popped up.. so I need to re-think locos. Any suggestions on that, experts? (scenario runs 1908 to 1951)

cheers
B

[Gwizz]

Doesn't "Access all = false"(with a date and territory ID) closes a territory
and "Access all = true" (with a date and territory ID), opens up a territory?

[brunom]

I also assumed it was like that. And it is, as long as territory has "borders visible" set from start. A hidden territory cannot be closed unless you close the one it is being re-mapped to. (confusing uh )
Just done some tests, and from what I can gather you can only close territories with borders visible from start - but that wouldn't look nice in this particular scenario, which means I need to re-think some events.

I'll see what I can get done this coming week.

Has anyone played this "economy and events" version? More game-play comments would be very appreciated.

B

[brunom]

Spent this morning painting the map.. not entirely proud of the work, but to be honest, I wanted a beta version out and on the test bench.

So, finally, a full beta. Economy, events, territories and painting, all is in it already.

As for the territories issue. I couldn't find my way around it, it is really impossible (to my knowledge/ability) to make a "hidden" region appear in the middle of the game and close it to the player. Hence, those regions are visible from start in this version.

So what I ask now is if you guys can test it..
I have looked at this map (and gibraltar, and lx-suburban, and mozambique..) too often to still play test it a dozen times. And I think this one really deserves a go.

Many thanks to anyone who tries! I appreciate you folks may be busy with real life or trainmaster life, but this map needs you.

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As always, thank you for paying any attention to what I write/create. Cheers
B

[andy-rails]

Great! It works, just played at difficult level. It seems more challenging when you choose UK (the discount, choosing Italy, makes it a lot easier)....but..but...the medal conditions? I.e. you havenpt edited the medal conditions in this scenario and it is not possible to get any. This is the only thing needed, my opinion, to make this great scenario playable.

[brunom]

Oh my!

You are right. I kept reminding myself to do those as well, but being such a simple task (I hadn't do it before as the numbers on those conditions were still to being tuned) I just forgot in the end.

That's why I need other testers.. I just tested to make sure any changes I made were working, and never played to 1950 actually. Will get those win conditions done right away.

How did you do, Andybis, were you on the track to gold? Can you share any details of your game, just to know how would an expert approach this game..
As for going with Italy, UK or France - they all give different bonus - suiting different players - I am curious to see what other people think (those territories will open and close with wars, anyway, which might make a player in-the-know to decide differently)

Thanks (Grazi speciale per Andybis)
B

[andy-rails]

well...expert..rarely i try expert level. Well first of all I switch the little track done to electricity (lower costs) and substitute the original train with electric one and the same with little station to a greater one...then if enough money, I try to make an industry, usually a Textile farm (not enough logs for paper mills or sewery, often my other choice) or i wait for the revenues. Then year after year i reach Addis Abeba and then the other cities. Next to the end i make a steel mill next to Gambela and the industrial revenues slowly increase for the 50 million ind. prof.
I find UK more challenging as i said (Italy is quite easier, good for starter) and usually I end with all done in 1938-40. Next time i think i will try expert level of difficulty! Thanks to you, the map and scenario creator!

[brunom]

Thanks for the details, Andybis.

Gold, silver and bronze conditions are now done. Going to wait for a few more reviews/tests and then send this one to hawk (hopefully with a little more detailed paint job thrown in as well).

Cheers.
B

[RayofSunshine]

Well this scenario really "screwed" me up. Doning well with the French backing. Before cnn to Adis Aberra, I took a side track to Goba to start hauling "coffee". Then proceeded to lay track intermittently toward Asmara, but then made a connection to another city which had the "coffee" warehouse. I had periodically purchased a few farms, which did not yield an adequate amount toward the LIP. Hence, another direction toward the Italiasomalia, as there was an amount of grain fields and a Brewery.

But it all started to happen in the early 30s. Train crashes, and this was after a numbeer of Recessions, and those trains were carrying "coffee". And shortly after, the Italians decided to start a war. It tied up 6 of my trains, which had then to be directed to other destinations, but that didn't help my LIP with the Brewery, and the profits plummeted.

Just at that time as well, I had paid the $2M for access so as to lay track to Asmarra, but again, the Italians shut me down to run any trains.

My only alternative is to direct my operations from Adis Aberrra toward Khartoum, although I will have to wait until 1939 before I can made that connection. Part of a deal was that I would not connect to 2 cities along the sea, and Khartoum, until then. But with the Italian problem, it is shutting down a number of my sources for coffee.

To conclude comments, at this point, I could possibly meet all the goals, except thatn of the LIP. But with 15 years until 1951, it """"""might"""""" be possible.

[RayofSunshine]

I didn't get very far after all the engine crashes and Italian uprising warfare. The connection to Khartoum was the least of my difficulties, and directed my revenue to the Brewry, Textil Mill, and Meal Packing, but was in the Italian Somolian territory. Hence when WWII was over, and the territories divided amont the Allies, I lost my access, and thereby, a deterioration of LIP profits of the 3 industries. It took time to accumulate the $2M to regain access, but in the meantime, I had to direct 3 trains to different destinations, as well as suffer the loss of the 3 engines held hostage in the prior Italian territory. At this point I was able to get my access returned, so as to run trains to Amarra, and get coffee from the upper part of the Eteopian, which had been confiscated by the previous Italian warfare with the Emperor.

I just thought that it was best to just fill the coffee requirement, as well as the $50M LIP. Just started too late for a better LIP, so know that I could not fill the Siver medal lIP goal of $100M, let alone the $150M. But, there is always another attempt which is available.

During the next 6 years I might be able to accummulate the $3M for the KHartoum territory access, but without the $150M LIP, there isn't any way to get the GOLD. So I am just taking the ""easy way out"", and will settle with the Bronze.

[brunom]

And in the end, you'll find out that the beta version you're playing won't even acknowledge that bronze..!

Current version in my machine has that sorted. I also spotted a couple of bugs and some tweaks needed. Soon, a final version will be ready.

Was great to read your game-story, Ray. I really wanted the wars to have an impact in the scenario.

B