Genre: Real Time Strategy (RTS), Simulator, Strategy
Stronghold: Warlords
Dev Diary - AI Improvements
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t8tZEYgdzp0 Firefly Studios’ Designer Stephen Richards and series creator Simon Bradbury have revealed four major improvements to AI behaviour found in their upcoming ‘castle sim’ sequel Stronghold: Warlords. This new entry in the historical real-time strategy series will usher in major improvements and refinements in how computer controlled opponents interact with the player, each other and any warlords present on the map.
AI behaviours related to castle management, skirmish combat and city building have been completely revamped for Stronghold: Warlords, in addition to being able to work with the new warlords system. Much like the archetypes of the warlords themselves - such as the Ox, Tiger and Crane - each enemy AI will adhere to a distinct style of play over a set of predetermined behaviours. The decisions made by computer opponents will now be made according to map layout, tactical positioning of warlords, available resources, current army composition and their priorities at different stages of gameplay.
In practical terms this means less hard coded, predictable behaviours and more flexibility in how AI opponents can outmanoeuvre the player, but also how it deals with the evolving situation within its own castle. Independent of the player, AI will build, sell resources and train their army according to changing priorities over the course of a skirmish match. Just as a human player would, the AI will adjust its focus between city building and RTS combat while also battling it out with the player for control over each map’s selection of warlords.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8uYTtEUgUEA Available on Steam during the weeklong the Autumn Steam Game Fest, our new beta Stronghold: Warlords demo can be downloaded right now. That's right! Between October 7th and 13th players will be able to try out our latest build, a brand new mission from Warlords' Vietnam campaign starring the warlord Thuc Phan. After October 13th the demo will no longer be available, so move fast if you want this chance to play our upcoming 'castle sim' before launch and let us know what you think on Discord.
What better way is there to pass the time waiting for that demo to download, than by watching one of our handsome developers play through it for you? Follow our resident Videographer Aaron Hayden as he walks players through some of the new features, visuals and challenges offered by our latest Stronghold: Warlords demo. Expect new info, laughter and perhaps a few tears as Aaron attempts that precarious balance between achieving a perfect run and voicing a full mission walkthrough for the uninitiated.
Players can expect today's new footage and dev commentary to be followed by additional Feature Spotlight videos in the coming weeks and months. Addressing the most common questions about Warlords' gameplay on Discord and YouTube, such as planned A.I. improvements and the titular warlords system, these new videos will also feature more map sizes and community driven features.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oQQ3lk3enKM We have released new gameplay footage revealing four brand new units coming to our upcoming ‘castle sim’ RTS Stronghold: Warlords. Each with their own special abilities, counters and tactics, the Ninja, Warrior Monk and mounted cavalry all make their Stronghold series debut in this new video.
The Ninja, Warrior Monk, Imperial and Auxiliary Cavalry join the game’s roster of 16 units and 10 siege weapons accessible to all players in skirmish mode and multiplayer. With more special and mounted units than ever before, Stronghold: Warlords’ new units aim to mix up the core series gameplay for long-time fans and newcomers alike.
Ninja
Heavily reliant on remaining undetected, the Ninja is all about espionage. Able to deal high damage at range using her shuriken attack, in addition to classic invisibility and wall scaling abilities, Ninjas are more ‘hit and run’ than Assassins from previous Strongholds. When micromanaged or used in small squads, Ninjas are a force to be reckoned with. More than capable of taking out several high priority enemy units in quick succession, players will need to remain vigilant to avoid death by ninjitsu.
Warrior Monk
A well-rounded soldier with specific battlefield applications, the Warrior Monk is a finely honed living weapon. Lightly armoured and fast on his feet, this unit is capable of dealing high damage quickly and is purpose made for surprise attacks. When surrounded by three or more enemy units the Warrior Monk’s spin attack will be triggered, knocking nearby enemies out of range while also dealing damage. Built for rushing enemy forces and repelling rival special units like the Imperial Guardsman, the Warrior Monk is excellent for quickly changing the ebb and flow of a battle.
Imperial Cavalry
The Imperial Cavalry’s high damage output and heavy armour makes them likely candidates for last horses standing. As such they are more suited to breaking enemy lines than their Auxiliary counterpart and serve a different function on the battlefield. Their charge ability can also be used to catch enemies off balance, quickly flank them or simply charge formations head on to weaken and displace their front line.
Auxiliary Cavalry
Faster moving than their heavily armoured Imperial counterparts, Auxiliary Cavalry are the bread and butter of a mounted attack. These faster mounted units are equipped with light armour, a shield and lance. Able to quickly react and change course, Auxiliary Cavalry are designed to take the worst of the enemy’s defences and allow your more powerful units to plough through.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-BviS6ns_8k We're spotlighting Stronghold: Warlords' economic campaign segment with 20 minutes of fresh gameplay footage! Featuring new developer commentary and insight from Senior Programmer Matt Smith and marketing lead Nick Tannahill, this new developer diary features plenty of classic Stronghold gameplay in our new setting.
From medieval events and the distinct possibility of fire... To new changing weather conditions and map hazards, Stronghold: Warlords' 'Path of Peace' campaign will give you plenty to think about while growing your castle economy.
Following The Scribe, Warlords' economic-centric missions will test your city builder and sim skills as you're tasked with gathering resources, growing your population and fulfilling unique objectives as you fight against the clock (or in this case - tiger attacks).
Today's dev diary also features new community driven improvements such as UI scaling, wandering priests and other examples of that ever important 'wuselfaktor'. This new beta build should be taken as a sign of more improvements to come before Stronghold: Warlords launches on January 26th 2021.
We value your feedback hugely, so please keep it coming as we endeavour to make as many improvements as possible between now and launch!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tfmFaG3ymE0 As shown during the Gamescom Studio show, we're giving you a first look at our Japanese campaign missions following Toyotomi Hideyoshi! This new developer commentary footage shows details on the new ‘Warlord System’ and provides a closer look at some of the new units coming to Stronghold: Warlords at launch on January 26th, 2021.
While the base game will be made available on Steam for $39.99, €34.99 or £29.99, Stronghold: Warlords will also be purchasable as a digital Special Edition. Our Special Edition package contains:
• Stronghold: Warlords Base Game • Stronghold HD on Steam • Full Stronghold: Warlords Soundtrack (Composed by Robert Euvino) • 'Art of Warlords' Digital Art Book • Feature-Length 'Making Of' Stronghold: Warlords Documentary
Including developer interviews and behind the scenes footage from the last three years of development, the Warlords Documentary provides an honest look at modern indie game development at a small studio during a global pandemic. The Warlords art book and soundtrack will contain high quality source material from Firefly Studios artists and Stronghold series composer Robert Euvino. As an added bonus Special Edition owners will also receive a copy of Stronghold HD on Steam. The Special Edition will cost $49.99 USD, €44.99 or £39.99
We have just announced that the release date for our upcoming RTS ‘castle sim’, Stronghold: Warlords, has been moved from September 29 to January 26, 2021. Given the impact of COVID-19 on individual team members, this new date will result in the best possible Stronghold experience for fans of the series.
We hadn’t intended for the recent global situation to impact our development, and when we announced September 29th as our release date we fully believed we would succeed in meeting it. That said, the effect COVID-19 has had on us as individuals, as well as a company, has brought us to the point where we’ve had to take a step back, assess what areas of development still need work, and make the tough, but necessary decision to delay.
Here’s a few words on the delay from Stronghold Lead Designer, Simon Bradbury:
“Warlords is almost there and I'm loving playing it. We are currently playtesting and balancing, and there's bags of fun and challenge in there already. We are laser focused on absolutely anything that just doesn't feel right, so we need some extra time for those aspects given the current climate.
We know we can get Warlords super polished by January. We’re proud of what we have already achieved, but we feel we have to take that extra bit of time before we are happy to show it to the world. Hopefully you will stick with us as Warlords will most definitely be worth the wait.”
As always thank you for your support and understanding. We’re incredibly excited to see you play Stronghold: Warlords on January 26th!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6pgwdzunMNQ Today we're showing half an hour of brand new Mongolian campaign gameplay footage! Featuring developer commentary from Stronghold: Warlords Lead Programmer Tony DeLibero, this new video features hitherto unrevealed units, warlords and castle structures.
A snapshot of the later stages of Warlords' Mongolian campaign segment, today's campaign preview takes players to 1227 AD as the great Khan moves to crush rebelling Xia forces. Surrounded on all fronts by hostile warlords and a well-protected enemy lord, players must first rush to bring each warlord under their command before launching an all out siege on the enemy. Attacking immediately would be foolish, however with enough warlords pledging their gold, resources and troops players can amass an army powerful enough to take down the enemy stronghold.
Featuring Mongolian structures like the new keep and yurt hovels, as well as cavalry units to be revealed in full next month, this new campaign preview is positively brimming with Stronghold: Warlords teases. As we journey with each campaign preview from ancient China and the Mongol Empire to Vietnam and feudal Japan, virtual castle builders can expect more reveals and raw gameplay in the coming weeks. So make sure you're subscribed to Firefly Studios’ YouTube channel with notifications turned on to avoid missing out on the latest Stronghold news!
Please Note: This is a beta build and not representative of the final game. Details such as arrow trails, some unit animations and the UI are still being worked on, with improvements to be expected before launch.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fMj48CZdEuo We've just released a new dev diary featuring fresh campaign gameplay! Using the current beta build of our upcoming ‘castle sim’ Stronghold: Warlords, Nick and Matt showcase the Chinese portion of the game’s 31 mission single player campaign. The ‘Armies of Yan’ occurs toward the end of the Warring States period in 226 BC and features plenty of castle building, defending and besieging.
Over the course of 40 minutes of uninterrupted gameplay, Senior Programmer Matt Smith walks us through the latest additions to our castle building RTS series. Showcasing new units like the Fire Lancer, the titular warlords mechanic and castle sieges, this dev diary is the first in a new series providing an early look at the game’s main single player game mode.
As Stronghold: Warlords approaches launch later this year new campaign previews will be released showcasing game features and improvements, but also to collect feedback from players. With particular attention to community requests, new Warlord abilities and the all important ‘wuselfaktor’, we've been paying close attention to player suggestions since the game’s 2019 E3 reveal. For over a year now our devs have been processing feedback on the game’s visuals, sound effects and most recently gameplay from our Steam Game Fest demo, which can still be played by joining the official Stronghold Discord.
Castle builders will be able to journey from ancient China and Vietnam to feudal Japan and the Mongol Empire when Stronghold: Warlords launches on Steam.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4uHzrAiDq8U Today in a new Feature Spotlight we unveil 10 minutes of fresh gameplay for Stronghold: Warlords, revealing six siege defences available in the game at launch on September 29th. Living up to the series’ legacy as a ‘castle sim’, today’s reveal has everything from caged tigers to gunpowder traps and front line barricades.
To defend against the many troop types and siege weapons in Stronghold: Warlords, players will be able to customise their walls with traps and bolster their outer defences. From classic Stronghold staples to new gunpowder-fuelled defensive traps unique to this new entry, Stronghold: Warlords will give players plenty of options for dealing with siege force of all shapes and sizes.
These range from proximity traps to those players must trigger manually. So while a tiger will break free from its cage and attack approaching troops (and your own if you’re not careful!) gunpowder trails must be set off by arrow fire or other incendiary triggers. Used them in tandem and players can decide how and when their web of trails and gunpowder stashes explode, to most effectively disrupt enemy siege attacks.
Wooden defences will also be included in the initial campaign missions and early skirmish mode play, giving players cheaper options for erecting a quick defence early on. These include Arrow Towers, castle wall Hoardings and wooden Barricades, all of which serve as excellent secondary defences for those inclined to turtle during a mission or multiplayer match.
After tens of thousands of you have downloaded and tested the Stronghold: Warlords demo we're now ready to close out the Festival with one final community stream! Watch as we test our might against the medieval odds in the game's 'Free Build' sandbox mode, demonstrating how this classic game mode interfaces with new mechanics and features. Watch as we build, defend, set things on fire and quickly put those fires out over the course of an hour long stream.
Showing off one of the game's larger maps for the first time, initially we'll be walking you through the various stages of castle construction. Building out your industry and defences to get your castle economy moving and well protected enemy attack or challenging events. Next we'll take players through the new 'warlords' system and how that will work in Free Build, before finally (hopefully) withstanding waves of enemy invasion as we put our castle design to the test!
Free Build mode will be available in Stronghold: Warlords at launch, complete with different maps to choose from and difficulty settings for AI invasions. In addition there will be 30 single player missions, skirmish mode and multiplayer all available at launch on September 29th.
