[Release] The Emperor's Plan - Dune 2000 Campaign

[Cm_blast]

This is the release on my newer Campaign for the Emperor side. Since now the game no longer have bugs with the Repair Pad and with the adition of the editor that allows me to place any building and unit I can; I decided to create my second Emperor campaign, this time without recurring to Tibed or any other special tool.

STORY:
The campaign takes the inspiration of the original plot from the Dune 2 and 2000 series. The Padishad Emperor Shaddam IV challenge the three main houses to fight for the control of Arrakis, but this it's just a trick to bring the Atreides to Arrakis, far from their original planet; then the Emperor will use both Harkonnen and Ordos to take out the Atreides Forever.

Unfortunately, the Emperor gets sick and things have started to go downhill. The Sardaukar that were part of the Harkonnen army (which have helped to conquer some Atreides territories) don't want to come back to their leader; instead they remain on the Baron side, since the Emperor may died at any moment, the harkonnen seems a more safe election.

The Bene Gesserit Lady Elara, chief counselor of the Emperor, takes charge of the situation and send the best commander available (you) to give to both Harkonnen and those rebel Sardaukar a lesson they never forget.

What about the Ordos? They will follow The Emperor's plan or they will go by themselves with the absence of Shadam IV? Can the Bene Gesserit Lady Elara recover the control of the situation and continue with the plan?

GAMEPLAY:
This campaign will start with a very low tech, increasing from mission to mission. Lady Elara will tell you all the info needed to succedd; sometimes she or a few of her buildings will be there to assist you, but for the most part you will use the imperial Army.

On the early going a few Sardaukar will be deliver from time to time as part of reinforcements. Once the Starport become available more will arrive at once, helping on your battle. Also the Imperial Palace although can't be builded, several maps have the building already placed there, so you can train Sardaukar on your own.

Lady Elara will provide with their personal army to help you in the main task, if necesary.

SCREENSHOTS:

FILE:
The Emperors Plan.rar

HOW TO INSTALL:
Unzip the file and copy every folder into the root of the game.
Any folders included will go to the path that it is suppose to go.
Do not copy any pgn (screenshots) nor the readme.txt (instructions).

Edited January 13, 2022 by Cm_blast

[jbil1989]

Hello bro, 

Lady Elara is traitor ! They coming, help us ! Ordos  allied now ! 

I like your campaing. And your scenario is very sweet. Treason!

AI is very  aggressive, when i was play mission 1, I used harvester

I think if a player play this game, they should be careful and speed. I like most mission 5 because it limited buildings,  after mission 8 really I was shocked for Lady Elara

Generally this campaign very  strange for me.

Thank you for campaign !

Edited September 20, 2018 by jbil1989

[Cm_blast]

23 hours ago, jbil1989 said:

Hello bro, 

Lady Elara is traitor ! They coming, help us ! Ordos  allied now ! 

I like your campaing. And your scenario is very sweet. Treason!

AI is very  aggressive, when i was play mission 1, I used harvester

I think if a player play this game, they should be careful and speed. I like most mission 5 because it limited buildings,  after mission 8 really I was shocked for Lady Elara

Generally this campaign very  strange for me.

Thank you for campaign !

I'm glad you like it.

I agree the AI is very aggressive, although they don't group tons of units (for the most time), so the Sardaukar do the job very well.

People around here are expert, even on max speed they are good enough to survive my maps :P. This campaign it's not specially hard; I did much worse campaigns.

[Szwagier]

i need to ask in mission 8 i should be able to train engineers? or only troops?

anyway i won it with only troops XD

[Cm_blast]

1 hour ago, Szwagier said:

i need to ask in mission 8 i should be able to train engineers? or only troops?

anyway i won it with only troops XD

Yeah, you are suppose to use more eengineers, since the briefing point you to "capture, but don't be too greedy"; congrats by winning by only using troops; I knew the map wasn't too hard, but didn't expect that :P.

[Szwagier]

and full speed

 

https://www.twitch.tv/videos/312940357

u can rewatch it 😜

Edited September 23, 2018 by Szwagier

[Fey]

2 hours ago, Szwagier said:

and full speed

https://www.twitch.tv/videos/312940357

u can rewatch it 😜

My duuude. You're a streamer?

It's nice to see more folks active around here. 😮 Please do let me know if you stop by my threads! I've got some fine-tuning to do, I'm still working on the final state of my smugglers campaign at least, but hey, it's all pretty polished. For the most part.

Sorry Cm, I'll f*ck off. Excited to see new activity around here lol

[JasperRowan]

Hey guys, I think what szwagier is saying is that the barracks only let's you train troops not engineers haha keep getting wooped on this mission because of it hahaha

[Cm_blast]

1 hour ago, JasperRowan said:

Hey guys, I think what szwagier is saying is that the barracks only let's you train troops not engineers haha keep getting wooped on this mission because of it hahaha

Yeah, he is using modified files, not the originals so... the player it's suppose to take as many ally buildings you needs to win (since the player it's suppose to be a better player than the AI); but I went this map from hard (first time I test it) for maybe too easy now

Anyway; since the Ai do weird things I don't mind being a bit more easy than expected.

[Szwagier]

Yes i stream old games like warcraft 2 dune2000 😜

 

yeah, to many versions u made and now i dont know which version of your campaign i got

[Cm_blast]

2 hours ago, Szwagier said:

Yes i stream old games like warcraft 2 dune2000 😜

 

yeah, to many versions u made and now i dont know which version of your campaign i got

I only really have 2 campaigns and maybe 3 missions with modded file, but I don't remember adding the grenadier at all (never like it the unit). On the other hand On my campaigns that afect the original game have a folder called "Back_up" which contain the original file to recover the vanilla game.

I think (not sure about that) if you execute the cncnet.exe once (the online feature) the files got reupgraded (into the original) to avoid people to play with different rules. Try it if you can. Execute the online feature, exit the game and start my mission 8 again and look if the eengineer it's there, because this campaign not use any other adition, only the most basic stuff.

The adition of the grenadiers may affect AI production, when the AI takes 1 minute to produce a single unit a grenadier will be produce instead a new combat tank, for example. It's not like the campaign will change badly withouth that unit, but it's not suppose to be there :P.

And thanks to play my campaign =D.

Edited September 23, 2018 by Cm_blast

[Fey]

11 hours ago, Szwagier said:

Yes i stream old games like warcraft 2 dune2000 😜

 

yeah, to many versions u made and now i dont know which version of your campaign i got

Sorry about that XD I guess I should do a final release at some point. When the second campaign is done. Then, only then... then it will be perfect. All the fine-tuning, all the testing, will be done. Someday...

[Cm_blast]

On 9/23/2018 at 3:57 PM, Szwagier said:

yeah, to many versions u made and now i dont know which version of your campaign i got

I was wrong; executing cncnet5 don't revert changes.

If you need/want I can upload here several files, all the .bins that can be changed depending of the mod applied. I have several folders for every-mod, plus one to revert to the original state so the game will become stable again.

For you or anyone that need. All the files goes on the same folder, so recovering the original game it's easy :P.

Edited September 24, 2018 by Cm_blast

[Szwagier]

 cm_blast I am allways checking this forum and waiting for your new campaign

ofc if someelse do, i am playing it also

[Cm_blast]

1 hour ago, Szwagier said:

 cm_blast I am allways checking this forum and waiting for your new campaign

ofc if someelse do, i am playing it also

Good, I hope you like it. It's not a too hard campaign :P.

And also working on a new campaign already (more like a director-extended version, full still full campaign).

[Szwagier]

Im waiting for it

[Runtowin]

I have completed your campaign this weekends. My feedback:
 

Quote

- The campaign follow a strange curve regarding difficult, I find mission 3 & 4 hardest in all mission, and 1 & 6 the easiest.
- Compared to previous campaign you made this has more unique missions, more cinematic scenes, and more narration. I like it.

- Mission 1, ah, the dreadful infinite harvester replacement without refinery.

- Mission 3, at the end of the introduction, I heard Lady Elara's Trike exploded! Haha. Constant attack without defending turret, no safe spice, made this mission very tricky to get through.

- Mission 4, the second wave of engineer doesn't work. They just stood still when arrived.
- Mission 5, you can capture your ally's Heavy Factory, and build an MCV. Probably not intended.

- Mission 6. you receive a lot of unit at the start. And with them. I can capture the Atreides base at the North and the East, resulting in rapid tank production very early.

- Mission 7, those 3 Missile tanks from the back sneakily destroy my refinery in my first run! Anyway, House Ordos defended himself most of the game, he was helpless against the Fremen, had to send Siege Tank for defending his base.

- Mission 8, a unique concept! Harkonnen is competent and can fend off for himself. Eventually, you can order an MCV from Starpost, not sure whether that was intended or not, Enemy had many bases but lightly defended, can be destroyed in one go.

- Mission 9, the magic didn't affect me much, if anything, it prevent me building turret in my allies' bases. In the entire game, they only attacked me once. as they were often busy protecting their base. Harkonnen was the first to fall, I step in and capture the rest of his base, earning devastator production. Ordos fell quite late in the game, but at the point, I was powerful enough to take on three factions.
 

Overall, the campaign was excellent. It is not too hard, and can be completed by less skilled player. The terrain, scripting and story were ok, and show improvements from last campaign.

This is a must-play if you like dune 2000.

 

[Cm_blast]

6 hours ago, Runtowin said:

- Mission 1, ah, the dreadful infinite harvester replacement without refinery.

Well, enemy tech lower than 2, yes, infinite harvester, just how it should be :P. Plus in this mission the objetive it's 1 building that it's not the ref, so punish to you for ignore the objetive. Y usually try to change for the "refinery exist", but since this level it's not about taking out the entire base I didn't bother.

6 hours ago, Runtowin said:

- Mission 4, the second wave of engineer doesn't work. They just stood still when arrived.

They act in a weird way; to me seems like they only go if you have a building near them. I ever saw an eengineer standing still, I build a new windtrap a bit to the bottom and he start moving to capture it.

I guess this it's what you get for trying something unexpected from the AI. Probably it's the same with the saboteur, going sometimes, standing still sometimes.

6 hours ago, Runtowin said:

- Mission 5, you can capture your ally's Heavy Factory, and build an MCV. Probably not intended.

Not at all; I usually try to script a "don't capture your ally or they won't trusth you" so mission fail; I have a few slots free, so I may add some mission fail if the player capture the heavy factory, the light or the CY, for example.

6 hours ago, Runtowin said:

- Mission 6. you receive a lot of unit at the start. And with them. I can capture the Atreides base at the North and the East, resulting in rapid tank production very early.

There is a problem with this mission because the initial scripted event. Sometimes not enough attacking forces survive the initial assault so your units stomp them, but other times the enemies do better or whatever and their force it's equal or even bigger than yours, surviving only a few of your unitial units.

Maybe I can add a few units standing near the enemy bases just in case, or something.

This it's the problem with trying to do in game "cutscenes". I could place X amount of Ordos near the buildings, making and start to attack. a few seconds in, the side "leaves" so all the buildings explode. Doing this always the same amount of attackers survive so I can balance that way, but I wanted to do a whole cutscene (and paid for it).

Obviously if you didn't rush the enemy the map would be much harder. You have enemies surrounding you so your harvesters only have small safe places to harvest.

6 hours ago, Runtowin said:

- Mission 8, a unique concept! Harkonnen is competent and can fend off for himself. Eventually, you can order an MCV from Starpost, not sure whether that was intended or not, Enemy had many bases but lightly defended, can be destroyed in one go.

Intended indeed; I wanted to forbid the player a "AI, you are so slow, let me capture the CY and play better", but if you wait enough until you have the starport you can deploy the CY. Taking your ally's CY it's one thing, but deploying your's it's like a "oh, you have 1 too, good job".

For mission 8 I think I may add more Fremens standing still. Not too much unit into the defensive "guard" because the AI can drag the attention and we are talking about a good amount of enemies to take out, even if they are easy.

A few Fremen here and there on the ground may be good; they will help protecting the base, won't attack even if the AI goes aggro on them and don't affect the proportion so, I will think of that.

Thanks; I wish I could this harder, but it's always a problem when an AI it's present; On the first version enemies spawns faster; I could hold for a time but eventually I couldn't (combined with "me AI, Me strong, me attack... oh... I failed"); In fact the reinforcement were part of the Harkonnen, because the Harkonnen usually send 1 attack sooner or later, so they recuperate a few of their forces and, if that wasn't the case, those units will be "ready to attack" so won't help to protect the base so it wasn't so bad.

I know at the end I reduced the enemy production and at the same time I swapped the reinforcements to be as the player. Maybe I only should be done 1 of the those things.

Mission 8 was an unique concept I wanted to try, but impossible to do a proper Balance (sometimes the AI produce stuff early, others just get slighty blocked because the player capture 1 building and takes a couple of minutes before resetting the production).

6 hours ago, Runtowin said:

- Mission 9, the magic didn't affect me much, if anything, it prevent me building turret in my allies' bases. In the entire game, they only attacked me once. as they were often busy protecting their base. Harkonnen was the first to fall, I step in and capture the rest of his base, earning devastator production. Ordos fell quite late in the game, but at the point, I was powerful enough to take on three factions.

Interesting: During my runs the Harkonnen manage to defend himself for a while, turn hostile and because they are so near to the player send all his units against me. This weak both sides and, by the time the alliance it's recovered I need to help my ally or he it's going to be destroyed.

The most interesting thing it's how you said that the Ordos fell in the game. On my runs Harkonnen usually loose turrets, windtraps and even a ref and, if I don't do anything, the entire base will fall; so if you send units to the entrance "I help my ally this way" and turns hostile you are going to loose those units under enemy fire (turrets, defending units or even attackers).

On the other hand; I never saw the Ordos being near to get destroyed. The south faction it's just too weak and can't really win alone. Withouth help they can start taking out the turrets on the outside, but overall they do very well by themselves, even although you may need to send help, not as many units are needed to protect them.

I would like to do a totally turn the diplomacy; enemy against you ally against everything else. So that side will attack the player at least once (unless being too short of units). However I was out of room, so I decided to just making a "they think you are hostile too".

I am tempted to increase the St.Fremen spawn from 2 to 4, just to increase a bit the raw power of the south enemy base (although those St.Fremen probably will go against the player, but the player are given Sardaukar for Free, so It will fine). Plus I can delay one of the enemy Atreides Palaces so only 1 Palace produce 4 Fremen early and when the game advance, the second do it increasing a bit the power... I will think of this.

6 hours ago, Runtowin said:

Overall, the campaign was excellent. It is not too hard, and can be completed by less skilled player. The terrain, scripting and story were ok, and show improvements from last campaign.

This is a must-play if you like dune 2000.

Overall; I didn't want to go too hard on this campaign. Probably this campaign can be played on hard withouth any trouble, but I will look into the things you pointed.

Thanks for playing, glad to know you enjoy it even if it's not a really hard campaign or balanced. Really hard to balance when you try to do "cutscenes" with 1 AI involved doing their own stuff: sometimes they do good, sometimes they do poor.

At least you like it, so all it's good.

Edited October 14, 2018 by Cm_blast

[Fey]

2 hours ago, Cm_blast said:

Really hard to balance when you try to do "cutscenes" with 1 AI involved doing their own stuff: sometimes they do good, sometimes they do poor.

At least you like it, so all it's good.

XD Yeah, screw the AI limitations lol

[Cm_blast]

Updated done: The first post contain all the info into a spoiler, but overall I can tell about a few things.

The engineers part has been fixed for the most part. Accompanied by at least 1 infantry they are more likely to move against the player. If you have units near and fight/kill the infantry before the whole droping process end, they may remain in the spot, but at least now even the ones dropped more afar will move, so right now they have a more supposed behaviour.

On Mission 5 the enemy increase a bit the power of the attacks; this it's because I realize that after the second wave defense the player no longer need to do anything. With the Harkonnen non wasting resources until needed, the turrets and the high-defense of your ally, they can do too well alone. Right now the player need to protect them a bit more, maybe a couple of waves more (later yes, but I don't mind that).

I tried to balanced the "cutscene" on the big first enemy wave-attack during mission 6; but again, the AI will do whatever; At least you are given a few extra Sardaukar so you can take out some vehicles before one of their siege tanks wipe you out.

And on the Fremen mission there are a few extra units in stactic positions; I tried to not add too much because if not the map takes too long, plus you heavily depend on your ally there. However, with the few sonic tanks near some of the enemy bases you can no longer send 3-4 troopers to take out turrets easily, at least the player need something a bit more stronger like tanks.

Edited November 5, 2018 by Cm_blast

[Cm_blast]

New update on this custom campaign:

Overall mission 2 and 9 are just small changes: Enemy units more closer each other since the standing AI it's just too easy to deal with, but overall the map plays and feel the same. And on mission 9 I added 4 more spice blooms to help the enemy AIs, since when the spice on the map it's close to be depleted the player's side has it more easy to recover than the Ais.

Mission 7 it's the one that heavily change in terms of the scripting part:
For example, more enemy turrets covering the main rift (they are still easy to take).
Also your ally now will warn when under attack, so the player it's not cough off-guard if the map fail because your ally it's down.

And the final change; the Fremen, if become hostiles, will spawn more units from the Sietchs, so they can keep up with whatever tech the player and your ally have at that point. They will become more annoying since there attacks are more about reducing effectives on your ally that really taking him down, but to compensate the Ordos has a better production of units in the late game, so if you take care of the Fremens the Ordos will become actually usefull this time.

Edited June 17, 2019 by Cm_blast

[oxyee]

THE ARCHIVE IS DAMAGED . CANT EXTRACT . PLEASE HELP .

 

[Cm_blast]

On 1/24/2021 at 11:57 AM, oxyee said:

THE ARCHIVE IS DAMAGED . CANT EXTRACT . PLEASE HELP .

 

Try to download it again, it works for me.

If that still doesn't work then you can use my 4share or onedrive version (although there it is a compilation and I have every campaign together, not individually) as an alternative or maybe using 7zip to uncompress.

I hope that works, if not, just use the alternatives because nothing more I can do for you.

If you can extract this zip (it is missing the screenshots and other files that are not "a must" to have) please respond to this post.

Edited January 27, 2021 by Cm_blast

[oxyee]

worked well . and finished the campaign . great work bro .

[Cm_blast]

4 hours ago, oxyee said:

worked well . and finished the campaign . great work bro .

glad to know it worked, thank you for playing.