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BigRich
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of the Trentan
May 2001
time: 05:24
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First impressions
OK, Candle'Bre as it stands consists of the executable and a couple of .dll files. It's fair to say that the minimum system requirements are pretty low at the moment but I imagine that's going to change quite a bit  . First thing I do once the game is 'installed' is to set up a desktop shortcut - and then sit back and smile.
It's maybe a bit sappy but actually having a little 'Candle'Bre' icon sitting on my computer after spending the last 8 months or so on these forums talking about it, discussing it and knocking out the odd suggestion..... yep that was pretty sweet. So lets fire this thing up.
First up is the start up screen, with buttons for loading and saving games, using the default map or a random map etc. Most of this is 'scaffolding' at the moment I imagine. More importantly are the options for selecting your faction, selecting the difficulty level, choosing a sphere of magic and starting the game. The Furies are the default option so that looks like a good faction to start with.
Next up is the main screen, mostly taken up with the map, with useful information (selected province, turn number etc.) along the bottom. Unsurprisingly, the map isn't too fancy at the moment but its perfectly functional. The provinces are laid out on a background grid, which would seem to be the first step towards a microtiling system. You can also zoom in quite a way on one particular province - this could look really quite pretty in the finished version. I spend a little time clicking on the different provinces and moving about the map - but what to do now 
Aha - lets try right clicking. Yep - thats the ticket. Hmmm I get to put down a free temple or barracks. I opt for a barracks (bringing up a placeholder graphic in the province) and hit 'next turn' OK Turn 1, here we go. Lets have a look at this province of mine (right click). Cool I can build stuff, (too bad I don't have enough cash). go to the budget and tech tree (all three of em!)management screens or go to the army management screen. I set the budget, set all my research towards 'Military' and then try and build myself an army. Assign leader (thats the nice thing about the Furies, free leaders to start.), buy some archers, buy some infantry, create army. Looks a little small yet, think I'll buy some more troops next turn.
*click*
Uh - hang on. 'Mourngrym discover Theft'. 'Castillar take Province X'. You mean I've got some actual working opponents here! Certainly looks like it - and the enemy moves appear in a scrolling summary window below the map. Oh man!
OK - back to the army. Buy infantry, umm one extra archer and - yeah why not, lets add a couple of cavalry. Lets rock!
Right clicking on the nearest neutral province brings up diplomacy/espionage options. None working as yet but the scaffolding is there, which is good. Lets move the army across for a 'scouting' mission. Combat works nicely and it looks like most of the features have been implemented (see threads on this forum). This looks like it could get pretty involved actually. Playing through the combat rounds is a snap (nice interface design here) but I'm going to have to find out what 'precision strike' 'charge' and 'flank' really do at some point! Not to worry - my glorious army is victorious and the province is mine.
*next turn*
Huh - whassat? So-and so the great General wants to join my faction? Ahhh - that would be the Fate Cards kicking in then! Yes by all means join me my friend. I fiddle around a bit and figure out how to use Fate Cards, then check the Army management screen and sure enough - the great General is all present and correct.
Playing on, I learn technologies, conquer more provinces, watch one province change hands a good three or four times (both Castillar and the Wizards *really* seemed to want it ) and build stuff in my provinces (new options being duly available as the tech is discovered). No real strategy, just playing around but boy am I having fun with just playing around. Not everything works yet, but there is scaffolding there for most all of it. Even a couple of the spells work, as I found to my cost. Next time I'll try not to Lightning Storm my own troops - oops 
In short I'm very much impressed with how much of the game is working already and seeing a *lot* of potential in the finished product. Can't wait to get stuck into the next build!
Rich.
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05-12-2002 17:36
) I havn't actually been able to play CB for quite a while now. I had planned to start this journal once I had a new computer - and the latest CB alpha to play on it ( 
) but it doesn't look like it's going to get to me till the New Year, Christmas demand being what it is.
but it was worth the wait!) All my ISP stuff is now sorted out as well, so I can download the next build (Alpha build 19) and see how things are moving along.
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