Warcraft III: Reforged: The First War/Mission01

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Transcription of the WarIII_Warcraft1_Mission01_2019_01_04.docx (Mission 01 – A New Land) design doc.

The document is written by game designer David Fried.

Icon-warning.svg Do NOT change this article or section. It needs to be an accurate copy of the source.

Mission Synopsis

Race: Orc (Garona, Blackhand)

Gameplay: Dual stealth and simple base building siege.

Location: Black Morass swamp mountain terrain.

Tileset: Swamp with mountain walls to climb.

Terrain: Constant feeling of moving upwards out of the swamp and into the world. High cliffs for Garona to fight on while the troops fight in the muck.

Mission 01 Pillars

  • Introduction to Warcraft 1 story and campaign.
  • Early exploration and characterization of Garona, Blackhand, and the mysterious Gul'dan.
  • Standard base building of Warcraft 1 base building/production.

Overview

Garona murders human scouts along the cliff-edges, separated from a small contingent of Orcs under Blackhand. The player builds a small base with limited resources to create a force able to slaughter the human outposts behind mountain pass gates. Only Garona can open the gates utilizing the high road of the mountain pass. In addition, scouts along the pass are looking for enemy incursions. Garona must eliminate the scouts without them lighting signal fires, or the troops will be bolstered behind the next gate as they prepare for the onslaught. The orcs overcome the meager defenses and gain significant information about their new enemy, which Blackhand finds weak and pathetic. Gul'dan however has a new mission for Garona.

Intro Cinematic

Garona moves out of the swamp to a dry rock, peering into the distance.

  • Blackhand: Have you found an enemy worth fighting, half-breed?
  • Garona: There's movement in the mountain pass. The portals energies may have already given away our coming.

Troops continue to pour out from the gates moving about to set up a makeshift base.

  • Blackhand: The Horde welcomes any battle, Garona. Not that a pathetic runt like you would understand.
  • Garona: I kill for the Horde, but I won't die for it.
  • Blackhand: You'll get your coward's death one day, now scout for enemies in the pass while I make way... FOR THE HORDE!

The orcs cheer on Blackhand as they continue to pour out of the gates. Garona walks off on her own towards the mountains.

Gameplay

Players use Garona's stealth kit to murder guards before they can light signal fires, though they will only attempt to light it if she is spotted or attacks them and is unable to kill them. She can then pull a lever to open a gate and allow any troops built through to sack the human outposts in fairly straightforward combat (ideally made interesting by Blackhand's kit). The player can explore the mountain passes while building troops, but risks alerting enemies which can cause them to reinforce their troops (with a pre-set amount of guards). The player must defeat three areas, collecting lumber and gold to bolster and reinforce their own troops. Waiting too long could spawn additional scouts, or alert an area if the scout doesn't report in (tools for tweaking mission difficulty). A mage appears toward the third section of the mission to investigate the portal's activity. At this point the remaining enemies are on full alerts, and the orcs are harassed by the mage from above until Garona can hurt him enough to cause a retreat. They break the final gate at which point it becomes a mini-boss fight to finish the mage and capture him for information gathering purposes.

Quests

Blitzcrieg[sic] Build

  • Build a Town Hall, 2 farms, and 1 Barracks.

Open the Gates

  • Explore the walls and unlock gates so your forces can get through.
  • Prevent human scouts from lighting signal fires.

Destroy all Humans

  • Destroy the human forces.

Capture the Mage

  • Subdue the Mage for interrogation.

Player Units

  • Garona, Peon, Grunt, Spearmen.
  • Town Hall, Farm, Barracks.

Enemy Units

  • Footmen, archer, hero mage.

In Mission Events

Gul'dan's Whispers

While Garona is exploring isolated areas of the mountain, Gul'dan will make an appearance in a graphical overlay fade to simulate speaking in her head. These can be used as in-game tutorial and foreshadowing.

Example Gul'dan Blams:

  • Gul'dan mocks Garona being a loner: "You can't work with anyone, always alone, sulking in the shadows."
  • Gul'dan warns Garona about the signal fires: "Don't let them set the night ablaze, slay them, now!"
  • Gul'dan warns Garona about betraying him: "I sense your wish to flee, coward. Do not think for a moment that I cannot strike you down wherever you go."
  • Gul'dan implies future plans: "I sense a great power within this land... One we must destroy or control..."

Gul'dan Tutorial Text Accompaniment:[sic]

  • Shadow Born: "Garona is always stealthy when she remains a certain distance from enemies."
  • Shadow Strike: "Garona can leap through shadows to strike an enemy for massive damage."

Scout Patrol and Signal Fire Lighting

If Garona is spotted by a scout (i.e. she gets closer than her stealth radius) it will see her, yell, then run towards the signal fire. If it reaches the signal fire before Garona can kill him, it will light the fire, raising alarm bells in the next outpost and bolstering their troops.

Blackhand and Garona Exchange Words at Gates

As Garona opens the gates, she and Blackhand have moments of interaction for a quick back and forth to build their characterizations and relationship.

  • Garona attempts to open first gate before building tutorial is complete.
    • Garona: "What's taking so long? I thought you were thirsty for blood."
    • Blackhand: "Get to work peons!"
  • Blackhand mocks Garona's efforts
    • Blackhand: "The Horde will do the fighting while the half-breed hides in shadows."
    • Garona: "True strength comes from knowing where others are weak."
  • Blackhand taunts Garona for taking too long.
    • Blackhand: "Finally! We could have bashed it down in the time you took."
    • Garona: "It's good you believe in yourself, Blackhand, everyone else thinks you're a fool."
  • Blackhand rages at Garona for letting a signal fire get lit.
    • Blackhand: "Wicked wretch, what good is bleating assassin?!"
    • Garona: "Two wrongs don't make a right, Blackhand, just ask your mother and father."

Example Expletives

  • "A monster! HELP!"
  • "An invader on the walls!"
  • "I have to warn the outpost!"

Cinematic – The Mage

Occurs as Garona approaches 3rd or 4th gate (depending on pacing). A mage strides along the wall and stops to look in the distance.

  • Mr.Mage: By the Light, the portal is active...

The mage sees Blackhand slaughtering troops.

  • Mr.Mage: Invaders! THOU SHALL NOT PASS!
  • Garona: The arrogance, he thinks he can stop us himself.
  • Gul'dan: Bring him to heel, he knows things, and I would know them too...
  • Garona: <meek> Yes, Gul'dan...

Mage Harassment

When the mage arrives there will be a short cinematic and he'll begin raining down Blizzard's on Blackhand's troops. Garona can reach him and force him to retreat and he will be the final miniboss near the end of the level. Garona perhaps gets ahead of him and seals the last gate shut so that Blackhand can get to him.

Outro Cinematic

Blackhand stands over the mage, threateningly, Garona moves in to stay his hand.

  • Blackhand: Filthy mage, you are no match for the might of the Horde.
  • Garona: Stop! Gul'dan has questions for him...

Blackhand pauses mid swing and reconsiders. He turns and walks away from the mage as Garona approaches and we fade to black.

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