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Chapter VII: Grim Harvest


ATTENTION!

This map is now available as part of a larger, updated and enhanced Campaign file. The campaign includes the conclusion to this epic, so it is strongly recommended you play the Campaign instead of this slightly outdated version of the standalone Chapter.

You can find the campaign on Hiveworkshop here:
http://www.hiveworkshop.com/forums/maps-564/bitter-end-202289/


To the Bitter End
Chapter VII: Grim Harvest
Version: 0.7.05
(Beta release)

Single Player Action RPG/Campaign

The companions have smashed their way through Morganem's fortifications and fought their way into Khaal Spire. But the immortal Warlords still live, and their dark machinations may yet spell the Companions' doom...

********


Map description:
----------------

Control Soul Reaver, Fei Serumen, Cameron Aileron, Kitharsis and Sera Poi as they challenge Morganem's Warlords within the depths of Khaal Spire.


Installation instructions:
--------------------------

Put the .w3x file into a folder named "To the Bitter End" (without quotation marks, obviously) in your Warcraft III "maps" folder.
You can play the game by starting The Frozen Throne, then selecting 'Single Player', 'Custom Game', and then navigating to the map and selecting it.
It helps to have your video settings for Warcraft III set to high quality, or some custom skins in some of the campaign might look a little... weird.


Difficulty:
-----------

To the Bitter End is supposed to be very difficult. However, for those finding it simply too tough, as of version 0.7.04, I have added in variable difficulty levels. Once in-game, press Enter to bring up the chat window, then type in "easy", "medium" or "hard" (without quotation marks) to change the difficulty of the current Chapter. The default difficulty is "hard". Note that the only thing this modifies is the HP of enemy units, and enemy hero units are less affected than normal units are.

Remember though: real heroes play on hard!


Other Notes:
------------

For further info and an extensive manual, check the 'official site' at www.familykrieg.com/tothebitterend

This is the seventh of a series beta releases, it is suggested you play this one after Chapter VI: Harbingers of War.

The other releases in the series thus far are:
Chapter I: Dark Dawn
Chapter II: The Dream of Blood
Chapter III: Juggernaut
Chapter IV: Heart of Ice
Chapter V: Reunion
Chapter VI: Harbingers of War
They can all be found at the official site at http://www.familykrieg.com/tothebitterend/.

To check the version number of any of your TTBE maps, type "version" (without quotation marks) into the chat text in-game and it will display (or if nothing displays, then your version is definitely out-of-date). The newest versions are always available on the official site.

Although I am solely responsible for creating this map, the central characters featured in this campaign, as well as the Multiverse in which it is set, were envisaged by the writers at The Administorum (http://theadministorum.yuku.com/) and its newest incarnation, the Administorum 2.0 (http://nerdramblingz.com/starforums/index.php).

This was my first serious attempt at a campaign map, and my first release. I was going to wait until I had completed the campaign in its entirety before releasing anything, but at the request of one of my Administorum friends, I decided to release the completed Chapters here. Since the campaign itself not complete, this classifies the maps as beta releases. Unfortunately, with all my current commitments, it may be some time before I get all the maps done.


Some known bugs or issues (with suggested workarounds):
-------------------------------------------------------

- Does not automatically start Chapter VIII: The Bitter End on completion... because that map hasn't been completed yet!
- Some of the characters' textures look strange. (Solution: set the texture quality in the video settings to the highest available setting).


A word on cinematics:
---------------------

- It is possible to skip any of the cinematics, just press ESC.
- One 'bug' that occurs if you skip the cinematics is that any items or abilities that might have 'cooled down' and become available over the course of the cinematic will now not do this. This means that if you want to use those items/abilities often, you may have to wait around more... and if there's a timer counting down while you wait, that might not be advisable. This isn't a major thing, but it does mean that the game might be more difficult if you skip the cinematics.
- You are advised to watch the cinematics at least once. They will often give you instructions as to what to do next and offer clues as to what to expect. Making sense of the game plot without them would be pretty difficult.
- If you want to be sure to experience the game how it was meant to be played, then don't skip the cinematics. That's how I planned the level out and how I spent the most time testing it.


Hints/Notes:
------------

- You can play this map even if you haven't completed Dark Dawn, The Dream of Blood, Juggernaut, Heart of Ice, Reunion or Harbingers of War. You'll start with heroes of an appropriate Experience level and unused skill points that you can spend as you see fit. But only Morganem's lackeys would play Chapter VII without completing Chapter I, II, III, IV, V and VI first, and surely you aren't one of them?
- Use your quest log if unsure of what to do next... that's what it's there for.
- Read the tooltips if you want to know what an ability or item does. In fact, this is strongly recommended.
- Your items are re-usable. However, they have long cooldown times. Save them for when you need them, and then unleash hell.
- Your abilities are by now significantly more impressive than your items (especially your ultimates, which can often end a battle). However, your items are still valuable and can give you a vital edge in battle when used strategically.
- Sphere of Annihilation and Cataclysm are appropriately named, because they will pretty much obliterate ANYTHING in the target area. That includes things you might prefer to keep un-obliterated, such as yourself.
- By now all your basic skills should be at their maximum levels, so you will get a Skill Point every time you level up.
- It is not advisable to activate Sera's Healing Touch autocast unless you really want her to use it. Sera Poi's AI will prioritize healing over attacking, and that may not be a good thing.
- Your initial foes will not attack you unless you make a move first. This might be a good time to distribute any unusued skill points... and perhaps beging casting a powerful spell.
- You will find that actually getting to the Warlords can be rather a challenge. Rest if you need to, and try to take on new areas only when you are at or near full strength.
- When fighting the Warlords, keep your eye open for any glowing orbs that appear. If they do, get close to them so they turn into a rune. It will greatly improve your chances of survival. Note however that these orbs will appear less and less frequently as the battle progresses, however.
- You will finally reach your maximum experience level in Chapter VII.
- The Warlords are merciless and extremely powerful. SAVE OFTEN.
- Don't expect to find Raziel from the Legacy of Kain series in this game. I've been using the name Soul Reaver for my RPG alter-ego since long before even the first Blood Omen came out. The Soul Reaver in this map is an original character.


Storyline FAQ:
--------------

Q: Soul Reaver consumed a soul! So does he get all kinds of awesome new powers now?
A: No, sorry. Soul Reaver has already absorbed many souls during his millenia of existence, and one more won't make a huge difference.

Q: So... what happens to the soul he absorbed?
A: It helps contribute to the stream of energy that Soul Reaver draws upon from his absorbed souls. The soul is not 'aware' of what happens to it - for the individual that has their soul consumed, it is much like an endless, dreamless sleep.

Q: Wait, wasn't there once a character called 'Clutchfiend'? Why is he called 'Cameron Aileron' now?
A: Ah, retcons, the bane of my existence. The guy who invented the character of Clutchfiend recently retconned his background (and name). Since I liked the changes he made though, I incorporated them into To the Bitter End. Thus, all references to 'Clutchfiend' have been changed to 'Cameron Aileron' from version 0.7.04 onwards.

Q: What are the names of the cool songs you used for this map?
A: "Welcome Within", by "Godsmack" from the "Prince of Persia: Warrior Within" soundtrack, and "Ultra", by "KMFDM". Buy the CDs, it's worth it.


Special Thanks/Credits:
-----------------------

- Me, for being insane enough to make this all by myself.
- Cameron, Kitharsis, Fei and all the other writers, past, present and future, at The Administorum. That place wouldn't be what it is without you guys.
- Larc for helping me with some weapon models. You were quick, efficient and extremely helpful in resolving a major map issue. Thank you!
- Thanks to all the folks at The War Center map making forums (http://www.thewarcenter.com/forums/index.php?showforum=11) for helping me in my early days and inspiring me to keep trying. Special thanks to 1)ragonspawn for helping teach me how to deal with memory leaks.
- Everyone who submits their custom abilities and spells freely for use at www.wc3campaigns.net. You helped teach me how to do this stuff and provided a lot of inspiration.
- Warnicro from war3.incgamers.com. You put a lot of work into getting my map links working and then even put them up as featured maps, not to mention all the other help and comments you've been prepared to offer. I really appreciate all your efforts.
- Filefront for offering me the chance to host my maps there.
- Godsmack and KMFDM for creating the music I used. I don't claim to have written these myself.
- Everyone who play-tested the maps and gave me feedback. Thank you for taking the time to play.
- All the fans. It means very much to me to know that you enjoy my work.
- Everyone who gives me constructive feedback or takes an interest here. Thank you in advance.


Screenshots:
------------

120812-albums4236-picture40091.jpg

120812-albums4236-picture40092.jpg

120812-albums4236-picture40093.jpg


******

Tell me what you think! E-mail me ([email protected]) if you have comments or questions about 'Grim Harvest', the 'To the Bitter End' campaign, the Multiverse, or Soul Reaver.

******

Please do not redistribute or modify these files without my permission. These map files are not to be sold for profit.

Keywords:
Action, RPG, Single Player, SP, To the Bitter End, Multiverse, Soul Reaver, Fei Serumen, Cameron Aileron, Kitharsis, Sera Poi, Morganem
Contents

Chapter VII: Grim Harvest (Map)

Reviews
17:33, 9th Aug 2010 ap0calypse: Approved
Level 3
Joined
Jan 19, 2008
Messages
40
Finally! Gonna test it soon...

--TESTED a bit--
Here's 2 bugs I've found:

- The Quests seems to disappear from the menu after I complete them,(for example after I defeat Dustwalker,his quest disappears and not complete)
- Also the optional quest (sometimes it doesn't appear in the menu if I skip the cinematics)
- I'm stuck in front of the Warlord's door with Clutchfiend (strangely it doesn't open sometimes)

And 2 questions\thoughts:

- If the max level is 50 then how to learn all the abilities for the heroes?
- It's a bit annoying to play without that awesome music (it plays only against the bosses)

Aniway it's awesome as ever,I will re-test it to see if the bug of Clutchfiend happens again.
 
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Level 14
Joined
Jul 15, 2005
Messages
351
MagnusREX: The quests are actually occurring simultaneously, that is, Quest 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 all occur at the same time, and each is carried out by a different Character. So, when you control your second character and do Quest 2, Quest 1 hasn't acutally yet been completed by the first character, which is why it doesn't show up on the Quest log, so it's not a bug, it's intentional.

I checked my triggers but honestly couldn't find the necessary action missing from any of them. Do you happen to remember which particular battle the secondary quest failed to appear in?

I also can't seem to find what would be keeping the door shut. The door SHOULD open if Clutchfiend killed all enemies in the region... any chance any of them are left? Did you do anything unusual (like teleport past somewhere or use Cheats to bypass something?)

At Level 50 you should be able to learn all the abilities: the auto-levelling skill should have reached level 10, the three normal skills should all reach level 10 as well, and the Ultimates should both reach level 5. This worked for me when I tested it with characters I carried over from Chapter VI, but maybe it's not working for you because you started this one from scratch. Which skill couldn't you level up enough?

Sorry about the music, but I felt it was best saved for the most dramatic moments. If it played all the time, it wouldn't be quite as exciting when it does start playing. ;)
 
Level 3
Joined
Jan 19, 2008
Messages
40
MagnusREX: The quests are actually occurring simultaneously, that is, Quest 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 all occur at the same time, and each is carried out by a different Character. So, when you control your second character and do Quest 2, Quest 1 hasn't acutally yet been completed by the first character, which is why it doesn't show up on the Quest log, so it's not a bug, it's intentional.

Thought wrong then,sorry.

I checked my triggers but honestly couldn't find the necessary action missing from any of them. Do you happen to remember which particular battle the secondary quest failed to appear in?

It happened only one time when I fought Dustwalker (maybe because I skipped the cinematic).

I also can't seem to find what would be keeping the door shut. The door SHOULD open if Clutchfiend killed all enemies in the region... any chance any of them are left? Did you do anything unusual (like teleport past somewhere or use Cheats to bypass something?)

I know it,maybe that's happened just because I used a cheat.

At Level 50 you should be able to learn all the abilities: the auto-levelling skill should have reached level 10, the three normal skills should all reach level 10 as well, and the Ultimates should both reach level 5. This worked for me when I tested it with characters I carried over from Chapter VI, but maybe it's not working for you because you started this one from scratch. Which skill couldn't you level up enough?

http://img207.imageshack.us/my.php?image=wc3scrnshot053109141852.jpg

And yes,I started it from scratch.

Sorry about the music, but I felt it was best saved for the most dramatic moments. If it played all the time, it wouldn't be quite as exciting when it does start playing. ;)

I guess you're right.

I suppose the last chapter will be an epic boss battle...

Some other questions:

- What about the guy (forgot the name) that showed up in Chapter 1? He doesn't appear anymore if I remember right.
- Maelstrom basically ceased to exist after the consumation of his soul? If yes,that's a suitable end for one such as him. Kathryn will never see him again then....
 
Level 3
Joined
Jan 19, 2008
Messages
40
Just a little question:
Why don't you create a campaign-file for the maps, is this a multi-player map or single player?

You can also improve the description, it looks like a massive block of text.

He will do it when all the maps are completed.
Actually it looks like a massive readme file,and that's a lot better than a normal description.
 
Level 28
Joined
Jan 26, 2007
Messages
4,789
He will do it when all the maps are completed.
Actually it looks like a massive readme file,and that's a lot better than a normal description.

Allright, just wondering...

I'm not saying it isn't a good description, it just doesn't 'look better', he could've used list-tags for the list, hidden-tags for the obvious info ("how to install" for example), a box/simpletable for some things (credits, features), headers, bold/italic text.
 
Level 14
Joined
Jul 15, 2005
Messages
351
It happened only one time when I fought Dustwalker (maybe because I skipped the cinematic).

I've had look at the triggers and can't find what's wrong, but I'll check that battle again, and skip the cinematic and see if it happens to me too.


Ok, that shouldn't be happening. Guess that's what I get for not testing what happens when you start Chapter VII without finishing the previous Chapters first. I'll take a look at it (and hopefully fix it) when I get back from work today.

- What about the guy (forgot the name) that showed up in Chapter 1? He doesn't appear anymore if I remember right.
- Maelstrom basically ceased to exist after the consumation of his soul? If yes,that's a suitable end for one such as him. Kathryn will never see him again then....

Slayer PROBABLY won't reappear. Even if he does, it won't be as a playable character.

As for Maelstrom, his soul is now a part of Soul Reaver and has lost any sense of individuality. However, it isn't permanently destroyed as such - Soul Reaver does have the ability to let souls go, and they will all be released if Soul Reaver is ever killed, in which case they'll travel to their respective afterlives. Of course, such an event might be many millenia in the future, but souls are eternal and with no sense of time, so it's probably going to happen eventually... so Kathryn will be reunited with her lover at some point in the distant future. I think by then, both will have paid an appropriate penance.
 
Last edited:
Level 14
Joined
Jul 15, 2005
Messages
351
Ok, fixed the problem with new heroes having fewer skill points than they should, as well as an issue relating to sight range. Still can't find the problem with the optional quest not appearing though, that seems to work fine when I try it...
 
Level 3
Joined
Jan 19, 2008
Messages
40
Ok, fixed the problem with new heroes having fewer skill points than they should, as well as an issue relating to sight range. Still can't find the problem with the optional quest not appearing though, that seems to work fine when I try it...

Ok,now it works fine.
My mistake for the presumed bug of Dustwalker,that's because the optional quest only activate after the boss battle take event.

Something I've noticed is a little problem\error with the Celerity ability.
If I use it to finish an enemy,the ghost images also appear in the
following cinematic.
That's happened because I've defeated Dustwalker with this ability and the ghost images appeared for about 3-4 seconds in the cinematic.
Maybe you can add a trigger that will remove all the buffs from a unit,or something like that.

Aniway,what about the 8th chapter? My friends are assiduous fans of your maps and wants to know how the final chapter will be structured.
 
Level 14
Joined
Jul 15, 2005
Messages
351
I don't really mind the Celerity ability remaining active part-way into the cinematic, so I'm not going to make it a priority to fix that one. (Also, it would require a fairly large amount of work.)

I'm not going to give away the structure to Chapter VIII. Don't expect a huge and elaborate map though, it's probably going to be on the small side... I hope it will still be a worthy end to the series though.

That said, at the moment I'm thinking I might release it together with the Prologue and Epilogue cinematics, all rolled together into a single Campaign file, so that should make it a sizeable release.
 
Level 3
Joined
Jan 19, 2008
Messages
40
I don't really mind the Celerity ability remaining active part-way into the cinematic, so I'm not going to make it a priority to fix that one. (Also, it would require a fairly large amount of work.)

Ok

I'm not going to give away the structure to Chapter VIII. Don't expect a huge and elaborate map though, it's probably going to be on the small side... I hope it will still be a worthy end to the series though.

My friends wanted only know if is a big dungeon level or a short boss battle,that's all.

That said, at the moment I'm thinking I might release it together with the Prologue and Epilogue cinematics, all rolled together into a single Campaign file, so that should make it a sizeable release.

That's a good news,and good luck for the rest of the maps. :thumbs_up:
 
Level 2
Joined
Dec 4, 2004
Messages
9
I got up to the last chapter.. and i'm stuck on the battle with the first warlord =\
I just can't seem to kill him, since I can't manage to damage him more then he damages me, so we waste about the same amount of runes (well, he wastes a bit more :D) but in the end I end up screwed, cuz the runes appear much slower T_T
 
Level 14
Joined
Jul 15, 2005
Messages
351
I got up to the last chapter.. and i'm stuck on the battle with the first warlord =\
I just can't seem to kill him, since I can't manage to damage him more then he damages me, so we waste about the same amount of runes (well, he wastes a bit more :D) but in the end I end up screwed, cuz the runes appear much slower T_T

Hi TheSilverDrake,

All the Warlords can be defeated without the need for cheating, but they all require quite different strategies. The speed at which the runes appear for a given hero is dependent on how many runes that hero has used so far - the more runes a hero has used, the longer it will take for the next one to arrive. Thus, if you've run out of runes and Kherek hasn't, he's probably using less than you.

Anyway, despite the fact that Kitharsis is something of a tank, Kherek is both stronger and tougher than Kitharsis, so going toe-to-toe with him is liable to get you killed. However, his movement speed is slower, and he is somewhat lacking in the long-ranged skill department. You can use that to your advantage. Here are some strategies to use:

- Keep your distance, and use Dark Lash and Dark Tendrils to attack him. If he's not at melee range, his worst attacks won't be able to hurt you, and as he's slower than you, it's usually quite possible to keep him at bay.
- Cast Summon Skeletal Minions, and then concentrate some blasts of Shadow Lightning from your Mages on him, then set Minor Haste to autocast and attack him. Your minions won't last long, but every bit of damage counts, and it should keep him distracted for a while at least.
- If he starts charging his Crushing Claw, his arms will be surrounded by a crackling cloud. If you're VERY fast, you might be able to get out of its radius before it hits and damages and stuns you.
- If Kherek lays eggs, keep away from the spawn that come from them - they do eventually die off. If they're in their third (ie, smallest and most numerous) stage, Sandstorm works wonders on them, and the Tendrils and Bag of Sand abilities are also useful... just keep in mind that your main target should still be Kherek, not his minions.
- If Kherek starts charging up his Maiming Barbs ultimate, run away if you can. It's slow to expand from him, so you may be able to outrun its radius.
- If you're caught in Kherek's webbing and he's attacking you, hit back until the webbing expires, then run for it.
- If Kherek uses the Mageslayer Ring to surround himself with a barrier, he'll be immune to magic-based damage. Just keep away from him until it expires. Similarly, if he uses the Bracers of Might (which cause his claws to start glowing orange and boosts his physical damage), then stay away from him too.
- The most damaging strategy to use agains him (best saved for just after his Mageslayer Ring expires): first, cast Summon Skeletal Minions, and make sure they cast Minor Haste on Kitharsis. Then, activate Unbridled Rage and the Rage Axes, and start laying into Kherek. In this situation, you'll definitely be doing more damage to him than he will be doing to you.

Kherek's battle is long and drawn out, but can be won if you're patient and remember to (usually) keep your distance.
 
Level 2
Joined
Dec 4, 2004
Messages
9
Well, I did kill Kherek (after a huge battle of about half an hour xD)
and I think you have a tiny bug -
I think that the map coutns my rests (using the shamanic masks) as using the runes, which makes them spawn slower for me (I counted the times we used - I used about half the times Kherek used and it still spawned much slower for me

edit -

XD
now i'm stuck on Dustwalker. this guy is practically invulnerable when on Wraithform, and I can't manage to kill him fast enougth once he's out of it. plues, I can't use my channeling ultimate (he keeps stunning me... and even if I do it directly after he stuns me, he just goes wraithform and it doesn't do shit..)
 
Last edited:
Level 14
Joined
Jul 15, 2005
Messages
351
Well, I did kill Kherek (after a huge battle of about half an hour xD)
and I think you have a tiny bug -
I think that the map coutns my rests (using the shamanic masks) as using the runes, which makes them spawn slower for me (I counted the times we used - I used about half the times Kherek used and it still spawned much slower for me

edit -

XD
now i'm stuck on Dustwalker. this guy is practically invulnerable when on Wraithform, and I can't manage to kill him fast enougth once he's out of it. plues, I can't use my channeling ultimate (he keeps stunning me... and even if I do it directly after he stuns me, he just goes wraithform and it doesn't do shit..)

No, resting should have no effect... the counter only increases when a sphere appears. However, you can never have more than 4 spheres/runes on the battlefield at a time, so if you have 4, the counter for the next one won't start until you use one of them up... maybe that's why it seemed to take longer for your spheres to appear?

Anyway, the trick to defeating Dustwalker is to understand how his Wraithform spell works.

While active, Wraithform gives Dustwalker a 90% dodge chance, and it absorbs magic damage... but only up to a certain limit.

There are two ways to get rid of Wraithform: either wait for it to expire (which isn't a good idea, since he'll just re-cast it a moment later, and he has LOTS of mana) or to overwhelm it by causing enough magic damage to it. Note that the magic damage from Fei's abilities counts towards overwhelming the Wraithform even if Dustwalker has his Mageslayer Ring active.

Thus, the best way to beat him is to first spam him with spells - Blood Plague and Abyssal Mass together work well, and using the Kurusunami works well too. If you do that, Wraithform will end prematurely, leaving him vulnerable to attack.

At that point, it's best to attack him with physical attacks, combined with Blood Frenzy and (if available) the Yugitti. If there aren't too many skeletons around, use Celerity to cause some major damage.

If you're in no state to take him on directly any time soon, you can use Blood Frenzy to regain some health by attacking his skeletons.

And you CAN get him with Blood Corruption. Use the Yugitti on him, then run a large distance away (you're much faster than him), and then activate it. The Blood Mark from the Yugitti lasts long enough to let you do that. Or alternatively, use it when he's trying to grab a rune.

very nice campaign loved playing it
the terrain could be more tempting

Thanks Beronin. I know the terrain isn't particularly impressive, but I think it does the job and isn't exactly ugly either.
 
Last edited:
Level 3
Joined
Jan 19, 2008
Messages
40
I found Kherek not that hard,I mean he is powerful but also very slow.

I constantly run away from all his attacks and keep using Dark Lash to stun him.
Summon the Skeletons also helps a lot to distract\attack him and the Sandstorm will slow him even more if Kitharsis is in trouble.
After a long fight\run (30+ minutes) with a final Combo of "Rage Axes" + "Unbridled Rage" + "Dark Tendrils",I killed him without problems.
 
Level 2
Joined
Dec 4, 2004
Messages
9
OK! I already finished dustwalker by the time I read your'e post, but thanks anyways (that's exactly what I did, although I just thought the Wraith Form expired on it's own.. I used Blood Plague mainly because it slows him down so effectively =])

Now i'm stuck on eyiron (did I write that name correctly?), but I'm sure ill pass him soon enougth (I just gotta make him activate his anty-magic item before I use my ulti)

really well-done campaign =]
 
Level 14
Joined
Jul 15, 2005
Messages
351
OK! I already finished dustwalker by the time I read your'e post, but thanks anyways (that's exactly what I did, although I just thought the Wraith Form expired on it's own.. I used Blood Plague mainly because it slows him down so effectively =])

Now i'm stuck on eyiron (did I write that name correctly?), but I'm sure ill pass him soon enougth (I just gotta make him activate his anty-magic item before I use my ulti)

really well-done campaign =]

Thank you, glad you're enjoying yourself. If you need any strategy advice, ask away and I'll tell you what worked for me.

Also, let me know what you think overall when you finish Chapter VII!
 
Level 3
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Jan 19, 2008
Messages
40
Don't know how the hell is happened but during the fight with Dustwalker,we surprisely killed us both (hard to believe but true),and the cinematic started without no one talking. (Fei was dead and I can't skip the cinematic)
--A trigger that will check if the main hero is alive or not may help in this occasion--

I'm curious about this Morganem guy,could you add a description? He is a sorcerer right?
Because we know almost nothing about him...(we know only that he hates the mortals)

Are you planning to add the strategies for the bosses in the hint section of your website?
Thanks in advance and good luck for the remaining chapters.
 
Level 14
Joined
Jul 15, 2005
Messages
351
Don't know how the hell is happened but during the fight with Dustwalker,we surprisely killed us both (hard to believe but true),and the cinematic started without no one talking. (Fei was dead and I can't skip the cinematic)
--A trigger that will check if the main hero is alive or not may help in this occasion--

I'm curious about this Morganem guy,could you add a description? He is a sorcerer right?
Because we know almost nothing about him...(we know only that he hates the mortals)

Are you planning to add the strategies for the bosses in the hint section of your website?
Thanks in advance and good luck for the remaining chapters.

Haha, that's quite a fluke! I'll see about adding in a conditional trigger for it (if it's not there already), although I think a slight 'delay' in the death times of characters might mean it's futile (ie, I think Dustwalker might register as being 'dead' before Fei does).

I have actually started writing up a description of Morganem (and the Warlords) and Morganem's rise to power, and will be putting that in the Manual after I finish it.

Also, you'll actually get to see Morganem in the Prologue cinematic (once it's done)... after all, the companions have been here before!

And yes, I will add some strategies for beating the bosses to the hints section eventually too.
 
Level 3
Joined
Jun 10, 2009
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70
Without even testing the map. I see you post alot and see other's reviews, This is a sign for me that you might be willing to make some changes... Important aspect.
I will soon test the game, but just looking at the picture, I think you either made or got some decent models :)
 
Level 14
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Jul 15, 2005
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351
when will the last est chapter?! I LOVE THOSE MAPS. ITS BADASS! keep work on them!

The official reply to that question is: when it's done. I honestly can't be sure, because it's early days for work on it. I'm still doing various bits of planning and finalizing my ideas for it.

Your best bet is just to check on the official site occasionally (at www.familykrieg.com/tothebitterend) - I tend to update the news there whenever there are major things to report or when there's an important status update.

I'm hoping that the next major release will not just be Chapter VIII, but also the Prologue and Epilogue cinematics and all previous Chapters as a single, final campaign file release.
 
Level 1
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NOOOOOOO WHY MUST I HANG ON VII!!! can't wait for 8 to come out man... this campaign has been epicly awesome and congratulate you on making all these maps... excellent job! +rep

oh and when and if you release VIII could ya send me a message of it? =P
 
Level 14
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NOOOOOOO WHY MUST I HANG ON VII!!! can't wait for 8 to come out man... this campaign has been epicly awesome and congratulate you on making all these maps... excellent job! +rep

oh and when and if you release VIII could ya send me a message of it? =P

I'm very glad you're enjoying it. :D

I'll try to remember to send you a message. The next release is probably still a while away, but I'll definitely get be finishing TTBE - it's had so much work done on it already, and I personally want to play it to the end as well!

In any case, I'll be sure to post up any new releases on the official site at www.familykrieg.com/tothebitterend when they happen.
 
Level 3
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Jan 9, 2010
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Just to bang my drum - I have finished all 7 chapters of the series WITHOUT using save/load.

I've sent Soul Reaver he replays to show for it.
 
Level 14
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SonicFrenzy: I can't give a precise estimate of when Chapter VIII will be done - every time I've tried to make such an estimate it's been wrong, so it'll be done when it's done. Lately there have been quite a few delays due to personal commitments, but I am still working on it and I am determined to complete it. Keep your eyes on the official site (www.familykrieg.com/tothebitterend) for any update news.

Oh, and Perkyguy is right. He did finish all 7 Chapters without any saving/loading. I don't think I'm masochistic enough to try such a feat for myself, but it proves it can be done!
 
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And I'll Be sure to try and pass this final monstrosity without any saves once more.

Good thing I have nerves like tempered steel because, I tell ya, 10 straight hours of dying on the same thing on a different place aint for the faint of heart or potential cardiac arrest victims. And definitely a minus if you have breakable objects within your immediate reach.

And its not about being masochistic - the time it takes you depends on you. If you have quick wit/fingers/mind process/decision-making abilities, it wont take nearly as long.

Some guy on youtube said it took him 5 months of trying to pass the 5-th chapter with the saving option.
 
Level 6
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ahhh. you should have seen my face when the game ended because i really wanted to kill Morganem now!. i played through all 7 over this week and one word, epic! this one was so long, but very good and worth it:) my favorite so far because i got to kill those assholes:) even though eryion seemed to me like a good enough guy.
+rep
oh and the epilogue, will this just be a cinematic or will we get to do something?
 
Last edited:
Level 14
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351
ahhh. you should have seen my face when the game ended because i really wanted to kill Morganem now!. i played through all 7 over this week and one word, epic! this one was so long, but very good and worth it:) my favorite so far because i got to kill those assholes:) even though eryion seemed to me like a good enough guy.
+rep
oh and the epilogue, will this just be a cinematic or will we get to do something?

Congratulations of battling your way all the way from Chapter I through to the end of Chapter VII, it's no easy feat. ;)

Eryion is actually a noble and heroic individual. Unfortunately, he's fighting for the wrong side.

The Epilogue will just be a cinematic, so Chapter VIII will the the final interactive part of the Campaign.
 
Level 22
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Information:
You've let your skills down this time, if the other ones got approved.


As a Reviewer of the Map Reviewers Group, I joined the THW Cleaning Event.
I
end up writing a fast review, or just posting the end state of the map, rating is not always included!


Current State for this map: Rejected


I will contact the moderator to Approve/Reject the map, depending on what you recieved.

 
Level 22
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All problems solved.

As a Reviewer of the Map Reviewers Group, I joined the THW Cleaning Event.
I
end up writing a fast review, or just posting the end state of the map, rating is not always included!


Current State for this map: Approved


I will contact the moderator to Approve/Reject the map, depending on what you recieved.

 
Level 14
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Jul 15, 2005
Messages
351
Epic map :D Played it thousands of times, always loved it! 5/5 and vote for approval! I wonder, though, why it hasn't been approved yet after all this time :S TAnyway, can't wait for the epilogue :grin: Keep up the great work!

Hello BlackKnight - I'm working on Chapter VIII, I'm slowly getting there, honest!

Anyway, I suspect that Hiveworkshop have so many maps to check that they mostly check the multiplayer ones, rather than the singleplayer.

There was a hiccup during the upload in a very recent update that deleted two categorization fields (the Type and Category fields) for the map, which meant that one of the mod staff temporarily took the map off Hiveworkshop, but it's been officially approved now. :)

Though I don't really have the time to test this, I must say the minimap's shape reminds me of a techtree.
If I check this chapter out I'll update my post with rating

Rating: N/A

Hi WaremDarkslayer,

I'd be very pleased if you gave the map a go, but you might want to consider checking out the other Chapters first (since this one throws you in in the deep end and thus might be a bit too tough to start with.)
 
Level 1
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Aug 30, 2010
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Kherek's battle is pretty tedious. While he is beatable, it's basically running around, hitting him with your spells, and waiting for the runes to quit respawning so quickly. I feel like it could have been sped up, because after awhile I just wasn't even having fun. Also, knowing that the runes will slow down eventually would be handy. I read the quest log and saw a tip pop up about the orb "dispersing," but I still wasn't clear on that.

I do like the scenario though. Anything where the heroes get to kind of split up I find pretty fun (LOVED Chapter V). It gives the player the chance to explore the individual potential of each character a lot more. The runes aren't my favorite mechanic, but for those who hunger for drawn out epic battles, it's perfect.
 
Level 14
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351
Kherek's battle is pretty tedious. While he is beatable, it's basically running around, hitting him with your spells, and waiting for the runes to quit respawning so quickly. I feel like it could have been sped up, because after awhile I just wasn't even having fun. Also, knowing that the runes will slow down eventually would be handy. I read the quest log and saw a tip pop up about the orb "dispersing," but I still wasn't clear on that.

I do like the scenario though. Anything where the heroes get to kind of split up I find pretty fun (LOVED Chapter V). It gives the player the chance to explore the individual potential of each character a lot more. The runes aren't my favorite mechanic, but for those who hunger for drawn out epic battles, it's perfect.

True, Kherek's battle is a long and hard slog, but that's not entirely unexpected - you've got two slow, tough, heavily armoured tanks fighting each other. Kherek's battle is meant to be the easiest of the lot (which it is once you know what to do), but is characterized by requiring a lot of endurance to win. Contrast that with Soul Reaver's battle against Maelstrom, which is much faster-paced. Did you find the other match-ups more fun?

Anyway, like you guessed, the reason I used the runes mechanic was precisely because I wanted a long, drawn out battle against the Warlords. At this point in the game, both the heroes and the villains are doing so much damage that one or two well-placed Ultimates would just end the battle immediately. It leaves too little room for either side to make errors. Just see the battle at the start if Chapter VII for an example - the fight against all those high-ranking heroes is decided in a matter of a few moments. I feel it would have been a bit anti-climatic if that was how the fight against the Warlords ended.

Thank you for the feedback though. I might take a look at the quest log to see if there's any way of making it clearer without turning it into outright instructions.
 
Level 3
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Sep 6, 2010
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52
What music did you use in the campaign? I really liked it and I would be happy if you told me the names of the songs.
 
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