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Mars Lighthouse 1.01

This bundle is marked as useful / simple. Simplicity is bliss, low effort and/or may contain minor bugs.
Mars Lighthouse
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This is a 128x128 melee map designed for 1vs1 players. It is designed with the dungeon tile-set with a mix of ICC and Northrend Ice and Village brown paths. ( I used like 10,230 doodads).
I designed this map as a fire/ice theme.

I designed the map with a 1.26 version (I didn´t want to risk crashes and bugs with the 1.29 and more versions still being tested).

This is my entry for the contest ( maybe I will edit it to adjust something before time is out, like a bug if I detect something):

Melee Mapping Contest #2


Neutrals buildings and creeps




-6 gold mines:
gold in bases: 12500;
gold in first expanding: 12500 (orange creeps, level 14;
gold in second expanding: 15000 (red creeps, level 21).

- 2 goblin markets defended with level 16 orange creeps.

- 1 unguarded tavern in the center.

- 2 dungeon mercenary camps near base defended with a level 12 orange creep.

- 1 Lordaeron summer mercenary camp defended with a level 18 orange creep.

- 1 Outland/Black citadel mercenary camp defended with a level 17 orange creep.

- 1 marketplace and defended with a level 23 red creep.

- 1 mana fountain defended with a level 22 red creep

- 2 goblin labs defended with level 19 orange creeps.

Creeps amount

- 6 green creeps (3 per player),all defending nothing.

- 20 orange creeps (defending goblin labs, goblin markets, goldmines, mercenary camps, and some defending nothing.

- 4 Red creeps (2 in far goldmines; 1 in marketplace; 1 in mana fountain).


Strategy



Night elfs (tested by me):

1) Place the first age of war near the mercenary camp for AOW creeping, then leave it there to produce units.
2) Buy the burning archer.
3) Place the second age of war near the goblin market for AOW creeping, use a wisp to repair while combat.
4) Go for the goldmine and expand.

5) If you want to go to the goblin market before the the mercenary camp, it can be done safe, but I really sugest two wisp for repair the AOW or do it with 1 wisp but with micro manage eating trees (2 archers and the demon hunter hero).

Humans (tested by me):

1) With the barrack/ altar and farms you can wall one of the 3 paths.

2) Creep the goldmine (orange creep) with the paladin, 5 militia and 2 footman. Use holy light

Note: the creep has one unit level 3 melee with no skills, 1 burning archer with fire arrows, 1 cold archer with cold arrows, and 1 unit level 5 melee with evasion. The camp can be taken down with the units I said and no casualties, holy light and retreat units of course.
So humans can fast expand.

Undeads (tested by me):

1) There are critters: pinguins, rabbits, seals and rats (near the creeps) to use the rod of necromancy and rise undeads.

2) with 2 necrophages/ gouls , 1 hero (I used the death knight), and 1 rod of necromancy (used 1 time on critter and a second time by killing a murloc level 3) I took down the mercenary camp creeps with no casualties. (heal necrophages and retreat one of them).

Orcs:

1) Blade master with critical hit, 1-2 grunt and kill the main unit for items.

General strategy:

- Bases has 3 access points, and a wide safe area to build buildings.

- One of the 3 paths, (the path to the mercenary camp, is more near base) can be walled fast (start) with barrack/altar, farm/zigurat. NE can wall a bit later with hunter hall instead of Ancient of war.

- For orcs, humans and undeads, the saw mill, cementery, I advise it to put it back of the base to havervest wood better. Shops should be back too. (enemy tend to try to destroy the shop).

- First Expandings has 3 access points.

- Second expandings has 2 access points.

- Fast way to reach from one base to another is by the main diagonal path (tavern path).

- The mercenary camp near base allows to get units, but it is placed in a out-game area.

- Going to the first expansions allows to get near the goblin lab, wich is the only way to reach the marketplace (warden can`t teleport). The goblin lab creeps loot a potion of invisibility and it can be used to buy items in day time.

- Going to the second expansion allows to reach the mana fountain. The use will be more important at night until the red creep is killed.

- The tavern, marketplace, mana fountian and 2 mercenary camps are ment for competition.

- The scorpid orange creep camp loot sentry wards item with 100%, for temporally scout the paths/neutral buildings.



Fictional history


Mars Lighthouse is one of the 4 Lighthouses of the Golden Sun saga. Mars represents the element of fire. This Lighthouse is located in a cold region.
The town in the south-west region is called Prox, where fire adepts born.
The waterfalls in the north-west region represents the waterfalls of the end of the world.


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Imported material has been used, the credits are also inside the game as an informative quest (if the map is uploaded in others sites)


Changelog




Version 1.00 upload for the contest
Updated saturday 15-09-18, added doodads (trees), now 10,230

Updated sunday 16-09-18 fixed aggro in the lordaeron summer merc. camp (the one near the mana fountain), adjusted critters position.

Updated tuesday 18-09-18, I made a huge mistake with my creeps selection in the merc camp near the marketplace (had a bad feeling all this time with that camp), 2 void walkers level 6 with lighthining chain and frost armor are hard ones, I replaced 1 voidwalker with a 1 fire revanant level 3 with inmolation (= to level 1 inmolation of NE hero) and low HP, and 2 void phantoms level 1 with no skill. Creep level 17, now is more easy to camp.


Updated wednesday 19-09-18, my poison creep was hard for orcs. While with HU and NE I can heal myself with wells and the paladin, so it was ok. With orcs I got my grunts in bad shape and had to waste 200 gold to heal me. I had 2 scorpids level 4 with poison and shadow strike, changed the creep, now only 1 scorpid has poison and shadow strike. Creep level reduced from 12 to 11.

Updated thursday 20-09-18: added inside game screens showing play.
Changed the permanent level 3 loot of 4 creep camps. (to avoid the repetition of 2 rings of protection + 3 if someone goes for the two goblin markets in a row, while the other user goes for the goblin lab/marketplace).

V. 1.01

Changes here:

Mars Lighthouse 1.01



Credits



Map made by Ragnaros17

Models credits (all from Hiveworkshop):

Anvil by Blood Raven
Barracks by Mike
Bell Tower by HerrDave
Blue Dragon Nexus by MatiS
ChaosCitadel by HappyTauren
Farms by Mike
FountainofAyleidWater by skrab
FrozenFountain by Elenai
Forge2V49 by Yayoi
Granary by Mike
Houses by Mike
Lava by HappyTauren
Marketplace by Mike
Round Log Pile by funkid2
Stables by Hayate and Mike
Stonemason by Mike
Watermill by Mike
Window02 by Tranquil
Contents

Mars Lighthouse (Map)

Reviews
deepstrasz
Approved based on reviews here: Melee Mapping Contest #2 - Results
twojstaryjakcie
I will actually set this map to Awaiting Update, because numerous issues mentioned in the contest reviews have not yet been addressed.
Level 29
Joined
May 21, 2013
Messages
1,635
This definitely gives me a "Starbound" feeling for the terrain style with monster selection.
It also reminds me of Skyrim a little...

"Starbound"

Thanks a lot, I did this map in 24 days(started the 22 Aug.) (to do it slow and focus on details).

"Skyrim", ... "Skyrim belongs to the norths!!", "I was an adveturer like you, then I took an arrow in the knee.

Yeah I understand you at 100%.
 
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Level 10
Joined
Oct 26, 2016
Messages
160
A nice map created from you.
I do like the concept of the terrain and the selection of types of creeps.

Good thing that you made abundant places for AOW creeping
and one of two expos are protected by strong creeps.

The only two concerns I have are

1) Tree wall is too thin. It might not be sufficient enough to block or protect the base entries.
2) Some neutral buildings, such as fountain of mana and marketplace might harm the balance. It is likely that the fountain of mana is going to favor certain races which has healing abilities.

Yet, the quality of the map is high overall, showing a notable improvement in your map making skill!
 
Level 29
Joined
May 21, 2013
Messages
1,635
A nice map created from you.
I do like the concept of the terrain and the selection of types of creeps.

Good thing that you made abundant places for AOW creeping
and one of two expos are protected by strong creeps.

The only two concerns I have are

1) Tree wall is too thin. It might not be sufficient enough to block or protect the base entries.
2) Some neutral buildings, such as fountain of mana and marketplace might harm the balance. It is likely that the fountain of mana is going to favor certain races which has healing abilities.

Yet, the quality of the map is high overall, showing a notable improvement in your map making skill!


thanks!!!!, yes this map is my best (more time dedicated).


1) thanks for that hint, I will consider it, i don´t want to do chokepoints, but I will see if I can add more wood.

2) About the marketplace, well I am aiming to have the best marketplace balanced and that means have it in a zone that can only be access by zeppeling, plus is out-of-game, you risk to have your hero / army out of a defensive/offensive position. Competitive melee play is like AOS you can´t risk being out of position unless you get a very good reward.

About the mana fountain, I agree that health fountains benefit orcs.
But I think the mana benefit all casters of all races, not only healing: AOE skills like the ground pikes of the nerubian lord are quite nasty. I think that doing damage can be more harmfull than healing. Bramar skill + attack improves in the hunters hall is dangerous.

Also I need the mana fountain to counter the marketplace. It won´t worth to go there to kill a red creep, but its worth to retreat there to full the mana, specially on night.


Here I link a video of Orange playing Secret valley with 2 health fountains and in the middle!!!! fun play!!. My fountain of mana is very out-of game (corner) so is not like to be there because your main base will be undefended. Also the red creep has a dragon level 6 with splash damage so is gonna be for late game (and having the 2do expansion).


I know I am risking with the mana fountain and marketplace (and I am not the only one doing it), but hey If I don´t risk I won´t win.
 
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Level 5
Joined
Mar 1, 2018
Messages
47
Hi Ragnaros, here is my review:

Big fan of mixed tilesets, and I think the red / ice combination is quite a pleasing mix you have chosen - unique and appealing.
I like the overall layout, and creeps chosen.

Here is my points you could change / add:

1) the two "Ogre Magi orange camps" toward the middle, are too strong for the reward. To fix this, only have 1 Ogre Magi, instead of 2. SO Level 5 Ogre Magi, level 4 Troll beserker, and Level 2 Priest, to make it level 11 (still orange) but reducing difficulty slightly.

2) I would personally make the two Mercenary camps in the middle, Goblin Merchant shops instead (move current location to merc camps in middle). You already have a merc camp either side somehwat 'behind' the main bases, I don't see the reason behind adding two more in the middle. I'd prefer these to be shops to fight over and control in the 'center'. (Keep the creeps from goblin shop, remove the merc camp ones the 'Bandit Lord' feel a bit out of place.

3) If you were to move the shops to replace middle Mercs, I would move the 4 / 4 / 3 /1 "Arachnathid" camp around where the Goblin Shop currently is, and facing toward the main bases. This will also make the area around the base a little more cluttered, as you have many camps around the base

4) You have x2 sets of 'Level 2 charged' drops, which I generally disagree with on pretty much all 1v1 maps, because Sentry Wards, Lightning shield are too strong, if you get twice in a row. I prefer 2x sets of 'Level 2 permanent' , which I find more balanced item drops. Maybe change the Polar bear/frost wolf/ troll priest/ beserker camp to 1 Polar Bear + 2 frost wolves + 1 troll priest for level 10 total, and level 2 permanent.


Spacing of the map is very good, you have given players plenty of options and room to fight which I like very much. the map will be unique in games, because there is many camps and options, creating potential long and epic games with options for 2 expansions each player and red camps which are in center to fight over.

Goodluck in the contest
 
Level 29
Joined
May 21, 2013
Messages
1,635
Hi Ragnaros, here is my review:

Big fan of mixed tilesets, and I think the red / ice combination is quite a pleasing mix you have chosen - unique and appealing.
I like the overall layout, and creeps chosen.

Here is my points you could change / add:

1) the two "Ogre Magi orange camps" toward the middle, are too strong for the reward. To fix this, only have 1 Ogre Magi, instead of 2. SO Level 5 Ogre Magi, level 4 Troll beserker, and Level 2 Priest, to make it level 11 (still orange) but reducing difficulty slightly.

2) I would personally make the two Mercenary camps in the middle, Goblin Merchant shops instead (move current location to merc camps in middle). You already have a merc camp either side somehwat 'behind' the main bases, I don't see the reason behind adding two more in the middle. I'd prefer these to be shops to fight over and control in the 'center'. (Keep the creeps from goblin shop, remove the merc camp ones the 'Bandit Lord' feel a bit out of place.

3) If you were to move the shops to replace middle Mercs, I would move the 4 / 4 / 3 /1 "Arachnathid" camp around where the Goblin Shop currently is, and facing toward the main bases. This will also make the area around the base a little more cluttered, as you have many camps around the base

4) You have x2 sets of 'Level 2 charged' drops, which I generally disagree with on pretty much all 1v1 maps, because Sentry Wards, Lightning shield are too strong, if you get twice in a row. I prefer 2x sets of 'Level 2 permanent' , which I find more balanced item drops. Maybe change the Polar bear/frost wolf/ troll priest/ beserker camp to 1 Polar Bear + 2 frost wolves + 1 troll priest for level 10 total, and level 2 permanent.


Spacing of the map is very good, you have given players plenty of options and room to fight which I like very much. the map will be unique in games, because there is many camps and options, creating potential long and epic games with options for 2 expansions each player and red camps which are in center to fight over.

Goodluck in the contest

your sugestions seems to be very good ones!!!, I don´t think I could implement them before contest ends because I am paiting my house.

1) ogre magi camp, is not that hard, it doesn´t have a tank like the orgre mauler level 5 ( 1 mauler and 1 magi is more strong than 2 magi), just the mages (spell casters and the trolls, with no ensnare skill wich makes more easy to micro the wounded)
is a level 14 creep maybe is in the middle line, a bit too much for a level 2 but to low for a level 3 items, a permenent level 2 seems ok, I prefer a bit low drop than high drop.

2) interesting, the reason is to have conection and push the center to domain the map, also the merc camps back have more easy units than the others in the center, healer and one with inmolation.
the reason is they are different tile-sets, different units.
in the dungeon merc camp , at back, tank is level 4
in the lordaeron summer merc camp, tank is level 5.

3) the creep is a 4/3/3/1, I updated that camp, I would not like to put a poison creep in a goblin merchant do to balance. Poison is bad to orcs.

4) sentry wards at 100% is a common thing, and scouting has a high value, no need to build a farm, if you have info you can use it against the enemy,. some people use the rune of the watcher wich I don´t like that much because is invulnerable and no time limit.

about the lighthining shield, while I read a lot of bad comments to that item, I saw it in use in some plays and its is quite fun.
if your units gets that thing, send it to the enemy and he will suffer,!!!, the chances of getting 2 of those are 0,16x0,16 = 0,0256

thats = 2.56 % , it means that from 100 plays only 3 plays will may loot 2 ligthing wand in a row, is a really low chance, worst that the hard mounts in wow dungeons. Is a strong item but I put them with teh charged level 3, the scroll of the beast seems to be more powerfull combined with users who upgrade weapons instead of armor, and combined with the scroll of protection of the goblin market, thats hard.

"the 'Bandit Lord' feel a bit out of place." not agree
there is a town nearby, where is a town, there may be bandits, and it fits with the bandits mages with the water elementals near the water parts.

it has much more place than my swamp creeps or my voidwalkers creeps wich don´t match with other parts.

I even recognice that the mana creeps seems a pop up invasion in that town, but it mirages the marketplace creeps (ice / fire dragons)

"the map will be unique in games, because there is many camps and options, creating potential long and epic games"

thanks a lot !!,

probably there are tons of things (hidden) in this map that I don´t know/ tested, but well , I am glad that I put a lot of effort in it.
 
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Level 29
Joined
May 21, 2013
Messages
1,635
I will actually set this map to Awaiting Update, because numerous issues mentioned in the contest reviews have not yet been addressed.

-The bases themselves have a terrible layout that
makes walling off to defend tier 2 and workers impossible. They are way to exposed and open
with multiple entry points that are all closely connected, making defense hard and harrashment
powerful, espically with the short distance.

Improved


- the natural expansion is too close to the starting location and too easy for humans – it
can be cleared with 1 archmage, a footman and 4 militia without any losses and grants a
whole level to the archmage

Creep level changed from 14 to 16, also it is now more far


- dead ends near starting locations and the bottom left area seem confusing and rather
unnecessary

Improved


- the natural expo creep grants either gloves of haste or staff of tp – one item is incredibly
mediocre, the other is very good (also, it’s kind of unusual for creeps to drop staff of tp)

removed the staff

- merchant creep camp is easily abusable by blademaster windwalking behind berserkers
thus making it impossible for the wolves to attack him – this means that blademaster can
kill both berserkers at level 1 and run away with 136 experience (out of 200 needed for lv2)

changed the creep


Overall, without the blademaster issue and the glaring easy-natural-expansion-for-humans
problem, the map feels quite solid balance-wise,

both fixed (I think)


I think this should do....
 
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Level 8
Joined
Feb 4, 2017
Messages
111
Alright, you've made certain changes, but I think you forgot to do a few things or misinterpreted some issues.

✅ The natural expansion is still quite close, but, more importantly, it's still possible to clear it with the same amount of units as before (I actually even tried doing it without the Footman and still didn't lose a single unit).

✅ The top natural expansion still drops the Staff of Teleportation (the bottom expansion drops only gloves as you probably intended).

✅ You changed the Trolls at the Goblin Merchant camp, but the "troll-blocking" can still be manipulated which means a Blademaster can sit behind the Troll Warlord and receive damage from only one wolf. This means a Blademaster can kill the Warlord and run away with 120 xp and an item - a rather questionable improvement. Maybe instead of changing creeps you could simply remove some trees, so that wolves can go around the trolls in the back?

Dead ends have indeed been removed, no problems here.

The starting locations seem possible to defend against harass, so again, no problems here.


Edit: Further changes have been made, map is fit for approval.
 
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Level 29
Joined
May 21, 2013
Messages
1,635
Alright, you've made certain changes, but I think you forgot to do a few things or misinterpreted some issues..[/COLOR]

The natural expansion is still quite close, but, more importantly, it's still possible to clear it with the same amount of units as before (I actually even tried doing it without the Footman and still didn't lose a single unit).

now level 17 creep is a 6-5-3-3, more and it will be almost a red.

The top natural expansion still drops the Staff of Teleportation (the bottom expansion drops only gloves as you probably intended).

yup, my mistake, fixed

You changed the Trolls at the Goblin Merchant camp, but the "troll-blocking" can still be manipulated which means a Blademaster can sit behind the Troll Warlord and receive damage from only one wolf. This means a Blademaster can kill the Warlord and run away with 120 xp and an item - a rather questionable improvement. Maybe instead of changing creeps you could simply remove some trees, so that wolves can go around the trolls in the back?

oh sorry ,yeah I didn´t get it, now it should work
 
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