• 🏆 Texturing Contest #33 is OPEN! Contestants must re-texture a SD unit model found in-game (Warcraft 3 Classic), recreating the unit into a peaceful NPC version. 🔗Click here to enter!
  • It's time for the first HD Modeling Contest of 2024. Join the theme discussion for Hive's HD Modeling Contest #6! Click here to post your idea!

Corrupted Ancients - Forestwalk

Corrupted Ancients
The Satyrs heed the call of the Legion and unite once more.
Desperately seeking the approval of their dark masters, the Corrupted Ancients enter the fray to spread forth their tainted seed.

The shadows call!

This is an edit of the melee map Forestwalk to include the Corrupted Ancients as a playable race.

The core design philosophy for the faction was to make them as true to their representation in the campaign as possible, incorporating everything they had in some way or another while striving to make them compatible with the melee game.

To play the Corrupted Ancients, select Night Elf at 90% handicap.

Information

Screenshots

Changelog

Credits

Authors Notes

This building guide is outdated and pending an edit. For now, though, enjoy the aesthetic.


[2021-10-23] Uploaded to Hiveworkshop.

[2021-10-23] Hotfix - Eternal Servitude level requirements and minor tooltip errors addressed.

[2021-10-24] Hotfix - Corrupted Ancients no longer leave Blight when killed in rooted form.
Wazzz
Blizzard
SgtWinter
Summer
Ujimasa Hojo
Vinz/Mythic
levigeorge1617
Uncle Fester
Spellbound
Bribe
Tasyen
quackerd
Flux
Nealdros
Peekay
Stefan.K
Retera
WyrWuulfe
JetFangInferno
DireFury

Did I miss anybody? Let me know and I'll correct that mistake as soon as possible!
This particular faction was a bit of a passion project for me, as I've not really seen the Corrupted Ancients done in a way that I've really liked. Usually it came down to one of two results - it was either very reminiscent of the campaign representation by using creep units with minimal editing, or it was done completely divorced from the campaign. I wanted to strike that medium that is somewhere in between.

Think I did a good job? I'd love to hear your thoughts. Think you can do the Corrupted Ancients better? Please, do so, I would love to see what you come up with :)

A special thanks to SgtWinter for his support on the project, and the Warcraft 3 Factioneers for their input. You're all stars, and I hope you enjoy the fruits of my labor!
Contents

Forestwalk - Corrupted Ancients (Map)

Reviews
deepstrasz
There's no difference between fighter and worker mode. The attack speed and values are the same, health and armour too, movement speed as well. Fel Spring says it gives 0 values. Buildings can be built outside blight so does it only impede enemy...
Level 13
Joined
Oct 31, 2017
Messages
128
It's finally out! Let's FREAKING gooooooo!

A Corrupted race that stays true to the original campaign representation, with an arsenal of weak and fragile early game units, and tricky spellcasters and specialists. Not to mention SKELETONS.

"The Corrupted race changed my life immediately. I got a wife, kids, and I now own a multi-billion dollar company. 10/10 IGN."
 
Level 2
Joined
Sep 9, 2018
Messages
8
This must be the most accurate representation of the Satyr race out there
Pros:
-Satyr is my favorite WoW race
-So many cool custom abilities spells and units
-Skeletons
-Very creative shop items
Cons:
-Satyr idle worker icon
-Some of the tooltips are scuffed, like the Fel Spring's
-Skeleton King can get ult at lvl 1
-Defiled Well shouldn't replenish health imo


"The Corrupted Ancients faction is a masterpiece that evolves gameplay, story telling and rich custom race design. 10/10 IGN."
 
Last edited:
Level 35
Joined
Feb 5, 2009
Messages
4,552
This must be the most accurate representation of the Satyr race out there
Pros:
-Satyr is my WoW favorite race
-So many cool custom abilities spells and units
-Skeletons
-Very creative shop items
Cons:
-You credited someone named Summer? who is he? i have never heard of him
-Satyr idle worker icon
-Some of the tooltips are scuffed, like the Fel Spring's
-Skeleton King can get ult at lvl 1
-Defiled Well shouldn't replenish health imo


"The Corrupted Ancients faction is a masterpiece that evolves gameplay, story telling and rich custom race design. 10/10 IGN."

I cannot believe I overlooked the level requirements for the Skeleton King's ult. I have shamed everyone, I'll do what I can but will also be filing in my resignation.

P.S. I haven't uploaded screenshots yet because for some reason taking screenshots stopped working temporarily, so I will need to address that to post some screenshots.
 
Last edited:
Level 5
Joined
Jun 18, 2021
Messages
39
I hope this isn't a stupid question but, is there any way to play it on older versions? I don't mind if it's 1.31.1
If there's a guide on how I can do it myself, I'll do it.
 
Level 28
Joined
May 14, 2021
Messages
1,095
I hope this isn't a stupid question but, is there any way to play it on older versions? I don't mind if it's 1.31.1
If there's a guide on how I can do it myself, I'll do it.
There isn't a way to play it on older versions unfortunately, it's been saved in the latest version and as far as I'm aware that means it's not compatible with previous versions. But that's as far as I'm aware, I might be wrong maybe?
The "Current" version in the description means the map is only playable on Reforged, which was 1.32.10. However, the map was still playable on Classic Mode. So there is no possible way to play this map on older versions.
 
Level 35
Joined
Feb 5, 2009
Messages
4,552
Minor nitpicks:
  • Skeleton from Cursed Blades don't benefit from upgrades (still uses old default one)
  • Is it just me or does the Fireball spell from the Satyr hero deal more damage than the tooltip suggests?
Anyway, great work! 10/10 IGN this change my life!
At the moment I used the default Skeleton Warriors from the Undead for them, but I can change this to be more appropriate to the faction if it feels appropriate. I guess I was a little concerned that I'd have to replicate the Skeleton Warriors to do so, although I could theoretically use the creep version of the Skeleton Warrior instead, but then I'd have different unit types for the same unit and that could be weird maybe? I guess I'll need to give it a think

As for the Fireball tooltip, I may have to look into that :p

Glad you liked it <3
 
Level 24
Joined
Feb 19, 2011
Messages
656
Great race. I can see a lot of thought and passion went into it.

Having the ability to remove worker classification... Brilliant. Why have I not thought of that?!

My one nitpick is the worker idle icon. I'm not a fan of it always being there. I understand you wanted a more immersive aspect, but it distracts me the whole time thinking i have idol workers.

"Thanks to you I have reunited with my long lost childhood bestfriend. We are set to get married on Oct 25th to commemorate the release date."
 
Level 35
Joined
Feb 5, 2009
Messages
4,552
The "Current" version in the description means the map is only playable on Reforged, which was 1.32.10. However, the map was still playable on Classic Mode. So there is no possible way to play this map on older versions.
I only just recently found out about this tool, I don't know if it will work but here's hoping it does: Map Adapter

Great race. I can see a lot of thought and passion went into it.

Having the ability to remove worker classification... Brilliant. Why have I not thought of that?!

My one nitpick is the worker idle icon. I'm not a fan of it always being there. I understand you wanted a more immersive aspect, but it distracts me the whole time thinking i have idol workers.

"Thanks to you I have reunited with my long lost childhood bestfriend. We are set to get married on Oct 25th to commemorate the release date."
Thank you very much :D

The worker idle icon, yeah... I've been trying out Tasyen's Custom UI System, I can turn that aspect off in it, maybe use a generic worker icon. I like being able to have the appropriate worker icon there, but it does come at that cost so it might be worth changing that part of it up a bit (especially since you're not the only one to have issues with it).
 

Kyrbi0

Arena Moderator
Level 44
Joined
Jul 29, 2008
Messages
9,487
Finally!

This goes on the long list of "Things to test out & respond to", but I'd be remiss if I didn't make at least a token post here: I'm very pleased & intrigued by what you've got going on here, based on all our conversations about it's design. Your drive to follow in my footsteps err take my advice err embrace my ethos of designing things based on the campaign/pre-existing game is beyond commendable, and really quite impressive; you've taken things even further than I would've, which is impressive. xD I'll be testing it out, but I'm honestly unsure if I could do it better. 😯

But most of all you made your own version of the classic.battle.net Mojo Stormstout-guide techtree infographic. 💙

//EDIT// frickin frick. "Pelvis Costello"?????? You absolute madlad. Alright, you win this round.
 
Level 35
Joined
Feb 5, 2009
Messages
4,552
Finally!

This goes on the long list of "Things to test out & respond to", but I'd be remiss if I didn't make at least a token post here: I'm very pleased & intrigued by what you've got going on here, based on all our conversations about it's design. Your drive to follow in my footsteps err take my advice err embrace my ethos of designing things based on the campaign/pre-existing game is beyond commendable, and really quite impressive; you've taken things even further than I would've, which is impressive. xD I'll be testing it out, but I'm honestly unsure if I could do it better. 😯

But most of all you made your own version of the classic.battle.net Mojo Stormstout-guide techtree infographic. 💙

//EDIT// frickin frick. "Pelvis Costello"?????? You absolute madlad. Alright, you win this round.

I just can't get into that newfangled style the kids are doing where everything's all about racial abilities and intricate systems changing the gameplay completely. What happened to good old fashioned values where the effort of those intricate systems was put into making a simple spell like Weaken work, on auto-cast, in a game where Spell Steal exists?

I totally have to update that infographic at some point, but speaking of updates, I think I'll polish things up a bit for a balance update soon (tm). Just a few updates like that, but I doubt I'll finagle too much with balance on this one outside of that, mostly want to make sure it has a fun flow to it without getting too OCD about specific match ups.
 

Kyrbi0

Arena Moderator
Level 44
Joined
Jul 29, 2008
Messages
9,487
I just can't get into that newfangled style the kids are doing where everything's all about racial abilities and intricate systems changing the gameplay completely. What happened to good old fashioned values where the effort of those intricate systems was put into making a simple spell like Weaken work, on auto-cast, in a game where Spell Steal exists?

I totally have to update that infographic at some point, but speaking of updates, I think I'll polish things up a bit for a balance update soon (tm). Just a few updates like that, but I doubt I'll finagle too much with balance on this one outside of that, mostly want to make sure it has a fun flow to it without getting too OCD about specific match ups.
Spell Steal was a mistake
 
Level 14
Joined
Jul 3, 2015
Messages
61
Corrupted Ancients has everything one could ask for in an evil race. It's got skeletons, demons, skeletons on fire, giant spiders, skeletons on fire while riding giant vultures, sludge monsters, a punny skeleton that summons more skeletons (that aren't on fire)... etc. etc.

Sludge flingers are a super fun unit but it's a pretty strange idea to have a unit that costs you more food after it dies than while it's alive.
I love how you made blightmeld a thing. Shadowdancers could be great for defensive hit and run tactics if only the blight growth for this race wasn't stunted by having it be removed when ancients uproot and having no units/items to spread it across the map. So you'd only be using this ability when the enemy is already in your base or if you want your shadowdancers to hang out in an undead base. If the map allowed for 2v2 it could be useful but without an undead ally this ability is made pointless because of vanish.
Burning archers and the units built in the corrupted ancient of war are designed around hit and run tactics and damage over time effects. Maybe it's just me but I struggled with these units when I wasn't relying on the sludge flinger's sludge ability or the hellcaller's speed aura. With average movement speeds and below average turn rates paired with low health points and armour it feels like you lose out when trading volleys.
For burning archers this is a different story because when they mount up on those oversized vultures they become a much, much better unit. They become flying, gain movement speed, have pretty good regeneration while being off blight, and get tankier. The only real downside to vulture riders is the amount of wood you need to invest before you can even train them and then the extra wood to get their essential ability: burning oil.
Defilers are useful except for their first spell. I wish you added a cast range to mind rot or had it be non-dispellable because you'd have to be a crazy person to order your super squishy support to walk through the enemy army to cast a spell that can just be dispelled immediately afterwards. It's just not worth it.

All the heroes seem a little powerful (espesically you, incinerator!) but you just have to admit they're a joy to play.
I personally loved using the darkener to throw bat soup at the enemy but feels too powerful against the AI. When I used it against insane humans they refused to socially distance their workers and it caused their economy to collapse after my third wave.
The hellcaller is probably the weakest of the heroes but his aura is great and his ultimate, well... his ultimate has no cooldown. That means he can cast it back to back 3 times if he has a mana potion handy. Then you have a whole bunch of heavy-hitting (and spooky) ghosts with magic damage while your enemy has a whole bunch of banished units primed up for a game-ending beat down. Fun when you're the one doing it but I don't think it's as fun when you're on the receiving end.
I also like the similarities in design between the hellcaller's ultimate and the darkener's. Reminds me of the night elves and how tranquility and starfall are similar.

And a special mention for being able to upgrade an item you buy from your shop. Haven't seen that before and while the upgrade itself isn't terribly useful the idea is pretty grand.

Seeing that this race has quite a bit of micro-heavy units and a fairly wide array of debuffs and summons. Add in that it has no AoE dispel (seriously, that's even worse than undead) and their only unit that can dispel being pretty unreliable I can see mirror matches being a magnificently chaotic, but enjoyable, mess.

Also, some minor bugs I found while playing:

  • Shadowdancer and soulstealer share the same hotkey.
  • The hotkeys for shadowdancer's abilities are counterintuitive. Weaken's hotkey is 'C', vanish's is 'B', and hallucination shares the same hotkey as hold position.
  • Same thing with defiler. Miasma's hotkey is 'C', and blighted weapons is 'F'
  • The twisted weapons and skeletal marksmanship upgrades share the same hotkey.
  • Strength of corruption's hotkey is 'W'
  • Renew says it renews night elf buildings.
  • Darkener and hellcaller share the same hotkey as do the skeleton king and incinerator.
  • Havoc has the same hotkey as hold position.
  • Oil fire looks like slow poison.
  • Workers can't be selected when they're building structures.
I also found two fairly major bugs. The first is that when plague treants kill a unit sometimes the corrupted treants that spawn are permanent (no timed life at all) and have the locust ability.
unclickablepurpletrees.png

When I saw that bug I went “oh, gotta check the replay to try and find out why that's happening!” so I quit the game, hit watch replay, then was greeted by this:
jumpscareofdeath.png
and now I have to explain to my therapist why I have nightmares of pixelated satyrs snarling at me.

"Corrupted Ancients saved my marriage from falling apart and now our bond is stronger than ever before. Even my career has reached an all-time high! This is truly the GOAT race! 10/10 IGN."
 
Level 35
Joined
Feb 5, 2009
Messages
4,552
Corrupted Ancients has everything one could ask for in an evil race. It's got skeletons, demons, skeletons on fire, giant spiders, skeletons on fire while riding giant vultures, sludge monsters, a punny skeleton that summons more skeletons (that aren't on fire)... etc. etc.

Sludge flingers are a super fun unit but it's a pretty strange idea to have a unit that costs you more food after it dies than while it's alive.
I love how you made blightmeld a thing. Shadowdancers could be great for defensive hit and run tactics if only the blight growth for this race wasn't stunted by having it be removed when ancients uproot and having no units/items to spread it across the map. So you'd only be using this ability when the enemy is already in your base or if you want your shadowdancers to hang out in an undead base. If the map allowed for 2v2 it could be useful but without an undead ally this ability is made pointless because of vanish.
Burning archers and the units built in the corrupted ancient of war are designed around hit and run tactics and damage over time effects. Maybe it's just me but I struggled with these units when I wasn't relying on the sludge flinger's sludge ability or the hellcaller's speed aura. With average movement speeds and below average turn rates paired with low health points and armour it feels like you lose out when trading volleys.
For burning archers this is a different story because when they mount up on those oversized vultures they become a much, much better unit. They become flying, gain movement speed, have pretty good regeneration while being off blight, and get tankier. The only real downside to vulture riders is the amount of wood you need to invest before you can even train them and then the extra wood to get their essential ability: burning oil.
Defilers are useful except for their first spell. I wish you added a cast range to mind rot or had it be non-dispellable because you'd have to be a crazy person to order your super squishy support to walk through the enemy army to cast a spell that can just be dispelled immediately afterwards. It's just not worth it.

All the heroes seem a little powerful (espesically you, incinerator!) but you just have to admit they're a joy to play.
I personally loved using the darkener to throw bat soup at the enemy but feels too powerful against the AI. When I used it against insane humans they refused to socially distance their workers and it caused their economy to collapse after my third wave.
The hellcaller is probably the weakest of the heroes but his aura is great and his ultimate, well... his ultimate has no cooldown. That means he can cast it back to back 3 times if he has a mana potion handy. Then you have a whole bunch of heavy-hitting (and spooky) ghosts with magic damage while your enemy has a whole bunch of banished units primed up for a game-ending beat down. Fun when you're the one doing it but I don't think it's as fun when you're on the receiving end.
I also like the similarities in design between the hellcaller's ultimate and the darkener's. Reminds me of the night elves and how tranquility and starfall are similar.

And a special mention for being able to upgrade an item you buy from your shop. Haven't seen that before and while the upgrade itself isn't terribly useful the idea is pretty grand.

Seeing that this race has quite a bit of micro-heavy units and a fairly wide array of debuffs and summons. Add in that it has no AoE dispel (seriously, that's even worse than undead) and their only unit that can dispel being pretty unreliable I can see mirror matches being a magnificently chaotic, but enjoyable, mess.

Also, some minor bugs I found while playing:

  • Shadowdancer and soulstealer share the same hotkey.
  • The hotkeys for shadowdancer's abilities are counterintuitive. Weaken's hotkey is 'C', vanish's is 'B', and hallucination shares the same hotkey as hold position.
  • Same thing with defiler. Miasma's hotkey is 'C', and blighted weapons is 'F'
  • The twisted weapons and skeletal marksmanship upgrades share the same hotkey.
  • Strength of corruption's hotkey is 'W'
  • Renew says it renews night elf buildings.
  • Darkener and hellcaller share the same hotkey as do the skeleton king and incinerator.
  • Havoc has the same hotkey as hold position.
  • Oil fire looks like slow poison.
  • Workers can't be selected when they're building structures.
I also found two fairly major bugs. The first is that when plague treants kill a unit sometimes the corrupted treants that spawn are permanent (no timed life at all) and have the locust ability.

When I saw that bug I went “oh, gotta check the replay to try and find out why that's happening!” so I quit the game, hit watch replay, then was greeted by this:
View attachment 390840and now I have to explain to my therapist why I have nightmares of pixelated satyrs snarling at me.

"Corrupted Ancients saved my marriage from falling apart and now our bond is stronger than ever before. Even my career has reached an all-time high! This is truly the GOAT race! 10/10 IGN."
I'm very glad you liked it :D
It does seem there's more than I initially thought that I had to update in a new update. The Hellcaller's ultimate having no cooldown must have been overlooked in playtests since we... often neglected the little guy lol.

Unfortunately some issues may not be readily fixable. For instance, the worker not being selectable while constructing seems to be a combination of using the Orc building method with Night Elf structures - although I may be able to fix that come to think of it, so I'll have a look. The replay issue is one I've not heard of before, and I think this would be due to Tasyen's UI system that I'm using which... admittedly is hilarious to me. I'm not even sure why it's doing that, but damn that's imposing.

I think some of the issues I have so far fixed, such as Oil Fire appearing as Slow Poison (iirc, I neglected to change the buff model on that, and I think I've fixed it but I'll need to double check that. That uh... Corrupted Treant bug, though... I'm going to need to try and figure out what's causing that, that's very very wrong D:

Thanks for such an indepth review, it should give me a clearer view of what needs to be fixed :D
 

deepstrasz

Map Reviewer
Level 68
Joined
Jun 4, 2009
Messages
18,708
There's no difference between fighter and worker mode. The attack speed and values are the same, health and armour too, movement speed as well.
Fel Spring says it gives 0 values.
Buildings can be built outside blight so does it only impede enemy building on it? Does it heal or give any benefit to satyrs?

Generally nice. Could be a bit more different than Night Elves+Undead.

Approved.


If you want more reviews, you should participate in the The Grand Review Exchange!

R U L E S

Site Rules
Map Submission Rules


M A P - D E S C R I P T I O N
BB CODES
BB Codes | HIVE

MELEE MAPS
Description Guide - Melee Maps
Describing Your Melee Map
Melee Map Description Generator v1.3


MAPS IN GENERAL
The importance of a Description
Description Guide - Maps
Map Thread Guide
Map Description Making: Good & Bad
Map Description - Templates
Map Description Generator [1.2]

How to Add a Screenshot to your Map Description


ADDITIONAL NECESSARY INFORMATION
  • A credits list in the map thread description is required where the names of the resource (models, skins, icons, spells, sound etc.) authors are mentioned along with the specific resource. It would be a luxury to have links leading to the used resources. Credits in the Quest Log would be appreciated too.
  • A detailed changelog in the first post would be helpful to reviewers and notify fans about the newest implementations to your map.
  • Map thread tags are important. Please use those that fit and not more or none.


M A P - C R E A T I O N - G U I D E S

If you're not satisfied with the review and wish another opinion, contact the other reviewers or use the staff contact:
Wazzz
Alexen
https://www.hiveworkshop.com/forums/staff-contact.692/
 
Level 35
Joined
Feb 5, 2009
Messages
4,552
There's no difference between fighter and worker mode. The attack speed and values are the same, health and armour too, movement speed as well.
Fel Spring says it gives 0 values.
Buildings can be built outside blight so does it only impede enemy building on it? Does it heal or give any benefit to satyrs?

Generally nice. Could be a bit more different than Night Elves+Undead.

Approved.


If you want more reviews, you should participate in the The Grand Review Exchange!

R U L E S

Site Rules
Map Submission Rules


M A P - D E S C R I P T I O N
BB CODES
BB Codes | HIVE

MELEE MAPS
Description Guide - Melee Maps
Describing Your Melee Map
Melee Map Description Generator v1.3


MAPS IN GENERAL
The importance of a Description
Description Guide - Maps
Map Thread Guide
Map Description Making: Good & Bad
Map Description - Templates
Map Description Generator [1.2]

How to Add a Screenshot to your Map Description


ADDITIONAL NECESSARY INFORMATION
  • A credits list in the map thread description is required where the names of the resource (models, skins, icons, spells, sound etc.) authors are mentioned along with the specific resource. It would be a luxury to have links leading to the used resources. Credits in the Quest Log would be appreciated too.
  • A detailed changelog in the first post would be helpful to reviewers and notify fans about the newest implementations to your map.
  • Map thread tags are important. Please use those that fit and not more or none.


M A P - C R E A T I O N - G U I D E S

If you're not satisfied with the review and wish another opinion, contact the other reviewers or use the staff contact:
Wazzz
Alexen
https://www.hiveworkshop.com/forums/staff-contact.692/
The fighter and worker mode for the Satyr adds/removes the worker tag. The functionality there is based purely around the unit classification which, if they have it, they won't auto-acquire targets and they will come up as an idle worker.

I have some dang tooltip issues though :(

At the moment the Blight serves to regenerate mana on the Defiled Wells, enables regeneration for the Undead components (such as the Burning Archer, Skeleton King (and his summons) and the Darkener), and also allows the Shadowdancer to use "Blightmeld". The Blight also only appears as long as the Corrupted Ancients are rooted, so it's a bit more limited than the Blight the Undead use.

Also the Blight was in the campaign and the race was following the theme of the campaign so I felt it needed to be added in some way or another, which is also where a bit of the Undead + Night Elf feel comes from :p
 
Top