Defenders of Pandaria

[MoCo]

DEFENDERS OF PANDARIA

Hey,

this is a defense/RPG map work-in-progress that takes place in the idyllic lands of Pandaria.

Story/Background:

The well known Chen Stormstout has become old and travelled back to Mikari, the village of his childhood. He want's to take a seat, enjoy the rest of his life and just brew some ale.
Unfortunately, it seems, that a new threat has arrived to the lands of Pandaria. Creatures that once were peacefully are gettin mad and well known things are getting more and more strange.
Dark portals have spawned all over the lands and hostile forces start trying to invade Pandaria.
But what do they seek? Why do they threaten these peaceful lands?
The small village of Mikari is the first encounter for the invasion. If Mikari falls, whole Pandaria might fall into a new darkness.

The hope of Pandaria lies on 6 young heroes, guided by the wisdom and experience of Chen, that will face the dark menace and will stand bravely to defend Mikari and whole Pandaria:
The tough sumo Lo'Wang, the swift ninja Kira, the hotheaded tigerian berserker Jubei, the ale-loving monk Boseiju and the wise but distracted mage Tai'Cheng.

It is on your, to keep and restore the peace for Pandaria!

Specs:

- fast paced rpg flavoured defense gameplay
- 1-6 players (3 recommended)
- mmorpg inspired character classes (tank, healer, damage dealer, hybrids etc.)
- detailled and beautiful terrain
- easy to get into, but challenging combat
- 4 difficulty modes
- attribute based spells
- completly written in jass
- health- & mana indicators
- hero talk/comment system
- a huge bunch of custom content

Some Features in Detail

The power of Abilties directly depends on the hero's attributes
This offers a smooth increase of hero powers and makes ability balancing a lot easier in some ways, especially when deciding to change the hero max levels.

Character classes design
It has a high focus on team play. Each character is equipped with spells that fit his role in the group. Combat situations need quite a lot of micro-management and spells have to be used frequently.

Hero Talk System
Depending on triggered events, quests or just randomly, the heroes will give some comments or talk about things.
One the one hand, this is meant to push the story, on the other hand, it's supposed to add a certain amount of humor to the map with some funny dialogs and comments etc. and it should add more character-depth to the heroes.
Because interrupting the game with cinematics/breaks can be very annoying, the hero comments will be realized with game text messages and floating text.

Heroes in Detail

Lo'Wang (Sumo)
Abilities: Heroic Strike, ???, Battleshout, Spirit of Pandaria, Taunt, ???
Characteristics: the inofficial leader of the group, brave personality, uses proverbs if possible

Boseiju (Monk)
Abilities: Healing Touch, Holy Nova, Shield, Shadowword Pain, Fear
Characteristics: he's a big fan of beer and ale of any kind..

Kira (Ninja)
Abilities: Deadly Strike, Fan of Knives, Cheap Shot, Backstab, Stealth, Sprint, ???
Characteristics: very beautiful (for pandaren taste), very impatient, always seeks to be in front of the action

Tai'Cheng (Elemental Mage)
Abilities: Lightning Storm, Lightning Elemental, Mana-Shield, ???
Characteristics: very easy to fascinate, distracted, a bit like the mage of the gummybears

Jubei (Tigeran Beserker)
Abilities: Brutal Strike, Call Yosh (his tiger companion), Fangs of the Tiger, Berserk, Yosh: Call back, Yosh: Attack Order
Characteristics: searching for some fun, doesn't take things too serious, also can get very angry, relies more on feeling than brain
update: He has a pet now, the mighty tiger Yosh. The tiger will automatically follow and guide the hero as in wow, but can be given basic orders.

Feylon (Druid)
Abilities: Sunfire, Rejuvenation, , MOTW(?), Bear(?) Form, ???, ???
Characteristics: ???
update: I'm currently on hope that someone will make a cool model for this character..

I'll add more information and more up-to-date screenshots as soon as I find the time.
Since the map is still in development state, all things are subject to change of course.

Any comments or suggestions are very welcome and appreciated!

 

[GreyArchon]

That looks great! I love the UI.

Are the Female Ninja pandaren's attachment points / portrait fixed? I wanted to use her in my project, but back then they were broken.
Also, are you gonna use my bamboo models?

Ah, the memories... that old Pandaren Campaign I started never really got off the ground.

Want the map I began with? It has many custom pandaren Models, Icons and Skins. Icons for specific pandaren-ish items too. You're free to use it and extract whatever you want from it.

 

[MoCo]

Thanks for your comment,
yeah, the female pandaren model seems a little buggy in the points you've mentioned. Maybe I can find someone who can fix it.. I've already sent jigrael a PM about it..

Of course I'm using your bamboo models! Take look at the first screen at the very right side..

It would be great if you could send me your old's maps source. Of course you will be credited for everything. I'm sure there will be some things that would be very useful for this one too..

 

[ragingspeedhorn]

The tough Warrior Samuro, the ninja Kira, the tigerian Samurai Yosh, Boseiju the Monk and Tai'Cheng the mage.

Why are you changing the way you write titles with the last 2 characters? Seems a bit odd, you should either stick to having the title in the front or in the back, not a bit of both, just seems messy.

Anyways the project sounds interesting, looking forward to playing this.

 

[MoCo]

English isn't my native language. Sometimes it annoys me a bit because I'm a fan of good written speech and grammar, but I have to deal with it anyway.

Well, I've changed it.

Brings me to another point: If this map is finished, someone really has to check all comments, dialogs etc.

 

[GreyArchon]

Here you go, the ill-fated Pandaren Campaign's map #1.
I hope it'll prove useful to you.

 

[gavdaman88]

The mapping looks very nice, and i couldnt help but laugh at 'lo wang'.

I'll give this a play later tonight and let you know what I think.

 

[Maedh]

wow map looks nice, cant wait to get more updates. Can u make a list of heros that will be available? and will a save/load system be implemented?

 

[MoCo]

Thanks, I've just added a few more information about the heroes in the head post.

And yes, there will be a save/load system.

 

[link598]

Well i have some panda model.

Here some of the model.

i have more if you want more.

 

[MoCo]

Thanks! Right now I'm not sure if i can use it, because the map is already at the 4mb size cap (after optimization). Sorting out things gets harder and harder.
I've updated the top post with some new screenshots.

 

[GreyArchon]

Uuuu, an underwater section! I like it, I like it.

I think there's an awesome little Shuriken model available, does your Ninja hero use that?

 

[MoCo]

The shuriken model availabe at WC3C? Thanks for the hint! I'll use it.

I really like underwater, even wanted to study marine biology when I was younger. It always representing something mysterious with lot's of secrets hidden within it's shadows.

 

[GreyArchon]

The shuriken model availabe at WC3C? Thanks for the hint! I'll use it.

I really like underwater, even wanted to study marine biology when I was younger. It always representing something mysterious with lot's of secrets hidden within it's shadows.

Another hint / suggestion for ya. For the underwater section.

Make a custom unit, give it the locust ability. Give it the model of "bubbles" water doodad. Make it size 4.00 or 5.00. Place it above broken rocks inside the underwater area.
Now make a trigger, to slow it's animation by 75% upon Map Initialization.

Result: Giant bubbles of air slowly rising to the surface. You can even put in a "breath remaining" effect near your hero, and make those units (or the areas they're in) replenish it.

 

[burned]

Screenshots look amazingly hot...looking forward to this.

 

[Ham Ham]

This project looks interessing.
Some prevision for playable version?

 

[MoCo]

I'm working on it, but I want some more things to be done before setting up a first playable version.. I guess it'll take about 2 or 3 weeks

 

[Deep Sea Kraken]

This is creepys, I was actually thinking of making a Defense of Pandaria map, although it would have just been a hero defense ><

 

[MoCo]

Actually, my first idea of the map was a hero defense too but things have changed and it has become a whole rpg.

Maybe I'll include some sort of a mini-challenge and the heroes have to defend something for 30mins..

Though you could also start your project, maybe the name is a bit too similiar, but I don't mind. You could name it Protectors of Pandaria, or Heroes of Pandaria.. whatever

 

[Deep Sea Kraken]

I can also help you with your project if you need ideas for something.

 

[TheSandWraith]

I have been looking over your project and it looks great! I really like the style it has, like the custom (somewhat) icons for hero abilities and the whole layout your taking things. I'm really excited to see what else you can come up with! Keep it up man, and don't stop what your doing.
[Off-Topic] MoCo: You have the best avatar ever. Monkey Island is a great game and it's rare to see someone else who plays it (I assume you play it at least).

 

[Duke]

This is just rlly nice..dont u want make single player version too?

 

[MoCo]

Of course you'll be able to play this alone. Maybe I'll add the possibility of controlling more than one hero at once in singleplayer mode. Also there will be a special easy difficulty that's supposed to be used for less than 3 players.

 

[ragingspeedhorn]

Personally I would prefer this to be very campaign like and be max a 3 person crew dependable map, so you are basicly just playing a campaign in chapters with 3 people.

 

[Duke]

Of course you'll be able to play this alone. Maybe I'll add the possibility of controlling more than one hero at once in singleplayer mode. Also there will be a special easy difficulty that's supposed to be used for less than 3 players.

Oh yeah ! Nice! ^^

 

[MoCo]

Hey again,
this project isn't dead so far, but if someone is interested in contributing, please feel free to contact me. I definitely can use someone helping with the design and creation of quests since I'm really busy with study and rl the next time..

 

[Rui]

The creator of this project is back. I am posting in order to reopen the thread.

 

[MoCo]

I've always felt sad about never having finished this map. So, after a longer break of wc3 mapping, I've decided to finish this project. Probably, it'll be my last wc3 map. But there is no time to waste on being sentimental.

Originally planned as a RPG map, it will be changed in some ways of concept.
Now it's gonna become a more defense kind of map but still with a huge RPG flavour.

I've updated the first/main thread. All infos are to be found there.

Keep checking back for Pandaria!

 

[FrIkY]

Awesome, you're back! Hey, if you still need the Pandaren Druid model, I got one for you! PM if you're interested.

 

[D a w n]

yay. I really expected something big when you started that thread log long time ago
I hope you won't disappoint me

 

[MoCo]

Here are just two new work-in-progress shots out of the editor to let you know this is being worked on.

 

[The Panda]

This looks awesome great job.