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Eve of the Apocalypse: An old, underplayed but very innovative AoS

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Despite being the second map to be given 'Hall of Fame' status by Blizzard after 'DotA' and having consistently pushed the editor to its limits by creator DarnYak through its many versions over the years; EotA (as it is unfortunately abbreviated) is a largely now-forgotten gem in the Warcraft 3 map repertoire. Like one of those awesome bands that only you and your friends knew, I was pretty privileged to find and play the map in its heyday. I'm pretty lucky again that, four years later, Yak is planning on a final release before moving onto (hopefully) bigger and even better things in Starcraft 2.

The current version can be found here, with the official forums here. He's working on the final release, though it will likely go through some testing before-hand. Any comments, questions or other miscellaneous thoughts would be best directed here and to the forums, where you can get your last bit of input on a very good map for WC3. The map is completed and mod-reviewed, which can be found here (scroll down a bit). Though admittedly complex, the game offers a different milieu of strategy, combat and teamwork than most AoS games try to offer; and in the style of said review, I'll do my best to pimp my favourite WC3 map for you all:

Eve of the Apocalypse

Premise - Eve of the Apocalypse is an AoS-style map that can be played by up to 10 players. It features four custom-built, each of the four-terrains offers a different route to victory; though all ending when the opposing team's base is destroyed.. The game features a diverse cast of unique heroes (with 6+ per team), each with an array of custom-triggered spells (an 'Innate', 4 normal ones and an ultimate). It does not have as much of a focus on 'hero-pimping' (item/stats-wise) as other AoS', instead encouraging players to employ team-oriented (from ganking to purchased 'Merc' pushes) and battlefield strategies (deploying 'tower cores' which add a special unit per spawn wave to a lane). The game was originally developed in and around 2006 and has been updated continuously (though at times between large gaps) since then, with Yak working on what he hopes to be the final version now.

Triggering - The map features a number of complex (and at times game-breaking) triggering, using mostly in-game models (due to the already bloated size of the map..) but achieving highly commendable results. Just about everything has been custom-made by Yak.

Terrain - The game features 5 different maps; Stormwail Peak (5 lanes, huge), Gloomreap Mire (3 lanes, medium), Kedge's Landing (2 lanes, medium), Candleberg (1 lane, small) and Verdant Falls (3 lanes, medium). However, I would recommend sticking to playing Stormwail Peak, at least for your first few tries, as it is the most tested, best designed and arguably most fun map he's come up with yet. On each map, the goal is essentially to covet some resource to gain "Tower Cores", which allow you to build Spawn Towers; adding an extra spawn to each wave that will turn the tide of battle in your favor if unchecked. On Stormwail it's building Obelisks, Kedge securing "Moontears" with wagons, Kedge protecting workers mining "Gloomite", Candleburg taking townsfolk in the center and getting them to work on mines near your base, and Verdant Falls controlling three Trees in the center of the map.

Each of the terrains can be selected at the start (in public games its voted on) with a short (though briefly laggy) build time.

Gameplay - To quote from the reviewer: "A multitude of new ideas and concepts are present in this map which sets it apart from others of it s genre. Even those who loath AoS-style maps will find new light in this mod." This is accurate I feel, since the game itself was not based on DotA but inspired by old AoS' and particularly Tides of Blood, which Yak had played extensively in the past (however it's long since diverged from its routes).

EotA, as I've preached, is both more team-based than most AoS' and does not encourage item-pimping nearly as much. Items can be sold for full value at shops and are simply "upgraded" via. "Tempering" (found at a hero's altar in their base), which increases the stat bonuses associated with each item. There's no recipes and no special items (unless you count numerous, harmless easter eggs strewn throughout the map...) Indeed, much of the game is won and lost by the performance and micromanagement of the AI team's spawns, through Tower Cores (as I mentioned, which add a special spawn unit to a lane), through hiring mercenaries (done at any town hall; for a short cost, creates a wave of special spawns that spawns immediately) and through upgrades (bought at the main base, literally upgrades vanilla style units- ranging from attack and armor values to specialized unit-specific powers such as spells for casters, increased criticals for more agile units, etc.) Organizing hero pushes and 'ganking' is an essential part of gameplay, and team-coordination and helping is beneficial and structurally encouraged; rather than situational (as is found in DotA and other AoS').

Heroes and Races - There are currently 3 races: Elves (Humans/High Elves-Blood Elves/Night Elves), Creeps (assorted Creeps and some Trolls) and Undead (...Undead). Each has their own set of heroes which can be selected at the start of the game. Heroes each have an innate skill, four normal skills and an ultimate. The maximum level is 80 but I've only played a few games that have gone that far; most of the time the game ends around 40-50 with your skill-set incomplete. This means you are often selecting between multiple abilities with many different build possibilities. In addition, each time you kill a hero the killing player recieves 400g and 10 'crystal', which can be used to upgrade one's hero at their Altar. Among the upgrades (which include straight stat upgrades such as +Agi, +Atk etc.) are Talents, which are similar to WoW talents and add special effects and bonuses to unit abilities. This makes the game very replayable and each build has its own unique properties, meaning that the same heroes can be played in very different ways between different players.

Each race also has its own unique units and elite spawns, not simply mirrored like they are in most other AoS'. They have been extensively tested however to make sure that they're equal, so don't fret when you four furbolgs to three elven swordsmen! Left alone, they'd kill each other off.

Complexity - The game is admittedly complex, at least more so than most other AoS'. Even the reviewer didn't find all the features locked up within it; but that is as cool and esoteric as it is a problem, as the most salient complaint throughout the years for EotA has been that it's not 'noob-friendly'.

None of the spell-tips indicate damage, but that's because typing ' -s ' without the ' ' 's gets the game to tell your spell's current damage values (Int/Agi/Str. multipliers included). Reading item-tooltips is also important (especially on Stormwail) but ofc, frustrating with all that's going on; though I encourage any people who play to give it a few tries and get a feel for it before completely giving up.

Anyway, that's my sell on the game. If any of you are interested I'm looking to play it a bit more on WC3 and would be happy to run through a few games with anyone if I happen to be on at the same time (my handle is the same here as it is there). Feel free to drop by EotA forums and drop an intellectual deuce on the Suggestions page, and am more than happy to answer any questions about the game in this thread. There's a bot hosting constant games that unfortunately get very little attention (EotA-HB), but with some coaxing perhaps if anyone's actually interesting we can get it hosting properly and available at any time you need it :grin:.

Give it a shot if you want something different with an AoS. The map isn't DotA nor does it try to be (though they share close names), but many of our players (old and new) also enjoy DotA and other AoS'. It's appeals lies in that it is simply a different experience of the same tired old medium of AoS'; a new and creative take (well, new both now and then but it is likely most of you are just hearing about it now :D) on it. Yak will also be releasing an unlocked version once he's finalized it, which will contain a great deal of valuable triggering information for any future map-makers; so stay tuned for that as well.

Also my first post and happy to finally register for this site! Long-time lurker, looking to hopefully contribute a bit to the community!
 
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i do admit. i have played it before. I hated dota-style maps completely, except for EoTA. It is infinitely more complex and spectacular than dota and doesnt rely on item spamming. all Dota has going for it is the community and commitment.

EoTA Exodus is also one of my favorite defesnse maps :p
 
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Glad to hear it. We've been playing it a bit with Yak, if you're ever on east pop by Clan EotA (we managed to jokingly revive the name xD) and maybe you can get in for a game.

Exodus and Maze (even less known but incredibly hard and unfortunately... unfinished) are both great too.
 
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