Hecatomb

[Katu]

Hecatomb

Concept

The main concept of the map is a modified AOS focused on eye candy, reality (i mean rationality: no more "6 helmets in 1 hero" etc..) and combinations that will encourage teamplay. (with minor ideas like new armor types etc..) Another DotA clone - this is the first thing that you will say. I won't lie: I don't like DotA and want to make a more beautiful, more complex, more fun map. Impossible - that's the answer. (hehe i'm a mind-reader) Maybe, but maybe not. I'll try.

Current stage

It's the beginning state, the necessary thing are writtedn down but i didn' touched the World Editor about that because I think the first thingh is to WRITE DOWN EVERYTHING FIRST.

Terrain

The map will be about 192x96 or 128x64 with a river in the middle (yeah DotA also has it, but in Hecatomb it's for features like the water elemental gains bonuses in the water etc...). There will be two towns at the opposite sides, you know the remaining: spawning creeps, tons of shops and hero taverns, towers etc etc...)

I won't say more about that in this stage because it's needless. I will explain the creep spawning system when I have a testable version with the system in it.

The Next Step

... wil be endless hours of terraining, for me. I've a lot of hero ideas, but they're not enough, here are some examples:

Bone Mage Summoner
Mid-range ranged hero (i have an idea that he will look like the Necromancer in Diablo II with a wand)
Skills:
Skeleton Warrior (gains no attack on armor on level up, only number of skeletons and HP)
Skeleton mage (the same)
Skeleton Mastery (this gives the attack and armor aka "Skeleton Fighting Skills", maybe Critical Strike or something like that on higher levels)
Bone Armor (exatly the same as in Diablo II)
Ultimate: Exploding Bones (When a Bone Armor or a skeleton dies, it will do AOE damage)

Bone Mage Attacker (or sumthin' like that)
Melee caster hero(maybe a Necromancer with a staff or a scythe)
Skills:
Bone Spear (no need to describe I think)
Bone Prison (the same)
Bone Wall (the same)
Anathomical Knowledge (the Attacker knows where to strike: it's ignores the agility-provided armor bounus and has a % chance to caus bleeding and a low % chance for instant death (this one is disabled for enemy heroes)
Ultimate: Corpse Explosion (again, no need to describe)

Elementalist
Can not attack but summons 4 types of elementals which has their unique abilities for example water elemental gains skills and HP regen or something like that in water... earth elemental does splash dmg...
Ultimate: Elemental Mastery. Increases the number of elementals summonable per type and after specific levels, elementals can morph to a "bigger-tougher" elemental for example lava, iron, etc...

I designed the Bone Mage Attacker to help ranged attackers (with bonewall and boneprison) and the Summoner to be a deadly combination with another (no-named) hero that has Thorns Aura...

Screenshots of the terrain and more hero-ideas will come soon. Anyway, if you feel that you have an idea for me, post it, they're welcome.

 

[Wolverabid]

The map seems interesting, Katu!

Thanks for introducing it to us. We await its further development and will help however we can.

My primary advice to aspiring map makers is to understand the concept of trigger leaks. For reliable and satisfactory game play be sure that your triggers do not leak.

I use Leak Check 2.2 and encourage you to take advantage of this helpful, powerful tool.

 

[Katu]

Hmm, sorry if I'm an asshole for saying that, but do the map really seems interesting or it's a bot message? just curious.

 

[Lord Raszul]

I read your description, and from that I can only say: often tried, never accomplished (or not come to fame)

I would encourage you to split your map into modules.
I'll give an example:
you map contains a special spawning system, an item combo system and a (very tiny) AI for the creeps (e.g. waypoint attack-move)

That means you have 4 parts you can create seperatly. Create a map for the terrain, then put in each system/module as soon as you accomplished it.
If you publish the systems, more (good) AOS-Type maps could be created...

I hope you understand my point.
I'm currently a little sleepy for its 24°C or more in my room -.-

Put you map into modules. Create the entire map part by part. That way, if you have no idea about a special system, you can easily ask another person to create it by your specifications.
Also: you can better see your progress.

just my few comments.

- Raszul

PS: try to get some people for the stuff you are not that good in

 

[The_wand_mirror]

Hmm, sorry if I'm an asshole for saying that, but do the map really seems interesting or it's a bot message? just curious.

its no bot .. he uses 'routine' message for welcoming people and giving info ..

 

[Katu]

Lord Raszul, your suggestion is worth considering. I planned a spawning system and wrote it down, but the first thing will be the terraining.

Would you like if I release the complete terrain with no units and triggers?

 

[Lord Raszul]

that would be pointless.

I thought about these script/system-modules as a way to easily create ones own AOS. But if you release your terraining, which is one of the more important parts of any map - it provides a vast part of the maps flair, there would be a lot of clones of your map. Let those wanting to use your scripts and systems c reate their own terrain, units abilities and such.
Only release those parts, of which you think as being useful to create ones OWN AOS.
e.g. systems for spawning, item combo, creep commanding, hero choosing (probably with dummy hero), or learning new spells/abilities.

maybe i'll use some of your systems too ^^
but i doubt it. i'm to much focused on being able to pull of my maps on my own, with no or only little help at that. (i'm good ad thinking - therefore i'm focusing on scripts, concepts and ideas. the art is hobby of a good friend of mine - neXor - he does most of my terraining, image creation and modelling... its the same way around too ^^ - in his maps i'm doing the triggers and spells which are more complex or would take him too long to accomplish.)

maybe you want to get one or two persons to (regularly) help you with your maps. if you and those persons have different things they are good in - bingo - help each other out and found a "mapping group" or something like that - having a few reliable mapping helpers is a VERY great help to any mapper. I'm more than just glad and happy that i got neXor as a good friend ^^

- Raszul

PS: did you take the map name from the CardGame with the same name? If you did, is you maps theme focused around that?

PPS: don't focus to much on concepts. write down the basic outlines and advance from that while creating things. If you try to write down everything, you'll need very much time and when creating stuff, you've always a huge list of things still ahead - that can be very demotivating. Try starting with the basics, make them work a 100%, then advance ^^ (never got a grip of that myself either - but trying, if i accomplish even a bit - it helps)

 

[Katu]

Fuck, my browser logged off , I failed with Ctrl+c and I don't want to type hundreds of characters again. Just wanted to explain that I only wanted to release my terrain to know people's opinion about it.

I also wanted to mention that I will need a modeler because I can not do models but I will surely need a lot of custom models. (Mostly units, but it would be cool if I could use some custom doodads.)

PS: No. "Hecatomb" is just a working title.