[Role Playing Game] Iceborn

[APproject]

Art by AL0NE

MAP HAS BEEN RELEASED

Iceborn is a fully voice acted and quite difficult single player RPG by APproject. Puzzle elements, unique environment, intense RPG action and a completely custum plot is what Iceborn has to offer at its best. Its storyline is marked with the spice of ego, treachery, love, grief, soreness and blind courage. Take a role of frost spellcaster and dive into the cold and charming world of Frostsky that may demand observation, puzzle solving and combat skills. Simple, but effective, systems are also a fine feature of Iceborn. Different kind of leveling, universality of spells, method of gaining them and a strong link to Hero's attributes may certainly provide a decision based experience.

Map's progress: 100% COMPLETED (Current size: 186.4 MB) (2014-04-15)

Release date: 2014 04 21

Trailer Video

WIP (Count: 11)

 

[Spoontoobig]

Cool. Good luck with project! And as allways your terrain is amazing!

 

[Rao Dao Zao]

Straight out of one project and into the next, I see. Good attitude!

 

[APproject]

Cool. Good luck with project! And as allways your terrain is amazing!

Straight out of one project and into the next, I see. Good attitude!

Thanks, guys.

 

[AyeKantSpel]

Awesome terrain, looking forward to seeing another map from you!

 

[Justicebringer]

Impressive terrain as always!
Good luck with it!

 

[Luorax]

That terrain. It's pretty hard to believe that it's playable, yet it is.

Looking forward for the release

 

[tough_zai]

nice nice....terain was AMAZING>>>> GOOd job.....

 

[APproject]

Awesome terrain, looking forward to seeing another map from you!

Impressive terrain as always!
Good luck with it!

nice nice....terain was AMAZING>>>> GOOd job.....

Looking forward for the release

Thanks, I appreciate it.

That terrain. It's pretty hard to believe that it's playable, yet it is.

Yes it is, but I am having troubles with it due to transpirant tile, there are no ground at some points and sight goes into distance. Having troubles with doodads popping from no where as well as Far Z, have to increase it constantly. It is also three times harder to deal with what is beneath ground texture than only upper part, for me at least, hehe.

 

[Sin'dorei300]

Awesome terrain, like the way u used the doodads.

 

[Deleted member 212788]

Yes it is, but I am having troubles with it due to transpirant tile, there are no ground at some points and sight goes into distance. Having troubles with doodads popping from no where as well as Far Z, have to increase it constantly. It is also three times harder to deal with what is beneath ground texture than only upper part, for me at least, hehe.

Yeah, I've encountered that one as well. I tried a lot of stuff in an attempt to fix it but in the end, I just dropped it as it was too time-consuming to find loopholes in the use. This is why I respect you so much, you are as determined as one could be

 

[Binsu]

Here goes another well-made and awesome project. Good luck to your project, APproject!

 

[APproject]

Awesome terrain, like the way u used the doodads.

Here goes another well-made and awesome project. Good luck to your project, APproject!

Thank you.

Yeah, I've encountered that one as well. I tried a lot of stuff in an attempt to fix it but in the end, I just dropped it as it was too time-consuming to find loopholes in the use. This is why I respect you so much, you are as determined as one could be

I appreciate it. What I do is I take a ground tile doodad by Daelin, scale it to 5000 or more and lower it deep beneath texture, it is covered with fog and there are no black spots if Far Z is set to slightly larger one.

 

[Chaosy]

Another amazing project

 

[Drunken_Jackal]

Looks dead on sexy. Good luck on this.

Just wondering, whats that big ice sculpture thing?

 

[APproject]

Another amazing project

Looks dead on sexy. Good luck on this.

Thanks, guys.

Just wondering, whats that big ice sculpture thing?

It is a glass statue by Sin'dorei300, a big doodad, I may make an optional quest as you'll have to collect some stuff from them.

 

[PROXY]

Looks kickass man, as always.

I just love how you take existing doodads and make completly new structures out of them.

And if you need some models again, just tell me

 

[Binsu]

You sure do have lots of supporters that is willing to make you some resources for your game and I think it is a matter of trust and now I understand why not to abandon a project easily...

 

[APproject]

Looks kickass man, as always.

I just love how you take existing doodads and make completly new structures out of them.

And if you need some models again, just tell me

Thanks, PROXY. Of course, your help might be valuable. I'll let you know if I am in need of a model.

You sure do have lots of supporters that is willing to make you some resources for your game and I think it is a matter of trust and now I understand why not to abandon a project easily...

Well, you can interpret it this way too.

EDIT: Terrain update. Sight from far looks rather messy, so I took another picture of ingame look.

Screenies (Count: 2)

1.

2.

 

[sonofjay]

Hmmm, looks neat, but I hope you can find a better plant than that, or at least resize it a bit(make it more smaller) and a few more decorations here and there will be nice.

 

[Drunken_Jackal]

The edge of that rock in the upper right corner of the second pic makes it look like its floating

 

[APproject]

Thanks for the suggestions.

Don't mind the rock, hehe, you would not be able to see it ingame anyway.

Haven't made anything much yet, only some systems and spells. And yet current file size is 42 MB. WoW models sure do eat a lot of space.

 

[sonofjay]

The hell with that huge filesize? You can reduce WoW model's filesize by 50-60% with a few effort like optimizing all the texture and removing(properly) the unneeded animations. I'm pretty sure you can trim a lot of filesize if you do that.

EDIT:

Is it coincident that you made a icey cold terrain for this project and my latest map have a hot and hellish terrain?

 

[APproject]

Perhaps it would reduce it greatly, especially when these models contain a ton of unnecessary animations indeed, but I have no clue how to do it.

Perhaps, most likely a coincidence. I was planning to do this few months ago, but I was busy with Seth's Reign at that moment.

 

[sonofjay]

About the wow model and filesize thingy.

I'm pretty sure this guy can help you: ERYFKRAD(yes it should be capitalized or else bad thing will happen.. well at least for me)

I'm not really sure on simply removing the anims on magos, I think it doesn't really remove the filesize of the removed animation.. so try to ask him.

 

[APproject]

Alright, thanks. I may contact him, but after some time when map is near finish. Then I would know what files needs size reducement.

 

[Drunken_Jackal]

You can also optimize it the textures too by opening Warcraft 3 Viewer, opening the .blp texture and convert it to .tga/.bmp/.jpg, and make sure you set the depth always to 32 bits. Then convert the .tga/.bmp/.jpg file back to a .blp, overwrite it if you want, and, this is the important part, pick the quality of the compression, which should be around 40-85.medium doodads/units where I want to retain the quality. Just experiment with the values, and try to keep a backup of the original .blp file.

For models, use the MDX Squisher. It compresses mdx files, but only when they are imported or placed in your maps mpq/the map itself. You would see no difference in filesize if its not imported in the map itself first.

 

[Luorax]

40 is more than enough for textures. None of the IID icons or textures are above that quality, and they all look awesome in-game nevertheless, even though their size is like the third of the original.

 

[sonofjay]

^

just use the blp lab, it can squeessshhh your texture literally. Can remove 60-80% of the filesize but the quality is still there.

example:

b2m's 1 mb texture can be squeeze to 200kb.

 

[Drunken_Jackal]

I just sometimes place it in a high(er) quality to be on the safe side. I scare myself sometimes with that texture compression topic.

For animation removal, use this nifty tool from the almighty Oinkerwinkle (I think):
Anim Remover.

You need MDLX also for this, which is what I use. Convert your MDX to MDL by using MDLX and open it with the Anim Remover under the input tab, then pick the animation to be removed. After, open the output tab (...), then type in the new filename. Do not open anything, just type in the new filename, say from "UberModel" to "UberModelNew". Click remove. It won't say anything, and dont expect it to say anything. Convert the new model from .mdl to .mdx using MDLX, then you can view it in Magos! Tried, tested and it worked. Models with custom animations have lower filesizes when removing some anims.

 

[Veritas 117]

Nice! Seth's Reign now this. How do you find the time haha? Anyway, the terrain looks pretty epic and very original (compared to anything I've seen). Keep up the good work. +rep

Edit: looks like I'll have to give you some rep as soon as I 'spread some around'. I guess I just like your stuff.

 

[TwoVenomous]

The terrains are epic as always

 

[APproject]

Thanks, guys.

Alright, I may give it a shot reducing the size, but I can't promise anything though.

 

[Binsu]

How is your Iceborn project? Any updates on it?

 

[APproject]

Not much currently. Going very slowly, I may get to it next week when I get more free time.

EDIT: Development is currently stopped due to time and interest lack. This month I am having exam session at my university as well. It is shut down until I come back for it after a break. It is not fully abandoned, just on hold.

 

[JesusHipster]

Good luck with your exams, sir.

 

[pred1980]

This is pretty nice dude... respect to you!

 

[APproject]

Summer exam session is over soon and I may get onto this project. I've been working a little for past few weeks, made quests, secrets, systems, map's mechanics and story is still under development as it develope during creation of map itself, there are not many premature decisions deciding what kind of game it will be. I am trying to make all quests as unique as possible, story and background original and tons of secrets that may require to use head much more than hack'n'slash game.

Now it goes like this: making a game and quests as I want and so only then I may generalize the shape of storyline, etc. Going full on improvisation. Next update may be more concentrated on what direction game may turn, also new terrain screenies.

 

[Binsu]

Wow, thought its abandoned but its here. Very nice! How about making the story like in Warcraft Lore like getting a legendary artifact like of a Sword, Froustmourne but name it Iceborn. Just a random wild guess that came into me.

 

[APproject]

Thanks for the ideas, but I was thinking about something more complicated, something more of few conflicts mixed into one, perhaps battle for resources and old wounds between heads of cults. I'll see how it will go.

Just to reveal something, I can show one of spells. It will be the most universal spell. It's stats may also be adjusted within time so it may change in the final release, but overally it will be same idea.

 

[sonofjay]

How about making the story like in Warcraft Lore like getting a legendary artifact like of a Sword, Froustmourne but name it Iceborn.

Cliché at its finest.

@AP

Nice that you didn't give up on this.

 

[Drunken_Jackal]

You could still have the same ulterior motive, but just change the way it is done.
Usually, in those legendary artifact that change change the face of the earth stories, a hero goes into a journey to find an artifact or just discovers it with a party of usually 3-5 heroes. One of the party members, maybe even the hero, betrays all the others and possibly kills one party member, fueling the remaining party member/s rage. That last surviving hero typically seeks the aid of someone else then boom, he either wins in an epic manner or just dies.

I suggest you use the formula of the Heroes Journey, made by Joseph Campbell here.

 

[Binsu]

Simply genius...lol but actually your idea is great.

 

[Orcnet]

This is breath-taking! would love to see more updates coming from time to time but duty of school calls so don't rush it but keep it up

 

[DESTROYER123]

Dis aint wc3.
Dis iz wc5.

 

[bethmachine]

Awesome terrain AP I looking forward to this map.Just for intrest I loved Seths Rain and still do I am stuck on this part in the map where I can't seem to get into the second temple but for some reason it still does not want to open I have everything they asked for but still does not open any solution to this I been trying to make it that I typed the words oin the scroll on the chatbox I am still trying till date to make it work.

 

[APproject]

I suggest you use the formula of the Heroes Journey, made by Joseph Campbell here.

This formula might work as it adds complexity and changing events to any storyline.

Nice that you didn't give up on this.

This is breath-taking!

Dis iz wc5.

Awesome terrain AP I looking forward to this map

Thanks, I appreciate it.

I am stuck on this part in the map where I can't seem to get into the second temple

Well, it would be best if you asked it at Map's comment section and not here, but it's ok. You must have a translated text given by Ebo at village, then you must have it in your inventory and follow the wall of these huge stone blocks to the west of settlement until you approach two rotated stone heads, hero may automatically start speaking and doors may open within seconds. Good luck with it.

EDIT: Here are some new terrain sights, 2 from the gameplay point of view and 1 from far. More may come witihin few days I hope.

Screenies (3)

1.

2.

3.

 

[Chaosy]

Amazing (and) Perfect project strikes again. gj

 

[PROXY]

Lovely. Your terraining style is classy, good looking and really clean. You've improved even more since Seth's Reign. Good luck with this one

 

[Binsu]

Simply amazing terrain are those, your terrain is quite impressing and also motivating!