Line Tower Wars

[Horn]

Project: Produce a balanced and efficient Line Tower Wars map with additional functionality.

I'm a sucker for some of the simpler maps. There's a certain knack to them and most B.netters can bare to wait the few seconds it takes to get a game up and running.

However, there seems to be some major deficiencies in this map type. As far as I've seen there is no major developer producing a stable, balanced map. There's just loads of noob-edit versions with bugs, cheats and terrible flaws.

I'm seriously considering starting up my own take on this map type and maintaining a stable version with some new features and concepts.

I decided to make this thread to gauge how much interest people have in playing this map type. Also, anyone is welcome to share their experiences on such maps, any suggestions or whether you'd be interested in me taking on this project!

Players should perform two main activities during a game: produce a defence to prevent enemy units reaching their end point within a lane and summoning their own forces to travel enemy lanes. A player loses lives when enemy summons are not stopped and gains lives when their summons reach the end of an enemy lane.

Each unit summoned adds a varying increment to a player's periodic income and each enemy unit killed gives a one-time bounty of gold. To maintain a strong income and defence, a player must balance spending gold on summons and towers.

Improved triggers. Existing map triggering is horribly inefficient and leaky. Though I'm making the map from scratch, this should prevent a lot of the lag problems other maps have.

Game types. Team play is fun! All maps I've seen are either single or team, no choice within a single map.

Accomodation for problems. If a player's ally leaves or drops, they will be compensated sufficiently to maintain a fair chance of winning.

Summoning limits. To prevent spamming of summons (such as mass low level units once a player has a higher income), every summon will have a food cost.

A new functionality for all towers is an inventry for items to be added for improved tower effects. Some players prefer quality over quantity. Items will allow customisation and advanced ability for individual towers.

Not all summons will be harmless pincushions. Players will be able to summon special units on occasion, such as attacking heroes. Since players can control their own summons within an enemy lane, managing the abilities of an invader can increase the efficiency of offensive ventures.

Human towers vs sheep gets old real fast. This map will use a dungeon theme by default, with rarer unit models and effects. Players of Dungeon Keeper will appreciate some of the units, sounds and concepts involved!

Players can employ several different means of summoning armies into enemy lanes. Manual summons generate income per cast, but detract attention from your defences or offensive lane management. A mass summon option is available, allowing a player to purchase bulk summons with one click, funds permitting.

A series of automated spawns are availble for players. They are spawned every turn but do not generate income - because they are free. Automatic spawns can be up upgraded and evolved through research.

Tower types
Single target (spear)
Splash (fire)
Slow (frost)
Damage-over-time (poison)
Chain attack (lightning)

Item bonuses
Damage
Stun
Aura
Merchant

 

[ragingspeedhorn]

A proper LTW map would be cool, something not evolving solely around archer towers.

 

[PheoniX_VII]

I belive the only decent one out there is partly german so I would wellcome your map for sure.

 

[Horn]

Positive response

The immediate improvements to be included:
Improved triggers. Existing map triggering is horribly inefficient and leaky. Though I'm making the map from scratch, this should prevent a lot of the lag problems other maps have.
Game types. Team play is fun! All maps I've seen are either single or team, no choice within a single map.
Accomodation for problems. If a player's ally leaves or drops, they will be compensated sufficiently to maintain a fair chance of winning.


New additions include:
Items and inventries. A new functionality for all towers is an inventry for items to be added for improved tower effects. Some players prefer quality over quantity. Items will allow customisation and advanced ability for individual towers.

 

[Mini-Me]

Read the rules.

 

[Horn]

Read the rules.

Maybe if you'd read the first post you would have gauged there is no map to attach. As per the forum description, I am talking about my project in development and asking questions.

So, if the moderators really want to waste their time moving this thread elsewhere for a few hours until this project progresses, go ahead.

 

[noctune]

Tower wars maps lack that thing called... hmm what's the name again?... ah yeah, they lack fun. I mean, it's crazy non-stop action but it really isn't fun. It's all about winning. And you only play it again because you wanna win some more. This applies to all LTW maps out there I've seen.

If your map, after finished, is FUN (and I mean something like dota or even normal warcraft 3 games through bnet), it will definitely be a success.

Here's a tip: the only TD map I've played that made me play it more than once was Wintermaul, since it's the one that requires the most player cooperation in order to win and it's not single player.

Another tip: multiplayer games are not about being a god among noobs. Single player sucks. Cooperation is the road to an enjoyable map.

Hope my brainstormed post helped ya.

 

[Horn]

You didn't really say anything. Everyone wants a game to be fun, since there's no lasting prize for winning.

Also, you didn't define what you think is fun other than a hint of co-operation - I've stated there will be a team version.

I don't think Dota or melee is fun. DOTA is incredibly repetitive and dull, Melee is horribly broken with heroes.

 

[Mini-Me]

There doesnt have to be a map attached. You just need to add enough information of the project. It's fine now.

 

[Captain Griffen]

I'd like to see a mode where each player's spawns go up against EVERY other player. Probably be difficult to achieve, but it would remove the issue of some players having an easy victory because the player behind them was crap, while another better player has to focus more on defence and so loses.

 

[Horn]

Good point Griffen.

When a player does not send summons, his neighbour does not receive bounty from their kills, so falls behind.

In some maps you could make summons that can kill your own - made to help remove conjestion assumably, but these could be abused to kill ALL your summons so that your neighbour got no bounty, while you still got summon income. A few players employ this purposely, but you have to bear in mind you can't steal lives if you're killing your own spawns.

I hope to address this since it can seriously affect some games when newbies are involved. I also plan to include some automated spawn systems.

 

[[Death]]

How are you going to handle summons that get past players? Where are they relocated to next? Maybe distributed randomly, but players with less income have more priority.

 

[Horn]

Toying with a few ideas.

Obviously if a player leaves, their lane will become defunct and removed from the location arrays.

I'm thinking about doing a chaos mode, where every few turns all the spawn points switch randomly, so players will be attacking someone else each round. This may be a problem if players have existing units in a lane - multiple player spawns in one lane would clash.

Another idea is a rumble pool. Something along the lines of victorious spawns ending up in a central pit to fight it out. I may let players choose to send spawns to [set lane], [random lane], [rumble pit] or such.

 

[noctune]

You didn't really say anything. Everyone wants a game to be fun, since there's no lasting prize for winning.

Also, you didn't define what you think is fun other than a hint of co-operation - I've stated there will be a team version.

I don't think Dota or melee is fun. DOTA is incredibly repetitive and dull, Melee is horribly broken with heroes.

I just wanted to stress how important fun is on a multiplayer map. And that's kind of a problem with TD maps in general, since they tend to be very single player-like.

But looks like you've got some really nice ideas! I like how this chaos mode sounds and I'm looking forward to playtesting your map!

Anyway, another problem of LTW maps is the massive amount of units players tend to send. They really lag the game (even if they're properly handled when created/removed) and make people drop/quit. Nobody like to see the entrance of his/her maze crowded with stopped units.

 

[Ham Ham]

I liked of the idea.

But I have 1 question:

the towers will really be towers, or just units that is always facing 270 degress, launching the projectiles from the center of theyr bodyes?

 

[Horn]

Anyway, another problem of LTW maps is the massive amount of units players tend to send. They really lag the game (even if they're properly handled when created/removed) and make people drop/quit. Nobody like to see the entrance of his/her maze crowded with stopped units.

This will be addressed by shorter lanes and food costs for summons.

 

[Horn]

the towers will really be towers, or just units that is always facing 270 degress, launching the projectiles from the center of theyr bodyes?

What?

 

[WindexGlow]

Do not double post.
There is an edit button for a reason.

 

[noctune]

the towers will really be towers, or just units that is always facing 270 degress, launching the projectiles from the center of theyr bodyes?

He's talking about towers based on unit models, and how weird it is that they're always facing the same direction and the projectiles they launch come from the center of them.

 

[Horn]

Do not double post.
There is an edit button for a reason.

L.O.L.

He's talking about towers based on unit models, and how weird it is that they're always facing the same direction and the projectiles they launch come from the center of them.

Well, most building-looking units look the same at any angle. I'm not a fan of using non- buildings for towers, but if it does happen, I'll give them root so that they can rotate.

 

[noctune]

Well, most building-looking units look the same at any angle. I'm not a fan of using non- buildings for towers, but if it does happen, I'll give them root so that they can rotate.

That's a much needed eye candy many TD maps lack, cool.

 

[Horn]

In fact, I'm pretty certain I wont use any 'units' as towers. It just looks so stupid.

Here's some 1337 mathematics:

 

[AstralJokers]

Here's an idea.
I don't know if you will like it but, if you do, Nice!

The spawn you buys goes to your area, so you can kill them.
Then, if you kill the mobs you spawned, they will spawn for the other players.

Ex: I spawn a chicken.
I kill the chicken.
I recieve bounty award.
The player next to me recieve a chicken for a spawn.

I don't know if this thing is too ''triggering'' but yeah, i had this idea in mind =)

 

[noctune]

Here's an idea.
I don't know if you will like it but, if you do, Nice!

The spawn you buys goes to your area, so you can kill them.
Then, if you kill the mobs you spawned, they will spawn for the other players.

Ex: I spawn a chicken.
I kill the chicken.
I recieve bounty award.
The player next to me recieve a chicken for a spawn.

I don't know if this thing is too ''triggering'' but yeah, i had this idea in mind =)

Not hard at all to code, and could at least be an alternative mode. I'd like to play it

 

[Horn]

Brainstorming unit types, items and towers.

Towers

Type	Features
Thorn	Point attack, piercing damage
Fire	Splash attack, siege damage
Frost	Variable attack, normal damage, slows
Lightning	Chain attack, normal damage
Poison	Point attack, normal damage, damage over time

Level	Features
1	Basic
2	1 Inventory slot
3	2 Inventory slots
4	3 Inventory slots

Items

Item	Bonus

Summons

Type	Attributes
Basic	None
Fast	Increased speed
Tough	Armoured
Immune	Magic protection
Support	Beneficial aura

Type	Attributes
Basic	None
Swift	Increased speed and dodge
Resiliant	Armoured and regeneration
Impervious	Protected from all negative effects
Command	Aura and resurrection

Type	Attributes
Basic	None
Stealth	Increased speed, dodge and stealth
Juggernaut	Armour, regeneration, thorns
Phased	Immune to all negative effects, mana shield
General	Aura, resurrection, raise dead

 

[MindWorX]

Just brainstorming.

Generic Items

Item	Bonus
Damage Boost	+1-10 Damage
Speed Boost	+1-100% Attack Speed

Orb Items

Item	Bonus
Orb of Lightning	Chance of dispelling - No extra Damage.
Orb of Feedback	Burns away mana and deals damage - Only effective against boss/buffer units, since regular units doesn't use mana.
Orb of Poison	Slow movement and small DoT
Ord of Fire	Small splash damage - No extra damage.
Ord of Wintry Burst	Chance of Frost Nova
Ord of the Unstable Flame	Incinerating Arrow(passive)

Special Items

Item	Bonus
Commanders Horn	Decrease attack speed by 50% but increases nearby allies damage by 10%
Burning Oil	Drop Burning Oil on enemies that comes too close.(Phoenix Fire)

 

[Horn]

Problem with the orbs is that I don't want tower-specific abilities to lose their exclusiveness.

ie, I don't want a 5-shot tower to gain slow, when there are slow towers. It dilutes the roles of each tower type.

 

[MindWorX]

Ahh, that's true, most of the items was ideas from an old TD of mine, where all towers did 0-0 damage, and had 1 sec cooldown, then you built the towers using items. Like adding splash damage, or slow, but if you added large amounts of damage, you'd sacrifice attack speed, and vica versa.