Looking for Techtree Ideas!

[Sintriaxx]

Hey Hive!,

I've been developing a storyline for a campaign for about a month now, and have finally started to write some stuff down. However, before I develop any maps, I wanted to create the techtrees for the teams I expect to be in the campaign.

However, I have quite a lot of teams for this campaign, and although they may not all be in the first campaign, I have intentions for sequels.

At the moment, I have a planned five completely new teams. While I know I could eventually develop enough ideas for the units, structures, upgrades and heroes, I realize it might be more helpful, and interesting, to ask the Hive for their ideas.

The layout of my teams are pretty simple, basically the usual Warcraft III techtrees without the item vendors. So, there would be:

Structure Outline

- A town hall structure, with a complete 3 tiers.
- A war unit creation structure.
- An upgrade structure.
- A defensive structure.
- An altar structure, or something similar to revive/train heroes.
- A food production structure.
- An advanced war unit creation structure.
- A caster creation structure.
- And an ultimate unit structure.

The units would again have a similar layout of Warcraft III.

Unit Outline

- A worker unit.
- A first tier melee unit.
- A first tier ranged unit.
- A second tier melee unit.
- A third tier melee unit.
- A second tier ranged unit.
- A third tier ranged unit (also a siege unit).
- Two caster units.
- An ultimate unit.

Of course, if you have any ideas for Heroes and/or Upgrades, they will both be greatly appreciated. However, I think I will focus on those after I've completed, more or less, the Structures and Units part of the techtrees.

Three of the five teams are as followed (the other two teams are currently being finalized). I will include a small description, a comparison to an existing team currently in Warcraft III, and also a sample unit (one that I have already created from the techtree).

Erenest

Erenest is a land partially of cold plains and pine forests, and partially of greener plains and oak forests as it stretches further away from Southgarde. Erenest has always been a strong country, prided for it's offensive armies. Erenest makes use of superior defensive units and archers to decimate enemy lines.

Comparison: Humans.

Sample Unit: Erenest Longbowman, a high damage yet lightly armoured unit that has a fast firing rate and can decimate enemy lines.

Adrimlath

Adrimlath is a majestic order of elven wizards that live in the highest peaks of their namesake country's mountains. Adrimlath is located west of Southgarde, in the huge frozen mountain ranges that seperate Southgarde from the coast of the ocean. Adrimlath's armies use strong, magic-wielding soldiers and highly dangerous, yet weakly armoured, wizards and scholars, including a variety of summoned arcane creatures.

Comparison: High Elves.

Sample Unit: Arcane Wizard, a high damage yet lightly armoured unit that can support his comrades by buffing them and summoning arcane constructs

Londorwin

Londorwin is a civilization of elves living in the Theldea forests. Theldea stretches across the northern and eastern border of Erenest, and the Londorwin elves live deep inside it's natural protection. Londorwin elves use the forests to their advantage in times of war, communing with nature to call forth great beasts to battle with their foes. The Londorwin elves themselves are quite deadly, as well, since their cannibilistic nature has given them deadly natural weapons in their teeth and claws.

Comparison: Night Elves.

Sample Unit: Londorwin Druid, a low damage and weakly armoured unit that can transform into several creatures, each with it's own advantages and disadvantages. Once a Londorwin Druid has transformed, he may not revert his decision.

I hope this is enough information for some ideas to start flowing in. Even simple ideas such as names, or a short description of something, perhaps even a spell for a caster, are extremely useful and helpful to me and I will appreciate them.

Thanks in advance,
Sintriaxx.

 

[StarGreen]

I found that tech tree's come with the lore. If your map has some good history I would just continue writing and as you go along, you could decide whether or not you want to implement 'that.'

What if the elves had a religion? And that religion, was the tech tree?

 

[Sintriaxx]

I'm looking for generic units that I can update with abilities for the specific races. For example, there are three human factions. Each have a few unique units, but the majority of units are the same. However, the history of the faction defines what abilities and upgrades can be trained for those units.

What if the elves had a religion? And that religion, was the tech tree?

This is sort of what I've been doing. The High Elves (Adrimlath) are, of course, powerful and wise, but rely too much on their magic. You could say that their magic is a religion. And the Wood Elves (Londorwin) worship nature and the forests, which is definitely a religion. I haven't gotten to religions for the human races, but I'll try to implement the religions into their abilities and units.

Thanks for the feedback

EDIT: I've written down the units for Londorwin, but I would be happy for suggestions or replacements, as some of the units are quite generic.

- Forest Spirit (Worker)
- Huntress (Melee)
- Archer (Ranged)
- Wolf (Melee)
- Giant Spider (Melee)
- Dryad (Ranged)
- Ancient Destroyer (Ranged, Siege)
- Londorwin Druid (Caster)
- Nature Spirit (Caster)
- Protector (Ultimate)

As I said, some of the units (such as the Huntress, Archer and Dryad) are generic and need replacing. The only units I want to keep from that list is the Ancient Destroyer, the Londorwin Druid, the Nature Spirit and the Protector. The rest are up for replacement.

 

[StarGreen]

Well, what I find feels best when it comes to tier upgrading and techtree melee; Is evolution and racial segregation. For instance, humans and orcs they both have basic counterparts and dont really explore many races and the whole flag system becomes black and white. Which allows easy identification and gives the user a more nostalgic feeling to the race that they are playing. Kind of like patriotism

When you have dragons, necromancers, tauren, death knights and infernals. Its hard to see where the tech tree begins and ends, as well as the whole race in general. Its almost like a theoretical confederacy that has no real objective since its so diverse.

So what im getting at, ill give you a decent example of your list in a moment; is that instead of making really cool and unique units, make a really cool and unique race that's defined by its strict and clearly defined/observable lore pattern.

- Forest Spirit (Worker)
- Huntress (Melee)
- Archer (Ranged)
- Dryad (Ranged)
- Ancient Destroyer (Ranged, Siege)
- Londorwin Druid (Caster)
- Nature Spirit (Caster)
The list above shows a pretty clear line and gives the feeling of primary.

- Wolf (Melee)
- Giant Spider (Melee)
- Protector (Ultimate)
Whereas these units resemble a pretty diverse line that make me feel like im playing extras and represent the entire category of "creep." Blizzard did a really good job of incorporating creep units into the night elves, the dragon-like chimeras aren't seen anywhere in the game besides in the night elf campaign and are considered ultimate tier upgrade, but are still felt like night elf; because they aren't anwhere besides night elf lore. Where your wolf and spider are not. Another example of blizzard doing this is thralls ability to summon spirit wolves, creeps that dont really have a huge role in the barrens; so that gives them a unique look but they arent special enough to be a grandeur tier, rather a level 1 ability that end up making a huge impact on game balance.

Now onto evolution of teir upgrades. This one is pretty straightforward, I would use Darwins theory as size ratio. Archer<Huntress<MountainGolem<nuke

So when making your tech tree, make sure that its very defined and obvious to the player. It should always be small units first, big units last. But make it blend, possible; believable. A frog would not turn into a knight for pwning a squirrel.

Your unit list isn't bad, just use the utmost discipline and reference the lore you wrote, often.

I hope I helped

 

[Sintriaxx]

Yes, you have helped a lot, StarGreen. Where do I begin?

Well, what I find feels best when it comes to tier upgrading and techtree melee; Is evolution and racial segregation. For instance, humans and orcs they both have basic counterparts and dont really explore many races and the whole flag system becomes black and white. Which allows easy identification and gives the user a more nostalgic feeling to the race that they are playing. Kind of like patriotism

When you have dragons, necromancers, tauren, death knights and infernals. Its hard to see where the tech tree begins and ends, as well as the whole race in general. Its almost like a theoretical confederacy that has no real objective since its so diverse.

This I can agree with. I'll keep it in mind when making the other races, though they shouldn't prove much more of a problem. The reason I had Wolves and Spiders was to hopefully show their connection with the wilds. However, I see now that such a connection could be shown through the lore and other things, such as the Londorwin Druid's ability to transform into beasts.

Whereas these units resemble a pretty diverse line that make me feel like im playing extras and represent the entire category of "creep." Blizzard did a really good job of incorporating creep units into the night elves, the dragon-like chimeras aren't seen anywhere in the game besides in the night elf campaign and are considered ultimate tier upgrade, but are still felt like night elf; because they aren't anwhere besides night elf lore. Where your wolf and spider are not. Another example of blizzard doing this is thralls ability to summon spirit wolves, creeps that dont really have a huge role in the barrens; so that gives them a unique look but they arent special enough to be a grandeur tier, rather a level 1 ability that end up making a huge impact on game balance.

Now onto evolution of teir upgrades. This one is pretty straightforward, I would use Darwins theory as size ratio. Archer<Huntress<MountainGolem<nuke

Not all great units are huge But I understand what you are getting at. I've tried to keep the power level of the units from lowest to highest in the techtree, of course.

 

[cleavinghammer]

Some Erenest unit ideas, yes they're all Vikings.

Warrior: T1 standard melee unit. Can learn Pillage.
Archer: T1 ranged unit, can switch between average attackspeed and range to very slow speed at very long range (no change in damage). Gains a small amount of armor for every Shieldbearer in range (up to a limit).
Shieldbearer: T2 melee unit with no attack and high armor and life that serves to protect the archers. When ordered to Defend, can autocast Taunt.

Landship: T3 amphibious transport, units inside throw spears at enemies. Has a melee siege attack against buildings.

Waveseer: T2 amphibious caster, can use Healing Mist, Frost Armor, and Crushing Wave.
Augur: T2 caster, can use Grant Flight (Scroll of Speed ability), Crow Form, and Chooser of the Slain (Vengeance ability). Can be upgraded to use
Sentinel.
Soothsayer: T2 caster, can use Howl of Terror, Disenchant, and Bloodlust.

Archery Platform: Ultimate unit that unpacks into a tower with very long-ranged (more than sieged archers) attacks and high damage, needs archers inside to attack (the more archers, the faster the attack speed). Can be targeted by ground and air.

 

[Leo Akastenix]

ERNEST IDEAS


Worker: Laborer



T1 melee unit: Swordsman
T1 ranged unit: Longbow man
T2 melee unit: Blademaster
T3 MELEE UNIT: Knight
T2 ranged : Arablest(fancy way for crossbowman)
T3 ranged: Catapult

Caster unit 1: Paladin; melee caster Holy Light and Holy bolt and Blessing

Cater unt 2: Wizard with Firebolt and Llightning Strike and Tidal Wave

ULTIMATE: Commander with Command Aura



hope you like my ideas