- Joined
- Nov 5, 2009
- Messages
- 9
Greetings, everyone. I recently started to work on an ORPG map. As this is my first map ever I'm currently having serious difficulties with it. Any help would be greatly appreciated and credited. If you know about anything that can help me, have a suggestion, an idea, and especially if you are familiarized with the original game, I'd love a helping hand.
To summarize it, yea, I know it's quite an ambitious project for a n00b like me, so I'm looking for anyone who can help me model, create custom spells, tiles, do some vJass, to work in this project with me as a team. I don't plan to rush anything, so it's ok for me if your free time to work on the project is short (in fact, my free time at the moment is very short, with college and stuff, but I'll be completely free after December 15). We could communicate through, preferably, msn.
For my first project, I decided to make a map that is both hard to create, so I can learn a lot with it, and with a theme that makes me want to put more and more effort into it.
Well, one of these days I came across some maps for warcraft about MU (a Korean MMORPG) , but (at least in my opinion) they lacked way too much of what the real game was. I'm not trying to offend anyone's work here, after all I'm quite the noob with this stuff myself, I just thought more could have been done. As I was addicted to this stuff around six or seven years ago, I decided to try my luck making a version of my own.
Well, one of these days I came across some maps for warcraft about MU (a Korean MMORPG) , but (at least in my opinion) they lacked way too much of what the real game was. I'm not trying to offend anyone's work here, after all I'm quite the noob with this stuff myself, I just thought more could have been done. As I was addicted to this stuff around six or seven years ago, I decided to try my luck making a version of my own.
One of the aspects that even the original game does not explore too well (just like many other MMOs out there) is the story of the game, but it does have one. Actually, one of the things most MMOs out there (IMO) fail with is the story. For example, when I first played Ragnarok (sorry if anyone here is a fan of it, but I'm not), it was something like this: There's a big city, the first one of the game, and for some reason it's crowded with heroes (the players), that have come to its aid. As you walk out of the city, you see the first threat that made the city so crowded with noble spirits who are trying to help it in such dark times:
"
, what the hell? A smiling jelly named 'Poring'? "
As I spent a lot of my gaming time up to that moment with Diablo 1 and games of the kind, I was used to darker environments. In fact, Diablo is just the perfect opposite of the Ragnarok example, and it's what I want to do with this RPG: it's much more coherent that heroes gather to save the world from a hellspawned evil whose only purpose is to spread terror and destruction than to save it from an army of smiling porings.
Again, I apologize if anyone out there is a fan of that MMO, but it was the easiest example I could come up with.
I plan to add more to the original story. Some quests and stuff that would follow a logical order of events and keep the player tunned to what is going on in the Lost Continent and give a feeling of imminet threat with random invasions just like in the original game, but also leave the player free to explore the game or just ignore the story and go level up.
So far, what I can show about it is:
The Prophecy
The Heavens shall open again, the Stars will lose their way, and Fear descends upon the earth. A saint awakens and destroys the Seal of Chains. Ravenous teeth shall sunder the land, the land! 'Tis cruel! Crimson Blood stains the ground.
Under the Sun, The 8 Jewels of Legend and Lore shall appear, and Satan will have arisen. . . Heed these words ye wise man! A day shall come upon which the soil shall 8 Stars be affixed, Nightmare's Day shall it be called when Heaven's Rays divide the sky and echoing wails ring in the Valley of Death, and a light will come down upon this land from the world once forgotten.
Prologue
-The King of Blood
Antonias, the Prince of the Dark Knights, was nearing the realization of his foolish ambitions.
"MU shall be mine and mine only! Foolish, pitiful men, Behold my might as I break the Seal to my destiny."
An evil sorcerer named Lemuria, chancellor of the prince, had seduced his mind with false hopes for Antonias had become sickened and weary of the ceaseless battles between the feudal lords of MU. Lemuria spoke endlessly about a tale of a Great Lord, a Demon, the Devil of Darkness, Kundun, who had existed 1000 years ago before the MU Empire was born. She spoke of how those who allied themselves with the Dark Lord would be masters of the whole world and not merely an empire or a continent. Antonias, blinded by ambition, fell easily into Lemuria's ploy. Those who saw past Lemuria's veil of deception, loyal and altruistic advisors, were immediately put to death and all that remained was the naive prince, the evil Witch and cruel, bloodthirsty warriors.
The army of Antonias kept laying havoc to the land, conquering the Empire by force under Lemuria's cunning tricks and sorcery, and within time, on the ominous day mentioned in the Prophecy of the Secromicon, the forces of Antonias gathered at Ketthotum. The ghastly, merciless soldiers of Antonias anxiously waited for the moment when Antonias and Lemuria would break the Seal. The wind fell silent and the air was filled with uncertainty as the moments trickled by.
The Shrine of Ketthotum undulated grotesquely. For a brief moment, a look of panic crossed Antonias' eyes. "Is all well, Lemuria?" The Sorcerer Lemuria, hidden in a black shadowy robe, nodded her head. "Only for the King of Land! The moment is upon us." Antonias' confusion and uncertainty remained but were seemingly satisfied with her reply. Antonias then shouted, "This land shall remain mine for all time." and attempted to touch the Seal of Etramu.
"Om Orakust, Hemiad, Kiratus. Le Al Hokbras, Ektua, Ho."
An unknown incantation spewed from Lemuria's mouth and at the same time a bluish protective curtain surrounded Antonias. At this very moment, the Sealing Stone started to shed light. While Lemuria's incantation got louder and bolder, a look of madness began to flow and dance in the eyes of Antonias as he stared betwixt upon the jewel. "A little more, a little more..." Antonias' hands were trembling, as he approached the Sealing Stone. The light emanating from the stone began to spasm "just a little more." - Clink! Before Lemuria's incantation had finished, the Sealing Stone shattered. "The King, the King of Blood!!" In the midst of the din of the soldiers' rapturous voices calling out to their master, the Devil of Darkness, Kundun had resurrected. Kundun, who woke up from his long imprisonment, fiercely stared Antonias and shouted, "Now the land is only my own! Only blood and fear will fill up this land!" And the 8 pieces of the Sealing Stone were scattered far and wide to each corner of the vast continent that is MU.
Story
In a millennium's time, the Land of MU has advanced and developed the empire in great bounding strides. However, as foretold in the Great Prophecy, Secromicon, the Continent of MU fell into overwhelming chaos. Great leaders who had once controlled the MU Continent now have fallen low, and the central government; due to the internal strife and warfare amongst power hungry feudal lords, have brought the kingdom asunder and thus the empire crumbled. The millennium of peace and bounty is now a mere memory and dark stains of blood now cover the land. The ravages of war have laid waste to the once beautiful land and the shedding of blood still knows no end. Even now, petty feudal lords endlessly build up their machines of war and futilely attempt to re-establish what once was.
And it was during this time of endless blood letting that the Gates of Hell were thrown open as the blind ambitions of a foolish man had been led far astray.
Antonias a foolish Lord, blinded by ambition, deceived by the evil Sorceress Lemuria, unknowingly let loose upon the world, Kundun, the Devil of Darkness, a demon difficultly confined by the Seal of Etramu.
"Now this land shall be mine again. I have banished Peace for all time… the Sun will no longer shine. This earth shall be mine, and cunning men will be my slaves and cattle."
The Ancient Devil Kundun, who awake from its long sleepless imprisonment, now walks amongst the living defiling the land with his touch. Amidst the chaos, the stars have lost their course and the stench of fear and blood pervades throughout. Kundun released upon the land his rage and vengeance for his long confinement. Quickly, the now forsaken land of MU has become home to Kundun's minions and for 2 long years the evil of his reign befouled all that was once pure. Nightmare's Day, a passage in the Great Prophecy, had come true and was no longer merely the words of days gone by. Wise men began their studies anew and hopingly and longingly referred to the ray of light mentioned within the writings of the prophecy. Their last remaining hope lay in the power of the seal of Etramu, the very seal that maintained Kundun's imprisonment. Into 8 pieces the seal has been scattered and only when the seal is made whole shall peace return to the land once more.
"
, what the hell? A smiling jelly named 'Poring'? "As I spent a lot of my gaming time up to that moment with Diablo 1 and games of the kind, I was used to darker environments. In fact, Diablo is just the perfect opposite of the Ragnarok example, and it's what I want to do with this RPG: it's much more coherent that heroes gather to save the world from a hellspawned evil whose only purpose is to spread terror and destruction than to save it from an army of smiling porings.
Again, I apologize if anyone out there is a fan of that MMO, but it was the easiest example I could come up with.
I plan to add more to the original story. Some quests and stuff that would follow a logical order of events and keep the player tunned to what is going on in the Lost Continent and give a feeling of imminet threat with random invasions just like in the original game, but also leave the player free to explore the game or just ignore the story and go level up.
So far, what I can show about it is:
The Prophecy
The Heavens shall open again, the Stars will lose their way, and Fear descends upon the earth. A saint awakens and destroys the Seal of Chains. Ravenous teeth shall sunder the land, the land! 'Tis cruel! Crimson Blood stains the ground.
Under the Sun, The 8 Jewels of Legend and Lore shall appear, and Satan will have arisen. . . Heed these words ye wise man! A day shall come upon which the soil shall 8 Stars be affixed, Nightmare's Day shall it be called when Heaven's Rays divide the sky and echoing wails ring in the Valley of Death, and a light will come down upon this land from the world once forgotten.
Prologue
-The King of Blood
Antonias, the Prince of the Dark Knights, was nearing the realization of his foolish ambitions.
"MU shall be mine and mine only! Foolish, pitiful men, Behold my might as I break the Seal to my destiny."
An evil sorcerer named Lemuria, chancellor of the prince, had seduced his mind with false hopes for Antonias had become sickened and weary of the ceaseless battles between the feudal lords of MU. Lemuria spoke endlessly about a tale of a Great Lord, a Demon, the Devil of Darkness, Kundun, who had existed 1000 years ago before the MU Empire was born. She spoke of how those who allied themselves with the Dark Lord would be masters of the whole world and not merely an empire or a continent. Antonias, blinded by ambition, fell easily into Lemuria's ploy. Those who saw past Lemuria's veil of deception, loyal and altruistic advisors, were immediately put to death and all that remained was the naive prince, the evil Witch and cruel, bloodthirsty warriors.
The army of Antonias kept laying havoc to the land, conquering the Empire by force under Lemuria's cunning tricks and sorcery, and within time, on the ominous day mentioned in the Prophecy of the Secromicon, the forces of Antonias gathered at Ketthotum. The ghastly, merciless soldiers of Antonias anxiously waited for the moment when Antonias and Lemuria would break the Seal. The wind fell silent and the air was filled with uncertainty as the moments trickled by.
The Shrine of Ketthotum undulated grotesquely. For a brief moment, a look of panic crossed Antonias' eyes. "Is all well, Lemuria?" The Sorcerer Lemuria, hidden in a black shadowy robe, nodded her head. "Only for the King of Land! The moment is upon us." Antonias' confusion and uncertainty remained but were seemingly satisfied with her reply. Antonias then shouted, "This land shall remain mine for all time." and attempted to touch the Seal of Etramu.
"Om Orakust, Hemiad, Kiratus. Le Al Hokbras, Ektua, Ho."
An unknown incantation spewed from Lemuria's mouth and at the same time a bluish protective curtain surrounded Antonias. At this very moment, the Sealing Stone started to shed light. While Lemuria's incantation got louder and bolder, a look of madness began to flow and dance in the eyes of Antonias as he stared betwixt upon the jewel. "A little more, a little more..." Antonias' hands were trembling, as he approached the Sealing Stone. The light emanating from the stone began to spasm "just a little more." - Clink! Before Lemuria's incantation had finished, the Sealing Stone shattered. "The King, the King of Blood!!" In the midst of the din of the soldiers' rapturous voices calling out to their master, the Devil of Darkness, Kundun had resurrected. Kundun, who woke up from his long imprisonment, fiercely stared Antonias and shouted, "Now the land is only my own! Only blood and fear will fill up this land!" And the 8 pieces of the Sealing Stone were scattered far and wide to each corner of the vast continent that is MU.
Story
In a millennium's time, the Land of MU has advanced and developed the empire in great bounding strides. However, as foretold in the Great Prophecy, Secromicon, the Continent of MU fell into overwhelming chaos. Great leaders who had once controlled the MU Continent now have fallen low, and the central government; due to the internal strife and warfare amongst power hungry feudal lords, have brought the kingdom asunder and thus the empire crumbled. The millennium of peace and bounty is now a mere memory and dark stains of blood now cover the land. The ravages of war have laid waste to the once beautiful land and the shedding of blood still knows no end. Even now, petty feudal lords endlessly build up their machines of war and futilely attempt to re-establish what once was.
And it was during this time of endless blood letting that the Gates of Hell were thrown open as the blind ambitions of a foolish man had been led far astray.
Antonias a foolish Lord, blinded by ambition, deceived by the evil Sorceress Lemuria, unknowingly let loose upon the world, Kundun, the Devil of Darkness, a demon difficultly confined by the Seal of Etramu.
"Now this land shall be mine again. I have banished Peace for all time… the Sun will no longer shine. This earth shall be mine, and cunning men will be my slaves and cattle."
The Ancient Devil Kundun, who awake from its long sleepless imprisonment, now walks amongst the living defiling the land with his touch. Amidst the chaos, the stars have lost their course and the stench of fear and blood pervades throughout. Kundun released upon the land his rage and vengeance for his long confinement. Quickly, the now forsaken land of MU has become home to Kundun's minions and for 2 long years the evil of his reign befouled all that was once pure. Nightmare's Day, a passage in the Great Prophecy, had come true and was no longer merely the words of days gone by. Wise men began their studies anew and hopingly and longingly referred to the ray of light mentioned within the writings of the prophecy. Their last remaining hope lay in the power of the seal of Etramu, the very seal that maintained Kundun's imprisonment. Into 8 pieces the seal has been scattered and only when the seal is made whole shall peace return to the land once more.
Well, here is where my difficulties began. MU's system is perhaps not as sophisticated as more recent MMOs, but still it's a lot different of Warcraft's system, the defense being the change I'm having the most difficulties with:
Not only each character has an own formula to calculate his/her defense (and also damage, attack speed, HP, MP, Spell Damage etc.) based on one of the four custom attributes the game has (five if we count Command, but I don't plan to add the Dark Lord character, who is the only character that uses it, too soon) but also defense absorbs a given integer number of damage points (in WC3, armor absorbs a given percentage of damage).
Right now, I'm trying to make all damage in the map work based on triggers, as well as the custom attributes, formulas for each character (I have all the formulas for the 3 main characters already) and defense system, but the code is looking like a rat's nest and I need some serious help with it. I'm trying to learn some Jass too.
Not only each character has an own formula to calculate his/her defense (and also damage, attack speed, HP, MP, Spell Damage etc.) based on one of the four custom attributes the game has (five if we count Command, but I don't plan to add the Dark Lord character, who is the only character that uses it, too soon) but also defense absorbs a given integer number of damage points (in WC3, armor absorbs a given percentage of damage).
Right now, I'm trying to make all damage in the map work based on triggers, as well as the custom attributes, formulas for each character (I have all the formulas for the 3 main characters already) and defense system, but the code is looking like a rat's nest and I need some serious help with it. I'm trying to learn some Jass too.
I'm trying to create some custom tilesets for the terrain, but as of now all I did was calculate the needed space for each of the areas I plan to add based on official map charts I found. In fact, with the correct tileset and stuff, this is going to be one of the easiest parts of the project, as there is not much planning to be done except if some other areas are to be added, or new ones created from scratch.
Maps
Maps
I plan to create, firstly, the three basic characters of the game, the Dark Knight, the Dark Wizard, and the Fairy Elf. They are pretty much stereotypes, so there's not much need to describe them. However, there's a class evolution system that makes them able to wear better equipments, learn better skills etc. and this of course would be a great addition to the map.
Characters
Characters
With the exception of the Elf's summon skills, for which I "just" have to create the units and, maybe, models, all the rest need some heavy coding. This gives an idea of the DW's spells as well as some monster models and areas of the game.
Custom music will make the map too big, but still I plan to add at least the song played in Blood Castle(special event), perhaps after I compress it or something (It's too epic to be left out)
There are some events in the game that require specific items in order to start working, the most notable ones being Blood Castle and Devil Square, time limited events that require cooperation in order to be successfully completed by the players (well, maybe not Devil Square) and at the same time work as mass spawn areas for those looking for fast leveling. I'm aware of the events that were introduced in more recent versions, but for now I think that adding up to Chaos Castle would be awesome.
Chaos Castle is a mass PvP event in which the players are "disguised" (they are all looking the same, with the only difference being the character class they represent: all DKs are looking the same, all wizards look the same etc.) and put in a room with tons of monsters looking exactly like the players. The last players standing wins some cool prizes. The edges of the room also fall as the time passes, to give the event a time limit.
Chaos Castle is a mass PvP event in which the players are "disguised" (they are all looking the same, with the only difference being the character class they represent: all DKs are looking the same, all wizards look the same etc.) and put in a room with tons of monsters looking exactly like the players. The last players standing wins some cool prizes. The edges of the room also fall as the time passes, to give the event a time limit.
After the player reaches a certain level, his/her character can be "resetted" to level 1, BUT by doing so, the player gains a reward in attributes (or just keeps the ones from before resetting), which allows huge levels of power to be reached (in private servers, at least, where the characters start to bug completely after 32767 stats). If such system is to be added, I have no wonder there will be problems with balancing.
I've been messing around with the trigger system and I think I have some idea of how a party system could be implemented, allowing the players to choose to let their friends leech experience or not.
The items must be fully compatible with the new armor system, and work as they do in MU: if you apply a Jewel to it, it gets +3 defense, with a given limit of times this can be done.
The chaos machine must also be implemented to work similarly to a dota recipe system, through which players would combine wings, items required to access event areas, etc.
The chaos machine must also be implemented to work similarly to a dota recipe system, through which players would combine wings, items required to access event areas, etc.
If everything goes well, there is still something that bothers me: MU has too many areas...too many to be added to an Epic size warcraft map without making each of them too small to look good. Perhaps in the future new maps, that allow the player to load heroes from this one, with additional areas as well as some of the initial ones, could be added. This would allow the players to acquire better items, perhaps spells, and level up faster as the new areas would be much harder than the initial ones, and could even require the players to have some Resets to survive in them.
To summarize it, yea, I know it's quite an ambitious project for a n00b like me, so I'm looking for anyone who can help me model, create custom spells, tiles, do some vJass, to work in this project with me as a team. I don't plan to rush anything, so it's ok for me if your free time to work on the project is short (in fact, my free time at the moment is very short, with college and stuff, but I'll be completely free after December 15). We could communicate through, preferably, msn.
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