Approved
Map Reviewer
- Joined
- Feb 19, 2011
- Messages
- 2,112
Seems unfinished. The map has various typos and mistakes, including but not limited to false tooltips, missing descriptions, terraining errors, unpolished terrain and unit managing along with ridiculous "Hint" messages. These minor errors are nothing compared to the unbalance of the map and missing plot - the map has literally no balance - stacking armor is superior as can be and the enemies do not scale at all (they start with low damage and after first 10 minutes every single unit has around 100 attack damage (not that the damage mattered anyway, since your armor reduces all the basic attack damage by roughly 85%). By missing plot I mean that the game never really tells you what you are doing - sure you have missions but their motive and results are never revealed "kill some one" is not very good initiative for a quest.
Some of the game mechanics are also broken - you can summon through walls to access areas not meant to be accessed or access areas before you should be able to. Regardless of the flaws and bugs the game is somewhat enjoyable - kind of the feeling with Warchasers, but without the feel of danger or achievement - the map is way too easy and it gives no variation: every single fight is just an autoattack spam, since they scale unlike the spells. (Here I must remember and notify you that I played it solo - on easy). Getting 2 additional attack damage per primary attribute would not be a big problem if getting it was hard. However the map gives players way too much Orbs of Power (at least when playing solo). Maybe not when you are playing as a team, but if playing Solo is more superior it tells that team work is not required or it is so marginal (as a map's level) that something has been done wrong. Also, is it intended that Superior Naga Royal Myrmidons give the killer 300 Orbs of Power? That equals to 600 attack damage, which is... a lot. (Not to mention there is 3 of them) = 1800 attack damage. More than a spell.
Like I said the combat is very boring - it is just a meat-slaughter-slash-flash-smashing basic attack thing, there is not very many combat mechanics required - usually using smaller numbers is good (starting with 50 attack damage and 1000 hit points, why?). This also includes boss fights. They are pretty dull... they use no interesting abilities (they're more frustrating e.g. 2 second stun every 5 seconds?), also very big flaws e.g. Archmage Syniys "sent me to nightmare" (which was cool) but it failed as I got teleported back and he had disappeared (he tried to follow me and had left the arena via the teleport).
I'd recommend you checking out how the stats and items scale, maybe you could drop specifically Orb of Agility etc. to force specific heroes to take them, and if played solo, they would not be so over powered. Then again, gold is also broken - buying 50 damage (+25 attribute) for 2000 gold is pretty cheap. Also, why isn't the gain gold distributed? Healers and characters in minor damage roles won't get any gold, right?
Terrain is rather odd - it works but it makes no sense: why would you use Dungeon tileset if your maps theme is Elves? And bigger part of the map is Nagas and Fire, than dungeon. Makes no sense to me - and the other half is filled with houses? Different places on the map have no connection either - why is there a fiery place of destruction after a water calm naga temple? Which by the way comes after some bandits? It makes no sense! There is also huge amounts of floating rocks (the floating fountain was cool by the way) and misplaced bridges and ramps - I'd suggest you to fix all those errors.
Also, figure out to fix the game mechanics like the summoning - and also the false vision. (E.g. you can see the Goblin Libraries from behind walls and purchase items. Also fix the bug that Bookshelves are not visible after you leave the place - makes it look stupid when they just appear out of nowhere.
You should check the ability tooltips and pretty much everything for mistakes for example the Spirit Master has false tool tip on his Chain Lightning (wrong damage on the learn tool tip) and also, his Bloodlust ability swaps from spot (0,2) to (2,2) when you enable autocast. Also, I never really understood why his name is Spirit Master? The only reason is the wolves? Really? Most annoying part I think is the fact that you can cast his Bloodlust on enemies >,<' Why on earth? Same thing occurs with the "Liquid Fire", what happens if you toss a few bottles on the creeps? You get stuck? Forever?
I never finished the map since it got bugged - the part where I was supposed to protect the Elven Priest while he drained the generators mana. I just killed the generator and the loop never ended around 200 skeletons kept spawning and nothing happened - I gave up.
Well I guess that is enough of flaws and stuff for now. I think you got the point - there is a lot of things to fix.
Now it has some good sides as well.
I like the fact that there is a lot I mean A LOT of heroes you can choose from, but try to make each of them interesting in their own way. The descriptions are also very clear and simple but they could be more accurate and informative e.g. include the cooldown of the spell (before you learn them).
Another really nice thing is the fact that you made the Orbs of Power - really good idea I think, just scales insanely (too overpowered). The fact that you get level only from Bosses is also nice in my opinion, however I thought the map was bugged before the first boss, maybe add a message about it somewhere.
The item upgrading part is also sweet, though really simple and not balanced - getting 10 hp per second is very op at start.
I like that the enemies have different variations (names) but it's sadly only names and +-2 damage. Why not make them more unique? It kinda lacked in the map - it was really dull to kill 200 "Murloc Reavers" at one point, nothing else but them.
For now I'd expect you to keep working on the map and polish the things I mention - and more. I only played with one hero, and I expect the others have similar issues as well.
Some of the game mechanics are also broken - you can summon through walls to access areas not meant to be accessed or access areas before you should be able to. Regardless of the flaws and bugs the game is somewhat enjoyable - kind of the feeling with Warchasers, but without the feel of danger or achievement - the map is way too easy and it gives no variation: every single fight is just an autoattack spam, since they scale unlike the spells. (Here I must remember and notify you that I played it solo - on easy). Getting 2 additional attack damage per primary attribute would not be a big problem if getting it was hard. However the map gives players way too much Orbs of Power (at least when playing solo). Maybe not when you are playing as a team, but if playing Solo is more superior it tells that team work is not required or it is so marginal (as a map's level) that something has been done wrong. Also, is it intended that Superior Naga Royal Myrmidons give the killer 300 Orbs of Power? That equals to 600 attack damage, which is... a lot. (Not to mention there is 3 of them) = 1800 attack damage. More than a spell.
Like I said the combat is very boring - it is just a meat-slaughter-slash-flash-smashing basic attack thing, there is not very many combat mechanics required - usually using smaller numbers is good (starting with 50 attack damage and 1000 hit points, why?). This also includes boss fights. They are pretty dull... they use no interesting abilities (they're more frustrating e.g. 2 second stun every 5 seconds?), also very big flaws e.g. Archmage Syniys "sent me to nightmare" (which was cool) but it failed as I got teleported back and he had disappeared (he tried to follow me and had left the arena via the teleport).
I'd recommend you checking out how the stats and items scale, maybe you could drop specifically Orb of Agility etc. to force specific heroes to take them, and if played solo, they would not be so over powered. Then again, gold is also broken - buying 50 damage (+25 attribute) for 2000 gold is pretty cheap. Also, why isn't the gain gold distributed? Healers and characters in minor damage roles won't get any gold, right?
Terrain is rather odd - it works but it makes no sense: why would you use Dungeon tileset if your maps theme is Elves? And bigger part of the map is Nagas and Fire, than dungeon. Makes no sense to me - and the other half is filled with houses? Different places on the map have no connection either - why is there a fiery place of destruction after a water calm naga temple? Which by the way comes after some bandits? It makes no sense! There is also huge amounts of floating rocks (the floating fountain was cool by the way) and misplaced bridges and ramps - I'd suggest you to fix all those errors.
Also, figure out to fix the game mechanics like the summoning - and also the false vision. (E.g. you can see the Goblin Libraries from behind walls and purchase items. Also fix the bug that Bookshelves are not visible after you leave the place - makes it look stupid when they just appear out of nowhere.
You should check the ability tooltips and pretty much everything for mistakes for example the Spirit Master has false tool tip on his Chain Lightning (wrong damage on the learn tool tip) and also, his Bloodlust ability swaps from spot (0,2) to (2,2) when you enable autocast. Also, I never really understood why his name is Spirit Master? The only reason is the wolves? Really? Most annoying part I think is the fact that you can cast his Bloodlust on enemies >,<' Why on earth? Same thing occurs with the "Liquid Fire", what happens if you toss a few bottles on the creeps? You get stuck? Forever?
I never finished the map since it got bugged - the part where I was supposed to protect the Elven Priest while he drained the generators mana. I just killed the generator and the loop never ended around 200 skeletons kept spawning and nothing happened - I gave up.
Well I guess that is enough of flaws and stuff for now. I think you got the point - there is a lot of things to fix.
Now it has some good sides as well.
I like the fact that there is a lot I mean A LOT of heroes you can choose from, but try to make each of them interesting in their own way. The descriptions are also very clear and simple but they could be more accurate and informative e.g. include the cooldown of the spell (before you learn them).
Another really nice thing is the fact that you made the Orbs of Power - really good idea I think, just scales insanely (too overpowered). The fact that you get level only from Bosses is also nice in my opinion, however I thought the map was bugged before the first boss, maybe add a message about it somewhere.
The item upgrading part is also sweet, though really simple and not balanced - getting 10 hp per second is very op at start.
I like that the enemies have different variations (names) but it's sadly only names and +-2 damage. Why not make them more unique? It kinda lacked in the map - it was really dull to kill 200 "Murloc Reavers" at one point, nothing else but them.
For now I'd expect you to keep working on the map and polish the things I mention - and more. I only played with one hero, and I expect the others have similar issues as well.
![s[i]n](/data/avatars/s/120/120805.jpg?1465503865){kind=avatar}
