Techtree Contest #4 - Improved Melee Race

[Pharaoh_]

Improved Melee Race
Contestants are to create an improved or at least an alternate version of the current Warcraft 3 races, be it Human/ Orc/ Undead/ Night Elf/ Naga. The race created must fit the name of the race you picked and must have many similarities to the original one (lore- and concept-wise).

• No submission may violate any of the site rules.
• If a submission does not follow the map submission rules the creator will be disqualified.
• All submissions must follow the current theme. If any model does not fit, a moderator will tell you as soon as possible as to avoid confusion.
• Your submission must be posted before the deadline. The post containing your final submission must also contain the following:
  • Several screenshots of race in action.
  • The file in the appropriate format.
• You must show at least one unfinished preview of your submission (WIP), before the deadline, as proof that it’s yours.
• Your final submission must be bug free enough to test and play.
• Teamwork is not allowed.
  • Finding testers to help you with your submission is not considered teamwork.
• Imports may be used in the map, however they must all be credited.
• The features that may be edited are:
  • Gameplay constants
  • Game interface
  • Object editor
  • Trigger editor
• The map's terrain may not be edited.
• Participants must download the template map (which is found on the bottom of this post), edit it and then resubmit it as their entry.
• The resulting map may not exceed 3MB in size.
• Your submission may not be started before the official launch of the contest.

• First Place: 50 reputation points and a special award icon
  
• Second Place: 35 reputation points
  
• Third Place: 20 reputation points

• Pharaoh_

Gameplay	How fun the gameplay is; does it introduce a new way of playing? Is it too complicated? (If yes, is it still playable?)	/10
Strategy	This is what Wacraft 3 is. Does the race offer dynamic and various types of strategy or does it look like a simple race editing?	/10
Philosophy	Does it follow the theme of the original race? //Although the points are 5 here, having a score of 0 means elimination from the contest.	/5
Appearance	Does the final output look better than the original race?	/5

• 70 % of the winner shall be determined by the contest's appointed judge(s).
• 30 % of the winner shall be determined by the results of a public poll.

• The contest shall begin on 3rd January 2010 and conclude on 12th Feb 2010, 11:59 GMT

---

Thanks to Lich Prince for creating the contest layer.

Quotes that might help you realize the purpose of the contest:

• Philosophy is the conceptual aspect of the race, the way the lore is combined with the combat and the gameplay. It's the general (gestalt) appearance that identifies it.

• You are allowed to add many unit-types and name them anyhow you want, so that you seemingly have a vast army to pick from, but if they are too many, you doom your points in Strategy and Gameplay, because Strategy gets ruined, since there are way too many options to choose from, which blocks the player from deciding, while Gameplay becomes complex.

• You can't call your race "Bandit Humans", they will be normally named as "Humans". You will only alter their attribute to more evil, nothing else (conceptually) altered.

• Although Space Orcs have one-two models within the Warcraft III engine, their lore is not existent, this is why they are not accepted.

•The lore can be extracted from Warcraft and World of Warcraft, nothing more, nothing less. Space orcs and/or Zerglings seem to represent Starcraft's universe, which is totally off of Warcraft's one.

As for the Bandits, adding a "bad" twist into humans isn't out of theme; life can have many twists, I don't see why humans could never be corrupted, especially for a race that tends to be very curious and greedy.

• Of course this isn't modeling only. That's just "cosmetic" part of this competition since it effects just looks of the units. You still need yourself to make new units, spells, abilities, gameplay. Terrain editing is pointless since you are making a teach-tree not a map. (by VeljkoM)

• Actually there is import limit. If you think that its just models that win then check last competition. They are maybe important to voters but judges look at the actual race factors. (by VeljkoM)

• Well, I don't think we're only limited to Warcraft lore. You can make an alternative Human race I guess, but don't make it too alien from the Human race. (by Lich Prince)

• That's where lore part comes in. You can't use space technology that doesn't exist in fantasy world. (by VeljkoM)

• I think the philosophy itself is sort of like the old 'Gestalt' thing that Chrome had. As in, does everything fit together. But the key difference is that the final creation must also be philosophically based off of the race of your choice. (by Wazzz)

• You can change the ability count to 7, you can include no town hall, you can be inspired into creating a whole new warcraft 3 race (with the concept of its original), but all you must think along with your excitement is to prevent the gameplay from being too complex or hard/weird to understand. You can add new unit-types, for example common races currently have a town hall, a farm-type unit, a tower, barracks, an item shop and additional barracks for upgraded soldiers. Overriding this structural pattern, you could for example add a unit that will be harvesting air for powering-up the city's supplies. It's up to you!

In case you need additional lore info, so that you stay within the conceptual boundaries of your race, you can check the following links (will be posted in the main topic as well):
http://www.wowhead.com/race=2/orc (Orcs)
http://www.wowhead.com/race=4 (Night Elves)
http://www.wowhead.com/race=1 (Humans)
http://www.wowhead.com/race=5 (Undead)
http://www.wowwiki.com/Naga (Naga)

The following page, http://www.wowhead.com/races , contains a list of World of Warcraft races, we only need the races of Warcraft III. However, if you feel that you want to extend the concept of your race, you can use facts from the World of Warcraft lore, but the key is to make an alternative version of the 5 main races, not an extended one.

For questions about the contest, don't hesitate to ask.

 

[Marcelo Hossomi]

How are we supposed to put our race in the template map?
Trigger a little system to choose the new race as if we would play a melee map in Warcraft?
Just place the new race town hall and peons in the map and delete the Initialization Trigger?
Hack the MPQ and make Warcraft think the new race is a common one and show in the race selection screen? xD

 

[XenoStalker]

The map's terrain may not be edited. The current four melee races may not be edited.

Is this from a contest in the past or something? We're editing a main melee race ;P

Also: must we remake every single given aspect of the race or are we allowed to leave a portion (give us a percentage maybe) the same.

 

[The World Is Flat]

Lol, booooring. Woulda joined, theme put me off.

 

[Sheephunter]

Just a question, Can you take icons from hive and give credits to the creators or do you need to make your own icons?

 

[Frutz]

we add a new race or edit the old one?

 

[InfinateAnswers]

Can i use a paladin model, but can i hypethitacally call him MC Hammer?

Can we create a new variation of gold mine? or does it have to be a gold mine, and when you say we can edit triggers, that means we can make our own game system? It doesnt have to be a melee map, that follows blizzards game?

 

[supertoinkz]

Holy Dung. February 7.

 

[darkdeathknight]

I'm gonna join if no one else is. That is until 2 more people join in.

 

[InfinateAnswers]

Okay i dont get it... If we cant edit the current races, how will the game fire off and melee game triggers work?? This contest is confusing, the description isnt good enough.

 

[darkdeathknight]

Then don't join it

 

[InfinateAnswers]

Too late, posting first WiP in 3 minutes.

 

[Zealon]

The current four melee races may not be edited.

Sooo, how are you supposed to create a new race if you can't use the default races as a template?

 

[InfinateAnswers]

You can, he means you cant go in and change a few things and call it a new race. You actually have to create a whole new unit, in a way. Here ill post what ive done, and what i think is right. Tell me what you think.

 

[darkdeathknight]

Damn, now I can't win

 

[darkdeathknight]

Can I ask a question? When it says meele-oriented race, does that mean most of the units have to be meele, and how many units are required?

 

[Zealon]

You can, he means you cant go in and change a few things and call it a new race. You actually have to create a whole new unit, in a way. Here ill post what ive done, and what i think is right. Tell me what you think.

Okay, thanks. And I'll check it out

 

[InfinateAnswers]

lol no it means melee map race, like footmen, riflemen, those genre of units every race has.

 

[Zealon]

@IA, well you havn't done a lot, but it looks good so far

 

[-Kobas-]

Epic I am in for sure! Ha I want to test my map making skills!

 

[VeljkoM]

Finally it started. Hope I'll finish the race this time also.

 

[Laserdude]

As said before...
The description is very confusing.
I might join this, but then, I'd want to know for sure what the description means...
So, we are supposed to create new units and then add them as normal units, as in the game contestants "Main Structure" and "Starting Units" and add a tech tree?
That would replace the old race, but is that what we are supposed to do?
I am confused by the "You can't edit the four original races" part, as you can see.

 

[Kala]

As said before...
The description is very confusing.
I might join this, but then, I'd want to know for sure what the description means...
So, we are supposed to create new units and then add them as normal units, as in the game contestants "Main Structure" and "Starting Units" and add a tech tree?
That would replace the old race, but is that what we are supposed to do?
I am confused by the "You can't edit the four original races" part, as you can see.

Yeah, it's pretty confusing. Someone answer please

I wanna join.

 

[VeljkoM]

Create brand new race teach-tree based of already existing races like humans, orcs, undead, night elf and naga. Create the race to be separate from the original aka melee races (melee race means blizz race). Everything in the races should be custom made in object editor.

 

[Deolrin]

I might try to do something. Not that I have a chance against you guys. But I just miss the old Techtree Contests from WC3C.

 

[Freyleyes]

One question.

Can you do your race about a faction of the named races? Like can we create a bloodelf race? They are tied in with the humans. Or a nerubian race for undead or trolls for the orcs?

 

[darkdeathknight]

Yeah I was gonna ask that as well. But then it could just be renamed into Warcraft related techtree.

 

[Disasterpiece512]

I'm in.

 

[Deolrin]

I'm pretty sure that the point it to recreate a melee map, thus I doubt you could just get a new race. There aren't "Human" and "Orc" races in WC3, there's just Alliance(Dwarves, High Elves, Humans), Horde(Orcs, Trolls, Tauren), Night Elf Sentinels(Night Elves, Mountain Giants, Dryads, Ancients, etc) and Undead Scourge(Undead ).

Although, if Naga is a possible race then Blood Elves should be, too, as they are also technically a campaign race.

 

[-Kobas-]

For those that don't understand you need to create custom race that will look like standard blizzard created one!

For example you can create trolls!

You will need town hall with for example 3 levels (each melee race has 3 levels right) or find some other way to do this.
You will need 4 heroes, or maybe something different
You will need few building, units, abilities and upgrades for them!

You can use trigger editor to create custom spells and shitz, you can import stuff (up to 3 MB) and so on.

Something like alternated melee map, but instead of recreating already created human/orc.. race, you need to create completely new!

 

[Frutz]

I'm pretty sure that the point it to recreate a melee map, thus I doubt you could just get a new race. There aren't "Human" and "Orc" races in WC3, there's just Alliance(Dwarves, High Elves, Humans), Horde(Orcs, Trolls, Tauren), Night Elf Sentinels(Night Elves, Mountain Giants, Dryads, Ancients, etc) and Undead Scourge(Undead ).

Although, if Naga is a possible race then Blood Elves should be, too, as they are also technically a campaign race.

aren't Spell Breaker, Sorceress, Dragonhawk Rider and Priest from the Alliance is a Blood Elf instead of High Elf?
High Elves are in Campaign like High Elf Villager, Dragon Hawk and Archer
but Blood Elf Lieutenant counted as Blood Elf
am I right?

 

[Disasterpiece512]

To be honest I don't really understand either. So should we create a whole new race or just edit the exiting ones into oblivion?

For example: create trolls or heavily edit orcs to be more troll-oriented, but so that it still qualifies as orc?

 

[Chizume]

Even though I am also a bit confused I will give this a try. Sounds like a fun kind of competition even if the theme is somewhat mediocre

 

[Pharaoh_]

Hah, lots of questions. Before I answer respectively to each entry, I will first of all tell you to redirect yourself here ( http://www.hiveworkshop.com/forums/contest-submission-233/techtree-contest-4-a-181277/ ), in the discussion topic, because it contains loads of info for the contest's guidelines.

How are we supposed to put our race in the template map?
Trigger a little system to choose the new race as if we would play a melee map in Warcraft?
Just place the new race town hall and peons in the map and delete the Initialization Trigger?
Hack the MPQ and make Warcraft think the new race is a common one and show in the race selection screen? xD

No hacks, main rule is not to violate Hive's rules. If you want, take a look at previous contests of type Techtree and Racebuilding, so that you get the idea of how it is done.

Is this from a contest in the past or something? We're editing a main melee race ;P

Also: must we remake every single given aspect of the race or are we allowed to leave a portion (give us a percentage maybe) the same.

1) Yes, it is, I edited it, didn't spot that, thanks

2) No percentages, contest is not as complex as you think. You just have to take a default Warcraft III race (Undead/Human/Orc/Night Elf/Naga) and give it an alternate version; the new version will be heavily judged on innovative aspects of gameplay that follow a well-thought strategy. Build your own race that is purely a conceptual copy-paste of the original. Stuff you can change are the units' names, functionality, models, spells, items, everything, as long as it still makes sense as e.g. an Undead race.

Just a question, Can you take icons from hive and give credits to the creators or do you need to make your own icons?

You can use everything, as long as the source is reliable and credited, be it yourself or any other source.

we add a new race or edit the old one?

You edit; you can't add new ones in the Warcraft III World Editor without enhancement.

Can i use a paladin model, but can i hypethitacally call him MC Hammer?

Can we create a new variation of gold mine? or does it have to be a gold mine, and when you say we can edit triggers, that means we can make our own game system? It doesnt have to be a melee map, that follows blizzards game?

MC Hammer sounds funny; I would suggest retaining the epic feeling of Warcraft's lore.

Yes, you can make any type of system to fit your race, if you think that the said system will enhance the gaming experience that comes along with the race.

Can I ask a question? When it says meele-oriented race, does that mean most of the units have to be meele, and how many units are required?

No, melee is what we also call "ladder" in Warcraft 3, use the default gameplay the game introduces within the template map. Check previous racebuilding / techtree contests for info.

As said before...
The description is very confusing.
I might join this, but then, I'd want to know for sure what the description means...
So, we are supposed to create new units and then add them as normal units, as in the game contestants "Main Structure" and "Starting Units" and add a tech tree?
That would replace the old race, but is that what we are supposed to do?
I am confused by the "You can't edit the four original races" part, as you can see.

The description might feel shortened out, because you didn't follow up the discussion of Techtree 4 submission topic: http://www.hiveworkshop.com/forums/contest-submission-233/techtree-contest-4-a-181277/

I might try to do something. Not that I have a chance against you guys. But I just miss the old Techtree Contests from WC3C.

Would love to see you around.

To be honest I don't really understand either. So should we create a whole new race or just edit the exiting ones into oblivion?

For example: create trolls or heavily edit orcs to be more troll-oriented, but so that it still qualifies as orc?

You get existing ones and find an alternative way of representing them, for example, you might want to enhance the divine nature of Humans and enhance their armies with angels. That's up to you, just keep it within the boundaries of Warcraft's lore. A troll-oriented race automatically renders it a troll one, since the main aspect of the units are trolls. Orcs are orcs, not trolls. You are however allowed to add extra unit-types that do not 100% match with the original race, e.g. Taurens in an Orc race, but don't overdo with it.

---

Please, have a look at the discussion topic, before you begin working, so as to prevent misunderstandings. http://www.hiveworkshop.com/forums/contest-submission-233/techtree-contest-4-a-181277/

Those of you who are bored of going through the discussion topic, which might be time-consuming, I have quoted the most important stuff in the initial topic of this thread.

 

[Sheephunter]

One more question, So we are gonna create new races?

 

[Frutz]

can we add a branch system? like orc race when upgrading their town hall can choose between the path of trolls or path of taurens

 

[Ash Darkside]

I am in.

I have read the discussion (most of it) and to put it in the simplest of words, this contest is to remake the original races.
Imagine yourself one of a Human general, an Orcish warlord, a Night Elf Highlord, a powerful Undead creature or a Naga deeplord. You then have to assemble an army with the recourses that would be available for you depending on your race (you can't have humans in an orc race but you may add goblins since you are on good terms with them. You can't have necromancers on your human army even though they are human, but you may have bandits and outlaw mages if you are not a very lawful army).
As to show the limit:
I'll make an undead army under the control of a Revenant (not servants of the lich king) and thus I can't have scourge exclusive technologies but I may use any other undead technologies as I see fit.
(that is allowed as far as I can see)
Someone else may choose to create a banshee or a forsaken army under the command of the banshee queen.

You also don't need to abide by the original gameplay of these races as you can create your own and make it as different as you want from the original but keep it easy so that people don't get confused.
If I said anything wrong then please correct me.

 

[Kercyn]

Hmm, sounds interesting. I may participate in this one.

 

[Deolrin]

aren't Spell Breaker, Sorceress, Dragonhawk Rider and Priest from the Alliance is a Blood Elf instead of High Elf?
High Elves are in Campaign like High Elf Villager, Dragon Hawk and Archer
but Blood Elf Lieutenant counted as Blood Elf
am I right?

Wrong. Lore-wise, the Blood Elves left the Alliance. Because of game mechanics however, the melee units are supposedly High Elves. Since this contest requires you race to fit the lore of the race you're 'recreating', you can not use Blood Elves as your theme as they are technically not a part of the Alliance ever since Garithos ordered Kael and his Blood Elves executed.

 

[InfinateAnswers]

Kobas that would be true, but one of the judging preferences "Is the race an improvement of the original race" and trolls fits under orc. Its not an improvement it would be an extension. I think what i have so far is a good start. Im trying to create a more modern version of humans. And im implying a new gaming system.

 

[-Kobas-]

Yes but you forget for ice or even forest trolls that played epic part in human history, when long ago humans made pact with high elves in order to survive and defeat troll tribes! That's why humans have units like priest and so on!

 

[InfinateAnswers]

But those troll tribes, and ogre tribes, and orc tribes, all made a pact together and became the orcs. So trolls, orcs, ogres, they are all orc. If you did the extra campaign with rexxar you'd remember how he brought them together.

 

[Pharaoh_]

I am in.

I have read the discussion (most of it) and to put it in the simplest of words, this contest is to remake the original races.
Imagine yourself one of a Human general, an Orcish warlord, a Night Elf Highlord, a powerful Undead creature or a Naga deeplord. You then have to assemble an army with the recourses that would be available for you depending on your race (you can't have humans in an orc race but you may add goblins since you are on good terms with them. You can't have necromancers on your human army even though they are human, but you may have bandits and outlaw mages if you are not a very lawful army).
As to show the limit:
I'll make an undead army under the control of a Revenant (not servants of the lich king) and thus I can't have scourge exclusive technologies but I may use any other undead technologies as I see fit.
(that is allowed as far as I can see)
Someone else may choose to create a banshee or a forsaken army under the command of the banshee queen.

You also don't need to abide by the original gameplay of these races as you can create your own and make it as different as you want from the original but keep it easy so that people don't get confused.
If I said anything wrong then please correct me.

Very good, you got the point just fine.

Kobas that would be true, but one of the judging preferences "Is the race an improvement of the original race" and trolls fits under orc. Its not an improvement it would be an extension. I think what i have so far is a good start. Im trying to create a more modern version of humans. And im implying a new gaming system.

1) Good explanation.
2) Excellent, that's what I'm interested in seeing as a result of this contest.



Be innovative guys, if you were asked by Blizzard to recreate the warcraft 3 default races into an attractive gaming experience, what would you do? It's not a simple race editing, it's an alternative way of playing your favorite races.

 

[-Kobas-]

That was example

Anyway I will create Dragon race based on dragons from wc3 and General Frank Draconian models! I hope that's OK?

 

[InfinateAnswers]

One problem, where do dragons fit in warcraft 3 lore? they are met multiple times in the story, but not really industrious, and able to make their own buildings. Maybe a race of orcs who trains dragons? instead of bat rider, dragon rider.

Edit: Oh and lol i got to test my map this morning, and i realized there was a game ending glich xD, i dont create a townhall when the game starts. FAIL.

 

[Deolrin]

That was example

Anyway I will create Dragon race based on dragons from wc3 and General Frank Draconian models! I hope that's OK?

No, as they are not one of the 5 basic races in WC3 - Humans, Orcs, Night Elves, Undead and Naga.

One problem, where do dragons fit in warcraft 3 lore? they are met multiple times in the story, but not really industrious, and able to make their own buildings. Maybe a race of orcs who trains dragons? instead of bat rider, dragon rider.

Wrong. The Four Aspects(ruling over their respective Dragonflights) played a MAJOR part in the history of Azeroth. They are, in fact, one of the smartest races. Just look at the Caverns of Time in WoW.

 

[-Kobas-]

Lol now I am totally confused

Guys above said that we should not edit already created races but try to create new ones, now you said different thing

 

[VeljkoM]

Debode as much as dragons are important in warcraft and wow they didn't have role in the warcraft 3.

 

[Deolrin]

Lol now I am totally confused

Guys above said that we should not edit already created races but try to create new ones, now you said different thing

Yes, you have to create a completely new race BASED ON THE THEME\LORE of an existing race. Basically, make the Human race if you didn't know Blizzard's human race existed.

Debode as much as dragons are important in warcraft and wow they didn't have role in the warcraft 3.

Novels, comics, RPG books.

 

[VeljkoM]

What part of "not in Warcraft 3 and yes in general" is hard to understand?