The Evil Darkness

[LazyCoder]

Hello, and welcome to Hell.

You've been unconscious for God only knows how long. You wake up remembering nothing from... well as long as you can think of.

You get up and cautiously explore this new area you've woken up in, when suddenly, a giant... thing comes out of the wall next to you. Caution's over.

In 'The Evil Darkness' you must run...

pull levers...

solve puzzles...

and try to escape the darkness... Can you survive?


The map is divided into many different levels, or areas.

Each area has it's own boss.

Horrifying cutscenes (well at least as much as WC3's graphics will allow!)


The map isn't finished yet, but if you're on US West, you may have been lucky enough to stumble upon one of my demo plays of the first level (which is the only one completed so far). At the time the map was known as 'House of Death' (but was recently renamed for obvious reasons...)

The map is played with 1-8 players, so teamwork isn't key, but is certainly recommended. The game IS tough. All of the puzzles are potentially fatal.

As soon as level 2 is completed, I'll post a demo version of that up here. If you REALLY want to play it, just PM me, and I can send you the old 'House of Death' version.

 

[jiffy_peanutbutter]

The screen shots are mostly frightening because of the cut edges. So is the game basically an escape game? And how many people will be playing at once. It seems like that puzzle with the shifting up-and-down platforms would be ruined if ten idiots tried to solve it at once.

Meh. I dunno.

I hope the bosses will be interesting and fun (maybe check bosses thread in The Idea Factory...), because if you have just a peasant with one ability there's going to need to be some fun way to destroy the bosses. I suggest changing the name..It sounds too stereotypical..

 

[Discipline]

It's looking like you're putting a decent amount of effort in, I hope it pays off. I'm not the biggest fan of escape or maze games, but only for the fact that living in australia most hosted games give me too high of a ping to play anything in that genre. I do like anything horror themed tho.

One thing you should implement if possible is a game reset once everyone is dead. A big problem with this type of map is within the first few plays everyone dies early and the map needs to be rematched. It's a pain in the ass and can force people to lose interest quickly. Giving a restart option atleast takes the hassle out of starting over and may keep people interested in conquering the map.

 

[LazyCoder]

For instance, on the second level boss, an ability called 'sneak' is added. You walk slower, but do not provoke the monster into charging into you.

I've thought of a restart system. I'll try to implement that. It'll be difficult, because I started the map a VERY long time ago, and am just now getting to it. When I first started the map, I didn't take that into account.

EDIT: Oh and the shifting platforms puzzle... if all 8 people tried to solve at once, it wouldn't make a difference. (I turned off collisions for player to player, that was pissing me off!).

 

[LazyCoder]

Ok as of now, the restart system works for level 1. Now I've just got to finish level 2.

 

[LazyCoder]

Don't everyone reply at once now.

Sorry about the delays, I'm busy fixing lots of bugs right now.

 

[LazyCoder]

Ok I figure it's about time for some more screenshots.

This dark cave is a part of level 2.

You only came into the cave to look for the key to the elevator... and there it is! (I'm using the default treasure chest thing. If somebody wants to make a key for me, go for it!)

Here is just another view... (look closer).

The blind monster doesn't take kindly to theifs.

Nope... not one bit!


This is the second boss. Notice the new icon in the lower right. This is the sneak mode button. When you sneak, you don't make enough noise to alert the monster to your location, but you also can't move fast enough to get out of the way should it wander into you...

 

[LazyCoder]

Wow... doesn't anybody care about my map?

 

[LazyCoder]

So nobody cares about my map at all... wow that's just great... just FUCKING GREAT!

Goodbye Hive-workshop, I may never return.

 

[Vegavak]

Hahahahahahha, what a baby!

Why don't you try explaining more about the map, rather than post a few screen shots and nothing else. List things. Write about it. Pull levers? Yeah, real amazing.

You do realize that most maps are bumped off the first page and not given much notice, right? Maybe you could give an example of one of the puzzles. Perhaps even make a release so people could try one out and see how hard it is?

 

[LazyCoder]

LMAO! So THAT's what I wrote at 1 in the morning!. Sorry bout that!

You do realize that most maps are bumped off the first page and not given much notice, right? Maybe you could give an example of one of the puzzles. Perhaps even make a release so people could try one out and see how hard it is?

Didn't I post up the map? Crap... I could've sworn I'd put up the first part... I'll get it up here in a second.

 

[LazyCoder]

Ok here's a demo version of what's completely finished so far. (Only level 1 is playable as of now.)

Sorry... it's a big file... and I don't know why...

 

[Vegavak]

And stop double posting.

 

[LazyCoder]

Ok first of all... my second post was completely different from the first post. (The first post being a response to yours, and the second being a map upload).

And second... why'd you post that???

 

[Bane]

Because its against the rules to double post.
Hes trying to help you so you don't get neg repped.

 

[Bon Jovi]

Sounds pretty cool, I'm going to give it a try.

 

[Gausslander]

I don't love the name.

Why not something like...

The Everlasting Gloom

 

[Bon Jovi]

Its pretty hard, but other than that its a pretty good game... The name means nothing, "Boss" picture look pretty cool so I gave it a shot.

 

[Gausslander]

How can you say that when you base your modding profile name on that of a rock star?

 

[LazyCoder]

I don't love the name.

Why not something like...

The Everlasting Gloom

lol, well at least it's not as bad as "The House of Death" (original name).

It's not everlasting though. If it was everlasting gloom, then there would be no point in trying to escape now would there?

 

[Gausslander]

Actually there would... it'd just still be there when you escaped. It could be:...

The Entangling Darkness

The Binding Gloom

Darkblind

 

[Bon Jovi]

The Entangling Darkness

The Binding Gloom

Darkblind? Sounds like Warcraft 3 undead names (Darkblind at least) lol.., Its not a horrable name, its not the best name, Its a O-K name it could be better. Have you even played the demo?

 

[Vegavak]

Why not Dark Escape?

 

[Bon Jovi]

Sounds quite lovely really, I like it!
Dark Escape, sounds good.

 

[LazyCoder]

Nah, dark escape makes it sound like another escape map. (Which... is pretty much what this is... but I don't want people to think it's poorly made like most other escape maps...)

Darkblind doesn't sound too bad actually. I might go with that!

 

[Bon Jovi]

Good point LazyCoder, it does make it sound like a escape maps

 

[Vegavak]

Dark Escape gives you a description of the map in the title.

Something which is very hard to do in most cases, and something that really helps people interested in those types of map to find them.

As far as poorly made maps go, you shouldn't concern yourself with other maps, and focus more on your map. Who cares about other maps, if yours is great?

 

[Bane]

I agree with Vegavak, it should reflect what the game is like in the title so when people are looking thru the games list and see it, if they like maze games they'll click on it. If they see "Darkblind v2.01b" they'll most likely skip over it unless they know what it is. (most people wont know what your map is)

 

[LazyCoder]

Well the approach I'm going for is that I'll have a strange title that nobody will really understand (to get them curious), and they will also be drawn in by a gory and strange thumbnail. The thumbnail would be something like the claw of a monster cutting through the darkness. People would see that and wonder what the map could possibly be, and they'll click on it. I think that any preconceptions people have about escape maps will keep them from playing my map, whereas if it's left as a bit of a mystery, then people will want to play (or 'give it a shot').

Besides... if someone is looking for an escape map, they'll set the filter to escape maps.

I know I shouldn't stereotype my own map, but seriously, I've skipped over so many maps because the title made them sound poorly made (and honestly, the minimap screenshot they used as a thumbnail didn't help either). I'd prefer a title that makes people not know what to think (for instance... why was that movie called 'Dreamcatcher'?)

I guess it really comes down to... I want the map's title to sound like a name, not a verb.


Ok, naming aside, here's a little progress update:
Level 2 is almost complete. All that's left to do is program in the level restart (which doesn't take too long, it's just hard to get your head around it all, trying to remember what variables were what and what triggers were on, and what units existed, etc.)
I'm just concerned if the 2nd boss is a bit too hard... Oh well... time will tell.