Stranded on Korhal

Korhal

Introduction

The brave adventurers Matt and Nigel find themselves on a distant planet far away from home. Their ship 'Prosperity' is just nearing the surface.

Play through a series of easy to medium objectives backed up by cinematics and a plotline throughout the whole map. The whole experience takes about 20-25 minutes and should entertain you at least.

Update 13th of October 2010

For everyone who is wondering if there will be future maps involving Matt and Nigel, you're in luck. I'm actively learning to utilize a lot of things Galaxy Editor has to offer and I will do my best to master them as much as I can. You'll be pleased to hear that I'm starting to make a complete campaign based around these characters.

Matt & Nigel (Working Title)

The gameplay style will most definitely be like the Wings of Liberty Campaign, so no fancy camera movement etc. The balance between the normal maps (Build up a base and win) and RPG maps (Just a hero and some forces) will be around 50/50 I guess.

The story will be playing parallel to the Wings of Liberty story. It may start a little before Jim Raynor starts his rebellion, but it will most definitely have references to Jimmy's campaign in later missions. A couple of missions may stray away from the chronological order of the story though.

The vibe of the story may become a little more dark than in Stranded on Korhal, but it won't be overwhelmingly different from it.

The story will be elaborated in game as well as Story Mode, where the experience will be much like aboard the Hyperion and the cutscenes in Wings of Liberty.

Much of the feedback here has inspired me to even begin this project. I have learned a lot since this map was released and the overall quality will rise tremendously in this campaign. Thank you.

For now, say hello to Matt Dalton and Nigel Graham

Matt Dalton & Nigel Graham

To play it, simply open the map in the Galaxy Editor and hit Test Document or CTRL + F9

This is the first map I made with Galaxy Editor and it was basically a way for me to learn more about all the functions it has. Everything in it was made up after eachother, so I had no plan on what the map would look like when it was done. There are a lot of things I found out halfway through the mapmaking process, so there are definitely some points that could be made alot better when I'd make them from scratch again. But I really wanted to finish this map so that I would get a taste of what it's like finishing a map for once.

To all you map editors: Feel free to take a look inside the triggers, terraining and everything that will interest you. Maybe you will learn something from it, or you can just laugh at how many pathing blockers I used and make fun of me.

My apologies for the huge size; it's from the imported music; it could probably be brought down alot, as most of the time I only use like 20% of the track's total length. (Expect a smaller size in the future)

Feedback

If you have the time to give me some feedback that will be really appreciated. Tell me what you liked, tell me what you hated, but most of all: tell me what bugs you found so I can fix them! It can be anything; terrain, cinematics, plotline, gameplay you name it! I for one think there's too much cinematic in it.

Future Plans

I'm not sure yet if I want to spent alot of time in this map to improve it, there will definitely be voice acting added for one, so look out for that. The triggers were a bit poorly designed and it would be problematic to change the map in difficulty as I would need more space to make that happen the way I want it. However I have learned alot by making this map and the feedback you provided. My future maps will most definitely include:

Better Characters: In terms of story and gameplay, the main characters will have worked out characteristics, a backstory and different reactions on certain situations. They will have different roles that compliment eachother, think of it as a WoW party. Around 3 unique abilities will be added to each character to make them better at what they do and more fun for you.

Skipable Cinematics: Able to skip cinematics by hitting the ESC button, you guys are gonna love this.

Checkpoints: Every time an objective is completed or other significant point is reached, the game will make a checkpoint; making you revert to the last checkpoint should you fail. This will make it possible to make the map more of a challenge. I have no idea how to make this as you can't save games yet, but it should be possible later. I could do it with a real variable tracking the checkpoints and return you to a certain point when you fail, but that forces me to make all the units on the map trigger made, which is alot of work.

Update 5th of May 2010

So my laptop officialy died, it doesn't even boot up anymore. Luckily for me I just ordered a new one and got it now. It's a MacBook, so I can't work on the map at this time, when the Galaxy Editor is released for Mac be assured I will make up the lost time and there will be an update for this map soon.

Stay tuned for more!

Update 25th of May 2010

I got Bootcamp fully working with the Galaxy Editor and have updated the map. Now featuring:

VOICE ACTING by Travis Lynch (OldOneEye1987)

Better terrain
Minor bug fixes
Fixed some spelling errors

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- Reply
- #52
lnsidious Jun 25, 2010 at 10:45 UTC - 0 likes
@Bjorne91

Another very thorough post, thanks a lot for the interesting ideas you have, it surely opens some new doors for me. It's gonna be a hell to learn how to utilize it all, but if I do, it will make the maps that much more awesome! I hope the release version of GE makes it easier for us to do certain things; a bit more similar to what I was used to in WC3.
- Reply
- #51
Bjorne91 Jun 23, 2010 at 23:51 UTC - 0 likes
@ Insidious

About the difficulty

Checkpoints would be great! More ideas about difficulty and how to involve it into gameplay:
- Timed quests (Complete task within x seconds. X is based on the difficulty level, and the player may recive a bonus if the quest is completed within a certain time frame. Quests that aren't optional in the storyline may as well be marked as "failed" if they aren't completed in time. (Main quests that fails can perhaps take the player back to the previous checkpoint giving the same result as "death"))
- Creatures (Improved creature stats is one way to increase the difficulity and probably the most common way, but i find it a bit boring. What about adding new creatures in addition to the old ones? and perhaps bosses that wouldn't be there in a lower difficulity level. You can also add additional mechanics to the creatures like new abilities or an improved tactical experience that is requierd to defeat them.)
- Obstacles of differents types (Maze, puzzle, enviorment, codes, creatures, quests etc)
- Checkpoints (Higher difficulity levels may reduce the number of available checkpoints)
About Decisions

Decisions shouldn't nessesarily have a massive impact on the story, it can as well be small things like:

Decision example: You encounter a broken bridge. (Choose an option)

A) Find another way around. B) Ignore the obstacle and try to jump over it.

If you choose A) you have to take a long trip to reach the other side. And if you choose B) you might have a chance to succeed with the jump, and if you do, it saves you the trip! But if you don't you fall down into the river and flows away with the water to a beach that you have seen before. Once there, you have to make your way back to the broken bridge and take the longer trip around.

This example affect both gameplay and the story even if it doesn't have a massive impact on the main storyline. It's easier to add such things rather than writting two (or more) different stories based on the characters decisions. But a combination of both would most likely give the greatest result.

About inventory

Hopefully there will be alot of UI improvements to the galaxy editor when the game goes live, personally i find it to complicated to learn (compared with wc3) so i haven't yet found the strength to start trying, it's very messy and hard to find what you are looking for. And it may as well be complicated to create inventory systems and items to make it look wc3 like. However i believe it's possible to introduce an interesting store experience without inventories. I'll add some examples.
- Items based on upgrades (When you purchase an item, you purchase an upgrade that affect the way the original "item" behaves. This is a simple way to for instance make a weapon selection system (Example: Purchase Flamethrower, changes the weapon type of the character to a hellion based "line of fire" attack type.))
- Abilities based on upgrades (Similar to how you introduced your abilities during the "weapon trial" quest, but instead of giving them for free you might have to purchase them. Or giving an option for players to select a few out of many abilities before a mission begins)
- Tarvens (The characters visit a tarven, and have an option to hire a guardian/bounty hunter to follow them on their trip for a certain time or to a decided location)
- Transport (Buy/hire Vehicles to increase the safty and/or speed of traveling)
Adding a money perspective to your projects will add a more complex game experience and allow players to choose what they really want to spend their money on and if it's worth to buy it or save it. Another tip could be to make money a main factor in the game the affect it in different ways (Examples below).

- If you don't buy the equipment you may not be able to deal with combat as easy as you could, and you would be "forced" to use more transport oppertunities.

- If you spend all your money you may not have enough minerals left to bribe the guard in a future obstacle and are forced to find another solution.

-If you don't buy anything at all and save your resources for eventuall quests it may take longer for you to complete the mission, but instead you may be able to afford special offers that you encounter on the way.

I hope this clearify what i mean with the money experience :)

More ideas
- Introducing risk factors (Gives you a chance to succeed, but if you don't it may have bad consequences)
- Optinal quests (Quests that aren't a part of the main storyline, but gives an addition of some sort)
What an amazing creativity i have! to bad it never appears on my own projects. I think you'll find these tips interesting and mind-opening :)

I will be around for additional feedback and ideas, and keep an eye on your projects. I enjoy to write these things and think about all possibilites of map creation (that's why my posts usually are so long), so don't be shy to ask for my opinions or ideas (Yes, it's an offer!). If i'm unavailable at that point i'll let you know. =)

Regards, Infernium
- Reply
- #50
lnsidious Jun 18, 2010 at 09:18 UTC - 0 likes
@Bjorne91

Thanks for this very thorough feedback and I'm happy it spiced up your day ;)

The Sound management is still something I can't really wrap my head around, I think I made a mistake when binding the sounds as they're apparently in the music channel. However, when you turn off the music in game you can still hear the voices.

The city is rather hard to navigate through, I didn't take that into account after I had entirely made it. I've played a bit with different camera angles, but I didn't want to change it too much as players might get lost if the camera would turn for instance. I might find a nice solution though in the future.

About the water I can just say "Damn! I swear I fixed them all this time" I will get into it and fix it soon, thanks for the report!

I'm already working my way into understanding how to make abilities in Galaxy Editor, it really is a lot harder than it was in WC3 in my experience. Expect some cool abilities you can use in the future that make the gameplay more dynamic and tactical.

The difficulty will surely be harder the next time, but with checkpoints integrated; which is more forgiving if the player dies he shouldn't have to start all over again: This saves the trouble of saving the game every time you succeed as I imagine players would do once it is possible.

Different difficulties is definitely interesting, I'm thinking of a system that allows you to set the difficulty at the start of the map and reduce it when you die at a checkpoint. Apparently you can even make your own Achievements in retail, so that could bring an interesting addition and challenge to the different difficulty levels.

Flashbacks is something I am very excited about adding to the storyline, perhaps even in gameplay; playing a part of the same map, but then 10 years ago for instance.

Temporarily party members would be a welcome addition, good suggestion :) Decisions are awesome and I will definitely add some in the storyline, but not sure if I can make two or more equally interesting, yet significantly different endings; it would be cool though.

As of now I'm not really happy with the inventory system, the ones I've seen look too complicated and don't really fit in with the UI. I would love to add items if the UI would look more similar to WC3, right next to the portrait. However, when thinking ahead it would be awesome to have a mission to accumulate as many resources as you can in a given time and then use those resources to buy turrets to defend against incoming waves of enemies. The same thing buying vehicles for an escort for instance. Your feedback really made me think about this more, thanks!

Environmental impact is something to consider implementing, it adds a new source of gameplay.

Thanks for your feedback!
- Reply
- #49
Bjorne91 Jun 17, 2010 at 14:10 UTC - 0 likes
Just played your map and i liked it a lot, adding a list of feedback below:

Feedback Date: 2010/06/17

Strength:
- Good story
- Great voice acting
- Good and interesting enviorment
- Easily played (Good hints and descriptions - i never got lost or were confused what to do :D)
- Great size management (most of it looked pretty real size-wise)
Weak:
- The sound management at certain points should be adjusted. Example when a character speaks while in combat i had problems to hear what they said because the sound were overwritten by combat sounds. Occoured in all "combat scenes".
- Camera angles in the city of Metron, during the gameplay should perhaps be adjusted to improve the "i'm in a big city experience". I had my camera stuck in a skyscraper at some points. (No big deal, just a tip :))
Bug/Miss:
- At the beginning of the mission just after the first quest there is a pool of water that doesn't block ground movement. So you can make the characters run down into the water and stand on the buttom of the lake. (North west of Duncan)
What you can improve:
- There should perhaps be more abilities and ingame character designs to improve the gameplay and adding a "tactical experience" to the map.
- Increased Difficulity or an option to select a difficulity level.
Ideas for future projects:

If you plan on adding additional parts in the series then you may want to have:
- Flashbacks (Scenes that goes back in time to a previous event).
- Improved character personallity.
- Additional characters and/or temporariy party members.
- Decisions based on the player that change the way the story ends up.
- Stores (A place to purchase items, vehicles and weapons for the current mission)
- Tactical Options (Lets say that a swarm of zerglings charge towards you, and instead of killing them one by one you can fire at an explosive barrel to eliminate the threat directly.)
The overall experience of the map was great and it is by far the best custom story map that i've played in starcraft 2 at this point of time. It really spiced up my boring day and i'm eager for future projects. I hope you'll find my feedback useful and that the story continues :D

Regards, Infernium, Europe.
Last edited Jun 17, 2010 by Bjorne91
- Reply
- #48
Tharish Jun 17, 2010 at 03:35 UTC - 0 likes
Awesome, i loved the story the voices, the units, the size and structures and missions where plenty to enjoy it. Looking to see more of your maps

I liked a lot the movement on the Hellion, the elevator, i loved the ending of the story with the mothership.

Gratz! and thanks.
- Reply
- #47
YiffMaster Jun 17, 2010 at 01:23 UTC - 0 likes
This is the first good example of storytelling I've seen. I'll be looking forward to your future maps.
Things I liked a lot:
The voiceovers
The Intro
The elevator (who knew that protoss took the elevator)
Ultras in the mine
- Reply
- #46
RubberPoo Jun 16, 2010 at 22:42 UTC - 0 likes
Awesome map! I had fun :D
- Reply
- #45
lnsidious Jun 16, 2010 at 12:07 UTC - 0 likes
@bomerman

Wow that would be awesome! I'd love to see it translated to Korean! Go ahead :D
- Reply
- #44
bomerman Jun 16, 2010 at 08:12 UTC - 0 likes
Hi there.

I played your map and enjoyed it.

So, I want to translate it to Korean. Of course, I don`t start translation without your approval. I will NOT modify any other things in map but inserting Korean subtitle.

I will wait your commet

Have a nice Day : )
- Reply
- #43
lnsidious Jun 13, 2010 at 20:18 UTC - 0 likes
@InsaneNdBonkerz

Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it! I'm thinking of making a series once the release hits so look out for that!