GOAL: Before Starcraft II came out, a map named "War of the Lost Kingdoms", meant for Warcraft III, was adapted by UED_Admiral for Brood War. It was one of the few maps in Brood War I had the pleasure of playing in B.Net, before I came to know of it's source, the Warcraft version. A while passed, Starcraft II was released, and when I heard the 'Lost Kingdoms' were going to be remade for WoL, I was anxious in awaiting for it. And when it came out, I felt... Something was wrong about it. Yes, it had the factions, you could choose in the menu before starting to play, it was a bit more refined, yet it lacked the potential, the energy the predecessors had. It had the mechanics, but they weren't refined, they weren't relevant enough to make themselves shown in the map.
That was something, then, that I decided to bring back.
The intention is to practically recreate "War of the Lost Kingdoms", though severely transitioning from medieval to sci-fi feel, but also keeping the energy the Brood War map delivered and that kept players like myself captive. The system will be more complex and mutable from the original LOTR style to a traditional RTS, if the players themselves desire it (Which many would for game control, I suppose). I plan to introduce heroes, in an akin DOTA style depending on what faction the player buys first, as well as an independent bandit faction for early gains. But players will also have the chance for an economic entrance, though it'll be half rewarding than the killing entrance the original BW map was famous for. Air units will be available in later tiers, after siege units, and each faction will have a special unit that will provide a minimum of micro experience.
DESCRIPTION: There's nothing new or original concerning the story, as the title suggests. It revolves around the discovery of a planet, 'Earth II' with the same terrain, atmosphere and conditions akin to Earth and the several factions that land out on that planet with the intent of taking over and benefiting themselves. There'll be multiple factions involved as well as five races (Terran, Zerg, Protoss and Hybrid) which players will choose at the beginning menu (akin to DOTA), or will be able to choose the Drop Now function, which will then land at the center of the map with a limited L.I.F.E.R.A.F.T, that will die when expired.
NOTE: Despite the factions revealed and the heroes involved, this is ABSOLUTELY NON-CANON!
The mission is purely of conquest, though alliances will be allowed as well as resource trade, but it'll only end when one player ultimately rules it all. Players can only be defeated if both Faction Hero and Sovereign are killed and cannot be resurrected.
FACTIONS (HEROES):
Terran:
Dominion (Warfield)
Umojan (Explorer Alpha)
Kel-Morian (Mah Sakai)
UED (Helena DuGalle)
Zerg:
Kerrigan (Primal Kerrigan)
Za'gara (Za'gara)
Infested (Big Brother)
Psi-Zerg (Niadra)
Protoss:
Daelaam (Artanis)
Nerazim (Zeratul)
Tal'Darim (Felanis)
Dark Protoss (Khotar)
Hybrid:
Amon (Narud)
Ulrezaj (Ulrezaj)
Severed One (Severed One)
PLAYING FUNCTIONS:
Beginning: Players will start with a thousand minerals and a L.I.F.E.R.A.F.T. loaded with a Sovereign (Scientist), which they are to steer into the desired faction base and then buy it (Initial price is 600, but will rise with every faction 'bought'). This creates a racing minigame as well as a chance to explore the map. However, the L.I.F.E.R.A.F.T. will also have limited time, so you'll have to be fast and ensure your Sovereign is unloaded. Once the faction is bought, the Scientist will be replaced by the Primary Hero, and that Hero will be the new Sovereign.
Once in control of your faction, you'll get three options, though each will have their own drawbacks. You can build a Command Center/Nexus/Hatchery/Prime Core to transition to RTS earlier, but you'll have trouble attaining resources until you can kill, and also have fewer units generated. You can build the economic structure (Supply Depot/Biomass Colony/Obelisk/Xel'Naga Crystal) and have a slower, smaller income, which you can defend until you have enough to build an RTS structure or a Town Hall. Or you can go the immediate way and start building the Town Hall structure which will grant the usual larger, more advanced LOTR wave to start killing bandits and have a kill income start cashing. Though some building spaces are tight, try building Town Halls as close to the faction structure as possible. Once the faction structure is destroyed, the defenses and structures are destroyed as well, and units won't be generated anymore.
For balance and simplification issues, there will be no Vespene Gas involved.
Heroes: Heroes, in Earth II, will play very alot akin to DOTA, gaining experience and leveling up to unlock four different spells that'll get stronger with each upgrade. Spells will be either passive or active. There won't be an inventory system, but HP/SP and damage will increase with each passing level. If killed, Heroes can be resurrected, but only if their faction structure is alive. The player loses when all his heroes and faction structures are lost.
Bandits: Bandits, in literal term, are Terrans literally hostile to everyone. They'll stay in pre-set locations, in guard, but respawns/reinforcements will show up from time to time. After three respective spawns of a faction, the bandits will gather for an assault. Bandit Starships will roam from time to time, attacking who's in their way, but will award resources if destroyed by a player.
Upgrades: Upgrades will be done once transition to RTS is done, through building Engineering Bays, Armories, Forges, Cybernetic Cores, Evolution Pits, Spires or Fabricators.
Mercenaries/Advanced Strain/Honor Guard: A possible advanced unit system, as long as there's no Town Hall structure close by. Mercenaries have gradual pricing and they depend on races, except Hybrid.
More informations to come soon.
WHAT'S DONE: Terrain is 100% complete. What's there is what you'll see in the released map.
TO BE DONE: Triggering and refining of units and heroes. Testers will be needed in a much later date, once the map can be considered Beta.
NEEDED NOW: A data expert to configure units and heroes.
Screenshots below. Give feedback in posts below. Volunteers for testing or offering to participate in Data work, please PM.
NOTE: The dark Protoss spire still has the orange glow cone. I've tried everything, but nothing so far to make it green. Please forgive this, but it's just a minor obstacle to finishing the texture switching.
EARTH II
A map by DeltaCadimus
GOAL: Before Starcraft II came out, a map named "War of the Lost Kingdoms", meant for Warcraft III, was adapted by UED_Admiral for Brood War. It was one of the few maps in Brood War I had the pleasure of playing in B.Net, before I came to know of it's source, the Warcraft version. A while passed, Starcraft II was released, and when I heard the 'Lost Kingdoms' were going to be remade for WoL, I was anxious in awaiting for it. And when it came out, I felt... Something was wrong about it. Yes, it had the factions, you could choose in the menu before starting to play, it was a bit more refined, yet it lacked the potential, the energy the predecessors had. It had the mechanics, but they weren't refined, they weren't relevant enough to make themselves shown in the map.
That was something, then, that I decided to bring back.
The intention is to practically recreate "War of the Lost Kingdoms", though severely transitioning from medieval to sci-fi feel, but also keeping the energy the Brood War map delivered and that kept players like myself captive. The system will be more complex and mutable from the original LOTR style to a traditional RTS, if the players themselves desire it (Which many would for game control, I suppose). I plan to introduce heroes, in an akin DOTA style depending on what faction the player buys first, as well as an independent bandit faction for early gains. But players will also have the chance for an economic entrance, though it'll be half rewarding than the killing entrance the original BW map was famous for. Air units will be available in later tiers, after siege units, and each faction will have a special unit that will provide a minimum of micro experience.
DESCRIPTION: There's nothing new or original concerning the story, as the title suggests. It revolves around the discovery of a planet, 'Earth II' with the same terrain, atmosphere and conditions akin to Earth and the several factions that land out on that planet with the intent of taking over and benefiting themselves. There'll be multiple factions involved as well as five races (Terran, Zerg, Protoss and Hybrid) which players will choose at the beginning menu (akin to DOTA), or will be able to choose the Drop Now function, which will then land at the center of the map with a limited L.I.F.E.R.A.F.T, that will die when expired.
NOTE: Despite the factions revealed and the heroes involved, this is ABSOLUTELY NON-CANON!
The mission is purely of conquest, though alliances will be allowed as well as resource trade, but it'll only end when one player ultimately rules it all. Players can only be defeated if both Faction Hero and Sovereign are killed and cannot be resurrected.
FACTIONS (HEROES):
Terran:
Zerg:
Protoss:
Hybrid:
PLAYING FUNCTIONS:
Beginning: Players will start with a thousand minerals and a L.I.F.E.R.A.F.T. loaded with a Sovereign (Scientist), which they are to steer into the desired faction base and then buy it (Initial price is 600, but will rise with every faction 'bought'). This creates a racing minigame as well as a chance to explore the map. However, the L.I.F.E.R.A.F.T. will also have limited time, so you'll have to be fast and ensure your Sovereign is unloaded. Once the faction is bought, the Scientist will be replaced by the Primary Hero, and that Hero will be the new Sovereign.
Once in control of your faction, you'll get three options, though each will have their own drawbacks. You can build a Command Center/Nexus/Hatchery/Prime Core to transition to RTS earlier, but you'll have trouble attaining resources until you can kill, and also have fewer units generated. You can build the economic structure (Supply Depot/Biomass Colony/Obelisk/Xel'Naga Crystal) and have a slower, smaller income, which you can defend until you have enough to build an RTS structure or a Town Hall. Or you can go the immediate way and start building the Town Hall structure which will grant the usual larger, more advanced LOTR wave to start killing bandits and have a kill income start cashing. Though some building spaces are tight, try building Town Halls as close to the faction structure as possible. Once the faction structure is destroyed, the defenses and structures are destroyed as well, and units won't be generated anymore.
For balance and simplification issues, there will be no Vespene Gas involved.
Heroes: Heroes, in Earth II, will play very alot akin to DOTA, gaining experience and leveling up to unlock four different spells that'll get stronger with each upgrade. Spells will be either passive or active. There won't be an inventory system, but HP/SP and damage will increase with each passing level. If killed, Heroes can be resurrected, but only if their faction structure is alive. The player loses when all his heroes and faction structures are lost.
Bandits: Bandits, in literal term, are Terrans literally hostile to everyone. They'll stay in pre-set locations, in guard, but respawns/reinforcements will show up from time to time. After three respective spawns of a faction, the bandits will gather for an assault. Bandit Starships will roam from time to time, attacking who's in their way, but will award resources if destroyed by a player.
Upgrades: Upgrades will be done once transition to RTS is done, through building Engineering Bays, Armories, Forges, Cybernetic Cores, Evolution Pits, Spires or Fabricators.
Mercenaries/Advanced Strain/Honor Guard: A possible advanced unit system, as long as there's no Town Hall structure close by. Mercenaries have gradual pricing and they depend on races, except Hybrid.
More informations to come soon.
WHAT'S DONE: Terrain is 100% complete. What's there is what you'll see in the released map.
TO BE DONE: Triggering and refining of units and heroes. Testers will be needed in a much later date, once the map can be considered Beta.
NEEDED NOW: A data expert to configure units and heroes.
Screenshots below. Give feedback in posts below. Volunteers for testing or offering to participate in Data work, please PM.
NOTE: The dark Protoss spire still has the orange glow cone. I've tried everything, but nothing so far to make it green. Please forgive this, but it's just a minor obstacle to finishing the texture switching.