The beta version is up. Seems I accidentally published it as private before. It's 10 players and features a new map. Emphasis on beta, it isn't finished.
To play, create a game and type "catalyst", it is titled "Catalyst: BETA".
I thought about removing the lobby select and making a cool intro screen where you select your class, listing abilities and future vehicle upgrades along with strong points and weak points.
I really need to do something with abilities though, as right now being only able to display 10 is just cripplingly boring.
Also, eiviyn, by skinning the map, did you mean making a new terrain or something completely different? It would be nice to know what's coming up, so if you have the time, mind writing up changes we can expect? and a pic of the new terrain if its coming.
Cant wait to see the new version =D
Very much work in progress. Note that the detail isn't visible at this distance; it's just to demonstrate the new layout. I've added a fair few new items. I want to get the AI sorted out too with this patch.
Won't be this patch but something I'm considering; removing the vehicle shop entirely and just having you upgrade your starter vehicle in a similar style to how you upgrade items. Another thing I'm considering; removing the ability shop and replacing it with a dota style skill system. Each vehicle class will have set skills, with more unlocked when you upgrade your chassis.
Map's gameplay is broken at the moment by these turrets/towers on enemy territory.
I don't have a clue about any idea to implement these. It's just lack any sense. What the purpose? No, really.
Ah... asking questions doesn't matter now. I'm not gonna make any further feedback about the map, because it's not giving much effect anyway, and everything I see is gameplay being rigged and wrecked around with random experiments by a twisted logic of the author.
I'm sorry that you feel that way. I do read and take into account everything that is posted on all 3 threads that I "run" (TL, this, official).
A lot of people have requested the ability to purchase back base turrets and landing towers. This was something I never really planned on, but was mostly done by request. I knew about the possibility of buying the enemy team's structures back as your own (I even implemented spawns for owning an enemy landing tower), but I thought I would simply leave the system be and let the players decide. It's more or less been unanimous that buying enemy structures isn't desirable.
I'm only one person. I can't make sweeping changes too quickly. I can't test things internally, because the only internal testers I have are my own AI. I've not based my map on a pre-existing style so that I can just copy ideas that have already been tested. What I'm saying is that I take feedback into more consideration than is immediately apparent. I nearly rely on it entirely these days...
I'm not kidding when I say that I've likely read every post in this whole thread 3 times over.
The game is built around 5v5. I went with 3v3 so that the popularity count would raise. Now that I don't need to worry or care about that, I'll be upping the player count to 5v5 next update. Still no eta on when this update will be. It takes me quite some time to skin a map and I don't want to rush it. I'll also probably be releasing the new map under a different name so that anyone who preferred the old layout may still play it.
I'll fix the drone health bug now. Catalyst isn't locked at 0 popularity anymore you say?
I strongly disagree with the repair abilities being useless. I always, always, always have one running constantly. I fear any buff would make them simply too powerful.
They were originally % based, but this made them near useless early game.
Ripping the whole thing to pieces and restructuring the whole game with a new layout while incorporating all the amazing feedback I've been given over the past month.
The core gameplay will stay faithful. Everything else is being rebuilt.
I'd love to play this map but it's not available in NA. When are you going to get uploaded for us folks on the other side of the pond?
I do really want to upload it to the US. I'm waiting for someone willing to let me use their login details to upload the map. I'm nearing the point where I'd almost be prepared to ship a US copy over... just not sure that I can even have 2 sc2 clients installed on the same computer.
Without having played yet, I'm already wondering why you added drone armour/shielding. Aside from maybe at the very start, this isn't something that really fits in with the maps in terms of playability - drones 'respawn' so fast anyway that it's usually not worth killing them as it is, making armour/shields somewhat void.
They are upgradeable items that you equip. It wasn't an all round drone buff. I doubt any vehicle bar the carrier will see much use out of these - and having drones made of paper really made playing a carrier irritating. I was tempted to add a small attack speed bonus to the items for drones too, but I thought I'll just take 1 step at a time and see if they really are useless or simply a niche item.
I do like turrets. I feel that their range is a bit of a downside though. I'd like to bump their range to 11 or 12, but that'd let you siege enemy turrets from safety. The obvious answer is to just counter buff the base turret range, but then you'd be getting hit by them the moment you exit the close outposts.
Been at work all week and came down with flu on Friday so all in all I've not had much time to work on anything. Throw in the latest fiasco over my map being locked at 0 popularity just for added giggles.
Either way, I have a new version. It makes the landing towers rebuildable and adds a new "repair tower" structure. If this tower dies, you lose your repair point. It may be rebuilt. Building on enemy landing towers will give you additional spawns. I am fully expecting some teething problems with this new system. Feedback is appreciated!
There are 2 new items. Drone armour and drone shielding. They do what you'd expect; give a sizeable chunk of health/shields to your drones/turrets.
How can I play?
Catalyst is on page 16 right now and has had it's popularity froze at 0. I'm unsure of the specifics as to why. Spam "Show more" until you get to the section with maps that have 0 games played per hour, and it's around there.
Why is it on page 16? Wasn't it on page 1 before?
Just like last time, a popularity reset occurred and the map is knocked off page 1 once more.
What are you going to do?
I'm going to continue working on the map just as I normally would. If this is going to be a regular fiasco then the last thing I'm going to do is start getting worked up over my map being kicked off page 1 every fortnight. I'd be lying if I said it didn't hurt seeing my hundreds of hours of work brought down to nothing every second Tuesday, but I'm in this for the joy of creating things, nothing more.
Im surprised this map is not at first position, or even top 5(before the reset). The number of views and replies in this thread is huge. The map itself is pretty fun, not perfect, but definitely better than Nexus wars. I wonder what is still holding Catalyst back?
I like to tell myself that it's too unintuitive and puts new players off. I must spend hours per week trying to find better/prettier ways to display things...
I also think it doesn't have enough explosions, but then I think that of everything so I'm unsure if the point is valid!
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The beta version is up. Seems I accidentally published it as private before. It's 10 players and features a new map. Emphasis on beta, it isn't finished.
To play, create a game and type "catalyst", it is titled "Catalyst: BETA".
I uploaded my current work. It's under the name "Catalyst: BETA" and likely won't prove easy to find. It'll be on the new maps tab somewhere.
Note that this isn't something I'd consider a release. More a bug test/feedback point of reference.
I thought about removing the lobby select and making a cool intro screen where you select your class, listing abilities and future vehicle upgrades along with strong points and weak points.
I really need to do something with abilities though, as right now being only able to display 10 is just cripplingly boring.
Very much work in progress. Note that the detail isn't visible at this distance; it's just to demonstrate the new layout. I've added a fair few new items. I want to get the AI sorted out too with this patch.
Won't be this patch but something I'm considering; removing the vehicle shop entirely and just having you upgrade your starter vehicle in a similar style to how you upgrade items. Another thing I'm considering; removing the ability shop and replacing it with a dota style skill system. Each vehicle class will have set skills, with more unlocked when you upgrade your chassis.
I'm sorry that you feel that way. I do read and take into account everything that is posted on all 3 threads that I "run" (TL, this, official).
A lot of people have requested the ability to purchase back base turrets and landing towers. This was something I never really planned on, but was mostly done by request. I knew about the possibility of buying the enemy team's structures back as your own (I even implemented spawns for owning an enemy landing tower), but I thought I would simply leave the system be and let the players decide. It's more or less been unanimous that buying enemy structures isn't desirable.
I'm only one person. I can't make sweeping changes too quickly. I can't test things internally, because the only internal testers I have are my own AI. I've not based my map on a pre-existing style so that I can just copy ideas that have already been tested. What I'm saying is that I take feedback into more consideration than is immediately apparent. I nearly rely on it entirely these days...
I'm not kidding when I say that I've likely read every post in this whole thread 3 times over.
The game is built around 5v5. I went with 3v3 so that the popularity count would raise. Now that I don't need to worry or care about that, I'll be upping the player count to 5v5 next update. Still no eta on when this update will be. It takes me quite some time to skin a map and I don't want to rush it. I'll also probably be releasing the new map under a different name so that anyone who preferred the old layout may still play it.
I'll fix the drone health bug now. Catalyst isn't locked at 0 popularity anymore you say?
I strongly disagree with the repair abilities being useless. I always, always, always have one running constantly. I fear any buff would make them simply too powerful.
They were originally % based, but this made them near useless early game.
Ripping the whole thing to pieces and restructuring the whole game with a new layout while incorporating all the amazing feedback I've been given over the past month.
The core gameplay will stay faithful. Everything else is being rebuilt.
Don't write Catalyst off just yet. I have something huge in development.
I do really want to upload it to the US. I'm waiting for someone willing to let me use their login details to upload the map. I'm nearing the point where I'd almost be prepared to ship a US copy over... just not sure that I can even have 2 sc2 clients installed on the same computer.
They are upgradeable items that you equip. It wasn't an all round drone buff. I doubt any vehicle bar the carrier will see much use out of these - and having drones made of paper really made playing a carrier irritating. I was tempted to add a small attack speed bonus to the items for drones too, but I thought I'll just take 1 step at a time and see if they really are useless or simply a niche item.
I do like turrets. I feel that their range is a bit of a downside though. I'd like to bump their range to 11 or 12, but that'd let you siege enemy turrets from safety. The obvious answer is to just counter buff the base turret range, but then you'd be getting hit by them the moment you exit the close outposts.
Been at work all week and came down with flu on Friday so all in all I've not had much time to work on anything. Throw in the latest fiasco over my map being locked at 0 popularity just for added giggles.
Either way, I have a new version. It makes the landing towers rebuildable and adds a new "repair tower" structure. If this tower dies, you lose your repair point. It may be rebuilt. Building on enemy landing towers will give you additional spawns. I am fully expecting some teething problems with this new system. Feedback is appreciated!
There are 2 new items. Drone armour and drone shielding. They do what you'd expect; give a sizeable chunk of health/shields to your drones/turrets.
P.s. Thank you for the kind words!
How can I play?
Catalyst is on page 16 right now and has had it's popularity froze at 0. I'm unsure of the specifics as to why. Spam "Show more" until you get to the section with maps that have 0 games played per hour, and it's around there.
Why is it on page 16? Wasn't it on page 1 before?
Just like last time, a popularity reset occurred and the map is knocked off page 1 once more.
What are you going to do?
I'm going to continue working on the map just as I normally would. If this is going to be a regular fiasco then the last thing I'm going to do is start getting worked up over my map being kicked off page 1 every fortnight. I'd be lying if I said it didn't hurt seeing my hundreds of hours of work brought down to nothing every second Tuesday, but I'm in this for the joy of creating things, nothing more.
As soon as I find someone to lend me their account details on a weekly basis.
I like to tell myself that it's too unintuitive and puts new players off. I must spend hours per week trying to find better/prettier ways to display things...
I also think it doesn't have enough explosions, but then I think that of everything so I'm unsure if the point is valid!