Edit: So far, I've been doing data to get the interceptor beam to look right on the wraith unit. So far so good.
Slow down there, champ. This is an odyssey, right? If you really want to take this to completion with an awesome game, find yourself a notebook or open a google docs. Get all your ideas on paper and get a very clear design ready before you begin. I've spent days to weeks doing designs before beginning any map that I have worked on, and I think it pays off.
The first map I made was pretty good, and by the time I thought it was mostly done I realized it was missing a few key aspects of gameplay. I went back and retroactively added in the extra stuff and it made the game better, but by the end the game didn't feel like it was built quite right because of all my "bandaid" additions. Your game will fit together like a warm snuggly puzzle piece if you have everything roughly outlined before you start designing skills and units.
AFK mode is a bad idea, and the only reason you're considering it is because AFK'ing is one of the biggest problems with this genre. There are no consequences if a player goes AFK and ruins a team game. Often a player is going AFK in a game they don't care about and they'll never play it again, and playing with random people that they'll never see again.
I think it's an unavoidable problem with any team game, and adding a way for a player to be played while AFK or gone is less fun for everyone. If it's even possible to have a computer controlled player then you're either really good with AI or your game isn't engaging enough. Ever play Mario Party with bots?
In my opinion, the best solution is to either have a game that is FFA, or make it so that a player leaving or AFKing from a team doesn't have guaranteed game ending consequences.
I think you'd be giving a player too many duties to micromanage a hero ship and also build towers to defend. Autopilot mode is never a good idea. I think this stuff would work better if each team has shared control and shared resources (at least shared control and resources for towers in the base). This would alleviate the AFK problem because having 2 vs 4 would just mean you have less people to help manage the base and ships, and would be even more effective at fixing AFKers if each team had only 1 hero ship that had shared control... though not sure how that would work exactly.
Making another dota could be another way. Sotis is pretty pathetic comapred to original dota and cityoftemepest is quite different from it, so Im sure well polished dota game would triumph over sotis.
Maybe a DOTA game is good for popularity (maybe?), but it's not good for the soul. The age of DOTA as a custom map is done as far as I'm concerned. Great games like League of Legends and DOTA 2 are free to play, and avoid 90% of the problems that ruin 90% of the custom games (like AFKers and imbalanced skill levels between players). Besides, making a game like this that is good enough and balanced enough to get to the first page is going to be a NIGHTMARE.
In my opinion, you should focus on something that custom games can do well that other genres cannot! You've got 20-30 minute multiplayer matches, and you don't need to have an entire supporting game around your muliplayer. Pick something that would work well in these parameters and go for it. Here's my example: I have always wanted a competitive game where players are on teams, but can switch teams, change alliances, and backstab one another. A great player could be 1v3 and power up faster if they're holding their own, and then as alliances change throughout the game, they will be stronger for having done well as a minority alliance. Playing as 3v1 (or 4v1 or 5v1!) you'll have an easier time but your rewards will be a fraction of what the 1 player is getting.
That's new as far as I'm concerned. If it's not new, someone tell me what it is so I can go play it.
My goal for the next few days, weeks, months, or even years, is to build a starcraft 2 map that's praised by so many people, it reaches page 1 at the top of the list, right under the starcraft masters map.
I had this goal in mind the very day I downloaded the Starcraft 2 beta editor. It has taken me two years of consistent work and TONS of free time to finish my project (started in late April, 2010). Strap in, son!
I remember reading articles about psychological traps some games use to keep players addicted, I'd recommend reading them in order to understand how to make #1 popular map :D
For an interesting analysis of this game mechanic, watch this:
Slow down there, champ. This is an odyssey, right? If you really want to take this to completion with an awesome game, find yourself a notebook or open a google docs. Get all your ideas on paper and get a very clear design ready before you begin. I've spent days to weeks doing designs before beginning any map that I have worked on, and I think it pays off.
The first map I made was pretty good, and by the time I thought it was mostly done I realized it was missing a few key aspects of gameplay. I went back and retroactively added in the extra stuff and it made the game better, but by the end the game didn't feel like it was built quite right because of all my "bandaid" additions. Your game will fit together like a warm snuggly puzzle piece if you have everything roughly outlined before you start designing skills and units.
@yukaboy: Go
AFK mode is a bad idea, and the only reason you're considering it is because AFK'ing is one of the biggest problems with this genre. There are no consequences if a player goes AFK and ruins a team game. Often a player is going AFK in a game they don't care about and they'll never play it again, and playing with random people that they'll never see again.
I think it's an unavoidable problem with any team game, and adding a way for a player to be played while AFK or gone is less fun for everyone. If it's even possible to have a computer controlled player then you're either really good with AI or your game isn't engaging enough. Ever play Mario Party with bots?
In my opinion, the best solution is to either have a game that is FFA, or make it so that a player leaving or AFKing from a team doesn't have guaranteed game ending consequences.
@yukaboy: Go
I think you'd be giving a player too many duties to micromanage a hero ship and also build towers to defend. Autopilot mode is never a good idea. I think this stuff would work better if each team has shared control and shared resources (at least shared control and resources for towers in the base). This would alleviate the AFK problem because having 2 vs 4 would just mean you have less people to help manage the base and ships, and would be even more effective at fixing AFKers if each team had only 1 hero ship that had shared control... though not sure how that would work exactly.
WHO TOLD YOU THAT WAS MY PLAN! TOP SECRET.
Maybe a DOTA game is good for popularity (maybe?), but it's not good for the soul. The age of DOTA as a custom map is done as far as I'm concerned. Great games like League of Legends and DOTA 2 are free to play, and avoid 90% of the problems that ruin 90% of the custom games (like AFKers and imbalanced skill levels between players). Besides, making a game like this that is good enough and balanced enough to get to the first page is going to be a NIGHTMARE.
In my opinion, you should focus on something that custom games can do well that other genres cannot! You've got 20-30 minute multiplayer matches, and you don't need to have an entire supporting game around your muliplayer. Pick something that would work well in these parameters and go for it. Here's my example: I have always wanted a competitive game where players are on teams, but can switch teams, change alliances, and backstab one another. A great player could be 1v3 and power up faster if they're holding their own, and then as alliances change throughout the game, they will be stronger for having done well as a minority alliance. Playing as 3v1 (or 4v1 or 5v1!) you'll have an easier time but your rewards will be a fraction of what the 1 player is getting.
That's new as far as I'm concerned. If it's not new, someone tell me what it is so I can go play it.
I had this goal in mind the very day I downloaded the Starcraft 2 beta editor. It has taken me two years of consistent work and TONS of free time to finish my project (started in late April, 2010). Strap in, son!
For an interesting analysis of this game mechanic, watch this:
http://penny-arcade.com/patv/episode/the-skinner-box