Almost everything shown here is meant for a campaign I'm making. I just posted it here for opinions.
Well, the story and gameplay, I'm not so confident. Apart from a few scenes and twists, suffice to say it's basically a different re-telling of the Enslavers campaign.
I'm just making a starting point for myself in campaign-making terms. Kind of an Antioch for myself, if you ask me.
So now, another week gone, for another submission to come to life. Last week I showed you something man-made, a space station. But that was outdoor work. What of indoor? What of inside, not just a station, but a Command Center? Or a factory? Or even a simpleton Supply Depot?
Indoor missions have been a part of Starcraft since inception. Who doesn't remember the time of playing the demo mission "Den of the Beast", burning Zerglings with your Cerberus Firebats? Or having Raynor and his former partners in the Sons of Korhal strike "The Jacobs Installation", to recover some data for Mengsk, who was only a revolutionary at the time, and not an Emperor? Or killing multiple Terrans as a cloaked Kerrigan in "Amerigo", before the Overmind even invaded Aiur in the first place? Blizzard had dedicated a single tileset entirely to indoors, and, albeit simplistic, it was enjoyable at it's best.
Now, we're at 2012, but the indoor feeling of Starcraft II wasn't displayed properly. Yes, there's the Castanar mission, but you wouldn't call that a proper indoor mission, but rather a run to the reactor and back. There was a lack of emotional feeling in the Castanar installation, mostly, I think, because there was more labs than anything else. Yes, I know Castanar Station is a top secret lab, but a little more dedication to most other things besides more and more stasis tubes would be appreciated.
Therefore, that's how I came to make this particular and single installation map, not only as a proper demonstration of how an installation's inside should feel like, but also as a reminder to the old days of those missions in Starcraft Vanilla and Brood War.
But, firstly, let's be honest about one thing: I didn't make this installation this week. This was long done before I even considered starting a thread here, and I only returned to polish it a little bit. Let's just say I decided to show it now because I needed some resting time between making the two final projects.
Unfortunately, that's the bad news in the long run. There'll be two more things to showcase you in this thread and then finito, it's over. But it's not because either the project was cancelled or foul play, but rather because I like to show people one different thing at a time, and the remaining maps I'll make in my campaign will somewhat be on the same ambience and repetitive, so it isn't worth it showing every step of it to you people unless I decide it worth it.
For now, however, no dwelling in bad news. Instead, let's dwell inside a Terran Installation.
A small lab of horrors, unnaturally sterilized for some admirers.
A lounge room and firing range hybrid room. I should consider rescaling the equipment at a later date...
A little assembly of it's own, which confuses players on where the hell are truly the heroes at.
The prison brig. The columns were added days before submitting this entry, as I felt the large brig was too... empty. Besides, if there were some iron beams without pillars, maybe some indoor features would be possible...
A reactor room which you get to destroy to progress. Fight the power!
A suspicious arboreum, garden room, too beautiful to be inside an installation. You get to be in here, and this was inspired by that Oracle garden shootout in Iron Man 2.
An elevator entrance. No smoking and farting allowed.
Last, but not least, the Garage from which you'll enter. Or exit, I don't know...
Well, this is it. Compared to my latest entries, I'd say this is the poorest of them all. But I was thinking more about functionality here than anything else, and I was busy making the other maps.
Oh, what the hell. See you next week for the next entry, before the last one.
I'll be honest, and I've played Starcraft II since WoL beta: I didn't like this patch, not one bit.
Apart from the Zerg, which it seems they're putting efforts in truly balancing it, Blizzard has been making those ridiculous changes to Terran and Protoss. But now I'll talk a bit about the Zerg, before clamping down on Terran, then Protoss.
ZERG: Overall, decent. Still, I'd believe Ultralisks would be more useful if they had just more than 40 damage. Still 35 flat seems promising, especially when using Ultras as meat shields for countering balls. The removal of their Burrow Charge either proves this ability was abused or wasn't being used at all. Simple as that.
TERRAN: Now, here's where the imbecilities begin. I'll start with the Medivac boost. This requires memory, as people remembered the Anti-Air abuses done with the Valkyries in Brood War beta. It's about the same here, by adding extra speed to Terrans decent enough to perform drops and harass players, especially Protoss. Then, the Medivacs Reactor, which promises insta-heal once finished? Man, countering this with expensive prices isn't a COUNTER at all, the health should be from 9 to 12. Because it's a slight and seemingly too small change, but it's things like these who make a game worth playing without Terran sounding too OP.
The Hellbat, this sorry excuse for a name I'll never accept, trying to mix Hellion and Firebat (Or Vulture and Firebat, I don't care.), is your new favorite anti-Zergling hard counter worthy of EA's C&C design, something you should NEVER see in a game like Starcraft! Same thing for the Mine's fast burrow upgrade. Thor's new, super-explosive mode isn't this much impressive, more like a mini-flak cannon which doesn't deliver splash or anti-armored bonuses AT ALL and Raven's seeker is now the alternative Yamato, but there's no Battlecruiser expense!
And finally, making the Armory a Forge, betraying the designs dating from the FIRST STARCRAFT!? WTF?
PROTOSS: Finally, there'll be the saying in HotS: "If you play Protoss, you sure like to lose, huh?". Because it doesn't make any sense the changes done to the Void Ray and the Oracle at all! The Oracle, from a support unit, now becomes this raider/scout in par with the Phoenix, with the ability to attack only ground light units, much like the Banshee does, the Tempest fires a ridiculous red ball, and the Mothership loses the only thing that made the Mothership useful: It's Vortex, which now doesn't counter ANY army at all, only sucks and kills ONE unit and won't counter Massives anymore. IMO, Mothership should've been left as it was. Same for Tempest.
For Void Rays, if they wanted variation, they could've added an ability that'd make the Void Ray hit three targets at the same time, but at 1/3 of it's original damage. No, not Mutalisk-esque, but three separate rays, each hitting one target.
For Oracle, I'd keep the vision thing, and add a stronger shield or a Corsair's Disruptor Ray that's more short-lived. If the Oracle's a support spellcaster, please let it REMAIN as a support spellcaster. Period.
Serious, someone should talk to Blizzard about balance. But someone who REALLY KNOWS about balance, not any fan-boy who keeps complaining "I'm losing, I'm losing, please make my fave unit badass, pllllleeeeeaaaasssseeeeee!".
Believe me, we're both. The only thing I'm good at that thing, thus far, is copying models (Mostly buildings), making them into doodads and making them work the way I want through the Actor Events log.
/edit Speaking of which, did someone like my hotel update?
O.O Man, if that's not close to HotS, I don't f** know what it is! But I'd change the exit vents for the mutas and such, and replace them for larger eggs, maybe the ultra ones from the Castanar mission.
Now I approve this snow. The bump didn't defect itself out, even in heights, and fits in more. Now this is a decent snow.
Also, on your Protoss installation? I liked that building where you shoved the crystal (Arbiter Tribunal, maybe?), but for the computer thingy, I kinda of imagined, honestly, that you'd copy the robotics facility model and set it's actor event to "Work Forever". The globe thing somewhat reminds of a computer, if you ask me.
Still, big improvement, you're going on a beneficial direction.
ROFL, I actually expected a MISSILE TURRET model in the truck's trunk, haha!
Still, not bad. Although I must criticize this truck's turret actually reminds me more of the GLA Technicals in C&C: Generals. Not bad, though, I've told.
Hehehehe, cute one, liked it, reminded me of Celestial Irruption, a Brood War campaign I played eons ago. Reminds the dream scene, I mean.
But, seriously, the purple dirt could use some more work, maybe putting a litle bit of brown or green dirt or even those tree veins. Just to vary it a bit.
Well, good friend, excuse me for the criticism on my part, but I can clearly behold Terraining is not your forte. Wished there was a better way of defining it, but definitely your skills could use some more love.
Your snow world picture seems the most decent of your selection. I liked how the rock terrain (Supposedly Valhalla Rock, I use it frequently) differs to make a path. But your mountains are out of place, mostly because of the bump map for the snow. The bump simply makes the faults so obvious it's impossible to miss it. I'd want to review on the snow's bump map if I were you, maybe tweak it or, in the extreme of cases, change it a bit so it doesn't feel like an EA made mountain on the verge of an avalanche (Unless THAT's what it has to do with the campaign [Subjection, right], then it'd be alright and cool, at best. The avalanche, I mean.).
Then, your jungle world. While I appreciate your lucky placement of the spires near some cliffs, in the second picture, apart from a few doodads, the terrain feels flat and empty, just covered by Zerg creep because it needs to be there. You could try making some more doodads like trees to small rocks and have them feel like the Zerg are indeed consuming something other than pure, open land. You can even rescale them, which I confess, rescaling rocks and trees (all types) is one of the best in the editor. Clippling rocks together also somewhat feels good, as clipping (even painfully) is quite normal with rocks, including in the real world.
But I have to criticize your use of rock doodads, which I'm clearly seeing only two variations of it, and they're the tallest possible. A world is best defined by it's DIVERSITY of everything, even the pebbles in the ground. So far I've liked the rock placements in the last picture, but they feel too alone and explosive. You could very well vary more the rocks, and even rescale them, as they give more good shapes the more you tweak them around. Also, there's one of your waterfall pieces loose, not good, not good at all. :(
Finally, the second criticizing is on your Protoss encampment and your Protoss man-made cliff. I'm seeing human crates, Castanar floodlights and Castanar computers, something you should NEVER put in Protoss-related things. Even with HDRI recoloring, they still remain human and out of place. I'd suggest trading the flood lights for the small arch in the Protoss Aiur Small buildings then using a separate omni light (preferably blue) to differ it's illumination. For the computer, I'd either use the crystal building in the same doodad or download the Observatory asset here and use it as a doodad.
Either way, you still need to considerably IMPROVE terraining skills. You could look up my "Need some Critique" thread and even not be afraid of asking opinions from Mozared and company. Sad, but it's true, if you want help on terraining.
Doubt so. Unless I'm on my genuine chi or I want a specific building that fits the exact demand, I'm somewhat empty of ideas for buildings. Also, lack of manmade models doesn't help at all. The only other Terran structure I can think of, so far, is a hospital.
Also, I kind of suck in making Protoss and Zerg kitbashes.
Phew. Good. 'Coz making an entirely custom tileset would be a pain in the ass for me, so, sorry gentlemen, but I'll stick with kitbashing for this one.
Don't expect anything "OMG, it's awesome!" too.
LEFT TO RIGHT: Administration Building, Watch Tower for border/mining outposts, and a Dominion factory complex of sorts.
0
@EivindL: Go
Almost everything shown here is meant for a campaign I'm making. I just posted it here for opinions.
Well, the story and gameplay, I'm not so confident. Apart from a few scenes and twists, suffice to say it's basically a different re-telling of the Enslavers campaign.
I'm just making a starting point for myself in campaign-making terms. Kind of an Antioch for myself, if you ask me.
0
So now, another week gone, for another submission to come to life. Last week I showed you something man-made, a space station. But that was outdoor work. What of indoor? What of inside, not just a station, but a Command Center? Or a factory? Or even a simpleton Supply Depot?
Indoor missions have been a part of Starcraft since inception. Who doesn't remember the time of playing the demo mission "Den of the Beast", burning Zerglings with your Cerberus Firebats? Or having Raynor and his former partners in the Sons of Korhal strike "The Jacobs Installation", to recover some data for Mengsk, who was only a revolutionary at the time, and not an Emperor? Or killing multiple Terrans as a cloaked Kerrigan in "Amerigo", before the Overmind even invaded Aiur in the first place? Blizzard had dedicated a single tileset entirely to indoors, and, albeit simplistic, it was enjoyable at it's best.
Now, we're at 2012, but the indoor feeling of Starcraft II wasn't displayed properly. Yes, there's the Castanar mission, but you wouldn't call that a proper indoor mission, but rather a run to the reactor and back. There was a lack of emotional feeling in the Castanar installation, mostly, I think, because there was more labs than anything else. Yes, I know Castanar Station is a top secret lab, but a little more dedication to most other things besides more and more stasis tubes would be appreciated.
Therefore, that's how I came to make this particular and single installation map, not only as a proper demonstration of how an installation's inside should feel like, but also as a reminder to the old days of those missions in Starcraft Vanilla and Brood War.
But, firstly, let's be honest about one thing: I didn't make this installation this week. This was long done before I even considered starting a thread here, and I only returned to polish it a little bit. Let's just say I decided to show it now because I needed some resting time between making the two final projects.
Unfortunately, that's the bad news in the long run. There'll be two more things to showcase you in this thread and then finito, it's over. But it's not because either the project was cancelled or foul play, but rather because I like to show people one different thing at a time, and the remaining maps I'll make in my campaign will somewhat be on the same ambience and repetitive, so it isn't worth it showing every step of it to you people unless I decide it worth it.
For now, however, no dwelling in bad news. Instead, let's dwell inside a Terran Installation.
A small lab of horrors, unnaturally sterilized for some admirers.
A lounge room and firing range hybrid room. I should consider rescaling the equipment at a later date...
A little assembly of it's own, which confuses players on where the hell are truly the heroes at.
The prison brig. The columns were added days before submitting this entry, as I felt the large brig was too... empty. Besides, if there were some iron beams without pillars, maybe some indoor features would be possible...
A reactor room which you get to destroy to progress. Fight the power!
A suspicious arboreum, garden room, too beautiful to be inside an installation. You get to be in here, and this was inspired by that Oracle garden shootout in Iron Man 2.
An elevator entrance. No smoking and farting allowed.
Last, but not least, the Garage from which you'll enter. Or exit, I don't know...
Well, this is it. Compared to my latest entries, I'd say this is the poorest of them all. But I was thinking more about functionality here than anything else, and I was busy making the other maps.
Oh, what the hell. See you next week for the next entry, before the last one.
0
@Eimtr: Go
I'll be honest, and I've played Starcraft II since WoL beta: I didn't like this patch, not one bit.
Apart from the Zerg, which it seems they're putting efforts in truly balancing it, Blizzard has been making those ridiculous changes to Terran and Protoss. But now I'll talk a bit about the Zerg, before clamping down on Terran, then Protoss.
ZERG: Overall, decent. Still, I'd believe Ultralisks would be more useful if they had just more than 40 damage. Still 35 flat seems promising, especially when using Ultras as meat shields for countering balls. The removal of their Burrow Charge either proves this ability was abused or wasn't being used at all. Simple as that.
TERRAN: Now, here's where the imbecilities begin. I'll start with the Medivac boost. This requires memory, as people remembered the Anti-Air abuses done with the Valkyries in Brood War beta. It's about the same here, by adding extra speed to Terrans decent enough to perform drops and harass players, especially Protoss. Then, the Medivacs Reactor, which promises insta-heal once finished? Man, countering this with expensive prices isn't a COUNTER at all, the health should be from 9 to 12. Because it's a slight and seemingly too small change, but it's things like these who make a game worth playing without Terran sounding too OP.
The Hellbat, this sorry excuse for a name I'll never accept, trying to mix Hellion and Firebat (Or Vulture and Firebat, I don't care.), is your new favorite anti-Zergling hard counter worthy of EA's C&C design, something you should NEVER see in a game like Starcraft! Same thing for the Mine's fast burrow upgrade. Thor's new, super-explosive mode isn't this much impressive, more like a mini-flak cannon which doesn't deliver splash or anti-armored bonuses AT ALL and Raven's seeker is now the alternative Yamato, but there's no Battlecruiser expense!
And finally, making the Armory a Forge, betraying the designs dating from the FIRST STARCRAFT!? WTF?
PROTOSS: Finally, there'll be the saying in HotS: "If you play Protoss, you sure like to lose, huh?". Because it doesn't make any sense the changes done to the Void Ray and the Oracle at all! The Oracle, from a support unit, now becomes this raider/scout in par with the Phoenix, with the ability to attack only ground light units, much like the Banshee does, the Tempest fires a ridiculous red ball, and the Mothership loses the only thing that made the Mothership useful: It's Vortex, which now doesn't counter ANY army at all, only sucks and kills ONE unit and won't counter Massives anymore. IMO, Mothership should've been left as it was. Same for Tempest.
For Void Rays, if they wanted variation, they could've added an ability that'd make the Void Ray hit three targets at the same time, but at 1/3 of it's original damage. No, not Mutalisk-esque, but three separate rays, each hitting one target.
For Oracle, I'd keep the vision thing, and add a stronger shield or a Corsair's Disruptor Ray that's more short-lived. If the Oracle's a support spellcaster, please let it REMAIN as a support spellcaster. Period.
Serious, someone should talk to Blizzard about balance. But someone who REALLY KNOWS about balance, not any fan-boy who keeps complaining "I'm losing, I'm losing, please make my fave unit badass, pllllleeeeeaaaasssseeeeee!".
0
@zorbotron: Go
TBH, the WoL music had somewhat more emotion than this.
And you can bet: LotV will be more orchestral! Doubt it?
0
@Nebuli2: Go
Believe me, we're both. The only thing I'm good at that thing, thus far, is copying models (Mostly buildings), making them into doodads and making them work the way I want through the Actor Events log.
/edit Speaking of which, did someone like my hotel update?
0
@EivindL: Go
O.O Man, if that's not close to HotS, I don't f** know what it is! But I'd change the exit vents for the mutas and such, and replace them for larger eggs, maybe the ultra ones from the Castanar mission.
@Gradius12: Go
Now I approve this snow. The bump didn't defect itself out, even in heights, and fits in more. Now this is a decent snow.
Also, on your Protoss installation? I liked that building where you shoved the crystal (Arbiter Tribunal, maybe?), but for the computer thingy, I kinda of imagined, honestly, that you'd copy the robotics facility model and set it's actor event to "Work Forever". The globe thing somewhat reminds of a computer, if you ask me.
Still, big improvement, you're going on a beneficial direction.
0
@Nebuli2: Go
ROFL, I actually expected a MISSILE TURRET model in the truck's trunk, haha!
Still, not bad. Although I must criticize this truck's turret actually reminds me more of the GLA Technicals in C&C: Generals. Not bad, though, I've told.
0
Judge by yourselves.
0
@Terminator8: Go
Hehehehe, cute one, liked it, reminded me of Celestial Irruption, a Brood War campaign I played eons ago. Reminds the dream scene, I mean.
But, seriously, the purple dirt could use some more work, maybe putting a litle bit of brown or green dirt or even those tree veins. Just to vary it a bit.
Liked the pathway tiles, though. :)
0
@Nebuli2: Go
Heh, creative. Now, a Missile Turret Truck would be hilarious. Four on the floor, anyone?
0
Well, good friend, excuse me for the criticism on my part, but I can clearly behold Terraining is not your forte. Wished there was a better way of defining it, but definitely your skills could use some more love.
Your snow world picture seems the most decent of your selection. I liked how the rock terrain (Supposedly Valhalla Rock, I use it frequently) differs to make a path. But your mountains are out of place, mostly because of the bump map for the snow. The bump simply makes the faults so obvious it's impossible to miss it. I'd want to review on the snow's bump map if I were you, maybe tweak it or, in the extreme of cases, change it a bit so it doesn't feel like an EA made mountain on the verge of an avalanche (Unless THAT's what it has to do with the campaign [Subjection, right], then it'd be alright and cool, at best. The avalanche, I mean.).
Then, your jungle world. While I appreciate your lucky placement of the spires near some cliffs, in the second picture, apart from a few doodads, the terrain feels flat and empty, just covered by Zerg creep because it needs to be there. You could try making some more doodads like trees to small rocks and have them feel like the Zerg are indeed consuming something other than pure, open land. You can even rescale them, which I confess, rescaling rocks and trees (all types) is one of the best in the editor. Clippling rocks together also somewhat feels good, as clipping (even painfully) is quite normal with rocks, including in the real world.
But I have to criticize your use of rock doodads, which I'm clearly seeing only two variations of it, and they're the tallest possible. A world is best defined by it's DIVERSITY of everything, even the pebbles in the ground. So far I've liked the rock placements in the last picture, but they feel too alone and explosive. You could very well vary more the rocks, and even rescale them, as they give more good shapes the more you tweak them around. Also, there's one of your waterfall pieces loose, not good, not good at all. :(
Finally, the second criticizing is on your Protoss encampment and your Protoss man-made cliff. I'm seeing human crates, Castanar floodlights and Castanar computers, something you should NEVER put in Protoss-related things. Even with HDRI recoloring, they still remain human and out of place. I'd suggest trading the flood lights for the small arch in the Protoss Aiur Small buildings then using a separate omni light (preferably blue) to differ it's illumination. For the computer, I'd either use the crystal building in the same doodad or download the Observatory asset here and use it as a doodad.
Either way, you still need to considerably IMPROVE terraining skills. You could look up my "Need some Critique" thread and even not be afraid of asking opinions from Mozared and company. Sad, but it's true, if you want help on terraining.
0
@Nebuli2: Go
Hehehe, that's one cutie kitbash you made. Liked it.
But, uh, in all seriousness... Isn't there a Tanker Truck in the editor already?
0
Here, one more building. Tried the Hospital, but it kinda sucked the first try.
A hotel based on "Tower Heist", "Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol", "Ocean's 13"... Liked the movies.
Well, if you people excuse me, gotta get back to mine map- OOOPS! Almost let it out. Dammit!
0
@Mozared: Go
Doubt so. Unless I'm on my genuine chi or I want a specific building that fits the exact demand, I'm somewhat empty of ideas for buildings. Also, lack of manmade models doesn't help at all. The only other Terran structure I can think of, so far, is a hospital.
Also, I kind of suck in making Protoss and Zerg kitbashes.
0
@Mozared: Go
Phew. Good. 'Coz making an entirely custom tileset would be a pain in the ass for me, so, sorry gentlemen, but I'll stick with kitbashing for this one.
Don't expect anything "OMG, it's awesome!" too.
LEFT TO RIGHT: Administration Building, Watch Tower for border/mining outposts, and a Dominion factory complex of sorts.