Warzone 2100 Forums

Here is my first try in map design.

All the map presented here are now accessible via this link :
http://cid-9506c397de59c968.office.live ... ic/warzone

mods list :
*Hipower (T1H) 2x power level
*lowpower (T1L) %2 power level
*research-3-1 (TAM) the research cost is 3x and slightly more exponential (ideal to give a 1vs1 feel to a team battle)
*research-1-2 (TBM) the research is seriously exponential.
*research-D2-7 (TCM) this one will truely be seriously exponential. rofl.
*opn (opn) turn the commander relay building into a satellite uplink. Can also serve as an observer mod i guess...
*Minix3 (mx3) distance relevant stats are divided by 3 which turn even the smallest map in a big battleground.
*Cge-2 (Cge) That mod multiply every HP by 2. All your units all your structures will last twice as much.
*ITW (iluvalar team war) will turn every 8 oil/p map into a real NTW 40 oil/p. but instead of simply multiplying power (which cause bugs) i reduced the price of everything. That mean that you can actually go over the 40 oil/p feel. And you can even make your game lag as hell if you try that in a 40 oil/p map. lol.
*Maxix2 (Ma2) distance relevant stats are Mutliplied by 3 which turn a 256*256 map into a 128*128. ideal for those map that look great but are unfortunatly too big.
*CTT (cooler tech tree ^^) this is a brand new tech tree you start as T0 and go over T3 (with some new stuff inside). Read further this topic : viewtopic.php?f=5&t=7688



Specs :
*11 oil / players + 3 in the middle
*Fairly big map with 100+30¹ sec between neighbors
**but the center is at 75+30¹ sec from the bases
**So their is another way around every base in 150+30¹ sec
*The oil is placed in such a way that each time you take 3 oil wells (or so), you get a new frontier to defend. This mean each time you take land you open new weak-points in your defence, it's also mean that you enemy will have an opportunity to rearrange is defense with less frontier .
*Many ways, treacherous passage, different arrangement of cliffs and space around the map should suit most of the different strategies.

Other clues
*There is oil in the corners of the first 2 squares. Just don't miss it at the beginning.
*I found many people tried to turtle on the first 7 oils and failed, be warned. I was playing 2vs2... I guess in FFA it might work well.
*Yeah there is oil in the middle, but it's not a emergency like in other map. I guess part of it is that with the same amount of time, you can get one oil on the enemy side and the one in the middle of your 2 base or since the center is away enough, build another building in your base (or say an outpost factory¹ ).

¹ Your truck start in a sort of hide out, with the first 4 oils and only one door. It's designed as a reasonable draw back option in FFA. You can hold that single door and hope your enemy will go see elsewhere (or at least he take your 2nd frontier). But i think many player will advance on the second square their factory production. hence cutting that 30 seconds from the map distance but it's up to you.


To do
*The map is actually hugly, i know. The idea, as you see, is more about map design for competitive and fun matches, then for the beauty of the scene. If someone with an artistic sens can give me an hand with that... or i might do it myself another time.
*I plan to do an octogonal and even maybe an other form map with the same design. If someone can confirm that i can't rotate by 45 degree the map... i'll have to redraw it one tile at a time... . It will give birth to a new center that is not visible actually...

thanks for your feedbacks !

Even though i didn't try it yet, i already like the design. Seems to be well-thought; i'm looking forward to play it online.
A few quick thoughts here.

Click here to download

Just a hint: you can use forum attachments instead of an external hosting, as long as the file is small enough. Should be easier.

*Fairly big map with 100+30 sec between neighbors

This parameter is around 90 for Startup (which is a small map) and around 150 for Contention (which is rather big). I think 130 is a nice balance. Still, i'm not sure how the map's being 4-player affects this balance; perhaps it's really large for a 4 players FFA, because you can't afford moving your tanks too far away from your base.

*Many ways, treacherous passage, different arrangement of cliffs and space around the map should suit most of the different strategies.

One thing about the ramps. Did you really intend to make them so steep?

If someone can confirm that i can't rotate by 45 degree the map...

Sounds hard. You can use your image editor to rotate the heightmap at least. See also the next comment.

The map is actually hugly, i know

Come on, it's not that bad (: still, i feel as if you did too much work manually. Try using FlaME brushes, especially the cliff brush, and it'd be much easier.

Iluvalar

First of all I am glad you called the thread Iluvalar's mapS << so it means there will be more but be aware.. many appeared and many disappeared even quicker.. I hope you will stay

I am glad also that it is called Iluvalar's maps and not Maps by Iluvalar becuse you are the only one to follow my name pattern

Secondly.. the map.. well..

As for the first map really good job man, believe me really good, I have seen some first maps that believe me were first.. which doesnt mean the creators didt turn into real masters later on

I like the symetry very much NoQ have already said most important things What I want to add is remember to use "shore" tiles, so the water, in this case should not be next to snow, as it may result on strange looking thing..

To learn how the tiles correspond with each other, use brush as it was said, I advice to make a test map, and brush all the possible terrarians on it of course of a particular map type then try to brush another terrarian next to it, and see how it reacts If there is a visible barrier between them, it means they do not cooperate, but if there is a nice "into" step, it means they do correspond to each other try to remember it and use it !! what is more important for ecample if you paint water on gras on Rocky map, you howe beutiful shore then sounds limited, but gives almost unlimited combinations

I also ask did you ment some accessible clifs to be so step ?

Try to enrich the terrarian, and never rusch with the map, sometimes it is good to make a break, and come back to it later on

To sum up I want to say good job, and I am waiting for another creation

NoQ wrote:Just a hint: you can use forum attachments instead of an external hosting, as long as the file is small enough. Should be easier.

I'm using skydrive which is absolutly free with an hotmail account and give me I don't know how many Go of free space. So I use 1 and only 1 hosting. I believe google docs do the same thing with Gmail. I'll probably put my maps on addon when they will be finished.

perhaps it's really large for a 4 players FFA, because you can't afford moving your tanks too far away from your base.

This is exaclty the aim of the map, If you want to take all the oil you can get, you have to "split" your army, build defense and/or take risk with open borders.

Contention have holes of unused space. it's also kinda longer then wide. So i think this map is a bit bigger.

One thing about the ramps. Did you really intend to make them so steep?

You are right it's a bit too much. I'll fix it.

You can use your image editor to rotate the heightmap at least. See also the next comment.

I'll do that next time... edit heightmap in gimp and when i'm happy with configuration send them into flame. Sound easier for me.

Merowingg wrote:so it means there will be more

Right now i'll focus on that pattern because i really tought about distance and arrangement for some time before i came to this one. I think i'll go with many maps around the same idea. As you did with squared. I had many good comments in game. no much complaint people look to enjoy it. So I think i'll do many variation. 4P,8P,2P? + low,mid,high oil and maybe a "mini" format half-scaled with 3 squares wide passages

Every thing about texture I know that ^^ . I'm focusing on distances, oil placement, width of passages, position of high ground. Talking about that, the water will change place in the 8P version that is coming soon. Just to reduce the distance with the second neighbor. When everything will be like I try to make it, i'll fix the texture in the last version just for the look.

Ilu-8split-vloV1.wz
Ilu-8split-lowV1.wz
Ilu-8split-medV1.wz
Ilu-8split-hiV1.wz



Here it is the full size 8p map "split". Be aware that the same map is packed in different oil level (low, hi and soon med and Vlo).

They'll have
*VLo 7 oils/p
*Low 13 oils/p
*Med 26 oils/p
*hi 39 oils/p

This time, this is a huge map. .

This map as this in particular that each path between one base and another is different.
*closest enemy = trought the T shaped maze
*2nd closest = The grass border
*3rd closet = you pass into one of the grass bridge
*the opposite side = then you go trought the middle.

Every strategy have is own zone... the map is huge enough to encourage fast design too and not just track.

Players really liked the experience in my 2 tests run today. I don't know for you but i think it will become one of my favorite. I'm open to all suggestions.

Here's clues again (this is exaclty the same then the 4p map):
*There is oil in the corners of the first 2 squares. Just don't miss it at the beginning.
*I found many people tried to turtle on the first 6 oils and failed, be warned. Yeah thos square hold half of the map worth of oil and are easy to defend but it's not enough if all your teammate do the same thing. Get ground ! explore !
*Yeah there is oil in the middle, but it's not a emergency like in other map. I guess part of it is that with the same amount of time, you can get one oil on the enemy side and the one in the middle of your 2 base or since the center is away enough, build another building in your base (or say an outpost factory¹ ).

And this is what I call an interesting looking map !

Link Removed. No map/mods for the time being, sorry. - Mysteryem
This is a revolution.. Stick with me... it's the first map pack. It contain in the same download :

X-T1-8splitV2-T1 (which is 8splitV1-low to be honest)
X-T1-8splitV2-T2
X-T1-8splitV2-T3

BUT ALSO

X-T1-8splitV2T1L (low power mod)
X-T1-8splitV2T1H (high power mod)
(rendering obsolete all the 8splitV1 serie in one download)

AND (no... your not dreaming) It's not all it's also contain :

X-T1-8splitV2TAL
X-T1-8splitV2TAM
X-T1-8splitV2TAH

Which is the same option (Low,Med,High power) but also with a all new mod to adapt the research cost to teams reality. And marvel or marvel, it can be transfered with no problem trough lobby. No extra download needed.

This is still experimental and it's highly artisanal. But i believe you will ear about this trick in the next days.

a couple of days ago you wrote this:

Iluvalar's maps
Postby Iluvalar » 09 Feb 2011, 07:20
Here is my first try in map design.

and today this:

8c-X-T1-8splitV2.wz
This is a revolution.. Stick with me... it's the first map pack

Great work!

Link Removed. No map/mods for the time being, sorry. - Mysteryem

Hmm, but weren't we just recently talking about making correct map-mods that don't break anything? I just started to think that Iluvalar had learned it, and thus this rule shouldn't be applied. I didn't have time to see the file though, so i'm not sure.

all new mod to adapt the research cost to teams reality.

Still, i'm a bit sceptical about this idea. Even though this might be fun to rebalance the game, there must be a very clear way to make people online aware that they're joining the game where the rules are different. People really don't like it when they're not warned about such things. I saw people quitting and quarreling because they didn't know that the laser satellite was disabled. Are you really sure this mod will look inside the map better than standalone?

NoQ wrote:

Link Removed. No map/mods for the time being, sorry. - Mysteryem

Hmm, but weren't we just recently talking about making correct map-mods that don't break anything? I just started to think that Iluvalar had learned it, and thus this rule shouldn't be applied. I didn't have time to see the file though, so i'm not sure.

Yes, though, if people get things wrong it may not work. For the time being, it's too similar to having mods in maps that break things. Hopefully they will be recognised for what they are and therefore allowed. If not, then there's not much I can do about it. We may be waiting a couple of weeks though, I will be joining the crew of people on holiday.

Iluvalar wrote:Link Removed. No map/mods for the time being, sorry. - Mysteryem

Ok i understand what is happening here. I'm really pissed off as anybody is when a map in that folder prevent me to play anything else. Just because it change a game file. But you know that it's not what I am doing.

I already played many games in that map... anything run smoothly. People even ask for a rematch .

all new mod to adapt the research cost to teams reality.

Still, i'm sceptical about this idea. Even though this might be fun to rebalance the game, there must be a very clear way to make people online aware that they're joining the game where the rules are different. People really don't like it when they're not warned about such things. I saw people quitting and quarreling because they didn't know that the laser satellite was disabled. Are you really sure this mod will look inside the map better than standalone?[/quote]

I try to warn about anybody that enter my map. "This is moded map... blabla.. research cost as changed" the change is quit visible from the lab you understand that it will cost you more... And I know what i'm doing. I have been moding and change the source code for some month now. I know quite well what upset the game balance and what run just fine. After of course, it's a matter of taste. But it don't stop people trying the mod at least once. And you are right about the fact that it's possible, even easy, as a map maker to do lame thing that everybody will hate. It's not specific to that new mod. I guess you have no choice but to trust the mapmaker and the host. Now you also have to trust the modmaker i guess...

I would be happy to have to explain a map to everybody that come... it i could have a "description" tag in the .lev file and a new button appear (just beside the eye to look the map) that would send you to a description by the mapmaker i think many ppl would like that.

Also, such map may suddenly stop working with new warzone2100 versions
All right, never mind. The experiment is very worthy anyway, great job here.

Mysteryem wrote: Yes, though, if people get things wrong it may not work. For the time being, it's too similar to having mods in maps that break things. Hopefully they will be recognised for what they are and therefore allowed. If not, then there's not much I can do about it. We may be waiting a couple of weeks though, I will be joining the crew of people on holiday.

Sorry but, when you start to understand what it is. The whole idea and mechanism of those .wz files is way to close from a "mod" that break everything anyway .

Seriously i propose that, from now on. I never put a file in "those" folders again (i did it this time but i think i can avoid it).

Here it is ! With this mod you can load map that go up to 750 square wide !! unlock control limit up to 1350 units ! build bases so huge that howitser might not reach the other side !!! Imagination not included.

ilu-2.3.7-Minix3V01.wz

No ^^ for real, it reduce every distance relevant value in the stats file by 3. This mean that Sk-rush will look like a big map in this mod. With a bit of imagination you can pretend that each unit you produce is in that mod a squadron of 9 actual units that will go in a epic fight in a huge map. Beside some rounding error, the balance of the game should stay the same you will really have the feeling of s scaled down battle. If I have the go, I might pack that mod with the FORBIDEN technic in a mini version of 8split in the next few days (because i know that nobody will try that mod otherwise ).

Please reupload mods on other host. I cant download any file!