Team Project: Force Field Defence

[BSTRhino]

This isn't as cheesy as it sounds.

The goal of this game is to score yourself 1000 minerals. It's not easy.

On the terrain, two things get randomly scattered throughout the game: lurkers and minerals.

To destroy the lurkers, you bring a civilian to stand on top of it. You can't see the lurker, you just have to guess where it is. And I was thinking of a cool effect where there are a lot of Siege Tanks around that will shoot at you, and their splash will hurt the lurker. That's kinda where I got the name force field. That part isn't compulsory.

Anyway, pretty much what you do is go around with your SCVs and get the minerals that randomly appear. You've just got to kill the lurkers first.

I thought it was a simple yet it's likely to be successful on battle.net. What do you think?

[ZeroDarkStar]

Sounds good. Can I get in on the action?

[BSTRhino]

Of course, I was hoping one of you would have some terrain you never got around to using?

[Dark_Soul74]

Cool. It needs more though. Perhaps you have a time limit, or you can only die X many times.

[BSTRhino]

Well, no, if your SCV dies, then you just buy another one. And since your goal is 1000 minerals, that's going to be pretty bad for you...

I don't know whether civilians will be purchased for a price or created for free yet.

[ZeroDarkStar]

I don't have any unused terrain, but I'll make some. I'm assuming square terrain...

Let's see. Do you want it in "rows", "columns", or a "cross"? Or, I can come up with something completely new.

[Dark_Soul74]

I'll try my hand at it too.

[BSTRhino]

I was hoping the terrain would be world-like with lots of mountains. Makes the place more territorial.

This is not really a defence map... I don't want to conform to the standards that all other defence maps are conforming to.

[ZeroDarkStar]

So, I'm guessing you want it all to be low terrain, with mountains as the borders?

[Dark_Soul74]

I have it set up as a grid, having the 4x4 pathway and then little 2x2 islands(null tiles around). That sound good? There is also extra space at the bottom.

Edit: Nevermind then...

[ZeroDarkStar]

I've got a quick sketch up on the map file server. The link is this: http://blizzscums.kupatrix.com/maps/pafiledb.php?action=file&id=64 (Requires Password)

Some explanation:

I used the Ice tileset because too many defence maps use space, and I wanted ours to be different.

The lurkers are set infront of patches of resources. I've got Siege Tanks lined up on the side of the playing field, so the Tanks can fire on the Civ. The observers are there to act as spotters for the STs, so they can aquire their full range.

Take a lookie.

[UED77]

Nice! Oh, I just realized that Rhino, you're a triggerster, right? :(

Oh well, if you need any help call me.

(Once I finish my English project - yes, another one...)

UED77

[ZeroDarkStar]

Nice!
As in my terrain, or the idea? =P

[EdvardMunch]

Instead of placing observers for the tanks, is there a reason you couldn't give the computer player which owns the tanks allied vision with whatever it is shooting at?

[ZeroDarkStar]

Well, I thought we were giving control to the player, so he dosen't have a tank firing on his civ all the damn time. ^_^

That'd get pretty annoying, eh?

[UED77]

The idea, have not spared myself enough time to look at the terrain, I'm a little preoccupied with a wrestling match b/w UED77 and Hiroshima and Nagasaki - Was it Necessary?...

Right now Hiroshima and Nagasaki - Was it Necessary? is winning and if I continue to stick around, he'll just get more points.

UED77

[ZeroDarkStar]

What the hell?

....

[BSTRhino]

Actually, last time I checked I was a jack of all trades...

But, on this map, I wasn't planning of having incredible terrain. The terrain isn't actually important on this map, so don't break your back doing it ZeroDarkStar. I was prepared to settle for something someone had put away in their back cupboard.

I will look when I get home. Gosh, so much to do, when I get home...

[ZeroDarkStar]

The terrain isn't actually important on this map, so don't break your back doing it ZeroDarkStar.
The terrain took me a minute and a half to do. The whole map would take me a whole 15 minutes.

I'm not sure if I have that much time. =P

[Nozomu]

Some ideas from everyone's favorite triggester (me, duh!!!):

- -StarForge the Civilians to have 65000 hp so it looks like they're invincible, and their wireframe will never change colors.

- -Hide the tanks from the players with Fog of War. That is, use terrain and shared vision triggers to restrict their vision. It would be cool to never see the guys attacking you. Ooh! How about stationing Arbiters near the tanks so that even if it shows a little flash of where they are, the player still won't see anything. That would rock... Of course, if you remove player vision correctly, you shouldn't have that problem in the first place.

I should have more if I mull it over for a night, so stay tuned.

[BSTRhino]

Nozomu, good ideas!

Do you have any idea how we can randomly scatter the minerals and lurkers around without just randomly placing 255 locations?


Edit: I'm going to scrap the siege tanks idea. If it's going in, it'll go in at the end. It's just a visual effect.

Also, the civilians and SCVs and buildings will be able to die. That's the main part of the game.

[StealthyDeath]

Maybe have locations that are centered on certain units. Those units will roam the map and have minerals and lurkers that are created every few seconds. It might take a while though. It will mostly depend on the size of the map.

[BSTRhino]

That's what I had thought. But the 'center location' thing only centers on the top left hand unit last time I tried it. So it won't be very random...

[Doom_Dragoon]

So have multiple unit types and use some switches.

[StealthyDeath]

Yeah, You can you use it like center a location on a marine, then another for ghost, etc...

[BSTRhino]

But, I don't want the person to see the little guys walking around. Otherwise it'd be easy for them to kill the lurkers and get the minerals, because they'd know exactly where to look.

[StealthyDeath]

Maybe they should turn off vision with them, so they won't see it when the game is started or use neutral players so you don't have to turn off vision, like player 9-12?.

But, this will take a while until the game can be started. That's another downside to this one, I guess.

[Nozomu]

Bwahaha... I have a very easy way of doing it in mind, but you'll have to have Doom do it for you 'cause I don't have a PC right now. Use DarkVision's grid system. You're going to have hyper triggers running, and probably about 10 or 15 seconds of setup time where the players can't see the playing area.

Have a grid system set up just like DarkVisionhad it, with a different unit in each compass direction. Have switches randomly select which of the units will be the new "start point" of the grid system. Center the grid system on that unit, and repeat like 50 times. Then, make a lurker and a mineral at that point. Send the grid location back to the center and repeat the process again. Do this until you've distributed as many minerals and lurks as you want.

Get it? It's sort of hard to explain, but that will randomly move around until it stops and places a mineral, then starts over. Well, if it doesn't make sense, I can try harder.

Did I say easy? I meant startling difficult for anyone but an expert triggester.

[BSTRhino]

I thought you'd say something about that... Good idea, it seems like you made that idea up really easily. Ah, aren't you smart?

but I wanted lurkers and minerals to be placed throughout the game. So that you can't predict where the next mineral is going to appear, or where the next lurker is going to appear. Also, the lurkers and minerals will be at different positions. They're not both created at the same time in the same location.

I'm going to just go with my original idea of spreading locations randomly around the map... it will be faster for both the players, and for me :)


ZeroDarkStar: Actually, the terrain I had in mind looked more like this: http://blizzscums.kupatrix.com/maps/pafiledb.php?action=file&id=65

The terrain I had in mind was something more melee type. Hmmm... ZeroDarKStar, I think you should concentrate on your RPG project with Geno, because I think the terrain here is more suited to Beardo. Or possibly Zackarotto.

I suppose the terrain does matter, contrary to what I said earlier.

[Doom_Dragoon]

What you could do is place the units at every possible point they could be created however far apart you wanted them. Then with switches, ownership shuffling, and removing, you could successfully randomize it by getting rid of units. Not too complicated, yes?

[Geno]

What you could do is place the units at every possible point they could be created however far apart you wanted them. Then with switches, ownership shuffling, and removing, you could successfully randomize it by getting rid of units. Not too complicated, yes?

o.o

*Thinks about that idea after reading the whole post...*

:worship:

~Larry "Geno" Meyers

[BSTRhino]

...yes... that makes perfect sense Doom you cool person. But... the lurkers and minerals are created continuously throughout the entire game...

[Geno]

Maybe you could have constant checks going on. When they get low on minerals and lurkers, re-reun that first trigger set to create more?

~Larry "Geno" Meyers

-edit- Oh crap, it's all pre-placed... Hmm... Randomize all placement with switches, then remove some with the first trigger? Would that work?

[BSTRhino]

Well, there are so many ways to do it. However it is done, the main thing is, the user must have no idea it's happening. Since it's going to run through the entire game, it would look funny if we had to stop every five seconds to make more minerals and lurkers...

I don't want to make this a complicated map, I'd like to get something finished. Then I'll think about something more complicated. This is really just a stepping stone to something bigger.

I've already asked Beardo to see what he thinks about doing some terraining...

[Nozomu]

Use Doom's method, but have the units be burrowed. The player won't be able to see them, and then you can easily use ownership and switch randomization to randomly choose a new one to stick a Lurker and Mineral on. With Hyper Triggers, the new selection process would only take a second, maybe two.

[BSTRhino]

Hehe... the lurkers and minerals aren't going at the same places you know... I know that's what ZeroDarkStar's map looked like, but that's not what's really happening. The idea is that to get to the minerals you need to clear the area of lurkers by taking civilians and placing them on top. But you only know where the lurkers are from their spines, so something's either gotta get hurt or you've got to have really good micro.

It's sort of like capture the flag, but on a minefield that could kill you any second.

When I read that, this game might be too hard for battle.net, do you think I should tone it down a bit?

Oh, and the other thing, in Doom's method with underground lurkers, for a second or two they'd be attacked by lurkers that weren't supposed to be there. Heh, sorry for making it so hard and not using your good ideas!

[ZeroDarkStar]

Ah. I'll just keep out of this one for now.

I think I'm getting what you want for terrain. A kind of "warzone"? I'm getting what you're saying, don't worry. ^_^

[UED77]

Rhino!

I have an idea. Place Protoss observers for P8 all over the map.

Then make 1 location: "Replenish"

Now, here are the triggers:

If

Sw(Restart) is set
Then

Clear Sw(Restart)
Center location "Replenish" on Protoss Observer owned by P8 at anywhere
Randomize Sw(Rand1)
Randomize Sw(Rand2)
Randomize Sw(Rand3)
Set Sw(Rand Done)
Preserve
If

Sw(Rand Done) is set
Sw(Rand1 is set)
Sw(Rand2 is set)
Sw(Rand3 is set)
Then

Create 1 "Mineral Chunk (large)" for (COMP PLAYER) at "Replenish"
Give 1 Protoss Observer at Replenish to P7
Clear Sw(Rand Done)
Set Sw(Restart)
Preserve
This is the basic outline.
The Rand switches: (first is Rand1, second is Rand2, third is Rand3; 0 is cleared, 1 is set)

000, 001, 010, 011 - Skip action "1" (create unit)
100 - Create lurker
101 - Create lurker
110 - Create small mineral chunk
111 - Create large mineral chunk.

One more trigger:

If P8 commands 0 observers, give all observers to P8. Preserve.

And don't forget Hypercheck, of course.

I hope I was able to help.

UED77

[BSTRhino]

Heh, isn't BlizzSCUMS great? All these helpful people lol? That's actually a good idea UED77, and it would work...

but... I wanted the minerals and lurkers to spawn continuously, not in a big batch. So, it means that, if you go along and fight off all the lurkers to get the minerals, then you're going to have to turn around and fight off a whole lot of lurkers to get back.

Also, the observers will be a clue as to where the lurkers are, or where minerals will appear. Sorry, I really liked your idea UED77, but I think the old random location is the best choice for now. Even though it's a lot more work.


----------

Hmmm... I don't think I've given you guys a full description of how the game works yet. Here's how I plan the game to work so far.

In this game, the resources are switched around. Your primary resource is gas, which is really easy to collect because you get a nice geyser placed for your gas collecting. Minerals are needed to gain technologies. However, it is much more difficult to get minerals.

Minerals are mined the same. That is, you take your SCV, and right click on the mineral field. He collects 8 units of minerals, and then turns around and takes it home. The trouble is that in between you and the minerals are lurkers. Lots of lurkers.

Destroying the lurkers is either easy or difficult, depending on the way you look at it. What you do is you take a marine and make it stand on a lurker. Then the lurker dies. It's not so easy, because Lurkers beat Marines easily, as I'm sure you all know.

Marines don't cost any minerals to build, only gas. So it means you won't ever find yourself in a deadlock situation where you can't collect minerals because you don't have any minerals. You need to gather 1000 minerals to win. Each mineral field has 40 minerals in it. The minerals fields and lurkers keep getting recreated so there is always a certain number of them randomly scattered over the map. If you run into enemies, you can of course shoot the crap out of them. In fact, the game would be boring if the players consistently avoided each other.

But, wait, there's more! The key to winning is climbing the techtree. As I said before, you need to spend minerals to gain technology. But technology will mean you can collect the minerals faster.

Stimpacks will mean your marines will move faster. That means they can dodge the subterranean spines better, and kill the lurkers faster. Medics are obviously very good for healing so the marines will last longer and can take more risks.

The next level is to get vultures. Vultures do the same job as the marine, they can kill the lurkers too just by standing on them. Since they're faster, they'll be much better at the job than marines. The trade-off is they cost 60 minerals, and you need to build a factory. So you'll have to use marines first to collect some minerals first before moving onto vultures.

That is especially true for the next level. Dropships mean that once you've found a mineral patch and have cleared all lurkers in the vicinity, you can quickly send an SCV down to grab minerals and return quickly. So, minerals are collected even faster.

Then come the detectors and air units. This makes killing lurkers a breeze. Combined with the dropship, collecting minerals is so easy it's really not funny. But of course, this is where you should have enough resources to build things like missile turrets and bunkers to hinder the enemy from gaining minerals.

I'm still thinking about making an island that is only accessible by air. If I put it in, on this island will be a beacon that changes your entire race to Protoss. So, all your SCVs turn into probes, firebats turn into Zealots, marines into Dragoons, battlecruisers into carriers and so on. It'll be a fun way of moving the focus of the game to a battle. Protoss have cooler air units after all...

...so tphat's it. The game should progressively change from a tough resource-gathering game to a kill-your-enemies game. And to think it's so simple to make. Well, for the triggester. I don't know about the unlucky terrainer guy.

[UED77]

I don't think you understand, Rhino :(

These two triggers would just alternate. Two trigs for each observer, but hopefully the hypercheck would speed things up. Besides, you can also place observers for another player (a neutral one), so that you can have more observers than you are actually using for placement.

UED77

[BSTRhino]

Oh, I see it. The observers switch from player 7 to player 8. And then we have a 'create nothing at all' trigger. Okay, I'll try it. I don't really like the idea of people being able to see the observers though... what happens when they get missile turrets and comsat stations and science vessels?

[ZeroDarkStar]

Make them invicible.

[UED77]

I've made a quick sketch of the map. Triggers included. Observers sold separately.

After I watch Early Edition, I might upload it to the server. Note that since I'm a triggerster, my terrain is relatively simple, altho I think it suits the map.

UED77

[ZeroDarkStar]

Can I buy them at ProtossMart?

Sorry, I just had to say that.

[UED77]

Sure, at a discount price of 25 minerals 75 gas! Call this toll-free number now!

1-800-GIMME-OBS

UED77

[ZeroDarkStar]

GIMME-OBS did not sound right.

;)

You're uploading after Early Edition? What's that?

[UED77]

Fine, then make it 1-800-CALL-UED :D

Early Edition is a TV series about a guy named Gary Hobson in Chicago, who gets the NEXT DAY'S copy of Chicago Sun-Times. He has 24 hours to prevent accidents, deaths, and other stuff. It's really cool.

Anyways, I still need to finish my Geometry homework, while I'm listening to Coldplay
(COLDPLAY FOREVER!!!)

Okay, anyways, I have uploaded the map.

UED77

[BSTRhino]

Hey cool, we used to get Early Edition here. I thought the series ended. I'm really glad you've made a test thing UED77. I'll probably make a better decision after seeing the thing in action.

[UED77]

Don't know if it works or not tho...

Gimme 5 mins to finish this Geom up and I'll tell...

EDIT: There is an error that I've discovered. I will post a new version. Other than that, it works like an angel. A virgin angel :D

I'll also add failsafes that will prevent creating anything if that location already has something.

----

G2G, tomorrow, I'll post it.
My mom wants me to give others in the family access to the comp too.

UED77

[ZeroDarkStar]

Mmmmmmm, virgn angels......

New custom title.

[UED77]

Thx for merging the post, Rhino. I had no time to edit the previous one, I was forced away from the comp yesterday.

Anyways, I have uploaded two versions of d0.04 (D is for Draft).
One - d0.04 - is the non-playable map, the editor version. I ask you that if you do adopt my trigger idea, then edit this one.
The other - d0.04t is the Playable Test Map, and it includes some observers to demonstrate.

The system works like a hot knife cutting butter. /me is very proud of himself. :D

UED77

[BSTRhino]

Wow, UED77, I didn't expect anyone to jump on my project so quickly. Actually, when I designed it I expected the triggers to be able to be completed in a single day. I'm proud of you too, good work UED77. Hopefully this will set the battle.net community on fire hehe...

I wish I could give you more in depth comments, but I've got a final exam on Monday, and so I don't have time. But after that, believe me, I'll do so much BlizzSCUMS work you'll wonder why it ever took so long to complete projects.

[UED77]

I really like the layout of the quote dialogue, I'm probably gonna quote more often :D

Wow, UED77, I didn't expect anyone to jump on my project so quickly. Actually, when I designed it I expected the triggers to be able to be completed in a single day. I'm proud of you too, good work UED77. Hopefully this will set the battle.net community on fire hehe...
Thanks. :)


I wish I could give you more in depth comments, but I've got a final exam on Monday, and so I don't have time. But after that, believe me, I'll do so much BlizzSCUMS work you'll wonder why it ever took so long to complete projects.
Yeah, I've been wondering that too. I've kinda impressed myself with this trigger, and I wonder how come I never did triggers to any BS project before... Probably cuz there I would've had to keep working 24-7, whereas here I can lay back, listen to Coldplay, work on my homepage, etc. and decide when to contribute and when not...

Which is why it's so ironic that I cannot leave BS. Somehow I feel that I have to keep that place from falling apart (which is really not true, since that person is more like Drakain), but anyways I've made up an excuse and I'm staying. Weird...

UED77

[BSTRhino]

Great work UED77! I looked at that test map, and it works flawlessly. Wow, that's half the triggers already. We get Coldplay here too, although they're not my thing.

Now that I think about it, it's not possible to make the marines stand on the lurkers and kill them, because of the fact that locations always center on the top-left unit. Hmmm... back to the drawing board.

Do you think a better idea would be to make the game work with not only lurkers, but hydralisks, zerglings, basically everything? And you'd use gas to buy your low-tech units, but you'd have to venture out and defeat things to get minerals?

Perhaps we could place around more gas expansions for the people to chase after too. I think I would enjoy a game like that. The good thing about your system UED77 is we can easily add in a few more unit types, and to change around the placement blocks, all we have to do is move the observers.

[Doom_Dragoon]

Why does everyone think it's top-left? Someone tainted your minds. It's bottom left.

[BSTRhino]

Is it really Doom? Okay, I knew it was something. Bottom-left then.


I've uploaded a new map concept to the map file server. In fact, I would go so far to say the triggers are basically finished. Thanks to UED77's work on the observer system thingy. It's version d0.05t

Now I just need to know if the game is too easy, or too hard, or if there's stuff where it can be improved. I don't think there's enough encouragement for 'inter-player conflict.' Maybe we could make it work a bit like a madness map so that you get special heroes when you kill specific numbers of your enemy?

[UED77]

Yay, /me ist glad I was able to contribute to this project.

Btw, Rhino, I have spotted an error in your triggers that prevented the creation of 5 zlings. I have also tweaked the vespene distance... I like to have regular placement or else the SCVs will clutter.

Also, you forgot to change the scenario description :p

Anyways, want me to upload it?


For further refinement, perhaps we could add vespene tanks too. They would also be randomly created. Is it possible to return a vespene tank (powerup) to a CC and get gas?

We could also play with the randomization switches... to me the map seemed kinda "full" if you know what I mean. We could add another Rand switch to increase the probability of creating nothing, or we could transfer the triggers to a 128x128 map.

UED77

[IceFlare]

This game sorta sounds like Splash Defence but harder. Anyways can I join?

[Doom_Dragoon]

Yay, /me ist glad I was able to contribute to this project.

Btw, Rhino, I have spotted an error in your triggers that prevented the creation of 5 zlings. I have also tweaked the vespene distance... I like to have regular placement or else the SCVs will clutter.

Also, you forgot to change the scenario description :p

Anyways, want me to upload it?


For further refinement, perhaps we could add vespene tanks too. They would also be randomly created. Is it possible to return a vespene tank (powerup) to a CC and get gas?

We could also play with the randomization switches... to me the map seemed kinda "full" if you know what I mean. We could add another Rand switch to increase the probability of creating nothing, or we could transfer the triggers to a 128x128 map.

UED77You can't do the vespene thing without doing it via trigger. For some reason, those tanks are different.

[BSTRhino]

If you want, you can join IceFlare. It's almost finished though. I'm just going to import some better terrain for it, make a few additions to the triggers, and the test it.

And UED77, we will add in a new switch, good idea. Also, I don't think we're going to place around vespene tanks, because when I played the game, I had an ample amount of gas. Too much in fact. Although, testing will tell us more about this.

It would be great for you to upload your fixes to my triggers. Thanks for fixing them too!

[Geno]

If you want help testing, give me a time. I actually don't have work tonight, or anything else, but I won't be home until... Meh... About 5:00 central time... Maybe a LITTLE later than that. If you need help testing, though, just throw me a time. I will be here best I can.

~Larry "Geno" Meyers

[UED77]

Okay, I added d0.06t, and began brainstorming about d0.07

Oh, and I also added a notice regarding the spelling of "defence" in the project name.
It's officially spelled with a "c". Rhino is the creator, he speaked NZ Eng, so defence is spelled with a "c".
It also amplifies the originality of the project :D

Thanks, Geno for offering to test. It's Rhino's say tho, it's his project :D

UED77

[Doom_Dragoon]

Me am wants to test as well.

[BSTRhino]

yay! testers! You can play the current version, it's basically finished.

I've added d0.07t to the map file server. Basically what I did was put the triggers on the elderlands terrain.

The game was quite difficult, getting enough minerals to advance up the techtree was hard.

One thing I found though was, I could have finished the entire game without advancing up the techtree at all. So I think we need to make the units further up the techtree more powerful. If you're on this project IceFlare, you could design how much health/damage and whatever each unit should have so that people would want to get more tech.

Also, there are a few rogue observers which are sitting above inplaceable terrain, so we'll need to remove those one day. And I think we should add one more failsafe just to make sure none of the players are standing right under the replenish location either.

And... one more thing I'd like to add is the enemies should get more powerful as either time goes by, or as the players get higher up their techtree. That'll force people to get better tech.

[UED77]

Oh, yeah, I forgot implementing the "occupied by player" failsafe.

Well, my parents are going to the theatre tomorrow so I'll have plenty of time ;)

UED77

[BSTRhino]

http://www.starcraft.org/bstrhino/Force Field Defence.jpg

Just something I threw together for when it's released. I don't think it's very good though.

I wish I had more time, the semester has started. Right after my intensive 5-week summer school course. I never get a holiday...

[IceFlare]

BST you stick to mapmaking since thats your specialty and Ill make the pics since its my specialty ok? =P Ill make something nice. Signature size of course so you can put it in your sig and show your latest project.

[BSTRhino]

Heh, my specialty is StarCraft customs or web programming. More web programming because I'm kinda bored of my customs after doing them for five years.

[Dark_Soul74]

That is a nice picture. Maybe you could make one for the Maze Game too, and then IceFlare can try. Best one wins? ;)

I could also make one for the maze game....Hehehe...

[BSTRhino]

Well, I do have Corel Photo-Paint here at school. I don't have StarCraft. Basically the only fun thing I can do here is design. Maybe I'll have a go, we'll see.

[IceFlare]

Aaah just leave it. It looks nice. Best not to ruin a good thing right?

[BSTRhino]

I did so much work on this map on the weekend it wasn't funny. But I keep forgetting to upload it. If it's not up in 2 days, someone please remind me.

I've changed the gameplay again quite a lot too.

[ZeroDarkStar]

http://www.starcraft.org/bstrhino/Force Field Defence.jpg


*Cries*

Why....don't.....my....pictures come out like that? Geez...My latest, well, it's kinda bad.

http://www.yoxio.com/images.php?id=17537

I'm really looking forword to this map. It sounds great!

[BSTRhino]

That pic looks good for use in your sig ZeroDarkStar. I would increase the contrast and intensity a little though.

Anyway, have I uploaded this yet? I remember I was doing something yesterday with the map file server.

[IceFlare]

Looks like we got ourselves a JOAT... got good graphics and good mapmaking.

[BSTRhino]

Er, who me or ZeroDarkStar for JOAT?

Also, I kinda strayed from my original idea with the map. I mean, it's called Force Field Defence. If you look at the maps now, you'll say: Where's the force fields? Where's the defence?

So I'm gonna change it heaps in the next version. In the meantime, check out d0.08t which I just uploaded. It doesn't quite work, I didn't get time to finish it. But don't worry about fixing it, like I said, half the triggers are going to be killed for the next version.

[ZeroDarkStar]

Looks like we got ourselves a JOAT... got good graphics and good mapmaking.

*Giddy*

BST is already a JOAT. =P

[BSTRhino]

lol, yeah, often I feel that it's better to be a complete expert at one thing rather than being good but not extraordinary at everything. But the grass is always greener on the other side, isn't it?

Anyway, I redrew the terrain for this weeks ago, I was in the middle of copying triggers over on the weekend but then I realised how urgent Geno's thing was. But, I changed my idea completely.

The new ideas
Gas is still the primary resource and the goal is to collect minerals.

The difference now is that in the centre of the terrain, which I shall upload, are three crystals. Each worth a different value in minerals. All you've got to do is take these crystals back to your home base to get the extra minerals.

But between you and the centre of the map is a 'force field.' That's just lots of enemy units attack-moving along a circular path, waiting for something to kill. You can't take the crystals until you kill everything in the force field. There will be minerals to mine in the force field, because I'm so nice.

Does that make sense? I hope it does.

Too many responsibilities... StarCraft.org, Mech RPG, Terran Doom, and Force Field Defence...

[BSTRhino]

Before you all scream out "double post!" please notice the fact that this post is one month after the previous one.


Now that my holidays have started, I have had time to finish this map. Here's a unbalanced version, ready for alpha testing. This map is on the map file server, so if you are not a Starchitect member, you won't have the access codes to it.

http://blizzscums.kupatrix.com/maps/pafiledb.php?action=file&id=97


In this version, the map is fully playable, go play it with other Starchitect members. It's unprotected, so please don't distribute it freely around battle.net.

What's missing is text. No briefing, no in-game text, since this version was about getting the main triggers right. Also, the game is unbalanced and too easy right now. But apart from that, everything's working. It's got new terrain too.

[Dark_Soul74]

I'll check it out once I have the time, but what about Mech RPG?

[JELL-O]

I would like to join starchitects but from reading the sign-up form I seem to have a problem... First all i can really do are normal triggs... and im not THAT skilled in any othre area.. i did post a movie map there tho.. however i am still waiting for som1 to comment on it.. unless they alrdy have and i missed it...

Anyway since I am not a member when do u think it will be on B.net? (im logged in as JELLO- or as Storm_Jello )

[BSTRhino]

I've taken the time to make a first release of this map. Although I think it needs a lot of fixing.

Last time I played it, the other guy decided upgrades are not worth their minerals, so just killed my base with a marine army. I'm not sure what I should do about it, but I'm planning on making all player units invincible, because I wasn't planning on the game being played like that. See what you think. Play the map.

[Whiteknight]

I played it. Not too bad. I could help you with it if you want, I am an expert at triggers (after making so many bounds and other maps, and seeing good maps, you learn...) I have a question, do you have a hyper trig in that map?

EDIT: Oops sorry, I just saw that other thread... Hmm, I wonder if I can find any of my old maps....

EDIT: Ugh, just saw all the requirements. I'm good with terrain and triggers, but then it said that you have to know things about mods, and I'm non-existant in that area.

[Icemant90]

I didn't like it. When the lurkers come: you're screwed unless you have a detector. Which, you'd have to be saving up for right when the game starts to get one on time.

[ZeroDarkStar]

Ugh, sorry to dig this thing up from the grave, but I was wondering if this was finished. I'd love to see the finished product. :)

[Whiteknight]

I've taken the time to make a first release of this map. Although I think it needs a lot of fixing.

Last time I played it, the other guy decided upgrades are not worth their minerals, so just killed my base with a marine army. I'm not sure what I should do about it, but I'm planning on making all player units invincible, because I wasn't planning on the game being played like that. See what you think. Play the map.Question answered. :)

EDIT:... damn, one sec, editage

EDIT: Alrighty, click here (http://www.warboards.org/showpost.php?p=32376&postcount=82)

[ZeroDarkStar]

Oh, no, not that version. I acuttally helped test that one. I thought BSTRhino siad somewhere he was almost finished with a 1.1 version. Meh.

[BSTRhino]

Heh, er, I haven't worked on it since last holidays. But I think that is 1.1, I'll check that out when my exams finish.

And I did the dumbest thing. I protected my map and resaved the protected version. Arrggggh, so I'll have to start from version 1 (my good old backup), do the work to get to 1.1, and then see what happens with 1.2. lol

[Whiteknight]

BST, you could use an unprotector, as it is your map and there is no point in worrying about morals if it is your map.

I think I might be able to dig one up, if I kept it from my noob days.

[BSTRhino]

I could, but I think in a way it's a blessing. I'll probably do a better job now since I know what didn't work with 1.1.

[bomber7]

Sounds like a great map I CANT wait till it is finished

[Dark_Soul74]

That was a bit of a bump...

[BSTRhino]

That was a huge bump. bomber7, check the last post date before you post to see if everyone has forgetten the thread already before you reply.