Behind DarkWorld

[markkur]

Behind my DarkWorld map

Like many people that enjoy H5 I played H2 & H3 for over a decade. After my time with SoD (the 1st one) I investigated the Editor, really enjoyed it and made lots of maps for friends and family. After a big disappointment with the first H5. about 3 years later, I came back to TotE and by that time they had finally given the Editor. Like everyone else I was horrified at the non-user friendly monster but I loved its power and the final game so I gave H5 map-making a go. To my dismay there were very few mapmakers left and soon they were gone. The worst handicap was the fact that, other than Naadir-Slo, no scripter’s were left either and I'mnot a man for codes; I like crafting environments. Naadir thankfully wrote a couple of scripts for me before he retired and they both have to do with the first version of this map. At that time it was called Dragons' Teeth.

I always liked the visual creativity behind 3do maps i.e. Griffin or Dragon Orb etc. So I wanted to make a dragon. However, when I realized that an artifact-set was called Power of Dragons, I changed the map-name and the map once more. The 2nd version was now called Power of Dragons and was released with Quantomas' A.I. package. Important: The "J" A.I. made making this map possible, without it I would have done what so many did, make one map, be disappointed with the horrendous turns and quit H5 map-making.

When testing a map I play on Hard setting on both "difficulty and look-ahead". In this way I don't lose sight of the new players, in an "attempt" to make the settings work. The A.I. also has some added options that also increase difficulty. Anyway, I found Power of Dragons fairly easy but wanted it that way so maybe more new players could enjoy the game but since I had so much time in the map I wanted a harder version for myself and thus, spent even more eye-candy time and I recreated it into the second version...DarkWorld. I made a very short story to link both maps, since getting the set wins on both.

'Power of Dragons' intro:

” Sky and sea are the color of blood, surrounding a land stricken by a Nature in chaos; the Elves are at War.. " Wyngaal and Sinitar both wake up to discover that their argument last night at the Shady Elf Tavern has brought war. Then, a message soon arrived, telling of an alliance between Knights and Wizards.

'DarkWorld' intro:

The world of "Power of Dragons" has grown more sinister. The map has stronger foes and is now more difficult, Play an Elvin faction or try to win as a Necromancer or Demon Lord. This map is intended only for play with Q's excellent A.I. "J". Enjoy the challenge.

Anyway, I know computers have more powerful video now, better Ram and the multi-core is great, so I hope the map runs with the old A.I. but I thought I should share that DarkWorld was intended for use with Quantomas' "J" A.I. His A.I. is unfinished but even in its current state you will find a defensive A.I. that can create a challenge especially when you set the Look-ahead to Heroic. The downside is, turns do take longer than on the easier settings but on DarkWorld I've found my old PC does fine on Heroic.

Today, I don't make maps with as many portals as is on this map. I've grown less fond of magical-travel but after not playing this map for a long while I've enjoyed having to plan how to move.

Notes: The "Tear of Asha" is on the map and it does work. If you have a slow PC avoid playing as the Necro; one of the towns is buried in Fog. Be sure and read signs and you might make a sketch on portal movements to keep sane. Remember victory is about getting the set and not defeating all. However, it is quite fun to get them after eliminating all enemies.

One more time: A big THANKS to NaadirSlo (aka tofiffe) for the script changes, SKPRIMUS for quality testing, FAUCH for adding the PWLs. and my
gratitude to "Q" for his "J" A.I. that made DarkWorld and my map-making possible.

Cheers, Markkur

[Bonzer]

Hey Markkur,

We have clicked here once or twice before, and thanks again for the help with my friend on finding the maps folder on Win7.

Anyway, I can confirm that DarkWorld runs ok using the original AI, and on version 3.0. I find it quite challenging enough thank you, playing on Normal difficulty as Sylvan.

I was very pleased when I found you had created a map and uploaded it here as I know we both like the same sort of layout - XL, underground, Tears, FFA, and not symmetrical. I have not been disappointed.

Having said that the challenges I have faced only reflect my personal play style.
1) Unable to choose starting hero
2) No lvl 5 guild in my first two towns
This meant I couldn't get TP, PM, and Res into my main hero with Enlightenment - Mentoring.
However I finally got there by raiding Dragon Utopias, Sunken Temples and the Memory Mentor (again - thank you).

I find the AI takes about a minute for its turn, though only the Dark Elves are left (apart from me). They have eliminated the rest, and we are starting to contest the centre ground.

I don't tend to play a rush style, I like to explore, build a couple of high lvl heroes, and move out when I have a strong enough force and a decent defensive army to leave behind.

After all that, thank you for taking the time and determination to produce an enjoyable map and I hope to see more one day.

Bonzer

[markkur]

We have clicked here once or twice before, and thanks again for the help with my friend on finding the maps folder on Win7.Anyway, I can confirm that DarkWorld runs ok using the original AI, and on version 3.0.

Always glad to help and good to hear you're both still fighting in H5. TY for reporting about the vanilla A.I. working with the map. It is very helpful to mapmakers to get somebody who will take the time to assist. Gracias, again.

I was very pleased when I found you had created a map and uploaded it here as I know we both like the same sort of layout - XL, underground, Tears, FFA, and not symmetrical. I have not been disappointed.

We not only enjoy the same sort of map, we share the same play-style. I do get in moods where I play a Barb, wear a face like your avatar and bang in to everything on the map but most the time I'm doing as you do.

Also, about maps...I've created quite a lot over the last few years; I just decided recently to make them also available here. I like CH and want to support the site.

1) Unable to choose starting hero
2) No lvl 5 guild in my first two towns
This meant I couldn't get TP, PM, and Res into my main hero with Enlightenment - Mentoring.
However I finally got there by raiding Dragon Utopias, Sunken Temples and the Memory Mentor

Nothing wrong with the above preferences; it's just that on this map, tis a story and I needed fixed Heroes. I think I only have one more map with fixed Heroes "Heroes of Ashan" and that's because there are 2 from each faction that start at level-15.

Most of my maps give you the option of picking the Hero and some of them the factions. I've made so many and all in an effort to hit someone's sweet-spot.<L>

I find the AI takes about a minute for its turn, though only the Dark Elves are left (apart from me).

That's not a bad turn time. Playing on Heroic and with "J" it's Wyngaal that's the one to beat. Had I of known about his OP'd special at high-levels I would not of had him scripted-in. His Initiative his ridiculous. However the map's objective is the Artifact-set, so, in a way, this present nemesis enhances the challenge. Granted not all will like the difficulty of this map. Sometimes, I'm in no mood to have my butt handed to me.

I don't tend to play a rush style, I like to explore, build a couple of high lvl heroes, and move out when I have a strong enough force and a decent defensive army to leave behind.

Before long, I hope to have a few types of maps here for both the Warlord and the Adventurer types. The community is quite varied and it takes hope & effort to "attempt" to create something for each. Btw, SKPRIMUS I owe much when it comes to understanding the Battle-Master.<S> Some of my latest maps are geared towards Heroics but that's not where my fun is; as I'm finding now on DarkWorld. This map is very difficult for me when playing on Heroic and trying to defeat-all. With three enemies, this A.I. is absolutely brilliant at always keeping me on a back foot and makes it difficult to expand.

Fyi, all factions have 5th level spells in their 3rd town. This one done for 2 reasons. 1st, the 3rd town is separate and takes skill to hold but is necessary to hold because of TP etc. and the other is also to delay TP starting on the map, because once its gained by all factions, then the map becomes a TP-Fest.and becomes hugely defensive,<L>

After all that, thank you for taking the time and determination to produce an enjoyable map and I hope to see more one day.
Bonzer

I am very glad that you took the time to post; I wish more would. Fyi, I have many more to share and they're mostly different. I will also add these are already made but if we get down the pike and there's some obvious interest, I can create some new maps , just for the folks I find here. My health is not very good but if I'm able...I will invest the time when I can.

Also, I have an unusual map for 2 player you and your friend might enjoy; do you ever play HotSeat together?

Cheers, Bonzer.

[Bonzer]

Hi Markkur,
Thanks for the offer of a 2 player map for hot seat, but no. I have tried it once with my son on a tiny map, and even then it just takes too many years (real time) if we meet for couple of hours a week.

My first experience in turn based strategy like this was a game called Laser Squad (must have been 20 or more years ago). Now that was fun as 2 player but I still went to work the next day having had no sleep too often, just by playing through the night.

Reading some (for you younger lurkers, that's SOME) of the posts here I suspect we are from a rare generation who can now appreciate what we have because we remember ZX Spectrum and Amstrad graphics - and thought they were good at the time. I can remember coaxing a wire frame triangle through two levels of grey (not gray) and onto black. Then being so proud I could land an F16 in fog!

Let me get back on track by saying I was first hooked on H2 (by my long term friend), because it had options, choices, always something else to do, rewards at every turn, and H3 4 and 5 still do the same. I love to start with bare basics, and end up ruling the world because my individual carefully crafted plans mostly paid off.. AsS long as Homm# does that I will be there. Though H6 is maybe a miss (see my post on H6 forum for that).

Markkur, stay with us because you are helpful, experienced and knowledgeable. It is good to know you.

Bonzer

[markkur]

but I still went to work the next day having had no sleep too often, just by playing through the night.

I had a few of those with the 1st WarCraft; that was my first editor experience. Here's a funny memory; I made a "special" map for a very competitive friend and told him I could beat the map but no way that he could..."to get his dander up." (Hmm, wth is a dander?<L>

I got a phone call later; "very funny" plus a silly laugh. His special-map went like this; the map started, he had a moment to see his lone peon in the center of the map; the en-circling dragons all flamed, one huge ball of fire...then the you-lost music played.

... I can remember coaxing a wire frame triangle through two levels of grey (not gray) and onto black. Then being so proud I could land an F16 in fog!

I have quite a few of those. I think the thing was, it was that everything was virgin territory and a completely new experience. I did the move the box that is ME through the larger boxes that were ROOMS until you meet one of those evil circles and was tenser doing so<LOL> All you needed for an awesome game back then was an awesome imagination.

AsS long as Homm# does that I will be there. Though H6 is maybe a miss (see my post on H6 forum for that).

You went further than I did. I was on the inside a wee-bit and very excited about the H6 editor, After all the shared needs/ideas-posts from everyone at the forums? I just knew that it would blow us away! Yeah, blown away alright. After realizing they did even worse than H5, I did not bother with buying the game. No reasonable editor...me no spend reasonable moolah.

stay with us because you are helpful, experienced and knowledgeable. It is good to know you.

TY for that. I have a lot of maps to share but I'm faced with a big-problem; I will take a map and tweak-it to meet multiple needs for players. The problem is the whole history of sharing maps is; with only one map supplied, it results in...here it is take it or leave it.

So, as a map-maker that cares about all players...I can't take care of all. I.e you mentioned TP, As a player I like/want it on a map but not always; so, <imo> because of that one spell; there needs to be 2 maps available. That's because of the lack of creativity or budget etc. with UBI; since I could design them one heck of a "map set-up & options screen" and then a good mapmaker doesn't have to work him/herself to death; attempting to remember the whole community. Needles to say, when an editor is truly user-friendly this becomes a much smaller problem. Sorry, just had to use the bold for some reason.

[Tyber Zann]

That sounds cool. Once iv got a better net connection that's just mine I'm gonna go map crazy, I'd like to get this one as well.

I'm glad I read the responses too. I'm sure their suggestions will spill into my brain as I continue making Borderland, my brain child map. On top of the uber hero version, I may also bring back something from my H3 map.

Celebrity death match! In this version, heroes are edited as Hollywood actors, portrait and all. Watch Arnold Schwartzengger battle Willem Dafoe! Will Clint Eastwood be able to topple the armies of Alec Baldwin? Find out in,
Borderland, Celebrity Death match version (coming soon)