Monsters! - Battle for the Powerstones

[dolomite13]

I was thinking, what good are wizards without spells to cast.

I am toying with the idea of adding spell scrolls to the map that would give a wizard access to learning a spell (the spell would be one way conquer from the scroll). Once you knew the spell you could use the spell (which would automatically reinforce by x amount) to bombard the monsters and the other wizards shields.

Any suggestions on how to make this feel more epic and wizardly like the spell scrolls are welcome =)

Dolomite

[Natewolfman]

i like the uniqueness of this map, keep going! id play it

[edbeard]

how will the wizards be eliminated? right now it seems like the only thing you can do to them is bombard their shields from your own wizard. But, how do you attack a wizard and/or a shield?

Are you planning on starting all the monsters neutral? The gameplay will be very very tough already to hammer out with the wizards and needing to eliminate people from there but making people do conquest gameplay as well will make it that much harder to figure out.

starting everybody with a wizard and starting people on the monsters might be a cool idea. you could start specific monsters as neutral so no one drops with a bonus. you could give each wizard a colour and perhaps allow them to bombard that specific colour. I don't like the idea of them being able to bombard everything because that makes holding continents tougher and slows the game down (I need to keep placing armies on every territory to hold a bonus rather than expanding).


I'm still not sure how'd you do the wizard thing. because you need to eliminate them to end a game and because of their bombarding power these games will be very long. as I said, I'm not even sure how you attack them currently. the wizards are the most important thing for you to figure out. right now they determine the direction of your map. it seemed like you had said at one point you wanted this map to be relatively simple but then you talked about complicated maps like arms race and new world. I know you're just brainstorming but figuring out fair gameplay on those maps took quite some time.


so again, figure out the wizards and how they'll work and how people can eliminate them. you don't want this to be the type of map that becomes a stalemate.

[mibi]

The graphics on this are very solid. The background doesn't work though. Its not very clean and has a 'cheap filter' aesthetic. Given the 'cute' nature of this map, one thing I was disapointed in is the naming of all the territories. It really kills the feeling. If you are going to use the forheads of the monster for naming, why not put real names in there. They would have to be short but I would rather attack a Bix from Roy and r1 from b2. Another option is to move the army circle to the monster for head and bring the name down to the stomach where you have lots more room. Same goes for the wizards. W5? W7? lame. If you don't think you can get names in such a small space just look at the Supermax map.

It would be a real shame if such a kitschy and fun map were ruing by a boring alphanumeric naming system.

[dolomite13]

Sorry I was away on vacation ... I will work on the map again this week and have some revisions =)

[dolomite13]

I am working on naming all of the monsters with 3 letter names. And I plan to put in a better background.

I have prety much abandoned making a simple map and an advanced one ... I am just going with a more complex one. So i will be adding some spells to the map somehow. I may make the spell a one way attack for a wizard that they need to conquer to use. The spells would reset to XX neutral after used. The spells would one way wizards could bombard the monsters anywhere and each others shields. I will detail this further.

Anyway off to bed... I'll have more soon.

[dolomite13]

Sorry no update yet but I am getting closer to having alot of changes finished ... sorry it is taking so long I have been super busy

[MrBenn]

There hasn't been an update here for over a month... moved to the recycling bin...

[dolomite13]

I won;t be able to update this for a few more weeks ... sorry ... I do plan to continue work eventually.

[dolomite13]

And finally I have an update.

[edbeard]

can you post the updates in the post you announce the update as well as the first post? it's a million times easier to follow and give feedback that way

Click image to enlarge.

1. I think 20 is way too high for the shields especially when they "reset". I'd say drop it to 10 with the "reset" (at the most. maybe even just the 10. no reset)

2. an autodeploy bonus for the wizards?

3. how many neutrals on the Mind Control Gems? why three? will people even use more than one? why not give them a bonus too so holding one becomes ideal instead of just a transport point.

4. grey, blue and teal are the only monster colours that do not have a monster which only they can attack (except of course via the gems)

5. the grey colour monster is way too similar to the basic monsters. purple? dark brown? stark white?

6. possibly think about using the style of the glow on the entire monster. might make em look cooler

7. the blank area at the top is not good. maybe put more monsters back there but not playable. except, you'd make then blend in with the background so they're in the shadows implying doom or the neverending fight these wizards are going to have. And possibly include a couple different style monsters as a little preview if you're serious about planning on making a sequel.

[dolomite13]

Great comments ed... I plan to add more monsters I was still debating what to do with the empty space. More monsters? or a place to put rules text etc... I need to hop in the shower and get to work but I will look over your post closer during lunch today =)

Thanx so much for the feedback.

[dolomite13]

Ed,

1) I really want the shield to reset every turn. I want to avoid a wizard conquering their own shield and fortifying it. But you may be right 10 may be enough.

2) I wanted the wizards to get a constant stream of armies at themselves as an auto deploy. I like this mechanic and this will let wizards bombard or conquer out from themselves as well as fortify themselves easier.

3) I was thinking more than one mind control gem would be needed so more than one person could cross "continents". If I decide to make it so that the gem resets every turn to say 5 or 10 then I will make it only 1 gem. If I go with more than 1 then I will change it to not reset and start with say 5.

4 & 7) I do not like the current amount of monsters so I am adding more and I will be trying to balance the connections better. This will help fill the empty space.

5) I agree about grey and I plan to change the shading of the monsters a bit to compensate. I will also add some color internally on the monsters that can be attacked by the wizards directly.

[dolomite13]

CURRENT VERSION:

v2.0.10: 01/06/2009


Here is a list of changes. I think this helps balance the map a bit.

- I increased the number of monsters and left some of them off by themselves so that you need to use the mind control gem to get to them.
- Split the map into 3 "continents"
- Changed color monster bonus to +2 each
- Changed autodeploy for wizards to 3
- Shields reset to 10 every turn.
- Decreased mind control gems to 1.
- Mind control gem will start at 5 neutral.
- Color and Basic monsters start at 1 neutral each.
- Wizards start with 3.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3119/317 ... bd04_o.png

[the.killing.44]

PM MrBenn and get the hell outta the recycling bin! Lookin' good, I do agree on the dead space, though.

.44

[dolomite13]

I am going to drop some darker monsters in as background so it fills up a bit. I think it will be more interesting and many maps have impassible mountains etc. I also plan to vary the size of the monsters a small bit to try and give the map the feeling of depth.

Dolomite13 =)

[dolomite13]

v2.0.11: 01/06/2009


I made some cosmetic changes to the map. The background was brightened. The monster sizes were changed. And some monsters were added to the background to fill in the dead spaces a tiny bit. The background monsters are impassible terrain.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3083/317 ... a610_o.png

[edbeard]

I like the idea of some monsters being isolated (only attackable via the gem)


I don't like the idea of 2 coloured monsters being on their own where all the rest have 3 on the same big area. Either all should be connected somehow or two coloured monsters per section


you don't want the shields too big or else you'll have a lot of stalemate games. perhaps instead of all monsters attacking the shields have another monster type or item or something on the map. maybe four throughout the map that can attack the shields. this lessens the ability of people getting to the wizards quickly and allows us to lower the shield neutrals (neutral resets to 4). This way wizards aren't impossible to kill and they also aren't easy to get.

perhaps lessen the ability of the gem by putting mini-gems into the heads of certain monsters. this allows you to determine where people are able to "jump" throughout the map. you create chokepoints instead of everything being up for grabs.

[dolomite13]

You are right ed, I was giving it allot of thought last evening and I believe that I will try and connect around the top of the map. I am not yet sure how I want to handle the mind control hem and if I want the gems to be connected to certain points on the map or how I want that to work yet but I will think of something.

As for the shields ... I think you are right I will probably decrease it to 4 or 5 neutral ... resetting.

[dolomite13]

v2.0.13: 01/07/2009


In this version I have removed the mind link gems and rearranged the monsters in a circle. I have provided a connection map below to show what the map would be like if it were simple shapes. I also reduced the shields to 5. I am still not certain how I want to handle attacking the wizards from the monsters as all monsters being able to attack wizards seems like too much if the shield is only 5.

Play Map

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3466/317 ... 08d2_o.png



Connection Map

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3425/317 ... 128417.jpg

[Natewolfman]

man i like this map... lol, its so unique i cant help but love it the background monsters=awesome, gives it a much greater feeling, but I kinda feel like... I want an objective out of this, I mean its kinda random (which is fine) but I would like a backstory, why are these knomes being attacked by the monsters/or are the knomes attacking the mosters? When you had the jewel I could assume the goal was to steal the jewel from the monsters, but now It seems like it lacks purpose if that makes sense.

[Natewolfman]

Another quick graphical note: all the monsters seem to be focused on the center, but blue/yellow/white knomes are in the outside and nothing seems to be focused on them, it would give it alittle more life if some of the monsters around them seemed to be focused on them rather then looking at the center even though those ones are closer...

great map so far, keep it up!

[dolomite13]

v2.0.16: 01/08/2009


Based on suggestions I have cleaned up the map a little and put the wizards back towards the center. I also added some bones, spiders, & skulls as well as additional non playable monsters for mood. Now I need to focus on the starting positions, monster names, and how to attack the wizards (which monsters can attack them).

I am also kicking around the idea of adding power crystals that are one way attack into from certain monsters that give +1 or +2 armies. Or one larger gem or orb in the center of the map that is how you attack the wizards. Maybe if could be a gem with several facets that you have to conquer to get the while bonus but just occupying a location on it lets you attack the wizard shields.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3077/318 ... 1a88_o.png

[edbeard]

you don't think the gameplay is a bit too linear now?

it might be good. it might not. more opinions than just yours or mine are needed on that. I'm not sure either way but at least it makes things "fair"


the white monster doesn't follow the pattern you setup in the picture http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3425/317 ... 128417.jpg

orange monster has no glow


skulls n bones are good. maybe put a whole body somewhere.

if you do a sequel you should involve spiders at the theme.



maybe the middle monsters (of the 3 in between the colours) should have a diamond on them. they can attack shields and can be attacked by a big diamond in the middle. just an idea.

[edbeard]

another thing...


I still think these games are going to be very long and possibly stalemate. maybe drop the shields altogether. maybe put all the wizards in the middle and have a path of monsters that lead to them but have their coloured monsters on the outside which the wizards can attack

more opinions are needed on how we think these games are going to play out.


but again, the way you have it might work


maybe instead of updating this image update the picture which is basic and doesn't require graphical changes so we can discuss gameplay easily.