Monsters! - Battle for the Powerstones

[LED ZEPPELINER]

not zep, zeppy, zepo, zofo, zoso?

yes, those also

[sailorseal]

Maybe a poll would help?

[dolomite13]

The poll feature wont work for me ...

I created it with 4 answers and it makes one with 12 answers all screwed up...

I reported it hoping someone will fix it for me.

[dolomite13]

Yea!!! survey is working now =)

[LED ZEPPELINER]

the things i posted b4

[tlane]

Have not read much on this map, but i like the look of it.
My idea would be make it numbers and letters for the names.
like
4b, 3b, 6c,
maybe even
BB3, B5D

just an idea and nice map

tlane

[dolomite13]

Glad to see people taking the survey.

[sully800]

I would much rather have names than just letters or numbers.

It's much more fun to attack Zak and Zed than Z1 and Z2.

Keep the names simple as your proposed, and make them "pronounceable". If the player can say the name in their head when they read it the game goes smoothly. If you have a territory called Qwh people will not generally find it enjoyable.

[danfrank]

too funny! moving to drafts...

I agree Great graphics..

[dolomite13]

I am changing the orb image and it looks like I will be adding 3 letter names like "Ago" "Zox" "Ead" to the monsters =)

Dolomite

[dolomite13]

I have started some revisions to the map.

- Swapped out orb with better image.
- Changed neutral monster color to brown from grey.
- Changed floor image and color.

Also, the poll indicated people prefer 3 letter names so I have put the names on the connection map as well as started putting a few on the big map, although I do need to make them a bit more readable.

Here are the names, if anyone sees a name that means something vulgar in another language please let me know. Also I tried to place the names on the map in some logical manner although it may not seem so.

Ace
Amy
Bob (Blue)
Ben
Bud
Che (Cyan)
Con
Cal
Dan
Deb
Don
Eve
Fay
Gus (Green)
Geo
Gil
Ivy
Ian
Liz
Jeb
Joe
Jay
Jim
Ken
Lou
Leo
Lyn
Max
Meg
Moe
Mya
Nat
Ned
Ora (Orange)
Ole
Ova
Obe
Ota
Pat (Pink)
Val
Vic
Rod (Red)
Ray
Rex
Sid (Silver)
Sam
Sky
Sol
Sue
Ted
Tom
Von
Wes
Yee (Yellow)
Zeb
Zoe

Connection Map

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3636/340 ... 4c3a_o.png

[dolomite13]

Based on the new connection map and the monster names I have selected here is the large map with some flavor added back into the mix to give it that overwhelming mass of monsters attacking me feeling. The small map is there for reference as to how the monsters will possibly look but I will redo teh names and put the numbers back on to scale later, I just wanted to see how it might look.

I think it may be time to start getting ready to make the XML =)

Dolomite

=======================================================

The Map

Large Map (With Names)

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3303/342 ... 774b_o.png

[LED ZEPPELINER]

your 88's on small are out of wack. when you scaled down the large, you just left them. You have to replace them with actuall ones

[dolomite13]

I know Led I just wanted to see if the map looked ok at that size I wasn't checking the readability of that small map yet.

[tlane]

this is looking nice, and i like the names.
I have two ideas, but i am not sure about how good they would turn out
1 - Could put a little glow on the names, only a little, just so it is a little easier to see them (if it doesn't look good then don't do it)
2 - I am not sure if this is possible, but it would be interesting if you could make the numbers on the orb bigger then normal (this would also help me see the numbers)

tlane

[dolomite13]

I can drop a little shaded circle behind the number on teh orb or move its number i don't think changing the number size is in something I can do with the xml. I will also see about the names, I would love to make them more readable. I would also like to find a way to better represent some of the connections so that colorblind players can understand the wizard to monster and monster to orb connections.

[MrBenn]

I'm still worried that this map doesn't seem to have a great deal of support

[sully800]

My current problem with this map is the interaction between the gameplay and the story line.

The wizards are all circled around the powerstone, defending it from the monsters. That is fine if the monsters are attacking them, but the actual gameplay starts with all the monsters as neutral and therefore they don't attack. This setup would work well with Infected/Zombie neturals if they are ever added, but I don't think that is a strong enough basis for the map.

The other option I see is to have the prize on the outside of the wizards. Such as some scattered treasure items perhaps. Then each player starts on a wizard and has to attack through the neutrals to get to the goal. That makes sense to me with the current setup (Though I think the neutral shield leans this one toward defensive wizards).

Perhaps you could reverse the gameplay and make the players the monsters. Then the monsters have to attack the wizards to get to the power stone. The set up would be similar to Oasis in a way, except instead of the oases being places of refuge they would be wizards which reset to neutral (and therefore are places to be avoided).

I like the idea and the feel of this map, the battle between the wizards and the monsters could be very fun. I know you've already adjusted the gameplay and story a couple of times but it is not meshing for me. If the story matches the gameplay I would be much more interested in the development, but I want to reassure you that you have a great start!

[dolomite13]

mrbenn. I agree I wish I could garner more support for the map, but as sully800 points out, the map still suffers from a disconnect between the gameplay and the story I wanted to tell with the map. I think creating a map around an existing world location or histroical event might be easier than this but I am still dedicated to making changes that might start getting some support.

I originally wanted to call it "Quest For The Power Stones" and have several of them. Here are the connections and a mockup of that map. If this seems like a better path to travel down I am all for it.

I believe the following changes would be necessary.

Starting Forces
- Power Stones start with 10 neutral.
- Shields start with 15 neutral.
- All monsters start with 1 neutral.
- Wizards start with 1.

Bonus Forces
+1 for every 3 monsters.
+2 for each colored monster.
+3 for each power stone.
- Wizards autodeploy 3 to each turn.
- Shields reset to 15 every turn when controlled.

Victory conditions would change to.
- Defeat all opponents or control all 8 power stones.

Connection Map

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3515/346 ... 265f_o.png


Map

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3593/346 ... b707_o.png



--Dolomite13

[dolomite13]

I have Deuteranope and Protanope filters for photoshop. Are those the only two types of color blindness I should be checking my map for?

Deuteranope (a form of red/green color deficit)

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3658/346 ... b1e7_o.png



Protanope (another form of red/green color deficit)

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3609/346 ... 6463_o.png

[dolomite13]

I had some thoughts on other gameplay that might make the game more interesting.

Each orb could have 1 central location and 3 sub locations, each with a special effect, these would be one way attack from the main orb location.

"Synergy" If you control 2 or more synergy locations you receive a bonus. (looses 1 army per turn)
- 2 synergy locations = +2 bonus armies.
- 3 synergy locations = +4 bonus armies.
- 4 synergy locations = +6 bonus armies.
- 5 synergy locations = +8 bonus armies.
- 6 synergy locations = +10 bonus armies.
- 7 synergy locations = +12 bonus armies.
- 8 synergy locations = +14 bonus armies.

"Mind Blast" Bombard any colored monster from this orb location. Resets to 3 neutral every turn.

"Lightning Bolt" Bombard any wizard shield from this orb location. Resets to 5 neutral every turn.

Victory would be based on controlling all 8 central orb locations, the effects are secondary and not required.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3531/346 ... c70b_o.png

[sully800]

I think the new gameplay ideas are much more interesting and fit better with the layout of the map!

Graphically I don't like you orbs nearly as much as the wizards and monsters, but that doesn't need to be fixed right now. Keep the ideas flowing

[dolomite13]

Thanx sully800, I also am not a fan of the current image for the orbs and plan to update them next map update.

The gameplay ideas for the orbs help bring this back towards my original idea of having spells for the wizards that they could conquer and use to bombard etc... putting the effects into the powerstones makes them not only a victory goal but a strategic goal as well and should help to mitigate any possibility of a stalemate.

I am wondering about starting neutrals for monsters I almost think the monster bordering color monster should be 2 neutrals and and the sort of orphaned monsters should be 1. The connecting monsters between the colored monsters i believe should be slightly larger, from 3-5 neutrals. As in this starting forces and connection diagram.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3555/346 ... 4d5d_o.png

[dolomite13]

Here is a new map based on the new gameplay ideas. I made alot of small changes to it.

- Wizard designations added.
- New powerstone gameplay added.
- Updated gameplay rules on map.
- Moved every monster and wizard to make things fit better.
- Changed powerstone graphic.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3495/346 ... ef73_o.png

[dolomite13]

The map has been updated.

- moved powerstone special ability circles out of the stone to signify they aren't part of the playfield from a proper connection standpoint.

Please share your comments =)

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3603/346 ... c560_o.png