Spring RTS Engine

This map came about following a random conversation between myself and hrmph, where hrmph mentioned making a map that would require the players to have to use air-drops to take the opposing base.
Well, i thought about it for a while and decided to give it a try, the result is the one here.
It seemed logical to me that the only kind of map that would truly REQUIRE using air/airdrops would be one where the water is some kind of obstical, so I set the map in a lavaworld setting. I took the liberty to use NOiZE's energy spires, and i spent a good while in photoshop adding the tiny details. This is probably my most detailed map to date.
Wind is at 0-5
Metal is 1.1
Dimensions are 4 x 10

Hopefully this brings out some interesting gameplay
Screenshots:

Minimap


Download!
http://www.unknown-files.net/browse.php?dlid=1530

Long Range Missle Launchers

Ishach wrote: Long Range Missle Launchers

Send swarm of peeper ... hum, but transporter are so slow to move and land unit that the coordination could be a hell....

I dunno if 10 is big enough to achieve the air drop only idea. Things really need to be out of artillery support range, and I don't think they are, so thats what it'll probably turn into, combined with air spam.

Maybe make the next one much bigger, with alot of islands, some connected, but only with choke points so you have to use combination of air and ground movements.

Maybe like a web of small islands with geos/metal on them connected by thin strips of land so ground forces are cumbersome but can still function indepentantly


EDIT: Bruce's idea is better

hmm.. At first glance it looks like this could turn into a bertha war or something

Easy to get minimal AA up, and you can progressively build a stronger deeper aa defence as the game progresses, and as nothing can pass through the water, i can see antinukes going up pretty quickly followed by a serving of berthas, but maybe iv'e missed osmething?

The texture is quite nice, even the lava looks okay.

Some comments:

- The mex range.... i thought it's well known now that a bigger range is just more handy to upgrade to moho's
- You could have put some underwatergeo's to create a heat effect?

But besides all this map shows again that we need more control over the water how transparent it is, and the water texture! Give us control you patcher's!

Does lava damage hovers? if not, then some intresting strategies may show up...

Exit69 wrote:Does lava damage hovers? if not, then some intresting strategies may show up...

I don't think they can get down the cliffs.

BTW the Energy spires are made by LathanStanley, not by me...

East vs. West. EAAAASST vs WEEEEEEST!

NOiZE wrote:BTW the Energy spires are made by LathanStanley, not by me...

The Energyspires look even better then in the old TA - praise to Lathan for them.

This map equals graphically. The ground texture is just too muddy and noisy IMHO. Lava needs some beefing too in terms of hawtness

I personally think the Noize's ground texture is a better fit:


As far as gameplay, the long range missle launchers are really not a problem if you send peepers or vultures or something as a distraction (as has been established already in other threads) but the efficacy of airdrops..

Well, riddle me this; ius it possible to drop hovercraft via air onto the lava?



All in all, very good and original idea, but as Cabbage also siad, the gameplay elements of something this complex will take some more tries to get right O_O

Looks great!! You guys are assuming the game will go long enough for things like berthas and mercurys to come into play... Something tells me that with skilled players it would be over before that. Has anyone watched/played a game on it so quanto can get some real feedback?

doublepost for new thoughts



There *is* a way to encourage the use of air a lot more, and restrict the efficacy of berthas, nukes, and anti air:

Very. High. Walls. on a bunch of lava islands.



Ala Ancient Arena. The trick ould be to keep the top of the walls free from having missile towers and berthas etc built on top of them, something which Ancient Arena failed miserably at - but with proper move maps etc, it could force players to airdrop :)

Meh, it was worth a try. Wasn't sure how it would be recieved, I'll extend my thanks to Lathan Stanley for making the Energy Spires.
A bigger version may be the answer.

I'll also remember to set the mex radius to 100 next

Dragon45 wrote:doublepost for new thoughts



There *is* a way to encourage the use of air a lot more, and restrict the efficacy of berthas, nukes, and anti air:

Very. High. Walls. on a bunch of lava islands.



Ala Ancient Arena. The trick ould be to keep the top of the walls free from having missile towers and berthas etc built on top of them, something which Ancient Arena failed miserably at - but with proper move maps etc, it could force players to airdrop :)

Another Thing to encourage Air is - smal Mex Radius and High Columns or Walls with the Metall upon (also keeps the Players from building Rocketowers upon it ... that Idea does also work in diffrent directions, so digging deep holes for the metall, also enforces Aircraft

I'm having trouble finding a picture of it on the net, but theres a map for TA called Biggie Biggs (one of the Core Contingency maps) that results in the sort of gameplay you're talking about.

Owwweeeee is also pretty popular, but not as good in my opinion because it becomes a bit of a rush for the middle.

This layout isn't going to promote island hopping because the landmasses at the start are way too big.