Medieval Arena

I've been working on this map for about a week. So far I have created a fully capable Teleportation system (to get units to different areas, you'll see in the screenies) a Dueling area where both teams fight (4v4 if full game) the invuln/vuln trigger for neutral areas (trading, train, etc) auto-view for non-arena areas, and, of course, the terrain for most neutral areas and Duel Area. I have also created custom widgets replacing lumber and mana for separate map needs.
Now enough of that oh so interesting stuff

What I plan to accomplish later on in the map is:
-4 different heroes to choose, or 2 classes I.E:Male/Female Knights, Male/Female Archers
-equipment system with separate pieces as they are equipped, which is where heroes will become unique
-a melee/range setup for both classes, default for both will be melee
-terrain for arena part of map
I've been tinkering with the idea of a save system, not really plannin on it... feedback?

a few problems I've been having is a way that a hero could mount a horse... I've tried sphere, but the horse just hovers along, atm I'm plannin on using the mount hippogrif ability, but I will need 4 more models to complete that... not too excited about that idea.

I am utterly banning tomes, I hate them, and they make it too easy for heroes to get uberly powerful creating a never-ending battle (you all know what I'm talking about) so power is going to be limited to abilities, items, and levels (and AA points later on) the max level is still undecided, right now I got it set at 1000 just for kicks.

I also am planning on a custom loading screen pic and thumbnail pic, but ideas are vague.

I am open for all feedback, I don't care about flames just have a reason behind it and I hope this sounds good!

ps I have to go, screenies will be on tomarrow

hmm, sorry for double post, but does my map really not sound that interesting? if not, please tell me why! 12 views and no new posts... I'm not sure what to think of that...

But seriously, I really would appreciate feedback/questions, anything helps :)

Well banning tomes is a very good move, they easily have the potential to ruin any game. But I would like you to elaborate more on the heroes and such. Since you mentioned only having 4 hero types, I dearly hope you have a system set out for abilities and such.

Abilities will work as so...
Being that I am going to make the hero max level rather high (at least 250) then I will create 4 abiltiy strings for each hero (the idea of making different skills for male/female classes is pending) that will each make it to at least 100 I should hope, but after your hero is rather high, I shall also increment an AA points system so the heros can go to 'trainers' and purchase stonger abilities, I'm still thinking if I want to make this any type of tome thing... but this is where the hero would get the ability to mount a horse, if I can get that to work, and get other advanced abilities for their weapons, and armor.

AA points will be awarded by killing enemy heroes (lumber) and both classes will be able to operate a bow, but knights abilities will be along the lines of:
-Critical Strike
-Bash
-Dodge
-Shoot bow

And archers will have things like:
-Fire arrow
-Multiple arrows
-Shoot bow
-wield dagger(possibly when it gets high enough, duel wield will be a factor, or just AA skill)

but the only two armor graphics that I'm thinking will be displayable will be head and torso... I don't know if anyone has and thoughts on that?

but I could replace skills with things like:
-bludgeon(mace/Hammer)
-Peircing(bow/knife)
-1hslash(broad/short sword)
-2hslash(masamune/Claymore)

-Short bow(short range, more power)
-Long bow(long range, lower power))
-Composite bow(mid range, mid power)
-Piercing

The tileset choice and terrain seems a bit wierd, so un-medievalesque. I don't know, it just looks like more of a terrain for a pirate treasure hunt... it's not that easy to tell anyway, just a bunch of closed up screenshots, can't get the big picture how the arena is composed.

And on the subject of tomes, it is true, they are imbalanced, or at least they were in almost every map that featured them up to date. I won't get into details now, I'll just say that with the right concept, they could be a quite all right element of the gameplay, but generally, I dislike them just as well and comepletely agree with you when you say " tomes, no thank you!"

Otherwise, I don't see why such a gender differentialisation, you could just add more classes for that... seems wierd to have only an archer and a knight. Perhaps you don't want spellcasters, as you wish, but there are still a bunch of possible warrior classes that could be done instead of a male/female knight. It just seems wierd to me, I'm sure you have your reasons why you want it like this.

My reasons for two simple classes are just because that if a player wants and axemaster, then he can buy an axe and put his skill into 1h/2h slash depending on what type of axe he uses and if he also wants to be a punchingbag, then he could buy better armor, or he could go for dps and save for better axes and let somone else take hits, or he could choose archer and work on being a long-range support with lower dps, or short range tank with higher dps and more life. I mean, you define your 'class' in-game to where you are satisfied with what you have. and then when your higher level, you can get advanced skills so you can duel wield and ride a horse, or improve your axe skill or get the skill to wear better armor so you can take more hits.
I'm aiming at a more complex stratagy arena, not just 'choose hero, get tomes, and kill creeps until you are better than everyone'

as for my tileset. I could easily change it, it's just that it's the one that seemed to be light, and still fit that castle-look pretty well. but it isn't stuck there, I could look for a new one I guess, that is, if enough people really just don't like it.

Summary, I am going to have a payload of different weps and armor, I would list it, but I tried once and the site logged me out before I could post... so I'm not doin that unless someone actually cares about lists.

Ah, yes, I thought it will be like this, but in that case, my question still stands: why then make gender differences, or class differences at all, for that matter. If both classes can be long- and short ranged, and they differ in skills they can learn, why not make one universal warrior that can learn everything and the player can then choose his class based on what skills he learns.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying you are wrong or that the concept is bad, there's no right or wrong here, I'm just writing down the thoughts I get when thinking about the concept. And it is a very interesting concept.

That was my original idea, and as my map developes, it sounds better and better to go back to that. I think I will :) but then that leaves one question:

How will I keep track of skills?

would a leaderboard work? multiboards don't help, but I have never created anything like this before, so I'm gunna need a bit of instruction if anyone knows.
but I still beleive I need starter classes, but I think I will separate them... beacause I want to limit weapons that are equipable to stats, so to get the initial stats so they may equip their needed equipment I'm going to probly need the following classes:

-Berserker(axes)
-Swordsman
-Pikeman
-Archer
-Crusher(better name for bludgeon?)

or maybe I could even set it up so swords are the universal weapon (are they not?) so everyone can equip it, and just get the skills/stats or whatever to equip others. and then the leveling system... I'll have to work that out later, but any case, that's all the thinking I wanna do now cause I still got school to think through :P

How do you keep track of skills? I'm not sure I understand. Leaderboard, multiboard, why would you need those?
Well, you obviously won't be able to use the classic hero skill leveling system, because there'll be more skills around than a hero can have at once, so you would need a triggered skill "buying" system. It's not hard to do, if triggers are giving you problems, you can always ask a question in the trigger haven.

well, that would purt more use into my training area. But how would I make them purchasable? I have lumber setup as AA points, and gold is needed for armor... and I want skills to increase over time with XP.
The leaderboard/multiboard I was thinking would work to keep track of the heros skill, like

-Hero Skill Levels-
-1Hslash 3
-2HSlash 0
-1Hblunt 9
-2hBlunt 0

and so on, but I'm not sure if that would workout too well. Leaderboard can be displayed to one player, and multiboards can only be displayed to everyone or no-one so if I use it, Leaderboard is the way to go methinks, but I'll have to test it. Get back to you when it's finished.

Well, the hero's skills can probably be displayed in the hero's command card just fine, or...? After all, when a hero learns a skill, it shows up there, at least most of the time, and those skills that don't can be still represented by do-nothing-except-show-an-icon skills.

And the purchasable skills system is a piece of cake, basically, you make a shop that sells either items or units, and when an item/unit is bought, you remove it (you don't even have to do that with an item, because you can make it consume on acquisition, like tomes do) and give/levelup the according ability for the hero. You determine which item represents which ability with the use of variable arrays. When you know the ability, you only have to check if the hero has it, in that case, you just level it up, otherwise, you give it to the hero.

Hey, if this all seems too much, I know it could to someone new/not used to triggering, I can make the system for you, no problem, it's a simple thing for me to do.

nah, it's not that, I've played a map with that system the Ultimate Stratagie I believe. I didn't like it all that much, I want something where when you level a Dialogue box come up or someting, it seems more professional, I just want a way to display the skill level...