Advent of the Zenith

Well yeah, some people have PMed me about my signature asking what AotZ was and how they could try it and such.
We have our site, and I direct everyone there (See my signature), but I felt some people just don't have motivation to go to that length.
Therefore, I decided I would post the bio here and upload it for people to play and try, and then yell at me when they find the few bugs in it and such.

So yes, now that my intro is out of the way, to AotZ.


Advent of the Zenith is a custom map for WC3: The Frozen Throne created singlehandedly by Rising_Dusk. It has been in production for nearly 15 months, and possesses some nifty features and 16 wicked heros to play as, 8 for each team.

The Hallowed Order has long pursued evil and impure beasts across the world, slaying them in the name of justice. Now, at the edge of the world, they face The Bane of Eternity one last time... The board is set and the pieces are placed, the rest is up to you...

Cool Features:

• 16 Unique Heros, each with their own theme and design
• A Hired Hero system that allows you to hire defensive heros to guard your base and ALSO that increase unit spawns for that base.
• An insanely PvP oriented design, so that mauling heros isn't easy, but a common practice.
• A unique balance system, allowing heros to be retardedly powerful but completely balanced at the same time.
• Assistance given for hero kills!
• It's just plain fun. >_>

I won't walk out there and tell you the map is perfect, because it isn't.
There are bugs, and most of them have already been addressed in the upcoming version, but are still prevalent in the current version.

Known Bugs:

• Anything having to do with Dahaka (Guardian of the Timeline)'s ultimate being used in unison with other pausing skills.
• All random doesn't work properly, some players don't get heros at all.
• Exploitable on attack passive skills.

However! The map is undergoing a COMPLETE overhaul.
Version 2.00 will be the largest update this map has ever witnessed.
Here are the things being updated in 2.00.

2.00 Updates:

• The map will be 100% pure-written JASS, not a single GUI trigger in it.
• The map will be FULLY optimized, lag minimized as much as possible.
• Half a dozen new heros added to the mix, all completely unique in playstyle and theme!
• Every bug will be fixed, period.
• ALL old heros completely revamped and optimized, offering new spells, new strategies, new everything!
• 6v6 Compatible!
• New systems utilizing food as a resource "Shards" working partly with the next thing...
• NEW merchants and dozens of new items added into the mix!
• NEW Hero Selection system, completely redone from the current, allowing you to see your hero before you pick!
• And much more!

So yeah, now that you're all psyched out, I demand you try the current version and complain about it! Mwahaha!
When you download the map it may be saved as the filename AotZ_v1[1].06c(p)
Please rename it to AotZ_v1.06c(p).

This is a list of the things being done in the map.

Alright, that's it!
Let's see how this rolls over now. >_>
Attached are a bunch of screenshots my friends and I took in a random game of it we played.
They aren't the highest quality since they are .jpegs, but they get the job done. :P

I’ve heard quite a lot of good remarks about this map before, and I quote, “It is the next ToB.” That’s one hell of a compliment - I’ll be sure to give this map a trial soon.

I posted it under the beta test section to see if maybe people wanted to try it and see what they thought.
I figure since 2.00 is a total optimization and such that some user input might be helpful.

Please, if anyone has any suggestions or ideas for what I could do to make it better let me know!
Also, I have a huge list of credits in the map, but if someone made something in the map that I didn't credit (Either out of forgetting or not knowing) then PLEASE let me know. I want my credits list to be as complete as possible, that's a big thing for me.

So yeah, hope I can lure some of you to at least try it. :P

This map has original (and many good looking) skills, many of which work well together on the heroes. It has potential, but the major problem I have with it, which I believe you already know, is balance. Being PvP orientated is ok, but things like a 7 second stun, or a 3000 damage (was it? my memory is a little rusty) mass AoE skill aren't conducive to fun. Whether those skills can be escaped or not, things like that shouldn't be in an AoS imho. (Especially potential problems with the 3000 damage skills hurting allies, iirc)

Hah.. I know, I know.
Scamp's stun got totally reworked. It's 3 seconds in the upcoming version. The skill was pretty dull being too conditional.

And yeah, Fangoram (The guy with the 4000 damage nuke that takes 18 seconds to channel) is being reworked as well. I took to heart what you suggested, I want to aim for spells that require skills to use, but not that are so conditional they become virtually useless or in the opposite end of the spectrum TOO good.

Good to hear :)
I look forward to seeing (and playing) the new version. (PS, if Fengoram's semi-ulti stays the same, I suggest you inform people on the tooltip that you can't stop channeling it :P)

The map looks very well so far, but I'll just skip the praising and start the complaining :P

Well, I haven't played the map enough yet to talk about balance and items etc, the only thing I've had a decent look on so far is the terrain. What I don't like about it is that there are 4 lanes. I made a similar post at another AoS, so I just copied what I think about 4 lanes here :P And another thing I find very doll about this AoS is the lack of special hiding/ambushing/escaping possibilities. And again I quote :PCouldn't see any harm in quoting my suggestions since this is just some basic ideas of what I like in an AoS.

Hope it'll do you some good

~ Aray

this has to be my favorite AoS...not that i like the AoS genre in particular but this map certainly changed that. the spells are a bit imbalanced in some places(earth wanderer*cough*) but most are actually ok. as for fangoram's ultimate ya it does 3000 damage but it takes 17(18?) seconds to cast which gives any tower or hero enough time to kill you making it hard to place it strategically and usually requires a helping hand from a friend. also about fangoram's semi-ult(execute?) you can stop channeling it...just push the button that sais cancel XD

Yes this map is very good and deserves a lot more attention in my opinion. Can´t wait for the v. 2.0 features (hero taunts, 6vs6, new heroes..)

AotZ is great. But it's a little complicated for my tastes. I know for one that I'll be waiting for version 2 to come though.

I like AotZ, but I agree with about everything that everyone else said. :D However, I love the ideas, and especially the effects used on the spells and such (DotA just took spells right out of Wc3, didn't even bother to change the art).

Also, I completly agree with everything Aray said. You do need places to hide and places to sneak-attack people. Oh, and the creeps are imbalanced. :P

Although it's not my favorite AoS at this point, I will definately be awaiting version 2.

PS: Is there a beta I can download? I would like to try it. :D

Its a great aos with great spells, but here are my cons.

- Needs more items, needs basic items, too many super elite items
- Tooltips and colors have got to go, their annoying and blinding
- Excess tooltips have to go, you dont need all that info for a spell tooltip
- Game takes too long, try lowering towers a bit
- Lower damage etc on some spells
- The names of units bug me, too many repetitive names, they all dont need bane and such on them
- Some spells people wont get right away, dont try and make the tooltip to sound cool with a story, just tell what it does right away

All I can think about on the top of my head.

All i'm going to say is "SCAMP", i love that guy.

Well, i totaly agree with Tiki, and maybe you should create a Short Mode, like in DotA, since the game can get borting after.

I tried to get some other people to play it, and I figured now would be a good time to say that EVERYONE complains about the tooltips.

"Too much broken English..."
"So wtf does this do again?"

Methinks tooltips just need a little modification.

To everyone.
1.06c is only 6ish versions removed from release, so yeah, lots of new stuff to be had.

And yeah, I'm adding new items and completely going through and fixing every single tooltip. I want to keep with my style, but I'll quasi ditch the story and make it more straightforward. I noticed in a lot of cases just by reading the tooltip even I go "Wtf is this supposed to do?".

And Aray and others, for the terrain things, I made it flat leveled to keep the action blunt and sweet. If you want to get technical, try walking on the rooftops on either side of any lane. It's a nice little trick a lot of heros can take advantage of (And you could always buy an item for).

Thanks for all of the awesome comments.
I really wasn't aware so many people had even played it. It's very reassuring to see this much support from such a well-respected community!

Oh and I had one more question.
If I submitted 1.06c as is to the map submission section here, would it have a chance of being accepted or should I just wait until 2.00?