Norj'Hal, Act II Sample: The Dajh'Onnar Barracks

Spoiler Alert! Minor plot details will be revealed in this thread and map!

(But, there'll be plenty of surprises. Trust me. It'll be like you're watching a movie trailer.)

OK!

Here's the first complete part of what I intend to be another collection of maps like The Story of the Norj'Hal Elves, Act I. This part of the story will take place in the Norj'Hal capital of Dajh'Onnar (note the continuing parallels to the Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos saga).

In the attached map, you will get to experience another rarely seen map style: playable indoor terrain.

Norj'Hal II will be MUCH more advanced than Norj'Hal I.

- Most importantly, I've learned to code in JASS, and I've made ten thoroughly JASS-enhanced hero spells to complement the characters and provide enjoyable gameplay.
- Also, I've recruited a very skilled team (see the in-map credits) of modelers and imported more than a hundred custom models. Wherever possible, I requested (and got, thank you WC3Campaigns!) low-poly models for the architecture. The result is a very rich environment that's easy on your graphics card.
- Finally, I've made custom soundsets and begun to collect voice actors to provide the most appropriate sound environment possible.

This project is truly a cut above Norj'Hal I!

The file is too large to upload to WC3 Capmaigns at the moment (7.8MB), so use this link:

http://mccammon.ucsd.edu/~dcerutti/N...I_Barracks.w3n

or go to my website

http://mccammon.ucsd.edu/~dcerutti/

and download by "Right Click >> Save As".

<>

<>

So, you've played the map, huh? Well, please respond in this thread (or send me a PM) to tell me what you thought! In particular, I'd like to know:

1.) Was the gameplay challenging, but doable? Did you run into problems that you couldn't surmount on the second or third try?

2.) Were the custom spells fun to use? How should the be improved? Which ones were too powerful? Too weak? Which did you use the most?

3.) Were the cinematics enjoyable? Or, did you just hit ESC?

4.) Do you like the terrain style?

5.) What sort of computer do you have? Were there any places that the map gave it a headache?

6.) Were the plot elements advanced in this map intriguing? Did the story seem to flow well with Act I?

I hope you enjoy playing, and thanks in advance for your comments!

Capt. Picard

Ok first off. I loved the first Campaign, and I can't wait for this.

1 I had problems with the key thing. I guess I needed another key but I couldnt find it so I was stuck, and couldn't proceed. I will try again though.

2 I really loved the spells, but I am not sure if they are too strong. I used two spells for each hero, Backdraft and the other line one(sry I can't remember it's name) for the fire dude, and Serpentine and Shadow Walk for the Shadow Maiden. I think the spell might be too strong, the two heros could clear out rooms with ease. But I liked them a lot espcially the backwards line Flame strike.

3 I liked the cinematics. The first one was cool, I was ready for a fight. Oh yeah.

4 The terrain was nice in my opinion. I think it was a very good barracks, and that it was made very well. GJ. But it seems by the stove things, that the fire is way out of control, it is really high into the sky, maybe a different fire? Like lower the Brazier?

5 I have a new XPS, so the map gave no headaches and loading time was almost nothing.=)

6 I think that controlling the Shadow Lady was kinda strange, but yeah it flowed good.

I will replay the map later and might post some more stuff.
GJ CaptianPicard and team.

There's a key inside the chest in the kitchen. I put it there rather than in a barrel to be more obvious--you know you can break the chests, right?

Have you gone to the basement yet? Probably not if you haven't cheated and haven't found the key in the kitchen.

The first cinematic was the first complete work I did with Anitarf's cinematic JASS system. The next two are better.

Yeah I found the one in the chest. Ill do it again with the same spells cause they pwn. Really though, don't you think the shadow walk pwns?

Of all the spells, I think Shadow Flight is the one that'll need the least nerfing / tweaking to put it on par with other hero spells. Force Wall is also pretty reasonable. Serpentrance probably lasts too long and the units get too powerful too fast. But they're fun, and it matches her character. (Naga! You! NOW!)

Get a load of the Aura of Eternity. Certain units (i.e. Priestesses and Hunters) can get mega attack bonuses. And everyone gets a nice, regenerative anti-magic shield (up to 80 damage prevented every four seconds). I'm definitely going to have to scale that one back.

The (evil) Fire Mage's Luminares is a nice spell (kind of like an aura) and his Pyrostrike is somewhat like Chain Lightning. You have to think differently, but his Torch spell is pretty handy--whenever you've got two melee lines massed against one another, you hit one of your units with that spell. First thing that happens is you deal damage to units around your guy, and then he starts gaining life rapidly (so he'll live a bit longer). Then, when and if he dies, another explosion deals out damage and then a Lava Spawn pops out of his corpse to fight for you.

Also, you probably haven't seen the Shadow Maiden's Arc Rain spell yet. (Wait for it. I'm going to have to Nerf it, but you'll have fun with it nonetheless.)

These heroes are designed to be balanced in the sense that they have support as well as attack spells. I wonder if they'd be submittable for any contests...

It's very nice to see singleplayer campaigns being made now and then Although I haven't finished this because... well... I died (without saving)! I'll have to retry the darn thing later, but from what I saw, plenty of attention to detail, you went to great lengths to make the place feel indoorsy. My only caveat would be that... well, I wished you used custom tilesets for the first level! It's very minor, but with all the new models you used, I kinda wished there was some new tiles to go with them...

Gameplay was tight, very well explained, but again, one complaint - Key hunting. Or not necessarily key-hunting. There's instances in the first level where you'd go to say six or seven rooms, all with keys. It's kinda tedious, if you ask me... Perhaps there was a reason for so many keys (to maintain a tight grip in the scripting, avoid player from venturing to areas you don't like)? Nice spells though.

No, the key hunting just adds another dimension to the gameplay. I don't think you can go that far off, or have to retrace your steps through more than one or two rooms. There are lots of keys on the first level and in the basement, but pretty soon you get the Master Key thrown your way so you don't have to search anymore, just proceed carefully.

The game I really liked to play as a kid was Legend of Zelda, and this campaign pays homage to that ongoing series.

You did play through Norj'Hal Act I, right?

Hehe... I'll get back to you on that soon Still playing...

Hello
I must say i have been looking forward to this since i hold ur campaign as one of the best i have ever played !
So;
1) The map is hard but it is doable....quite frankly i had a lot more trouble with the two lightbearars and their retinue than i had with the actual hedmasters...ofcourse the arc rain spell helped alot :D man that spell is great
Also a lil trouble i had with the guardian spiders that shoot from the cealing...very unexpected :D
2) I liked the spells alot...my favs except arc rain were serpentine and the fire mages ultimate :D also the shadow ladys aura rules...if ever you rwere to have a large battle with lots of units on both sides the army of the maiden and fire mage would own all (bonus dmg to spellcasters + bonus fire damge + 1 or 2 ultimates.....)
3) cinematics were great i like cinematics a lot they do well for the story....the one in the dungeon/torture chamber was my favourite although it activated before i could finish off the last guard and the catching of the arrow was great aswell....the best scene :D
Also in the spider layer during the cinematic while the heroes were talkin the spiders were mingling among my troops...until the cinematic was over and i was sorounded :D but i managed
4) i liked the terrain and the details of the barracks it really felt like wandering through the hedquarters of an elite unit of soldiers
5) i have an ok computer and did not have any problems with the loading time
6) I thought it was cool to be on the other side of the fence with the "bad guyz" for a change
well thats bout it and im looking forward to ACT II :D
It`s a 10/10 map as far as im concerned since u did let us know that this is for testing and not the finished product :D

Some opinions of mine after playing it only a few minutes,

- The text on the loading screen seems a bit hard to read, because of the white backround (ingame picture), maybe color the letters gray, blue or somethin;

- the Bloodmage hero seems to have too much attack spells, maybe change one of the first three spells into somethin different;

- the merceneries are too weak, as in the first camapaign. I would limit the number you can controll a bit more and make them stronger instead;

- if possible, remove the hero glow of the jaina model, it just looks a bit weird for me but thats just a minor thing. Why don't you use the elven sorceress model instead?

Anything else seems pretty well done so far.
The cinematics where enjoyable and the battles weren't too hard but as challenging as I expected from ya Picard
Except the weak mercs who were nearly all wiped out after the second big fight.

Nice to hear from you, Kensei.

I've got someone who's offered to remove the Jaina glow. I use that model because it looks a LOT better whn riding the dragon. I'll find another use for the Blood Elf Sorceress.

The heroes are going to get Nerf(TM)'ed a bit, so the Mercs will re-assert themselves as worthwhile units to have around.

I hear you about the leading screen text. Been meaning to change it--just never got around to it.

Have you gotten to the cave yet?

Capt. Picard

Hiho Picard,

one or two other points after playing about 2/3 of the map;

- I would suggest to take the Spiral Fire attack from the Bloodmage and give Aszune an melee combat spell instead.
As I sad three spells for the mage seems just too much and it often happens that I warp into combat with Aszune by using her blink spell but then it seems as if you can't do anything more than just stand there and fight;

- Side Note: Backdrift is pretty cool Picard

- the Bloodmage voice sounds a bit mechanical maybe improve that,

- potions semmed useless, I nearly used none of them because of the high ammount of Healing merceneries,

- Merceneries seemed to be too many as I said before, because of that and because of some narrow ways the pathfinding sometimes becomes a pain in the Ar*** especially when using the Elevatores,

- a fatal error occured and kicked me back to windows when I was supposed to use Aszunes Arc Rain spell on the rooftop, dunno exactly what happened but it said somethin like "wasn't able to write memory", or "to write in memory" or somethin like that...

Anyways, till now I gave it a 8/10, good work so far;

Edit:

Another sidenote, what about making potions and spirit phiols and that stackable? At least for let's say 3 or 5 per icon...

I liked the barracks a lot I'm stucked near that rooftop thingy and I didn't managed to use the Arc Rain spell. BTW what healing mercs, I only got priests .

Good:
-Terrain is quite well, meaning it really looks like soliders were living there
-I loved the basement stuff and the torture story. It is good to see a dark side of the do-goodies as well as the good side of the baddies.
-Many times I thought there was no way of getting things done, but soon I was managed to beat it. Which means good balance, seems impossible but doable.

Bad:
-I dislike too much of the berry bushes and not too much meat. What are they vegetarians?
-Yeah the voice of the Mage is really metalic... Though in character
- Custom tiles, like carpets, in starting halls would be improvment (but not sure wheter it would be smart to put carpet where they train).
* Not really that important but I don't seem to get what each spell of that Kahl chap (or whatever it is called) does... Azune's spell are quite understanable and easy to use.
* Cinematics were meh, but I didn't exepect them to be somehting super seeing there weren't any big confrotations or important story plot involved.

I refer to every non-hero unit that joins your party as mercs, so yeah, I was talkin about the male and female priests.

I tested it again and it seems as the game always crushes when I try to use the Arc Rain Spell.

This is the error message, any ideas?

I never saw any new healing mercs only female priests (with Jaina model). The priests don't have healing (ensnare, faerie fire and entanlge).