Beta Worldmap Discussion

Thothie

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Beta worldmap discussion

msc_wip_map_NOV2011a_revision4_full.gif
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^ This map is not to scale nor does it represent even relative positions well. The fact that some of these maps run underneath each other makes that difficult to represent well in a single image. Primary purpose is to depict map connections for navigation purposes. Considering setting up a PDF with detail description pop-ups for individual locations that may even allow a multi-layered approach.

• Last Update conforms to NOV2011a

Concept/WIP maps:

Kray Eldorad - The pentagon shaped capital Elven City, sits directly on top of the Melanion Ruins (the previous Elven capital). The city's magical architecture is a paragon and tribute to the discipline and order of the people of Felewyn, and all the majesty and power that entails. Sites include the residence of Aeldorandorat - a Dragon who has opted to spend his final days aiding the children of Felewyn, the Grand Galat Bankers Guild, the prime Temple of Felewyn, as well as a few entrances to Melanion, both known and watched, and those yet to be discovered.

Eswen Sylen: Surrounding Kray Eldorad is the lush forest of Eswen Sylen, where exiled Eshu make their homes in giant tree villas and the hunting is in plentiful supply. Particularly adventurous may find yet more connections to the Melanion ruins beneath here as well.

Melanion Ruins - The aforementioned ruins of the older elven city, now largely underneath the Eswen Sylen forest and the newer capital - lots of unpleasent things lurk down here. The underground ruins extend many leagues beyond the borders of the new capitol, as far west as Bloodrose Valley, and as far north as The Wall. Enclaves of Torakalath elves make their homes in these hostile warrens, in order to hide from their more fanatical Felewyn kin. (Mostly mid to hard level.)

Caverns of Frost: Pretty much what it says - these caverns actually run all over the north - as far west as the mountains near Hunderswamp and as far east as the Tundra, so several consecutive maps are viable, while any single map should have several connections. The visual theme's probably not too different than CATacomb's ice section, but with a lot of larger caves and domes, perhaps interspersed with some mystery ruins. The magical nature of the perma-frost makes mining impossible, but the dwarves may have some expeditions in the lower bits, where the lava flows warm things up some. There are rumors of great ice wyrms, slowly making yet more tunnels, on behalf of their long dead masters. (35+)

Frozen Forest (Eswen Hathelon): This forest is full of trees so petrified from cold that they appear to be made of translucent ice. Lots of fancy crystal structures. Possibly some caves and ruins. Remains of elves frozen forever in battle. (40+)

The Bleak: Really nasty frozen wasteland. No trees - everything's been blasted flat by the magically charged ice storms. Recommending a round-about vertical run, to squeeze in as much action as possible, although extensive plains wrought with complex caves would work just as well. (40+)

The Dark Palace of Shae'ha'deed: Lor Malgoriand's old castle. Basically as bad as it gets. Many dark forces are due to converge here to culminate in the most unfortunate of events. (End Game map.)

Frozen Tear This map is, similarly, nearly beyond the current power curve, and part of the End Game plan. It consists of a crystal castle, forged by Loreldian magic, and is the new home of the Black Dragon Rhudeanlorat. (50+)

The Observatory: This is a sacred tower, where the elves once communed with the gods themselves. The tower has been sealed since the end of The Time of Stone. It consists of several levels of puzzle maps (at least 5), each focusing on a particular theme, interspersed with battles involving mini-boss monsters and swarms. Setup by Felewyn to test would-be apostles, each level is in an extra-dimensional space, and physics are kinda out the window, so you can go wild here, but it's heavy entity work.

Riverwind & Goldmoon: Series of wilderness maps leading up to an isolated town, based on early work by Crow. (15-25 or Self-adjusting)

Isles of Dread: Got room for more... The way they are currently connected, one is required to go through 1&2 to reach 3, so presumably, they will be progressively more difficult. (35+)

Aluhandra West: More desert, broken up into at least two more maps, running from the front entrance of Wicard Oven, to the front entrance of Shadahar Palace (inaccessible from that side due to collapse) and the villa. Lots of desert canyons and cave to hide all sorts of nasties in. Somewhere, either within or connected to one of these maps is the tiny village of Sundale, which is planned to have a sort of tower defense mini-game, requiring the players to team up with Shadahar Orcs in order to save the village from an ancient magical threat. (35+)

Longroot: A swampy forest so thick it prevents further travel to the west. This is, effectively, a massive extension to Hunderswamp, though probably higher level. (40+)

The Sunken Ruins of Adel (NEW!): There are, amongst the various lore bits, five separate explanations as to how this city fell, as well as two explanations of who lived there. After discussing it with some fellow devs... To straighten this out, we're merging this with some other Lor Malgoriand related lore, and making this the city that he flooded over so badly, that it never rose again. It was once the finest coastal Elven city, though it was taken from the first human empire at the dawn of the Crystal Aeon, some thousand years before, when it was the capital thereof, so the architecture maybe mixed (kinda compromising between the two origin explanations and giving the mappers more options). You wanted a huge underwater map? Well here ya go. (30+/SA)

Thunderplains: Network of desolate plains and valleys where few dare tread. Likely reserved for the future 50+ crew.

Underkeep (Oyster has his hands on this ATM): This extension to Gate City consists of some underground rivers and a large arena, where the dwarves taunt the losers of underground wars. We have the source for everything but the arena - although we have some bits that can be retextured for use with that as well.

Verath: A hive of scum and villainy, likely involving several localized errand style quests, and perhaps some other intrigue. See the WIP section.

The Wall (east): The series of elven fortresses continues all the way to the mountains that make up Bloodrose Valley. (35+)

Shrinkspell: Map is done, brushwise, now it's down to rather complex scripting and redoing the entities.

Sewer of Ride: Thothie's pet project for when he gets in that "f*ck you I wanna map" mood. (Source available to the curious.) Plan is to setup a wide range of self adjusting beasties over three visually distinct areas, connected by the ancient Loreldian sewers that run underneath Edana, and all the way up to Mscave.

Hall of Deralia: Map is done, and is now down to rather complex scripting... However, there's no source for this particular map. There's a bit or two that I'd like to remove, and the alternative means covering the bits up with clunky models and ent-copied clips. If someone wanted to remake this map based on the BSP, that'd be quite helpful.

The Ruins of Lodagond (not on map): This is the resulting crash site of the Lodagond fortress. Intention was to take bits of Lodagond1-4, and scatter them across a map made up of burning crevices. Lots of surviving beasts crawl out of the ruins, and possibly from the mountain it smashed into as well, and are in need of a clean up crew (namely, the players).

For the most part, any one of these can be extended into multiple maps, if one were so inclined.


(Old original post follows for context.)





=========

I wanted (and may yet) make one with climate and terrain indicators, but I figure I midas well get this one out as soon as possible... Climate concept is simple though: desert west, swamp/forest middle, temperate further south, ocean far east, icey cold far north.

Part of the issue with drawing this up, is a lot of the maps are indeed on top of one another. :)

This map assumes I swap the mscave and heras locations. (ie. put mscave back where it was) - I think this is wise, as we've no source for Heras, so adding transitions to it is more difficult. Indeed, if anything, probably more likely to put something between Thornlands and Heras, and disconnect it from Thornlands entirely.

THIS IS BY NO MEANS FINAL - this is just a random example I cooked up for discussion. I'm not entirely certain that certain mappers will complete certain projects - and I'm still not entirely sure what Crow is cooking up.

This concept conforms vaguely to Lanethan's design plans. Lor's castle was originally to the west, but I think with the maps we have nearly completed though, might be better to make things progressively more difficult as you go north, rather than west. (Although things are supposed to get difficult that way too, so we'll have to see what we get).

edits = map updates.
 

Crow

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Muahahaha

I loves it.

I'll have quite a few to add to that >_>


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evilsquirrel

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I liket!

also, i've thought of a way to link world walker to the worldmap in a way that conforms to world walkers' storyline (for the most part)...it could be in either the hall of deralia, or the castle map on the series MiB and I are working on...you'd talk to some mages and they would ask for help tehn provide you wiht a teleporter - you get the drift
 
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Thothie

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I like the idea of you picking up the mission in the Hall of Deralia - I can arrange that pretty easily. It'd free up a slot in Keledros Prelude.

I should explain the concept maps though (some of this I quote from Lanethan)

Concept/WIP maps:

Hall of Deralia - The castle near where the self-proclaimed Lord of the Land hangs out. It's where the real aristocrats live, although they may have a few dirty secrets hiding in their basement. MATERIALS: I've a map for it ready to ripent up, but no source.

Kray Eldorad - is the Elven City sitting directly on top of the Melanion Ruins (the previous Elven City), it sits in the middle of Eswen Sylen [not on this map], which may or may not be a separate forest map. MATERIALS: We've a workable map for the central town, but no surrounding forest, and no source.

Melanion Ruins - The aformentioned ruins of the older elven city, now largely underneath the Eswen Sylen forest and the newer city, lots of unpleasent things lurk down here.

Hunderswamp - It's a... swamp. May lead to a dungeon called Cacaron [not on this map].

East Shender - Still some warmth in these northern mountains, but not much. West Shender [not on map] is slightly less mean, and presumably joins with Eswen Sylen somehow.

The Observatory - (revised) A holy tower once used by the elves to commune with the gods. It has been locked to all since the dawn of the Age of Blood.

Frozen Forest / The Forest of Longing / Eswen Hathelon - This goes in the categories of places the elves lost forever to evil.

Lor Malgoriand's old castle the Dark Palace of Shahaed. Basically as bad as it gets. Don't even THINK of working on this map. There's no scripts powerful enough for it yet. (MSC 1.2+)

Caverns of Frost a maze of nasty caverns that connects just about everything in the north. Presumable used by Lor Malgoriand's armies to bypass protected areas that they didn't simply roll over.

The Bleak - a frozen wasteland, some of the most dangerous areas in Daragoth.

Frozen Tear - once a great castle made entirely of crystal, forged by Loreldian magic, now home to the great dragon of Ice and a big bunch of very nasty stuff. (May also go into the category of 'don't even think about it' maps.)

The Wall - Built to stop the advancing armies of Lor Malgoriand, it is now home to lots and lots of undead stuff.

Underkeep - Maybe released before the mining system, given how far down on the vote list the mining system was. Connects Goblintown and Gatecity, may include connections to Melanion Ruins as well. I may stick in a special arena there. MATERIALS: We've a source for this map, and it just need ents, scripts, and a lil expansion.

Aluhandra Desert - Tiered into nasty, and very nasty, probably with a few insanely nasty areas in caves and such.

Ocean Crossing - Fog + Func_train abuse to create an ocean crossing where you are attacked by sea-fairing orcs. Depending on how you do, you'll either get to where you supposed to be (Tundra/Verath) - or wind up marooned in Smuggler's cove.

Smuggler's Cove - Once marooned on Smuggler's cove, you'll have to head to the Isle of Dread to find a boat seaworthy enough to return to Deralia. The owners, will likely not wish to part with it, however.

Wicardoven - At first seems to be an Orcish outpost, but it may not be entirely under their control. Was considering connecting it to Shaddarh temple room - but it really depends on what whoever gets it done first does with the main entrance. {WIP}

Outpost - This desolate human outpost is undermanned. Once worse, it's being raided by some of the meanest orcs in the land. {WIP}

MS_Snow - Meanest effing map to date, and bloody beautiful to boot. Houses tribes of incredibly viscous Marogar tribe orcs and Ice Bone skeletons, who live in the shadow of something nastier still.{WIP}

Blood Rose - Winding cliffs go up, and up, and up... In addition there are the sealed ruins of Melanion here, although, you may have to be deemed worthy by an Elven guard to enter them (It's for your own protection, mind you). If we can get the climate change effect on the higher latitudes, I'd like to connect it to MS_Snow. {WIP - was assigned to Foamy, but he seems to be threatening to move on... Little G has modified a version of it as well.}

Tundra - The WIP map no one has real solidly taken over yet, combinations of rolling planes, snow caves, and ice flats breaking apart into the ocean. A cold trading post maybe here, if we don't re-route Verath and use that.

Verath - is a human town, originally intended to be in the snow, but the map source doesn't suggest that really, and we need more stuff out west... Still, may also be a good idea convert it to a docking map between ocean crossing and Tundra. {WIP - semi-unassigned}
 

evilsquirrel

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about bloodrose-

gurluas did quite alot with the entities on that map so far...i've got the source and bsp for it from him, but when i try to run it to test difficulty/lighting stuffs, it wont load (likely a missing script, will try again with beta-leak in a bit)
 
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Thothie

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Ya might be interested to know... I've been dividing my scripting time between more snow scripts for Avazool (I think the Ice Reaver and Elementals are the last he needs, but I'd like some of those ghoulie things too...) - and re-writing the AI from scratch, dropping compatability. This AI works best, thus far, with the guards. So you're archers and sword guards, and the super, will be ported to it as soon as I can.

Should make them less buggy when dealing with enemies and players who strike them. Also lots of crash and BD prevention in this new AI, so I hope I can port the orcs to it next.
 

PBarnum

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extremely great thread and should be stickied
 

evilsquirrel

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yeah, bloodrose still doesn't run with the beta-leak, i presume it is because of an added quest...but i haven't looked very close as of yet as i've things to attend to...
 

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STICKY!

And bigod that's a huge network of maps, I remember back in the day when I first saw MS:C and saw their 'map', it was so tiny :p

Suggestion about the Hall of Deralia: If it's gonna connect to WW1-3 and stuff, it should be a sort of quest center...yes, it should be a castle, but at the same time full of 'conference rooms' (or great halls if you prefer) of Wizards or other dudes who'll usher you in and give you quests...they start blabbing about your quest (the storyline of WW1-3 can be a good example of the use of this) then give you a teleporter (which is a trans spot, maybe?).
 

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So wicardoven is from challs? where exactly in challs? (Screenshot would be nice, as i am biulding the ent right now)


EDIT: btw, i plan on having wicardoven connect to Lhosstaur and an orc stronghold whos name i havent come up with yet. And if needed, i can have it connect to other stuff.


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evilsquirrel

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my guess would be that room with 3 doors, though...i dont know if it really makes sense to link to challs...beigs as challs is filled with undead, and is supposedly a now abandoned castle one of the old kings...
 

Gurluas

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evilsquirrel said:
about bloodrose-

gurluas did quite alot with the entities on that map so far...i've got the source and bsp for it from him, but when i try to run it to test difficulty/lighting stuffs, it wont load (likely a missing script, will try again with beta-leak in a bit)

reason is it has mercenaries/elf1

disable that one by changing the entity class of the mercenary to disabled_
the mercenary is close to player spawn
 

Lanethan

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Best job I've seen yet turning the rest of the world into a workable plan.
Brings a tear of happiness to me old eyes.
 

J-M v2.5.5

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Fascinating world map indeed. And it's a good thing you're putting the entrance to the dark caves back to its original spot. I've always wondered why that was moved in the first place.

Thothie said:
Ocean Crossing - Fog + Func_train abuse to create an ocean crossing where you are attacked by sea-fairing orcs. Depending on how you do, you'll either get to where you supposed to be (Tundra/Verath) - or wind up marooned in Smuggler's cove.
However, I don't quite see how the ocean crossing map (pretty much in the far east) can lead to the town of Verath (in the far west).
 

The Man In Black

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J-M v2.5.5 said:
However, I don't quite see how the ocean crossing map (pretty much in the far east) can lead to the town of Verath (in the far west).

The world is round :D
 

J-M v2.5.5

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Yes, I did actually think that Thothie might've meant that. However, if the ocean crossing would lead to the town of Verath, the world on which Daragoth is, is very small. Right?
 

Gurluas

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verath could be an island?
or it could be Valen
 

The Man In Black

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J-M v2.5.5 said:
Yes, I did actually think that Thothie might've meant that. However, if the ocean crossing would lead to the town of Verath, the world on which Daragoth is, is very small. Right?

Slim fast :D
 

Thothie

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So wicardoven is from challs? where exactly in challs? (Screenshot would be nice, as i am biulding the ent right now)

There's that dead end in Challs, and that temple door in MScave, I was thinkin' of having a map bridge the two of them. I'd like said map to go to at least one other place - just, kinda out of room there on the illustration there (maybe I should split this into above and underground...) MScave should probably lead to an orc stronghold of one sort or another, and Wicardoven also has some undead in it.

I was hoping to connect all the {WIP} maps to existing maps one way or the other, simply to make sure they get used and not returned to the waste lands. If you want to use it in one of your existing series, go for it... I'm just a lil worried you'll get kidnapped by WoW again, and we'll never see it.

If you *do* get kidnapped by WoW, please upload a copy of all your sources, so we can work on em till you get back. ;) (You must have a ton of half completed sources by now.)

However, I don't quite see how the ocean crossing map (pretty much in the far east) can lead to the town of Verath (in the far west).

It doesn't.... Yes I assume the world is round, but I'm also assuming it isn't fully explored - so I'm not declaring ocean crossing to verath Magellan's straight yet.

What I meant was, rather, that Verath could replace Tundra as the northern docking station of the boat, and then tundra would wind up between Verath and MS_Snow.

Issue being, I've no plans at all for the western expansion then.
 

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Wow, looks pretty fine. :D
MS:C grows and grows - great, unbeliefable, fantastic! I never dare to dream of such a great progress.
Unfortunately I'm not able to donate some stuff for the upcoming releases - that makes me feel bad :oldcry:
 
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