Perfection of Armistice, abbreviated as PoA, is a newly released game that I created. It's in the beta of production and I have alot of plans for it in the future, but I was hoping to gather feedback on the balance needed, and any suggestions.
Overall, the game is meant to be played as a sort of 'Adventure' game. Every game, a great many different factors are randomized and placed into the map, whether it be artifacts that spawn which give you an advantage, or a cave-in with trapped survivors. To delve into the core gameplay, though, it's very similar to a melee game. The game is started with only a black mask fog of war blocking your vision.
After a wait period to see if anyone needs the tutorial, (I'd recommend it) the game begins by revealing circles of terrain on the minimap and selecting a 'deployment' unit. In the future, I intend to make changes to the deployment unit just as well as the rest of the game, but for now it acts as a 'calldown' ability to place troops.
From there, players are encouraged to find minerals, build a base, and play in a manner similar to a melee game.
Newly added units, random events, and other abilities strewn throughout the map make it more interesting than just melee. Some artifacts provide immediate bonuses, while some must be collected and used in another part of the map that must be controlled to use them. An AI may result in a serious threat one game, and not be there the next at all the next, providing instead an open opportunity to seize control of the games economy.
Besides all that, there is also a system of powerful upgrades known as Objective Technologies.
Each race has different 'tiers' of technologies, provided by killing enemy units. Within each 'tier' there are three types for each race that a player can kill. If a terran kills enough terran, they unlock an upgrade suitable for that. Likewise for killing zerg.
Altogether, that's 33 obtainable objective technologies. This function changes gameplay rather significantly, from the testplays I've had with friends. Strangers, instead of eliminating a crippled opponent, will keep them alive to try and increase their objective technology for that race in order to deal with a different, more powerful opponent. The crippled player then has another chance to overtake the unknowing attacker, as he gains kills as well.
Future Plans
Shinier UI! Yaaay!
More objective technologies and allow for more dynamic player choices.
More random events! More! MORE!
Altered Deployment functionality- players can build their own starter deployment-> one unit at a time.
Expanded F12 help menu.
Get a bloody artist to do the Loading Screen BG and the lobby pictures.
(Shiny Map! Yaaay!)
Final Notes
I've spent alot of time on this map, mainly just learning the editor, but that doesn't mean I don't want people telling me my map sucks. Any bug reports are welcome, any thought-out criticisms are welcome, and any balance issues are welcome as well.
Balance is a tricky thing though, I think... especially for such a large game like this. If I get enough reports, I can change it though.
I've pursued functionality for this map more than anything else, including making it pretty(except for the terrain), and I made it in the hopes that people would enjoy it. Rest assured production will continue on the map no matter what, annd...well, I hope the map takes a seat in the popularity list that I think it deserves. =)
Look it up. You can search PoA, and it'll work.
Updated with a shiny picture of the map :D
the edges are black, though, cuz of the weird way the editor does terrain edges. =x
It's even prettier up close, though. ;D
This looks amazing, I've been looking to do a similar project (but with more focus on finding secrets, than on melee style combat). I'm going to try this as soon as i can, if you want, I'll play a game or 8 with you later, just PM me a time and I'll see if I can be on.
Increase the starting minerals to 450, this lets you create a worker as soon as your main building finishes (like in normal melee).
Keep the tech tree where it is. This will help keep things fresh with the few new units while letting melee players feel at home.
(Not sure if implemented) make the UI stronger from the start, and increase their power as the game goes on.
Add a new way of advancing your units power for each race- (this is an idea I've had for a while, and will work great with your current system of new techs by killing units.)
Terran - Merc revolution: t3 tech. Revolt from the dominion and become mercanaries, all units turn into their merc counterparts and those who don't have one will get a damage and health boost.
Zerg- Evolutionary Adaption: all game. When ever zerg kill a number of a particular unit (marines for instance) all units are able to gain a small boost to fighting that unit. Only one gene for unit fighting can be on a particular unit at any time. This Gene would be applied in a building. All the units you want to gain the gene are put into this building, and after the button is clicked to pick what unit you want to combat, all units exit the building ready to do extra damage to that unit. Genes can be swapped at any time.
Protoss- Veratan's Scars: all game. Whenever a protoss unit takes health damage (not shield), and he live to tell the tale, he gains one level of armor boost to both shields and life. This stacks up to 10 times to the point where you have a hero unit. This cannot be applied by friendly units A-moving another friendly unit. Also add a training facility where 2 ground units at a time can gain up to 1 stack of veterans scars after training for a certain amount of time.
Alot of what you said sorta confused me lol, buuut I'll make the best of it and ask questions where I need to.
@Starting Minerals
That made a lot of sense to me, so it's already been implemented in the working version of the map that I have. I probably won't publish it yet though, since I'm working on some UI stuff.
@Tech Tree
This was one of the things that confused me. xP
What are you suggesting, exactly? Should I change something, do you think? Do you mean I should keep what I have?
shruuuugg*
@Stronger
I assumed you meant "AI" rather than "UI", and that's a good plan, I think. Will probably add some basic defensive structures in the beginning.
@Advancing
I like the basic idea, but I have a few concerns.
Firstly, the Terran Tier 3 Tech is...I...I mean..that would just be too much lol
I wouldn't be opposed to a sort of 'Equipment Upgrade' on each unit which costs resources but can be used from the very start of the game, but the amount of balancing and data-work required for that is questionable. What would you think about that? Worth it?
Secondly, the Zerg Adaptation... I like it, but...there are issues. Primarily, I've run out of directly usable Zerg structures. I could use a model from a Zerg doodad or something, but I feel it would look..out of place. Besides, I'm not sure how you could fit every single unit 'targetable' unit onto one command card. Besides that, it's sort of just another micro that players would have to think about, even while there's so much macro going on. (or should be going on, haha) As well, the problem with an efficiency system based on kills is that units that are killed more often, ie have lower health, would get killed EVEN MORE often, essentially making low hp units even less useful than they are now, even against units that would normally be considered countered by them.
Any thoughts on an alternative?
Thirdly, the pr- wow, halfway through writing this I realized I have something to complain about for all of these advancement types...I'm really sorry about this ><;; - otoss. This is a decent idea, especially since the protoss are (from my point of view) focused on damage-taking units rather than damage dealing, but it would be incredibly difficult to balance. Would it be +1 even if they took one damage? Players could send units into firefights and then run them out repeatedly... it's a pain in the ass and micro intensive, but it's still a problem especially when you consider the AI, since the AI doesn't pursue. The training facility idea, I do like that. I do. Problem is finding another model to use... I could take a look. I'll probably make the Training center one of the lower level objective technologies for the new interface I'm making. :D
Hi, I was just providing feedback/ideas, criticizing them is good.
@ tech tree: Sorry, I meant your number of units, units that you have etc is good, and adding more units ect. would just get confusing.
Yes I meant AI, my finger must have slipped.
Do not worry about running out of buildings, you would be amazed at what a simple texture swap can do. Nydus worm would probably work best for the zerg one, and robo bay for protoss.
Here are some things about the race specific ideas.
I like the idea of a new equipment upgrade for terran, even if it's just a 5% damage boost (easy enough through behavs).
The only way I can think to balance the zerg one is to make it cap fairly soon after you start gathering the killed units DNA, so you don't get an enormous boost to damage. Additionaly, maybe make it so it takes time while the units are in the chamber to upgrade them, this would give the opponents an chance to counter attack, and it ties up the army in question for a while. Another possibility might be to make it only effect biological units, but this would really only be effective against zerg and terran bio balls.
For the protoss idea it would be a good idea to make it so they have to take half of their HP in damage. Or do it in 20% increments (20% damage is one stack, 40% is 2 stacks, etc.)
anyway, I'll keep thinking of secrets for the map, and PM them to you (Or ill just post in the thread for all to see :P)
anyway, I'll keep thinking of secrets for the map, and PM them to you (Or ill just post in the thread for all to see :P)
Nuuu! Don't do that! lol
Pm me xD
@Tech Tree
Ah, okay I understand now. I'll keep that in mind, but... No promises xD
I do like my new units, lol
Plus, the problem with not adding anything else is the plans I have to revamp the way that Objective Technologies are done. Instead of using the linear method we have now, I want to change it to a point based system and give it a sort of 'skill tree' like you might see in Diablo 2, except race-locked and RTS. What do you think?
@AI
Okay
@Textures
I guess if I have to, I could use that, but I just feel sort of... lazy? I guess?
If that makes sense.
@Terran
Okay, something basic like that I could do.
I'll try and think about the specifics of the upgrade, okay?
@Zerg
How would you feel about a tier upgrade for the Evolution Chamber that allows one unit at a time to enter?
These 'evolved' units would be more powerful forms of their existing selves, would cost resources, and would take time to 'morph' while inside of this structure.
@Protoss
That sounds alot more balanced. I think I'd probably do 25% increments with a check to make sure they don't take damage in the next 15 seconds or something - a check to see if they're in a battle or not.
Updated the current release of the map. The Objective Technology button has been implemented into the B.net buttons at the top of the screen(thanks to alot of help from Helral), the AI have defenses, and the reaper speed upgrade missing has been fixed. Other miscellaneous things I can't remember right now because I've been awake for 20 hours have been changed as well. Brief tests indicate no issues.
The button you see in top left isn't actually a B.net button, it's a dialog. ;D
Just a very convincing one. I have the color values and triggers if anyone wants to duplicate it.
(Although I'm having some problems with it. It works when I do the Test Document, but not when I play online...hm...fixing..)
Nah, I got it working. =) You're welcome to go check it out if you want. The version with all the fixed bugs is up now. I'm working on something else related to the upgrades we were discussing... Check it out. ;D
Which do you think looks the most like what a Mercenary Ghost would look like, do you think?
Idea for map, what about a new type of tower found in the map, like the xelnaga. What if you "owned" them the same way but they created a link between 2 towers and let units quickly travel between them? I'm writing a PM with an idea for a random event also.
The issue with drawing from a list is that then people can memorize the list, and then people who have played more have an advantage that isn't 'skill' based.
yeah, but you already have some things like that, like the blankity blank in mid and the other dingdong on the other side of the map, near the triple bonus thing.
What is Perfection of Armistice?
Perfection of Armistice, abbreviated as PoA, is a newly released game that I created. It's in the beta of production and I have alot of plans for it in the future, but I was hoping to gather feedback on the balance needed, and any suggestions.
Overall, the game is meant to be played as a sort of 'Adventure' game. Every game, a great many different factors are randomized and placed into the map, whether it be artifacts that spawn which give you an advantage, or a cave-in with trapped survivors. To delve into the core gameplay, though, it's very similar to a melee game. The game is started with only a black mask fog of war blocking your vision.
After a wait period to see if anyone needs the tutorial, (I'd recommend it) the game begins by revealing circles of terrain on the minimap and selecting a 'deployment' unit. In the future, I intend to make changes to the deployment unit just as well as the rest of the game, but for now it acts as a 'calldown' ability to place troops. From there, players are encouraged to find minerals, build a base, and play in a manner similar to a melee game.
Newly added units, random events, and other abilities strewn throughout the map make it more interesting than just melee. Some artifacts provide immediate bonuses, while some must be collected and used in another part of the map that must be controlled to use them. An AI may result in a serious threat one game, and not be there the next at all the next, providing instead an open opportunity to seize control of the games economy.
Besides all that, there is also a system of powerful upgrades known as Objective Technologies. Each race has different 'tiers' of technologies, provided by killing enemy units. Within each 'tier' there are three types for each race that a player can kill. If a terran kills enough terran, they unlock an upgrade suitable for that. Likewise for killing zerg.
Altogether, that's 33 obtainable objective technologies. This function changes gameplay rather significantly, from the testplays I've had with friends. Strangers, instead of eliminating a crippled opponent, will keep them alive to try and increase their objective technology for that race in order to deal with a different, more powerful opponent. The crippled player then has another chance to overtake the unknowing attacker, as he gains kills as well.
Future Plans
Final Notes
I've spent alot of time on this map, mainly just learning the editor, but that doesn't mean I don't want people telling me my map sucks. Any bug reports are welcome, any thought-out criticisms are welcome, and any balance issues are welcome as well. Balance is a tricky thing though, I think... especially for such a large game like this. If I get enough reports, I can change it though.
I've pursued functionality for this map more than anything else, including making it pretty(except for the terrain), and I made it in the hopes that people would enjoy it. Rest assured production will continue on the map no matter what, annd...well, I hope the map takes a seat in the popularity list that I think it deserves. =) Look it up. You can search PoA, and it'll work.
Updated with a shiny picture of the map :D the edges are black, though, cuz of the weird way the editor does terrain edges. =x It's even prettier up close, though. ;D
This looks amazing, I've been looking to do a similar project (but with more focus on finding secrets, than on melee style combat). I'm going to try this as soon as i can, if you want, I'll play a game or 8 with you later, just PM me a time and I'll see if I can be on.
If you have ideas for secrets... ;D
QUOTED FROM MY TO-DO LIST: 4 ) Continue random event production.
...Yea. I need more ideas...lol I'll PM you, maybe we can work together on this. =)
This map was a lot of fun, some suggestions:
Increase the starting minerals to 450, this lets you create a worker as soon as your main building finishes (like in normal melee).
Keep the tech tree where it is. This will help keep things fresh with the few new units while letting melee players feel at home.
(Not sure if implemented) make the UI stronger from the start, and increase their power as the game goes on.
Add a new way of advancing your units power for each race- (this is an idea I've had for a while, and will work great with your current system of new techs by killing units.)
Terran - Merc revolution: t3 tech. Revolt from the dominion and become mercanaries, all units turn into their merc counterparts and those who don't have one will get a damage and health boost.
Zerg- Evolutionary Adaption: all game. When ever zerg kill a number of a particular unit (marines for instance) all units are able to gain a small boost to fighting that unit. Only one gene for unit fighting can be on a particular unit at any time. This Gene would be applied in a building. All the units you want to gain the gene are put into this building, and after the button is clicked to pick what unit you want to combat, all units exit the building ready to do extra damage to that unit. Genes can be swapped at any time.
Protoss- Veratan's Scars: all game. Whenever a protoss unit takes health damage (not shield), and he live to tell the tale, he gains one level of armor boost to both shields and life. This stacks up to 10 times to the point where you have a hero unit. This cannot be applied by friendly units A-moving another friendly unit. Also add a training facility where 2 ground units at a time can gain up to 1 stack of veterans scars after training for a certain amount of time.
Alot of what you said sorta confused me lol, buuut I'll make the best of it and ask questions where I need to.
@Starting Minerals That made a lot of sense to me, so it's already been implemented in the working version of the map that I have. I probably won't publish it yet though, since I'm working on some UI stuff.
@Tech Tree This was one of the things that confused me. xP What are you suggesting, exactly? Should I change something, do you think? Do you mean I should keep what I have?
@Stronger I assumed you meant "AI" rather than "UI", and that's a good plan, I think. Will probably add some basic defensive structures in the beginning.
@Advancing I like the basic idea, but I have a few concerns. Firstly, the Terran Tier 3 Tech is...I...I mean..that would just be too much lol I wouldn't be opposed to a sort of 'Equipment Upgrade' on each unit which costs resources but can be used from the very start of the game, but the amount of balancing and data-work required for that is questionable. What would you think about that? Worth it?
Secondly, the Zerg Adaptation... I like it, but...there are issues. Primarily, I've run out of directly usable Zerg structures. I could use a model from a Zerg doodad or something, but I feel it would look..out of place. Besides, I'm not sure how you could fit every single unit 'targetable' unit onto one command card. Besides that, it's sort of just another micro that players would have to think about, even while there's so much macro going on. (or should be going on, haha) As well, the problem with an efficiency system based on kills is that units that are killed more often, ie have lower health, would get killed EVEN MORE often, essentially making low hp units even less useful than they are now, even against units that would normally be considered countered by them. Any thoughts on an alternative?
Thirdly, the pr- wow, halfway through writing this I realized I have something to complain about for all of these advancement types...I'm really sorry about this ><;; - otoss. This is a decent idea, especially since the protoss are (from my point of view) focused on damage-taking units rather than damage dealing, but it would be incredibly difficult to balance. Would it be +1 even if they took one damage? Players could send units into firefights and then run them out repeatedly... it's a pain in the ass and micro intensive, but it's still a problem especially when you consider the AI, since the AI doesn't pursue. The training facility idea, I do like that. I do. Problem is finding another model to use... I could take a look. I'll probably make the Training center one of the lower level objective technologies for the new interface I'm making. :D
Hi, I was just providing feedback/ideas, criticizing them is good.
@ tech tree: Sorry, I meant your number of units, units that you have etc is good, and adding more units ect. would just get confusing.
Yes I meant AI, my finger must have slipped.
Do not worry about running out of buildings, you would be amazed at what a simple texture swap can do. Nydus worm would probably work best for the zerg one, and robo bay for protoss.
Here are some things about the race specific ideas.
I like the idea of a new equipment upgrade for terran, even if it's just a 5% damage boost (easy enough through behavs).
The only way I can think to balance the zerg one is to make it cap fairly soon after you start gathering the killed units DNA, so you don't get an enormous boost to damage. Additionaly, maybe make it so it takes time while the units are in the chamber to upgrade them, this would give the opponents an chance to counter attack, and it ties up the army in question for a while. Another possibility might be to make it only effect biological units, but this would really only be effective against zerg and terran bio balls.
For the protoss idea it would be a good idea to make it so they have to take half of their HP in damage. Or do it in 20% increments (20% damage is one stack, 40% is 2 stacks, etc.)
anyway, I'll keep thinking of secrets for the map, and PM them to you (Or ill just post in the thread for all to see :P)
-AnOddRadish
Nuuu! Don't do that! lol Pm me xD
@Tech Tree Ah, okay I understand now. I'll keep that in mind, but... No promises xD I do like my new units, lol Plus, the problem with not adding anything else is the plans I have to revamp the way that Objective Technologies are done. Instead of using the linear method we have now, I want to change it to a point based system and give it a sort of 'skill tree' like you might see in Diablo 2, except race-locked and RTS. What do you think?
@AI Okay
@Textures I guess if I have to, I could use that, but I just feel sort of... lazy? I guess? If that makes sense.
@Terran Okay, something basic like that I could do. I'll try and think about the specifics of the upgrade, okay?
@Zerg How would you feel about a tier upgrade for the Evolution Chamber that allows one unit at a time to enter? These 'evolved' units would be more powerful forms of their existing selves, would cost resources, and would take time to 'morph' while inside of this structure.
@Protoss That sounds alot more balanced. I think I'd probably do 25% increments with a check to make sure they don't take damage in the next 15 seconds or something - a check to see if they're in a battle or not.
Updated the current release of the map. The Objective Technology button has been implemented into the B.net buttons at the top of the screen(thanks to alot of help from Helral), the AI have defenses, and the reaper speed upgrade missing has been fixed. Other miscellaneous things I can't remember right now because I've been awake for 20 hours have been changed as well. Brief tests indicate no issues.
Thats great, glad to see you got that UI working. How did you get around the blizz only?
The button you see in top left isn't actually a B.net button, it's a dialog. ;D Just a very convincing one. I have the color values and triggers if anyone wants to duplicate it. (Although I'm having some problems with it. It works when I do the Test Document, but not when I play online...hm...fixing..)
Could it be B.net just re putting the UI there? Glad to hear about that dialog, I might need that later lol.
Nah, I got it working. =) You're welcome to go check it out if you want. The version with all the fixed bugs is up now. I'm working on something else related to the upgrades we were discussing... Check it out. ;D
Which do you think looks the most like what a Mercenary Ghost would look like, do you think?
1 (2) 3 4
5 6 7 8
number 2 please, I'm gonna go to bed now, I'll try it tommorow, great job on the UI!
You realize we are the only 2 people who posted on this thread?
Yea... it's really quite sad =(
And thanks for your opinion. =) Alot of people agree on #2 as well, so that decided it.
Idea for map, what about a new type of tower found in the map, like the xelnaga. What if you "owned" them the same way but they created a link between 2 towers and let units quickly travel between them? I'm writing a PM with an idea for a random event also.
Would you have to own both towers in order to teleport using them? As well, how would you feel if the two were in random locations on the map?
Random from a list would be good, just random could have nasty side effects. And yes you would need both.
The issue with drawing from a list is that then people can memorize the list, and then people who have played more have an advantage that isn't 'skill' based.
yeah, but you already have some things like that, like the blankity blank in mid and the other dingdong on the other side of the map, near the triple bonus thing.
I hope I was ambiguous enough.