Map name: Defend The Hill
Creator: SSieg

Type: Team defense map
Goal: Defend HQ
Size: 256x256
Tileset: Desert

*Updated graphics* (left = old, right = new)


Description
The hill consists of 3 octogonal rings, which each have an increasing number of 'ramps' or 'gates' all around. You start out with 7 players on the top of this hill. Right in the center is a building named "HQ" (Head Quarters). The goal of this map is to defend HQ against incoming enemy forces. Since the map is 'circular', enemies will be spawning from all directions (24 total). When HQ is destroyed, the game will end in defeat for all players. You win by simply surviving the attack waves.

In the inner-circle there are 8 gates, 1 for each player to defend, plus 1 with automatic defenses. In the 2nd circle there are 15 and the 3rd circle has 24 gates. (see picture) So the further out you go, the more gates every player has to defend. So why not all sit in the inner-circle and defend that? Cause you wont get many minerals.

Minerals
You obtain minerals by building refineries. For every refinery, no matter who owns it, ALL teammembers get 1 mineral every 20 seconds (Approx.). You start with 1 refinery near the center of the inner-circle. This will not be enough to buy adequate defenses tho, so you will have to expand to the next ridge (where more geysers are located) to build more refineries.

Gas
Gas is used for special abilities. So far there is only 1, but I plan to add more.
In the center, right next to the HQ, there is a big artillery cannon.

For 10 gas, you can buy a round for this cannon. You aim it with an observer, and fire it by deploying a special tank. All units within the affected area will be destroyed. It does not destroy buildings. If the big cannon is destroyed, you can ofcourse not use it anymore.
So how do you get gas?

The H-pad
Because the ridges are in the shape of an octogon, with 7 players this leaves 1 open gate. This gate leads to the Helipad. It is initially defended by 2 powerfull floortraps and some spidermines, but after a short while they will get destroyed and the players should work together to defend it.
This Helipad is a landingzone for dropships. Every so often, a GasTransportShip will arrive and land on the Helipad. It will drop off some gastanks and leave. Players can use their SCV to pickup these gastanks and bring them to HQ. For every collected gastank, ALL players will receive 5 gas.
However, if the Helipad is left undefended, the incoming enemy forces will easily destroy the gastanks. And no gas means no special abilities.


Additional notes
This map is designed for teamplay. There is no competition between players. Everyone gets the same amount of income, and players have a common goal. Having the most kills on your name has no effect whatsoever. I did this to prevent arguments over kill-stealing. I want players to help eachother instead of fighting over who gets what spot.

This map is underconstruction. Its is fully functional as described above, but I am still adding to it and making some adjustments. My username on battlenet is 'SSieg'. I created this map from scratch and ask you kindly not to edit it
I frequently host this map, but if I'm not there, feel free to host it yourself.

Edit:
The map in its current state is

UNBEATEN

I need a good team to beat the map so I can add more attack waves and make a good ending

Post has been edited 3 time(s), last time on Apr 27 2009, 11:49 pm by SSieg.

Looks interesting. I like the helipad system.

What sort of units are available?

You should try this with extended terrain, it could look pretty dang awesome, and it'd actually be a hill

What do you mean by "extended terrain"?

Extended terrain is using rectangular terrain to create special effects that you can't with normal terrain. One example is stacking cliffs so that you can create very tall hills, which would be useful for this map. Falk's site (in his sig) has a tutorial on extended hills.

Also:

Oh. Well then I already use extended terrain I guess I'm just not very good at it if you can't see it
The biggest problem I faced was that ramps only come in 2 directions.

Units availeble:
- SCV (1st is invicible, others arent)
- Marines
- Bats
- Ghosts
- Vultures (+mines)
- Tanks

Buildings:
- Refinery
- Bunker
- Barracks
- Factory (+shop)
- other required buildings are placed outside the play area

Attacking units are of many kinds.

You can create ramps in other directions with extended terrain. Look at Falk's site.

You should add an option to play as Protoss/Zerg, btw.

I'll take a look at those tutorials and give it a try, thanks.

No, I don't think thats a good idea.

It would be a neat feature... Especially if you made all of the races somewhat different. Eg. give Protoss only Probes, High Templar, Dark Archons, Reavers, Corsairs, and Shield Batteries (and maybe cannons), and Zerg Drones, Lurkers, Infested Terrans, Creep/Sunken/Spore Colonies, and Nydus Canals.

That would just really mess up the map Both style and gameplay. It's a human base on a hill... It's terran only.

The concept of this map caught my attention because i expected it to be a king of the hill style map; however, deciding to make it a defense map isn't such a bad idea. I would suggest some more features be added, such as upgradable skills and possible special abilities that your defender can cast over his enemies and bunker. Another suggestion is to go back and actually put a little effort into the visual aspect of the map. It will take a lot of effort if you want this map to really stand out. GL!

Already have all that. Just haven't included it in the post. I don't want to explain everything in great detail here. Just play the map if your interested.


Yea this map is an extendedterrain-NIGHTMARE. Ramps for 8 directions are near impossible. Anything that looks reasonbly good messes up symmetry or buildability. But most inverted ramps just look crud anyway.

Very true. I guess we can expect some mad good gameplay to make up for it then, yes?

Due to popular demand, I updated the looks of the map. It was A PAIN so you better like it

Hi SSieg ;P
Remember me?
Anyways, we played together.
Add-me on B.net "bg-payne", I'll be glad to have a brainstorming session to help you with this map cause I actually like it and I think it deserves more attention

It feels as if this map is going to be another "Dawn of the Dead", survive in your base for one hour until backup arrives, and the enemies get progressively stronger.
Now, of course, there are cool features you've implemented such as the helipad, but even those can be improved.

For example, "5 gas for every player".

You can make that more realistic by randomizing amounts of gas in those tanks, and further distributing evenly with more gas for less players.

EXAMPLE LUL1.

GasTank (1) holds 21 Gas.
7 Players are present.
3 Gas per player.

GasTank (2) holds 28 Gas.
3 Players are present.
8 Gas per player.

Etc.

Yes I could do that Vi3t-X. But that wouldn't change much would it Most people wouldn't even notice.
Randomizing the content of gastanks seems LESS realistic to me.
I will consider giving players more gas when the team is smaller tho, cause that has a use for gameplay.

I think I may have played Dawn of the Dead 1 time maybe, dont really remember, so I don't know what it is like exactly.
But yea, most defense maps are alot like other defense maps. Everything has been done before.
For example: Sunken def, Lurker def, Marine def, Cannon def, Tank def, Vulture def... Are basically all the same map.
So bringing that up isn't very helpfull.

The biggest issue I have at the moment is new people die too fast. They don't know any good tactics, so they die fast and the whole team goes down.
I have to remake a few times before we get a descent game going.
But if I make it easier, like weaker enemies, or stronger bunkers, then it becomes way too easy for the experienced players.
Any suggestions?

Wow, I like how this map sounds. If you need any ideas on possibly having bosses or special enemies, look me up. I always have ideas for them running around in my head.

SafeReality@USEast, hit me up if you ever need a tester or brainstorm session. Even help, I'm there.

First of all, the new terrain looks a lot sexier. Also, to counter your 'noobs dying too fast' problem, you could make an exponential difficulty curve instead of a linear one.

Linear: 1 is meh, 2 is more meh, 3 is more meh, 4 is gettin kinda :S, ect...
Exponential: 1 is cake, 2 is meh, 3 is :S, 4 is rape

The starting advertising (right at the start) should:
1) Caught the players' attention
2) Tell them to keep their SCV near their buildings to repair when necessary
3) To build Refineries right at the start because they represent the income
4) Warn them to protect their Refineries

Also, make it more clear about the gas thing. The message isn't very getting players' attention too. Make it bigger, brighter, etc... and tell them that it's important to get gas ;P