http://www.staredit.net/files/440/
http://sc.nibbits.com/maps/project/77896/

This a remake of my map, Armored Core - Reloaded, which is itself a remake of eternalegend's map. This is a remake of a remake.


About the Map
Starting from scratch (again), I took a different approach than I did with Reloaded. First off, the terrain is completely redone on Badlands, and looks good IMO (from a person who doesn't consider himself to be "good" at terrain.) Resource management is simplified, using only Vespene Gas now, to make the melee player's job easier. Incidentally, the melee slot is indicated as such now, whereas unknowing new players could be screwed into playing the base when they didn't want it. Reloaded had large fields and sprawing bases, the bases are more compact now. The direct east/west setup is more balanced and feels closer than the corner to corner setup from before.

There are still three selections of Armored Core types, Goliath, Siege Tank, and Vulture. Bases can now build regular Dropships, whereas the heroes get Shuttles. Before this, both used the same dropships and the bases ended up with slightly too strong Dropships while the heroes ended up with paper airplanes. Since Shuttles cannot be repaired, they are repaired instantly for a small cost by using a new beacon added inside the bases. I initially planned to go all out and give the ACs abilities and missiles and shit, but decided against it. Maybe for a seperate RPG or larger battle map.

Numerically, things have changed as well. Armored Core is less geared towards the standard melee that Reloaded aimed for. Tech and CCs are high priced and slow to build, factories are balanced, and the units themselves build faster and cheaper. This helps to create a bit more action.

The next additions are the Protoss units: introducing the Zealot (built from Firebats) and Scout (built from Valkyries), designed to be anti-AC units. (An older version of this map had Dragoons replacing Goliaths, Goliaths are back now.) Protoss units (including the AC's shuttles) have Plasma Shields with 250 upgrades, making them nearly impervious to attacks by the AC. The idea is to place some emphasis on teamwork, either with other heroes or the base. As far as combat goes, the Protoss units are great for solo combat or with support groups. Their shield regeneration will keep them alive provided they are not attacked too many times too quickly. One or two Protoss units by themselves are virtually useless for anything but one-on-one combat.

In terms of AC counters to the Protoss units, the Seiged Tank AC has the best chance of overpowering the shields by brute force with upgrades. The Vulture AC's mines can get through the shields on a Zealot. The Goliath AC, due to 2x air attack, can take on Scouts from the beginning with enough attacks, but will need teamwork to kill Zealots unless it gets a ridiculous amount of upgrades.

Change Log
v1.08B (2016-11-13)
- Added two missing supply depots for Emeraude. (Player 8, east side base)
- Added missing bunker for Zio Matrix. (Player 7, west side base)
- Re-centered and resized location for P7 Core Hatch.

v1.08 (2016-10-23)
- Increased Tank AC upgrade bonus from +5 to +7.
- Changed Tank AC Sieged damage from 155 + 11 to 150 + 14.
- Changed Vulture AC damage from 88 + 9 to 80 + 11.
- Increased Wraith cost from 40 to 48.
- Increased Valkyrie (Scout) cost from 72 to 80.
- Increased Marine cost from 8 to 10. Increased Marine damage from 6 to 7.
- Decreased Tank upgrade damage from +4 to +3.
- Bases no longer start with a Starport.
- Bases begin with 240 gas (previously 300). Bases receive +60 gas for each hero on the opposing team.
- Adjusted terrain, mineral, unit placement in the bases in hopes of achieving better mining balance.

v1.07 (2015-11-07)
- Revive cost per death for Cores continues increasing to max out at 900.
- Increased revive time for Cores from 10 to 20 game seconds.
- Increased type change time for Cores from 10 to 15 game seconds.
- Increased Goliath HP from 150 to 165.
- Increased Wraith cost from 32 to 40.
- Decreased Missile Turret cost from 24 to 16.
- Decreased Command Center build time slightly.
- Decreased Battlecruiser build time slightly.
- Added revive notifications to team for Core revivals.
- Small trigger efficiency improvements.
- Adjusted some terrain and unit placement for balance, in particular the left base's tank will now block the northern expo as it does for the right base.
- Prettified terrain.


v1.06B (Oct 13, 2011)
- Fixed bugs introduced in 1.05.
- Fixed the death messages to appear for the bases as well as heroes.

v1.05
- Minor terrain changes.
- Armored Cores cost 10% less gas to repair.
- Added more levels of payment scaling for long games.
- Removed some of the zero mineral blocks on the geyser in the middle of the map.
- Increased Ghost attack upgrade from +2 to +3.
- Added death messages for the heroes.



Post has been edited 18 time(s), last time on Nov 14 2016, 1:48 am by Mini Moose 2707. Reason: Update for v1.08B

Fun, but we can't ever get people to stay and play. That's why we need to have map nights and play it.

says the person who's never on sc

Eh, I was just playing for liek... 3 hours with pubs. Lots of good games.

That sounds like an awesome idea!

This better have Armored Core 3 music in it.

It's 36kB. You want MUSIC? You load Winamp or iTunes or whatever and play your own damn music. I'll take my fast download time.

But but O.O Artifical Sky IV is sexy (Credits music)

YOUR MOMMA'S SEXY!

Sorry, I couldn't help myself..

36 kb, Moose? How did you manage to pull that off?

LOL

In SC im probobly known by people (who end up getting recruited into ICTX) for hosting, so ide be more than happy to host this. But is this supposed to be Core as in the Heart of something or Corps like the Marine Corps?..

An ARMORED CORE. As in one of these bad boys.

Except I can't quite get one of those in StarCraft.
And I never really played any of the games. According to chuiu,
So meh.

Post has been edited 1 time(s), last time on Dec 6 2007, 3:47 pm by Mini Moose 2707.

I think you meant unbalanced Generic Heros with unbalanced Base Combat.

I don't remember playing the map with you since...... Beta 5 or so? Have you even played this version?

Assuming you have, if you care to point out any specific balance issues rather than attack my map using vague claims of "imbalance", I will address it.

soon u will in sc2

I'm loving this map. It's almost as addicting as "Where's Waldo?"

The Map IS unbalanced, such as the base units are Extremely weak and not worth the time to make. just pay the ac till they max out. BattleCruisers are overpowered compared to the other units. Some units are too long to make and are weak.

Base units are strong en masse (and I'm not talking infantry here). Generally, yes, if the ACs are aggressive enough and well paid enough (they don't max out), they can easily stop the base from ever building up a sizable force that would make a difference. If they don't, however, the base player can easily have a battallion of tanks running around or what have you. It seems to be one-sided in that matter, but I have to say that I like it that way.

If you're talking about something like Marines... they're supposed to suck. That's why they cost 6 gas.

And if you're talking about Protoss units, they aren't designed to fight any mass of units. Any multiple units attacking a Protoss unit will overpower their shields like nothing. They are very specialized.

And yes, Battlecruisers are a bit strong. I going to changed that a bit in v1.01. I almost lost to them fighting with Goliaths yesterday (go figure).

Post has been edited 2 time(s), last time on Dec 13 2007, 9:20 pm by Mini Moose 2707.

Hopefully this makes the balance a bit better and solves some other issues...

v1.01b
» Decreased Battlecruiser HP from 800 to 750, attack from 60 to 55.
» Decreased Wraith's air attack one more point to 28.
» Decreased Valkyrie (Scout's) build time.
» Increased Goliath's ground attack from 12 to 13, air attack to 24.
» Decreased Goliath AC's air attack from 54 to 48.
» MOAR small terrain adjustments, including a bit more building room on the island expos.
» Vulture Mines are removed upon revival/AC change. (ie. you can't abuse change AC to throw down a dozen spider mines at a time)
» Shifted some building placements around in the bases. Added a new turret to the front line for each side.
» Increased Ghost HP to 85.
» Decreased build times the following buildings: Barracks, Bunker, Factory, Starport and Supply Depot.
» Decreased cost of Barracks from 50 to 48 (yeah, big deal).
» Decreased research times for Protoss Armor/Weapons.
» Fixed trigger to keep centering and pinging players that have a DT sitting around (first it didn't have a preserve... now it was for Civilian instead of DT. Should be good now.)

Post has been edited 1 time(s), last time on Dec 13 2007, 9:22 pm by Mini Moose 2707.

Thanks? Perhaps adding random rewards for Feats of the ACs? like 50-100 kill spree or something like that? like getting a bonus for killing so much?

Bah since when was Armored Core like Halo? You go out, you kill, you return home, and your pay Abnormal ammo costs for guns that dont do enough dmg. Karasawa fixes all O.O