Wow nice job echo!

I was just about to report the zobie samples haha.

One complaint: the cities marines that spawn, by the end of the game....they get all clogged up on the bridge at where your units "fly in" and it makes it really annoying to get out.

A bug: when you do objective #6 I believe, where you have to build a bunker in the crossroad if you die, and don't pick the class with an scv you don't get one to build the bunker to complete the objective. Also if your scv dies before you build the bunker you don't get a new one.

So far I love the game, It's pretty hard once your to the hardest, but one thing I noticed was it felt like upgrading your infantry was much better then the tech.

Good job everyone!
Fix'd
Fix'd
Yea but as you played alone you should have gotten all 3 awards. You are the best player out of 1 in this case. I think I already Fix'd it for the next beta version.
Pick the Engineer then I guess. Only 1 SCV is for free.
I'm thinking how to improve the tech upgrades. Maybe scale them up a bit. Now both infantry and tech upgrades give +10% of damage, if I made tech +20%...

On a side note, I think that heavy support is kind of useless. I think I should do some major changes to that group.

The one thing I noticed with the heavy support is that the storms only do 112 damage from start to finish of the storm. So you need to storm constantly while attacking. Maybe giving hero templars instead of normal ones so that they can attack?

Could try Hero Templars. Thanks!
Done, changed Templars to Hero Templars with 60 constant damage.

Post has been edited 1 time(s), last time on Feb 2 2010, 6:40 pm by Gigins.

Cloak is pretty rigged. I just went from objective to objective refilling my cloak for a measly ten minerals. I had already completed the killing objectives easily because I didn't discover that you could use Cloak until a little bit in . The boss was easy because I just trapped him while cloaked. Medics were fairly annoying to keep track of because they would always go to heal the computer's Marines.

I found no bugs. The things I consider as problems are:
-In early game, your medics are constantly trying to heal the CPU marines, which is annoying. I know there are no easy workarounds, just letting you know.
-The bunker/crossroad mission needs to have legions of zombies attacking your bunker, which did not happen for me.
-If you block the stronghold's marine spawn point, they will clutter up there and when you un-block it, they don't go away.
-Killing CPU units for minerals is a nay
-Create the 'zombie samples', 'sattelite data' and other such mission-related powerups only when the mission begins. Having them from the start made me too curious.
-The firebat combo is just a beast. Walk around is tight groups with the two medics in the middle and you're God.
-Mines are useless. But if you think about it, the only useful function of the inventory is to convert minerals to gas.
-Ultralisk boss was waaaay too easy.

OK, those were the problems I could write out as bullet points. Now, let's discuss the general feel and execution:

The map lacks tension. It is too bloody easy (in single player at least). If your units get killed, you immediately get new ones without any punishment. This makes you not care about the units you control. What's the point in spending money on heal, looking for health crystals and doing micro control if you can just get a new bunch of units? Not losing your units migh've had some sense if the timer actually represented the time you have to complete the mission. But that's not enough. You must be fighting for something you cannot afford to lose. I suggest you make your mercenary 'the hero' - if she dies, you lose. All units you buy are created at her position (you can make an animation of them being dropped off in a pod if you wish to physically explain it).

I'd also like to note that half of the missions are 'report to stronghold', which wouldn't be bad if the zombies actually posed any threat to you. But as it is, it's just boring to walk back and forth. To make the gameplay a bit more interesting, add spells that are actually useful and can be used in combos. For example, you have a unit pack that's all about dealing loads of remote damage (templars and tanks) but it's really vulnerable if melee enemies get close to it. So make a spell that creates marine hallus that can soak up the damage and cover the tanks. Other spells may include 'stun', 'slow', 'damage' (and any combination of those). Damage can be made via DDS. Also don't forget about shooting scarabs in random directions.

If I remember more, I'll post it here. For now, that's all I can remember.

I could make the cloak eat more energy to start, like 230 or something. And maybe make the energy restore more expensive, like 25 or so. I've noticed the medics as well, not sure what to do with them. Thanks, keep up the good work!

Just tried it, forget about it man. Impossible to survive even with 1 player. Not to mention with multiple.
Fix'd, I extended the Marine control triggers a lot. Shouldn't be any trouble now.
You definitely won't make a fortune with it. Might as well just cut the CPU marines out, giving me too much trouble.
Maybe you didn't thought of it in single player, but every single mission can be done by each player independently. Even the last mission where you blow up a zombie den, each player blows up different one.
They get ass kicked once you make a single mistake in later difficulties with your scenarion, where ranged attackers would survive. I'll lower their stats however.
I added mines by a request. Changed mine cost to 10.
Increased Ultralisk stats.
Thats right, in single player. I'll PM you rigged 4 player version.
Play the map I PM you and reconsider.

Now everybody except JaFF, keep reporting, I'll release the v0.92 tomorrow.
Didn't like the spells? Hmm, ok. For that tank example, you must have gotten something wrong. Whats the point to make marine hallus through spells when you can just hallucinate the tanks themselves with your templars. See the screenshots man.
Would be a good add, shame I don't have any spare spot for the damn reavers.

In overall, thanks for the constructive critics. Keep up the good work!

Post has been edited 1 time(s), last time on Feb 2 2010, 10:17 pm by Gigins.

The crossroad mission is easy if it's done early on enough, like before the first difficulty change.

Don't cut out the CPU rines, just make them defend the strongholds and not roam around.

You can still create the zombie samples and other such powerups only once at least one player is in process of completing a related mission. Not a big problem, of course, just some details you can worry about later.

I played the map in single player and the difficulty was just right, IMO. Hard enough to make you think what you're doing but not hard enough to piss you off. Still, it does not give you a feeling that you're fighting for your life. Though having the 'hero dies, you lose' system with this difficulty may be a bit too harsh, you can slightly decrease the difficulty and add the loss condition.

You don't need much room for the reavers. MAKE ROOM. DDS requires even less room than the roaming scarabs spell, so might as well use that.

And yea, I have no idea what was I thinking when typing that halu nonsense. >_<

In short: Add interesting, useful spells. Make players lose if they lose their hero. Make more zombies.

Defending strongholds would make them block your way all the time. I'll try to balance the difficulty out a bit more, thanks. The lose hero lose game thing, that's not going to happen, sorry.

By the way JaFF!! Now I'll have to change like 50+ triggers because of you! Die!!!

Post has been edited 1 time(s), last time on Feb 3 2010, 1:05 am by Gigins.

Hey that was fast!

You win JaFF, remade the zombie limits from {150;300;450;600;750;900} to {525;600;750;825;900;1050}. This way it will be hard even if playing alone and will still become harder with more players in the game. Also made the zombies a little bit stronger.

Oh boy v0.92 is going to badass!

Okay sooo I'll try to say my first experience..

I've played it with a friend.. We joined in, and we selected our squad..

- First thing I noticed was that the squads aren't very different. They are all infantry.. I understand that you wanna make it look like human vs. zombies.. but throwing in some protoss units and such isn't that bad.. Use Squad Support as your prime example.
- I think the Engineer stood out the most, and is the most unique.. but it lacks in upgrades.. cause why'd I spend so much money on machines that have a lifespan that're about the same as my infantry?

We started playing and we played thru the objectives...
I like the way the objectives (So far) are done. I also REALLY like how the timer tells u when the zombies become more aggressive. This gives it a rush feeling. But this is also a major drawback in your map, as I'll explain later...

Anyway... so my friend's kerrigan dies... but he still has units around..

- We can't complete objectives w/o kerrigan... so why are we still kept alive? If kerrigan dies, our entire squad should be wiped out... by w/e means u wish.. u may wanna give them to p12 if u're fancy, and just let us watch the squad get taken over.
- Another big problem is that respawn is instant... That takes out the need for us to conserve our units, and the feeling that any deaths is a REALLY bad thing. I suggest you add a respawn time.. maybe 30 secs to 1 minute. This will go well with the fact that we need to rush thru the objectives as fast as possible or else the zombies will get us.

we then played at our usual pace.. and got to a point were we started having trouble..
So, we just started farming.. or using medics as walls and kept killing zombies for money + upgrades...

- I dont' understand why objectives are not covered as a team. I think, in a squad survival.. zombie type map.. teamwork would be your friend.. but objectives can be just done alone....
- I think that certain objectives have to be done together (Such as going to X stronghold.. only when all players have had their kerrigan step on the metal patch, the objective's complete.. and Hold the fort.. everyone has the same timer... ) While some other objectives can be completed by One person for the entire time (Such as grab zombie sample.. the other players can play as support)

This then showed me a few fundamental problems with the map
- Squads are, again, not specialized enough. There are no squads that have a certain strategy/advantage for different objectives/situation... This is probably the hardest to do, and I think you did an adamant job, but there are ones that are too similar. (For e.g., Snipers, Assault, and that full firebat team.. they're all pretty much the same...)

- Zombies are just everywhere...... there aren't any real threat into exploring new areas.. because zombies are just evenly spread everywhere... why don't you create areas that are filled with more zombies.. and areas that are filled with less... For example, the Epsilon stronghold would be the perfect place to be zombie-filled... Objective - SAVE THE EPSILON STRONGHOLD... then once they get there.. Objective - PROTECT THE STRONGHOLD!!

- Finally, the BIGGEST problem, is that... once the zombies are at their strongest.. the rush element dissapears... OF course, as any good SC'ers, we fought farmed on... and spent like an HOUR getting 30 armor.. then just got on going headon with the zombies...
You need to fix this... I suggest that you create more "levels" of zombies by setting them in different Hp%, and have a Final zombie where it totally runs over everything.. preferably Mutalisks.. where it is most Definately Game Over. With this, I also suggest that the game time should be limited to ~1hr (this is the best time if u want pubbies to rm your map).

Yes.. we just sat there... and got 30 armor... and just went thru it all.... *siiigh*

There is also other problems that should be addressed:

- The missions are way too repetitive, and the zombies are also too repetitive.. as people before me said, the Hold the Fort mission ... was too ez.. and needs hordes of zombie coming at us.. Also, go to X stronghold.. and go to X stronghold.. so freaking boring lols
- I suggest having certain areas of the map become central forts that you must protect, or else Lose something very important.. , or just game over totally. ( I prefer game over.. makes pubbies wanna rm )... This allows engineer to finally shine...
- Make marines spawn with regular HP.. fuck my medics likes them too much!!
- there are many ez farming areas that Could be addressed.... or just ignored if you go for the Time Element (End of timer = death, so farming isn't very useful)

- Finally, Since I'm keying into the Rushed feeling of your map, I suggest that you play around with the time settings, and make it hard as hell to finish on time.

Overall, I think you've got a good game on hand.. it needs to focus more on the gameplay (i.e. give a reason to play the game.. why are we doing the objectives... what does it matter if the zombies are harder...)
So GL.. and don't take this too personally.. it's a good map that just needs more attention in some areas

EDIT: Oh and one more thing.. u needa balance the money required for certain things.. like armor and weapons... building gols/tanks vs getting reinforcements.. using 70 minerals for 1 gas, then having to give more minerals for upgrades (UGH!)...
I'm also iffy about the probe.. One'd think one can build cannons :\

Post has been edited 1 time(s), last time on Feb 3 2010, 2:51 am by UnholyUrine.

Ya one thing that bugged me was that it was just trial and error to figure out what building did what with the scv/probe. Once you do it once you know, but you do have to do it once. Also I build a turret first, then a supply depot, and then a bunker...the problem was that I figured the bunker was a guy as well and had a badly placed bunker that wasted my money.

+1 to the cloak thing, we couldn't get to the base at the bottom of the map (can't remember what one) but we tried for 20 minutes and then finally just cloaked and grabbed it.

I will add an info unit to control panel. Like move the unit and get info about such things. Thanks!
Edit:Done!

Exactly what the cloak is for, to get out of stuck situations.
Suggestions please. Also I would have to add protoss upgrades, which would be even less useful than tech upgrades.
Already made tech upgrades give +20% damage and cost less.
Instantly made the give to p12 trigger after reading this. Thanks man!
This is worth considering. Bur probably 15-20 sec. respawn time. It would be a hell to wait for a minute to respawn.
This map is for 1-6 players. It would take a separate trigger set for each player count. Pain in the ass, not worth doing.
This will definitely change with the new zombie count calculations.
I could remake the difficulty system.
I'll think about it. But I don;t know...
Yea, I'm fed up myself with the medics wondering off. Consider it done.
No not at all. Constructive critics make the map better, I'm glad I have guys like you on my team.
You really think cannons would fit in? I mean their are so slow and big and weak.

As always, thanks guys! Keep up the good work. )) Mercury v0.92 coming up soon.

Post has been edited 1 time(s), last time on Feb 3 2010, 4:51 pm by Gigins.

No, cannons would not fit.

Ok how about letting the probe build Dragoons or Archons by replacing nexus?

I'm not sure about it because then you have to balance 3 sets of upgrades

I can do that.

I meant as a player

I think it wouldn't hurt to try it since its still closed beta right?