AZ Hero Capture the Flag
Latest version 1.0Download It Now
My gaming creation - a capture the flag game to top all others. In this complexly balanced strategy game, two teams aim to steal the other’s flag four times. In order to win the players have to match wits with strategy, timing, and teamwork.
I got so many good ideas and so much encouragement from my friends.
THE FEATURES:
This is the first map to make it so when you hold a weapon or helmet or shield in your inventory, it appears in your hand. You can arm your hero with powerful and good looking gear. There are numerous weapons and items, many of which can only be found by killing creeps. Also, each player has their own secret stash that can be used to store items instantly from anywhere on the map.
The environment enhances the playing experience. The game is set on two beautiful tropical island. There are numerous weather and sky effects. The music is specially selected for the map, with fast-paced chase themes playing at the appropriate time.
The map also has an awesome interface. Using commands the camera can be rotated and adjusted to dramatically show battles and the beautiful, smooth island terrain. Annoying players can be booted by a vote, or the players can vote to see the entire map (for duels or showing off or whatever). When players leave, their heros become guards controlled by the team's computer. That way no one person controls all the heros, and teamwork must still be practiced. Also, if the teams are uneven people can switch to the other side.
To view some screenshots, click here. To really understand the beauty of the map though, you have to play it.
THE STORY:
For generations the mystical Archipelago has been plagued with hatred and competition. The main issue is control of the magical resources found about the islands; the land, the ocean, the plants, and the volcanos.
After the evil Dem-Na'tul shamans defeated the Striders who were trying to assassinate them, the Knights of Arlance Island visited each of the islands and (ironically) by force demanded that they express their grievances only in friendly competition. Thus the Arcipelago Flag Competition was born. Although it did not end the skirmishes around the Archipelago, it has prevented many major wars.
THE CHARACTERS:
Not all of the islands are represented yet. Some have refused to join. Still it is the vision of the Island of Arlance and its allies that some day every island join, in hope that the Archipelago may become peaceable enough to be a single nation.
Although the Dem-Na'tul shamans refused to participate, their brutish minions, the Barmans, somehow found their way into the battles. It is speculated that they are still tools of the Dem-Na'tul, spies against Arlance Island, although these claims have never been substantiated. Weak against magic but adept at crushing bones, these giants are a match for any skillful warrior. Their abilities are Howl of Terror, Brute Force, Bash, and Early Resurrection.
The Striders are quick, agile archers who assassinate targets with sprays of magical arrows. The three major Strider tribes battled the Dem-Na'tul shamans for generations: The Sisters of the Poison Arrow, the Moonlight Mariners, and the Daughters of Salis. They eventually lost to the cunning, wicked shamans, and many of them disbanded and began drifting from island to island looking for a new home. Rather than send their own soldiers to death, many of the islands choose to pay a Strider's expensive mercenary fee. They can learn First Aid, Fan of Arrows, Dexterity Training, and Shadow Strike.
Where there's senseless battle there's sure to be demons. The ruthless Fel Warrior slices through enemies with a massive barbed sword. Demons do not roam the islands except during wars, because while the Warrior excels at hand-to-hand combat he has trouble fighting against the powerful magic of the Archipelago. He can learn Shockwave, Thunder Clap, Critical Strike, and Avatar.
Where there's one demon there's sure to be two. The demoness Enchantress is skilled in deceit. On many islands children are brought up never to listen to any voice out at sea, lest they be taken by an Enchantress. Using her lying, conscienceless tongue she cunningly tricks enemies into serving her. In addition, she can feed on the life force of her enemies. Her skills are Slow, Feed, Silence, and Charm.
Lately the Flag Competition has been swarming with strange, magical travelers from a distant, snow-covered land. The Black Penguins don't say much, but they are quite a force to deal with. Penguins don't attack, of course, but their powerful magics are more than a match for any opponent. They can cast Sheepfall, Snowman Form, and Glacier. Chilling!
In order to complete the competition, the Arlance Knights themselves had to agree to join. Don't be fooled by their small stature; their intelligence, persistance, and skill makes them a great danger to any opponent. By harnessing the powers of the Ocean and the Mt. Darmere volcano, they learn some of the most powerful spells in the Archipelago: Sea Elemental, Petrify, Monsoon, and Lo Scoppio.
Pandarens, the mascots of Blizzard, are good for more than just peddling booze. Working as mercenaries in the Archipelago, they are often seen in the Flag Competition. Their tough pelts can absorb lots of damage, making them ideal flagbearers. Can learn Breath of Fire, Drunken Haze, Drunken Brawler, and Storm, Earth & Fire.
With all the rich wildlife there are many brilliant alchemists who discover various formulae. Some of them, called Voodoo Cannon Men, enjoy making magical gunpowder for use in the Flag Competition. Though they have to stand far off to attack, they are strong against buildings and snowmen. They can learn Ensnare, Rapid Fire, and Improved Shells.
Many outsiders have visited the islands, and although most sailors prefer to stay away from them, some arrive seeking adventure. The Admiral is one such outsider who is a match even for the most magical islanders. Because of this, some of them were appointed by Arlance Island as overseers of the Flag Competition. They can learn Holy Light, Skilled Attack, Feedback, and Magic Resistance.
Uh-what's this bear doing in here?! Chased off by the $5 Bear Patrol, perhaps? As long as they're cute, cuddly, and butt-kicking, who cares? Although these Mother Bears aren't smarter than the average bear (they use no magic at all), they're sure to swipe a few pic-a-nic baskets using their powerful, motherly skills. They can learn Roar, Pulverize, Tough Skin, and Bear Cubs.
In dabbling with various unexplored magics, many of the witch doctors of Kali'li'katuna Island were possessed by the spirits of Nehr'van, bull demons, which claim ownership on all the magics of the world. Because of this, they were turned into fearsome bull-like monsters called Reclaimers, which wander the islands attempting to steal back the magic they feel was stolen from them centuries ago. They cast Chilling Ward, Reclaim, Mana Shield, and Destruction.
THE STATISTICS:
For a CTF map it's VERY complex. It's got about 140 triggers, 82 variables, 64 edited units, 68 custom, 21 edited items, 61 custom, 49 edited abilities, 113 custom abilities, and 2 upgrades. There's also many secrets, including numerous items that can only be found through random creep drops.
Latest Updates, v beta of 2.0, In progress
- New Features
- Added a new hero, the Holy Striker, a warrior hero who uses powerful fire magic.
- Renamed the map to "Mythic Chaos" and set the sky to always be the more dramatic Fall Sky.
- Players no longer need to wait for everyone to pick their hero, but the game starts right away.
- Each player can repick his or her hero one time per game, as long as five minutes hasn't elapsed yet.
- Added numerous new creep spawns.
- Each team now starts out with a Shady Tree at the front of their base. Also, Plant Shady Tree takes time to restock.
- New items, such as the "lightning rod," which can replenish mana during a thunder storm.
- New Stash functions: Unstash All and Summon Hero.
- Improvements
- Greatly adjusted the map, epecially the fortresses, to be more aesthetic and not too large.
- Changed player leaving triggers to match latest patch.
- Items now appear as treasure chests when on the ground, so that they are easier to pick up.
- The cinematic is now faster.
- Updated ALL ability tooltips to show full data (as new patch allows).
- Updated unit tooltips.
- Updated the way some abilities work; this allows for smoother casting, and for Petrify to properly show the area of effect.
- Lowered the maximum number of live creeps allowed on map (to keep players from being overwhelmed).
- Increased maximum speed.
- Increased time to choose a hero by 10 seconds.
- Boats removed; more often than not they were a distraction. Wrecked shipyards now stand in place of the old ones
- Only the captain of each creep group can drop items now; this is to decrease the processor load, since it no longer has to check for an item drop every single time a creep dies.
- The maximum number of captures required is now 3, to make games go faster.
- The computer is no longer randomly assigned an Arlance Knight hero, because they are strategic heroes and not good for computers to defend with.
- Creeps no longer acquire targets from far away.
- Bug Fixes
- Petrify now properly shows the area of effect when targetting.
- Updated interface messages.
- Fixed special effects for Skilled Attack.
- Prevented players from killing other people's hero selectors.
- Elevators can no longer be activated by flying units.
- Balancing fixes
- Improved Arlance Knight's abilities, but shortened duration of Petrify.
- Weakened the Reclaimer.
- Made it more difficult for the Eweblade to go berserk.
- Made creeps weaker to focus gameplay away from creeping.
- Decreased experience needed for level-up.
- Other small balancing fixes.
- Moved spawn regions to avoid clustering and creep ambushes.
- Many items were greatly changed so that they would not overshadow hero's special abilities.
- Much more that I've forgotten.
v 1.0
- All done!
[calypso music starts]
[Homer dances with and eats fish as Lisa plays a seahorse saxophone, Marge a squid harp, and Bart the xylophone clams]
