25 replies to this topic

[Imdrar]

Greetings, everybody.

It's been a while since I last stepped into this place. Actually, I thought I was done with modding, because I finished everything I had in mind. But also and maybe above all, life prevented me from spending much time with anything else but ... life.

Fortunately, this has been a very rain-swept summer for most of it's days, and so I found some time to remember an old idea. I always avoided the use of World Builder when I was focused on coding. I know, it sounds a bit silly, but I felt more comfortable being busy with just one issue at a time. I had a short look at it, but didn't find the zeal to get acquainted with this tool.
But I never forgot that there was one decisive thing missing in the game, at least from my point of view: A map for Barad-Dûr. njm from the S.E.E team started a very promising example some time ago, but sadly lost it due to a crash. The other ones I found by searching the web didn't match with my imagination, and so I finally was forced to try it myself.
Since it's probably almost impossible to build a 100% 1:1 Barad-Dûr, it was not my goal to achieve an exact recreation. Some of you could miss the lava moat heading towards the fortress, for example. I thought it would have looked a little strange if such a small trickle feeds the great moat around the fortress' walls, so I left it out.

I just want to share some impressions of my result with you guys and listen to a few opinions. The map is almost ready for release, just a few scripts are left to do. So, if you think this attempt of mine is worth to be uploaded, I'd be able to do it within the next few days.
And please remember, this is my first map, and probably it's going to be my last one as well. So: Be clement.

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[MattTheLegoman]

My Barad-dur was accepted into SEE. It was heavily based on and inspired by NJM's.

I like yours. Of course, the texturing is what I guess you are working on. The layout is good, but the Mountain of Adamant is difficult to get right.

Great work already there. And I am very interested in the scripts this map has.

P.S.
I find it hard to be clement when I have no social tact. And jelly.

Edited by MattTheLegoman, 27 July 2012 - 01:20 PM.

[Imdrar]

My Barad-dur was accepted into SEE. It was heavily based on and inspired by NJM's.

Well, I have to apologize, because I really didn't notice your map before. Now that I've seen a screenshot of your work, I must say, you're extremly close to the original. Are there other pictures from in game?

I like yours. Of course, the texturing is what I guess you are working on. The layout is good, but the Mountain of Adamant is difficult to get right.

Great work already there. And I am very interested in the scripts this map has.

Yeah, well, the texturing ... I've been flipping around with the main texture of the wasteland for a long time. I don't know if I'm really satisfied with the current one. On the one hand, it fits pretty well between the small inlays of other textures, but on the other hand, it's not dark enough for my taste. I like your's better. Which one is that? I played with the idea of using the texture from the tainted land spell decal, but I'm still hesitating. Furthermore, I would have to find this texture first. For the mountain, I don't know if I will change it further. Do you mean it's hard to get it with the right texture or height? Or - probably - both of it? By the way, did you darken the light settings on your map?
Most of the scripts are basic stuff, I think. There are two camps outside the fortress, one with Orcs and one with Haradrim inside. If the keeper of Barad-Dûr enters their areas, they join his team. If the main gate is destroyed, there are spawned some additional defending forces within the fortress. If Barad-Dûr is in the hand of Mordor, they start with "Eye of Sauron" and "Rain of Fire" as free spells. Then, as you can see, I implemented the RJ-Cam, with an increased zoom-out for the aerial view. What I'm still looking forward to do are a few patrol units upon the exterior walls, belonging to the player inside, but acting on their own. Same thing for some hordes outside. They will walk around and attack other teams occasionally. But I'm not sure about the last one, because one time, the AI already wiped me out in 15 minutes, that's hard enough to deal with. Despite of this, I modified a few things in the map.ini. The eye of Sauron intimidates enemies stronger than normal and lasts longer. The barricades and catapults of Barad-Dûr are significantly stronger than usual Mordor fortress expansions.

P.S.
I find it hard to be clement when I have no social tact. And jelly.

I wasn't too serious about this. Actually, I don't expect any mercy at all.

[Unknown]

Good to see you again Imdrar
The map looks pretty good

[Irenë Hawnetyne]

<Licks lips> That is some niiice map you got there.

[Elric]

Nice Imdrar! Also, nice seeing you around agian

[Imdrar]

Thanks.

I think I will try to add some reinforcement scripts for the players starting outside, at least for the skirmish version of the map. I tested it again yesterday, and this would definetely be better for balancing. If you can ever talk about balance there. Actually, this map is meant to be a little unbalanced. You have to keep this fortress under permanent siege if you want to have a chance.
Also, I'm going to see if I can create some nice camera animation for the introduction. Here's another screenshot I made yesterday. It's a pity that I couldn't catch all the enemy units charging that bridge when Sauron walked out. Otherwise, he would have been hidden behind them.

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[Irenë Hawnetyne]

Very nice, again. Though if I may, what mod are you playing? Looks mighty interesting.

[MattTheLegoman]

I did type something up yesterday but it got disorganised so I deleted the post. So here it is.

Are there other pictures from in game?

Well, ask me what you want to see in detail and I will send you a PM.

Yeah, well, the texturing ... I've been flipping around with the main texture of the wasteland for a long time. I don't know if I'm really satisfied with the current one. On the one hand, it fits pretty well between the small inlays of other textures, but on the other hand, it's not dark enough for my taste. I like your's better. Which one is that?

RocksMordorMud01
CliffErebor06
These are my darkest textures and yes, the lighting is darker.

Barad-dur was difficult getting the right scale, obviously, and also leaving enough build-space for the defender.

Yours has lots of build-space. Mine was tighter together but I also created AI bases (although I don't know how they work).

How large is your map?

I am no good with scripts and INIs but I did have some ideas similar to yours. Like the Eye of Sauron and a special last defence attack and near win attack.

My Barad-dur has a large impassable moat around it, and the bridge is long and thin. With only one catapult or a couple of archer units, the defender can hold the bridge against any incursions. I know a way to attack Barad-dur successfully, but it requires a lot of siege weapons, air support and coordinated team-work.

Yes I am 'jelly' or jealous of your map.

My Barad-dur is in the hands of SEE and I think FBtG is coveting your map.

[Irenë Hawnetyne]

Didn't say that, MtL!

[Imdrar]

@FellbeastIII

Originally, this has been the RJ-Mod as you know it, but now it contains a lot of new stuff. When I started modding, I used it as a base, because I didn't expect myself to do so much. I never had the idea to achieve anything worth to be published. It was by reading through RJ's code when I slowly realized what might be possible there. It all began with a few changes for the Witchking of Angmar, and then, one thing lead to another and another ...
In the end, it became a patchwork mod. Unfortunately, this keeps me from releasing it, because I would have to bring it out as a new version of RJ's work, and I doubt he would be glad if I did so. Furthermore, some of the Palantir images you can see above are taken from the Edain-Mod, so I would need permissions from some different people. For the time being, I can only provide screenshots.

@MtL

I've tested some darker light settings on my map, and it really improves the atmosphere a lot. You can see the difference below. I guess I'll keep it this way or even turn it a little bit darker.
Having enough build-space within the fortress was one of the main goals when I designed the layout. That's why the map is on maximum scale, 600 x 600. I knew the fortress would occupy the most of it. I wanted to avoid the necessity of new AI-Bases, since the last time I played with the given Dol Guldur Bases, they didn't work anymore. The large circle in the last screenshot illustrates where the AI starts to build it's default base. In addition to that, every X marks a point where the AI will be forced to build a structure of a certain type determined by a script. The type of building at each place depends on the AI-Player's army. At least, this is the plan. I'm not done with this part already, but I'll try to complete and test it this evening. Maybe there will be two of these slots on the second level as well, but rather no.
Your bridge looks just stunning authentic. Also, I like the way you arranged the wall segments upon each other and the sharp edges of the moat. On my bridge, I had to leave some space for the barricades alongside, but they also narrow the passage in a way.
Is the RJ-Cam already part of your map? If yes, I would love to see some shots from a unit's view and the sky view facing the fortress.

Yes I am 'jelly' or jealous of your map.

Thank you, that's an honour for me.

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[Mouth of Sauron]

Hi,

long time for me as well... although I play rarely this game, I get back to it from time to time, and years ago I also did a map of Barad Dur, never finished it, yet it may perhaps be of any use if some of you like the concept, I attach the map file. It's basically the Mount Doom map, the player sees the foundations of the Barad Dur only, and they are just prop







 map wor barad dur.zip   705.84KB   429 downloads

[Irenë Hawnetyne]

It's alright, but it lacks... fluidity.

[Naugrim.]

A feel like Barad-Dur would be a very difficult map to get just right. To make it a fortress type map, you'd have to ignore the fact that it's more of a tower, and make it a bit flatter. If you made the map like Mouth of Sauron, it would be a tower, but it'd be too huge to see more than the very base.

Edited by Naugrim., 04 August 2012 - 11:27 AM.

[Irenë Hawnetyne]

It could be possible to script different tower levels in the same map, but it'd be very difficult. It also, though again difficult, could be created via creating new 'floor' objects and stairs. The camera movement would be murder, though.

[MattTheLegoman]

Well as Jeremy Clarkson would say. How hard could it be.

[Bofur]

And he would try, and discover that it is near impossible

[Irenë Hawnetyne]

Near. Not quite.

[Imdrar]

I'm glad to tell you that the map is ready for download now. Nevertheless, I'm rather sad I had to set it up this way. I actually tried to put this as a download on the main site, but for some reason, I can't select any items from my uploaded content storage to add them as a reference. So, if one of the leaders or admins comes across this, I would be grateful if he could fix this instead of mine.

EDIT: Moved the download to the head of the second page. Ignore the attached files below this post.

Attached Files

•  new strings.txt   466bytes   126 downloads
•  new strings.txt   466bytes   105 downloads

Edited by Imdrar, 05 August 2012 - 03:22 PM.

[MattTheLegoman]

Well, when I can I will have a look at it. I am very excited with all these maps from a couple of people being released after so long.