The Next Step

[Karawasa]

Back in WC3, we were able to develop a niche following around competitive tower defense. People would play on VH and rush each other out with the countdown timer. The way the games list worked meant we could remain "popular" forever as long as people hosted. Indeed, we were the most successful TD for WC3.

I thought the same formula of competitive tower defense would work for SC2, but it has not. Unfortunately, we lasted at or near the top for only about a month. People treated Element TD as a PvE game because that is what it is when you play on lower difficulties. The competitive aspect never saw the light of day. The SC2 games list meant a niche following could not sustain the "popularity" of the game.

I have since given up on the idea of competitive tower defense. I do not want to develop games for a niche audience. I want to develop games played by all. We have decided to make a last stand. That means development has resumed after two months of inactivity. It also means radical changes.

Here is what to expect;

If you are playing alone, nothing. The game will continue as it is now.

If you are playing online, everything. The game will no longer be a tower defense where it is you versus the computer directly. Instead, a tower wars style will be in effect. That means creeps are player sent. There are no timed waves in linear order. Of course, an option before voting will allow a choice of "classic" mode.

https://forums.eletd.com/index.php?s=&s...ost&p=20479

[FlyveHest]

If you are playing online, everything. The game will no longer be a tower defense where it is you versus the computer directly. Instead, a tower wars style will be in effect. That means creeps are player sent. There are no timed waves in linear order. Of course, an option before voting will allow a choice of "classic" mode.

Will you still be able to play multiplayer PvE, or will that gamemode be removed entirely? I've never really played EleTD as PvP, but i've thoroughly enjoyed playing it PvE alongside friends.

[Skifter]

I think, after i seen the link on map, im back in WC3 from LoL. Really, DotA is dead. But EleTD - immortal. When we can find download link?

[Karawasa]

Will you still be able to play multiplayer PvE, or will that gamemode be removed entirely? I've never really played EleTD as PvP, but i've thoroughly enjoyed playing it PvE alongside friends.

Yup, that is what I meant by option of "classic" mode.

[NonConformist]

The funny thing about this is when I play on line (which is all the time). I'd ask people to click on "competitive" mode and nobody ever wanted to........ This will change things to my liking. Thanks Karawasa!

[haupty]

Way to fight for the top! The game is so good with endless replayability almost, it's a shame to see what the stupid popularity system does to it. (I've griped about that system on the blizzard forums sooo many times.) Anyway, I think this will mix it up and add even more strategy, so hats off to that. I think I might prefer classic myself but will defiantly have fun with the new mode too. My question is, how do you pick the creeps? If I see my neighbor is going dark heavy, can I just send light creeps/ That would seem too hard. Maybe the element is out of my control and alternates normally but I pick the creep type? But then again I could send the fast/ undead /hardest for his build when I know his weak element comes up. How do you plan on balancing that?

[jolin012]

I always read the EleTD emails, and this oen went through to my emails, ofcourse gaining my attention

its good to hear from you guys and i hope everything is going great. Momentarily I cannot claim my minds into eletd even though this topic caught my attention, but the good thing is that my thoughts are already out there on this topic if someone is now interested in coding this mode. I referred to it as a mode whilst it was on discussion, not to cause too many upsets lol

and the more epic thing i noticed, its threadnumber

forums.eletd.com/index.php?showtopic=1337

All the best

jolin012

[Twilice]

I think, after i seen the link on map, im back in WC3 from LoL. Really, DotA is dead. But EleTD - immortal. When we can find download link?

Enough with this versus already, dota is far from dead and you know it.

As for element td, it's not as immortal as you think. All "solo" games today are either very simple or a large adventure/rpg/platform game.

We need the added multiplayer experience, seeing the players on starcraft 2, they are not the same as they were at wc3. Those who play the custom games are either not playing ladder (casual) or those that play a lot including ladder and custom. So what we have is very demaning players that wants to relax from playing ladder, but eventually they will get bored. (example, me) And for the other players it will be confusing always trying to find "the best" build.

If I would have played element td as it is now for the first time I would be very confused, the icons and layout of starcraft 2 is not as clear as in wc3 for a combination of all the towers we have it is the same for all animations and attacks. In starcraft 2 it was made discrete in a showing way to not lose oversight of the battlefield because of all the units. In wc3 you had a lesser ammount of units and a hero which means you really needed to see the spells and attacks instead of discrete attacks. A new element td would be far better of with a game with magics instead of metal "warcraft 4".

Now I think a change is needed to make the game more multiplayer, but it would make the game seem even more complex. If we want to do the change we need to "really" do the change and make it the core of element tw/td.

[Cypher]

I'm excited to hear about these changes. EleTD has been hit hard by a lack of players in the last month or so to the point that I stoped playing entirely due to very long wait times to get 4+ in the lobby. If you need testers I'd be glad to help out.

[Karawasa]

The moment of truth is fast approaching.

[macrie69]

The hard and very hard mode has been made impossible with the nerfing of Hail towers especially in competitive mode. I think that's a reason why even less people are joining the game.

[Twilice]

lol

[WindStrike]

The hard and very hard mode has been made impossible with the nerfing of Hail towers especially in competitive mode. I think that's a reason why even less people are joining the game.

If Hail towers were seriously your only ways of beating hard and very hard, you have much to learn.

If anything, it's the bugs on Torrent Tower and Ephemeral Tower that are turning people away at the moment.

[Karawasa]

If anything, it's the bugs on Torrent Tower and Ephemeral Tower that are turning people away at the moment.

Ephemeral Tower bug is?

[WindStrike]

Ephemeral doesn't actually phase out. It SAYS that it phases out, but the damage doesn't drop. I'll post it officially in bug reports.

[Chiquihuite]

I wonder what could have changed to break these 0_o

[WindStrike]

It may have something to do with that Forge+Magnify bug that I reported in 0.84. It was fixed in 0.85. Truth is, Ephemeral/Temporal suffered was affected by the same bug as well and I was aware of it, but I didn't report it because I honestly found that tower a little weak without it. Though now, in its current phase out bug state, it's kinda overpowered.

[Karawasa]

It has arrived.