[Beta 7] A silly perfectionist rant

[Guest treanthugger]

Okay here's my first take on this map beta. (Beta 7 is the first one I've played)

Cosmetic critiques, out-of-game

Looks a jazzed up version of the 3.0 one; a new one should be made for 4.0. It also looks cluttered with all the elements shown in a circle. Check out the preview thumbs for DOTA on ROC and Binders for examples of really nice ones that are also effective.[/*:m:oj17d2g5]

[*]Map description

Make a new map description instead of just changing "Dark" -> "Darkness" and spacing the sentences out right. The new map should (in my opinion) have a new description to make 3.0 outdated (which has too many fakes and knockoffs), and should clearly show: the official website, the creator, important beta testers, and a contact email[/*:m:oj17d2g5]

[*]Loadscreen

The old 3.0 one was better, with the elements lined up vertically. I do not think loadscreens lag players, and the new one using the official WC3 loadscreen map is overused and bad. The element TD logo looks good on that, but it's not exactly the center of atttention.[/*:m:oj17d2g5]

[*]Press any key

This has to be the most annoying thing for many maps I play. There will always be a player that doesn't press any key (insert simpsons joke here hurr) and it takes goddamned forever to load and everyone has to wait. Get rid of it so that the game loads automatically when everyone is done loading.[/*:m:oj17d2g5]

Cosmetic critiques, in-game

I am tired of the pedophile acolyte and his voice and his face and his everything he is an old man and a big jerk. Make the builder a penguin or something. Also, make it so his HP is invisible (set it some ridiculous high number).[/*:m:oj17d2g5]

[*]Map terrain

Ashenvale is used for every single map and it gets boring. I'd personally like to see a new terrain used. Also, an in-game command to change the terrain at the start of the game would be great too, like the -ts function in TFT DOTA.[/*:m:oj17d2g5]

[*]Map terrain design

I suppose you can't change this without a drastic change in gameplay and tower layouts. My recommendation to make the game seem "fresh" without change being too drastic is to either flip the terrain horizontally.[/*:m:oj17d2g5]

[*]Starting options

"Choose your destiny!" is a bit lame. Change it to something else, like "Choose your mode"

A couple more seconds would be nice too for choosing options/voting, as the timer goes way too quickly in my opinion for a public game where there might be lag.[/*:m:oj17d2g5]

[*]Towers

Nature tower looks way out of place compared to other starting element towers. Everything else is an actual tower whereas it's a Nightelf Ancient Protector.

Change the attack on Water Arrow Tower. It gives the impression that it's splash (because that's what it is in regular Warcraft). Use a different effect, I'd say.[/*:m:oj17d2g5]

Game critiques

I think this needs drastic revision. It caught me by surprise to start off with a lot more gold, some lumber, and tough creeps. Basically I had to mass arrows and cannons as quick as I possibly could in order to not leak. This will need some revision I think for it to be smooth and enjoyable as normal play.[/*:m:oj17d2g5]

And that's all for now, until I actually play more of the game..

EDIT: All-in-all my general impression is that there has been drastic change enough for it to warrant the "3.0->4.0" version change in game play. But if you were to just start the game for a couple of minutes and not make it past the lvl 1 elemental towers, you wouldn't know that. I think the big leap should be represented somehow, and obviously I would say you do this by changing some of the cosmetics.

[Guest Sancdar]

Loadscreen

The old 3.0 one was better, with the elements lined up vertically. I do not think loadscreens lag players, and the new one using the official WC3 loadscreen map is overused and bad. The element TD logo looks good on that, but it's not exactly the center of atttention.

Press any key

This has to be the most annoying thing for many maps I play. There will always be a player that doesn't press any key (insert simpsons joke here hurr) and it takes goddamned forever to load and everyone has to wait. Get rid of it so that the game loads automatically when everyone is done loading.

I'm totally fine with the private beta maps not being 2 megs.

[Karawasa]

Loadscreen

The old 3.0 one was better, with the elements lined up vertically. I do not think loadscreens lag players, and the new one using the official WC3 loadscreen map is overused and bad. The element TD logo looks good on that, but it's not exactly the center of atttention.

Press any key

This has to be the most annoying thing for many maps I play. There will always be a player that doesn't press any key (insert simpsons joke here hurr) and it takes goddamned forever to load and everyone has to wait. Get rid of it so that the game loads automatically when everyone is done loading.

I'm totally fine with the private beta maps not being 2 megs.

That wouldn't be a concern anymore, 1 MB is what it would end up at now. The real reason is visibility of information. With the stock screen, I can put in a lot of information about the site, the fact that it is a beta etc. This will be great once the public beta is released. With the other screen, it is hard to really put information anywhere. The nice screen isn't going anywhere, just feel like it shouldn't be used until the actual release.

[Guest emjlr3]

rofl it still says Choose your Destiny, I put that in as a joke, rofl!

[Twilice]

Press any key, isn't that only if you play solo or online solo? right?

WHAA!!! weres the any key, I can't find the any key.

(not exactly but could be in it )

[0rb3r]

Am I the only one that felt that his destiny was on the edge at reading that?

@topic: If somebody is to dumb to find "any key" he is to dumb to play. Remove that "press any key" story, if somebody goes to toilet while waiting the 15 secs this game needs to be loaded, it's his own fault.

@Mapdescription & Loading screen: Well, the description and some other minor cosmetics should be revised before going public, I agree. But i prefer to have ppl reading something while they wait to start the game instead of just watching a nice loadingscreen. Maybe the best would be to combine both, nice loadingscreen with a wide area to read.