The Withering Kind: Testing thread

[Michael Peppers]

The Withering Kind, as some of you may know, is a project for bringing 5 new races and several mini-races to the game, and eventually new campaigns. It's on a halt since the end of April for "technical problems".

Current version: 0.1a (Anemic)
It includes "only" a beta-quality, custom Blood Elven race, aimed to replace the Human race, but that will still be subject to change.

The next version, 0.1b (Buxom Beauty), will be ready as soon as I resume working on the map, but that won't be anytime soon. (If I were you, I'd bet on "some time in Autumn" as a release date)

Download the SEMPQ (Windows, 6.51 MB)
The SEMPQ lets you run the mod without any need of weird hacks, just click on it and a Blood Elf race will replace the Humans in any melee map you play during that gameplay session.

Multiplayer, using the SEMPQ, is possible, but only if every player has loaded the game with it.
I discourage using this SEMPQ on Battle.net, as Blizzard "may" think it's a hack or something like that.

Or download the Map (Mac, B.net, 3.82 MB)
Since macs can't run an SEMPQ, here's a map (the one attached) to allow mac users to try the race too. As said above, to use the Blood Elven race, play as Humans. (Note: there's a bug with townhall costs in the map, will fix)
Also aimed for Battle.net multiplaying.

Since this mod is using the Custom Race System, handicaps won't work (at least for the Human race).

In case you're using the SEMPQ, handicaps are replaced by a "Faction number", which does ABSOLUTELY NOTHING now (except for setting the handicap =P), but will turn out to be useful at latter stages of this mod.

Known bugs:
- The Scarlet Enforcer model lacks proper animations and portrait, live with it.
- The AI is not perfect. Still, I think it's good enough for now.
- Important: The map version has a bug with townhall tiering costs. Will be fixed asap. Fix'd.
- Ranking doesn't work in the SEMPQ, trying to figure out why. Fix'd.

Thanks to:
- Kyrbi0, Evil_Arthas 87, RenegadeMushroom, Forerunner, JMJM7, Passthechips, Dragoon, Anopob, Cosmicat, Archmage Owenalacaster and Alevice for various suggestions, ideas etc.
- (again) Alevice, Archmage Owenalacaster and Cosmicat for vJass hints and the Custom Race System. (especially Archmage for the latter)
- Deolrin and [D] for directly creating models upon request.
- The creators of the various models/skins/scripts/systems I've used. (All credited in the Mission menu)
- Anopob, Archmage Owenalacaster and Cosmicat for the beta tests. (Tough fights, really)
- Some people I surely forgot to mention about suggestions, sorry... >_>

Alright, let me know what you think. =)

[deolrin]

Tested and reported bugs in MSN, so I'm kinda subscribing.
I must say though - great job pulling it off so far.

[Michael Peppers]

Originally Posted by deolrin

Tested and reported bugs in MSN, so I'm kinda subscribing.
I must say though - great job pulling it off so far.

Thanks.
I'll try to solve those bugs asap.

[Anopob]

I'm glad you decided not to use the map you used for beta, lol.

So anyway, the biggest concern I have right now is the tier costs. I'm not sure why you decided to buff the t2 and t3 costs by a ton (700 gold for t2 and 1100 gold for t3!?!?!?! and this isnt even considering lumber) from last time I've played this, but I don't think it's necessary (perhaps you did this to stop people like me just quickly massing air? i mean, it still isn't too powerful...). I haven't tested this version with other players yet, but I think the current tier costs are going to drag out the game and FORCE players to spam t1 units, which I don't believe should be necessary. That's the biggest problem I have with the map right now.

Another note is that force field returns air units if they're above/near the building they're attacking, because as said in the tooltip "returns attackers in melee RANGE". I'm not sure if you wanted this or you wanted it to only return melee attackers, so I thought I should bring it up.

Also, the Clarity Potion + Healing Salve combo seems to be very strong for a t1 racial shop (as well as the additional farm mana regeneration in t2). The tier 3 staff from the shop also seems to be a bit too good for the cost (275 i think it was). Otherwise, I don't have much else different to say than what I said about the race last time we played together.

Finally, of course, congrats on getting this released :D

[Michael Peppers]

Originally Posted by Anopob

I'm glad you decided not to use the map you used for beta, lol.

Heh, true, that map sucked. =)

Originally Posted by Anopob

So anyway, the biggest concern I have right now is the tier costs. I'm not sure why you decided to buff the t2 and t3 costs by a ton (700 gold for t2 and 1100 gold for t3!?!?!?! and this isnt even considering lumber) from last time I've played this, but I don't think it's necessary (perhaps you did this to stop people like me just quickly massing air? i mean, it still isn't too powerful...). I haven't tested this version with other players yet, but I think the current tier costs are going to drag out the game and FORCE players to spam t1 units, which I don't believe should be necessary. That's the biggest problem I have with the map right now.

Huh? That's weird... I haven't changed them... could you test also the map? I think that the Widgetizer has messed some stuff in the MPQ and I haven't noticed it.

EDIT: Found the cause of it, will fix as soon as possible.

Originally Posted by Anopob

Another note is that force field returns air units if they're above/near the building they're attacking, because as said in the tooltip "returns attackers in melee RANGE". I'm not sure if you wanted this or you wanted it to only return melee attackers, so I thought I should bring it up.

Oh well, I have to decide if it's an issue or not, to be honest. =P

Originally Posted by Anopob

Also, the Clarity Potion + Healing Salve combo seems to be very strong for a t1 racial shop (as well as the additional farm mana regeneration in t2). The tier 3 staff from the shop also seems to be a bit too good for the cost (275 i think it was). Otherwise, I don't have much else different to say than what I said about the race last time we played together.

I'll look into it, thanks.

Originally Posted by Anopob

Finally, of course, congrats on getting this released :D

=D

[Anopob]

Btw, I didn't try the MPQ if you were wondering. I downloaded the map. make sure that's fixed too :P

[Michael Peppers]

Originally Posted by Anopob

Btw, I didn't try the MPQ if you were wondering. I downloaded the map. make sure that's fixed too :P

The hell... I don't have wc3 installed at the moment, so I can't fix it now.

In this case... can someone look into the new SEMPQ and tell me if the Townhall tier costs are hitting negative or absurdly low values? =P

EDIT: Reverted old SEMPQ, the map will be fixed.

[Linaze]

I just played this with deolrin, and I found this fairly impressive.
The techtree wasn't very creative or so, and reminded me a bit too much of the War3 techtrees in terms of general design, resource gathering etc. The entertainment-factor was there however, and I wasn't bored from playing even once.

[Michael Peppers]

Originally Posted by Linaze

I just played this with deolrin, and I found this fairly impressive.
The techtree wasn't very creative or so, and reminded me a bit too much of the War3 techtrees in terms of general design, resource gathering etc. The entertainment-factor was there however, and I wasn't bored from playing even once.

Oh, yes, thanks.

This race was, to be honest, inspired by the war3x Human campaign design-wise, then I modified stuff, added units, and replaced little by little every non-custom unit, but I still wanted the race to feel somehow familiar to the war3 players, as if it was a race made by Blizzard for the game.

As I'm sure the race isn't finished, it will be improved and modified further, maybe with some new kind of resource gathering and structure building systems, though I'll have to make sure the race won't become something too confusing for the player.

[Michael Peppers]

Update:

Finally took the time and fixed the map's "townhalls costs" bug. Will look into the "Ranking may not work" bug tomorrow and (maybe) search (again) for an animator about the Scarlet Enforcer these days. Don't hold your breath, though.

Another update:

Fixed a typo in the map, found out that Ranking doesn't work *only* in the SEMPQ, trying to figure out why atm.

3rd Updatinging:
Fixed the ranking bug, it was caused by stuff the Widgetizer did wrong. Also took precautions to make that never happen again.

All the nastiest bugs are squashed now. Enjoy! (again)