Belated happy new year all! SC2 map ideas have come and gone, but nothing is gaining traction right now mostly because of the HotS beta and playing WoL 1v1s. Some minor updates on the console games pages have popped up including a new section for 3DS!
The map I had been making has unfortunately fizzled out. I do have a new idea I'm trying though. In terrain design it is similar to my SC1 Nurnor Isle map, except this will have only two start locations, and will be more of a crescent design rather than a triangle. I will update as more gets done!
I haven't been able to do too much with the map lately due to having gone back to work. I have a general terrain design in place with 4 starts, so it'll be a 1v1/2v2 usage map. It's much smaller than Patton Mesa but a little larger than Cerebrate's Saddle's size. I am currently undecided regarding high yield nodes. In other SC2 news, I made 1v1 silver league only to dominate my placement match and get placed in... bronze. Gah. Should be able to return to silver easily once I gain consistency with the new level of competition I'm getting. I just gotta watch for chesses and rushes. Peace.
We have an SC2 map underway! It is unnamed at the moment and I am using the previously mentioned lunar terrains. It will be a map that supports 1v1 and 2v2 play, though mostly 2v2. On another note, yours truly is in the SC2 beta! WOOT! It took 3 days of playing before I got my first win, but it's a cool game so far. There are some issues with the new units. Zerg seems settled. Toss's new units are in flux as far as power and abilities but I think they're going to stay. Terran is a mess right now, and tweaks to balance the new widow mine are head scratching.
Hello! Still banging my head trying to get to sc2 1v1 silver league. It takes me a minute to attain the appropriate aggressiveness level. Mapmaking update! I'm toying with terrain configurations on the tileset seen in Xel'Naga caverns and Shakuras Plateau. Nothing concrete yet but I have the urge. Will update as often as possible!
Hey everybody! As always, sorry for the radio silence. Work has been, well, a lot of work lately. As has SC2. My partner and I made silver league in late June! And I am on the verge of 1v1 silver league! No map news beyond mulling a few ideas. Looking forward to Heart of the Swarm and Skyrim's expansion, Dawnguard!!
Hello everyone! Monthly update time! Actually not a whole lot to report, I just didn't want to miss one! ;) I am considering some SC2 map ideas at the moment, but nothing concrete being laid down. More as it develops!!
I have been a quiet little man. I still have my temp job, but my duties changed, cramping my free time a little bit. I have been playing SC2, Skyrim, Mario Kart 7, and MLB the SHOW 2012, all of which have been added to the console games page and more!
MY SC2 rank has fallen off somewhat due to the time issues and the playing of 2v2 rather than 1v1 quite often, though it is in the 20's currently thanks to some good playing time yesterday and more to come. No new SC2 maps in the making, but that may change as I am the proud owner of a new laptop!! No more lagadelic gameplay! And I can see the graphics at high level to plan maps better!
LOL. Technically this is only like 45 minutes after the previous post, but it is after midnight so this post has a new date. XD. Anyway, I just updated the console games page, adding a couple games and some links for Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion.
After 2 months, I return, my people! And I bring news of a new SC2 map!: Behold the Cerebrate's Saddle! This map on the Char tileset features 6 start locations and can be used for 1v1, 2v2, or 3v3. It is complete and on bnet. It's actually been up almost a month, but I couldn't make time to get here until now. Screenshot is available on the sc2 maps page.
In ranking news, I peaked a few weeks ago at rank 7 just before the season 3 lock. Alas, a losing streak and prolonged inactivity have knocked me back to 21, but tonight I got on and moved back to 18. I intend to move further over the weekend, as I will be home sick and will have much SC time. :)
Monthly update time! No mapmaking news to report. Season three so far has me moving about in the 20's rank wise in 1v1s due to a lack of play time, but I can handle it. :)
It's update time! I have been away due to work adjustments. :) I do not have any plans for any mapmaking or editing at this time, but I am throwing some ideas around. :). SC2's season 2 has closed. I finished #6 in my bronze division, thanks in large part to a charge up the ranks in the 2 and a half weeks between jobs. I was #5 briefly, but a lack of play time made for some rust. Note the figures from April, as I finished similarly placed in season 2, but a little higher, are for bronzes only, not all worldwide. That ranking would put me at about 2.3 millionth out of however many. :)
That ranking was in the US and was #12,923. Worldwide, I was 38,993. This is for 1v1. :)
Minor update today!: if you want to see where you rank among SC2 players in your country, worldwide, or just in your league, you can do so on your bnet page or at sc2ranks. I finished season one in the top 15,500 in the US (or maybe worldwide, but I was and continue to be only a Bronze, so...).
FAQ update complete! :)
Monthly update time! Structurally, Patton Mesa is complete. I am working on its aesthetic/looks a little bit. There will be at least one more pic update, and of course I will let you know when that happens. :) For those of you who may be looking to download it, it will be a little different of a picture, and the publisher is simply "Flak." There will be an FAQ update today to give this information a permanent place :).
New minimap pic of Patton Mesa uploaded. Go to the SC2 maps page and have a look. :)
Moved some old news to the scuttlebut page (link at the end of this news section :) ).
Patton Mesa's mini map will be updated again soon. I have gotten input from several playtests and from the sclegacy forums which required some significant terrain changes, most notably to make the natural more accessible. I am absolutely enthused to get other players' input both in a forum and in all human games (SC1 maps were all used vs AI only). SC2 MP rocks!
A new, better image is up for Patton Mesa. I thought the one I put up a little while ago displayed too large for the table. Note that you will have to click and image link to view the image now. :)
Tweaked Patton Mesa to give it more grass and Xel'Naga watchtowers as well as moved the 2 existing towers a little. New image on the sc2 maps page. I need to get a smaller one though.
Fixed some linkage errors on the PC games page. Also added Red Alert 3 to the PC Games page.
Howdy! No new maps in progress so only some minor news regarding War on the Ridge SC2: I'm taking one more shot to fix the background graphics. I also have discovered a need to tweak a few ramps. I'm unsure whether this map will go public, but I'm going to try. More as it happens!
Patton Mesa is now public. :) A note has been made on the SC2 maps page also. Good hunting!
I have added a minimap to the Patton Mesa entry on the SC2 map. It is a little dark, but is more visible than I thought it would be. I will note here when I make it public. :)
So I was fooling around in the editor looking for ways to approach a "Playground" style map, when I started just making terrain shapes. Wouldn't you know it, a map took shape. I named it Patton Mesa, it is 4 players, and is the official first SC2 map that just might go public. I will keep you informed of this map's progress. This is in testing right now, and tests ok to tough in vs. coms settings (medium AI was ok, hard AI was really tough).
On a related note, War on the Ridge SC2's testing has been complete, more or less, for a couple of weeks now. It tested very hard vs. coms. I am just trying to figure out how to undo a map-wide foliage effect that makes it look very wild. I don't want to remove the effect as much as tone it down. I also have to tweak several horizontal ramps.
FAQs page updated with 4 new questions and answers! Also, updated SC2 maps page with a line for War on the Ridge to illustrate what that page will look like! :)
Console games page updated! 3 new DS games and a change to the Final Fantasy section: I bought FFVII over a year ago and never deleted the note about it eluding me. That has been corrected.
Hello all. :) I haven't had a whole lot of time to do the graphics tweaking I mentioned earlier, but have not forgotten War on the Ridge. :) I'm also looking at making one of my "Playground" style maps (revamped versions). I may not directly import too many of the sc1 maps to sc2 because several attempts have not gone well. Any SC2 versions of these maps will be remade from scratch. Maps that are under consideration beyond the Playground selection include Jungle Court, Char Hunters, Xandu Rings, Mt. Trannquidar, and Skull Mountain. This should cover my mapping work for most of the year. :)
On a related note, my current employment search has taken a turn for the better. After a significant resume revamp, I'm getting notice from recruiters for the work I want. I might be employed soon :).
General site notes: proofread this page and corrected several spelling errors in recent posts. An FAQS page update is on its way. Also, another minor console games page update is coming. :)
Happy New Year! And a belated Happy Holidays! Mapping update: A working version of War on the Ridge has entered the testing phase. It works nicely but has a need for background graphics tweaking. I basically remade the map from scratch using the original War on the Ridge as a guide and found a way to handle the valleys in so doing. I am at this time leaving it in the testing phase. I've gotten a few games on it but want more before I declare it done. :)
So I went into the editor and tested the current map state and the placement of line of sight blockers only to find my probe could move directly through my valleys without pause. Oopsy! I have a quick fix, but I would also have to make the valley bottoms impassable somehow. Argggg... End result is we may not have a map by the end of the weekend. :p
The first SC2 map nears completion. It is a redux of one of my personal faves, War on the Ridge. Jungle Court may be the other redux at this time since both imported ok. This War on the Ridge will take advantage of new multiple terrain levels and Xel'Naga watchtowers. Due to space constraints on this site, I will be posting links only on the SC2 maps page to gthe bnet publishing page. All of my maps will be free. Anything to the contrary will be noted well in advance. WotR Redux should be available by the end of the weekend. :)
I figured out the tileset issue. It was a no-brainer. >facepalm< I also tried importing some older maps. Some passed through ok, others, not so much. I should have a map or 2 done in some form by New Year's. That's my goal anyway. :) Pursuant to the nonanswer from Blizz legal, I will post only links to the maps on the SC2 maps page. You may need a bnet account to download. I apologize for any inconvenience this may cause some of you, but it is a necessary evil. Thanks for understanding. A similar note has been placed on the SC2 maps page. :)
Howdy! As many of you know, terrain was my strength as an SC1 map maker (doodads not withstanding). Well, how about I can't figure out how to change tilesets? Blah. Not that I have had a lot of time to mess around with much of anything, but rest assured I will get at least one melee map done by new years. ;)
Hello all. :) Been a while. SC2 is a great game to play. :) I'm still having difficulty with the editor. I have not gotten an answer from Blizzard as to where I must post my maps. Tech support sent me to legal who hasn't responded. I will try to post here as the maps get done, or I will post a link to the relevant bnet page. I am still learning this editor, albeit slowly. :) I've been working part-time as well, sort of. It's a long story. I'm looking for better work at this point so time is spread out for me. As always, I'll keep you posted. :)
The SC2 editor is very complex. I will be some time before maps start coming. Note: pending an answer from blizzard, I will likely post a link here to whatever space on Bnet2 I am given to publish my melee work. In the mean time I will continue to work on my mapping for you all.
I'm down to the last SC2 campaign level. Whoo! 1v1 record of 5-12, 2v2 record of 2-7. No big surprises there. Vs. AI I am 9-7 combined 1v1, 2v2, and 3v3. I reccomend the game to anyone who likes RTS games in general and those who liked SC1 and/or Broodwar. :)
Maps Note: I am brainstorming my first SC2 map! Nothing solid as yet. I have a general terrain design, but have not chosen a tileset just yet. Most likely it will be 4 player melee map. I intend to design it for 1v1, 2v2, and FFA usage. More as it develops!! :)
Console games page update complete. 2 new PSP games, 3 new PS3 games added. :)
Nuclear Launch Detected! SC2 officially came out on 7/27, but it took until now for me to Internet enable my laptop. This is the first post from the laptop! :) I've done the first 3 missions and played one custom against the AI. The AI beat me, but it needed Thors to handle my roach/zling/hydra. Almost got the first win out of the gate. :) Console games page to be updated shortly. :)
Update: SC2 maps page is officially on board! Updated the PC games page to reflect this update there as well. A minor formatting update to the SC1 maps page has also occurred. Updated the console games page to show DQ V, IX under DS games, TF: War for Cybertron under PS3. :)
Update: Starcraft 2 will have its own maps page that I will link at left shortly. :) There will also be an update to the games pages to show some new games I have gotten the last few months. :)
Greetings! Winding down on WFC and MLB10 the show a bit. SC news: With SC2 to release in 5 days, I have elected to make a few SC1 maps. A single player map is in the testing phase which features the Yellow Jacket and her crew! I am going to do a second SP map featuring the Yellow Jacket. These will be stand alone adventures, no campaign. The first will post no later than Monday. At least one new melee map will appear soon as well. Be back soon!
Hello all! Lots of stuff going on, so apologies for missing my May post. :) Been playing a lot of MLB the Show 2010 lately and just got TF War for Cybertron. The graphics in the latter a freaking amazing! It can be too much of a good thing though as some areas can prove difficult to navigate because you can't tell where you can a can't walk, but with patience it is easy to figure out.
This angelfire site will in July be officially 9 years old! In celebration of this and the 7/27 release of Starcraft II: Wings of Liberty, I will be either updating the Starmaps page to include SC2 or perhaps create a page specifically for SC2. More as it develops! :)
Added games to the PS3 section of the console games page: FFXIII, Dragon Age Awakening and MLB the Show 2009 and 2010. :)
2 new maps on the Starmaps page! Dry Docks makes its debut, in tourney and money map forms! Mirage Platform is reposted. The original version is there plus a new one with an additional gas. Grass Hunt was the other map that got a fix. It is still a money map. The fix was a building space error that made the eastern spots too large. I discoverd this because I used this map as a starting point for Dry Docks. This fix is posted also. :)
Update: there is a note on the scuttlebut page that states an update was made to Frosty Playground. I now need to check the file to see if I posted it. More as it develops! :)
Both versions of Dry Docks now test well. I had to retest after what was supposed to be the final test revealed a discrepancy in building space (due to resource placement). Both are ready. I am also still trying to figure out which map is the second I fixed. Mirage Platform is one, I added a second gas to each start to make it a little easier. I think it may be Frosty Playground now that I think about it. I'll check. I noted the chnage in the map properties, so I'll know easily. Once I resolve this, all will be posted at once. :)
Three post day! A new FAQ has been added discussing current site projects and why some seem to take so long or be stalled. Please click the link at left. :)
You may have noticed over the last month a minimap for Ash World War. I was experimenting with the site code to add the minimaps mentioned last month. :) Unfortunately, the .pcx files Broodwar creates are apparently not supported in Windows Vista, making the update a bit more tedious than it needs to be. This update will also include a reformat of the Starmaps page. An edit to the Dry Docks mention: it is not posted yet but will be tomorrow. The post will include a tourney and a money version. :)
Happy April fools day! Thankfully for you I am no joker. On that note we have some news: "Ace in the Hole" is kinda dead. I just don't like it. I have however designed a 4 player map to take its place entitled "Dry Docks", a 4 player map with bonafide naturals (a rarity for my maps but not unheard of) and miscellaneous other expansions. It plays nicely. I also updated two other maps, but darn it if their names escape me now. They are on my laptop (I do my posting here on the desktop) and need to be transferred to the flash drive for posting.
Took a look at the poem demon just for kicks and fixed two misspellings. :)
New SC1 map in the works entitled "Ace in the Hole." Terrain is currently desert on a 192 height by 128 width. It plays well, but I am considering a terrain change (mostly in gound heghts and their positions). 4 plyr. Bonus note! I am experimenting with adding minimaps to the scmaps page in some fashion. More as it develops! :). News from 1/09 to 5/09 is now in the scuttlebut file accessible at the bottom. :).
Happy SCII Beta Start! Tune to your favorite SC fansite for more! It started last night (US East Cost time (EST)). Alas, you will not find me in the beta, but you will find me lurking in a forum or two soaking up other people's posts and glories.
New SC map up! The Space Bridge is open for your trafficking pleasure! 4 players on Space terrain. Enjoy!
Belated happy new year, all! Job searching is a boring necessity. Fixed some typos here and there. I couldn't figure out the e-mail link issue, so the link is gone. The address remains down there so you can still find it. :) Maybe when I get some real cash flow I'll upgrade the account and make this site much more interactive and less dull. We'll see!
Starcraft maps notes: The 256x256 mp map noted in August is still on the table, as is a concept for a map without a size chosen. I may combine the 2 to fully flesh out the concept. This may be my most artistic map to date, should I make it. I may make sp and mp versions. I'll keep you posted!
Small update: added my PS3 and some of my games to the console page. I also added Morrowind (Elder Scrolls III) to the PC games page. :)
Last post for 2009! Playing with some holiday goodies. Happy holidays to all, whichever you celebrate. School is officially complete at this time, and so begins the attempt to use this degree. Posts wil appear as possible.
Had another "radio silence" period there due to school and such. I haven't even had time to read the html book. No updates have been made. I do have some new PS3 games that may appear on the site before or with the next monthly post (Ghostbusters being chief among them). Otherwise, not much else going on site-wise. :)
I am learning much from my new book. One definite repair to make is the broken email link at the bottom of this page. The e-mail is accurate if you want to send any messages, however. I may remove the link. Anyway: game news: Oblivion is still eating much time. I am also cancelling the single player SC map (just can't get them triggers quite right). I am considering a rare 256x256 multiplayer map idea at the moment. More as it develops! :)
Apologies for the "radio silence" all. The SC single player map is on hold at the moment due to several things. First and foremost is a ramp-up of difficulty in school as I enter the home stretch (due to finish 12/21). Second, I had been playing a lot of Stronghold 2 recently until... I GOT A PS3! Yes, I have officially entered the new console era. Some of you may criticize the choice of console (as the X360 seems the best, but I have no desire for "red rings of death." Ever.), but I am happy. It's only a week and a half old, so only 3 games on it. Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion is eating my time at the moment. A second announcement is the acquisition of an html/shtml/xml reference book to update ancient html 1.0 code currently supporting the site. Visually, very few changes are anticipated at this time. I will note anything of that significance. :)
The SC single player map development is going slowly. No anticipated release date at this time. General site update: I have made some changes to the PC games page. CnC III Tiberium Wars is officially listed. GalCiv2 and Civ3 have been updated to show that I have acquired complete editions. Some website links have also been added for many games: AoE (2), Empire Earth (2), Stronghold 2, CnC.
The single player map may be morphing into a new campaign. It may feature the return of the "Yellow Jacket" and her crew. More as it develops!!
A quick update on the single player map: terrain and resources are set, trigger work in process. SPOILER: It is unnamed at this point, but is on badlands terrain. The human player is terran. I am debating between a toss and a zerg opponent. Currently it is zerg. Story work is still formative. Present testing reveals a very HIGH difficulty level. :)
Oopsy! A fix has been made to the Frosty Playground map (both versions) allowing the right-center player to use the natural expansion properly. Previously, a command center/nexus/hatchery would not fit near enough for early use. The map has been reposted with this fix. :)
The site is getting a lot of attention today! Fixed an error with the link to the Empire Earth maps page. It now displays in the large, right-hand frame rather than the tiny left frame. :)
General site update: All 2008 news items have been moved to the "scuttlebut" page. Extra Note: The previously mentioned Stronghold 2 kingmaker map has been scrapped due to my needing more time to learn that editor.
Frosty Playground is up on the maps page! It is 8 player and Broodwar only. :) Also, I fixed the entry for Cold Water Crossing. The number of players shows in the list properly and it downloads correctly.
The new single player map exists in rough draft form. I am going to run a pre-test tonight, shore up the doodads, terrain details, and triggers as needed over the next few days. The concept was designed at the same time as Frosty Playground.
On another note, Command and Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars is active on my new laptop computer. The later campaign levels offer quite the challenge. Skirmish gameplay is no different than previous entries in the series. No decision on a maps page yet, though I did get the map editor and manager utilities.
I did not forget Frosty Playground, guys! I have gotten the start locations more even, but haven't had time for full testing. I will tonight. The map should appear soon. Also, I am working on details for a stand alone single player SC mission. I'll post more details when I post FP.
Update on "Frosty Playground": The resource tweaking is finished. I am now looking at the start location sizes. The corner 4 starts do not match (they're larger) the four prime direction (N,S,E,W) starts. Should have that handled in about a week. :)
A new starcraft map entitled "Frosty Playground" is in the testing phase. When I post it, a money map and a tourney map version will be in the zip. The money map version tests well. I am tweaking the resources on the tourney version for balance. There is also a minor issue with unequal start location sizes being worked on.
I upgraded my version of GalCiv 2 with the expansions. Empire Earth 2 is very involved to learn, but I am getting there. I am also preparing my first Stronghold II multiplayer/kingmaker map. :)
THREE posts in one day! Updates to the console games page have also been made. Sections for PSP and Nintendo DS have been added. The other sections have been updated to show DS/PSP versions (Final Fantasy games in particular). Some SNES and NES notes were reintroduced. :)
PC games page updated! New game additions include Age of Mythology, Empire Earth II, LOTR: Battle for Middle Earth, and LOTR: War of the Ring. The games other than EEII are games I have had that either ran slowly (the 2 LOTR titles) or were just forgotten. I also updated the page's intro text.
I have finally gotten a new computer which easily plays the games that were slow on the old (AoE III, Galactic Civilizations 2, Stronghold 2, etc.). I am particularly liking AoE III (even bought the Asian Dynasties expansion). I am nowhere near fiddling with the editors just yet. That usually waits until I finish at least one campaign. I have bought one new game, Empire Earth II. Very nice. :) There will be some updates to the PC games page shortly following this post.
Now on the Starcraft Maps page are Lake Placid V2 and Cold Water Crossing, the new map. The single player version of cwc has not tested well and will remain a work in progress until further notice. I do not like where it went. Enjoy the two multiplayer maps!
Happy 2009, all! Update on the new map: all testing passes except for the balancing of expansion locations. Two of the four start locations have easier access to the nearest expansion than do the other two, due to the river placement. I shall fix and retest. I will also be releasing a stand alone singleplayer version, which will commence testing tonight. All three pending maps should appear no later than this weekend.
Update: Note that I have moved some posts into the old news link. Also, I am considering bringing back the Empire Earth map that I scrapped with the SC campaign I was working on earlier this year. Lastly, I have been doing some work with the Final Sun Red Alert 2 editor, and I do not think I will be posting any maps for RA2 anytime soon, as the editor is very depthy.
Two posts so close together! Well, I have completed the doodad work on Lake Placid. I have retested pathing mechanics successfully. This update will be posted by the end of the weekend or early next week along with a new map that is currently in testing.
News time! I actually have no news! Why am I here? Just to let you guys know that the site has not been forgotten. That's right, everybody breathe. The Lake Placid update has finished its balance testing. It should be noted that this map was never really a money map, so the revamp is primarily start location balancing and doodad work. Being one of my oldest maps, doodads are very few, and I am deciding on how to approach the map without changing its aesthetic too much. I'll post again soon. No job again, so some time may be available to actually follow through on some of my plans here. Stay tuned!
A year ago this week I started in an MBA program. I am doing well in it, but as time has gone on, the limitations on my time have increased. This does not mean that I do not have anything going on sitewise! :) Starcraft map news: as time allows, I will be removing some of the oldest maps that will not be revamped. Not to worry, ony about a dozen or so will actually disappear! I also intend to have a few new maps ready by the time this work is finished. There is an update to the faqs page!
Hello, all! It's been six months plus, but we have a new Starcraft Map up! That's right:
Howdy, folks! The revamp of Lake Placid is in the testing phase and looks good so far. I have had trouble making the time to get this stuff done. LP will be returning soon. :)
I am early this month because I know I missed my May post. :) Some SC Map news: I am testing a couple of revamps. Lake Placid is among them. This would actually be more a new version than a true revamp, as this was originally made before I started making money maps. I have tested a couple more, and am working on start location balancing, which was the main upgrade to Lake Placid. I will post at least LP by week's end. :)
News time! I have recently purchased Strongholds 2 for my computer. It plays a little slow due to my older computer, but is otherwise great! I do not think I will be making any maps for this or any game any time soon due to working full time and being in school. I will add a section on the PC games page which will contain links to some good maps sites later.
I did not mention in my last post that I had found a job! A temporary job, yes, but work nonetheless. I have been working since and will be doing so for at least another week. I am working on a single player map idea for both SC and Empire Earth, but it is going to take a while between work and school. 'Til next time!
It has been a while since I have done this: 2 new Sc maps in the same month! Please welcome the four player "Bungle Jungle" to the maps page!:) Enjoy! Also, I am slowly learning the Final Sun editor for Red Alert 2. I probably won't post a map for that game for a while, as I am unsatisfied with my attempts to date.
As expected, the revamp of Playground tested well. It is also up on the Starmaps page! :) As usual with the revamps, the zip file contains both versions. Enjoy!
News time! I have acquired the Final Alert 2 editor for Red Alert 2, and have begun messing with it. I am also looking into an editor for Tiberian Sun. Starcraft note: The revamps are returning! :) The map "Playground" has been revamped and is in testing! I will post more as it develops!
Update! The PC games page has been modified to reflect three games that I have acquired over the last year and a half. Please welcome official entries for Civilization III, Command & Conquer: The First Decade, and Galactic Civilizations II. This is also the first mention, I think, of GCII on the site. Although my computer can just barely run it, GCII is a fun little strategy title.
I have been quite the busy bee lately. Between job searching, school, and the family affairs of the holidays, the site has been quite neglected. Some brief tidbits for you all: Belated Happy Holidays and New Year! A new PC game series will be added to the PC games page shortly. I got myself Command and Conquer: The First Decade for Christmas, and have tried each game in the package. I found that I like C&C: Tiberian Sun the best of the package, with Red Alert coming next. I have not yet played Red Alert 2 enough to pass proper judgement on it, but it is not far off. Note that expansion packs are/will be ranked with the original game, i.e. Firestorm is combined with Tiberian Sun, etc. Starcraft note: While on the back burner for a little bit, Starcraft has not been forgotten. Although I have had little time for mapmaking of late, I have had a few ideas running around my head. I may post some of the now defunct campaign's maps as multiplayer maps, schedule permitting.
It's been a while! I went back to school as of 10/23 and have not had time to update. When I get a new job, this site will go through another period of quiet until I settle into the new schedule. SC campaign update: still don't like the ending. I also don't like the quality of the storyline, either. Therefore: scrapola! SC campaign placed on the back burner for the time being. Empire Earth Map: the map failed its testing and has been scrapped, but I like the terrain concept I tried. It was a variation of my SC map "War on the Ridge," without the water between the start locations, though there was some water on the map. I'm gonna try that again. New game note: Civilization 3 has been added to my collection. Good game, but it will not have a maps page of its own. I'm looking to upgrade my gaming machine and load up on some new titles, so it will likely be combined on a maps page with one of its newer counterparts. C ya!
Hello all! SC campaign update: I have begun working on ideas for the final map and have come across a plot point that may make me break it into TWO levels for the finish! A timetable cannot be given, however, as I am going back to school at 28 years old! I start next week, and cannot predict how much time these online courses will take. Lastly, the previously mentioned Empire Earth multiplayer map has been through its first round of testing and has done well! It does play a bit on the easy side, which is being worked on. Later!
As you can probably guess, the SC campaign has completely stalled. I just can't end it the way I want to. I have an idea to try, so we'll see. I have completed DQ5 (almost, got bored at the end, say what you will). I started playing Lufia and the Fortress of Doom, and will likely do a playthrough of Chrono Trigger before I finish with the ROMs. I have also been dealing with a potential Empire Earth map! The terrain is set, but I'm working on number of players. A correction to previous post: my *NEW* ROM of DQ5. I have been, as I mentioned in a previous post, viewing some of the older SC maps on this site to mark a few for upgrade or removal. Final note: The Lost Vessel campaign revamp has been postponed until I finish my removal/upgrade of the multiplayer maps. C Ya! :)
Some of you are undoubtedly wondering where that final level is for the campaign and why the campaign hasn't been posted yet. Well, trust me to have gotten distracted! I got distracted by my ROM of Dragon Quest 5!! That I do love a good story. Anyway, once I beat that, I'll be getting back to SC full time. I have been doodling with the storyline of the campaign and have dabbled with a possible multiplayer map. More to come as it comes! :)
SC Campaign update! Level 7 is complete! Now working on the eighth and final level! Here are the level titles to wet your appetite:
SC campaign update: Level 6 complete and planning for level 7 is underway! I will continue working diligently on the campaign, while yet again searching for a new job. My most recent employment consisted of a 2 week tryout. I wasn't what they were looking for. I do not know how much time I will be able to devote... On another note, I recently rediscovered my emulator files for my NES and SNES games! First to get a replay: Breath of Fire! See ya!
SC campaign update! Levels 4 & 5 complete! I'm looking at a total of 7 to 9 levels, story pending. My new job is taking some time out of my schedule, so updates will be erratic until I settle into a groove. Peace!
SC campaign note! Level 3 complete! I have built and tested level 3 for the new campaign! It still needs a few balance tweaks, but very minor ones. I will be testing some upgrades to that shortly. Level 4 will probably be started today, as well. Madden '08 acquired! Gameplay feels a little smoother than '07, but very much the same, at least given my play calling :).
Quick note for everybody: I have aquired new employment! This will not slow down progress on the SC campaign too much. I will also be picking up Madden '08 shortly. I do not know how often I will be able to work on the site with this job. The hours look a little better than my last job, so it shouldn't be as bad as it previously has been. I will, however, maintain my pattern of 'no garauntees'.
Happy Madden '08 Day! I shall be acquiring my own copy shortly! SC campaign note: balancing of level 2 and the story so far as linking it to level 1 has been completed! More on the campaign as it comes together!
Single player campaign update! The level mentioned below is finished except for some balance tweaking! The first balance build made it very difficult. Being a "claim the artifact with the provided forces" type level, it is not a customary type of level for me. The balance issue is having enough Zerg forces left, typically, to deal with the Protoss mini base at the end. It's rare that my single player maps prevent me from beating them! This is a good thing! Anyway, except for some triggers to flesh out the story, and the final balance, this level is complete! Once I rewrite the story arc to contain this, then the next level can begin! Talking about a war game, "Peace out!" just doesn't seem like a good ending... tee-hee!
I've got some news regarding the new single player SC campaign I started following the SC2 announcement. I started a random single player map last night and have designated it level 2 of the campaign! The original story line had developed too fast. This level will make it flow somewhat better. The story for it and its links to level 1 are incomplete at this time, but don't seem far off. Keeping ya posted!
Made various grammatical and formatting corrections on PC Games page and Console Games page. Fixed home link on music links page. C Ya!
New Starcraft Multiplayer map up! The mysterious "Geometrus" awaits your presence! This is the tweaked and now all passing version of the twilight terrain map that has been mentioned twice recently on the site. Enjoy!
Howdy! In my last update, I mentioned a possible twilight multiplayer map. This map failed its most recent testing and will be replaced with another choice. More on that later! I am going to do something single player as well, but haven't had the time to do more than dabble with ideas. This is because I am again unemployed and am devoting my energies to my needs rather than my wants. I will not forget my map fans. You will be given something! Peace out!
Okay, so 3:40PM was too soon. Anyway, the new FAQ is up @ 3:46PM!
Some updates for all! SC Campaign update: The new campaign has been placed on hold for the time being. I did complete write-ups for three levels and built the first one, but did not like how my story led off. I am doing some tweaking and may finish it... or I may not! Why, you ask? because I recently replayed half of the Lost Vessel campaign and have decided to give it the REVAMP treatment, sort of. Mostly this will be a repair and rewrite of some triggers and an expansion of the storyline. No timetables as yet to speak of. Also, a new FAQ question will appear at 3:40 PM on that page. An SC Multiplayer map on twilight was made, and tested well. I may place it on the site this weekend. Good day for now!
As promised, a new SC multiplayer map has been added! "Disconnect" from the real world and enjoy! Accessible from the starmaps page, link at right! I have not yet started working on the campaign, but it will be started today!
In the time between the last update and now, I have spent much time thinking over what I'm gonna do to honor SC2's announcement. Yeah, I know, a little overdue. I will have a multiplayer map up within a week from today and I have written out two levels of a potential campaign! This will be the second campaign to be placed on the site that will feature a Zerg point of view! More as it develops!
The awesomeness has come! Blizzard has announced Starcraft II!!! Please check the following sites for more info: Blizzard.com and Starcraft Legacy.com. In honor of this, I am going to do a new Starcraft project or group of projects. I have plans to make a stand alone single player map and at least one new multiplayer map. There is a small chance of a new campaign, but that is yet undecided as yet. Now, check out them dang sites and enjoy the early goodies!
Hello, all! A new Starcraft map graces the site today! Enter the 'Temple of the Damned' if you dare! This is a 4 player map with UMS configured for North-South play! Enjoy! Also, moved some old posts to the scuttlebutt page.
FAQ page update complete! 3 new questions now grace the page! Enjoy!
Good evening ladies and germs! I have not been idle on site related stuff. First off, there are some mentions in past news articles about upgrades to the site layout/appeatance/page conbdensations. These will come about, likely in late June when I have a week off from work. This is not to say that I won't be working on anything in the mean time.
What I will be working on will possibly be the first single player Empire Earth 1 map and perhaps a new Starcraft multiplayer map to boot. Also, some of the existing EE1 maps might get redone/updated for EE:Art of Conquest. I do have the expansion (got the gold edition with both games) and have tinkered with it, but it is more than likely I'll stick with the original.
Lastly, I will have a few new questions on the ol' FAQs page within about 10 minutes of this post. (7:35 Eastern US)
April Fools! to all those who honestly thought I was gonna let you wait all week! The map is up today (just now :) )! A 4 player ditty called "Archipelago Acquisitions" is on board the Empire Earth 1 express! Enjoy!
Apologies for the longer than normal quiet folks! An update on Empire Earth maps mentioned below: the single player map previously considered has been declined as a site candidate due to too many trigger issues. I am making a completely new multiplayer map with larger dimensions than any I have yet made. Console game ditties: I have beaten FFIII: DS, FFXII and FFVI: Advance since the last update, and have freed much time to work on the map above. It should be up no later than next weekend! Ciao!
Update on new Empire Earth Map: there are now multiple maps in consideration for addition to the site! Included in this may be the first single player map for this game on the site! I have 2 to 3 choices for this map, as well as 1 or 2 multiplayer maps to view. These are taking longer than the Starcraft maps because I am having so much fun with the terrain options at my disposal! C ya!
Howdy! Just a couple of quickies today: (A)I have a new Empire Earth map in the works! It will be a multiplayer (4) map! (B) I checked my site files and it would seem I have an independent Warcraft III maps page. I am going to condense that with the War 2 maps page and will do something similar with the AoE pages. Good Bye for now!
Final Fantasy XII has taken my attention from the site, as well as other things. I'm thinking of putting a Warcraft III maps section on the same page as the War 2 maps, but I'm undecided. Also of note is that I do not have any plans to remake any Empire Earth maps for the 'Art of Conquest' expansion, though I can't rule out a few maps for the expansion set here and there. More as it develops! See ya!
A new Empire Earth 1 map has arrived! Sail down 'Popcorn River', if you dare! Enjoy!
The Empire Earth 1 maps page is up! Please look to the links area to the right to access it! Six relatively simple maps are on there, though they are not simple to play! The page format will likely evolve as time goes on... Enjoy!
I modified the console games page with a touch of reorganization! I dropped the direct SNES and NES references. I also created a separate section on Final Fantasy games. EMPIRE EARTH MAPS PAGE UPDATE!: Due to the arrival of FFXII to my house, I may not get to the actual site additions this weekend as planned. I will try, as always, but make no garauntees :).
The Empire Earth I maps page is just about complete structurally! I am working on backgrounding and just which of my currently made maps will make up the 6 or so that will grace the page at its launch. I will hopefully get this up sometime next weekend, so until then, Happy Holidays! Edit: fixed original date of post from 12/13 to 12/23, LOL!
Hello, folks! Things have gotten a little busy with the new job's variable schedule and the current holiday season. I do have some news today, though! First and foremost, a warm welcome to my new nephew born on 12/13! A cute little bugger, he is! Site update time: I've been having so much fun creating standard maps with Empire Earth that I have neglected the website and the new page for these maps. I'm looking at a half dozen map minimum to start the page with. I hereby continue my stance of providing no timetable for this :). There will be at least one more site update before 2006 ends! What that shall include, only time will tell!
Happy Thanksgiving! Site Update! I have been tinkering with the previously mentioned Empire Earth page (scroll down, access scuttlebutt page :) ). I have also been tinkering with standard multiplayer maps that may be so-called "launch titles" when the page goes up. With the holiday season upon us, I cannot, in good conscience, give a timetable, although I will try to get it up by New Year's Day. At the same time, I will possibly be condensing the AoE pages to one map page split into sections. This does not preclude a separate page for AoE 3 maps. That will wait until I get a computer that will run that game properly :(. Enjoy your Turkey Day!
Site update! New poem up! Wanderer's Song 2 passes through the poems page today! I wrote this at my new job on wednesday. Enjoy! Also, I fixed the broken link to the original Wanderer's Song. Sorry I didn't notice it earlier. BYE!
SC Campaign update 2! Level 11 is done! The campaign is done! Not only that, but I have completed a playthrough (started last night, actually, so it was in progress when 11 went kablooey)! We have a jackolantern (of sorts) above this for Halloween! Happy Halloween! I have also elected to post the campaign, entitled Kid Radnor's Adventures, today! :). Enjoy!
Supplemental note: modification to intro text cancelled!
SC Campaign Update! Level 11 is almost complete! I am having difficulty with 2 triggers that I will resolve today. I have also gone back and reviewed all triggers to shore up the consistency of inter-unit/hero conversations in-level as well as developed the story to include some back story about the other hero, Dark Templar Carnaj. I will have the campaign up on Halloween as anticipated, though exactly when on that day will be decided by my work schedule. Note that the intro text page has been modified as well. Stay tuned!
Update part Deux! The campaign preview page is up! It can be accessed via the Starmaps page or here. Enjoy!
General update!: I have acquired new employment! My search hath ended! I will be chugging away at the SC campaign as anticipated. I will have it out by Halloween. Also, I will be making a campaign preview page to be up sometime today! Peace!
SC Campaign update! Level 10 complete! Computer difficulty improved somewhat with what I tested here, and will be added to earlier levels. I am going to do two more things before the total playthrough. First, an 11th level is needed to conclude the story. This will not take long to make as the concept was originally part of level 10. I may redo 10 somewhat to include the ending there for sake of continuity. The second thing for me to do is go through each level and update some triggers. This is merely a cosmetic updating to make the trigger style consistent throughout. Then we'll get to the playthrough. C ya !
General site Update: I've also done the previously stated textual rearrangement of this front page :). Peace!
SC Campaign Update: New level construction on the campaign has halted while I try to tweak the coms. I have a few ideas I'm going to experiment with. The campaign will be posted on or about Halloween as anticipated. I will be working on the tenth and final level soon. Then we move to the final test, playing the campaign end-to-end to see how the story flows as a whole. As previously announced, I have indeed made the 'River of Fire' map a multiplayer version. It is on the site now! Thus have I held up on my intention of getting this out two weeks prior to the posting of the campaign! Enjoy one of the parts of the planet Char to be crossed by our hero, Kid Radnor!
SC Campaign Update: Levels 8A, 8B, and 9 are built and tested! Soon, I will put together the dramatic conclusion. I will have that started and the 'River of Fire' multiplayer map underway over the coming weekend! The two 8's differ in story only, just about, but allowed me to finally merge the 2 stories into one.
On another note, Mt. Trannquidar has seen an update. Version 2 is now available on the Starmaps page! The start locations have had a mineral change to better intiate the way the map plays. This map has become my most challenging map ever, and was unbeatable in its orignial form (Humans 0, Coms about 12-15). The new resource format was tested live on battle net yesterday and resulted in a long, hard, well fought 3 human vs. 4 com epic battle of attrition. My co-victors loved being the first winners on this map! Mirage Platform has also been very challenging and bosts a record of humans 4, coms 8-9. I can only hope my new campaign here will turn out so well. That requires a serious upgrade to the AI, though. Bye!
SC Campaign Update: Terrain for level 8 is set! As expected, there will indeed be an A & B of this level. I am expecting to make a 9th and 10th level. The storyline will reunite with level 9. There is a small chance of an 11th level, but I'm not sure yet. More as it develops!
SC Campaign update: Storyline difficulties have surfaced while trying to bring the two branches back together. I have a storyline written, but its conclusion depends on the remerging of the branches. I have a remedy in mind, but it will require the 8th installment to have an A and B branching, which I had been trying to avoid, to no avail. On a related note, I have decided to make 7's map into a multiplayer map! It will be 6 players, and will likely be up IN ADVANCE of the campaign proper AS A TEASER! This means that the map description will more than likely contain a teaser of sorts.
I'm hoping to wrap this up by Halloween, but my employment search needs more attention, so don't expect progress on the campaign announced on any day except Monday. Once back to work, site updates will shift to the weekends with an occasional weekday/night update to cover inportant site news. Rest assured that this site will not be neglected for years at a time again. Lastly, I'm contemplating a mild textual reformatting of this front page with the intent of making this site news section more prominent. Cheers!
SC Campaign levels 7A and 7B are complete and tested. I like this terrain setup so much that I may make this level into a multiplayer map! That decision, however, will be made after the campaign concludes. Or not. I may put it up as a teaser for the campaign. We'll see!! :)
SC Campaign levels 5, 6A & 6B are now tested! Storyline for 7, 8 and more is ready. I'm looking at 10 total levels, branching not included. Doodadding on early levels is done. C YA!
SC Campaign update! Level 6B is ready for playtesting! I will test 5, 6A, and 6B together so that I can make sure I programmed the branch-off correctly. Terrain for 7A and 7B is drawn up, but I'll need to write the next part of the story before they get made. More as it develops!
From the long overdue corrections department: In July I announced 5 years on Angelfire. It's actually 6, AND the anniversary is in June...D'oh! Just wanted to mention it...noticed when I found the original scuttlebut page, which dates to when I moved this site off of the Drexel server many moons ago. You can link to to this page from the new scuttlebut page, below. I think FOUR updates in one day is quite enough! Peace!
New content on Console games page!!
Please welcome back the scuttlebut page!! :) This is where to go if you want to read past news items :) Front page news will be limited to the current month and previous the month.
!!Status of SC Campaign Update!! Levels 5 and 6A have been completed and are ready for testing! I will test them together with 6B, which has been outlined, but awaits implementation. It may be the case that 6B may be a continuation of 6A and the other half of 6 will be labeled 6C. Also of note, increased difficulty levels on all levels, as well as a few additional triggers have been added to previous levels to add to the gameplay experience. I am gonna go back one more time for Doodad purposes, just to make sure that each level looks as good as it's playing out. Storyline development is now carried out mostly by the mission briefings, leaving the levels to be the 'events'. We'll hopefully see this up by Halloween, closer to the 10 level area. :)
Quicky here: SC Map Snow Hunt has been revamped! It has been redone with tourney style resources and a terrain update! Enjoy! Also corrected yesterdays post, please reread 'site related' to be 'SC related'.
I've been a bad boy! I've been neglecting my SC campaign again. Please allow me to plead my case! :) I have been enthralled by Final Fantasy X, I have X-2 to look forward to afterwards, AND I have been trying to build the aforementioned Empire Earth page. The main page is complete minus background, but I do not want to put it up a la the AoE pages with nothing on it. I have a few multiplayer melee type maps that just need detailing, but I want at least 2 single player maps good to go, now that I'm getting a little handle on those triggers. Lastly, Madden 07 in da house! I got it the day it came out. It, too, has eaten up its share of time! I'll get something SC related done this weekend, I promise!
SC Campaign update: I've been looking at the 4 maps I have made for this, and seriously think I could do more to advance the story via triggers. Also, I'm thinking of increasing the cpu difficulty levels. More on this as it develops!! :)
2 revamps are up on the SC maps page! Ashes to Ashes and Mud Flat Playground have been resource revamped! As with the previous revamps, the zip files contains all versions of the maps! Enjoy!
Stuck to bnet and the campaign over the weekend! Much needed bnet time it was, yes! Like Yoda I'm writing! Anyway, Levels 3 and 4 are in the playtesting phase as well as ideas for 2-3 more levels to come in the writing phase, including a possible branch in the story! I'm thinking 7-10 levels overall should do it, not including the potential branch! Peace out!
The reworked storyline is progressing well! The two existing levels have been reintegrated. One had to be redone a bit. Anyway, level 3 will be started this weekend. May or may not do some revamps. Later dudes and dudettes!
Part Deux! New poem up! Enjoy the 'Seasons' on the poem page!
Weekly update time! I've decided that my attempt to "create the levels as the story evolves" approach to the SC singleplayer campaign is a little too wacky for me to handle in the time I have to put into it in each sitting. I'm gonna delay the campaign somewhat to write a complete storyline and pick up the levels from it. I did it with an incomplete campaign that was lost in upgrading my computer, and it worked well. Hopefully I'll have a campaign for you by September's end :) Au revoir!
Howdy! New multiplayer SC map up: 'X' Marks the Spot... where it'll all go down! HA-HA! I have repaired Mt. Trannquidar as well and put it on the site. The storyline for the new singleplayer campaign is evolving. 2 levels are done, but I'm not sure they'll be the first two of the campaign. Peace
Arrgh! My winzip evaluation period is up! I may still post the repaired Mt. Tannquidar map, but for any that have downloaded it: Just open the campaign editor and place a White start location in the top right corner's open start spot. See ya!
Whassup! A few small things to talk about. Some more revamped maps are planned, but may not hit the site in July as originally planned... because I've embarked on a new single player campaign! There is also a new multiplayer map in the testing phase. A new version of Mt. Trannquidar that will have the 8th start location placed properly (its BNet debut showed only 7 placed) should show up before the end of the week. Th-Th Th-Th That's all folks!
Happy 4th of July! The first 4 revamped to tourney style maps are up! RE-enter the mysterious Xandu Rings, return to the Space Playground, relive the War on the Ridge, and brave again the heat of Ash Hunters! Each download will include all versions of these maps. Enjoy them again!
New SC map up today! Mirage Platform will receive all arrivals! Enjoy!
Little update here. Multiplayer maps for Starcraft now feature the below mentioned number of players notation.
Some of the maps are as old as 1999! I had forgotten. These older maps were from my Starcraft creative youth. I opened several in the campaign editor and noticed just how far I've come along in map making.
But why do I mention all this? Because this July marks 5 years of this site existing on Angelfire! Yay! In honor of this, select of my older multiplayer SC maps will get a definitive facelift! These new versions will be placed on the site throughout the month. I hope to do at least 10 of them all told, more if time allows. Bye!
Update time! First, you probably noticed a new main page background. Found that skate tile job a bit hard on the readability of the text. Next, we have three, that's right, THREE new Starcraft maps! Behold the cold of Arctic Blast, the bridges of Taeradhel River, and the serenity of Mt. Trannquidar! Taeradhel River is actually one that I've had for some time and tweaked a bit today for posting. Finally, I have decided to make a change to the maps pages to indicate the number of players on each map. That will be done in stages with a (0) before each map name. Enjoy!
A new Starcraft map is up! Visit "Duravar Island" in all its glory. Note: this map and the recently posted "Ash World War" are not the "money" maps that I used to make. Nowadays, as these two are examples of, my multiplayer maps have been more like to the tournament style maps used in various locales. I might just have to download some of my multiplayer maps on this site to review them and possibly create a subsection on the SC maps page to denote this difference. Anyway, see ya!
HI! Redid more backgrounds: this page, links at left, pc, & console games pages. I am creating a maps page for Empire Earth I, but it will not be on the site until such time as I can have a few maps on it. BYE BYE!
Whassup! Redid the background on the poem "Take Care" so that it is no longer a single solid color. See ya!
Hello peoples! New Starcraft Map: "Ash World War" is up on the site. Go to the PC games page and follow the links through!
UPDATE2!! Added a new poem: My War to the poems page!
UPDATE!!! Added some info to the PC and console games pages! Check it!
Hello all! I know my site has been very neglected. This will change! Two years and more is far too long! I don't really have any immediate plans, as some life things have ordained to slap me upside the head once again. Anyways, anything I do do will be placed in this news section in due order! Bye now!
