Map replayability - Grim / To late versions

[Adelion]

Making new maps is probably a lot of work. So I got the random thought if it would be possible to change only parts of the existing maps. The concept is similar to the "branching" we see at the beginning of Fort Brachsenbrücke or near the end of "Into the Nest". Two possible scenarios where at the beginning it will be decided which one is chosen. It would be interesting to see what happens on certain levels if you are to late or the situation would be even more "grim". Examples for this could be:

- Halescourge: You arrive only after the city-wide spell has been activated. According to one of the intros the Chaos fraction would be stronger (Skaven too?) while you would get some constant damage, maybe even a timer in which you have to reach the end of the map.

- Screaming Bell: Before going up the stairs at the plaza with the statue of .... Karl Franz? you will hear the Bell being used. As a result buildings nearby will crumble and block the stairs leading to the bell. This will trigger as soon as the first person reaches the plaza. As soon as the last person gets there the stairs behind will crumble too, making the plaza into an arena. From above two Rat Ogres jump in and start to fight you, strengthened by the bells sound.

- Into the Nest: Skragnik gets information of the heroes arriving into the nest and plans an ambush near the Rat Ogre Dens.

- Convocation of Decay: It would be cool to see what happens after the spell has been completed. But I have somehow the feeling that the heroes would have no chance of beating a Chaos Demon so .....

- Hunger in the Dark: As the mine is being used you will permanently being followed by a troll. If you kill it, a new one will spawn. There are no barriers but if you are to far away a new one will spawn.

- Against the Grain: You arrive at the final area where Chaos is currently busy feeding the prisoners to a Chaos Spawn or two. Or they just decided to burn down each farm on the way to the final area.

I guess it would be difficult to find something for each map. Or you would have to make similar scenarios like ambushes near the final area everywhere. But at least for some maps it should be possible. It would add some replayability and is less work than creating a completely new map as you can reuse large parts of the maps. It should be random if you get the normal version or the grim version if you go by quick play (like chances are 3:1). But you should be able to specifically chose the grim version from the map selection screen. As they are harder maybe a slight increase for the chest screen. But I don't think it is necessary.

[radz74]

On righteous stand when you walk into the first arena area you could have a bile troll raping a chaos warrior and if you kill the troll the cw helps you until it dies.

[Vec0]

More dynamic maps and events is something this game need to have more but idk how pratical it is . FS ususally dont do crazy things and on a personal note, i think most dynamic events look a bit clunky.

Maybe thats one of the reason why there was no dynamic events in Last Stand game mod from VT1.

[NeloDante]

So basically... deeds?

[Adelion]

Originally posted by NeloDante:

So basically... deeds?

Out of curiousity: Did you read further than .... um .... Halescourge? It is true that parts of this can be covered by the deed system. But stuff like replacing the final of Screaming Bell with an arena fight on the plaza, replacing the farm and grain fields against burned out versions or Skraknik appearing much earlier in the Level and ambushing you at the Rat Ogre's Den together with a patrol or a Rat Ogre would need some additional coding and changes in the map design which is not covered by deeds.

It shall just give the possibility to play the same map twice and feel more different. How different is depending on how much work one will invest. In "Into the Dark" you could lead ways upon complete new tunnels. Either as alternative parts (for example you could follow the tracks near the second grim) or completely new ending (like being chased by a pack of Bile Trolls and searching for an alternate waystone; there could be a final where you have to flood to lower levels of the mine with an underground river and then run to the waystone before the water rises to much).

[Emily Howard]

Lohner says the bell could also be just an ordinary one without any power. Also if that happens we need another exit. The prisoners at Against the Grain are being used as slaves so I don't think the Chaos want to feed them to anything (yet). Nevertheless an interesting idea. Some major plot twists in the maps.

[Evono]

Yes some random "Mutations" or Mutators would be really nice of the gameplay.