WoE EX Castles by Olrox [Free Release Project]

[Olrox]

Extended War of Emperyum Castles by Olrox

Briefing

Hello.

Let me introduce myself. I'm Olrox, that guy you might remember that has to do with all it comes about "mapping".

First of all, I was not sure to post this thread in this area of the forum. I was more about posting it into the "map showcase". But since it is a -long time- project that consist of more than realising a single map (so as it has to do with adding new scripts and maybe new source patchs), I thought it would be fine here.

Back to the thread... you might ask. What is this "Extended Castles" stuff???

Well. Maybe all of you have wondered for ex. Why Morroc doesn't have a castle in all those realms we have as "Prontera", "Aldebaran", "Payon", and so on. Morroc is my favorite city. I have been allways wondered why Morroc didn't deserve a WoE Castle by default? (alpha RO doesn't counts ) I don't know... but what I'm sure it is that this idea has crossed my mind since ever.

It was only some days ago that I was thinking what could be awesome to share as a free release to the whole community. Actually I don't run a server as most of the people around, but I believe I have to be thankfull by some way to all here.

Then, this Idea crossed my mind. How about making that Morroc WoE Castle I have allways dreamed for? .. but hey -I said to myself-, why we can't give other cities in ragnarok the same chance as morroc too?

Okay, but WoE Castles are for me, the most complex maps of all. It requires a lot of time, effort, and well... motivation. A map of this kind for me are almost priceless and seriously I must be crazy to think about doing this kind of work for Free! even when my time to work on this kind of works is very limited .... but as I said before I want to do something really good in exchange to all.

Basic Features

This project is about making a set of High Quality WoE 2.0 castles. We will begin with Morroc City, but other cities are crossing my mind to being in the list: Brasilis, Amatsu, Glast Heim, Gonryun. Those are glorious cities that it can be possible to recreate a WoE 2.0 area based on those of course. It is a matter of imagination and conceptualization of developing ambience and recreation for each to make them sucessfull.

I'm sure a set of castles of this kind would be a very attractive PLUS to all the private servers out there. Just try to remember those old days when we knew that new 2.0 castles were comming from gravity. I was so excited.

The idea is to make only one WoE 2.0 castle per realm. But in addition, this WoE Castle will recreate the most representative areas of the realm it is about.

Let me explain with an example.

This is arug_cas03 map sketch that is intented to be a guide of what I'm doing.

In the case of Morroc:

- Pink area: Morroc Interiors style

- Red area: A mix between Sphinx/Pyramids ambience style

- Blue area: Sograt dessert ambience.

- Yellow area: Throne area, inspired in the Morroc city central structure (before satan morroc)

- Green area: Assasins Guild inspired.

- Orange area: Rogue Guild inspired

Remaining areas are still in my mind. But for now, this idea is very promising. At least for enclosing what it is "All Morroc" about in only 1 castle.

Changelog and Progress

I'm still in my initial state of this idea. My free time to even think about invest my time for something for free is very limited, due to the high amount of requests from my customers that I have.

However, I took my time the past weeks to begin building the initial idea of the pink and red area of the sketch that corresponds to the first main area, so as the entrance of the castle.

The following screens are from a scratch -under development- map stage: Lights, structures, empty areas, textures, objects... might be are only for reference and take this as a far teaser of the final work. It shows roughly how the entrance with the morroc interior style, so as the pyramid/sphinx ambience applied with some sort of a small maze in the entrance. Maze style that is common in the sphinx dungeon area

The idea is becoming good. Being an initial state of a work of some days it is getting really promising. The entrance maze is somewhat the idea of the sphinx area. Some hieroglyphics, some sphinx tombs. At the time we will work with effects, there will be better lights, torch effects etc.

This is like provisional, and not the serious thing, But I had to show something more than words here, so there you have it.

My intention is that when the castle is ready, they will be posted in the Map Showcase Forum. Until that time I will ask for help from scripters/database editors around to adapt the castle and release the scripts and maps bundled up in the download module of rathena forum.

People that might be interested into the database/script area are welcome. But only at the time the first map is ready.(I don't want to waste your time with something that is still in the initial state).

Consider to Support this!

This is a LONG TERM project. I have to say it again.... this is a LONG TERM Project seriously! Please consider that my free time to work on this is very limited, as also doing a map takes a lot of time... more with the castle style ones. To have even the first woe castle will take 2,3 months, more or less, no one knows. Updates will be really sporadics.

I will appreciate to not ask very often when it will be ready.

Remember this is a Free Release project made for the community. Easily I could make this first castle and the other ones in the future with the only intention to make a profit... or well, I could invest this time on this in my current paid requests. But I'm not doing that!.

If you like the idea, if you think this worths the time... consider post your feedback. Follow this thread, rate it with starts. Motivation takes a big part in this cases. Reading all your feedback here is for me, the only motivation I need to make this possible.

I believe there are people out there that appreciate a lot my work. Private or Free ones all counts... For those people that might be interested, you can go far and try this userbar I did with my limited photoshop abilities but with all my heart on it!

Thank you all. And have a nice day.

[Judas]

faints....tooo awesome XD

I'm not sure how much you spent thinking of the concept, but the theme is almost exactly that I would envision a castle to be for the city. I can't say it enough, it is beyond amazing!!!!

[Olrox]

Thank you a lot for supporting it. The sograt dessert area will be awesome I'm sure. And I think that one will be next to move on into the inital state.

What it is becoming kind of complex is about mixing the styles into a single concept. Afterall, we are talking of different style maps~ The idea became when I saw how the lighthalzen main castle with the biolabs area on the sides and the main yuno style area on the center came all mixed up well.

At least what I'm sure that I will put my heart on the morroc one. Because I love morroc really. I'm not sure to move on glast heim or brasilis next time.

[SlashGeeGee]

another epic work from Olrox

Good Job !

[GmOcean]

For just a teaser, it is really well done. Looks amazing even at first glance. The maze + hieroglyphs are a huge sell imo, along with the tombs on the side, really gives the Pryamids/Sphinx feel.

I may not be as good a scripter as Annieruru or Z3RO (Gone missing) or Keyworld (Also gone missing xD), but I am fairly adept, and am more than willing to write up a script for this map (when it's done) that would rival if not exceed official scripts of the same kind.

[Thanna]

its 11/10 nice work mate

[Olrox]

@SlashGeeGee

Thanks bud.

@Thanna

Thank you a lot!

@GmOcean

Thanks for your offer and your feedback. At the time this first castle map is ready I will contact you, so as other guys if they come to me with interest in the meantime too. I hope you will be available until then.

[Kirito]

Wow! Great! Another good map from olrox!

[AnnieRuru]

@GmOcean

gogogo do it xD

it just some copy paste

https://rathena.svn.sourceforge.net/svnroot/rathena/trunk/npc/guild2/arug_cas01.txt

TOOO simple script

just duplicate all the npc and put them in this map

then have another file add warper like this

https://rathena.svn.sourceforge.net/svnroot/rathena/trunk/npc/warps/guildcastles.txt

seriously, the npc side can be done in no time

if you do it, your name will be credited xD

@Olrox

now I seriously consider putting your userbar in my sig !!!!

damn, now I also want to make my Annieruru fan club userbar , hmm ...

[williamII]

@Olrox

looks amazing

your work leaves me shocked and by looking at the map shows their dedication

congratulations super olrox

[Syouji]

Wow! Impressive work Olrox. =]

If you need help with light-maps, let me know and I'll help you out with the project. Maybe I can help do some designs as well but I can't be sure at the moment.

[Olrox]

@Zel

Thanks. It is still in scratch mode though. Hope you will be around to see the final work!

@AnnieRuru

Oh pleeeeease use it, that would make me so happy <3 come on :3!!! and yeah please do yours, I'm sure a lot of people will use it (Me Included.

@williamII

Thanks!. Please look further at the final result. Hope your server will use this release when it is done.

@Syouji

Thanks for your offer. Actually I'm more with diffussing and low intensity lights with this one. Maybe when the map is ready and released you can give a try with your way of lights, if you consider it the map deserve it.

As for the designs, I'm working very sporadical with this release, my time is very limited and when I do, it is a matter of trying things, get back with others, try again... etc. For ex. I do a small area one day... and the other day I remove it and try other thing. It would be hard and time consuming to be in common agrement with another mapper in this particular work.

Maybe with the gat tiles (more than walkable/no walkable, this goes serious with shootable cells), or some tips with interiors (like shadows on walls) would be really helpful. I will hit you up in gtalk to talk about one of these days

[Yuki]

Wow, it will definitely be awesome to see the final version of this project! You have some brilliant ideas, and I agree with having WoE castles being representative of the towns they are based on. So far, the map images you have shown look amazing! It's nice that you are doing this on your own time, and I can't wait to see the rest soon =D.

Love your maps as usual, Olrox <3! Keep up the epic work ;D!

[ragnazorg]

Oh hey I hate you.

I hate you for being so good in mapping *cries*

Anyway Good Job as usual. If there's anything I can help you with drop me a pm. (obviously I know I cant help)

Goodluck~

[Olrox]

@Yuki

Oh, hello!!! <3 how are you doing?. Thanks a lot for your kind words. I'm glad that you like the idea! please come back to this thread to see more examples of the first morroc castle.

@ragnazorg

I know that you hate me~ :3 and of course you can help. I have to think about it and I will look for you.

---

Today in the morning I did some tests with the sograt desert area, Hope I will be able to show something about it one of these days.

[Xhiro]

New WoE castles

I do love the dining area at the entrance

Anyway, it looks nice. But I always thought that the WoE in RO needs to be upgraded.

[Maki]

Suggestion:

Perhaps implement some fake walls to make the maps much more exciting? This would open up the possibility of people having traps layed out so when other players pass the hidden ones, they can ambush much more easily The Fake Walls should be in key points where it would be hard to defend if someone ambushed you from that spot =]

[ScriptingPhailure]

I can't say anything that hasn't already been said, but this really blew me away when I first saw the picture. I just read the idea "oh that's a good idea." then I actually saw the picture and almost flew back off my chair. I hope you see this project thru, it's too amazing to go to waste.

[achreshia]

WOAH EPIC