~Siege Arena 2.3~
9/5/2006

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-Contents-

Introduction

Basic Gameplay

Hero List

Strategies

Version History
~~


*Introduction*


(Hello.

Thank you for downloading my map.
This is my first map, albeit an extremely polished version, and one I believe to be about to the peak of my skill as a map creator.

This is a large, complex arena game, in which there are two teams of ten players attempting to destroy the enemy's base.
Every few minutes, a group of raiders (controlled by your team's computer player) will spawn near the enemy's base, and attack it.
Also, there are battles between raiding groups in the central arena.
Of course, there are many intricacies to gameplay, discovered only by playing (or reading) about the map.

I am very open to suggestions, submitted and clearly labeled to (mangoeldarkart@yahoo.com). I do give credit where it is due, in the credits section of the Quests.

-Large, sexay map.
-17 custom heroes.
-60+ custom items.
-All custom creeps.
-Very hopefully balanced.

Known Issues-

~Rare pathing override issues with supply trains and raiders. Nothing major usually.

This is a RoC map.

Thanks.

~Stabbity~)

Taken from Siege Arena 2.23 introduction, altered to be updated.

If you have issues with this map, don't like how it's setup, want to see changes, then, please, by all means, let me know. My email address is
in the above letter.

If you like it, then please go ahead and host it. :P


*Basic Gameplay*

Your objective is to destroy the enemy team's base. This base, and yours, are in a defensive enclosure, surrounded by guard towers,
elite guardians near the base itself, and the nearby area constantly patrolled by both land and air guards.
This may be accomplished in several ways.

~Let the NPCs do the dirty work.
Many NPC raiders spawn both in the central arena, and near your and the enemy's base. In fact, each team has a small forward camp (near the
enemy's base) which frequently spawns fighters to attack the nearby base.
You may also buy mercenaries, and send them to automatically attack the enemy base, at your Barracks, located in your spawning area in a
small alcove.
This can be very effective, or not at all.

~Attack the base yourself.
Build up your hero fighting creeps and other players, until you're powerful enough to survive more than a few shots from the guard towers; then
attack until you are able to break through to the base, and start the long process of destroying it.
This can be somewhat effective, but usually not so much, since the base's guardians can focus all their power on you.

~Attack as a team.
Build up your hero, and your team's heroes, until all of you are a force to be reckoned with, then attack.
This is noticably more effective than attacking solo, but requires teamwork, coordination, and takes longer.

~Combinations!
Have some of your team exclusively summon mercenaries. Others can be on raider duty, to make sure your base isn't in any major danger.
Yet more can be responsible for keeping enemy players under control; and others to siege the bases alongside the NPCs.
Find what works best for you.

Shops:
There are a large number of shops scattered throughout the map, all of which have items of varying power and price. The most powerful
items are the Hellfire armor set, the Divinity armor set, and those looted from One-of-a-kind creeps.

NPC Spawns:
-Raiders spawn every few minutes in a section of forest near Team I's base, and on the edge of town near Team II's base.
-A supply train spawns also every few minutes, along the road to the east at the edge of the map.
-Every three minutes, a large force for each side spawns in the central arena and fights it out. After the battle, the surviving forces group up and
attack the enemy base en masse.
-Every minute or so, a guard patrol spawns on the road near your base, and patrols the surrounding area that is under your team's control.
Sometimes, they will charge the enemy base themselves.
-Creeps spawn all over the map in various camps.
-Items spawn in the central arena once a minute, for the first ten minutes.


*Hero List*

There are 17 heroes from which to choose. Each hero has a fairly specific role, see their title for that role, and should do best in that role.
They may play outside of that role, but don't expect to do nearly as well. Healer trying to solo the base, anyone?
Below is a list of all the heroes, sorted by what I believe their difficulty to be.


Complete list of heroes by difficulty:

Beginner~
Drew <Alternate Melee>
Eleanor <Backup Archer>
Andrew <Duelist>
Masaki <Primary Melee>
Gina <Primary Caster>
Kyle <Alternate Assassin>

Intermediate~
Caleb <Backup Melee>
Alexander <Hybrid Melee>
Gabe <Siege Assassin>
Chad <Siege Caster>
Alex <Skirmisher>
David <Sniper>

Advanced~
Isaac <Summoner>
Jonathan <Caster Killer>
Emma <Healer>
Rachael <Backup Healer>
Ian <Disabler>

~~

*Strategies*

There are many, many possible strategies, with 17 heroes, but here are some basics to keep in mind.

~If you're the healer, then heal.
Yeah, it can be kinda sucky, having so little offensive power next to your teammates, getting kills aplenty. However, you are very good at keeping
those teammates alive. So do it. It can be hard, but it pays off, because if you heal well, then expect to lose very few fights.

~Focus your fire.
Designate someone as the "Assist". Then, in fights, attack the same targets as this person. The enemies will die faster, and more fights will be won.

~Lockdown important enemies.
If you're, say the Disabler, and you see the enemy's healer healing his ass off, then lay a Cyclone or something down on him so he can't heal,
and their team is severely injured.
Or, if an enemy is doing crazy amounts of damage to you or your teammates, lock them down, and save them for last when your entire team
can beat the crap out of them at once.

Another possibility is to give different players different jobs. For example, have a character very good at killing creeps go around the map and get
all the gold possible from it. Then, you could have him send this gold to others who need it, or have him use it on training mercenaries.
Two others of your team could be on Player-killing duty, and try to keep the enemy team locked down whenever possible.
Your final two could be responsible either for defending your base, or sieging the enemies.
Try it out, find what works the best.


*Version History*

1.0-1.5
-Basic game to a more advanced version.

2.0
-Completely new map.
-More heroes.
-More advanced sieging.
-Overall deeper gameplay.
2.1
-Fixed the hero selection models so they won't attack.
-Fiddled with the map itself a bit.
-Balanced some heroes.
-Minor fixes.
-Added waygates, and another shop.
-Spawn rates are faster.

2.2
-Added trainable raiders.
-Added supply trains.
-Optimized some triggers so that they work better.
-Changed some prices.
-Tweaked heroes a bit.
-Updated some trees for better supply train pathing.
-Changed some creep health.
-Added "player has left".
-Added ability for Red to boot others.
-Added Hellfire and Divinity armor sets, available in special shops. Get yours today!
-Updated the bases a bit.

2.3
-Added Outposts.
-Added patrols.
-Changed some spawn rates.
-Made pathing smoother for NPCs.
-Added a second exit to Team I's base.
-Made the forest-area around Team I's base easier to navigate.
-Reduced "spam" annoucement text somewhat.
-Added Rachael, the 16th hero.
-Added the One-of-a-Kind mobs to the map, and their unique treasures!
-After much thought, tomes have been removed from the game.
-Added the Onyxbeard Clan mountain area.
-Added hero number 17, Kyle.
-Changed some of the heroes' abilities, so that there is very little overlap in L6 abilities.